NBA playoffs: East — No. 2 Orlando Magic vs. No. 7 Charlotte Bobcats

Last season: Magic are the defending Eastern Conference Champions; Bobcats failed to make the playoffs.

Overview: Orlando won the first three meetings before the Bobcats snapped the Magic's eight-game winning streak with a 96-89 victory on March 14 in Orlando. Two of the Magic's wins came way back in November, the second on the night Stephen Jackson made his debut with Charlotte on Nov. 16.

The Magic's quest to return to the NBA finals starts against a postseason newcomer. Charlotte is making the first playoff appearance in the franchise's six-year history.

Player matchup to watch: Vince Carter vs. Jackson. Carter rebounded from a brutal stretch in January to play well in the second half, providing some of the explosiveness the Magic lacked last year in their finals loss. The tough and always-confident Jackson has made a huge difference since his arrival in Charlotte and has tons of postseason experience, which the Bobcats severely lack.

Season series: Magic, 3-1.

Prediction: Magic in six.