NBA Playoffs: Beasts of the East

With unlimited time on my hands, I've had the pleasure of catching at least a part of every NBA playoff game that's been aired so far. The first round isn't even over yet (the marathon post-season lasts until June!) but there are still a number of important things that can be taken away from each series.

Eastern Conference

(1) Bulls lead (8) Pacers 3-0- Indiana has been much more resourceful than anyone could have guessed. Unfortunately for the 8-seed, Chicago has eeked out wins in all three meetings. Captain Obvious here, it's been all about Derek Rose. The future-MVP has been brilliant all series long. Even with an off-day in Game 3, he still managed to come up huge with some clutch late shots. Despite a great fight by the Pacers, this thing is over. Prediction: Bulls in 5.
(2) Heat lead (7) 76ers 3-0- Utter domination by arguably the most hated team in the playoffs. Miami's Big 3 has stepped up big time to silence the haters temporarily. Everyone knew Lebron James and Dwyane Wade were capable of playoff domination, but it's Chris Bosh who has impressed me the most. Bosh' old team in Toronto was never able to get over the hump, so questions rightfully were asked about his toughness. However, he has looked hungrier than ever in an inevitable Heat sweep. Prediction: Heat in 4.

(3) Celtics lead (6) Knicks 2-0- What was tabbed as the most competitive series in the East has lived up to the hype so far. Both games have gone down to the wire, with the C's edging out a pair of W's in the finals seconds. Injuries have been a hindrance for the Knicks with both Chauncey Billups and Amar'e Stoudemire missing significant portions of games. If both players can come back healthy and make an impact, this series could go seven games. I just don't see it happening, and that will ultimately be New York's downfall. Prediction: Celtics in 5.

(4) Magic tied with (5) Hawks 1-1- After last year's meltdown by Atlanta against Orlando in the 2nd round of the playoffs, nobody gave the Hawks much of a chance. However, Hotlanta has held their own thanks to a strong team effort. It's still clear that Dwight Howard is the top dog in this series. With 79 points and 38 rebounds so far, he's been a man amongst boys on the court. It remains to be seen if the rest of the Magic roster are ready to get on his level. We've seen what Orlando can do when they are at their best during a 2009 run to the NBA Finals. Not seeing that this year, but I still think the Magic move on from this match up.
Prediction: Magic in 7.