Hawks need to win quickly with Wizards charging
What is old is new again. As the saying goes, Nobody Beats the Wiz.
The Washington Wizards, a team that struggled mightily down the regular-season stretch, now holds a commanding 3-0 series lead in the NBA Eastern Conference quarterfinals over the Toronto Raptors. With one more win at the Verizon Center, the fourth-seeded Wizards will earn a sweep against our neighbors from the north, getting themselves in terrific position for a second-round matchup with the winner of the Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets.
Atlanta, which went 60-22 in the regular season to earn the East’s top seed, is having a little bit of difficulty against Brooklyn. The Nets fought hard in both Game 1 and 2 at Phillips Arena, but ultimately came up short. Brooklyn then responded in Game 3 on Saturday afternoon, beating the Hawks 91-83 at the Barclays Center. The Nets jumped out to a 31-16 lead after the first quarter and never looked back, led by a trio of double-doubles authored by Thaddeus Young, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez.
Ultimately, Atlanta will likely walk away with two more victories over the Nets and reach the conference semis. The Hawks are a much better team with terrific ball skills and interior presence, headlined by Paul Millsap and Al Horford. The problem lies in if Atlanta allows Brooklyn to push this series to six or even seven games. In the NBA, rest is key. Teams begin to wear down, especially in the postseason when rotations begin to shrink as the intensity and desperation rise.
Washington could be in a great spot should it polish off Toronto on Sunday evening. The Wizards can allow Bradley Beal and John Wall to recharge, while getting veterans such as Marcin Gortat, Paul Pierce and Nene Hilario a much-needed few days to rest. Atlanta will need its legs to match Washington, a team with some of the best guard play in the league.
The Eastern Conference is for the Cleveland Cavaliers to lose. When you have Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and some guy named LeBron James, you are the overwhelming favorite in a seven-game series almost every time. However, if a team will ever have a shot in the East to knock them off, it will be when the opponent is fresh and Cleveland is mentally and physically exhausted.
With the Cavaliers almost certain to play the Chicago Bulls in the next round, Atlanta and Washington both have an opportunity to pull an upset by getting to the conference finals quickly.
Atlanta is expected to reach that round, buoyed by home-court advantage. Anything less would be a huge disappointment. Anything more would be a stunner for most of the basketball-loving world. If they want to fulfill their promise, the Hawks must dispatch the Nets quickly.
