Hawks vs Wizards II: Revenge of the Fallen

[Jamaaliver]

From the Hawks

The Hawks are coming off a 117-102 home loss to the Wizards Monday to snap a five-game win streak. … Horford needs one double-double to tie Cliff Hagan (203) for eighth on Hawks’ all-time list. … Korver is shooting .529 (27 of 51) from 3-point range over the last 11 games. … Hardaway Jr. is averaging 19.0 points with a .633 shooting percentage (19 of 30), .688 3-point percentage (11 of 16) and .889 free-throw percentage (8 of 9) in 25.1 minutes in the past three games.

From the Wizards

The Wizards have won five straight after their win over the Hawks. … The Wizards are 6-1 when Beal scored 25 or more points. … Wall is averaging 20.9 points, 10.6 assists and 6.0 rebounds in the past 22 games. … Porter is averaging 15.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in the past six games. … During their season-high five-game win streak, the Wizards are averaging 111.2 points and shooting .491 from the field. … All five projected starters are averaging double-figure scoring with Wall (20.2), Beal (17.7) and Porter (11.6) with career-highs.
Here

[ATLHawksfan21]

INNNNN.

Trying to make it to the game tonight but I have a long day ahead of me. I need them to get to 50 wins and tonight is a must win if they are going to.

[ATL Boy]

The importance of every game down the stretch becomes all the more amplified, due to this immense brawl between us, the Heat, Celtics, and Hornets.

A win keeps us scorching hot, and moves us a full game ahead of Miami. Charlotte might have to absorb a loss to the Spurs tonight, while the Celtics could keep struggling sans Jae Crowder against Orlando's young wings.

This is the easy portion of our schedule right now (and these past few games). With Toronto and Cleveland in a fistfight for the top seed, I don't think they'll be resting any players down the stretch: and we get to play them twice, each. Miami's schedule is extremely soft after an upcoming game in San Antonio, so we MUST wins these games against the Washington's and Milwaukee's if we want to maintain that 3 seed.

[ATLHawksfan21]

One good thing about Miami's schedule is they do have 4 sets of b2b games left while our only one is this Fri/Sat vs Milw/@Det. Hopefully, those extra b2b's will cost the Heat an extra game or two. The 2nd half of those sets are all away games and against tough opponents with @SAS, @Port, @Orl, @Bos.

[jayu70]

Meaningful games at the end of the season - love it. Hopefully we stay focused and on task.

[Jamaaliver]

With Toronto and Cleveland in a fistfight for the top seed, I don't think they'll be resting any players down the stretch: and we get to play them twice, each.

If CLE falls to the #2 spot in the standings, any thoughts on ATL purposely losing the last few games to fall to four and avoid a second round matchup against the Cavs?

We took a similar tactic last season in the final game against CHI...

[ATLHawksfan21]

With Toronto and Cleveland in a fistfight for the top seed, I don't think they'll be resting any players down the stretch: and we get to play them twice, each.

If CLE falls to the #2 spot in the standings, any thoughts on ATL purposely losing the last few games to fall to four and avoid a second round matchup against the Cavs?

We took a similar tactic last season in the final game against CHI...

Cleveland has an easier schedule. No way will Toronto build a big enough lead to guarantee themselves the #1 seed with multiple games left.

Also, I think we may matchup better vs the Cavs than Toronto when Irving and Love are playing more.

[Jamaaliver]

[jayu70]

With Toronto and Cleveland in a fistfight for the top seed, I don't think they'll be resting any players down the stretch: and we get to play them twice, each.

If CLE falls to the #2 spot in the standings, any thoughts on ATL purposely losing the last few games to fall to four and avoid a second round matchup against the Cavs?

We took a similar tactic last season in the final game against CHI...

Cleveland has an easier schedule. No way will Toronto build a big enough lead to guarantee themselves the #1 seed with multiple games left.

Also, I think we may matchup better vs the Cavs than Toronto when Irving and Love are playing more.

They still have LeBron. Toronto has typically flamed out in the playoffs, I'll take them.

[MaceCase]

I believe he's alluding to Toronto consistently being a bugaboo for the Hawks over the last few seasons and Love and Irving being more of a detriment to Bron than an asset. Under that mindset, yes, he's right. Toronto has the confidence, chemistry and psychological edge to believe they'd beat the Hawks whereas Cleveland has more than enough massive chinks in their chemistry that could potentially be exploited in a high pressure situation despite them trotting out the most talented team.

[Jamaaliver]

They still have LeBron. Toronto has typically flamed out in the playoffs, I'll take them.

Bingo. TOR hasn't won a series in 14 years. Dwayne Casey has never won a playoff series as Head Coach. This TOR team got swept 10 months ago by an inferior WAS team.

Lebron hasn't lost a postseason series in the East in five years. LeBron and a bunch of backup players swept us out of the playoffs 10 months ago. Lebron carried Matt Dellavedova and a rookie Head Coach to within 2 games of an NBA title 9 months ago.

I wouldn't be surprised if a veteran Indiana team beats TOR in the first round.


But it's a sentiment that was expressed even last year, so at least he's consistent.

[ATLHawksfan21]

and we had never made it to the ECF's or won 60 games before last year.

I choose to only worry about the current season and could care less what a team did 3, 5, 10 or 20 years ago.

[ATLHawksfan21]

Delladova + Thompson are a tougher matchup in the Cleveland lineup than Irving + Love are for our team. We were also severely hampered by injuries in that series witht he difference being we didn't have a superstar that could take over. We also lacked the amount of depth that the Cavs had. Good luck beating Lebron when your top 3 wings are injured.

[ATL Boy]

There's no way Cleveland would be a better matchup than Toronto. That Cavs team looks to have made a mistake firing Blatt, but I would still much rather avoid meeting Lebron in the playoffs for as long as possible.

The Raptors might not even make it out of the first round, I certainly don't expect them to if they meet Chicago.

[Jamaaliver]

Hawks take the lead on a Dennis 3-pointer.

But he is dominating the ball right now...over dribbling. It is maddening. We have to break him of that habit.


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[Hawk Eye]

Lots of back and forth play right now. Defense needs to step up if we're going to win this one.

[Hawk Eye]

Wow, hornets just beat the spurs. Really need to get this W tonight.

[DirtybirdGA]

Effort still in the locker room.

[ATLHawksfan21]

With how bad the 3rd quarter started, I will gladly take a 3 pt deficit going in to the 4th. We should be fine as long as Beal cools down some. That lineup of teague.thjr.thabo.millsap.horford has been lethal.

[ATLHawksfan21]

Dennis looks terrible tonight. Get Teague in now