A look at how the fifth-seeded Hawks and the fourth-seeded Orlando Magic match up in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoffs series:
Point guards
Kirk Hinrich (6-foot-4, 190 pounds; 34 career playoff games): Acquired in a trade with Washington in February, Hinrich was expected to help stabilize the Hawks' shaky perimeter defense, but he has struggled to slow quick point guards over the past three weeks. Coach Larry Drew says Hinrich might have worn down. Hinrich's shooting also has been inconsistent since joining the Hawks.
Jameer Nelson (6-0, 190; 33 games): Nelson is a good pick-and-roll player because of his quickness and shooting ability. Defenders often must decide between chasing him around screens and risking getting beat to the rim or going under picks and allowing an open jump shot. Nelson is a good 3-point shooter and average defender.
Edge: Magic
Shooting guards
Joe Johnson (6-7, 240; 44 games): Johnson's size, strength and ballhandling make him a tough cover when his jump shots are falling, but they haven't fallen for most of the season. He has been tasked with guarding point guards, shooting guards and small forwards with varying degrees of success. He frequently draws double teams in the post, but doesn't consistently make quick decisions with the ball to keep the offense flowing.
Jason Richardson (6-6, 225; 27 games): As Richardson's athleticism has declined so has his ability to drive to the basket. It also has made his already-shaky defense weaker. He still is a good rhythm shooter. The Magic could decide to match bigger players against Johnson if he's able to back down Richardson.
Edge: Hawks
Small forwards
Josh Smith (6-9, 230; 29 games): Smith can score in the post and get to the free-throw line, where he shot a career-high 73 percent. But he has attempted more long jump shots than ever, and a sprained right knee suffered in March has made him less explosive. When he is engaged and energetic he can dominate by defending, rebounding and running.
Hedo Turkoglu (6-10, 220; 82 games): Turkoglu is a so-called "point forward" who is most comfortable operating as a ballhandler on the perimeter, where he's very effective using screens to get shots and a good passer. His defensive effort varies, and he's a poor rebounder for his size, so Smith should have opportunities to score if he takes Turkoglu inside and hits the offensive boards.
Edge: Hawks
Power forwards
Al Horford (6-10, 250; 27 games): Horford improved nearly every facet of his game in his fourth pro season. He's consistent, efficient and productive on offense, where he has developed a reliable mid-range jump shot. He can guard bigger opponents in the post because he maintains good position and smaller foes in all areas of the court because of his foot speed. The Hawks' "big" lineup allows him to move from center and away from Dwight Howard.
Brandon Bass (6-8, 250; 22 games): Like Horford, Bass is an effective jump shooter. He's probably Orlando's best defender aside from Howard, but he will have a tough task guarding Horford because he gives up size around the basket, and chasing Horford outside mitigates his solid defensive rebounding.
Edge: Hawks
Centers
Jason Collins (7-0, 265; 78 games): Collins played sparingly vs. Orlando in last season's playoffs series, but was remarkably effective checking Howard during the Hawks' three victories against the Magic in the regular season. Collins isn't athletic, but he's smart, physical and adept at getting Howard in foul trouble. But Collins also is prone to foul trouble and provides little offense, allowing Howard to help elsewhere on defense without penalty.
Dwight Howard (6-11, 275; 54 games): Everything the Magic do well is possible because of Howard. He controls the paint on defense, freeing his teammates to play more aggressively. He demands double teams in the post, spacing the floor for Orlando's shooters. His tendency to get annoyed by physical defense and officials' calls is a potential weakness, but Howard is the best player in the series and figures to be plenty motivated by the talk that Collins has slowed him.
Edge: Magic
Reserves
The Hawks have some versatile, if inconsistent, pieces on the bench. Jamal Crawford provides scoring punch. Marvin Williams is a solid wing defender. Zaza Pachulia is a banger, and Jeff Teague will be the fastest player on the court. Injuries have gutted Orlando’s depth: Shooting guard J.J. Redick (abdominal) returned to practice Friday after missing 17 games and Gilbert Arenas (knee) hasn’t looked the same. The Magic have no true backup center after trading Marcin Gortat, so the Hawks will have a size advantage when Howard is on the bench.
Edge: Hawks
Coaches
Larry Drew (no playoffs experience): In his first season as a head coach, Drew installed an offense designed to end the Hawks' reliance on isolation plays. The Hawks shared the ball more this season, but were worse on offense because Drew couldn't get them to stop relying so heavily on long jump shots or find other ways to score. He also couldn't coax players to give consistent defensive effort or show resolve in difficult situations. His willingness to play Collins straight-up against Howard has been key, but he has used Pachulia and Teague inconsistently despite the team's need for their skills.
Stan Van Gundy (45-31 playoffs record): This is Van Gundy's 12th playoffs series as a head coach. He guided the Heat to the second round of the playoffs with rookie Dwyane Wade in 2004 and then went to the East finals in 2005 with Shaquille O'Neal. He resigned from the Heat during the 2005-06 season and three years later coached the Magic to the NBA finals. His intense, relentless style can grate on players, but he has pushed all of his teams to be sound defensive units.
Edge: Magic
Intangibles
The Hawks say they’ve gained confidence because of the “big” lineup and three consecutive victories against the Magic. But this is essentially the same group that Orlando swept by an NBA-record margin of 101 points last spring and that Cleveland also swept in the 2009 playoffs. The Magic have changed personnel since then, but they know the Hawks tend to fold when challenged.
Edge: Magic
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