NBA First Round Preview: East

No. 1 Boston vs No. 8 Atlanta

• Well....here's your prize Hawks...the juggernaut that is Boston.....I'm on the record thinking the Hawks get swept here and I'm not going to waver....I don't see a single matchup that the Hawks can really exploit here across the board....That said, Joe Johnson could go ballistic and steal one at home...but I don't see it...too much intensity, too much focus from Boston to let one get away against a team that is this inferior.....Boston in 4

No. 2 Detroit vs No. 7 Philly

• This is a good series surprisingly...Detroit is fully capable of taking an inferior opponent lightly and that'll be the case here....Philly plays up to their competition and should have trouble winning a game or 2...I think Philly wins one of the first 2 in Detroit...and Detroit turns it on a little after that...Detroit closes them out IN Philly.....in 6

No. 3 Orlando vs. No. 6 Toronto

• Of all the series in the entire playoffs...this is the one no one can figure out....Both teams are sort of Jekyll and Hyde....Orlando is a very good road team and mediocre at home...Toronto will have a raucous home court that should provide an advantage...The keys to this series I think are....The guard play of Orlando (especially Nelson vs. Calderon/Ford) and The play of....Rasho Nesterovic? Not a misprint...he's been playing well and is in a contract year....That said, good luck with Dwight.....Toronto has the playoff experience edge and if they play Calderon enough (sorry Ryan) I think they steal the series.....Toronto in 6

No. 4 Cleveland vs No. 5 Washington

• The best series in the East by far....the trashtalk is already going between Lebron and....Deshawn Stevenson? Shut up sir!!! Why are you angering the beast? This series is going 7 for sure....and really, I just think Lebron is gonna be too much late (plus he'll shoot about 30 FTs in game 7 if they get that far, paging Tim Donaghy)....Agent Zero and the boys will be very competitive and will be playing to avenge 2 years of buildup....and oh yea, I think they're the better team....but....I can't pick them while Lebron is breathing...seen it too many times already.....Cavs in 7

Enjoy Round 1! Analysis all the way through....