Who would you rather play? Indy or Atlanta? Why?

[dlts20]

if you wanna be the best, you gotta beat the best. Lets get sum.

On a serious note, I said this before but I honestly have never seen our team more fired up to play in the Wall era then we were in those first 2 Pacers game. They were the best team in the league and we wanted them bad. It backfired as we were blown out bad both games.......lol

My point though is that I feel confident that we will be all in against them. We will be locked in and will come to win. We want to take them down. Miami is more of a best vs best thing or talent vs talent but something about Indy makes our guys just want to focus in and go into a physical war. We will be ready, maybe even too ready but it will be a dog fight. They wont punk us. This is going to be a war. How can anyone want the Hawks over that? Sure we may lose but its going to be great. It would be great if it was college but we may get 7 games of this? Thats better than sex.........lol

[Illmatic12]

That's been their game the whole series. They finally went cold.

Are the Pacers playing great D?

In this game they've played alright. The Hawks have had some wide open shots and just totally blown their chances. Hawks have also gotten no calls at the rim. Can't figure why.

That's what happens when you're a perimeter-oriented team.. won't get calls.

And ATL really doesn't have a consistent post presence who can draw fouls.

We'll have to establish Nene early and often

[bealwithit]

Are the Pacers playing great D?

In this game they've played alright. The Hawks have had some wide open shots and just totally blown their chances. Hawks have also gotten no calls at the rim. Can't figure why.

That's what happens when you're a perimeter-oriented team.. won't get calls.

And ATL really doesn't have a consistent post presence who can draw fouls.

We'll have to establish Nene early and often

True, but some of the contact has been so blatant. I'm bringing it up a lot just cause I hate seeing big NBA games like this get influenced by the refs this much.

And agree on Nene. I hope Gortat can get some off the PnR with Wall too. Have to establish that we aren't afraid to go inside on them. Did they defend our PnR well in that last game against them? I think I missed that one.

[dlts20]

This series comes down to 2 things to me. I think alot of guys or matchups can cancel eachother out so I think it could come down to Wall vs PG. Both came out the same year and have had similar careers. This season PG looked like Lebron early but then shot like 36% the rest of the year which was a huge reason for their struggles.

Sadly he seems to have regained it during this series so Wall has to be a star like him and atleast come close to matching him. I feel like Ariza can bother him so Wall has to keep up. 2nd is the Beal vs Stephenson matchup. That will be huge. He seems to be a bad matchup for Beal but Brad, like PG seems to have regained his confidence. Those 2 things I think will decide it. Most of all though, Walll has to get his scoring touch back some how some way. I tell you this though, I think the fans and media are going to love this series. Its very intriguing

[JWizmentality]

Looks like it's going to be Indiana. They better not make those TOs against us.

[Illmatic12]

^Stephenson is going to chit on Beal lol.. Brad had it easy with Jimmy Butler, Lance is gonna go at him hard every minute that he's in the game

[Illmatic12]

In this game they've played alright. The Hawks have had some wide open shots and just totally blown their chances. Hawks have also gotten no calls at the rim. Can't figure why.

That's what happens when you're a perimeter-oriented team.. won't get calls.

And ATL really doesn't have a consistent post presence who can draw fouls.

We'll have to establish Nene early and often

True, but some of the contact has been so blatant. I'm bringing it up a lot just cause I hate seeing big NBA games like this get influenced by the refs this much.

And agree on Nene. I hope Gortat can get some off the PnR with Wall too. Have to establish that we aren't afraid to go inside on them. Did they defend our PnR well in that last game against them? I think I missed that one.

I missed that game too, idk.

I really don't like the Pacers matchup, I think we take them to 6-7 but they just have more dynamic offensive weapons.

[dlts20]

hawks took 40 threes tonight........lol

[LPHotspur]

Let's go Hawks! Time for the comeback! It's true that you have to beat the best to be the best. But Indiana isn't the best. I think the Heat would take them down in 6 right now. So I'd rather save the best for later in the eastern conference final and see us go farther in the playoffs. The Hawks will probably be more difficult than the Bulls and that's enough for now in the semi-final. So let's go Hawks! Comeback time!

Seriously though, I'll be excited about the Pacers also. It's looking like we're playing them whether I like it or not.

[JWizmentality]

^Stephenson is going to chit on Beal lol.. Brad had it easy with Jimmy Butler, Lance is gonna go at him hard every minute that he's in the game

Please, Deshawn Stevenson 2.0 is the least of my worries.

[Illmatic12]

^Stephenson is going to chit on Beal lol.. Brad had it easy with Jimmy Butler, Lance is gonna go at him hard every minute that he's in the game

Please, Deshawn Stevenson 2.0 is the least of my worries.

If we're talking talent level, Lance is not Deshawn 2.0

He is bigger, stronger, and a better athlete than Beal and deadly off the dribble. Plus he can post up. Beal will have his hands full

[JWizmentality]

^Stephenson is going to chit on Beal lol.. Brad had it easy with Jimmy Butler, Lance is gonna go at him hard every minute that he's in the game

Please, Deshawn Stevenson 2.0 is the least of my worries.

If we're talking talent level, Lance is not Deshawn 2.0

He is bigger, stronger, and a better athlete than Beal and deadly off the dribble. Plus he can post up. Beal will have his hands full

Which is why I said 2.0, he's a slight upgrade.

[pineappleheadindc]

I just wanted to check in before the series starts.

I want to address posters' beliefs that beating Indy would be more credible than beating ATL.

That's probably not going to happen. Look around these boards. Look at the sports opinion class like Wilbon. Even assuming we beat Indy, don't expect any sudden outpouring of credibility.

Witness our first series. Look at how Chicago was supposedly so much better, so much more experienced, etc, etc, etc. After we beat them, the mighty Bulls, in the space of days, were hobbled, critically bad on the offensive side of the ball, their vaunted D which yielded 100 points multiple times in the series was not talked about, Thibbs the defensive genius was now the lousy coach who couldn't make in-game adjustments.

My point is, the average fan has opinions. Facts have little to their opinion.

We beat Indy, it will be a victory over a squad that's been imploding for months, led by fighting and a disappearing fake all star big man who shrinks from the big stage. Gee, of course the Wizards were supposed to win.

This is the way life is.

[NbdyBeatsTheWiz]

I just wanted to check in before the series starts.

I want to address posters' beliefs that beating Indy would be more credible than beating ATL.

That's probably not going to happen. Look around these boards. Look at the sports opinion class like Wilbon. Even assuming we beat Indy, don't expect any sudden outpouring of credibility.

Witness our first series. Look at how Chicago was supposedly so much better, so much more experienced, etc, etc, etc. After we beat them, the mighty Bulls, in the space of days, were hobbled, critically bad on the offensive side of the ball, their vaunted D which yielded 100 points multiple times in the series was not talked about, Thibbs the defensive genius was now the lousy coach who couldn't make in-game adjustments.

My point is, the average fan has opinions. Facts have little to their opinion.

We beat Indy, it will be a victory over a squad that's been imploding for months, led by fighting and a disappearing fake all star big man who shrinks from the big stage. Gee, of course the Wizards were supposed to win.

This is the way life is.

True. Although in my mind very few people outside of the fan bases would have tuned in heavily to an ATL-DC series. More exposure in a series against the Pacers will help, IMO.

That whole "witness" thing worked for Lebron, right?