Atlanta Hawks Game Preview: Jan. 27 Washington Wizards

Nov 30, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Dwight Howard (8) against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns defeated the Hawks 109-107. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Dwight Howard (8) against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns defeated the Hawks 109-107. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 30, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Dwight Howard (8) against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns defeated the Hawks 109-107. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Dwight Howard (8) against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns defeated the Hawks 109-107. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

The Atlanta Hawks welcome the scorching hot Washington Wizards to Phillips Arena on Friday night. Do they have what it takes to slow them down?

I’m still not sure that the last game the Atlanta Hawks played actually happened. It had to have been some sort of fever dream, right? The Hawks trailed by 10 points with three minutes remaining, but somehow came back to secure a 5-point victory over the Chicago Bulls. At one point during their furious comeback, they hit a three-pointer on three consecutive possessions.

The win even managed to break an entire franchise, so that’s something. The Hawks have no time to celebrate their exhilarating victory. Not with the high quality amount that’s next on their docket. The Washington Wizards roll into town, looking like a completely different team than the one Atlanta played earlier in the season.

These two teams first met on Opening Night. Atlanta got the victory 114-99, thanks to 28 points from Paul Millsap and an 11 point, 19 rebound performance from Dwight Howard. John Wall struggled that night, finishing with just 12 points and 10 assists on 3-for-15 shooting.

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Side note; it’s pretty amazing that a player has a difficult night and still records a double-double. Wall is quite good at basketball, huh?

Anyway, the teams would meet again just one week later. This time the Wizards came out on top, 95-92. Bradley Beal led the way for Washington, scoring 28 points. Atlanta struggled offensively, shooting just 38.6 percent from the field and 20 percent from three-point range.

Since those two match-ups, the teams have taken similar routes. Both teams struggled, appearing like they might fall out of the playoff race, before rising from ashes to assert themselves as actual contenders in the Eastern Conference.

The Hawks are the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference with a 27-19 record, the Wizards are hot on their heels as the 5th seed. The Hawks have done it with defense, while the Wizards have done it with a high-scoring offense.

After falling to 7-13 on Dec. 6, the Wizards have turned things around. Since then they’ve gone 18-7 to compile a 25-20 record. They’re particularly dominant at home, posting a 19-6 record at Verizon Center.

They’ve gone from laughingstock of the Eastern Conference to fighting for home-court in the first round of the playoffs in less than two months. Scott Brooks and his team seem to have figured things out.

John Wall looks like an MVP candidate (if Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Kevin Durant didn’t exist) and the rest of the pieces are falling into place. The Wizards are good, and Atlanta will have their hands full trying to beat them tonight.