The Atlanta Hawks looked like the third-best team in the Eastern Conference last season behind the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers when healthy, but “when healthy” didn’t last long, as Al Hoford’s injury set them back, resulting in an eight-seed finish.
The Hawks are on the edge of becoming a special story or just another footnote of teams that got close but no cigar. They blew the chance to close out the series at home and now have to enter one of the toughest arenas in the league to win in for game 7.
This year top seeds are getting challenged more than any time in recent memory. Indiana has been pushed to the edge needing to win the final two games of their series to move to the next round…and avoid embarrassment.
The Hawks had Indiana on the ropes but couldn’t seal the deal in G4 letting a halftime lead disappear in the second half.
After a promising performance in game 2 the Pacers were disappointing again on Thursday night losing game three and falling behind in the series, again.
The Pacers started the series in frightful fashion dropping the opener at home but they came back nicely to win game 2 and even the series.
In game 1 the score was tied at halftime but then the Hawks exploded in the third quarter, outscoring the Pacers by 14.
Indiana may be limping into the playoffs but they are doing it as the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Speaking of limping the Atlanta Hawks were doing that too making them look like the perfect first round opponent for the struggling Pacers.
No team in the NBA needs a win as badly as the Portland Trail Blazers. Having lost eight of itheir last 11 games, the Blazers enter this matchup with the Atlanta Hawks as the fifth seed out West.
The Toronto Raptors will make the trip down to Georgia for a date with the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
The Milwaukee Bucks (13-51) should be graciously telling its fans “Tanks’ a lot” before and after every home game this season. You have to question how much intrinsic desire there is for winning in that organization right now.
Portland intends its charmed campaign to continue this Wednesday night, with the slumping Atlanta Hawks coming to the Pacific Northwest.
The Atlanta Hawks will look to solidify their run at a playoff spot when they arrive in Boston on Wednesday to take on the slumping Celtics who have lost five straight.
The Knicks continue to struggle along showing no obvious signs that they are interested in making the playoffs in the weak Eastern Conference. To get there they are going to have to climb over a few team.
The Atlanta Hawks will make the trip north of the border to the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday for a date with the Toronto Raptors. Atlanta makes the trip north having lost four in a row, while the Raptors got back into the win column on Monday after returning home from a five-game road trip.
Los Angeles vs Atlanta NBA Picks
Kobe Bryant is back but the Lakers have only won one of the 4 games since his return. It was the last one so maybe they are getting used to having him back in the lineup, though I doubt it because he has looked pretty off playing more of a distributor role than scorer.
