2 vs 7: Cavs vs Magic
While there is no recent history among these teams like the Celtics and Heat, there are plenty of storylines that would make this matchup an intriguing one. To start, both teams have among the best defenses in the league. The Cavaliers rank 2nd in defensive rating, while the Magic are not far behind at 4th.
This has all the makings of an old-school, low-scoring defensive battle reminiscent of previous decades of playoff basketball. Given the amount of discourse around the lack of defense in today's game, this matchup would be a great way for the league to showcase some of its premier defensive units.
From a Cavaliers perspective, they would certainly be heavy favorites in this series. This would be a great opportunity for them to put last year's disappointment behind them and earn their first playoff series win without LeBron James since 1993.
Considering Donovan Mitchell's uncertain future with the team, they can't afford another first-round exit. A deep playoff run would go a long way towards keeping Mitchell happy while also providing their young stars with some much-needed experience.
The Magic, on the other hand, would be playing with house money. They entered this season as the 4th-youngest team in the NBA so any sort of playoff success would just be a bonus to what has already been a successful season.
Led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, they are likely to become staples in the Eastern Conference playoffs moving forward. This series would give them a great opportunity to show that they are well ahead of schedule and are a team to be dealt with now, not a few years down the line.