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Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks: NBA Playoff Preview

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Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks: NBA Playoff Preview
The Atlanta Hawks are all set to take on the Orlando Magic in the third game of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series on April 22, 2011 at Philips Arena.
The Hawks and Magic split this quarter-final series, with each team winning one game. However, Atlanta did not play anywhere near the level of Orlando in the postseason, as evidenced by an 8-1 record.
Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta ended the regular season at 44-38, grabbing the fifth spot in the East.
Although, the Hawks entered the playoff at the back of a six-game losing streak, they were back on track with a victory in the opener of the series behind a combined team effort. Atlanta defeated the Magic 103-93 in spite of another valiant effort from Howard,
who registered a career-high 46 points and grabbed 19 rebounds for Orlando.
Joe Johnson scored 25 points, five assists, and five rebounds, followed by Jamal Crawford adding 23 points and Al Horford added 16 points to win the game.
They Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy said Atlanta’s first string was able to provide them with a tough time on the court. He said, "If all five of their guys are going to shoot 50 percent or better and score what they scored, we're not going to beat them.
Our guys have to know that and that's the way it is. If we can't get them under control a little bit at the other end, we've got no chance to win."
The offence of Atlanta has fallen off drastically, no doubt, in the previous few games. However, the Hawks have done one thing consistently: their defence of the Magic and Dwight Howard was fantastic.
The Magic Star, Howard praised the defensive play of the Hawks and said, “Defensively, they are a lot smarter than they were.”
Orlando Magic
The fourth seed in the East, Orlando finished the season with a 52-30 record.
The Magic managed to level the series, 1-1, with an 88–82 victory over the Hawks in the second game on Tuesday night at Amway Center. It was the biggest comeback for Orlando in the playoffs since May 2009, when they overcame a huge 16-point deficit to down
the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It was once again the dazzling Howard, who finished with a game-high 33 points and 19 rebounds in the victory.
Players to watch
Johnson, the 29-year-old shooting guard for Atlanta, is absolutely blazing hot in the series as he has scored 39 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in the first two games. In addition to that, he is averaging 18.2 points, 4.7 assists, and 4.0 rebounds during
this season.
The Hawk’s guard, Jamal Crawford, has been fantastic during this series and showed his fine form, coming off the bench with 48 points.
When it comes to Orlando, it is all about the five-time All-Star, Howard. The 25-year-old centre has been playing a vital role for Orlando in the regular season and now in playoffs. The Hawks have to come up with a proper defence strategy against the dazzling
Howard in the upcoming game as he is averaging 39.5 points, and 19.0 rebounds per game in the series.

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