Hawks Vs. Magic Series Preview: Looking In The Mirror

The Orlando Magic finally get to return to playing basketball tonight at Amway Arena.

Since eight days have passed since the Magic last played, let's take a quick moment to recap. The Magic swept the Charlotte Bobcats, in a tough series. The Bobcats utilized a strategy of fouling Dwight Howard into frustration.

The Strategy worked—somewhat, with Howard only averaging 26.5 minutes per game. With Howard on the bench for large parts of games, he fell short of his usual double-double. That didn't stop the rest of the Magic team from securing four straight victories.

So now, the Atlanta Hawks arrive after winning game seven against the Milwaukee Bucks. The fact that the Hawks required seven games to win the series, leads many to believe the Hawks stand no chance in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Magic.

History tells us, that may not be the case. The Hawks eerily remind me of last year's Magic team. A young team, with plenty of talent. Like the Magic who dropped game one at home against the 76ers last season, the Hawks struggled to put away a much lesser team in the first round.

Once past the first round, Dwight Howard and the upstart Magic blazed a trail of destruction among the favorites, all the way to the NBA finals. So, can the Hawks replicate their rival's post-season success?

Here's how we see this series playing out.

Expect to See More Jason Collins
Howard will pick up fouls. While I will avoid criticizing NBA officials— I can't afford the $35k fine, it is obvious that officiating favors offense. Howard makes his money on the defensive side of the ball. If Howard picks up 3 fouls some time during the third quarter, Collins 6 fouls will come in handy. If the Hawks can stay close, keeping Howard at bay with foul concerns could help them win games.

Both Teams Will Push the Pace
Hawks starting guard Joe Johnson stated the Hawks will look to push the pace. The Magic believe an up tempo game, allows Howard to establish offensive position deep in the paint. The Hawks will have a tough time running, unless they can improve on their rebounding— a definite strength of Dwight Howard and the Magic.

Hawks Will Play Their Best Defense of the Season
In their one defeat of the Magic this season, the Hawks held the Magic to only 84 points. Keeping the Magic's potent offense under control will be the Hawks priority. That means keeping Howard out of the Paint, and closing on the outlet pass when Howard gets double teamed. The Magic posses depth, with scorers 3 and 4 deep on the bench. That means the Hawks will have to stop more than just Dwight Howard. The test will be how the Hawks adapt to an equally tough defense from their opponent. Defensively, the Magic are not the Bucks.

Jamal Crawford Must Continue to Play Big
Facts are facts. The Magic's bench goes deeper than almost any other team in the league. The Hawks— not so much. Crawford will have to continue playing well off the bench. If Crawford performs like he did in game 5 of the Bucks series, expect the Hawks to get blown out. With the Magic's offensive capabilities, Crawford will have to be the bench scoring. That's a tough order, especially with the way the Magic play defense.

Vince Carter and Jameer Nelson Will Be Aggressive
Vince Carter will have a couple of big games in this series. The Hawks just don't have enough fire power to cover everyone defensively. Look for Vince Carter to be extremely aggressive in the 4th quarter. Jameer Nelson missed last season's playoff run. He came out strong in the Bobcat's series. With Bibby on the court, look for Nelson to take advantage of a favorable match-up. Nelson's slashing drives to the basket, will make the Yeomen's job of covering Dwight even more difficult.

The End Will Be Quick
The Magic posses advantages on defense, offense, rebounding and with the bench. In the end, the Magic will be much too much for the Hawks.

Magic get their second sweep in as many series against the Hawks.