C/PF First Round: No. 8 Patrick Ewing vs. No. 9 Dwight Howard

Here is a matchup of two powerful centers. One of the strongest points of both of these players is their ability to draw double-teams because of their absolutely dominating play in the paint.  

While they are both similarly sized, the fact that Howard has 25 pounds of pure muscle on Ewing gives him an advantage in this matchup.  

The finesse that Howard lacks in his ability to shoot he makes up for by his freakish strength and post moves. Ewing would undoubtedly hit some jumpers and hook shots against Howard, showing off his fine-tuned basketball skills, but ultimately, Howard would power past him in the post.  

Defense will be the difference in this game, and Howard will play with more athleticism and more tenacity than Ewing, ultimately giving him a slight edge in a close matchup.