The Eastern Conference playoffs have become a sparring session for the Orlando Magic, as Dwight Howard and Co. have clearly separated themselves from the rest of the conference and should be considered the favorites to reach the NBA Finals.

The Beast of the East barely broke a sweat in pounding the Atlanta Hawks by 43 points in Game 1 of their series. Some thought the Magic were going into the series a bit rusty because of the eight-day layoff after sweeping Charlotte. Instead, it was the Hawks who looked weary and tired after their seven-game battle in the first round against Milwaukee.

Orlando is 5-0 in the 2010 playoffs and Atlanta will be fortunate to win one game in this series.

“Coach [Stan Van Gundy] did a good job in making sure we were ready tonight,” said Dwight Howard, who scored 21 points in just 28 minutes, but it wasn’t because of the foul trouble that plagued him in the first round against Charlotte. The way the Magic shot the ball and played team defense on Tuesday night, they could have won with Tree Rollins at center.

Vince Carter scored 20 points in Game 1 against the Hawks, a game in which Orlando dominated from the start. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

“It wasn’t in our plans. It’s something we have to deal with and move forward,” said Hawks center Al Horford, who gives up three or four inches to Howard and has not played well against Orlando in the past.

“I think we had a solid game plan and it just kinda got away from us. It was just a snowball effect. We know we’re better than this. It’s gut-check time for our team.”

Horford and the rest of the Hawks big men will have the huge task of containing Howard, who averages 21 points and 17 rebounds against his hometown team. Howard, who attended a prep school in the Atlanta area, made eight of 10 shots and pulled down 12 rebounds in Game 1.

“We understand that it’s only one game. In order for us to win this series, we have to dominate every night and remain humble. We have to have the same effort every night,” said Howard, who says this series will be far different than the first-round series against the Bobcats, in which he barely stayed on the court because of foul trouble.

“I just understood that the first series was very physical,” said the two-time NBA defensive player of the year. “I just looked back to last year, the first series was tough for me mentally. As the playoffs went on, I got a little bit better and matured. I didn’t allow anything to just throw me off my game tonight, and this is what I need to do for the rest of this series.”

Howard added: “I just focus on the next play. If I miss a shot or miss a free throw, just move on to the next play. I’ve been doing that in practice, allow myself to play and not focus on things that could go wrong.”

Video courtesy of NBA.com

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The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic are without a doubt the two best teams in the Eastern Conference and it will take a monumental upset if both did not make the conference finals.

The Cavaliers ran away with the best record in the NBA at 61-21, but the Magic was arguably the best team after the All-Star break with an 18-3 mark the last two months of the regular season.

Stan Van Gundy will not win coach of the year, but he should get serious consideration for how he has managed the ship. He has been able to incorporate Vince Carter without disrupting the team’s perimeter set-up with Dwight Howard in the middle.

Though Orlando took and converted the most 3-pointers in the league this season, the fate of the franchise starts and ends with Howard, who recently became the first NBA player to lead the league in rebounds, blocked shots and field-goal percentage. He is still perceived to be “too nice” to be a dominant player. However, another trip to the Finals will help Howard erase that label.

Unlike last year, the Cavaliers will have a tougher road to the conference finals. The Cavs have a date with a very underrated Chicago Bulls team in the first round, and then they have a potential matchup with the Boston Celtics in the second round.

It will not be a huge disappointment if the Magic failed to reach the Finals. But if the Cavs get bounced in the conference finals (or sooner), there will be tsunami warning in Cleveland and a funeral service will be held for the Cavaliers in the state of Ohio. No pressure, LeBron!

OneManFastBreak.net predicts the winners of each round in the Eastern Conference playoffs:

FIRST ROUND

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Chicago Bulls: With Joakim Noah in the lineup, the Bulls are a lot better than their 41-41 record. Noah allows the Bulls to blitz pick-and-roll plays and is a terrific rebounder. Noah’s matchup with Cavs’ high-energy guy Anderson Varejao is worth the price of admission. The Cavaliers will have to re-incorporate Shaquille O’Neal in their offense and defense plans, which will not be easy. The Bulls will try to attack the Cavs with a flurry of pick-and-rolls, and Mike Brown will have to decide if he wants to go with a smaller lineup to counter the Bulls’ quickness. The Cavs should advance, but the Bulls will be a tough out. Cavaliers in 7.

The Cavaliers and LeBron James (middle) will have their hands full against the Bulls' Luol Deng (left) and Joakim Noah. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Miami Heat: The Celtics have the better team in this matchup, but the Heat has the best player in Dwyane Wade. If Wade gets loose and averages 30 points in this series, the Celtics are in for a long series and could get eliminated. Boston is running on fumes while the Heat finished strong and moved up three spots in less than a month. KG will never KG again so Celtic fans need to face the truth. Speaking of The Truth, the Celtics live and die with Paul Pierce. He is Boston’s go-to guy in the clutch and needs to play at an MVP level to cancel out Wade, who is good enough to win two games by himself. Celtics in 6.

(2) Orlando Magic vs. (7) Charlotte Bobcats: Orlando matches up better with Charlotte than Cleveland does, so expect the Magic to punish the Bobcats with a heavy dose of Dwight Howard inside. Larry Brown will try to rotate centers Tyson Chandler and Nazr Mohammed against Howard, and Brown will probably force Howard to pass out of double teams. The Bobcats are such a bad road team that I don’t see them winning more than two games in this series. Orlando should be able to win the first two at home and could split the two games in Charlotte. Magic in 5.

(3) Atlanta Hawks vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks: The injury to Andrew Bogut changes the entire complexion of this series. The Bucks were rolling until Bogut went down with a scary injury (wrist/elbow) and it will be very difficult for them to take advantage of Atlanta’s small frontline without a legit post player. The Bucks also don’t have an answer for super sub Jamal Crawford, who could become the star of this series. Hawks in 4.

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (4) Boston Celtics: The last regular-season meeting between these two teams was very chippy so expect a very physical series. The Celtics have the talent to bring down the Cavs, but Father Time hasn’t very kind to the C’s this season. KG is a shell of himself, and Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are on the wrong side of 30. LeBron James, by himself, took the Celtics to 7 games in 2008 with Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak and Sasha Pavlovic as his runningmates. LeBron has a better supporting cast this time. Cavaliers in 5.

(2) Orlando Magic vs. (3) Atlanta Hawks: History shows that the Hawks struggle against teams with an inside game, and the Magic has the best inside presence in the Association in Dwight Howard. Howard, who attended high school in the Atlanta area, should dominate his matchup against Al Horford or Zaza Pachulia, forcing Hawks coach Mike Woodson to double team. This will open up Orlando’s perimeter game, which is right up its wheelhouse. Magic in 5.

CONFERENCE FINALS

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (2) Orlando Magic: The Cavaliers’ entire offseason was built on beating Orlando in the playoffs. The Cavs got Shaq to guard Dwight Howard and acquired Antawn Jamison to counter Rashard Lewis. The big question mark for Orlando is Vince Carter. Can Carter come through in the clutch and become Vinsanity or will he shrink into Wince Carter? I’m leaning towards Wince Carter. Last year, LeBron James tried to do too much and it cost the Cavs the homecourt and the series. This Cavalier team is the best team LeBron has ever had in Cleveland and it would be a mistake if James doesn’t use them against an Orlando defense geared to stop him. Is LeBron ready to trust his teammates? If he does, then the Cavs advance to the Finals. If not, the Magic will advance to the Finals. I want to pick Orlando, but I’m just not convinced that Vince will do the right thing in the fourth quarter. Cavaliers in 7.

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We all know perennial NBA powers Lakers, Celtics, Cavaliers and Spurs will be playing deep into May, and even maybe through June. Each team has been there before and it would take a major injury to derail their title chances (see Manu Ginobili and Spurs).

But what about those teams that enjoyed playoff success last season after some no-so-good years. A look at which teams are title contenders which ones are one-hit wonders.

Orlando Magic
A trip to the NBA Finals usually merits a clear-cut “title contender” label but there are a lot of questions that need to answered heading into this season for the Magic. First, can Vince Carter replace Hedo Turkoglu as the team’s go-to guy in the clutch? Is Jameer Nelson completely recovered from his shoulder injury and ready to reclaim his All-Star status? Can Dwight Howard get better after leaping into first-team All-NBA status last year? I say, NO, YES, YES. I guess two out of three ain’t bad. Orlando Magic: CONTENDER.

Houston Rockets
Losing Yao Ming for the season hurts and head coach Rick Adelman will need to scrap his post-up offense in favor of a more wide-open style. Chuck Hayes and Carl Landry have to step into the vacuum left by Yao and Luis Scola must become the team’s No. 1 option on the block. Here’s an addition by subraction: Trevor Ariza for Ron Artest. At this stage of his career, Artest is a shell of himself and Ariza has more upside. It will be feast or famine on offense as the focus shifts entirely on Aaron Brooks. If the young point guard can somehow bottle up his seven-game playoff performance against the Lakers and unleash it for an entire season, the Rockets will be a factor. Speaking of IF, Tracy McGrady won’t be able to rejoin the team until November. Even if T-Mac returns to the court, it remains to be seen how much he can contribute. And can his surgically repaired knee hold up for an entire season? Anything out of T-Mac will be a big plus for the Rockets, but will it be enough? Houston Rockets: ONE-HIT WONDER.

Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets won 54 games last season and reached the Western Conference finals before losing to eventual world champion L.A. Chauncey Billups gets a full training camp the time around and his presence alone can help Denver smooth out all the small problems the Nuggets have had in years past. J.R. Smith, who will miss the first seven games of the season because of suspension, is the key. If he can shave the “hot dog” off his game, he makes the Nuggets a championship-caliber team. Nene’s health is also another factor, but he seems to be fully recovered from all his ailments. and adding Arron Afflalo helps the Nuggets on the defensive end. Afflalo is bigger, stronger, quicker and a better offensive player than Dahntay Jones. Denver Nuggets: CONTENDER.

Derrick Rose was a catalyst in the Bulls' seven-game classic against Boston. (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES)

Chicago Bulls
The epic seven-game war with the Celtics put the Bulls back in the limelight, but to think that Chicago is back as a contender is wishful thinking. Last year’s Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose will get better but he’s the only player on the current roster than has room to improve. Everyone else is tapped out. The loss of Ben Gordon is huge. BG was the guy who made the big shots vs. the Celtics and I don’t think the often-injured Luol Deng can cover for his loss. There’s a saying that you don’t appreciate someone until they are gone. Well, Ben Gordon has left Chicago to be the new microwave in Detroit. Chicago Bulls: ONE-HIT WONDER.

Portland Trail Blazers
The young Blazers grew leaps and bounds a season ago and are primed for bigger and better things this season. Brandon Roy is a star and LaMarcus Aldridge is getting there. The addition of point guard Andre Miller will help take some of the ball-handling duties from Roy, and will push Steve Blake to the bench where he can be more effective. The key is Greg Oden. If he can give Portland a solid 70 games, Portland could challenge Denver for the top spot in the Northwest Division. Portland Trail Blazers: CONTENDER.

Miami Heat
Dwyane Wade can’t possibly carry this team by himself. He needs help and I don’t think Pat Riley did enough to give D-Wade support during the offseason. Center Jermaine O’Neal can’t stay healthy and forward Michael Beasley is still trying to get his life in order. Miami made the playoffs last year but could struggle to get back this season. Miami Heat: ONE-HIT WONDER.

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Mo Williams did not score in the fourth quarter and in overtime in Cleveland's 116-114 loss in Game 4. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

The Cleveland Cavaliers just put Mo Williams’ face on the box of a milk cartoon because they can’t seem to locate their starting point guard.

According to the Game 4 box score, Williams had 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting, had five rebounds and had two assists and two steals. That’s odd because when the LeBron James needed help when things got hot and heavy in the fourth quarter and in the overtime period in Orlando, Williams was nowhere to be found.

With Williams missing in action, James had to do too much on offense and could not save the Cavaliers from going down 116-114 to the Orlando Magic in Game 4 and could not save the Cavaliers from going down 3-1 in the Eastern Conference finals. Only eight teams have overcome a 3-1 deficit in a seven-game series.

“I’m a leader on this team. Whatever I can do to spark this team and give us confidence, I’ll do,” Williams said. “If I have to take the heat, so be it.”

Did you guys hear something? I swear I just heard Mo Williams say “I’m a leader on this team.” Is Williams living in the same planet? Has he been paying attention to this series? Obviously not based on his comments. A leader? I know Williams has a sense of humor, but that last one was just hilarious. And this is coming from a guy who just guaranteed that the Cavs will win this series.

Before Williams is allowed to make any predictions, he needs to get in the game first – and when I say “get in the game” he needs to have a bigger impact in the game other than inbound the ball to LeBron, who is averaging 42 points in the conference finals but yet finds his team on the brink of elimination.

To say that Williams is having a hard time in this series is the understatement of the year. Williams is 23 for 71 from the field in the series and has been hardly as efficient as he was in the regular season, when he averaged a career-high 17.8 points.

For someone who was tabbed as the LeBron’s wing man and made the NBA All-Star Game this season, Williams is playing like a guy who is afraid to make a play. The fact that he made the guarantee shows that he’s lacking confidence and he needed to pump himself up with some verbal bravado.

He had 18 points through three quarters on Tuesday, but took just two shots (missed them both) in the fourth quarter and overtime. He is getting outplayed by Rafer Alston and is still reeling from the elbow he took to the face from Anthony Johnson.

Johnson is getting the last laugh in his matchup with Williams as the veteran guard was seen smiling from ear to ear in the Orlando locker room and was poking fun at Williams’ botched guarantee. “The guy’s out there chirping and talking and all that kind of stuff,” Johnson said. “They were, all of them, doing a little more talking than usual. But as long as none of them put their hands on me, I’m cool.”

If the Cavaliers are going to extend this series, Mo Williams needs to man up and let his presence be known.

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The Boston Celtics are not optimistic about Kevin Garnett's injured knee.

When Paul Pierce was asked which team was the toughest to eliminate in the Celtics’ road to winning their 17th championship, he said, without any hesitation, “Cleveland.”

The Cavaliers pushed the Celtics to seven grueling games in last season’s Eastern Conference semifinals, and when the series was over, the Celtics and pretty much every team in the East said that if Cavaliers management provides LeBron James another all-star player to play with, look out!

When Mo Williams joined Cleveland this season, the Cavs soared to the best record in franchise history and claimed home-court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs.

News of Kevin Garnett to likely to miss the entire playoffs was so devasting that Boston GM Danny Ainge suffered a mild heart attack.  Garnett was tabbed very, very questionable by Coach Doc Rivers after watching KG struggle in practice. Though Boston will not be the same without its quarterback on defense, the Celtics are still the champs and they still have two studs in Pierce and Ray Allen.

Orlando did not finish well and is still vastly untested in the playoffs. As good as Dwight Howard has been during the regular season, there are still doubts about his ability to consistently carry the Magic on his broad shoulders when it matters most. He still lacks a killer instinct. He’s just too nice. And if Orlando gets in any type of trouble, it will be interesting to watch whether Coach Stan Van Gundy pushes the panic button.

OneManFastbreak.net analyzes and predicts the winners of the Eastern Conference playoffs:

FIRST ROUND

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Detroit Pistons – In a rematch of the 2007 conference finals, this should be a one-sided affair. Cleveland will not overlook Detroit. CAVALIERS IN 4.

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Chicago Bulls – The Bulls will make it close but the Celtics have enough pride to avoid getting bounced in the first round. CELTICS IN 5.

(3) Orlando Magic vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers – Orlando swept the Sixers during the regular season and there is no reason why the Magic can’t do the same in the playoffs. MAGIC IN 4.

(4) Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Miami Heat – NBA scoring champ Dwyane Wade is good enough to extend this series to the max. But in the end, home-court advantage will be the difference. HAWKS IN 7.

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks – Size will matter in this series. Can the undersized Hawks keep up with the bigger Cavs? The answer: too much Ilgauskas, Varejao and LeBron. CAVALIERS IN 6.

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Orlando Magic – With or without KG, the Celtics are still better than the Magic. Boston won 62 games and most of it was done without Garnett. CELTICS IN 6.

CONFERENCE FINALS

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (2) Boston Celtics – When Boston was completely healthy last season and LeBron was basically by himself, it still took the Celts seven games to knock off the Cavs. This season, Cleveland clinches the series in Boston. CAVALIERS IN 6.

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