2011 NBA Playoff Predictions: Magic vs Hawks


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The Orlando Magic are set to take on the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Orlando holds the No. 4 seed after finishing 52-30, while the Hawks come in as the No. 5 seed with a 44-38 record.

The Hawks hope to play better than they did in last year’s playoffs. Orlando won by 25 points a game in a quick sweep of Atlanta. One thing that points to a much better series this time around is the Hawks went 3-1 against the Magic this season.

The series will get underway this Saturday at 7:00 ET. Here is a closer look at both teams and my prediction on who will advance to the next round. If you want a more complete picture of the postseason, then check out our 2011 NBA playoff predictions.

Orlando Magic

In past years no one wanted to play the Magic in the postseason, but you just don’t get that same feel this year. Orlando is still one of the top defensive teams in the league with Dwight Howard holding down the paint, but their offense doesn’t pose much of a threat.

Howard has turned in one of his best seasons of his career. He is averaging 22.9 points, 14.1 rebounds, and 2.38 assists per game. While Chicago’s Derrick Rose will likely win the MVP, Howard is right behind him.

Howard is going to get his and be a huge force in the playoffs, but for Orlando to make it back to the NBA Finals they are going to need the rest of the team to step up. Orlando has a bunch of players who can score the basketball, but for whatever reason they can’t all seem to get on the same page at the same time.

I give the slight edge to the Magic in this series, but I don’t think we will see either of these teams pose any threat to the Bulls in the second round.

Atlanta Hawks

While you can’t be upset about making the playoffs, it has been a disappointing season for the Hawks. They come into the playoffs playing about as bad as they have all season. They went just 14-20 in their final 34 games and have lost six straight overall. The talent is there, but it’s hard to ignore how bad this team has been playing of late.

The Hawks allowed the 9th fewest points (95.8 ppg) this season, but have also looked bad at times on this side of the ball. Offensively they have really struggled. They come into the playoffs averaging just 95 points a game.

Starters Joe Johnson (18.2 ppg), Josh Smith (16.5 ppg), and Al Horford (15.3 ppg) can all go for 20+ on a given night, but like the Magic they don’t seem to click at the same time. The Hawks also have one of the best bench scorers in the NBA in Jamal Crawford (14.2 ppg).

The Hawks have shown they match up well with the Magic this season, which is the only reason why you have to at least give them a shot in this series. I think the key for the Hawks will be getting off to a strong start and taking one of the first two games in Orlando.

Prediction: Orlando Wins in 7 Games

More Eastern Conference Playoff Predictions

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