Magic Vs. Hawks

The Orlando Magic finished off the Bobcats last week on Monday. A week later and they still haven’t played their second round opponent. The Atlanta Hawks destroyed the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday to advance to the next round of the playoffs. On Tuesday they will face Orlando, a team well rested.

Following the game seven victory, the public-address announcer in Atlanta yelled, "We're headed to Disney World!" For the Hawks, that may not be the best of news. The Hawks are just 1-3 against the Magic this season and have had no answer for Dwight Howard. Howard could use this series to bounce back from a foul riddled first round series with the Charlotte Bobcats.

The Hawks and Magic are all too familiar with each other. The Southeast rivals play a guaranteed four times a season, and for the past three seasons both clubs have advanced to new heights. This year the Hawks will attempt to advance beyond the 2nd round while the Orlando Magic strive for a championship with anything else being a failure.

The Hawks barely have time to rest after almost being eliminated by a sub par Milwaukee team. Jamal Crawford said it best, "As athletes, we're kind of creatures of habit. We've been playing nonstop, and they've had off for a week. So, hopefully, they could be a little rusty and we can go in there and steal a game or two."

The Magic must be aware of the Hawks and their resilient defense. The Hawks defense created a horrid shooting performance from a Bucks team that could have eliminated them in Milwaukee two days prior.

The Hawks themselves must recognize who they are playing. Dwight Howard alone presents a problem the Bucks could not offer with their center Andrew Bogut injured.

Howard will be physical and will look to bully fellow all-star Al Horford who was the bully against the defenseless Bucks. Horford was able to grab rebounds and block shots at will with fellow high-flyer Josh Smith. Against the Magic, any defensive mistake can lead to a Howard dunk or a daggering three pointer.

The Magic are aiming for Howard to make correct passes to open perimeter shooters. When he does so, the Magic function in full cylinder and become nearly impossible to defend.

The series appears to be exciting. The Magic are eager to advance to the Finals again, while the Hawks look to reach new heights.