2011 NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference

On Saturday April 16, the 2011 NBA playoffs will begin.  So much has surrounded the performance of certain teams and winning record predictions were easy to come by during the summer and preseason, but all that is over.  Now is the time for players, coaches and teams to put up or shut up.  One teams saw it fit to throw a celebratory concert before a single game had been played only to cry about a losing stretch while still being a top team in their conference.  One player was quietly traded from East to West where the number on his paycheck made all the noise, later joined by another Western conference peer making them the talk of the town, resurrecting a once dying franchise .  And finally, another player, who started last years playoffs in 8th place, is now starting it in 1st and is a leading candidate for MVP.  Perhaps the East did not turn into the new powerhouse in the NBA as many thought it would, but it without a doubt lived up to the hype of being the most entertaining.

This is the '10-'11 NBA playoffs Eastern Conference 1st Round match ups and my predictions.

(1) Chicago Bulls vs (8) Indiana Pacers  { Bulls win series 4-2 }

(2) Miami Heat vs (7) Philadelphia 76ers  { Heat win series 4-0 }

(3) Boston Celtics vs (6) New York Knicks  { Celtics win series 4-3 }

(4) Orlando Magic vs (5) Atlanta Hawks  { Magic win series 4-1 }

Series to watch: (3) Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks

With the Celtics team full of great players and All-Stars like, Pierce, Allen, Garnett, Rondo and coach Doc Rivers they are always a threat.  However, going into the last several games of the season the Celtics have played poorly, forcing many to question if they are capable of making it back to the finals.

The New York Knicks now have Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudamire leading their team into the playoffs for the first time in years.  The Knicks struggled once Carmelo Anthony was acquired from the Denver Nuggets and have since been able to right the ship.  With Stoudamire and Anthony's scoring power, the Celtics will have their hands full and will need to put a stellar defensive performance to win.

My prediction may have had the Celtics winning, but this based purely on their reputation of being able to grind out games till the very end, which might not always be a good idea I might add. 

Either way, the 1st round of the Eastern Conference should be good for at least one match up, but the 2nd will be where all eyes are set.  A possible Bulls vs Heat and Celtics vs Magic will no doubt cast a huge shadow over the Western match ups regardless of how the West standings shape.