Do we go for 6th or Rest our starters?

[GTfan44]

This is a very big issue right now.

We can expend all our energy, playing all our big guns 40 minutes a game with hopes that Toronto and Philly will lose a few. The thing is, if it comes down to the last game, and they end up winning, we've expended all our energy and still made 8th.

On the flip side, we can win a game here or there (Miami, New York), and most likely clinch the 8th spot and most importantly, rest our starters.

What do you guys think?

[Supporter]

After we clinch the eighth..........me personally i dont like trying to go after the 6 its too slim of a chance and id rather play boston than detroit.

[JackB1]

I think we rest out starters and be happy with 8th. If we can grab 6th without killing ourslelves in the process, then by all means! I just dont want to end up in 7th. I guess this is a good problem to have

[Admin]

Why is everyone so terrified of Detroit? We play them extremely tough every time we play them and have lost by an average of 16.5 to Boston this year. Our average margin of defeat against Detroit is 6.5 and that's without Bibby. I would much rather play them since they don't have anyone who is a truly unstoppable player (although Billups can at times be) while Boston has 3 guys who are unstoppable at times.

[Dexmethylphenidate]

It's not because of Detroit... the Hawks will lose to either one in a 7 game series...might as well go out nationally playing Boston.

[Admin]

We will have just as many nationally televised games against Detroit as we would against Boston but at least with Detroit we are more likely to win a couple of games than we are against Boston so that would keep us on tv even more.

[flava]

i think the first thing we need to do is clinch a playoff spot. if we lose to Indy, things could come down to the wire. the philly win helps, but we're not done yet. and nothing is going to be more of a letdown than not making the playoffs.

flava

[Admin]

True but it would take a massive collapse to not make it now. We can go 1-4 and the Pacers can go 4-1 and we would still get the last spot as long as that one win is against the Pacers, although I certainly hope that's not how we end the season. I think that we will handle the Pacers pretty well so I'm not too worried about it. It wouldn't shock me to see us win our last 5 games (assuming Boston rests their starters). Orlando will be tough but we play them very well and we are at home.

[khaos7]

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This is a very big issue right now.

We can expend all our energy, playing all our big guns 40 minutes a game with hopes that Toronto and Philly will lose a few. The thing is, if it comes down to the last game, and they end up winning, we've expended all our energy and still made 8th.

What do you guys think?

I just say lets clinch first and worry about moving up later. As I lifelong Hawks' fan, I can't bring myself to talk about the playoffs until we clinch.

[BusBoyIsBack]

It would be ridiculous not to try for 6th or 7th.

If we lose one more game, then rest our guys after we clinch. But while one of those seeds is in reach, it makes no sense not to try to get it.

Our chances of winning games goes up significantly if we avoid Boston or even miraculously Boston and Detroit

[Swatguy]

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It would be ridiculous not to try for 6th or 7th.

If we lose one more game, then rest our guys after we clinch. But while one of those seeds is in reach, it makes no sense not to try to get it.

Our chances of winning games goes up significantly if we avoid Boston or even miraculously Boston and Detroit

I agree. We are in Playoff mode right now. It is senseless to not expend towards the 6th seed. The 6th seed means Orlando and that would mean a second round of playoffs. This notion of expending "too much" energy is weak. If that would be the Hawks mentality it would be fruitless. These are pro's. Nobody gets tired in the playoffs.

[Admin]

I know it's been a while but do you remember the last Hawks playoff team? We looked very tired getting run out of the building by Spreewell and company.

I agree with your general premise but we also have a team full of guys with no playoff experience so they might have trouble keeping their energy up in the playoffs without blowing it in the very beginning from excitement, if that makes sense.

[Peoriabird]

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I know it's been a while but do you remember the last Hawks playoff team? We looked very tired getting run out of the building by Spreewell and company.

I agree with your general premise but we also have a team full of guys with no playoff experience so they might have trouble keeping their energy up in the playoffs without blowing it in the very beginning from excitement, if that makes sense.

Didn't a team in Golden state finish the season strong last year and then knocked off the #1 seed in the playoffs?

[frosgrim]

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I know it's been a while but do you remember the last Hawks playoff team? We looked very tired getting run out of the building by Spreewell and company.

I agree with your general premise but we also have a team full of guys with no playoff experience so they might have trouble keeping their energy up in the playoffs without blowing it in the very beginning from excitement, if that makes sense.

That was a horrible playoff series. Isn't that the one where had like 6 or 7 healthy players? Crawford was playing SG and Grant Long had to spend time at the SF?

[Swatguy]

Quote:

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I know it's been a while but do you remember the last Hawks playoff team? We looked very tired getting run out of the building by Spreewell and company.

I agree with your general premise but we also have a team full of guys with no playoff experience so they might have trouble keeping their energy up in the playoffs without blowing it in the very beginning from excitement, if that makes sense.

Yeah, I do remember that. We should be rested now with two full days and Tuesday for Indy. We will have two full days and Friday for New York. I would of course like to see us jump on those two teams early, use the bench (Zaza, Salim,Acie ect...) in the first half and maintain a double-digit lead resting the starters down the stretch.

This team is younger that that '99 team.