Dwight Howard and the Magic the only team to sweep a first round series this season.

With only one more first round series remaining (Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference ) a conference semifinal series beginning tonight (Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference) , let’s look at see how I fared in my opening round NBA playoff predictions.

Eastern Conference

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Chicago Bulls
Series result: Cavaliers win series, 4-1
Rankin prediction: Cavaliers, 4-1
Final word: Bulls just didn’t have enough to overtake LeBron James and the top-seeded Cavs.

(2) Orlando Magic vs. (7) Charlotte Bobcats
Series result: Magic win series, 4-0
Rankin prediction: Magic, 4-2
Final word: Even with Dwight Howard a non factor offensively, Orlando was good enough to sweep the Bobcats.

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He looked up to him as a kid.

Wears his same number, for now.

And who knows, LeBron James may own a team someday like Michael Jordan, who is runnings for the Charlotte Bobcats. I asked James about the possibility before Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

“I would love to be in that position. It’s a great position to be able to own a team and be able to put pieces together and things like that. Make decisions. It’s definitely a tough job, but I love the game and I know talent. If that opportunity presents itself later on in my life, then I would try it.”

Charlotte needs its new owner, Michael Jordan, to turn back the clock and play in order to beat the Orlando Magic.

Orlando is doing it without Dwight Howard scoring a ton of points and being in foul trouble.

Boston is playing like it did early in the season.

No wonder they are each a game away from sweeping their respective first-round series in the Eastern Conference.

The Magic took a 3-0 lead Saturday by winning, 90-86 at Charlotte against the Bobcats. Howard had just 13 points and fouled out in the fourth quarter after playing just 26 minutes.

As for the Celtics, they can sweep the Heat  by winning Sunday’s Game 4 in Miami. Paul Pierce gave them a 3-0 series lead by hitting a game-winning shot at the buzzer to give Boston a 100-98 win.

Dwight Howard is a lock to win a second consecutive defensive player of the year award.

(2) Orlando Magic (59-23) vs. (7) Charlotte Bobcats (44-38)

Series schedule: Game 1 – Today at Orlando 5:30 p.m. ET (TNT); Game 2 – Wednesday at Orlando 7 p.m. ET (TNT); Game 3 – Saturday at Charlotte 2 p.m. ET (TNT); Game 4 –Monday 4/26 at Charlotte TBD; Game 5 – Wednesday 4/28 *at Orlando TBD; Game 6 – Friday 4/30 *at Charlotte TBD; Game 7 – Sunday 5/2 TBD. *If necessary.

Series keys: For Orlando: Use bench (Orlando will need reserves later in the postseason). 2. Establish defensive energy (Howard sets tone with shot blocks and rebounding). 3. Handle Action Jackson (Stephen Jackson had 28 points in Charlotte’s lone win against Orlando. For Charlotte: 1. Guard the 3-pointer (Orlando lead the NBA in 3-pointers made with 841 in the regular season). 2. Foul Superman (Dwight Howard shoots a higher percentage from the field – 61.2 percent – than the line – 59.2 percent. 3. Follow the leader (Veteran coach Larry Brown has the knowledge to make this series interesting). 

Series outcome: Magic will win the series in six games, but Charlotte won’t go down easily.

Series stories:

1. Dwight Howard on Hack-a-Dwight: “It’s not a bad strategy” – Orlando Sentinel
2. Magic-Bobcats offer friendly, fiery playoff twist – USA Today
3. Can Michael really let Larry leave Charlotte? – ESPN

He’s the man in a difference sense now.

Michael Jordan now owns the Charlotte Bobcats. Here’s clips from an exclusive interview with legendary coach John Thompson. 

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LeBron James has Cleveland atop the NBA regular-season hill for a second straight season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have done this before.

And it wasn’t too long ago.

Last season, the Cavs won a league-best 66 games to earn home-court advantage in the playoffs, but wound up losing in the Eastern Conference Finals against Orlando in six games.

Earlier this week, they clinched home-court advantage again for the playoffs after the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, but I’m still not sold the Cavs have the best team in the NBA, though.

Got some issues. Here’s a few.

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With center Shaquille O'Neal being out an estimated eight weeks to recover from thumb surgery, reigning MVP LeBron James will really have to carry the Cleveland Cavaliers through the rest of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs.

Wow.

The good news for Cleveland is the surgery on Shaquille O’Neal’s right thumb was successful.

The bad news for Cleveland is he’s expected to be out eight weeks. So he’s going to be out the remainder of the regular season, which for the Cavaliers ends April 14, and possibly the first round of the playoffs.

Yeah. Wow.

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Jamison was all smiles during Thursday's press conference after being traded from Washington to Cleveland in a three-team deal.

“HONK HONK! Yo D! What’s up, my man?”

Hey. What’s good with you? It’s been a minute. Like that new ride you got there.

“Yeah. You know how I do. Listen, I know you been busy checking out those NBA trades that went down before Thursday’s deadline. What you think about the Cavaliers getting Antawn Jamison and only giving up Zydrunas Ilgauskas and a first-round draft pick?”

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Going to make a prediction for the NBA’s All-Star Saturday tonight.

Shannon Brown is going to dunk from the free throw line and win tonight’s Slam Dunk competition.

Mark it down. The guy is one of the most explosive players in the NBA.

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The Fort Wayne Mad Ants did something the Erie BayHawks couldn’t: Beat the Maine Red Claws.

The BayHawks lost three consecutive times to Maine this past week, but the Mad Ants (4-5) upset the Red Claws in Maine, 113-105. Ironically, former BayHawk guard Oliver Lafayette had a big game against Maine as he scored 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting as a starter. Lafayette went 3-of-6 from 3-point range.

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