(1) Indiana Pacers vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks
The Pacers In: Coach Frank Vogel and the rest of the Pacers should be able to breathe a sigh of relief after having reached number 1 despite a late season slump. But despite this decline, it still doesn't change the fact that they are one of the teams with the best personnel. They have quality post presence in Roy Hibbert and David West, a formidable playmaking/scoring combo in Paul George and Lance Stephenson, and reliable role players in Evan Turner (although one could put a huge question mark on him) and George Hill. The bottom line here is that we should not even be debating whether the Pacers are going past the first and second rounds. The more important question here is: can they build enough confidence to beat Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals?
The Hawks In: Another season passes for the Hawks, another disappearance for center Al Horford. It's a good thing, though, that for this season, the Hawks are prepared by having former Utah Jazz Paul Millsap at their side. However, despite this, Coach Mike Budenholzer still prefers work from the outside, that is, rely heavily on three-point specialist Kyle Korver to bomb opponents and Jeff Teague to slide in and out. But would this work against a playoff powerhouse that can cover all bases? This perhaps is Budenholzer's moment, as we see how he adjust against an elite team.
What could be: There's even no question here, and there should not be. Pacers in 5.
(4) Chicago Bulls vs. (5) Washington Wizards
The Bulls In: It must have been difficult for the Bulls to move on without Derrick Rose for the second straight season, and Coach Tom Thibodeau deserves another round of praise and applause for making plan B work. As of now, the Bulls heavily rely on Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson. Oh, and did we mention that Luol Deng is out of the team? The Bulls settled for Jimmy Butler and Mike Dunleavy, and miraculously, they managed to survive. Hopefully, this set up won't be here for the next playoff series, but at least Bulls fans can bank on the confidence of their players and Thib's strategy. But the question here is, up to when will this last?
The Wizards In: Gilbert Arenas. As far as everyone can remember, he is the team's star when the Wizards last entered the playoffs. Thanks to a few maneuvres here and there (which, by the way, doesn't guarantee something any better in the near future), the Wizards are now in the playoffs courtesy of Nene, Marcin Gortat, Martell Webster, and of course John Wall. Certainly, it was Wall who made it possible with his all-star performance, and at least for this season, he got the help that he needed in these three, plus a few contributions here and there by Trevor Ariza (who seems to be back in his old form after having avoided injuries), and young gun Bradley Beal (now in the process of showing that he's not just for show). However, despite this upgrade, it will be difficult to duplicate the success of Arenas' squad before, and its success depends on Wall playing better than what everyone sees right now
What could be: In a loose sense, both of these are recovery projects. However, only one of them can succeed, and the Bulls can nail this one in six games.
(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) Charlotte Bobcats
The Heat In: My, my, Miami. At the beginning of the season, the trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, are ready for title defense. Unfortunately, due to the rise of the teams who are out to get their backs, as well as a few injuries at some points in the season, they suffered a little setback. This playoffs is a first in their title defense, as it is expected that they lose their homecourt advantage by the Eastern Conference Finals, and it does not sound so good because they will be doing so only against the Indiana Pacers, with whom they needed a game seven to advance to the Finals. Perhaps coming at this point, one thing that the Heat can do is relax and prepare themselves for whatever comes in the playoffs, for, having a bigger target at them, teams can pull outrageous but surprising tricks that could leave them packing for good.
The 'Cats In: Isn't it fitting for the last season of the Bobcats to at least have a playoff spot, considering that they were denied countless times, with the last time being Gerald Wallace's own work? Now, it seems that Al Jefferson's transfer to the Bobcats had its effects. For the first time in Bobcats history since Emeka Okafor, the team had a legitimate post presence that makes it easier for the offense to slide smooth and tougher for the defense. But will this be effective against the Miami Heat when, besides this, all it has is lots of skill coupled with inexperience in Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Cody Zeller. Let's hope that Gerald Henderson, together with Jefferson, can hold this team up.
What could be: A legitimate question with a legitimate answer: the Heat is going to sweep this one.
(3) Toronto Raptors vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets
The Raptors In: Another celebration ought to be in place for the Raptors, who for the first time secured a legitimate playoff spot since the departure of one Chris Bosh. However, one should note that this isn't a powerhouse team that promises to go deep into the playoffs. If the Raptors have a big problem, it is something that definitely concerns efficiency. DeMar DeRozan isn't exactly the efficient kind, taking 20 or more shots and making only less than half of them. Jonas Valanciunas and Amir Johnson aren't the types to bang bodies with in the course of the seven games. Perhaps the only bright light in this team is Kyle Lowry, who has fully flourished from becoming a backup role to a star point guard for a team that has flashes of brilliance despite being a subpar division leader. Does this mean that they don't deserve the playoff spot, given that the curve of wins in the East is just very low? Let them play and prove something that they have not reached so far.
The Nets In: After acquiring Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry, as well as hiring Jason Kidd as a coach, the Nets have become a running joke from the first part of the season. Fortunately, they were able to turn the tables, transforming themselves into an underrated playoff team, ending up at sixth and probably without any home court advantages to enjoy. But who needs these, when everyone's clicking? Paul Pierce is back in his old Celtics form, and so is Garnett despite age. Deron Williams and Joe Johnson are hitting it. The reserves are playing well (case in point, Plums). Everyone makes Jason Kidd look good. And most of all, they have the bragging rights against the defending champions. It's fun to watch the Nets these times, eh?
What could be: Let's not kid(d) ourselves here. Brooklyn can take this in 5 games.
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