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Promising series Bucks-Hornets matchup proves East isn't least
The second round of the playoffs is starting to shape up, and it promises to be a good one. The Eastern Conference was given little or no respect from national media, but so far those series have been the most exciting. The Milwaukee Bucks, for example, eliminated the Orlando Magic in a four-game track meet. The two teams played a very similar style of pressurized defense, along with an offense geared to take the first available good shot. If the NBA brass had seen this series a month ago, the league might not have instituted the new rules of zone defense. This was playground basketball with a purpose. I can sit here and overanalyze the whole series and tell you the different ways the Bucks pulled the series out, but the simple fact is the Bucks and Magic play the same style of basketball and the Bucks are better at it. Scott Williams, Mark Pope, Jason Caffey and Ervin Johnson are the Bucks' energy guys. They're in charge of all the dirty work -- rebounding, taking charges, loose plays and loose balls -- and they were better at it then Orlando's Bo Outlaw and Co. 
If the "Big Three" of Sam Cassell, Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson are the "Bucks," then the others should be affectionately known as the "Loose Change." There won't be an Eastern Conference championship for the Bucks unless they reach in their playoff pockets and continue to use their "Loose Change." The Bucks' second-round opponent, the Charlotte Hornets, breezed through their first-round series against the Miami Heat. All the Heat's shortcomings were the strengths of the Hornets. The Heat's inability to control dribble penetration and play in a transition game, as well as their overall lack of team speed, showed throughout the series. Jamal Mashburn, Baron Davis and David Wesley were the beneficiaries of these deficiencies. Now that the Bucks and Hornets have taken their games to the next level, both teams have issues they didn't face in round one. The Bucks have to realize that the Hornets are more than capable of putting 110 points on the board and can survive a shootout. Bucks head coach George Karl says many teams have a tough time with his team because they can't compete with the Bucks' scoring prowess. The Hornets aren't one of those teams. Milwaukee also will have to address its lack of rebounding consistency. Charlotte is one of the best rebounding teams in the league. On the other hand, the Hornets will be going from a jog versus the Heat to a sprint against the Bucks. Their field-goal attempts in the first series were calculated and planned; here the shots will fly at the first open opportunity. This will also be the first time Charlotte's big scorers will have to play both ends of the floor on a consistent basis. Cassell, Allen and Robinson don't shy away from an offensive showdown, unlike Miami's perimeter people. This one promises to be the most fun series to watch. So much for the East being least. Kenny Smith works as a studio analyst with host Ernie Johnson for TNT and TBS telecasts. He joined Turner Sports for the end of the 1997-98 regular season and playoffs, primarily as a studio analyst. Check out Kenny's sites: www.theusbc.com and www.carolinabasketballcamp.com.
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