You want star power? You got it.

The Celtics-Cavs series kicking off tonight is not short on intrigue. It pits the East’s top team versus arguably the East’s top player in LeBron James. It pits the balanced attack of the Celtics and its Big Three versus the one-man show in Cleveland. The NBA must be salivating over the marketing and rating possibilities, and this is shaping up to be a memorable matchup.

Here are a few things to look out for in this series.

Can the Cavs Contain the Big Three?
Everybody knows that in Boston everything begins and ends with the Big Three: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen form the most imposing trio in the league, and they are the reason Boston entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed. Garnett is the team’s emotional leader, and his compelling match up with Cleveland’s Ben Wallace in the post will be crucial. Wallace is traditionally a defensive force in the paint, but he will have his hands full with Garnett, who averaged 21.0 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.4 blocks in Round 1. On the perimeter, Pierce and Allen are a lethal duo. Against the Hawks, they combined for 34.1 points, 7.8 assists and 4.7 three-pointers a game. The Celtics can come at you from all angles, and the Cavs will need to contain the Big Three if they want to advance to the next round.

Can LeBron Shoulder the Load?
Boston’s defensive strategy is completely different than the Cavs’. Instead of being forced to spread out and cover numerous scorers like the Cavs will have to, the Celtics need to zero in on James. If James is off, the Cavs have no chance. But, if he is on like he was in averaging 29.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals versus Washington, Cleveland can beat just about anyone. Boston might not be as physical, but it did finish the regular season with the league’s second best scoring defense. LeBron has fared well against the Celtics though, averaging 32.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.3 assists against them this season. If Boston continues to let King James run wild, they will be going home.

Celtics Road Woes
One cause for concern for Celtics fans is how poorly they played on the road versus Atlanta in the first round. Boston lost all three games away from home, despite blowing out the Hawks on their home floor in the other four. The Celtics went 31-10 on the road during the regular season, so it’s not a pattern of poor play, but it’s not comforting to see the Jekyll-and-Hyde act they pulled in round one. As was evident in the regular season with these two teams, home-court advantage will be very important in this series. The Celtics and Cavs split the season series 2-2, and the home team won all four games.

Will LeBron Get Enough Help?
The main question for Cleveland always is - how much help will LeBron get from his supporting cast? And, the answer to that question normally determines Cleveland’s fate. LeBron’s supporting cast has improved over recent years, and he now has help on the perimeter with guys like Wally Szczerbiak and Daniel Gibson to go along with the inside presence of Zydrunas Ilgauskas. In round one, Szczerbiak and Gibson combined for 22.6 points and 4.2 three-pointers a game, and Ilgauaskas added 14.5 points and 7.3 rebounds. In fact, five Cavs averaged double figures against Washington.

Unsung Heroes
Star power aside, many playoff series are decided by the play of unsung heroes. Each team has eligible candidates to step up and make a difference. For Cleveland, I think those players are Delonte West and Gibson. West’s game has improved as of late, and he averaged 10.2 points, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals in round one. West, who was drafted in the first round by Boston in 2004, also showed his ability to hit big shots by hitting a game-winning jumper in Game 4 against the Wizards. Gibson has had the hot hand shooting, and he averaged 11.8 points while shooting 15-for-30 from behind the arc in round one. He has made 11 of his last 17 attempts from three-point range.
For Boston, the much-improved play of Rajan Rondo is overshadowed by the Big Three. Rondo has matured with every game he’s played, and he put up 11.6 points, 7.3 assists and 1.7 steals. Rondo is a key component to this team, and his play at the point guard position can go a long way in determining the outcome of this series.

Momentum
Both teams are coming off emotional first round victories. Boston was unexpectedly pushed to a Game 7, and Cleveland dismantled the Wizards in a physical six-game series. The Celtics would have liked a few extra days rest heading into Round 2, but going to a Game 7 will serve as a wake-up call to the top seed. Boston is inexperienced in the playoffs, and it learned in round one that it that it has to show up in every minute of every game.
The Cavs also learned from their first-round victory. They learned that not only can they win close games, but that they can do it on the road. The Cavs won twice in Washington, including the series clincher in Game 6. This should give the Cavs confidence in tight games, and when they have to go in to Boston.

Prediction
This series certainly falls under the must-see category. I fully expect the stars to shine on one of the NBA’s biggest stages. LeBron should have a big series, and should be able to give the Celtics all that they can handle. In the end, however, the balanced attack of the Big Three, the depth of the Celtics, and Boston’s stingy team defense will be just a little too much for LeBron and co. Garnett will not let his team lose, and Boston will prevail in six.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

More opinions…

The Painted Area chimes in with its second round preview.

The Scores Report says it’s Lebron versus the world.

The Beantown Sports Guys give their thoughts on Boston vs. Cleveland.

Wicked Good Sports previews the Celtics vs. Cavs.

Anthony Oliva III is a senior journalism student at Penn State University. He can be contacted at anthony.oliva3@gmail.com.