Hawks-Bucks in Round 1: It’ll be over in five games, max
These guys aren't scared of the Bucks. Nor should they be. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
The Hawks’ run of late-season good fortune continues. Had Yi Jianlian made a baseline jumper at the end of regulation in Miami last night, the Hawks wouldn’t be playing the Milwaukee Bucks come Saturday. They’d have faced the Miami Heat in Round 1 again, and that would have been a much rockier path.
But Yi missed and his New Jersey Nets lost to the Heat in double OT — the league’s worst team had grown skilled at losing, doing it 70 times this season — and the Hawks got what they wanted: The Bucks as a first-round opponent.
Milwaukee has had a nice season, but it’s about end. It is working without its best scorer (Michael Redd, torn ACL) and its best player (Andrew Bogut, broken arm). The best remaining Bucks are John Salmons, who has played for four teams in eight seasons; Jerry Stackhouse, who’s 35, and Brandon Jennings, who’s 20.
This, folks, will end in five games. The Hawks will win the first two. Figure the Bucks take Game 3 in Milwaukee — Game 3’s are usually the last stands for overmatched opponents — but then lose Games 4 and 5. And the Hawks will strut into Round 2 in better condition physically and emotionally than they were last spring, when the seven games against Miami left them hurting and spent.
And there’s a chance the Hawks could get lucky again. Charlotte faces Orlando in Round 1, and the Bobcats could string that out to six games. (Larry Brown is a good coach, as you know.) And that would leave the local team more refreshed than the Magic for Round 2, which wouldn’t hurt matters one bit.
I say again: This is shaping up very nicely for the Hawks.
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78 comments Add your comment
JSS
April 15th, 2010
2:05 pm
Andrew Bogut the Bucks best player? In what universe? Their best player is on season long injured reserve, one Michael Redd. Their 2nd best player, Brandon Jennings is going to be a wild card. This is going to be a tough series… Luckily I believe the Hawks have more artillery! Message to all AJC columnists, STAY AWAY FROM THE HAWKS!!!
Jerome
April 15th, 2010
2:06 pm
Terrell,
I didn’t mean to imply Woodson is not a good coach, what I’m questioning is can he take this team to a Championship. That coach that can take the Hawks to another level may not be without a job now but as a organization you have seize the moment when that opportunity present itself. Look I’m a Hawks fan for many years, I hope you are right. We will see in a few years.
Chris
April 15th, 2010
2:07 pm
Hey Bradley, ten gajillion dollars says that the Bobcats don’t win one game against the Magic.
crackbaby
April 15th, 2010
2:22 pm
I suppose the safe pick is Hawks in 5. Honestly though, Hawks should sweep. Never mind the sketchy road record and lapses in offensive discipline during the season. The loss of Bogut, combined with lack of depth should spell S-W-E-E-P!
Go Hawks!
Benjamin
April 15th, 2010
2:24 pm
MB, I always look through my fingers when you post predictions. Benjamin sure does like your blogs, though.
My personal prediction is that it goes a game longer. I say we win in six.
Floze
April 15th, 2010
2:47 pm
What leads us to think that the Hawks will win one road game in the playoffs? Did they win a playoff game away from home last year or the year before that? What was the Hawks record away from the Highlight factory this year?
I like the Hawks in a tight 7 game series in round one. I like them to lose a 7 gamer in round 2.
O'Brien
April 15th, 2010
2:50 pm
Mark,
I dont think it will be sold out either.
Hawks fans,
Please go out and support our Hawks.
JASon
April 15th, 2010
2:54 pm
Good point, yeah I think in the playoffs the bucks would be overmatched even with their top guys, I don’t care what they’ve been doing the past month and a half. I look for a sweep or five games.
JSS
April 15th, 2010
3:40 pm
Floze…
The Hawks won a road playoff game in Miami last year…
RA
April 15th, 2010
5:56 pm
If history teaches us anything Mark Bradley is that life very rarely follows a script. This series is the perfect trap for the Atlanta Hawks. They’re going in against a team that’s obviously outgunned, but the sun will NEVER rise on the day that a Scott Skiles team doesn’t show up ready to compete. This series is a microcosm of all the games that the Hawks had this year against lesser oponents. Had they won half of the games that they lost to inferior teams, that last game against the Cavs would have been more than an expedition of two teams resting their stars for the playoffs. Atlanta should have won AT LEAST as many games as the Magic, but they didn’t. Too many times this year, this Hawks team just showed up against a lesser ball club expecting a buzzard win, and became road kill. Too many times they left a lesser team in the game and watched them walk off with the victory (such happened with this very same Milwaukee clubb not one month prior). They need, no must, go into this series with the mindset that they are the underdogs. When ball is on the floor, they need to be diving, they need switch on their rotations like there’s no tomorrow, and for the love of God they need to keep a body in front of the Milwaukee guards. They can’t give this team any inkling of hope that they can win. (Remember what almost happened to the Celtics in 2008 AFTER they had won the first two games and Atlanta took game three?) No, they need to open this series by putting their collective foot squarely on the necks of the Bucks and they can’t stop stomping until they feel that windpipe crushed beneath their heel. That’s how they need to approach this series.
Chiquita
April 15th, 2010
6:41 pm
I hate to put a damper on things, but I say the Hawks go down in six games max.
Just a reminder that as long as the Hawks have been in Atlanta, it’s alway been safer to bet against them.
MitchC
April 15th, 2010
10:10 pm
Mark, it does sound like the Hawks should feast on the Bucks in the first round. Milwaukee is depleted.
I’m sorry to say, that with as much as I hoped we would have a date with Cleveland in the Eastern Finals, I think we are going to go down against Orlando in the Semis. The Magic won 59 games, and the Hawks are not a great road team. They have done things like lose to the pathetic New York Knicks at home on the road. Not good for a team that has it’s sights set on the conference finals.
My bet: Hawks win round one, lose in the Semis to the Magic.
MitchC
April 15th, 2010
10:11 pm
That should be, lose to the Knicks at home, and on the road.
Hawks-Bucks in Round 1: It
April 15th, 2010
11:51 pm
[...] [...]
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
April 16th, 2010
4:52 am
Much love to ya MB but your prediction scare me – usually because they are wrong. Fun boy Hawks Fans in the pic – priceless. jk
i_am_soulstar
April 16th, 2010
8:42 am
We can upset Orlando! Go Hawks!!
#2 BAMA FAN
April 16th, 2010
10:04 am
The guys in the picture look like the modern Village People!! They need to be on SNL Live from New York!! LOL
Chiquita
April 16th, 2010
2:13 pm
Enter your comments here
MaryM
April 16th, 2010
2:26 pm
I agree with Mark most of the time, but I think the Hawks lose in six games.
Take it to the bank.
Terrell
April 16th, 2010
3:36 pm
Jerome,
I understand what you’re saying but I guess my concern is if we did look that coach who could take us “over” who would it be? It would have to be a popular coach with credentials but those are the ones who are on other teams.
rooster
April 16th, 2010
4:01 pm
no way the hawks get past the second round
Bucks Pat
April 17th, 2010
12:53 am
“the Hawks got what they wanted: The Bucks as a first-round opponent.”
HIGGS: if our Bucks get even a whiff that Hawks players/media is glad they got Milwaukee instead in the first round, the Hawks could be out in the first round.
now this one is the dousy. i sure hope devoted Hawks fans aren’t counting on this guy for an accurate preview of this series. here he is talking about us:
“It is working without its best scorer (Michael Redd, torn ACL) and its best player (Andrew Bogut, broken arm). The best remaining Bucks are John Salmons, who has played for four teams in eight seasons; Jerry Stackhouse, who’s 35, and Brandon Jennings, who’s 20.”
HIGGS: where to begin. Redd was our best scorer TWO SEASONS AGO before his knee shreddings. He also failed to note the Bucks were 40-24 without Redd this year, and 6-12 with him. Then to slight all three, Salmons, Stacks and Jennings because of just their age? Didn’t mention us playing .750 ball in the last third of the season with Salmons and Stacks, or the fact that Stacks is providing a big lift off the bench and is one of the best on our team at getting to the line. Slipped his mind that Jennings, all 240 months old, won conf rookie of the month 4 of the 5 months thus far. Or that Jennings is the first rookie PG in about 50 years to start all 82 games his rookie year. His reason the Bucks will get trampled? John Salmons has played for four teams in his eight years.
bOEN
April 17th, 2010
12:57 am
http://www.stationcaster.com/player.php?s=87&c=672&f=47074
^^new interview wit joe, he sound focused , truthfully he dnt sound like he wanna go ANYWHERE
Oops i did it again
April 17th, 2010
6:32 am
You right Mark Bradley it be over in Five for Us…as we watch Bucks play next round while we stay and watch again! Yep folks i said it Bucks will win series in 5 games!
Hawks beat cleveland ha ha
April 17th, 2010
6:39 am
Humor is good here folks sayin we can beat cleveland they whip us like choir boys at a church social gatherin…as for Milwaukee i kinda remember a hawks team won 59 games n was flavored beat Bucks n they won in best of Five 3-1 remember at the Ommi the clueless players n coach.Well u see again Milwaukee bucks win series 4-2. and they play orlando instead n Orlando vs cleveland n Oh my Labron James chokin as Magic wins eastern conf finals 4-2. And again Orlando Magic face Lakers n Lakers win 4-3 win second title in arow!
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April 17th, 2010
8:03 pm
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robdawg08
April 19th, 2010
9:36 am
Hawks disappeared in the 3rd quarter and let a 22 point lead dwindle to 7 points. I’d be running the pick & roll with Horford & JJ/Crawford a lot. If Horford can’t hit the hook,dunk,or lay-up then kick it to JJ & Craw outside. J.Smith needs to get consistent offensively. He disappears for stretches…But his “D” is awesome.
robdawg08
April 19th, 2010
9:57 am
Nice shot of dude picking his nose bottom right in picture. Was that Bobby Cox ?