Does anyone have the cajones to pick the Hawks?

[ATL DirtyBird]

I know mostly everyone outside of this bored, and Atlanta, are picking the Cavs to stick it in us. I personally dont have the balls to pick us to win, but I think we can take em to 6, hell maybe even 7. Does anyone in this bored, Hawks fan or other have the nuts to pick the Hawks to beat the Cavs?

[killbuckner]

Last year I put money on the Hawks to beat the celtics but that had something to do with the 40-1 odds I was getting. No way would I touch the Hawks in this series at 15-1. Healthy the Cavs are a bad matchup for the hawks- banged up I don't like the Hawks chances at all.

For what its worth this series I have the Magic at even odds to beat the celtics. I think thats a brutally bad matchup for the Celtics with KG and Powe out.

[JoshB914]

No, I do not have the cajones.

[ACE_reppin_ATL]

I proudly pick the Hawks to win this series. And you know what, I'm gon go out on a thin limb and say that the Hawks will WIN the series in 6 games.

[killbuckner]

It doesn't take any Cojones to say you think the Hawks will win. It takes Cojones to actually put your money where your mouth is. When you are getting 15 to 1 odds If you really thought that the Hawks had better than a 50% chance of winning the series then you would be CRAZY not to put some money down on the series.

[conleyorbust]

No, I do not have the cajones.

Me neither. I'll be cheering for them though.

[evildallas]

I think we're longer shots than the current 15-1 odds are paying. Doesn't mean I won't be cheering for the Hawks all the way, but it isn't a good financial risk. I don't have the cajones to take that risk.

[dpaulh]

I will be rooting my ass off for the Hawks this series... but the thing about playing Lebron, Kobe, or Wade in a 7-game series is that you know they will win 2 games by themselves. We saw that against Wade, and that is the only reason the Heat took us to 7. The difference is that the other Cavs are capable of winning games too, unlike the other Heat players.

I would love to see us give them a push, because hardly anyone is even predicting that...

[chrbal]

Sure, why the hell not? Team finished under .500 last year and it took the Celtics 7 games to beat them. This team got past the Heat and all this has happened with a coach that always seems to be 1 minute from being fired.

This team will probably win 46 games next season and make the Eastern Conference Finals, so even knows anymore.

[parson]

It really depends on whether or not we're healthy. Without Marvelous and Horford, we're not the Hawks, Hawks, Hawks; we're the haw haw haw.

[NWO4Life]

Hawks lose in 6

[Harry10]

i do, and i did state it earlier that i think the Hawks could win the series. i also said the Falcons could make the playoffs last year with a rookie QB.

just have to know how to exploit the Cavs weaknesses, and minimize the Hawks' weaknesses.

Hawks:
6'3 West going up against 6'8 Joe
Z can't run
Smith against the Cavs' PFs
3pt shooting

Cavs:
7'3 Z going up against 6'10 Al
Bibby's defense
Lebron James

if you take out LBJ, then the Cavs are pretty slow. Just like in last year's Celtics series, the Hawks made the Celtics look slow. I think the Hawks can do the same thing to the Cavs (especially Al and Smoove against Z and who ever is at PF for the Cavs). If the Hawks run on the Cavs just like they did on the Celtics, and not do that slow half court crap that Woody likes to run, then i think the Hawks have a shot. the Celtics also had Posey last year, and Joe was able to do stuff to the Celtics. i'm hoping that Joe can do alittle bit more against the Cavs' perimiter players. if Lebron switches on Joe, then good, that should put West on Marvin or Evans. the Cavs also rotate, with is an okay situation for a 3pt shooting team.

anyway, the Hawks have to tools to challenge the Cavs.

[raleigh]

Hawks in 4.

[killbuckner]

Its different to say that the Hawks could win than to bet that they will win

[cavsfan_osiris]

The Hawks have to find a way to get better leadership and give themselves at least a chance to be close in the 4th quarter on the road. The Hawks have a solid roster with relatively young talented players, but none of them have stepped up as a superstar.

If you don't have that superstar player then you need to have great defense and the Hawks are struggling in that area. They are going to have to try some aggressive trapping. The Hawks need a hectic, up and down pace. They shouldn't let the Cavs feel comfortable running sets and easily getting back on tranisition defense. I would suggest the coaching staff look at tapes of how Mo Cheeks defended the Cavs in past years when he was with Philly.

If the Hawks want to be championship contenders over the next couple years they are going to need a superstar or have one of their young talented players step up to be that guy to lead them on the road when things get tough.

I don't think this team is far away. In my opinion they are the second best team in the East when 100% healthy. We see how beast they are at home. I predict they will beat the Cavs at Atlanta twice, then lose the series in game 6, but to make that next step they've got to increase their intensity on the road.

Even their body language throughout the game doesn't show me they feel they can win on the road. At home they are like a completely different team exuding nothing but confidence no matter the situation. With the way they started out game1 there's no doubt in my mind they would have had a good chance to win if the game was in Atlanta.

[HMFFL]

Its different to say that the Hawks could win than to bet that they will win

Exactly. It's always easy to say Atlanta will win the series if you don't have money on the game. I had the Lakers to win at Cleveland this season, but I won't put any money on Atlanta during this series.

[realfung]

I picked ALT for gamble purpose.