
No. 1 Cavaliers vs. No. 8 Pistons
Why the Cavs should win
While Tayshaun Prince is an excellent defender, he's not strong enough to seriously bother LeBron James. And if James can hit a few perimeter shots, the Cavs will breeze through the series.
D-Wade can single-handedly ground the Hawks. If he's doubled, the Heat's deadly 3-point shooters Michael Beasley, Daequan Cook, Chris Quinn, and Jamario Moon could make this tactic extremely costly.
Moon is sufficiently quick and athletic to give Joe Johnson a run for the money.
Beasley continues to be a productive point-maker, and perhaps will thrive in the playoff pressure.
Haslem can bully Smith and get him riled and wild.
On-the-ball-pressure and deny defense can force the Hawks into committing lots of turnovers.
Smith is a roamer on defense, looking to block every shot he can see. Consequently,the Hawks have no reliable shot-blockers so the middle could be wide open.
The Heat COULD win in 7.