Edge: Cavaliers.

SHOOTING GUARD

Delonte West vs. J.J. Redick/Courtney Lee: West is playing some of the best Basketball of his career and his baseline drive and emphatic windmill dunk in Game 4 against Atlanta is one of the Cavaliers most vivid memories from that series. James says West is the team's glue. "He's been great," said Cleveland coach Mike Brown. "He's athletic, long and he's fearless." Redick and Lee will have their hands full.

Edge: Cavaliers.

SMALL FORWARD

LeBron James vs. Hedo Turkoglu: What a season it has been for James, who was named the league's most valuable player. James has improved from averaging 28.4 points on 48.9% shooting and 7.6 rebounds in the regular season to 32.9 points on 53.2% shooting and 9.8 rebounds in the playoffs. Turkoglu came up big in Orlando's Game 7 victory over Boston, finishing with 25 points and 12 assists, and Cleveland will have to honor his three-point shooting (36.4% in the playoffs).

Edge: Cavaliers.

POWER FORWARD

Anderson Varejao vs. Rashard Lewis: Like Turkoglu, Lewis can be a deadly three-point shooter. Lewis is averaging a team-high 19.8 points and is shooting 34.4% from three-point range during the playoffs. "They're going to make a lot of shots from the perimeter," said James. "But you can't let that get you down. They've got guys who surround Dwight (Howard) and can really shoot the ball." Varejao brings a physical presence to the Cavaliers and is averaging 5.6 points and 7.3 rebounds in the playoffs.

Edge: Magic.

CENTER

Zydrunas Ilgauskas vs. Dwight Howard: Ilgauskas, bothered by a sore ankle and shoulder, benefited as much as anyone from the long layoff the Cavaliers had after sweeping Atlanta. Ilgauskas has watched a lot of film of Howard and said that coach Mike Brown hadn't ruled out giving him double-team help at times. To Ilgauskas, the key against Howard is to limit his opportunities. "You don't give up a lot of dunks," said Ilgauskas. "Make him work for everything because we're not being to be able to stop him." Howard is averaging 19.6 points, 16.6 rebounds, and 2.75 blocks in the playoffs.

Edge: Magic.

BENCH

The Cleveland reserves scored only 15 points in the final two games against Atlanta. Even so, the Cavaliers liked the activity that the reserves provided. "We don't need them to do anything but what they need to do to help us win the game," said James. "The scoring is extra." Veteran Joe Smith is one of the Cavaliers key reserves, averaging 7.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in the playoffs. Mickael Pietrus, Anthony Johnson, Marcin Gortat and Lee have given Orlando some solid minutes off the bench.

Edge: Magic.

COACHES

Mike Brown vs. Stan Van Gundy: Brown will be judged by how well he used the time off his team earned after sweeping Atlanta series. "If we go in and win, people are going to say we did a nice job during that time," he said. "If we go in and lose, people are going to say we had too much time on our hands." Van Gundy was criticized by Howard for not giving him the ball enough after Orlando's Game 5 loss to Boston. The Magic responded by winning the next two games and the series but Van Gundy said he felt no vindication from that. "If our team's not great Wednesday night, I'm back to being an idiot," he said.

Edge: Cavaliers.

PREDICTION

James has been spectacular in the playoffs and his supporting cast has played well also. The Cavaliers will be tested by the Magic but Cleveland is well-rested, has home-court advantage, and has been playing stifling defense in the post-season. It should all add up to a trip to the NBA Finals for the Cavaliers.

Cleveland in six.

Tom Enlund

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