Playoff Roundtable: Atlanta Hawks-Brooklyn Nets Preview

Are you worried by the Hawks’ finish to the regular season or has it any bearing on the post-season?

AMcG: There’s nothing to be worried about. They finished out the season with their regular rotation seeing reduced minutes together in order to get them rested and sharp for this moment. Now they almost start afresh.

VM: No worries. The Hawks had a brilliant season. If you look at NBA history, with the exception of the 72 win Chicago Bulls team, whenever you have a long streak you are going to have an emotional letdown. The season is just too long.

The Hawks are still the only team in the East with dominant offensive players who are willing to defend every possession. They finished strong in Chicago and would have won had Bud not rested the starters in the 4th.

CR: Not really, I don’t think the regular season finish has any bearing on what happens in the Playoffs.

MMcE: Not worried. I think the Hawks starters showed us against Chicago that they can still play extremely well.

NK: I wouldn’t be overly concerned about the Hawks’ recent three game stumble into the postseason. Atlanta pretty much wrapped up the division by the All-Star break and officially secured the No. 1 seed in the East by the end of March so you can forgive them for being a little lax on these end of season tuneups.

Now with every game having meaning, along with a projected deep run, they aren’t taking anything for granted. The main thing this year from last is health and understanding Budenholzer’s system.

With all five starters looking to play on Sunday, they are a threat not just to the Nets in round one (Atlanta is a scorching combined +212 going 4-0 in the regular season) but will be very formidable in the later series. Expect to see the same fluidity and excitement that got them to their record-breaking 60 win campaign.

Next: Series Predictions