The reality is both teams present a different set of challenges and advantages for the Cavs. Here's a primer heading into Game 7.

Advantages of playing the Celtics

* Legs. Sunday will be Boston's 14th game of the postseason, and the Cavs have played just eight. Plus the difference in the minute-loads with the front line are even greater than that tally indicates. The Celtics played four overtime games with the Bulls in the first round, and the Cavs starters have been able to take several fourth quarters off in their run. This wearing has to affect the Celtics, who are already down two players with knee injuries to Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe. Coach Doc Rivers admitted fatigue played a factor in the Celtics melting down the stretch in the Game 6 loss in Orlando.

* Interior size. Without Garnett and Powe, the Celtics' front line is thin and rather short. Rivers is playing an undersized Brian Scalabrine heavy minutes because he doesn't have anyone else. Glen Davis has played great but is averaging fewer than six rebounds per game in 37 minutes because he's undersized, too. Kendrick Perkins, the only frontcourt player taller than 6-9, is battling a shoulder injury. Mikki Moore, the team's only 7-footer, almost never plays meaningful minutes. The Cavs are outrebounding their opponents by 10 rebounds per game.

* Familiarity. Including pre- and postseasons, the Cavs have played the Celtics 19 times over the past two seasons. Their personnel groupings and sets are very similar throughout that timeframe. Compared to the Magic, which the Cavs have played just seven times in the past two regular seasons, there's a much deeper understanding of the opponent.

Advantages of playing the Magic

* Experience. Seven of the Cavs players have NBA Finals experience, and even more have conference finals experience. Only two of the Magic's rotation players have ever even played in the conference finals: Hedo Turkoglu and Anthony Johnson.

* Backcourt edge. Rafer Alston has been a quality fill-in for the injured Jameer Nelson, and Courtney Lee has performed well for a rookie. But with All-Star Mo Williams, and Delonte West playing the best minutes of his career, the Cavs will have more firepower and better defenders in the backcourt.

* Susceptible at home. Because of the way they play, which is heavily reliant on 3-point shots, sometimes the Magic ends up playing like it is on the road in its home arena. Orlando has lost at home in each of the first two series, and the Cavs are 4-0 this postseason on the road.

Disadvantages of playing the Celtics

* Pressure on perimeter defense. With Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, plus the emergence of Rajon Rondo, playing the Celtics requires great defense on the outside. The Cavs have two excellent perimeter defenders in West and James, but their strategy of dealing with Rondo is going to have to change. Last year in the playoffs, the Cavs didn't even guard Rondo at times and let him go free because he was not much of an offensive threat. That has changed, and Rondo has refined his game, which means there's no weak spot. It will require some jostling of matchups by the Cavs, especially when James, West or Williams is resting.

* Confidence in close games. The Celtics probably already have played more pressure minutes in fourth quarters and overtimes in the playoffs than the Cavs did in the entire regular season. The Cavs have been impressive at every turn this season, but they simply aren't as tested at the end of tight games, especially playing from behind, as Boston.

* Home-court dominance. While the Cavs technically may not have to win a game in Boston to win a series against the Celtics if it happens, they have lost nine consecutive games at TD Banknorth Garden. Both times they played there this season, they were out of rhythm, and it didn't seem that numerous visits have made it any easier.

Disadvantages of playing the Magic

* The antidote for shrinking the floor. The Cavs play what they call "shrink the floor" defense, which means they often collapse their defenders into the middle to deny high-percentage shots. The trade-off is allowing jumpers that the Cavs defenders close to in an attempt to challenge the shot. The Magic is built to counteract this because Orlando wants to penalize teams that double-team Dwight Howard. So they have excellent 3-point shooters and guys like Rashard Lewis and Turkoglu, who at 6-10 aren't often bothered by closing defenders.

* Confidence vs. Cavs. The Magic were the only Eastern Conference team to win the season series with the Cavs this year, and Orlando is 8-3 against Cleveland over the past three seasons. Last month the Magic built a 40-point lead against the Cavs, dominating them like no other team this season. Orlando enjoys favorable matchups, and Howard tests the Cavs' one true weakness: interior defense.

* Ability to win on road. The Magic is great on the road for the same reason it can be beaten at home: Orlando's 3-point shot can be an equalizer. The Cavs' greatest asset in the playoffs this season, other than James of course, is their home-court strength. The Magic has been the best road team in the NBA over the past two years and has won three road games already this postseason. If Orlando plays the Cavs, it will have made it four, and having won a Game 7 in Boston will only push the Magic's confidence on the road even higher.

BOX:

Eastern Conference finals

Cavaliers vs. Celtics/Magic winner

Best of seven

All games 8:30 p.m., TNT

Wednesday: at The Q

May 22: at The Q

May 24: at Boston or Orlando

May 26: at Boston or Orlando

May 28: at The Q*

May 30: at Boston or Orlando*

June 1: at The Q*

*if necessary

BOX:

Upside to playing the Celtics

Legs: Sunday will be Boston's 14th game of the postseason and the Cavs have played just eight.

Interior size: Celts' front line thin and short without injured Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe.

Familiarity: Cavs have played the Celtics 19 times over the last two seasons; Magic just seven times.

Downside to playing the Celtics

Pressure on perimeter defense: With Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo, playing the Celtics requires great defense on the outside.

Confidence in close games: Cavs aren't as tested at the end of tight games, especially playing from behind.

Homecourt dominance: Cavs have lost nine consecutive games at TD Banknorth Garden.

Upside to playing the Magic

Experience: Seven of the Cavs have NBA Finals experience; two of the Magic's rotation players have ever reached the conference finals.

Backcourt edge: Mo Williams and Delonte West give the Cavs more firepower and better defenders than Magic's Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee.

Susceptible at home: Magic has lost at home in each of the first two series; the Cavs are 4-0 this postseason on the road.

Downside to playing the Magic

The antidote for shrinking the floor: Magic counteract Cavs' defense with excellent 3-point shooters and 6-10 Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu.

Confidence vs. Cavs: The Magic are 8-3 against Cleveland over the last three seasons.

Ability to win on road: The Magic have been the best road team in the NBA over the last two years and have won three road games this postseason.