The Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards will kick off their playoff series on Sunday. What is the key position matchup in Game One?
The Atlanta Hawks will embark on a very tough playoff series on Sunday afternoon.
The Hawks will take on the Southeast Division champion Washington Wizards and the Wizards are a very talented team. The Hawks dropped three of the four meetings between the two teams this season and are not considered the favorite in this series.
John Wall is the engine that makes the Wizards go and his explosive skill set makes him a nightmare for the Hawks. But Wall is a player that is going to show up and have an impact in almost any game. The Hawks will have to try to neutralize the weapons around Wall in order to put the full load of the Wizards on his back alone.
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The most lethal of the weapons around Wall is shooting guard Bradley Beal. And his battle with Tim Hardaway Jr. will be vital in deciding the winner of Game One.
Everything came together for Beal this season. He stayed healthy and became the efficient, electric scorer that many believed he could be. Beal averaged a career-high 23.1 points per game and shot a career-best 48.2 percent from the floor. It is now clear that Beal is much more than just a perimeter shooter. Because his ability to drive and even create for himself, at times, has made him an excellent offensive player.
Beal has become a great safety net for the Wizards when Wall’s own scoring ability is off. He has shown the ability to carry the Wizards’ scoring load and be a primary option. And the Hawks need to contain Beal to keep from getting run out of the gym.
Hardaway may not be assigned to guarding Beal for long periods of time but he must outperform Beal in order for the Hawks to have a great chance. Hardaway’s scoring is essential to the Hawks’ playoff success because he is by far the best wing scorer on the team. His value to his own team is similar to Beal’s, in that he is not the primary option all of the time but is a player that is important in taking pressure off of his team’s best player.
Beal will likely be assigned to guarding Hardaway in this game and that can play into containing Beal. If Hardaway can get hot, he can use his great offense to wear down Beal. And a worn down Beal will not be nearly as dangerous as a fresh Beal.
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It would not be that surprising to see both of these guys duel in the scoring department. This matchup has high entertainment value in that both guys could drop 30 points on any given night. But if one of these guys significantly outplays the other, their team will be victorious in Game One.