Playoff time(s)!
Time for the Hawks and Heat to get it on!
HAWKSVILLE - It’s after 2 a.m. and the NBA still has us waiting on playoff dates and times for the Hawks-Heat first-round series.
I know it’s only fair that we wait for all the regular-season action around the league to finish up before we find out the particulars, but who cares about fair?
Not me. I’m ready to get this thing started.
Tuesday’s dress rehearsal didn’t satisfy me.
No offense to Speedy Claxton, Randolph Morris and Othello Hunter and friends, but it’s time for the real games to begin.
I don’t know about you but I know I need the real thing and if our friends at the league office (or TNT, ESPN or wherever) would just hurry up we could all get on with things.
After all, we’ve known since the weekend that the Hawks and Heat were going to square off in the first round. Just give us the details already so we can …
BREAKING NEWS!!!! The dates and times are in and they are as follows (the 2-2-1-1-1 format and out friends at FSN and SportSouth will be broadcasting the first round games, too):
Game 1 Miami at Atlanta, Sunday April 19 at 8 p.m. TNT
Game 2 Miami at Atlanta, Wednesday April 22 8 p.m. TNT
Game 3 Atlanta at Miami, Saturday April 25 6:30 p.m. TNT
Game 4 Atlanta at Miami, Monday April 27 (time and network to be determined)
Game 5 Miami at Atlanta, Wednesday April 29 (TBD)
Game 6 Atlanta at Miami, Friday May 1 (TBD)
Game 7 Miami at Atlanta, Sunday May 3 (TBD)
Those dates and times for the first four games work for me.
So does this series as one of best and most evenly matched first-round fights. Before the opening tip we’ll have breakdowns of all the individual matchups, interviews with players and coaches and others on the Hawks’ second straight playoff run and a playoff preview on Hawks’ captain and All-Star Joe Johnson’s tough task of matching Heat MVP candidate, All-Star and Olympic gold medalist Dwyane Wade.
Check here for daily blogs, breaking news updates, links and all the comprehensive coverage you’ll need to keep up with the series.
Speaking of links …
here are a few that I’ve come across this morning that are worth a read;
– He didn’t get Most Improved or anything like that, but Mario West has turned some heads from the folks at si.com for one of their other postseason awards.
– The Heat finished off the regular season like the Hawks, except their reserves and youngsters defeated the Pistons in overtime in last night’s regular-season finale. Two players that will be crucial to the Heat’s cause in this series were on display last night, as my main man Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald wrote about after last night’s game.
– Dig into Ira Winderman’s blog for some interesting tidbits on where the Heat might go matchups-wise in the series with the Hawks. They have a few options where Joe Johnson is concerned as well as what to do with the small forward position, depending on how much they trust Mike Beasley on this big stage.
– Can’t forget about my main man Chris Perkins at the Palm Beach Post. He also had some interesting stuff on his blog after the Heat finished off the Pistons. And this is the beauty of this series for all of us. There’s plenty of Heat stuff that will be floating around to keep us up to speed on that camp.
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137 comments Add your comment
niremetal
April 16th, 2009
2:35 am
Repost from last blog:
Let’s get pumped, folks. Playoffs start in less than 3 days and we have home-court advantage.
Think about it folks. 47 wins and home court advantage in a greatly improved Eastern Conference. I always will have my issues with Woody and everyone had doubts about JJ being able to lead us this far. We obviously are not going to make it deep into the playoffs unless we really pull it together like we never have before, but this team is truly in an amazing place considering where we came from. I know lots of people have already said stuff to that effect, but it’s worth saying it again – there’s no arguing with success.
Let’s bask in the glow for the next couple days, and then get raucous for the series against the Heat.
The_Future
April 16th, 2009
2:44 am
LET’S GO!!!!!!!!!!
Arshon
April 16th, 2009
2:45 am
Yeah KOU!
‘preciate the heads up on the times and dates bro!
See you down there….hopefully we can get a crowd like last year!
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
2:54 am
……evenly matched my arse….Hawks in 5…..6 MAYBE but that’s pushing it.
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
3:01 am
If Freakin’ Chicago could Sweep Miami with Shaq, Wade, Walker, JWill, Kapono, Posey Et.al then what makes you thinks that that Hawks(who are OBVIOUSLY beter than that Bulls squad) can’t easily handle a heat squad with Wade and a Broken Down Jermaine O’Neal?
……….Exactly.
Ed
April 16th, 2009
3:05 am
Just saw an article of the +/- mins for five-man units & the Hawks combo of Bibby-Murray-Johnson-Smith-Pachulia was # 2 but only played 106 minutes together. Also,at # 16 you’ll find this combo; Bibby-Johnson-Evans-Smith-Pachulia, playing only 107 minutes together. This says to me we did much better with Pachulia in the lineup, a bigger lineup with a natural center. Unfortunately Woody played him sparingly.
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
3:05 am
The national Media is being seduced by fools gold. But by the time the Hawks get through with the heat, they won’t have anything nice left to say about them.
I can’t tell you how many articles i’ve already read predicting the heat to win in 6 or 7…….I can’t WAIT to rub the beatdown in their faces.
jc_dawgs
April 16th, 2009
3:47 am
47-35! They just keep getting better and better every year. Thanks Hawks for a great reg season. I watched many a game on the nba package. Now on to the playoffs.
Miami wont be easy…must contain D Wade…to some degree anyway.
If they get past Miami…then its Cleveland. They are 39-2 at home? Thats sick…especially when 1 of there 2 loses was against Philly in the final game of the year. A game that was meaningless to Cleveland. The other loss was to the Lakers.
But…if Bibby and Joe are hot…I could see them giving Cleveland some problems. But they must be hot…especially on Cleveland’s floor. Our starting back court is as good as any back court in the league imo with Bibby and Joe.
Good luck Hawks!
Truth-serum
April 16th, 2009
6:22 am
Ed
April 16th, 2009
3:05 am
The reason Woodson played that line-up sparringly is that ZAZA leads the league in turnover per minutes played at the post and is a momentum stopper with his fouls and free-throw bricks. He cant shot! period and rarely finishes. Yes he was out pick as a center but once you get past the emotions and popularity Za is an underachiever and a liability. Woodson does not have a really good option to go big when needed. I see his point clearly. Thats why we have to play Josh and Horford and Z is now a bench player. I love this team but the reality is you wont become a finalist without a strong “big” option. Did I also mention that Z is slow for a young man and un-coordinated? Sorry. Just keeping it real!
doc
April 16th, 2009
7:04 am
thanks sekou and they wonder why it is difficult to get tix sold at times. all have to wait for the nba so we can work our lives around it. oh well, it worked out fine for the tix in hand and ready to be used. bring it on atlanta!
Sekou Smith
April 16th, 2009
7:26 am
I can’t fathom why it took so long to send out the schedule. In all the years I’ve been dealing with the NBA the playoff schedule has never come out so late. But enough complaining. We’ve got it now. It’s prediction time for this series. Let ‘em fly all day. I don’t see a sweep for either side. And that late Sunday night tip for Game 1 means you wait all weekend to get it on. But I’m thinking this thing goes six or probably seven games for sure. Home team gets the edge from me. That’s what you worked all season for. But I expect fireworks from both teams.
Ron E.
April 16th, 2009
7:40 am
Hawks in 7. This Hawks team isn’t good enough, well coached enough, or mentally strong enough yet to win a playoff road game. That will have to wait for next year. But they’re just good enough to hold home court despite being unable to guard Wade.
Willie Coyote
April 16th, 2009
7:40 am
I think my win prediction was 47-ish wins for the season; I’m good.
D Wade will get his points this series (by hook or crook, the best guys always do). Play D Wade tough but make sure that if he gets it going, his teammates don’t. If the Hawks give that all out effort on the glass and run some of those suffocating spurts of defense they are capable of, in 4-5 games we’ll be talking about our matchups in the second round.
I’ll be there Sunday!!!
RUSSIAN (AKA KGB)
April 16th, 2009
7:51 am
I MUST BREAK YOU “HEAT”
Westurd
April 16th, 2009
8:20 am
I woke up shivering an sweating this morning….I think its a case of HAWKS PLAYOFF FEVER, and I don’t plan on getting better anytime soon!
Its go time!
Stirg d'Nahsif
April 16th, 2009
8:22 am
We need a big, for sure! Can we package a few players to offer Chicago for Joakim Noah and reunite the two Florida bigs, Horford and Noah? Come draft time, it’ll be easier to recruit a starting point guard (another need), than it would be to obtain a quality big man. I don’t know who or what (picks) the Hawks can offer for Noah; but a lineup with Bibby, Johnson, Smith, Horford and Noah would be unstoppable, not to mention marketable.
Big Daddy
April 16th, 2009
8:32 am
I am excited for the Hawks but the playoff scheduler has made sure few church goers will be present-because all the Hawks home games are on Sunday and Wednesday nights-key nights for those of use frequenting the hospital for the soul. Well, I guess that’s what recording technology is for. Maybe I will say a breif prayer for both teams with the edge going to the Hawks.
Lord willing of course.
Go Hawks!
rainman
April 16th, 2009
8:33 am
Sekou, what’s your opinion on how much Marvin will play and how effective he will be? Do you think they will resign Bibby, and for how much?
dstdeelite
April 16th, 2009
8:38 am
I feel like we must get at least one game on the road. We do not want a sudden death game with the likes of D-Wade. I have all the confidence in the world that these guys can make some things happen. Hawks in 6!! Go Hawks!!!
MannyT
April 16th, 2009
8:40 am
Big Daddy, the 1st game is at 8 PM on Sunday. Hopefully the Hawks fans will get out of their houses of prayer by that time.
Now it’s time to make something out of that NOW YOU KNOW slogan.
I’m ready for playoff Woody! Bring out the ring. Put the pressure on the rookie coach.
BWAF
A Hawk in Manhattan
April 16th, 2009
8:45 am
So I live in NYC, and am a 25-year Hawk fan. (Yes, it’s been an ugly 25 years, or at least most of it has.) Last year I flew down to ATL for the huge Game 6 win. This year I’m going to be in Miami next weekend, when both the Sat and Mon games (Games 4 and 5) are played. I want to get the Hawks cheering section rocking Miami’s house. Sekou, you know how to get tickets for those games in Miami? I checked online and don’t see anywhere I can buy them yet – any inside tips to I can do my best to take away Miami’s home court advantage in those games…?
Mike is back
April 16th, 2009
8:52 am
Sekou, I agree no sweep.
Unfortunately, we will be on the receiving of the thrust from the
underdogs like
Boston
last playoff. I think the Hawks and
Miami
series will be like
Detroit
and Philly last season playoff.
Miami
will steal one the Atl and put a scare in us, but we will take the series in
six games…even with the bad calls from the ref.
Woody made the comment that the Eastern Conference final is
the bar to reach to play for a championship. If the Hawks play up-tempo ball
throughout the playoff that goal can be achieved. There is no limit this team
can’t reach when they’re attacking on defense and getting out on the break
on offense.
Hawks in 6…if they play uptempo ball…then Hawks in
5555555555555555555555555555!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got two extra Tix for the game Sunday….HALLA @ YA
BOY!!!!
GO
HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ProudTechFan
April 16th, 2009
8:52 am
With all the excitement, game one is crucial.. All the fourth place talk won’t mean squat if we dont defend homecourt by winning game one. With that said, I have all the confidence in the world that the Hawks will take care of business Sunday night. I hope we as fans show our support like last year, and give our playoff bound hawks a true homecourt advantage..
Astro Joe
April 16th, 2009
9:24 am
Someone is going to get punched in the mouth in the first 4 minutes of each half in Game 1. The question is can the team that takes the punch recover. I say Hawks in 7 with the good guys winning two in Miami. I’m expecting a tremendously entertainng series. And Marvin is my X-Factor for the overall series. We know the Heat will play to stop Joe, so we need at least 2-3 other scoring options and Marvin needs to be one of them. Smith is my X-Factor in Miami… he has to stay away from foul trouble and play well for the team to win in South Beach.
SouthAfrican09
April 16th, 2009
9:53 am
I cannot lie:
If Bib and Joe are on their games (they’ll have had pretty much 9 days off when game 1 strikes) and Smoove plays anywhere close to intelligently, this series is over in 5 games.
There is no way the Heat can win this series if Bibby comes out to play. None at all.
Our team has at least 5 dangerous options on the offensive end, we can switch on every defensive matchup, we play great at home, and ZaZa should be healthy. Mo will be playing with a heavy heart (R.I.P. to his family member), Flip wants a new contract, Duck will be fresh, and Horford is the hub and leader of this franchise who will not let us start slow.
The Hawks can in no way lose this series, and will not.
Hawks in 5
richbrave
April 16th, 2009
10:07 am
47 it is. How’s that compared to last year this time? Anybody predict 47 wins?
Melvin
April 16th, 2009
10:08 am
Hawks in 5 maybe 6. No length expectation needed…. Lets go HAWKS…
Melvin
April 16th, 2009
10:11 am
Wow, I mess that last post up. Let me try it again…
Hawks in 5 maybe 6. No lengthy explanation needed. Let’s go Hawks…
Champ
April 16th, 2009
10:14 am
Hawks in six! Only gripe with the NBA is why two days off between games 1,2 & 3,4? Why do we need to see the playoffs last 2 months?
terrell barron
April 16th, 2009
10:32 am
Garnett could miss entire postseason. Wow!
Nookah
April 16th, 2009
10:32 am
SouthAfrican09, I like your confidence. Quite a bold statement, but my brother I’m with you. Hawks in 5. I think last year’s playoff experience will do us a world of good. We’ll steal 1 in Miami and stand firm at home.
Stirg, good to see my fellow Falcon bloggers showing their versatility. I also saw Big Ray here on the last blog.
Ariose, not sure if it was deliberate but did you start the word “heat” with a small cap for any particular literary effect? I hope they’ll be “lukewarm”. We all know D Wade will be getting the calls. I know however, we will be used to that by now so it will not affect us mentally.
Go Hawks!!! In 5!!!!!!
“Chase dem crazy baldheads outta town”…… Robert Nesta Marley
Nuff respect everytime!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
April 16th, 2009
10:38 am
Hawks in 6… I’m guessing they come back from Miami tied 2-2 and then win the last two games.
Then again, I picked the Hawks to win 40 games and get the 7th seed, so maybe I’m giving the Heat too much credit.
The Don
April 16th, 2009
10:56 am
17 days to complete a first round series (assuming it goes 7) That’s just insane. The whole NCAA tournament is done in about 3 weeks.
The Don
April 16th, 2009
10:59 am
Sekou
I forgot to ask, what’s the word on Marvin , AC for the playoffs?
Mr. GA Boy # 2
April 16th, 2009
11:00 am
If the Hawks play the way they should. . . this will be done in 4. We are a better team. I just hope we don’t let Coach Woodson down. We must defend. If we do that we will win this series.
Mr. GA Boy #2
theGABoys.com
bfred
April 16th, 2009
11:14 am
Really like the prime time starts – Hawks are going to get a lot of good exposure out of this series. Here’s hoping they make the most of it. I would love to hear the crew at ESPN try to spin how a team that got limited recognition from them during the season beat one of their golden boys.
Sekou Smith
April 16th, 2009
11:19 am
Marvin’s good. Acie …? Not so sure. Rainman, no clue on Bibby. There has to be a way to get something done to keep him, though. The bigger question to me is what you do behind him. That has to be addressed immediately.
Daniel
April 16th, 2009
11:27 am
Here we go guys! I am so excited for this team to take another step towards prominence. I will be at the game Sunday for sure, and we are going to tear the roof off!!!
Ken Strickland
April 16th, 2009
11:33 am
What HC waits until the last 2gms of the season to try and find out what he has on his bench? And wouldn’t you want to find out how those bench players mesh with your starters, since that’s who they’ll be playing with?
At least one thing came out of this. I saw enough of RMorris to reach the conclusion Woodson was corrent in leaving him on the bench all yr, although he did show some OFF skills. Speedy just isn’t ready and it’s unfair to expect hIM TO put it together while playing limited mins in the last 2 gms. Even injured, Acie will be able to contribute more than Speedy, assuming he’s allowed to play.
AHunter demonstrated that he could be a big help if given a chance to play and used properly. Flip shouldn’t be used as a PG, it’s not his strength. In fact, it takes away from his strength, and that’s scoring. He makes too many mistakes and too many turnovers when he’s running the team. IT’S PLAYOFF TIME, SO LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE. GOOD LUCK YOU HIGH FLYING HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ignition
April 16th, 2009
11:37 am
Man I’m nervous and excited …
Lets Go Hawks !!!!!!
SouthAfrican09
April 16th, 2009
12:21 pm
Sekou, when do we hear about the playoff roster? Who makes the last few spots? Speedy, Mario, Solo, and Randy after Flip Mo and Z?
jhan
April 16th, 2009
12:59 pm
Hawks in 6. I don’t want to see a game 7 – even at home.
Ramon
April 16th, 2009
2:03 pm
Sekou, I think the scheduling for the playoffs took so long this season, because this may be the most potential financial damaging the NBA play-offs has had in Stern’s tenure. It almost makes you think Stern saw this economic downturn coming years ago when he decided to stretch the first round to seven games. I could honestly believe the league was concerned with matching up some of the best games against prime time powerhouses for the first time in history. That’s why in my mind, there’s no way the league would allow this years NBA Finals to be between two small market teams. Even if Boozer went 20-15, there’s no way the league would allow a Jazz – Magics Finals to take place.
Ramon
April 16th, 2009
2:24 pm
Sekou, if Law is your future, do you consider giving Bibby’s potential contract to Rasheed, if you know it will be a huge bid from Houston for Mike?
Reality
April 16th, 2009
2:39 pm
No human or team can stop DWADE. He is going to BLOW UP in this series, just like he’s done many times before in previous playoffs. Only the elite NBA teams will be able to overcome his DOMINANCE.
The Hawks are not good enough to withstand this incoming DWADE storm.
Beasley, Haslem, Super Mario (the real one), Jermaine O’neal, etc. etc. will also make HUGE contributions.
Heat in 6.
Maybe next year the Hawks can break on through to the 2nd round of the Playoffs. Hell, that’s equivalent to a championship in Atlanta!
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
2:58 pm
it should be a shame to be a HAWK fan u guy cryin bout fouls,special treatment that jus mean get u a SUPERSTAR series dont start yet and all u can think about is the ref,im sure ref dont lose 4 gms for u, one call aint gonna change much either over a series, y’all seem real scare and unsure with ur teams chances,like i say only way HEAT lose is if BEASLEY dont play 32-35mins a gm, HAWK have no one for him or WADE HEAT in 6 or less
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
3:02 pm
plus hawks up and down team they play better fast and everybody know playoffs half-court gm that hawks biggest problem not a good shooting team
Al
April 16th, 2009
3:03 pm
jhan, you don’t wanna see a game 6 in Miami. There’s no way D-Wade will let you guys finish him off at home. You better win the first two at home (and I think the Hawks are very capable of it with the way the Heat struggles closing out games on the road), then split the next two from a demoralized young Miami team and close it out at home in Game 5. If we come back to Miami with the series at 1-1, with our kids confident, and the way Wade takes over playoff games at home, good luck.
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
3:09 pm
Reality, go talk your crap on a Heat Blog…..
Nookah, it wasn’t deliberate, but I like the way you think lol. Besides, I don’t care enough about them to make sure I cap thei sorry neme everytime.
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
3:13 pm
…….lol they suck so bad they make me misspell other words heh!
Sekou Smith
April 16th, 2009
3:15 pm
Playoff rosters no longer exist in the way there was years ago. The active roster for each game will be 12 players and Hawks coach Mike Woodson said that has not been determined yet.
Acie Law IV tried to go through practice today, Woodson said, but couldn’t get through the whole thing.
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
3:16 pm
al u smart man too much WADE plus he’s better than 06 plus hawks are living off last ur playoffs boston played every team bad on the road last year not jus the hawks yea heat lose gms on road but trust me that want be happening like u think in this series hawk are fast pace team not half-court team so bibby,smith,al all have suspect jumpers and the bench come on now is str8 garbage who speedy never starter,flip wow,zaza please all em str8 garbage so stop tryin to hype them cats like they BONAFIDE
doc
April 16th, 2009
3:22 pm
hawks in six.
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
3:24 pm
ps who is mo evans and solo hehehe
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
3:27 pm
and marlins swpt braves
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
3:41 pm
keepin it real, Were you there at Philips arena for the playoffs last year? Weather it happehn in four games or Seven the heat lose. They won’t get a game in Atlanta. 31-10 at home with average attendance. When the real fans show up at phillips the Heat won’t even be able to think at that decible level.
jake
April 16th, 2009
3:54 pm
Hawks win in 5. Only win Miami may get is game four to avoid the sweep.
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
3:56 pm
KG probably out for the entire playoffs……WOW….I kinda wish we played them again theis year lol.
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
4:10 pm
keep banking on all the stuff that has noting to do with the players playing the gm and see wut happen! all i hear is if bibby if smith if joe if al and if the bench man y’all got so many if’s how can u win o yea if the ref call the game fair! FAIR ain’t nothing but rides cotton candy, and gms there is no such thing as fair no two people get treated the same and now u wishin u played boston hawk fans fun stick to something u know bout perms and hair-do’s
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
4:15 pm
y’all should be wondering y NBA give WADE so much time off between games to much rest for him ur bad
Melvin
April 16th, 2009
4:18 pm
keepin it real, i see that you hung around for another day. Well, by our calculations you should be gone from our blog by the end of next week. catch me a bass when you go fishing, while we are handling our biz against the Cavs….
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
4:24 pm
ill catch u a bass if we lose which wont happen but when hawks lose u can share hair tips with my ol lady bet
Stirg d'Nahsif
April 16th, 2009
4:25 pm
I think playing Speedy was not intended to give him reps to mesh with the team, Ken. I think it was an attempt to market his value. I think it was a marketing tactic to show other teams his status, so they’ll have a visual of his capabilities. Lets face it, he hasn’t played since 2007. As a salesman, what’s easier to market, his potential or his performance?
Melvin
April 16th, 2009
4:25 pm
keepin it real, you remind me of those Pistons Fans that MannyT, Doc and I was harass by. they were talking major smack walking out of Philips after their team lost the game. all they could say was they won a ring in 2004. just like you keep referring to the Heat after we stomp they 3 out 4 games this year… DWade this and Dwade that. Well we are going to give DWade some more time to make commericals with Barkley. I guess no Hawks players are in his Fav 5….
Ryder
April 16th, 2009
4:27 pm
Ariose, even if the Hawks did play the Celtics without Garnett, they would still lose because they can’t win the mental battle against Boston. Sad but true
That said, I wish Sekou would declare a moratorium on people talking about the offseason until we actually get there. Who cares about who gets signed, traded, or whatever right now? IT’S THE FREAKING PLAYOFFS PEOPLE!!!!! Get a grip, and let’s focus on Sunday and go from there.
I think last year’s experience will pay off for the Hawks in that they now know the intensity needed to win, and get one on the road. Miami’s young rookies will do ok, but not to the point they will give Atlanta’s wing players much difficulty. The key, as always, will be Atlanta’s backcourt and the play of Flip Murray off the bench.
Also, who’d ever think that the Hawks would go into the playoffs with a team in which Mike Woodson has the coaching advantage and experience? Weird.
One more thing, I was listening to Colin Cowherd on ESPN this morning and he made an interesting point about fans complaining about the refs, and if history is any indication Wade will get all the calls while JJ gets shafted.
That said, I still predict the Hawks will win in 7, much to the chagrin of the media.
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
4:33 pm
see u missing point playoff half-court hawks more fast break team no killers on ur team and thats the big difference wade is a BONAFIDE superstar and will beat hawk in 5 im man enough to say y’all better team if u win but will u or will u complain bout joe,bibby,al,or smith not doing this or that and for y’all to be hypin up the likes of speedy,zaza gabore,flip 100 team murray,mo evans,and who ever solo is the series already over yea u when 2 out 0f 3 last game i do see it but reg season and playoffs different
Melvin
April 16th, 2009
4:35 pm
Stirg,
base on his performance over the past 2 games. His potential showed that he can/should have been a contributer this season. He look okay for a guy who hadn’t played in 2yrs to me. Now if I’m right about Speedy, then who does that blame falls on…
Melvin
April 16th, 2009
4:40 pm
keepin it real, re-read any of my post. you wont find my complaining about the superstar treatment that DWade may or may not get. I don’t care about that b/c the Heat wont beat the Hawks in a playoff series…
cp
April 16th, 2009
4:40 pm
I’m ready for the games. It looks like Law might not be ready and that is a shame We could use him. Law at the point makes Flip more effective because Flip does not have to worry about handling the ball or setting anybody up. He can just focus on scoring. I don’t like Flip at the point and I know Speedy is not in shape but I think we should be fine.
MannyT
April 16th, 2009
5:35 pm
As much as I give Woody a hard time, he is definitely not at the bottom of the playoff coaches. Here is an ESPN poll where y’all can voice your opinions.
http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/rank?versionId=1&listId=272
Melvin, I’ll be ready for the Heat fans by Sunday. The extra days in the schedule give me more time to recover from all the hollerin’ that I’ll do during this series.
Maybe I’ll even find a sign…No water to WADE in here. Lose and go home.
Hawks in 5.5
BWAF
SouthAfrican09
April 16th, 2009
5:44 pm
Marketing Speedy? WTF? Showing teams that in the 15 minutes he played all season that he is good enough to play for them?
No.
Hawks Over Heat In Five
April 16th, 2009
5:50 pm
HAWKS IN 5! Keepin it real all on our blog cause in truth he’s the one worried. Our reserves beat the heat on Tuesday. So why the heck should we be worried. Out of a 4 game series our team won 3 and his team only won 1. This pattern will continue so again I say them ATL HAWKS GONNA WIN IN 5. NOW THAT’S KEEPING IT REAL! Get off our blog you scrub.
doc
April 16th, 2009
5:57 pm
manny t did you realize the hawks could win 60 games a year the next three years and woody would still be sub-500. that said he is probably middle of the pack.
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
6:01 pm
damn ainge had heart attack today
Blast
April 16th, 2009
6:03 pm
I see petrified Heat fans invading our blog. They must be really worried, is why they talking all that trash. That Real dude doesn’t seem very intellegent, either. He certainly can’t spell. Hope they hang around long enough for Hawks to knock out Miami in 5 games.
10 win improvement over last year! 12 games over .500. 4th spot in the East. Possibility of advancing to the 2nd Round. Who would have thunk it?!!!!
Hawks Playoff Basketball. Here We GO!!!
jake
April 16th, 2009
6:30 pm
I feel terrible for Ainge. Already enough stress this time of year for him, then his coach tells the MEDIA his All-World forward will may the whole playoffs after a shoot around or something.
jake
April 16th, 2009
6:33 pm
I meant to say may miss the whole playoffs.
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
7:01 pm
Ryder, I hate to admit it, but it’s true. We seem to have a mental block when it comes to Boston……but it’s nothing that adding Chris Kaman and Shawn Marion to the roster as currently constructed can’t cure lol.
Dang, KG’s bum knee was too much for Ainge to take…..guess thats what happens when basketball becomes your life……you’re one bum knee away from a heart attack.
In all seriousness though, I hope he’s ok and recovers nicely.
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
7:52 pm
hawk in five over heat ur 3rd string beat our 3rd string did u see BEASLEY f*ck the starters 23pts 13rebs 2blks in 24min vs hawks friday and 12 of them min vs. ur starters look at box score or watch gm, but somebody say no plar were ran or no d so why risk playin starter to injury or get showed up by a rookie minus wade haslem moon j oneal do u really feel good bout ur team chances
Reality
April 16th, 2009
7:55 pm
Quick question: What’s emptier? Philips Arena or the Hawk’s Trophy case?
The Heat are going to F up Atlanta, just like the Marlins did.
mississippi
April 16th, 2009
7:58 pm
Talking about the match-up: I would like to see if Marvin can guard Wade some of the time. I’m not sure if he’s quick enough but it would be better than having JJ guard him all night. Hopefully West will also be allowed to drop the hammer on Wade for some stretches.
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
8:10 pm
blast hawks playoffs jus like braves playoff go enough to get there but seriuosly no one expecting u to win and i spell good enough for u to understand me that all that matter
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
8:15 pm
it funny how one heat fan can send y’all in a frenzy like some ppl in here are crying bout calls already,some wanna play boston now instead of heat,im mean get real stick to the stuff y’all know bout perms and hair-do,s and the rest of that g@y**** u on
Hawks Over Heat in Five
April 16th, 2009
8:35 pm
Keepin it real, you really are an idiot. Beasley’s double double and supposedly 2 blocks didn’t mean squat cause the Hawks still came out with the win. That’s why I believe Wade scoring 55 pts isn’t gonna stop the ATL Hawks from winning this series. At least our starters wasn’t afraid to suit up. MV3 and the other Heat starters was scared to even step foot on the court because they knew what time it was before they even stepped up in the Philips Arena. The playoffs this year starts and ends in our house aka the Highlight Factory. Not in D Wade’s house. Remember that! Remember who got the 4th seed and homecourt advantage. Why are you even on this blog? We Hawks fans are not gonna let you keep on disrespecting our team like that. Don’t you guys have a blog. And another thing Wade keep on talking about people doubting him, the Hawks have been dealing with that for a long time now. That’s alright though cause the Hawks gonna win this series in five anyway.
By the way, I was a witness in the arena when the reserves won the game with good D on your reserves in the very end. So again I say the reserves won that game. Stats don’t tell the whole picture and don’t mean a darn thang if you didn’t get the win. And that’s real talk!
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
8:38 pm
damn u came close to writing a book
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
8:39 pm
i love this sh*t
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
8:40 pm
And Mo Evans and Zaza didn’t even play lol……what a joke.
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
8:44 pm
OOOOyyyyyyeeeeeeaaaaaa yea MV3 gonna have a whole lotta highlights in the highlight factory or wuteva u call it
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
8:49 pm
man y’all keep talkin bout mo evans like he god or something da man bench guy lifer,and who is zaza str8 garbage i no they play for y’all and sh*t but if they were on oanother team u say same thing str8 pooh pooh stop call them name like the good damn that why u neva won sh*t cuz u think they are it them guys play for 3 teams or more
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
9:07 pm
It’s funny how wade droped 50 against the Magic one night, and then the next night he gets held under his season average against tha ATL huh? Teams like NYK and Orlando make great players look extrodinary with their weak defenses. Orlando doesent care as long as they are outscoring you…..likewise for the Knicks.
The Heat love to put wade in a pick n’ roll. Well stuff like that doesn’t effect the hawks b/c we have long and athleic bigs/wings that can keep up with wade….and If they get beat…..guess whose waiting on on ya boi at the rim…..J-Smoove/Solomon Jones/Marvin/Horford…..pick your poison.
With that being said, the Hawks will probably just opt to Double off the pick in order to get the ball out of his hands. I was a little worried about this but with guys like Luther Head out with a broken hand…..not so much anymore. James Jones isn’t a strong defender so I doubt spolestra will keep him on the court long enough for his shoting to become a factor. He’ll more than likely be a liability first. Cook and Chalmers are decent when givin space….but space is hard to find in the playoffs homie…..especially against the Hawks who are exellent at closing out on open shooters.
Wade is 6′4. When we double him, he will likely be unable to see over our taller wings/centers thes creating potential turnover situations for the Haeat. Unfortunately for the Heat, tunovers are the Hawks specialty…..and I’m sure you know what the Hawks do with tunovers on the Break right?
The Hawks Achilles’ heel are Ultra Fast point guards and Really long Big men on the inside. The Heat have neither of these, thus making them the Ideal matchup as opposed to the Bulls(Rose,Gordon/Miller,Thomas and Noah) or the Sixers(Dalembert/Miller, Williams and Igoudala)
This is the matchup we wanted. And leave it to the National media to add fuel to the Hawks fire by coutnig them out in 6 or 7 games. YOU KNOW the Hawks are hearing this and YOU KNOW they will want to make everyone eat thier words(and predictions lol).
To add insult to injury(pun intended) O’Neal has a Bum Shoulder, No telling how Haslem’s hand will react after getting those stitches taken out today, Moon has a gimpy ankle and Luther Head(who probably would have caused a lot of trouble for the Hawks) is out for Indefenetly with that broken hand.
My take?…..
Hawks in 4= 20%
Hawks in 5= 50%
Hawks in 6= 30%
Chances of 1st round victory= 100%
Sorry but i’m just keepin’ it real…
Hawks Over Heat In Five
April 16th, 2009
9:09 pm
I love the fact that you have said nothing that supports your belief that the heat. Are gonna beat my ATL Hawks. You ain’t saying nothing. I also love the fact that the Hawks won the season series. Hahaha
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
9:09 pm
BTW, The Hawks have held wade to an average of six points under his season average compared to the rest of the leauge in four games anainst the Heat this season.
Just keepin’ it real…..
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
9:32 pm
yada yada yada if ur bench is as good as u say u would have 50 + win same team from last they can play together for the next 3yrs and wont make for the simple fact nice guys finish last no one on ur team is killer if bibby played like when he was with kings then of course but joe can disappear jus as easy plus who gonna stop BEASLEY with everything being equal minus WADE cuz if he play 32-35mins he will drop 20-10. holla @ boi
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
9:46 pm
see when we went WHITE HOT in 06 that was to show u how laid back we were but this year its BLACK IS BACK so when u see that sh*t on ur tv next sat and mon dont fret we jus went GOON the whole arena gone be BLACK.black mv3 shirt,black shorts,black kicks its crazy
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
10:22 pm
I don’t even hink I touched upon the fact that O’neal is a mere shell of his former self. He used to be a 20/10 threat every time he stepped on th court. Now he’s nowhere close to that. It’s quite sad. At least Chris Webber still managed to average between 19-21ppg after having his knees sewn up. He may block a shot or two but in the grand scheme of things he poses no threat to the Hawks ultra Athletic front line.
The Celtics had KG and we STILL took them to seven games. O’neal and KG may have similar salaries but from a production standpoint O’neal just doesn’t measure up………Well, they DO both have that BUM knee thing in common heh!
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
10:27 pm
Thats cool, but the Hawks prefer their opponets a couple shades of Black and Blue…..
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
10:30 pm
Joe Dissapear? I’m sure your opinion is the byproduct of bad national media coverage for our Hawks, but it’s OK you’ll see for yourself in a few days.
Hawks Over Heat in Five
April 16th, 2009
10:31 pm
keepin it real how dumb are you? your record was was worst than ours. and anyway it didn’t take 50 wins to get that homecourt/4th spot so it’s all good that we didn’t make that 50. and stop talking about 06, are you blind? that’s not even the same team from 06. you guys can wear what ever you want it won’t stop the fact that we gone win the series in five. goon, nicca please, the ATL is the hood, so what’s your point? as a matter of fact the A Town Hawks could step up in that thang in pink and still get the win. you might as well be tickle me elmo cause you starting to make me laugh.
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
10:33 pm
Ding!
Hawks Over Heat in Five
April 16th, 2009
10:36 pm
That’s right Ariose, that fool keep talking about Beasley 20 pts and probably his first or second double double of the season. He must not know that Joe dropped 20 of them thangs on the Boston Celtics in one quarter. As a matter of fact keepin it real, google it, or even go to youtube. check out JJ where will amazing happen video so that you can get used to the fact that amazing is going down in the A Town.
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
10:48 pm
i grew up in the 70’s pink is not an option in my wear unlike u i bet u perm ur hair too atl is full of people from south florida so i guess that mk u hood
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
10:52 pm
o it funny they must only show that commercial in atl cuz i neva seen it seen kobe lebron wade chris paul paul p, joe comm jus for the locals hehe
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
10:54 pm
wut did he do amazin shot a jumper???
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
10:59 pm
“amazing is going down in the A Town”
Damn straight, Smooove is gonna be rich after all the posters he’ll make embarrasin’ tha Heat.
Wade who?
Ariose
April 16th, 2009
10:59 pm
MV-what?
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
10:59 pm
wut was amazing bout jj a jumper wow no wonder they dont show it here
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
11:03 pm
why y’all think hawks will win tell me one mo time please so i can get a good laugh man jus for kick magloire gone wear horford down i advice u to sit him when he’s in the game str8^
keepin it real
April 16th, 2009
11:06 pm
its funny that u beat us we beat u we mk trade u beat us again right after and the last gm since it means so much to your confidence u can have that the way i see it y’all in trouble str8^
Blast
April 16th, 2009
11:29 pm
These Miami Heat fans just crack me up. Real and Reality are most likely the same dude. Their blog must be SO BORING for them to be bugging us here. Real writes like he’s text messaging, where he can abbreviate and take short cuts nobody understands.
1st,they are living on glorified past. Yes, Miami won a ring a few years ago, but they are not going to win anything in the near future with their current line up. And don’t get me wrong, I like Wade, even though he dresses funny. I’ve posted that Beasley is a beast, and Chambers is going to be a good player in this league, but this year, Hawks are better than Miami, plain and simple. Hawks are 3-1 over them in regular season, one slot above them in playoff seedings, which is why they have home court in the first round, and Hawks know how to play Wade. I believe Wade has only averaged about 21 points a game versus Hawks this year. No way is he gonna drop 55 points on the Hawks in the playoffs. No way in hell, refs or not. At some point, the refs are gonna be forced to call it straight. So, all those folks and biased media types not giving Hawks props, Hawks will rub your face in salt in round one.
Unlike hating fans trying to stir up stuff on our blog, I watched all 82 Hawks games this year. Those not on TV I followed online and via radio, so you can’t say you know our team better than we do.
Truth is, I find it impossible to read Real’s posts. I just gloss over them long enough to know that he is continuing with his usual rant on the Hawks. His lingo is so painful and difficult to read, that it’s just not worth reading, but worth replying to.
Bring it on Sunday, Miami. Hawks didn’t win 30 games at home for no reason! You asked which arena gets filled up the most. Well, check out Philips arena on Sunday. The world and the entire Heat franchise are in for a rude awakening. Philips Plaza is going to be the one of the loudest arenas in the 2009 playoffs. ATL is gonna represent!
Get off our blog, haters!
ZULU
April 16th, 2009
11:35 pm
No prediction, just a few words of encouragement. Hawks, you belong in the final hunt , PLAY LIKE IT!
Hawks Over Heat in Five
April 17th, 2009
12:04 am
This fool keepin it real is a joke. What is it with him and hair? This is a basketball blog, Hawks blog. You are the one that’s gay. You’re talking about fashion and hair. You missed my point entirely. Let me make it plain for you. What does it matter what the fans or the team for that matter is wearing. Who cares? The most important thing is the win. The bottom line is the Hawks are gonna win in 4, 5, 6, or 7. Point blank, period.
Big Ray
April 17th, 2009
12:04 am
Good to see my buddy Stirg D’Nahsif.
Been chatting up Falcons and the upcoming draft with him for the past several weeks.
Reality check: Sekou’s article shows that Mike Gearon (and I would presume the rest of the ASG) are firmly in Woody’s corner. Or at least it looks that way. A coach can’t ask for more than that, especially in a day and time where GMs can (and will) fire you even if you are coaching a team with a winning record. It kind of makes you wonder about which is more true: the ASG liking Woody, or Sund having that short of a leash. But I digress, and it matters little at this very moment. Of course, money talks, and a good showing in the playoffs would most likely put Woody in position to be expecting a decent extension (not a 2-year offer, which was actually a smart thing to do). Of course, the jury is out on Sund, who has his work cut out for him this offseason.
Back to the present. I can’t wait for Saturday night. Let the games begin!
Big Ray
April 17th, 2009
12:08 am
Oh, I LIKE opposing team fans coming here and TRYING to blog with us. We’re Sekou’s warriors. NOBODY blogs like us!
Tell you what “Reality” and “Keepin’ it Real”….
Tell Dwayne Wade when he drives to the hole, if he gets a whiff of something that smells like anti-perspirant, that’s Josh Smith about to posterize him with a block like the one he did on him, where Wade THOUGHT he had the game-winning drive. Oh yeah, you remember. I know you do. You’re STILL crying about it…
Dante Fitzgerald
April 17th, 2009
12:41 am
Mayne on the real, why do those fools up in Espn.com actually think the Heat will win this series? BoO BOo!!
HAWKS N 5, YA DIG????
Keepin it real dumb
April 17th, 2009
4:23 am
Keepin it real should have kept it in English class. That stuff’s harder to read than Shakespeare.
dmortone
April 17th, 2009
5:07 am
The most important thing that can happen in this playoffs, since most agree a championship is a little farfetched, is for JJ to ball out and finally get that national love he so deserves.
The only thing that national media has to say about JJ whenever I caught a Hawks game on TNT/ABC/ESPN was that JJ was underrated. That’s the only thing people know how to describe him. “He’s better than you think.” In Bill Simmons MVP article JJ is listed at 15th. The ranking isn’t what I have a problem with, it’s the reasoning behind the ranking. “Sure.” Simmons had plenty to say about guys like JJ Barea, Bill Walker, Anthony Morrow and Beno Udrich, but Joe’s only claim to fame is that he’s a pretty good player.
So now, in what is the most intriguing matchup of the Eastern Conference Round 1, JJ finally has a chance to force people to recognize just what type of player he is, make himself more marketable, and maybe, just maybe, finally get the whistle blown in his favor.
side note: after rooming with two Celtics fans, reading a blog on players the Celtics fans hate(Horford and Bibby made the 1st team, with Marvin as an honorable mention, and reading Bill Simmons, national NBA fan, constant underappreciation of the Atlanta Hawks, I’ve come to the conclusion that Celtics fans, in the back of their minds, have a subconscious hatred of what the Hawks did to them last year. Even though they still won the championship, we did embarrass and tarnish their legacy as one of the greatest teams ever assembled and I think they hate us a little for it.
doc
April 17th, 2009
7:43 am
dmortone, heh heh, right on. tell it like it is.
richbrave
April 17th, 2009
8:05 am
Big RAY:
I see from the news that your kith and kin are being kept busy in the Atlanta area rounding up smugglers from south of the border. Keep up the good work. Who wins, MIAMI or our HAWKS?
richbrave
April 17th, 2009
8:10 am
Just kiddin’. Wanted to get a rise out of you with a stupis question. I see the FALCONS have their eye on my boy SIDBURY late. I think he’ll be gone by then though.
Reality
April 17th, 2009
9:11 am
Never, ever bet against Dwyane Wade. That’s just how it goes.
I can agree that the Hawks have a little more good players than the Heat, but Miami’s best is way better than Atlanta’s. Even if JJ is underrated, which he probably is, Wade is on a whole another planet.
Think back to the Olympics, think back to 06,05,04. Wade, when healthy, always takes his game to another level in the playoffs (historically). After the year he’s had, I can’t even imagine how dominant he will be in this year’s playoffs.
Michael Beasley is the surpreme wildcard, but all signs point to him exceling against the Hawks. Beasley has trouble against tall players, and thankfully there are not any on the Hawks, and no Zaza does not count, he blows. Jermaine O’neal, is a shell of his former self, but he will still abuse Zaza. He still easily score over the short PFs in Horford and J-smooth.
Another crucial matchup will be between Bibby and Super Mario Chalmers. Chalmers has the ability to really pressure Bibby and force some turnovers, and he must take Bibby off the dribble constantly. Bibby’s shooting is dangerous and if he’s on it will be very tough for the Heat.
Look for Daequan Cook to nail some big-time 3s this series. He can get extremely hot.
This series will be a battle; by far the most intriguing 1st round matchup of the playoffs. In the end, Wade is just too good, and he is going to put on an F’n show in these playoffs. Just watch.
P.S. to whoever said Wade is just 6′4, you do realize that he became the 1st player in NBA history to be 6′4 or under and achieve 100 blocks in a season. Height is not a factor for this freak of nature, you Hawks fan are in for some Dwade nightmares after this series.
niremetal
April 17th, 2009
9:18 am
Gotta love a guy who says that Smoove and Horford’s height will render them useless, and then two paragraphs later says that D-Wade’s height doesn’t matter. Yeah, because Josh Smith is not a freak of nature athletically or anything. Please…
Reality
April 17th, 2009
9:22 am
-Dwyane Wade and Haslem have invoked a “no-nightlife” rule for the four nights the team will stay in Atlanta, with Game 1 on Sunday and Game 2 not until Wednesday.
Oh damn, watch out.
Reality
April 17th, 2009
9:28 am
Did I say their height would make them useless? I just said that Beasley and JO easily score over “not tall” players. That’s the truth.
And Dwade’s height doesn’t matter. When has it ever, please find an example. The guy play’s much bigger than he is because of this freak long arms and Jordan-like huge hands.
Yes, Josh Smith is an athletic freak of nature, so what? He’s still is retarded (on and off the court), can’t shoot and can’t dribble.
Wade’s an athletic freak of nature + incredible skills, bball IQ, creativity, ball handling, and killer instinct.
niremetal, just don’t post anymore. You’re embarassing yourself….
KevinA
April 17th, 2009
9:46 am
The x factor will be Josh Smith. He will not only handle Beasley but play his best ball of the year. The Heat have no answer for him. You can see the swagger and confidrnce build toward the end of the season. As dangerous as JJ, Bibby and Flip are from outside, I don’t think they can afford to double. Wade is awesome and Beasely is an up and comer but this is the Hawks year. Hawks in 5.
KevinA
April 17th, 2009
9:49 am
I would like to see the series go to 7 games to add playoff playing time experience to our young team but alas they are to good for that in this match up.
Reality
April 17th, 2009
10:11 am
This is a guaranteed 6 or 7 game series.
Westurd
April 17th, 2009
10:45 am
Reality, you are really holding you own in this forum. You’re right about your boy Wade. He is scary, but that old expression “The ball don’t lie” will hold true. Come tip off I have a feeling you’ll go missing from this forum.
Get it done HAWKS!
Reality
April 17th, 2009
11:07 am
I’ll be here all series, before and after too.
We Heat fans have nothing to lose. Our team is not really supposed to compete this year, moreso next year and then the biggie in 2010.
It’s been a fun year, and Wade has been a monster. I expect him to dominate in the playoffs, so I’m excited.
I’ll eat crow if the Heat don’t win, no problem. I’m not at the same emotional level as I was 2-3 years ago when the Heat were championship contenders in the playoffs with everythng to lose.
So yea, I’m talking trash because I really do think the Heat will win. But if they don’t, I’ll be here to face the music from you Hawks fans.
Heat in 6, let’s do this.
Melvin
April 17th, 2009
11:18 am
Reality, you don’t have too worry about the music being played after the Hawks 1st round win. B/c we are expecting to beat yall. So no need for you to comeback here to eat crow. Instead, you can use that time to scout draft prospects…..lol
Reality
April 17th, 2009
12:43 pm
Melvin, we actually don’t have a draft pick this year.
I’m glad you’re expecting to win, it would be downright sad if you didn’t.
Do the Hawks worry Wade might pull a Dallas-in-the-finals on them?
Said Al Horford: “Yeah, I do.”
‘Nuff said.
Reality
April 17th, 2009
1:05 pm
San Fran Chronicle:
Miami-Atlanta: This will be the swan song for Hawks coach Mike Woodson, too demanding of his players and too often feuding with Josh Smith. The series will also have people reconsidering their MVP vote after Dwyane Wade averages 42 points per game and personally gets the Heat through. It would be nice if he gets some help, perhaps from Jermaine O’Neal, ideally from flighty rookie Michael Beasley. In any case, Wade is just that good. Heat in seven.
Al
April 17th, 2009
1:12 pm
Heat fan here. Trash talking is a bit stupid with no games having been played yet. I haven’t watched the Hawks enough this year to offer an intelligent comment on who’s gonna win the series, though I did go to both of the Heat-Hawks games in Miami. I don’t think either one was a representation of how this series was gonna go. The first one was pre-JO/Marion trade and the second game the Hawks just did not show up. The games in Atlanta, the first one maybe was the best indicator but it was still pretty soon after the trade and this last game on Tuesday, come on.
One thing I can definitely see is that most of you are underestimating Miami’s supporting cast. And no, I’m not on here because I’m afraid. I’m on here cuz its interesting to talk with other fans. I love the playoffs. I always go read local coverage from the other side.
Al
April 17th, 2009
1:25 pm
Oh and yeah we’re living in the past a bit from the 06 title. You would be too if you had experienced that. Wade is not the same player since then. His ego has grown, which is his biggest downfall. But he is also a much better all around player. He made more threes this season than he had in his five previous seasons combined. He’s a shot blocker (a shot blocker! at the 2), a great team defender, and a better passer. This will be his first playoff series as D-Wade 2.0 and your guess is as good as mine as how that will go. It’s kind of a misnomer to say he can’t win the series “by himself.” Of course he can’t. But when he’s on, the kids play better, Haslem plays better. So I dunno. I guess we’ll just have to wait til Sunday to see how it goes.
Big Daddy
April 17th, 2009
2:10 pm
MannyT – thanks for the response and some of us may get there late but we’ll get there! I think Marvin’s injury may turn out to be a “fortunate fall” because he certainly strengthens our bench with Flip, Zaza, Solo, West, and maybe Speedy. Maybe after we beat the four MVP favorites (DWade, LeBron, DHoward, and Kobe)Joe Johnson and the Hawks can get some love. You heard it here frist and NOW YOU KNOW!
Go Hawks!
Hawks Over Heat in Five
April 17th, 2009
2:24 pm
Much better keepin it real/Reality. Now you are supporting your rants without the insults to our team. I’ve been on one of you guys’ blog as well. So basically, both sides are saying the same thing. The Heat fans are saying they’re going to win in 5 or 6. And us ATL Hawks fans are saying sweep, or win in 5 or 6.
The Hawks have matured and become a team. Basketball is a team sport. There are five players on the court at a time. The Hawks don’t have to rely on one player to win the game for them. Whenever the Hawks have won, it has been as a team. The thing I like most about my A Town Hawks is you never know who will end of being the leading scorer, block shots, steal the ball, dunk, etc. All five players on the court have the potential to take over the game and lead the Hawks to victory. In contrast all the Heat have been talking about is D Wade and how he’s gonna win the game. That’s not enough. I guess Wade’s gonna dribble, pass, shoot and play every position on the court by himself. Well if that’s the case Beasley, Moon and the rest of the team may as well not suit up.
UNITED HAWKS TEAM OF ATLANTA WILL WIN THIS IN FIVE!
BA
April 17th, 2009
3:17 pm
Why not just acknowledge the facts-
The Hawks are a better team. They had a better record.
Hawks in 6. Wade will have to eat the head.
Reality
April 17th, 2009
6:37 pm
BA, you’ve figured it out! You can be rich man, I’m telling you. When betting on a game, just pick the team with the better record, and they’re guaranteed to win!