Let the playoffs begin

[dakast]

TRAPPED TEAM: Atlanta Hawks

For a while, I thought the Atlanta Hawks were ready to make the natural progression from their first-round loss to the Celtics two years ago to last year's second-round loss to the Cavaliers and advance to the conference finals this season. But it's impossible to envision the Hawks' beating Cleveland or Orlando. It doesn't seem fair that a team that has come so far so fast has already reached it limit, but sometimes these things happen. Ask the Bucks or Nuggets of the '80s or the Cleveland Cavaliers of the '90s or the Sacramento Kings of the 2000s.

The Hawks could lose Joe Johnson to free agency, but that shouldn't be envisioned as the worst-case scenario. The worst case might be bringing him back and paying full scale for a player who hasn't shown he can carry a team to the conference finals. At least Johnson has good company. Dominique Wilkins never got the Hawks to the conference finals. Neither did Pete Maravich. Sometimes franchises just have a ceiling. Atlanta's is in the second round.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2010/columns/story?columnist=adande_ja&page=playoffoutlook-100415

:sobbing:

[macdaddy]

I think we are being underestimated which for us is great. Joe, Josh, and Al are really tough on both ends of the floor. Jamal off the bench is exhausting for the other team. Woody's dream has come true in that we have a Pistons-like team except we are younger, bigger, and quicker. Whether we can exploit that in the playoffs is the trick.

To me the only thing keeping us from beating Orlando and Cleveland is not an inability to stop their stars, its our inability to score in crunch time. I expect we'll step up and figure that out.

[DJlaysitup]

...we are younger, bigger, and quicker. Whether we can exploit that in the playoffs is the trick. ...

I'll buy the "younger" part and the "quicker" part (but lets remember that one has to be "effectively quicker")

As far as "bigger" goes - that's a hoot. We have a starting center who is 6-9 and a half. a starting PF who is 6-8, and a starting SF who is 6-9 but plays like he is 6-5. The University of Northern Iowa has a taller front line.

P.S. - as far as the "quicker" part goes...we are quck at the starting 4 and 5 spot. We aren't too quick at the 1 or 2 spot. At the 3 spot - a position that is usually a 6-6/6-9 guy who is a really quick slasher/shooter - oh nevermind.

Edited April 15, 2010 by DJlaysitup

[mrhonline]

The Hawks could lose Joe Johnson to free agency, but that shouldn't be envisioned as the worst-case scenario. The worst case might be bringing him back and paying full scale for a player who hasn't shown he can carry a team to the conference finals.

His thoughts in this quote are the same as mine.

[niremetal]

His thoughts in this quote are the same as mine.

Why can't you just say "exactly" or "+1" like everyone else? :snowballfight:

[AHF]

Why can't you just say "exactly" or "+1" like everyone else? :snowballfight:

Your thoughts on the topic of endorsing someone else's post are the same as mine.

[macdaddy]

I'll buy the "younger" part and the "quicker" part (but lets remember that one has to be "effectively quicker")

As far as "bigger" goes - that's a hoot. We have a starting center who is 6-9 and a half. a starting PF who is 6-8, and a starting SF who is 6-9 but plays like he is 6-5. The University of Northern Iowa has a taller front line.

P.S. - as far as the "quicker" part goes...we are quck at the starting 4 and 5 spot. We aren't too quick at the 1 or 2 spot. At the 3 spot - a position that is usually a 6-6/6-9 guy who is a really quick slasher/shooter - oh nevermind.

Yeah. I meant younger, bigger, quicker than the Pistons championship team. I no longer worry about matching up height wise with anyone in the league but Dwight. We've shown we can defend the other 7 footers well enough and exploit them on the offensive end.

[RedDawg#8]

Ben Wallace was only 6-9

Prince is the same height but 25 lbs lighter than Marv

Same with Hamilton and Joe

Our bigs are quicker but their wings are definatley quicker than ours. That is until you put in our bench versus theirs, then it flips

[mrhonline]

Why can't you just say "exactly" or "+1" like everyone else? :snowballfight:

Haaaaah! That made me crack up. I may have to show this to my wife. She'll laugh even harder.

The answer is that I live here:

[FrankWhite]

So the FRANCHISE is destined to never get out of the second round? That's just retarded.

[jhay610]

the Atlanta Hawks...ready to make the natural progression from their first-round loss to the Celtics two years ago to last year's second-round loss to the Cavaliers and advance to the conference finals this season.

We share like minds and kindred souls in this quote.

And +1 :rolleyes:

[coachx]

I don't think its impossible for this Hawks team to beat Orlando in a 7 game series at all.

Also...........the Celtics give the Cavs fits. Rondo nuetralizes Mo Williams and the Celtics front line can out play the Cavs front line. Especially considering the Celtics old men will have 2 or 3 nights of rest bewteen each game.

Hawks / Celtics EC Championship Series could happen. Its not impossible at all.

Edited April 15, 2010 by coachx

[Dejay]

I don't think its impossible for this Hawks team to beat Orlando in a 7 game series at all.

Also...........the Celtics give the Cavs fits. Rondo nuetralizes Mo Williams and the Celtics front line can out play the Cavs front line. Especially considering the Celtics old men will have 2 or 3 nights of rest bewteen each game.

Hawks / Celtics EC Championship Series could happen. Its not impossible at all.

If that happens, the Hawks are Finals-bound. No need in worrying about them 'getting up' to face a crew that they (and the city for that matter) hates with a white-hot passion.

But enough of that, send the Bucks home in five first....

[swolehawk2]

I think we are being underestimated which for us is great. Joe, Josh, and Al are really tough on both ends of the floor. Jamal off the bench is exhausting for the other team. Woody's dream has come true in that we have a Pistons-like team except we are younger, bigger, and quicker. Whether we can exploit that in the playoffs is the trick.

To me the only thing keeping us from beating Orlando and Cleveland is not an inability to stop their stars, its our inability to score in crunch time. I expect we'll step up and figure that out.

No way we could beat Cleveland with the bigs we have, we need another prime career big coming off our bench.

[Plainview1981]

TRAPPED TEAM: Atlanta Hawks

For a while, I thought the Atlanta Hawks were ready to make the natural progression from their first-round loss to the Celtics two years ago to last year's second-round loss to the Cavaliers and advance to the conference finals this season. But it's impossible to envision the Hawks' beating Cleveland or Orlando. It doesn't seem fair that a team that has come so far so fast has already reached it limit, but sometimes these things happen. Ask the Bucks or Nuggets of the '80s or the Cleveland Cavaliers of the '90s or the Sacramento Kings of the 2000s.

The Hawks could lose Joe Johnson to free agency, but that shouldn't be envisioned as the worst-case scenario. The worst case might be bringing him back and paying full scale for a player who hasn't shown he can carry a team to the conference finals. At least Johnson has good company. Dominique Wilkins never got the Hawks to the conference finals. Neither did Pete Maravich. Sometimes franchises just have a ceiling. Atlanta's is in the second round.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2010/columns/story?columnist=adande_ja&page=playoffoutlook-100415

:sobbing:

Sadly this is what I've been saying for years. This team just hasn't been able to get over the hump even when they've had good seasons.

[Plainview1981]

Ben Wallace was only 6-9

Prince is the same height but 25 lbs lighter than Marv

Same with Hamilton and Joe

Our bigs are quicker but their wings are definatley quicker than ours. That is until you put in our bench versus theirs, then it flips

That Pistons team was the right team in the right conference at the right time. After winning the title that one year it was only decline after that. Yeah, it was a fairly slow decline.... But I look at them more as a good team that benefited from being in a weak eastern conference at the time.

[Plainview1981]

So the FRANCHISE is destined to never get out of the second round? That's just retarded.

Well, they haven't done it in what.... 40 years of being in Atlanta? That part sort of makes it it hard to believe that they ever will.

[AHF]

Well, they haven't done it in what.... 40 years of being in Atlanta? That part sort of makes it it hard to believe that they ever will.

Kind of like the New Orleans Saints?

[Plainview1981]

Kind of like the New Orleans Saints?

Football is a different game. You can get hot for a couple of games and have a big run. In the NBA you have to win 7 game series. How many 8th seed teams make the NBA finals? Two or Three in NBA history? I mean, even GSW upset Dallas in the first round a few years ago but couldn't get further. For the Hawks to get out of the 2nd round they will have to have the right team at the right time. Upsets in the NBA are far less likely in the NBA than they are in the NFL playoffs.

Edited April 15, 2010 by Hotlanta1981

[AHF]

Football is a different game. You can get hot for a couple of games and have a big run. In the NBA you have to win 7 game series.

Since the Hawks last were in a Conference Finals game in 1970, basically every team in the NBA except the Clippers and expansion team have made it to the Conference finals at some point. Historically, we have made a lot of playoff runs - more times than not - and aren't in the same category as the Clippers. It will happen eventually.