Atlanta Hawks: The playoff picture five games out.

The Atlanta Hawks are a step closer to a home record in the playoffs. In just one game they made sure they could finish no lower than ninth this season. The best bit was, the Hawks did it against the team with the best record in the NBA, the Phoenix Suns.

The Hawks have taken the past two games, the most recent against the Suns and the game before they beat one of the hottest teams in the NBA, the Portland Trail Blazers. These were going to be two of the toughest games which remained on their schedule and the Hawks ran away with both games.

It was helpful that the game against the Suns was the second night of a back-to-back where they played overtime the night before. It was also the last game of their three-game road trip. If there was ever a time to take on the Suns, this was the night. However, let’s take a look at the rest of the results, most of which almost all worked in favor of the Hawks.

The Atlanta Hawks could not have asked for much more.

The Washington Wizards played the Milwaukee Bucks, losing by a single point which means that they are now 6.5 games behind the Hawks. With only five games left on the schedule, the Hawks cannot fall into the tenth seed. The win for the Bucks also means the Hawks can no longer catch them for the third seed.

Likewise, the Indiana Pacers are now six games behind the Hawks and are in a state of disarray. They have the look of a team that is not listening to the voice of the coach. The recent loss against the Sacramento Kings showed this, particularly when a player to an assistant coach to sit back down, using stronger language than that.

With only six games left in the schedule, they are mathematically able to pass the Hawks but they have to win every game, including their next one which is against the Hawks who only have to win one more to make sure they can stay above the Pacers.