Although the second-round bout between the Magic and Hawks last postseason was anything but entertaining, the face-off between them in the first round of this year’s playoffs may provide some intrigue. The Magic’s regular season was derailed by a massive trade, one whose effects still linger as the team continues to struggle with consistency on the court. On the other hand, with coaching changes and a lack of motivation the Hawks have also fell short of expectations and their six-game losing streak is a sure sign of this. However, in a place where slates are scrubbed clean and legends are born, both teams will look to silence the haters and revamp their lost seasons in the playoffs.
Keys to the Magic winning the series
Dwight Howard. Enough said. It’s absolutely essential that the supporting cast gets it down low to Dwight Howard as early and as quickly as possible. Howard, with his enhanced repertoire of moves down low, is now more than capable of making his own shots. By establishing him early, the Hawks will be forced to double-team him to stop the bleeding, and this is how the Magic will become most dangerous. Howard is often overlooked when it comes to his ability to pass the ball out of the low block to wide-open teammates. With so many great looks, the shooter-heavy magic squad can establish a rhythm on offense. Look for players like Ryan Anderson and Jason Richardson to benefit most from this inside-out attack. Even J.J. Redick, perhaps Orlando’s most potent three-point specialist, is expected to return after missing the final 17 games of the regular season with an abdominal strain. However, with the Magic we have often witnessed a tale of two teams. When shots are falling they resemble championship contenders of yesteryear. When things aren’t going so well, the team looks like on the brink of collapse. Therefore it’s absolutely essential for Dwight Howard and Brandon Bass to vacuum up offensive rebounds and keep the overall energy up. Howard is only averaging three offensive rebounds and 43% from the field against the Hawks this season, and he must raise these numbers to help his teammates maintain a flow on both sides of the court.
Keys to the Hawks winning the series
Although the Hawks have many familiar faces from last year, they seemed to have Orlando’s number in the regular season, beating them in three out of four meetings. The important change this season was the installment of Jason Collins at starting center. Collins has been the defensive bulwark down low for the Hawks this season, and his efforts against Dwight Howard clearly indicate this. Against the sturdy Collins down low, Howard only averages 19.3 points and 43% from the field as opposed to his season’s average of 23 points and 59.3% from the field. The Hawks must use their athletic wings in Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams and Josh Smith to quickly apply pressure on the Magic’s three-point shooters. So far, the Hawks have been able to effectively keep the Orlando’s three-point threat at bay. As a team Orlando is averaging only 82.5 points per game, while shooting just 38 percent overall and 22 percent from the 3-point line. Those are all below its season averages of 99.2 points, 46 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point land. Also, Kirk Hinrich must use his pesky defense to negate Jameer Nelson’s dribble penetrations and input passes. On the offensive side, Joe Johnson and Josh Smith must constantly penetrate Orlando’s interior defenders. This allows them to draw defenders and force Dwight Howard to commit costly fouls. When Howard gets taken out of the game to dampen his foul trouble, the Hawks can take advantage and attack the paint relentlessly. Look for Al Horford, who already averages a career-best 16.3 points in the four games against Orlando, to exploit the deflated Magic defense.
Prediction: Magic in 7 games.
Series Rating: 4 out of 5 stars (I think this will turn out to be more exciting than expected).
Both teams once had dreams of championship banners and glorious parades, but now simply wish to revitalize some hope within their respective organizations. The key for both of these teams is to execute their plans to perfection or risk allowing the opposition to take over the series. The stars must shine and the team that wants it more will turn out victorious.
Game 1: Saturday April 16 Atlanta @ Orlando 7:00 PM ET
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