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SI's Marty Burns' Breakdown
Milwaukee		Philadelphia
Ervin Johnson is a poor man's Dikembe Mutombo. He can block shots and rebound, but he has virtually no offensive skills. He's coming off a big series against the Hornets, in which he averaged 12.1 boards, and will need to be just as active here. His "help" defense in the paint, and his ability to keep Mutombo off the glass, will be critical.	CENTER The Edge:	Mutombo, the NBA's defensive player of the year, might not be as effective against the Bucks, who have the perimeter shooters to negate his inside presence. However, he's always a rebounding force, especially on the offensive glass. He's also an intimidator with sharp elbows who will make the Bucks think twice about driving the lane or mixing it up underneath.
All-Star small forward Glenn Robinson stepped up in Games 6 & 7 against the Hornets, but he still hasn't completely shaken his rep for fading in big games. Still, Big Dog averaged 21.3 points (on 47.5 percent shooting) against Philly during the season, and should get plenty of good looks in this series. High-energy role player Scott Williams probably gets the starting nod at power forward, though he will split time with Tim Thomas. Williams will have extra motivation, since Sixers coach Larry Brown buried him on the bench during their time together in Philly.	FORWARDS The Edge:	Power forward Tyrone Hill should find life easier now that his nemesis Charles Oakley is out of the way. The Sixers desperately need Hill (12.0 points and 12.8 rebounds vs. Milwaukee during the season series) to provide more low-post scoring than he did last series. With George Lynch out for the playoffs (broken foot), second-year pro Jumaine Jones gets the task of guarding Robinson. The 6-foot-8 Jones did a solid job on Vince Carter last round, and his ability to hit 3-pointers is a big plus, but he lacks experience. Look for Aaron McKie to spend time here as well.
Sam Cassell and Ray Allen give the Bucks an explosive 1-2 backcourt punch. Cassell is a savvy floor leader with NBA title experience who's not afraid to take big shots. He'll make Allen Iverson work a lot harder defensively than he had to against Chris Childs in the last series. However, Cassell is battling a case of sore ribs that hampered him against Charlotte. All-Star Ray Allen is one of the game's best pure shooters and two-way guards. He torched Philly for 26.8 points (on 54.8 percent shooting), 6.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists during the season series. He must have a big series at both ends to offset Iverson.	GUARDS The Edge:  Even	Allen Iverson has been a one-man gang for Philly all season, but even more so in the playoffs. His patience in passing out of double teams, as well as his defense and rebounding, have been as important as his scoring. He should find lots of room against a gimpy Cassell and the Bucks, who aren't known for great team defense. Against Milwaukee during the season, he averaged 37.0 points, including a 49-point outburst in one victory. With Eric Snow (ankle) coming off the bench, Sixth Man Award winner McKie (16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists during the playoffs) gets the main task of guarding Ray Allen.
With Tim Thomas, Lindsey Hunter, Jason Caffey and Darvin Ham, the Bucks have a decided advantage in depth. The 6-foot-10 Thomas is a matchup nightmare who can play inside or outside. He averaged 12.3 points (on 51.4 percent shooting) during the season series against the Sixers, who have nobody to match up with him. Like Williams, he also should be highly motivated to play well against Brown, who traded him two years ago. Caffey and Ham provide toughness and defense inside, while Hunter provides 3-point shooting. However, Hunter is coming off a bad series against the Hornets in which he hit just 3-of-22 from downtown.	BENCH The Edge:	With McKie and Jones in the starting lineup, and Matt Geiger (quadriceps) injured, the Sixers' bench is perilously thin. Snow is at about 75 percent quickness, but he still provides a much-needed dose of toughness and leadership off the bench. His ability to step up and knock down open jumpers when Iverson gets doubled will be crucial as always. Look for him to be on the floor at the end of games, with McKie sliding over to small forward. Rodney Buford, a 6-foot-5 swingman, and Todd MacCulloch, a 7-foot center, are available for spot duty.
George Karl didn't panic when the Bucks fell behind 3-2 to the Hornets, and made the necessary adjustments. Known for his defensive strategies, he won't be afraid to try different things to slow down Allen Iverson. Karl, making his third trip to the conference finals, also knows Brown well from their North Carolina connection.	COACH The Edge:  Even	Larry Brown somehow has kept the Sixers afloat this postseason despite injuries and poor shooting by his players. He will have the Sixers ready to play defense, and hope Iverson can score enough points to get them over the hump. Like Karl, this will be his third trip to the conference finals.
The Bucks are riding high after coming back from the brink of elimination against Charlotte to advance to the conference finals for the first time since 1986. They also are confident, since they split the season series with the Sixers. In Thomas and Williams, they have two players who want badly to play well against Brown.	INTANGIBLES The Edge:	After leading the Eastern Conference all season, Iverson and the Sixers seem determined not to fall short now. Despite injuries, they just find ways to win. They are also one of the NBA's best road teams, though they will have home-court advantage in this round.
Rebounding. Though not a good rebounding team during the season, the Bucks have done a better job on the glass in the playoffs. Led by Johnson, Williams and Ham, Milwaukee even managed to outrebound the bigger Hornets in five of their seven games. How well they do on the boards could go a long way toward determining their fate in this series.	'X' FACTOR The Edge:	Jones. The former Georgia star must continue to hit shots when Iverson gets doubled, and more important, he must keep Robinson from going off at the other end. If Jones can handle Big Dog, the Sixers can put McKie, a good defender, on Ray Allen. If not, McKie will have to take Robinson and the hobbled Snow will have to check Allen.
Burns' Prediction: Bucks in 6