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Well, today is the trade deadline and to spur discussion here on the happenings around the NBA, I decided to create an open thread so that the community can react to trades that have currently occurred and may occur in the next few hours. 

Want to discuss deals that have already went down? Want to debate which team got the better of a trade? Want to share trade rumors you've heard? Want to gripe that Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith isn't making another move? Fire away with your comments. 

You can also follow all the goings-on via SB Nation's Trade Deadline StoryStream.

With no more definitive news on the Orlando Magic's pursuit of free-agent point guard C.J. Watson--they're reportedly close to signing him to an offer sheet, and GM Otis Smith declined to comment on him or any other free agents when the Orlando Sentinel reached him last night--and with other Eastern Conference teams making moves, it's as good a time as any to survey the landscape and size-up what everyone else is up to.

Marquis Daniels to Boston

Orlando native Marquis Daniels, who told the Sentinel on Friday that he Magic were among the teams to contact his agent, will play for the Celtics next year. That's a given. What's up in the air is how, exactly, he'll arrive. He can sign outright for the $1.9 million bi-annual exception, the same salary-cap provision the Magic used to sign Anthony Johnson last summer. Alternatively, he can head to Beantown in a sign-and-trade deal with the Indiana Pacers, who own his rights, in order to give him a higher salary. Boston would likely send riff-raff (in the persons of Bill Walker, Gabe Pruitt, and Tony Allen) to Indy in the transaction.

It's hard to dislike this move for Boston. Daniels had a fantastic, bounce-back season last year, with career-best averages of 13.1 points and 4.6 rebounds pe game. The only reason Indy declined to bring him back is because the $7.5 million team option on his contract is too rich. In Boston, he'll back-up Paul Pierce at small forward and could spot Ray Allen a few minutes at shooting guard as well. A potentially underrated aspect of Daniels' game is his ability to handle the ball, at 6'06". Although not a nominal point guard, he can at least run an offense for brief stretches, which will free reserve point guard Eddie House, a three-point specialist, to play off the ball on occasion. Even if you aren't a fan of Daniels' game, you must at least concede that he's a better backup for Pierce and Allen than Tony Allen is.

Anthony Parker to Cleveland

The other Eastern Conference contender, the Cleveland Cavaliers, signed a veteran swingman of their own last week when they used $2.75 million of their mid-level exception to sign Anthony Parker, formerly of the Toronto Raptors. Like Daniels, Parker is a solid swingman who can play a few minutes at point guard, if need be. Unlike Daniels, Parker can hit a three-pointer. He's connected on 41.5% of his long balls in his NBA career and figures to help the Cavs' bench unit spread the floor. It's not hard to imagine him playing point-forward with LeBron James shifting to power forward, and two of the Cavs' 3 combo guards manning the backcourt. 3 three-point threats, the world's best player, and either Shaquille O'Neal or Zydrunas Ilgauskas in the pivot? Scary team.

About the only worry for Cleveland, even at Parker's modest price tag, is that his production could fall. From 2006/07 to 2007/08, Parker averaged 12.4 and 12.5 points, shot 47.7% and 47.5% from the field, and 44.1% and 43.8% from three-point range. Crazy consistent. Last year? 10.7 points, 42.6% from the field, and 39% from distance. Another slip-up, and Parker's an older, slightly cheaper Sasha Pavlovic, which is a polite way of saying he's worthless. But maybe playing alongside James and Shaq will give him more open shots than he had last year. We'll see.

After the jump, a look at Detroit, Toronto, and Indiana.

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You don't really need me to tell you to watch this game, and I know that. This series has seen 106 lead changes and 65 ties--not to mention 7 overtimes--which equates to roughly a lead change or tie once every two minutes. Unreal. Tonight's winner faces the Orlando Magic in the Conference Semifinals, which begin Monday. This post is an open thread. Let 'er rip in the comments.

2009 NBA Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
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Series Tied, 3-3
May 2nd, 2009
TD Banknorth Garden
8:00 PM
TNT
Probable starters:
Derrick Rose	PG	Rajon Rondo
Ben Gordon	SG	Ray Allen
John Salmons	SF	Paul Pierce
Tyrus Thomas	PF	Glen Davis
Joakim Noah	C	Kendrick Perkins

Check out BlogABull and CelticsBlog for more on tonight's combatants.

Scoreboard Watching will give Orlando Magic fans a heads-up on which games with potential playoff implications to pay attention to.

HEADLINER: Charlotte at Detroit, 6:00 PM

This game is arguably the most important one in the Charlotte Bobcats' 6-year history. They're in hot pursuit of the Detroit Pistons for the Eastern Conference's final playoff seed, and the franchise's first-ever trip to the postseason. A victory pulls them within one game of the Pistons in the loss column, while a loss would put them 3 games back with 5 games to play and essentially punch the Pistons' postseason ticket, with the destination yet to be determined. Regardless of the result today, Charlotte will need to come up big on the road the rest of the way, with only 1 home game left. The Bobcats are 22-18 at Time Warner Cable Arena the Cable Box, and 12-24 everywhere. Gut-check time for them. Fortunately, one of those 12 road wins came in Detroit back in January. Maybe that'll give 'em some much-needed confidence.

For what it's worth, the Pistons are 3-12 on Sundays this year, which gives them a 33-28 record on games played any other day of the week. That win percentage, on its own, would be good for the 5th seed in the East. Unfortunately for them, Sunday games count in the standings. The Lord rests, but the NBA doesn't.

Scoreboard Watching will give Orlando Magic fans a heads-up on which games with potential playoff implications to pay attention to.

HEADLINER: Detroit at Philadelphia, 3:00 PM

A matchup of two possible playoff opponents for the Orlando Magic. Currently, Philadelphia occupies the 5th seed, but could drop to 6th and face the Magic should they finish 3rd. Meanwhile, Detroit is seeded 7th and could play Orlando if the Magic climb to 2nd... but it seems more likely that the Pistons could slip to 8th and a first-round matchup with the Cavaliers. If you're watching--the game will be nationally televised on ESPN--pay special attention to how the Pistons respond to the news that Allen Iverson will miss the rest of the season due to a bruised ego sore back. I have a hunch that they'll play better and more focused knowing that Iverson has played his last game as a Piston, which will make them more dangerous in the playoffs.

Scoreboard Watching will give Orlando Magic fans a heads-up on which games with potential playoff implications to pay attention to.

HEADLINER: Atlanta at Boston, 7:30 PM

As discussed in today's Magic/Cavs preview, Orlando needs to finish at least one game better than Boston if it hopes to secure the second seed in the Eastern Conference. For that to happen, the Celtics probably need to lose at least twice before the season ends. Tonight's game against Atlanta--an above-average team that always comes to play against Boston--might be the second-most-loseable for the Celtics, with only an upcoming game at Cleveland looking more daunting. A Boston loss, coupled with a Magic win, would give Orlando a one-game advantage in the loss column.

WORTH NOTING: Miami at Charlotte, 7 PM

Orlando has an interest in this game too, as the Heat look like a potential first-round playoff opponent, one against which the Magic match-up favorably. Meanwhile, the Bobcats are only one back of Chicago in the loss column as they battle for the East's final playoff spot. The seventh seed is also realistically within reach, as they're only two games back of Detroit. And avoiding Detroit has to be a priority for the Magic. On most other nights, this game would be the Headliner.

Scoreboard Watching will give Orlando Magic fans a heads-up on which games with potential playoff implications to pay attention to.

HEADLINER: Milwaukee at Philadelphia, 7 PM

The Bucks are more or less out of the playoff hunt and really have nothing left for which to play but pride. However, don't mark this one up as a Philadelphia victory just yet. Thaddeus Young, the team's third-leading scorer, will miss the next two-to-three weeks with a sprained right ankle. If Milwaukee pulls off the upset, Philadelphia will drop to 6th place in the Eastern Conference, which would tentatively make them the Magic's first-round playoff opponent.

Scoreboard Watching will give Orlando Magic fans a heads-up on which games with potential playoff implications to pay attention to.

1. HEADLINER: Charlotte at Boston, 7:30 PM

   This game is huge for two reasons. First, the Celtics are battling with the Magic for the East's second seed, with homecourt advantage through at least the conference semifinals on the line. Second, the Bobcats are on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, but they've won 3 straight games, including an upset of the L.A. Lakers last night. If they get in, it might just be at Detroit's expense, keeping the Magic's nemesis out of harm's reach come playoff-time. Remember, Detroit has eliminated Orlando in each of the last two playoffs and is the only Eastern Conference team the Magic failed to defeat at least once this season.

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   Final - 4.1.2009	1	2	3	4	OT 1	OT 2	Total
   Charlotte Bobcats	33	18	26	16	8	8	109
   Boston Celtics	26	28	17	22	8	10	111

   Complete Coverage >

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2. WORTH NOTING: Detroit at New Jersey, 7:30 PM

   The Nets aren't officially out of the playoff hunt, but it's only a matter of time before they're mathematically eliminated. And they're a poor home team, at just 15-22 on the season. Detroit appears to have the upper-hand, but then again, the Pistons will be without the suspended Rasheed Wallace, and Allen Iverson is, to no one's surprise, unhappy with his new sixth-man role.

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   Final - 4.1.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
   Detroit Pistons	21	27	27	23	98
   New Jersey Nets	32	27	27	25	111

   Complete Coverage >

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