The Atlanta Hawks have potentially been done a favor by the Wizards
While the Atlanta Hawks are yet to qualify for the second round of the playoffs. For this matter, so are the Philadelphia 76ers. Both series have a 3-1 record but they have been achieved in two totally separate ways.
The Hawks went into Madison Square Gardens as the underdog and took the first game of the series. They have then kept the games according to home-court, losing the second game before taking the two games at State Farm Arena.
The Philadelphia 76ers took both their home games to start their series. They then took the first game on the Wizards’ home court, thanks to their superior play and the crucial injuries suffered by the Wizards. Then came the fourth game of the series which the Wizards won.
How the Atlanta Hawks benefitted from the play of the Washington Wizards.
The Hawks are pretty likely to get through to the next round of the playoffs. Teams that hold a 3-1 lead get through 95 percent of the time. Unless the Knicks turn into the 2018 Golden State Warriors, they are unlikely to win the next three games.
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This means that the Hawks are potentially one or two games away from getting through to the second round. If the 76ers had swept the Wizards this round then they would have had several days more rest and practice time to prepare for the Hawks.
Now the 76ers are going to have to take the series back home for at least one more game. This evens up the next round a little bit, should the Hawks are 76ers make it. Joel Embiid went down during the last game and did not return due to a knee injury.
He was driving towards the hoop and was denied by Robin Lopez at the rim before falling awkwardly. The 76ers did not look like the same team when he went down and this is a scary proposition for the No. 1 seed.
If the best player on the team does not return during a playoff game the injury must be serious. This is not a good thing for the 76ers, but if he misses a couple of games then they have to work out how to get through the Wizards series without him.
Next. How Trae Young will be crucial these playoffs. dark
If the Hawks can continue to dominate the Knicks, then they will hopefully get some rest to take on the best team in the East next series, should they make it.