Raptors are in opposite position this year

There are many interesting match-ups to examine as we embark on the NBA playoffs. Will the Mavs win in what may be the most unfair 2 vs 7 match-up of all time? Will Ben Wallace's experience help Cleveland return to the finals? At this point it appears as though the Western Conference is anyone's to take, while the East is likely to be a two-team race. One match-up that I find quite interesting however is the 3 seed Orlando Magic vs the 6 seed Toronto Raptors.

Last year nobody predicted the Raptors would make the playoffs, let alone be the 3 seed. They were a surprise team which was lead by key acquisitions of role players like Anthony Parker and TJ Ford, the maturation of Jose Calderon, and by Chris Bosh upping his game to a higher level than anticipated.

Then they met New Jersey in the first round. New Jersey, the 6th seed who struggled mightily during the second half of the season looked as though they would be an easy victory for the streaking Raptors before the series began. Quickly however, it became apparent that the Nets playoff experience was more than the upstart Raptors could handle and the Nets took the series.

The Orlando Magic were a team that nobody picked to come out of the East. They were a team that many analysts identified as having potential, but nobody knew what they would bring to the table. They jumped quickly out of the gate and haven't looked back. Lead by the key acquisition of three-point threat Rashard Lewis, the maturation of Hedo Turkoglu, and by Dwight Howard bringing his game to the next level, the Magic enter the playoffs as the 3 seed facing a 6 seed who's been in their shoes and has the experience to guide them. And if that's not enough, the Raptors, like the Nets the year before have struggled down the stretch.
This formula seems a little too familiar.

Are the Orlando Magic this year's Toronto Raptors? And are the Toronto Raptors this year's New Jersey Nets? Last year SI.com predicted New Jersey to take the series in six. This year their prediction: Raptors in six.