The Atlanta Hawks catch a break with Bradley Beal out due to injury
The Atlanta Hawks can qualify directly for the playoffs if they beat the Washington Wizards in both games of their baseball series at State Farm Arena. The Hawks have not lost a game at home in the last seven, and keep this streak going has been made easier with Wizards superstar Bradley Beal being ruled out.
Beal suffered a hamstring injury in the overtime win against the Indiana Pacers, a game that knocks the Indiana franchise out of contention for direct qualification for the playoffs. Beal scored 50 points before having to go off with the injury. He was not able to play in the overtime period.
This leaves Russell Westbrook as the only superstar weapon for the Wizards to deploy against the Hawks. He is a pretty impressive weapon to have, leading the league in triple-doubles, assists, and being one of only nine players in the league to average more than 10.0 rebounds per game.
The Atlanta Hawks need to press this advantage.
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With the Charlotte Hornets losing against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Hawks now have the opportunity to slam the door on them potentially finishing higher than the Hawks. A win against the Wizards ensures the Hawks cannot fall below seventh in the standings.
However, with the Miami Heat beating the Boston Celtics, the Hawks need to win to keep them in sixth. The two franchises have the same record but the Hawks own the tiebreaker in this series. If the Hawks do not drop another game, they can finish no lower than fifth.
Another aspect of their need to win against the Wizards is they need to keep pressure on the New York Knicks. The Knicks had two heavy losses against the Phoenix Suns and the Denver Nuggets before getting a win against the LA Clippers. They still have some tough games to go so there is a good chance the Hawks will finish with a home seed.
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In a season where injuries have been so cruel to the Hawks, it is nice to see them catch a break. We do wish Beal a speedy recovery.