Moderators Popular Post lethalweapon3 Posted May 13, 2015 Moderators Popular Post Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 “Stepping out the lane to contest Horford? Bah! That’s for the birds!”Will the Atlanta Hawks join the 82nd percentile tonight? According to ESPN Stats, when teams are tied at two game apiece in best-of-seven NBA Playoff series, the team that takes Game 5 has gone on to win the series (in either Game 6 or 7), 81.7 percent of the time. Will the top-seeded Hawks take care of business tonight at the Highlight Factory against the Washington Wizards (8:00 PM Eastern, TNT, 92.9 FM in ATL)? Or will they remain satisfied with being known as an uphill-climb kind of team?The probabilities get much bleaker for teams that come into Game 5 down 3-1. So, it took a now-or-almost-never situation on the road in Game 4 to squeeze the best all-around playoff performance we’ve seen out of the Hawks’ point guards. Together, Jeff Teague and Dennis Schröder directly contributed 16 of Atlanta’s 30 assists and just three of the Hawks’ 13 player turnovers. Their ability to sustain that level of play and contribute a bit more on the defensive end should allow the Hawks to continue playing much of the game from the front.While Teague’s offense remained a mixed-bag around the rim in Game 4 (5-for-11 within five feet of the goal), he maintained possessions after drawing contact and made the Wizards pay at the free throw line (6-for-7 FTs), keeping pace with Wizards guard Bradley Beal (8-for-9 FTs). Jeff also sunk a pair of crucial three-pointers, including a vintage Teague Time shot in the closing minute-and-a-half to grant Atlanta the necessary breathing room for victory.Schröder will also want to shake off the yips in the paint (2-for-7 FGs within six feet in Game 4), but he remains the NBA playoff leader with 16.6 points-per-48 on drives to the hoop (LeBron James is second among active players at 12.9). Thus far, Will Bynum (12.2 per-48 on drives through 3 playoff games) has proven much more effective than Ramon Sessions in counterbalancing Schröder’s offensive attack.While most everyone looks at John Wall’s imprint on the game as a scorer and a passer (league-high 12.6 playoff APG), what Washington may be missing most from his wrapped hand are his steals (1.7 regular-season SPG, 8th in NBA) and deflections. Atlanta’s pass-heavy attack has them blowing away the conference semifinal field with a 2.44 assist/turnover ratio (Chris Paul’s Clippers are a distant 2nd, with 1.77).Staying True to Atlanta by adhering to the ball-sharing philosophy, the Hawks’ 72.8% of field goals assisted, and 20.2 assists per 100 possessions are well above everyone. Without Wall’s disruptive presence, there’s no reason the Hawks can’t improve on those values in Game 5.Dennis also hit a crucial three-pointer in the fourth, he and Teague connecting from a spot on the floor (the corner) where Kyle Korver has been shielded the whole series. Atlanta’s coaching staff must concoct more effective screen plays, and demand better timing from Atlanta’s ballhandlers, to get Kyle daylight where he’s most effective (54.1 corner 3FG% in regular season, 29.4% in playoffs).As Korver struggles to contain Washington’s top offensive threat, and as DeMarre Carroll comes into Game 5 nursing a hip pointer, one can expect more of Jeff Teague and reserve guard Kent Bazemore splitting defensive duties on Beal.Atlanta reaches its defensive nadir when it fails to stay home against the Wizards’ top perimeter threats (Pierce, Beal) and when they do not shut down lanes for the most predictable driving guards (Bynum, Sessions). Until Korver’s offense thaws, Paul Pierce has taken over the top postseason spot with 10.4 catch-and-shoot PPG, hitting on 52.8% of those shots (55.1% on threes) compared to Korver’s 43.5%. Perhaps smelling himself a bit after his Game 3 heroics, Pierce nailed his first four treys, but could not do enough defensively to keep Atlanta (59.1 first-half team FG%) from building a double-digit first-half lead, largely on the strength of a conga line to the basket for assisted layups. When Atlanta cooled off in the second half (34.9 team FG%) of Game 4, so did Pierce (1-for-3 3FGs).Cover your eyes, Mike Budenholzer! In the second round of the playoffs, Al Horford and Paul Millsap are 4th and 7th, respectively in the league for offensive rebounds per game. Nene found a bit of an offensive pulse back home in Games 3 and 4, but he and Marcin Gortat have seemed to lack synchronization for most of this series, excepting perhaps while Millsap was fighting the flu.Until Washington’s bigs can demonstrate an ability to make Atlanta pay in transition, the board-crashing will and should continue. Atlanta was held to just 10 fastbreak points in Game 4, but the Wizards couldn’t produce enough of their own (15 fastbreak points) to make a difference.Larry Drew is not on the opposing sideline, yet, so there’s no reason for the Hawks to look so hapless on defense coming out of timeouts. In Game 4, the Wizards scored either a basket or free throws after every one of the first eight timeouts where they gained the initial possession. Those included two quick-strike Wizard scores that took all of five seconds off the clock during the final 70 seconds of action.The ninth chance came when Paul Pierce clanked a wide open (courtesy of a WWE-style screen from Nene) three-pointer that could have tied the game with six seconds left. That play took less than three seconds to unfold. Coach Bud continues to make Raggedy Randy look strategically competent, and as long as that continues, the Wizards will remain in contention in the series, with or without Wall.The past month has been just as much the Ref-offs as the Playoffs, where close calls or non-calls can tip the outcome of the game. Atlanta can’t afford a close-to-the-vest game in the fourth quarter where an untimely travel call, a "blarge," or a bovine-scatological Flagrant-2 ruling could shift the momentum in the Wizards’ favor. So focus and precise execution are paramount factors for the Hawks throughout this contest. Game 5 is a pivotal point in the NBA Playoffs, and Atlanta did what it needed to do to get its homecourt advantage back. Do the Hawks want to be in a “Win and Don’t Come Home Unless It’s Game 1” situation on Friday night? Or would they prefer the “Win or Don’t Even Bother Coming Home” scenario? The ball, like the odds, is in their court.Let’s Go Hawks!~lw3View the full article 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaceCase Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Ooooo, stats! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATLHawks3 Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Is Wall playing tonight? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spursfanpeacemaker Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 (edited) Hawks will win this, now that Jeff Teague realized that he needs to be aggressive to help his team beat the wizards. Thanks mike bibby for texting Jeff Teague! Edited May 13, 2015 by Spursfanpeacemaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd79 Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 (edited) one hour... I'm pumped! Edited May 13, 2015 by rd79 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHawks89 Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Wall is expected to start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators AHF Posted May 13, 2015 Moderators Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 I hope we keep pounding the inside and drain the open shots. Don't settle for contested jumpers! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsuteke Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 If Wall plays he may hurt them more than help them if his hand isn't right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJlaysitup Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Great stuff as usual lw3 ! Time for the Wednesday Night Game of the Century for our Hawks ! GO HAWKS !! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atlhawks1 Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 (edited) I got a feeling we gonna dismantle Washington tonight. Edited May 13, 2015 by atlhawks1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BackForThe2ndTime Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Hi Wall. Bye Wall. Hawks baby! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUhawksfan Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 (edited) Apparently Wall is playing: http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/5/13/8585869/john-wall-game-5-status-injury-wizards-vs-hawks-nba-playoffs-2015 Hopefully this blows up in their faces. I don't see how he could help them but it will be interesting to see..... Edited May 13, 2015 by AUhawksfan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilwentdown2GA Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 Pretty good start. I like the ball movement. Playing a bit sloppy in transition though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrReality Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 F####### refs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieHardHAWK Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 Lets go Hawks!!! F these refs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickeyEllison Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 Wall is carrying the ball, with his broken left hand, every time he dribbles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilwentdown2GA Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 Muscala is giving me hope for the future at the C position. He's improved a lot. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickeyEllison Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 Wall is back in. Watch his left hand. CARRY!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazer Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 Moose still needs to down 3 Ghetto Burgers a day from Ann's Snack Bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazer Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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