There's another Eastern Conference playoff series heading to a Game 7 this weekend, and if you're interested in such things it might be a much more efficient use of your time.

While the Bulls and Celtics slog through multiple overtimes to determine a winner, the Hawks and Heat have taken the opposite approach. No need to stick around for hours for this one, folks -- just watch the first quarter and call it a day. All six games have been decided by double figures, with Friday's 98-72 Miami win the biggest laugher. Yet it wasn't even the most lopsided: The Hawks won by 26 in Game 1, then the Heat won by 29 in Game 3. So one-sided have the contests been that the series has yet to have a lead change after the first quarter. Boston-Chicago has been tied at the end of regulation four times; Atlanta-Miami has had four ties in six games, including white-knuckle moments at 2-2 and 7-7 on Friday.

One thing did change Friday, however, and the difference has been clear ever since Al Horford sprained his ankle in the second quarter of Game 5. Dwyane Wade, who had been consistently denied avenues to the basket through the first 4½ games, was able to penetrate at will. He earned 17 free throws and had several spectacular drives into the paint, most notably a fourth-quarter poster dunk on Zaza Pachulia that put the cherry on top of Miami's win; Wade also was hitting his jumper, as he's done in every Miami win in this series, and finished with 41 points.

In addition, there was the emergence of an X factor for Miami in rookie Michael Beasley. He had done little through the first five games but exploded for 22 points and 15 rebounds off the bench, helping Miami make up for the absence of Jermaine O'Neal.

O'Neal sat out with a concussion suffered in Game 5 and his status for the rubber match Sunday afternoon in Atlanta is in question; unlike an ankle sprain or a hamstring pull, there's no such thing as gutting it out with this injury.

Fortunately, the Heat unearthed the all-Canadian "centre" combo of Joel Anthony and Jamaal Magloire to great effect, as their defense and physicality helped frustrate the Hawks' frontcourt players; the two combined for 15 rebounds and made all four of their shot attempts. Meanwhile, Atlanta came unglued emotionally as the Heat poured it on, helped along by a couple of unfavorable whistles -- most notably a blocking call whistled on Maurice Evans for having the temerity to let Wade run into him.

Atlanta's injury at center seemed to affect the Hawks much more than Miami's affected the Heat, and not only because the young Horford has been an emotional rock who might have helped settle them down. Replacement starter Solomon Jones' inability to punish the Heat offensively permitted them to send swarms of defenders at Joe Johnson, and Anthony especially did this with unusual zeal. Often pushed out near half court by aggressive Miami double-teams, Johnson was neither able to find an outlet that could set up an easy score nor get free for clean looks of his own.

Atlanta's leading scorer in the regular season continued his miserable series with just 13 points. He also had three turnovers, including a first-quarter offensive foul that sent him to the bench with two personals and paved the way for the Heat's 32-18 first-quarter lead.

More telling, perhaps, was that he had just two assists despite all the double-teaming. Somehow, Atlanta needs to do a better job of punishing the Heat for their aggressive approach in taking Johnson out of the game. It's not like the Hawks haven't seen this before -- it's exactly what Boston did a year ago in Games 5, 6 and 7 after Johnson took over at the end of Game 4.

Not that Johnson had much help; Mike Bibby (20 first-half points) was the only Hawk to bring his A-game. Nobody else even brought their C-game, in fact: Evans was 2-of-9, Smith was 3-of-13 and Flip Murray was 4-of-13 as the Hawks shot 37 percent and committed 16 turnovers. About the only positive to take away for the Hawks was a surprise cameo by Marvin Williams, who played five minutes.

As a result, we head into Sunday hoping to see at least one competitive game between these two teams. There's a precedent, actually, and it's one I'm deeply familiar with. A year ago I was there in person for four of the six blowouts in the Spurs-Hornets second-round series, in which no team won by fewer than 11 in the first six games before San Antonio eked out a rare Game 7 road win that went down to the final two minutes.

As for seven straight games with double-digit wins? That hasn't happened since 1970, when the Lakers beat the Suns. That's also the last time the Hawks won a best-of-seven series -- a drought dating back to before Miami coach Erik Spoelstra was born, and one Atlanta will try to end Sunday afternoon in the friendly confines of Philips Arena.

To do it, the Hawks will need to deny Wade and awaken Johnson. Both tasks looked a whole lot easier when Wade was locked up by a balky back Wednesday than they looked Friday.

John Hollinger writes for ESPN Insider. To e-mail him, click here.

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