Paul Jones

Paul Jones is the voice of the Raptors on the FAN 590 and writes regularly for Sportsnet.ca.

Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett.

The Celtics and the Magic start the Eastern conference final Sunday in Orlando and it should be a classic series where coaching adjustments put each team in the best scenario to succeed. We know the NBA is all about matchups right? But should a coach feel the wrath of disgruntled fans if he makes a move to get the right match up but the player just can't deliver the goods?

Bench play is going to be a key in this series. The Celtics may have to turn to the likes of Tony Allen and Michael Finley to guard on the perimeter. I'm still puzzled as to why the move was made to trade Eddie House for Nate Robinson as House was with the team when they won it all in 2008 and in these eyes is a better shooter. He may not be as good a ball handler as the slam dunk champ but there are always other variables when it comes to personnel moves.

A Recipe for Kryptonite

When Kendrick Perkins inevitably runs into foul trouble, Rasheed Wallace and Glen "Big Baby" Davis will have to muscle Dwight Howard away from the block. Wallace had better find his game for this series, and the next one if the Celtics make it past Orlando, because his ability to guard down in the low post and stretch the defense will be important. Heck, you might even see Shelden Williams in there "beating" on Howard at times.

Perkins will have the main job of guarding Howard and look for the Celtics to defend him straight up with no double teams the majority of the time. Now that doesn't mean that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year won't see double teams, but they will be more of a surprise tactic so he will not get used to seeing the same defensive coverage. Keep an eye on Perkins as he sat out Saturday's practice due to knee problems.

Why will guarding Howard one-on-one be a major factor in Boston's success? The Magic were one of the most prolific three point shooting teams in the regular season sitting with the fourth best percentage. Orlando led the NBA in "takes and makes" with an average of 10 of 27 each game. The pattern is holding true in the playoffs as the Magic are second behind only Phoenix in connecting on a 38.4% clip from behind the arc. Much of that success is the ball moving around the perimeter after a classic inside out start to the offence. That's right, the ball goes in to Howard and since the defence is afraid of him scoring, they automatically double team and then can't recover fast enough to chase the ball to stop or sometimes even contest a three point attempt.

If Boston is able to guard Howard one on one and take away the three point barrage, they stand a better chance. But before you play "Superman" man up, you have to push him away from the block so when he catches the ball, he is further away from the hoop than the lower block area. Since Howard has yet to show he can consistently make a 12-15 foot shot, ideally, that's where you would like him to catch it if you're the Celtics and then back off him. If he faces the basket it's even better. If Howard catches the ball down low and can feel the defender's body, that allows him to spin into the lane for his hook shot or worse yet for the defence, drop step to the baseline for a dunk. In those instances, rather than double team, fouling him and sending him to the free throw line might be the best alternative to a rim rattling dunk.

Howard is also effective in screen roll scenarios as he sets a screen near the top of the lane for one of the ball handlers and then rolls hard to the basket. If the defence comes off a shooter to help on Howard, it leads to a good look from behind the arc. Boston, who play screen and roll defence very well will have to keep Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter or any other player that initiates a screen and roll sequence from any sort of dribble penetration. The other alternative is to force the screen and further out on the floor to give more recovery time to the defence.

You can also try and take Howard out of the game by going at him on the offensive end. He is reluctant to leave the security of the lane and venture out into the thin air away from the paint. This will give some open looks to Boston's big men with at least 15 foot range and if they are able to put the ball on the floor and make moves off the dribble, it presents even more of a problem for Howard.

The Celtics are not without their own vulnerabilities. If Orlando rebounds well and can get out and run, they can score easy baskets before Boston's defence gets set. The Celtics five on five half court defence is continually one of the best in the NBA and right now they look to have regained their 2008 championship form with a healthy Kevin Garnett.

If Orlando has to play Boston in half court sets, it is important that they move the ball. One of the teams that always presented the Celtics with problems was Eddie Jordan's former team, the Washington Wizards. Why? The Princeton offense, predicated on ball movement, did not allow Boston to locate and lock in on the ball, a strong side of the floor, and establish where help was coming from all the time. Remember, early this season Philadelphia under Jordan used the same tactic to beat Boston at home.

It should be a great series and the chess match between the coaches and players carrying out the plan should make for good theatre.