Sensing that CLE is actually vulnerable this year, aren't you?

[sturt]

If it's true what many said in the preseason that the previous roster was built for the regular season, but that this roster is built for the postseason .... and... if it's true that THjr can emerge not just as an occasional force but as a consistent one... and, if we can get 2015-16 Mike Scott coming off the bench... and if we can get just half a season of Splitter to, at least, give D8 some lesser minutes down the stretch... can this team gel and get hot in March and actually make a playoff run?

If all of that were to happen w/ zero new major injuries, I'm going to say it's not outside the realm of possibility. I just can't bring myself to be persuaded of it, though, until I see Prince getting some minutes like we saw Bembry get some minutes tonight. Though I hasten to add, Bembry did a lot of good things out there tonight, and he too could easily be a force if given some minutes.

[REHawksFan]

5 hours ago, sturt said:

If it's true what many said in the preseason that the previous roster was built for the regular season, but that this roster is built for the postseason .... and... if it's true that THjr can emerge not just as an occasional force but as a consistent one... and, if we can get 2015-16 Mike Scott coming off the bench... and if we can get just half a season of Splitter to, at least, give D8 some lesser minutes down the stretch... can this team gel and get hot in March and actually make a playoff run?

If all of that were to happen w/ zero new major injuries, I'm going to say it's not outside the realm of possibility. I just can't bring myself to be persuaded of it, though, until I see Prince getting some minutes like we saw Bembry get some minutes tonight. Though I hasten to add, Bembry did a lot of good things out there tonight, and he too could easily be a force if given some minutes.

I've been thinking for a few weeks now that the Cavs just didn't look like the dominant team they've been in the past.  I assume they'll get it figured out by the playoffs, but my thought has been that the East was there for the taking. 

As for your question, there's an awful lot of "IFs" in that scenario for the Hawks as is to expect a playoff run.  My preference would be to make a bold trade to position themselves for a strong playoff run.  I'd love to see them add to the current core group somehow rather than trade away a big piece like Sap.  The East is there for the taking, let's go get it. 

[hazer]

I have zero faith that Splinter can contribute anything...

[Guest]

8 hours ago, sturt said:

If it's true what many said in the preseason that the previous roster was built for the regular season, but that this roster is built for the postseason .... and... if it's true that THjr can emerge not just as an occasional force but as a consistent one... and, if we can get 2015-16 Mike Scott coming off the bench... and if we can get just half a season of Splitter to, at least, give D8 some lesser minutes down the stretch... can this team gel and get hot in March and actually make a playoff run?

If all of that were to happen w/ zero new major injuries, I'm going to say it's not outside the realm of possibility. I just can't bring myself to be persuaded of it, though, until I see Prince getting some minutes like we saw Bembry get some minutes tonight. Though I hasten to add, Bembry did a lot of good things out there tonight, and he too could easily be a force if given some minutes.

We aren't even getting 2014-15 Mike Scott

We've played 50 games - less than half the season remains.  My guess is if Splitter is back it'll be after the ASG, but hopefully he get's traded to help the bench if we keep plugging along.

[macdaddy]

I think it's time to bring in Nate Robinson.   

[sturt]

On 2/3/2017 at 0:39 AM, sturt said:

If it's true what many said in the preseason that the previous roster was built for the regular season, but that this roster is built for the postseason .... and... if it's true that THjr can emerge not just as an occasional force but as a consistent one... and, if we can get 2015-16 Mike Scott coming off the bench... and if we can get just half a season of Splitter to, at least, give D8 some lesser minutes down the stretch... can this team gel and get hot in March and actually make a playoff run?

If all of that were to happen w/ zero new major injuries, I'm going to say it's not outside the realm of possibility. I just can't bring myself to be persuaded of it, though, until I see Prince getting some minutes like we saw Bembry get some minutes tonight. Though I hasten to add, Bembry did a lot of good things out there tonight, and he too could easily be a force if given some minutes.

*bump*

 

[Trout7]

They are not as dominant, but it doesn't matter because Washington owns the Hawks now.

[Guest]

On 2/3/2017 at 9:05 AM, macdaddy said:

I think it's time to bring in Nate Robinson.   

Lol...

[Lurker]

I don't want any part of a Washington first round series. They have cooled but combining their anger about the 2015 playoff series with Wall being hurt (in a way that fuels them now, not in a bad way) where they feel they should have won the series with the fact that the Morris twin has really helped complete their team, and you have a prime, prime recipe for an even uglier series than the Toronto series in 2015.

[TheFuzz]

Yea, but I'll echo that the Wizards are good. We can handle them though.

[Thomas]

We have lost the last three in a row to the Wizards and one of those games was by twenty six points. Tim and Prince weren't getting the minutes in that loss they are now so it could be different in a series. The last game was close because of Tim keeping us alive. Problem with them is they can and do just bury us scoring from anywhere.

[ViewsFromTheSquawk]

22 minutes ago, Thomas said:

We have lost the last three in a row to the Wizards and one of those games was by twenty six points. Tim and Prince weren't getting the minutes in that loss they are now so it could be different in a series. The last game was close because of Tim keeping us alive. Problem with them is they can and do just bury us scoring from anywhere.

Side note tho if you can chase Beal and Porter off the 3 point line they're far from a good 3pt shooting team. 

[Thomas]

Four guys shooting over 40% from three and Bog hitting at .387. Team average is .374. In addition to that six guys average double digits overall and seven shoot over 50% from two. Pretty scary offensive numbers.

http://www.espn.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/wsh/cat/threePointFieldGoalPct

[thecampster]

The best team in the East (Cavs) are only 13 games over .500. This is a far cry 2 years ago when the Hawks were 38 games over .500, the Cavs were 24 games over .500, the Bulls 18 and the Raptors 16 games. The East is wide open this year. No team is dominant.

Injuries are playing a huge part in team records this year as well as the bottom of the East being far better than 2 years ago. The Cavs are a shell of their former selves. The East is far more competitive than in past years, though overall worse. All 8 teams in the East have a legitimate chance to get to the finals. No series will be a cakewalk for any team. This may be the best (or worst based on perspective) conference playoffs in 20 years.

[ViewsFromTheSquawk]

1 minute ago, thecampster said:

The best team in the East (Cavs) are only 13 games over .500. This is a far cry 2 years ago when the Hawks were 38 games over .500, the Cavs were 24 games over .500, the Bulls 18 and the Raptors 16 games. The East is wide open this year. No team is dominant.

Injuries are playing a huge part in team records this year as well as the bottom of the East being far better than 2 years ago. The Cavs are a shell of their former selves. The East is far more competitive than in past years, though overall worse. All 8 teams in the East have a legitimate chance to get to the finals. No series will be a cakewalk for any team. This may be the best (or worst based on perspective) conference playoffs in 20 years.

Then you take a glance out West..... 

[Lurker]

Let's not act like "oh everyone has a chance to make the finals in the East". We're going to find out that this is 100% false. If you're the 5-8 (really even 4-8), especially in the EAST, you're just playing to be a spoiler and not a serious finals threat.

[Guest]

The Cavs are the only team worth worrying about.

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

The Cavs are the only team worth worrying about.

I'm personally a little scared of the Raptors as well.

[LamarHampton]

1 hour ago, JayBirdHawk said:

The Cavs are the only team worth worrying about.

Eh .... Da Wiz?

[TheNorthCydeRises]

3 hours ago, Lurker said:

Let's not act like "oh everyone has a chance to make the finals in the East". We're going to find out that this is 100% false. If you're the 5-8 (really even 4-8), especially in the EAST, you're just playing to be a spoiler and not a serious finals threat.

The only team lower than a 6 seed to make the NBA Finals, are the 8 seed 1999 New York Knicks . . . who beat swept the #4 Atlanta Hawks that season in Round 2.  That was the strike year, in which the regular season was only 50 games, and the Knicks were 27 - 23.

That season, the 33 - 17 Miami Heat were the #1 seed.  But that's only equivalent to a 54 - 28 record.  Miami, Orlando, and Indiana all had 33 wins, while the Hawks had 31 wins.

Edited April 9, 2017 by TheNorthCydeRises