NBA Playoffs 2011: 25 Things to Watch for in the First Round

Leading up to the NBA trade deadline, many of the elite teams in the league made moves to bolster their rosters for this season and for the future. Those improvements could make a tremendous impact on the first round of the playoffs in both the Eastern and Western Conferences.

With a lockout looming, this may be the last chance for a myriad of veterans making the playoffs with their respective Eastern and Western Conference teams to win an NBA title.

However, on the opposite end of the spectrum is a collection of young teams entering the playoffs with a lot of momentum and something to prove that could upset the aforementioned veterans' goals.

With so many underdogs entering the playoffs with such momentum, we could see a few surprise upsets that could make this one of the best series of playoff matchups in recent memory.

25. The Defense of Tony Allen and Shane Battier

It is a great asset to have a lock-down defender such as a Bruce Bowen type, who you can trust to guard the opponent's best scorer and weaken the team's offensive attack.

In the Memphis Grizzlies' case they happen to be facing Bowen's old team, the San Antonio Spurs, and they don't have one lock-down defender—they have two!

Against the San Antonio Spurs, Tony Allen and Shane Battier will be the glue that holds together a gritty Grizzlies team that is as ferocious as their name implies. Lionel Hollins will instruct Allen and Battier to contain Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

While this is surely a daunting task, Allen will utilize his athleticism and lanky arms to stay in front of the two aforementioned guards and will have plenty of help from his veteran teammate Battier, who will use his defensive IQ to make his opponent flounder offensively.

Having two proven defenders of Allen and Battier's caliber will be invaluable to the Grizzlies as they try to topple the San Antonio Spurs, who come into the playoffs with the second-best record in the NBA. The No. 8 seed attached to the Grizzlies as they enter the playoffs is very deceiving.

The defense and dirty work which Tony Allen and Shane Battier pride themselves upon is exactly why the Spurs should respect them. With a unique set of skills and being one of the few teams with two elite wing defenders, the Grizzlies enter the playoffs ready to maul any opponent who takes them for granted. If the Spurs are wise, they won't be the team that underestimates this year's dark horse of the Western Conference.

24. The Bench Play of O.J. Mayo

With Rudy Gay out of commission for the entire 2011 NBA Playoffs, Mayo will have to step up his scoring production to give the Grizzlies a fighting chance to get out of the first round against the San Antonio Spurs.

While the aforementioned defensive duo of Allen and Battier will dominate the defensive responsibilities, O.J. Mayo will need to step up his scoring significantly. Doing so will lighten the offensive load that Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph have to shoulder against an aging, yet savvy veteran San Antonio Spurs team.

The biggest thing that Mayo will have to help replace is the scoring production of Rudy Gay. Although the shoulder surgery performed on Gay was successful, it will keep him from playing in the playoffs, as he will need to rehab the shoulder. He should be back to form and ready to compete next season.

This season Mayo's points per game average has plummeted significantly, and his shooting percentages are down across the board from last season as well. Last season he averaged 17.5 PPG, accompanied by 45.8 percent FG, 38.3 percent 3PT and 75.6 percent FT shooting. This season he averaged 11.3 PPG, along with 40.7 percent FG, 36.4 percent 3PT and 75.6 percent FT shooting. While statistics don't always tell the whole story, there isn't much left to say when comparing his last-season averages to this season's.

The positive thing for the Grizzlies is that he has been in such an abysmal slump entering the playoffs that the Spurs may not be expecting much from him. If he is able to come close to replicating the numbers he averaged last year, he may give the Grizzlies a fighting chance at upsetting one of the most fundamentally sound teams in the NBA.

23. The Production of the San Antonio Spurs' Young Players

Although the Spurs' core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili is still talented and should not be taken for granted, those players are aging and will not be able to carry the team offensively and defensively the way they have in the past.

Luckily for them, they have up-and-coming young players such as DeJuan Blair, Tiago Splitter, George Hill and Gary Neal to lighten the load on both ends of the floor.

Since the Spurs nabbed him as the seventh pick of the second round of the 2009 NBA draft, DeJuan Blair has quieted those who doubted him by getting into shape and showing dedication and maturity that made him untouchable to so many teams in the first round. He will help take the load off Duncan, mostly in the rebounding area but contributing some scoring as well.

Although Tiago Splitter is years away from reaching his true potential that had NBA scouts anointing him as Tim Duncan's replacement, he will still prove to be useful since he can give aging big men such as Duncan and Antonio McDyess needed rest to keep them fresh to make a deep run into the playoffs.

George Hill will likely end up being Parker's replacement when he retires, but as for now he will work alongside him at times or give him a rest off the bench. While having the ability to play both guard positions, Hill can initiate the offense, give the Spurs another accurate free-throw shooter (86.3 percent FT) and utilize his agility and quickness to slash to the basket.

Last but not least, the undrafted Gary Neal has surpassed expectations, getting around 21 minutes per game for one of the most experienced teams in the league and carving out a role as its three-point marksman, knocking them down from distance at an efficient 41.9 percent.

22. Manu Ginobili's Elbow Injury

Ginobili's ability to slice to the rim is invaluable to the Spurs success.

While the injury Manu Ginobili suffered to his right elbow in the first quarter of the Spurs' last game against the Phoenix Suns may not be serious enough to have him out for an extended period of time, he is currently listed as doubtful for Game 1 of the playoffs.

While Tim Duncan will be the face of the Spurs until he retires and Tony Parker will be the one who initiates the offense, no one is more important to the Spurs during playoff time than Ginobili.

Making a name for himself as one of the slickest and craftiest players in the league, Ginobili's gritty defensive style has become that much more important for the aging Spurs since Bruce Bowen retired.

With Ginobili out in Game 1, the Spurs will need players like Gary Neal and Steve Novak to step up and lessen the blow of losing their workhorse.

Without Ginobili's slashing and shooting versatility on the offensive end, along with his rare combination of speed and toughness on the defensive end, it would be extremely hard for the Spurs to replace his production for an extended period of time.

Playing against a gutsy Grizzlies team that has the luxury of having two top wing defenders, Ginobili's presence will be sorely missed in Game 1 to offset the aforementioned defensive duo. The Spurs can only hope that he is back for Game 2, or the Spurs may find themselves in a hole they are not able to get out of.

21. Carl Landry's Production in Place of David West

While the Hornets have one of the top floor generals in the NBA in Chris Paul, they will be missing David West, his partner in crime, for the entirety of the NBA playoffs.

In a shrewd move, the New Orleans Hornets flipped Marcus Thornton at the trade deadline for Carl Landry in order to add more size in the towering Western Conference. While they were not expecting David West to tear his ACL in March, it turned out to be tremendous foresight to pick up the super efficient Landry for Thornton, who no longer seemed to fit into their future plans.

Since the New Orleans Hornets will be faced with the monumental task of taking on the gargantuan Los Angeles Lakers, they will need Landry to play at the highest level he has ever played at. He will likely require help from Emeka Okafor, David Andersen and the hefty Aaron Gray.

The Hornets' most likely sources of scoring will be sharpshooter Marco Belinelli, Chris Paul, Trevor Ariza and Jarrett Jack. Landry will be the one with the most responsibility to replace West's production simply for the fact that he too plays power forward, and he will pair with Okafor to give the Lakers' big man trio all it can handle.

Losing David West for the entire postseason was a huge blow to the Hornets' playoff hopes, as they are likely to be trounced in the first round by the Lakers, who are too talented and too supersized for the Hornets to put up a significant fight.

20. Steve Blake's Chicken Pox

It's an odd thing to watch for in the first round of the playoffs, I'll give you that. Losing Steve Blake to chicken pox doesn't seem like that big of a blow to the Lakers, right?

Add in the fact that Ron Artest and Kobe Bryant are not immune to the chicken pox disease, and this small matter becomes a major cause for concern for Los Angeles.

With Phil Jackson claiming that this is his last year coaching, the last thing he wants is to lose his best player and best defender due to chicken pox.

As of right now Steve Blake is the only Laker to contract it, but if any of the aforementioned main cogs for the Lakers come down with it, it could hamper their chances of winning one last one for the coach. Stay tuned to see how this one plays out—it's definitely going to be interesting.

19. Andrew Bynum's Knee Injury

While his knee injury has been deemed not serious by doctors, the injury is worth mentioning because of his past that's been plagued with knee injuries.

Although the Lakers have made it through the playoffs before without him, and they still have Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, who are more than capable of carrying the team's offense in the paint, the Lakers are a year older, and there are a lot of young teams who are aiming to take them down if they get a chance to play them, the most notable being the Oklahoma City Thunder.

While the Lakers would most certainly still be a threat without Bynum, he catapults them into another category, giving them the most formidable frontcourt in the league with him.

While the injury is not serious and he should be good to go for Game 1, it is worth monitoring going forward. The Lakers should be watchful spectators to see how his knee responds to excessive playing time since they don't want to worsen the injury.

With Bynum's very fragile knees, the Lakers do not want to push him too hard and lose him for late in the playoffs, when he will be relied upon most, since he is the youngest of the Lakers' trio of big men.

18. The Matchup of LaMarcus Aldridge and Dirk Nowitzki

LaMarcus Aldridge has surprisingly outscored Dirk Nowitzki over the three games they have played each other with each of them averaging 27.7 PPG and 21.7 PPG respectively.

The Portland Trail Blazers vs. the Dallas Mavericks should be one of the most fun series to watch, as there are so many different matchup combinations between the two teams since both teams have so many notable names on their rosters.

The main matchup to zone in on, however, will be the one between Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge and Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki. Each player will enter the playoffs as the hottest and most important player on his respective team. However, the following statistic might surprise you.

While Nowitzki is undoubtedly the better player when comparing him and Aldridge separately, when they match up against each other, Aldridge has had the edge by a wide margin.

With injuries hampering Brandon Roy and robbing him of the quickness he once had, his effectiveness on the offensive end has dropped significantly. Although he will still be a major part of the playoff picture due to his phenomenal basketball IQ, the Blazers will need Aldridge to step up and be their go-to guy on the offensive end.

Against Nowitzki he has done just that, averaging a prolific 27.7 PPG, trouncing Nowizki's average of 21.7 PPG. If Aldridge can continue his effectiveness against the Mavericks' star shooter, it is not hard to see an upset occurring. The Blazers are one of NBA's most resilient teams and always seem to find a way to be effective regardless of what injuries or obstacles stand in their way.

17. Gerald Wallace's Fast-Paced Play on Both Ends of the Floor

As mentioned in the previous slide, there are quite a few notable names on both Dallas and Portland's rosters, and the X-factor for the Blazers is most likely the man they acquired at the trade deadline, Gerald Wallace.

Nicknamed "Crash" for his reckless play, he will be employed by coach Nate McMillan to attack the paint and get the Mavericks' Tyson Chandler, Dirk Nowitzki and Brendan Haywood in foul trouble, while also protecting the paint on the opposite end of the floor against the previously mentioned big men.

Utilizing his athleticism and speed at both ends of the floor, Wallace will help take some of the scoring responsibilities off Aldridge, while giving Marcus Camby a rest at the defensive end as well.

Picking up Wallace at the trade deadline will prove to be a clever move, as he will make the Trail Blazers that much more dangerous against a top team like the Mavericks.

Averaging 15.7 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.5 APG and a couple steals and blocks just for good measure, Crash will be the secret weapon off the bench for the Blazers that will not remain a secret for long, as he is likely to be a matchup nightmare for the opposing Dallas team.

16. Whether or Not the Nuggets' Depth Will Overcome Their Inexperience

Entering the playoffs, there is not a more intriguing team than the Denver Nuggets since the Carmelo Anthony mega deal practically revamped their entire roster.

Although they got better for the future, they lost some of their veteran players in Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony and even Anthony Carter, who provided needed veteran leadership and experience to excel in the playoffs.

Interestingly enough, the Nuggets roster is almost entirely comprised of ex-New York Knicks after Denver GM Masai Ujiri pulled the trigger on the Melo deal. The only difference is that they are better coached than New York is, with George Karl coaching them as opposed to the Knicks' Mike D'Antoni, and they have a solid defensive big man in Nene (also an ex-Knick).

They will have their hands full against the Thunder, but thanks to the New York Knicks they are practically two deep at every position. At PG: Raymond Felton and Ty Lawson; SG: Arron Afflalo and J.R. Smith; SF: Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler; PF: Kenyon Martin and Al Harrington; and finally at C: Nene and Chris Andersen.

While they will most certainly have their hands full playing the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are quite possibly the most dangerous team in the league, they will not go down without a fight.

While most of the Nuggets team is young and inexperienced, they will be coached by George Karl, who has an extensive enough résumé to utilize the roster at his disposal and cause plenty of matchup problems for the Thunder.

Consider this team the Sixers of the Western Conference. In other words, don't let their inexperience fool you—with the right coach leading them, they may surprise a lot of people, including the Thunder.

15. The Maturity of the Oklahoma City Thunder

Stating that a team that pushed the Los Angeles Lakers to seven games only a year ago has actually grown to mature even more together as a team is making quite a statement.

The three key things contributing to their maturity as a team are the addition of Kendrick Perkins, the improved play of Russell Westbrook and the improved bench play.

When the trade deadline rolled around, GM Sam Presti worked his magic once again, making the tough decision to trade glue guy Jeff Green for the stoic shot-blocker Perkins. It was a move that needed to be done, as Green was a great chemistry guy but did not fulfill their need for a big man, and Serge Ibaka was forced to play center, which is not his natural position.

Adding Perkins brought the toughness the Thunder needed to compete with the elite teams in the league, like the Spurs, Lakers and Mavericks, who all possess the size the Thunder were lacking.

It also allowed the athletic Ibaka to move to his natural position at power forward, leading to a spike in his production in points, rebounds and blocks per game. Last year he averaged 6.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 1.3 BPG in around 18 minutes per game, while this year he is averaging 9.9 PPG and 7.6 RPG along with 2.4 BPG (which is good for third in the NBA) in exactly 27 minutes per game.

As for Russell Westbrook, the most noticeable areas of his game that he improved are on the offensive end, including 21.9 PPG, which is significantly higher than last season's 16.1 PPG. He has also improved his three-point shooting percentage. If he is in fact able to make the three-pointer a regular part of his repertoire, the Thunder will become that much more dangerous; it is terrifying to think that this team can actually get even more lethal.

Most notably off the bench, Eric Maynor and James Harden have both shown significant improvement, which is making them more important pieces to the rotation in the Thunder's quest for an NBA title.

14. Can Roy Hibbert Contribute Consistently at a High Level?

Over the summer Roy Hibbert worked under the tutelage of legendary center Bill Walton, and at the beginning of the 2010-2011 NBA season it looked like he may have learned a thing or two.

He was scoring more efficiently, rebounding at a better rate and playing fortified defense that made him look like an early candidate for Most Improved Player of the Year.

Unfortunately for the Pacers, he was not able to keep up the torrid pace, and he very quickly reverted to his old inconsistent ways, being a monstrous force one night and then disappearing the next.

While this is most likely the easiest series to predict, if Hibbert plays the way he did at the beginning of the season, the spirited Pacers may steal a game away from the Chicago Bulls, who, led by Derrick Rose, finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA at 62-20.

13. Derrick Rose's Performance

Since this series is likely to end in a landslide victory for the stampeding Chicago Bulls, the most notable thing to focus on for this series is simply enjoying the spectacle that Derrick Rose puts on against a lesser opponent.

While Darren Collison is a talented young guard, he will not be able to contain the elite Derrick Rose or even come close to matching him offensively.

This season Rose quieted the naysayers by improving all his numbers across the board, save field-goal percentage, and vaulting himself to the top of the list as the No. 1 player who is favored to win the MVP award.

Rose is averaging a very versatile 25 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 7.7 APG and 1.1 SPG while shooting an efficient 85.8 percent from the free-throw line and slightly improving his three-point shooting. However, his main offensive weapon is his freakish athleticism, which he uses to wind his way to the hoop and score on his opponents, which at times seems to be almost at will.

Add to that the fact that he has two solid post presences in Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer, the under-appreciated services of Luol Deng and a very dynamic cast of characters coming in off the bench, and it all contributes equally to making the Bulls the deepest team in the Eastern Conference.

If anyone wants to start doubting that Derrick Rose will take his team past the seasoned Celtics to the NBA Finals, go ahead. He'll just have to prove you wrong once again.

12. The Matchup Between LeBron James and Andre Iguodala

While shutting down LeBron James is nearly impossible, Andre Iguodala is one of the best wing defenders in the league and will have that exact defensive assignment.

Most likely what will happen is Iguodala will give him fits at times, but with a build like a linebacker and the speed of a gazelle, LeBron will most likely steamroll down the floor at breakneck speed, slicing past defenders all just to throw one down over his opponent, while likely getting fouled and going to the line for the conventional three-point play.

After LeBron made his choice to take his services down to South Beach, he quickly became the biggest villain in the NBA overnight. The difference is now he seems to embrace the role instead of making excuses for the choice he made. Now he stands by it.

While Iguodala may not be able to shut him down completely, he will do his best to rain on LeBron playoff parade. However, LeBron is the most talented player in the NBA, and when push comes to shove, no one can really stop him.

Combining the coaching genius of Doug Collins with Iggy's defense, the Sixers will have to hope that they can contain him enough in order to give their young team a fighting chance against Miami Thrice.

11. Doug Collins' Coaching

Without Doug Collins, it is quite possible that the Sixers may not have even reached the 2011 NBA Playoffs.

The coaching job Doug Collins has done with the inexperienced Sixers has been truly remarkable. I respect what Tom Thibodeau has done with the Bulls, but Collins deserves the Coach of the Year Award hands down.

With all due respect to Thibodeau, Collins has less talent and has maximized it to its full potential, and without him the Sixers may not have even made the playoffs.

While Thibodeau is very important to the Bulls, they are too talented to fathom the idea that without him they would have missed the playoffs.

Collins has basically figured out what role each one of his players fits in best and where they are most comfortable. What makes a good coach is a coach who can manipulate his system to fit the team that he's given, not one who forces his players to fit his system.

Collins has done just that, utilizing Iguodala as a point forward to initiate the offense, getting the most out of bench players Thaddeus Young and Lou Williams, helping Jrue Holiday mature as a point guard and even rejuvenating the low-post game of the expensive Elton Brand.

The Sixers have gotten exactly what they needed when they hired Doug Collins. His addition is exactly what gives the Sixers a chance to upset the Heat as they come into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the NBA.

10. Elton Brand's Offensive Efficiency

Since the Sixers are more well-known for an energetic and well balanced attack, they will need all they can get from veteran big man Elton Brand.

Whatever Doug Collins has done to rejuvenate Elton Brand's career deserves a ton of credit.

Since the Sixers inked Brand to a near $80 million deal over five years, he has seemed out of place and like a poor fit for a young Sixers team that thrives in the open court, while Brand's forte is in the half-court set posting up on the low block.

Brand is now averaging 15 PPG and 8.3 RPG, along with 1.1 SPG and 1.3 BPG. While the offensive numbers are a far cry from what they once were when he was an All-Star as a Los Angeles Clipper, the defensive numbers are a nice surprise.

Brand will be asked to use his muscular body against Chris Bosh to back him down in the paint to maximize his chance of getting easy shots close to the basket, while also using his wide base and muscular frame to box Bosh and any of the other Heat players from getting rebounds.

If Brand is able to at least cancel Bosh out in scoring or rebounding, or possibly even both, he has done his job as the veteran presence on an otherwise fairly young squad.

9. Jrue Holiday's Defense Against Dwyane Wade

Much the same with LeBron James, asking Jrue Holiday to shut down Dwyane Wade is highly unlikely. However, he will be able to use his lanky arms to create steals at times, which could result in fast-break opportunities.

Utilizing his length will be the key for Holiday to have at least mild success against Wade, who is the No. 4 scorer in the NBA, averaging 25.5 PPG.

As with Iguodala, the lessons learned from coach Doug Collins will help Holiday give his best effort towards containing one of the league's most prolific scorers.

Holiday's defensive assignment against Dwyane Wade will be a good barometer to see just how much the young point guard has matured under the experienced tutelage of Collins.

8. Kevin Garnett vs. Amar'e Stoudemire

With the life back in Madison Square Garden and an old rivalry renewed, there is no better matchup to start off discussing than Kevin Garnett and Amar'e Stoudemire.

With Stoudemire finishing the season as the No. 6 scorer in the NBA, averaging 25.3 PPG, and Garnett having the killer instinct defensively of a rabid pit bull, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.

Both of their roles are important to their respective teams as well, since Garnett is essentially the on-court defensive coach for the Celtics and Amar'e carried the team on his back for the entire year before the cavalry arrived and brought him the help of supreme scorer Carmelo Anthony and experienced veteran Chauncey Billups.

The thing that will likely be the most interesting is to see if Stoudemire can contribute defensively since the Knicks are mostly an offensive-driven team. Doing so obviously maximizes the Knicks' potential to thwart the Celtics.

7. The Matchup Between Chauncey Billups and Rajon Rondo

This intriguing match-up will pit experience against speed, who comes out on top?

What this matchup comes down to is Chauncey Billups' experience pitted against Rajon Rondo's speed and crafty style of play.

It is almost a guarantee that defensively Billups will struggle to keep up with Rondo, since Rondo is a lot younger and Billups has lost a step, as he is beginning to show his age.

However, there is not a coach in the NBA that wouldn't want Billups on his team due to his ability to mentor young players, his experience and probably the most important thing, which has become his calling card—his ability to hit the clutch long-distance shot, earning him the appropriate nickname "Mr. Big Shot."

This is one of those series that is a wait and see since Rondo's ability to hit the jumper needs work. However, if Rondo is able to get to the rim at will, it is not hard to imagine who comes out ahead in this specific matchup.

6. Carmelo Anthony vs. Paul Pierce

You can't tell me you didn't see this one coming. While Paul Pierce has been a longtime nemesis of the New York Knicks, the Knicks have also never had someone like Carmelo Anthony to match up against him.

Coming into the postseason, the Knicks have been red-hot of late, as Melo's offensive heroics have been nothing short of spectacular.

It is encouraging to see as well that over that time he has played fairly solid defense when it counts. Although he may never be an elite defender, he is showing his maturity by figuring out ways to come through on the defensive side of the floor when it truly counts, even if he can't do it consistently all the time.

Carrying that defensive intensity over to the playoffs will prove to be crucial, and he cannot allow his offense to dictate his defense. Many times what Anthony will do if he is not shooting well is slack off on the defensive end, and at the same time he has done the exact opposite, where if he is hitting all his shots, he seems to play with defensive tenacity.

He should absolutely destroy Pierce offensively, as Melo is one of the league's most creative scorers and most importantly is the most productive scorer in the fourth quarter.

If Melo is able to play solid defense against Pierce, that will give the Knicks that much greater of a chance against the Celtics' quadruple attack of Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen.

5. The New York Knicks Defense

With plenty of scoring from STAT, Melo and Billups. The area of weakness for the Knicks, their defense, will have to strengthen to give them a chance to upset the seasoned Celtics.

As mentioned in the previous slides, Melo, Billups and STAT must step up defensively. However, the Knicks' best defensive players come from their bench.

Players like Ronny Turiaf, Toney Douglas and Landry Fields have been the most notable players on that end of the floor. Jared Jeffries has contributed somewhat defensively, but his ineptitude on the offensive end of the floor eradicates any positive contributions he has on defense.

While Toney Douglas will likely be relied on to score off the bench, the job he does covering Rajon Rondo defensively could prove to be his biggest contribution, as Billups will not be able to keep up with the feline quickness of Rondo.

Turiaf will have to play a big role as well off the bench, considering Shaquille O'Neal is supposed to be healthy to play in Game 1 and in the series as a whole. Obviously the biggest issue with this matchup is once again the size difference. Hopefully Turiaf can frustrate the Celts big men while chipping in a little bit on the offensive end as well. When Turiaf plays solid defense, it usually tends to spark his offensive game, so if his defense is effective and he stays out of foul trouble, it will pay huge dividends for the Knicks.

Labeled as one of the young players who can be a breakout player in the playoffs, Landry Fields will be given the tough assignment of covering sharpshooter Ray Allen. Since Fields tends to play a gritty type of defensive style, is a jack of all trades offensively and is a terrific rebounder for a guard, he will likely give the veteran Allen all he can handle.

If the Knicks can in fact play solid defense to go with their offensive firepower, which is a big if, they could push the series to seven games or possibly upset the Celtics altogether.

4. Dwight Howard's Offensive Post Game

Dwight Howard shooting his baby hook shot over the Memphis Grizzlies burly big man Marc Gasol.

While this is likely not going to be an issue for the gargantuan big man, it is just something worth noting since he can at times get frustrated offensively and take foolish shots out of sheer panic.

I do not see this being the case for him, however, since he will be matched up against the tenacious, albeit undersized, Al Horford, who will likely get help from Josh Smith.

Howard is an absolute beast in the paint and has increased his points per game average by nearly five points per game. Last year he averaged 18.3 PPG, while this year he averaged a more productive 22.9 PPG.

A lot of credit can be given to Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon, both of whom he has worked with on refining his footwork and learning new post moves in order to make him more of a threat offensively. Working with the aforementioned pair of legendary bigs allowed him to learn some new moves to keep him from having to rely solely on his athleticism, as he is learning how to have a softer touch around the rim.

The Magic will come out on top in this series, as the Hawks go into every postseason with a solid record yet are unable to put it all together when it really counts.

3. Will Gilbert Arenas or Agent Zero Show Up Against the Atlanta Hawks?

While Gilbert Arenas may not wear the number zero anymore, the nickname Agent Zero while he wore that number has been nowhere to be found.

Becoming one of the most polarizing figures in the NBA, with the locker room gun charges he faced, seems to have taken him off the beaten path. On the Magic so far he has just been a big name with a big ego who has yet to come anywhere near posting the numbers he did when he was quickly becoming one of the next up-and-coming scorers in the NBA.

Although the Magic have Hedo Turkoglu back to initiate the offense, Jameer Nelson to score a little bit and the three-point shooting and now occasional athletic play of Jason Richardson, none were ever closer to reaching the upper echelon of top players than Arenas was.

While it seems like ages ago, Gilbert Arenas once averaged as much as 29.3 PPG, in his 2005-2006 NBA season. Although no one is expecting that kind of production from him, it lets us know what he was at one point capable of. At only 29 years old his mind seems to be gone, but his body should absolutely be capable of at least doing half of that.

If Arenas was able to have a metamorphosis of sorts and shed the negative public persona that has followed him since his antics in Washington to bring back Agent Zero just for even one game to let us know he's still in there, it would definitely be worth seeing.

2. How Hedo Turkoglu and Jameer Nelson Run the Magic Offense Together

Since Jameer Nelson is undersized at the point, he will need Turkoglu to help swing the ball and keep the offense running fluidly.

The main question with this pair is how the two of them will run the offense efficiently enough to get the most out of the team, similar to the way they did when they reached the NBA Finals in 2009.

The biggest thing the two of them must realize is that although the faces on the team have changed, the style really hasn't.

They center the offense on big man Dwight Howard—who is now better offensively, so that can only help—while spreading the floor with numerous three-point marksmen to make it hard for the defense to double your offensive juggernaut in the middle, because if they do, then you will leave open a deadly three-point shooter.

If Nelson and Turkoglu are able to rekindle the spark they had in 2009, when they reached the NBA Finals, to get the offense running like a well-oiled machine again, we could see the Orlando Magic be a wild card in the Eastern Conference.

Since the sky is the limit when you have a talented big man who plays both ends of the floor well the way Dwight Howard does, the Magic can take care of business in Round 1 against the Hawks and look on to Round 2 ,where they could dominate as well if they play their game and don't allow the other team to dictate the style they play.

1. Joe Johnson's Poise in the First Round of the Playoffs

While Joe Johsons remains one of the most versatile regular season players, he has yet to carry that reputation over to the playoffs.

When realizing that Joe Johnson somehow netted himself a $120 million contract over six years in the summer of LeBron, his averages don't even come close to warranting that kind of money.

Last year he posted averages during the regular season of 21.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 4.9 APG, and this year he posted 18.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 4.7 APG while also being down across the board in FG, FT and 3PT shooting percentage.

While the Hawks do have Jamal Crawford and the athletic Josh Smith to help pick up some of the scoring load, the Hawks are the most dangerous when Johnson is the main player on the team, scoring the most points and posting versatile stat lines filled with rebounds and assists with solid shooting percentages.

If the Hawks expect to have any chance against an offensively improved Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic, than it's time for Johnson to step up and earn the large contract he commanded (which seems nearly impossible considering Kevin Durant is leading the NBA in scoring at 27.7 PPG and is making $85 million over five years) by posting numbers similar to what his regular-season averages were last year, since his most recent playoff series with the Hawks was abysmal, as he disappeared and was unreliable.

This year that needs to change for them to have the faintest chance at even competing with the Magic, never mind beating them.