NBA Eastern Conference Playoff Picture:

Washington Wizards vs. Atlanta Hawks

This is going to be a grind-it-out playoff series, and even though I believe it will go to game seven, the games will likely to be a snooze-fest.

If you were to post this game up on a marquis, it would read “Wall vs. Millsap with special guests Washington Wizards and Atlanta Hawks.” Not exactly a huge draw.

Yes, John Wall is a freak athlete, and there isn’t anyone in the NBA is who is faster from end-line to end-line. His ability to penetrate the lane on a drive and dish is well-established. That said, he lacks the long bomb that is a necessity in the post-season, not to mention he is the king of the turnover. Even with his ability to get in the lane and score, Dwight Howard is going to be the mountain in the middle putting a decisive stop to those shenanigans.

Bradley Beal is a strong accent to the game Wall brings, but he is the definition of a streaky scorer. With what could possibly be the worst bench in the NBA, the Wizards — once they move past the Atlanta Hawks — don’t have the depth to go any deeper in the playoffs.

Atlanta on the other hand is a mishmash of talented youngsters and a decent cohort of veterans. Paul Millsap, when he is healthy, is a player you could have built a franchise around five years ago. But with the offseason departures of Jeff Teague and Al Horford, the Hawks are in the same boat as the Wizards — just not that deep.

The only hope that the Hawks have of pulling out the series is if young point guard Dennis Schroder puts together a strong series of games. He has the speed to counter John Wall, but he is young and unproven — and there have been whispers that the other players in the locker room think he holds the ball way too much.

If you’re a Hawks or Wizards fan, enjoy a gritty series that will be reminiscent of the 1980s and 90s; a race to 90 points.

Prediction: Wizards in 7

Alex Scantlebury is a multi-sport contributor for theocho.ca. He is a professor for the Algonquin College public relations program. Aaron and Riley would like to thank him for giving them an extra hour each week to spend on Bleacher Report while he was teaching. Follow Alex on Twitter at@pen_ink_page.