NBA Playoffs 2012 Predictions: Favorites Who Will Struggle in 1st Round

The NBA playoffs wouldn't be exciting if the favorites won all the time. Fortunately for basketball fans everywhere, this season's first round has some intriguing matchups that could see the favorites toppled and the underdogs celebrated.

Whether it be a red-hot team from the Eastern Conference looking to do damage, or a revamped team in the Western Conference with the potential to surprise, you never know what could happen in the postseason.

Here's a look at three favorites who will be tested in the first round of the 2012 NBA playoffs.

Miami Heat (No. 2 seed, Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (No. 7 seed)

Before you start yelling and bashing your keyboard, keep in mind I am not saying the Heat will lose this series. What I am saying, however, is that the New York Knicks are red-hot right now, and they have the potential to make this an interesting series.

The Knicks have won 18 of their last 25 games since a six-game losing streak in early April. And they've done so without Jeremy Lin and without Amar'e Stoudemire for the majority of it.

Why? Because Carmelo Anthony has simply been on fire.

How hot has Anthony been? Well, he's averaging 29.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in April, while shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor and 46 percent from long range. He's been a one-man wrecking crew.

Also, any concerns that Stoudemire's return would disrupt the Knicks' rhythm with Anthony in charge have evaporated. In Stoudemire's first two games back from injury, the Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks and the Los Angeles Clippers, while both Stoudemire and Anthony played well.  

Boston Celtics (No. 4 seed, Eastern Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (No. 5 seed)

The Celtics come into the postseason playing well, but the Hawks haven't exactly been slouches, either. The Hawks have won nine of their last 12 games, including wins over the Clippers and Dallas Mavericks, as well as a 97-92 triumph over Boston on April 20 (although the Celtics rested The Big Four in that game).

The Hawks have always been an athletic, physical team, which should make them a worthy opponent against the Celtics. Last season, they surprised the Orlando Magic with a 4-2 series win in the opening round.

Memphis Grizzlies (No. 4 seed, Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (No. 5 seed)

The Clippers haven't looked particularly impressive as of late, but they did win two out of three games against the Grizzlies in the regular season. They also beat the Oklahoma City Thunder twice in the last month.

The Clippers are an inconsistent team, but with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin leading the charge, they have the explosiveness to shock the Grizzlies, who shocked the San Antonio Spurs last season in the playoffs.

The Grizzlies have won their last six games, so I don't imagine they'll fall to the Clippers, particularly with homecourt advantage. But it's also not out of the question.

Follow me on Twitter. We can talk about the 2012 NBA playoffs together.