Playoff Roundtable: Atlanta Hawks-Washington Wizards Preview
By Adam McGee
Apr 26, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; (L-R) Washington Wizards forward Paul Pierce, forward Drew Gooden, guard John Wall, and center Marcin Gortat celebrate on the bench in the final seconds of the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 125-94, and won the series 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Who comes into the series in a better place? The Hawks with two straight wins or the Wizards with a lengthy rest?
Adam McGee (@AdamMcGee11): It could play to the Wizards’ advantage but from a Hawks’ point of view we’ve all just seen the effects of rest vs. rust in action. Atlanta are now in a rhythm, I’ll happily roll with that.
Valerie Morales (@val_82games): The Hawks are in a rhythm. Whatever fatigue they may have in the short turnaround will be offset by the luxury of having consistent competitive minutes. If the Wizards have rust, it will affect them in Game 1. Primarily, they are a jump shooting team. They may need a quarter or two to re-acclimate themselves
Jaudat Ali (@JaudatA): The Wizards definitely have an edge after resting but the Hawks finally found their groove. Not to mention, they learned how to take care of business when they aren’t playing well as a team. That is a valuable playoff experience for any team. They played like the Hawks of January and that has to scare everyone. If the Hawks aren’t tired, they’ll certainly have momentum on their side. Confidence + Momentum + groove; advantage Hawks.
Mitchell McEver (@KorverDPOY): The Hawks. Coming straight from a huge win in Brooklyn, the Hawks are firing on all cylinders again. This is a Hawks team that frequently plays better when only having a few days of rest. The Wizards are in a very good place too, but when both teams are doing well, the Hawks have the advantage.
Mitchell Kay (@Kobe519): Atlanta spent an immense amount of time preparing players for the post season by resting guys on a regular basis. Budenholzer has been progressively shortening the minutes of key players since all the way back to February. If Washington has endured any rust because of the break, it’s going to wear off pretty quick. Atlanta is going to ride the momentum created after game six which was without a shadow of a doubt, Atlanta’s most dominating performance of the series. The Hawks will benefit from the quick turn around.
Next: How Do You Feel About Atlanta's Title Chances Now?