Hoopinion: TrueHoop: LaGree: Six reasons the playoff Hawks are better

[Hawksquawk]

I wrote a piece for the TrueHoop mothership today as to why the Hawks are playing better in the playoffs than they did in the regular season. One reason:

The fans

The Atlanta Hawks have a long and, sadly, well-deserved history of playing in front of sparse or unsupportive home crowds. The post-season, however, are a different matter. Witness the 2008 first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics. While the size of Atlanta's fanbase may not compare, it's an intense collective that's hungry for their team to experience real success. The Hawks have not won two straight playoff series since they moved to Atlanta 42 years ago. The Hawks don't just return to Atlanta with home-court advantage in this playoff series, they return to to Atlanta to play with a home-court advantage unlike anything they enjoy from October to April.

View the full article