The Atlanta Hawks came off a three-game road swing where they would have hoped to come away with a winning record. This would have primed themselves for a playoff push in the last month of the season. Instead they managed to beat the Washington Wizards in a game that should have been one of the most crucial matchups of the season.
They then travelled to the Motor City taking on the Detroit Pistons who took them to overtime for the first time this season. The Hawks lost that game to the up and coming Pistons in a bit of a shock. Then in the last game of the roadtrip the Hawks took on the Milwaukee Bucks and they lost, partially due to John Collins having one of the worst games of his career.
Now, thanks to losing thise game, the Hawks are still facing pressure from behind as the Wizards are only 1.5 games back from the 10th seed. Now, both teams in the race for the final play-in spot have games against the Los Angeles teams and the Hawks need a Hollywood storyline to kick start their season again.
The Atlanta Hawks need a Hollywood ending to their season.
In the NBA is there a better way to start a Hollywood story than against a team from Los Angeles? I think not. The last time that the Hawks took on the LA Cliipers they were beaten by the relative no-name player, Amir Coffey from deep.
The Clippers have played without their two superstars for much of the season and they are still firmly entrenched in the play-in mix, sitting in the eighth seed in the Western Conference. The Hawks need to take the win against the Clippers in order to keep the Wizards at bay.
The other game involving a team from Los Angeles is the Wizards taking on the Los Angelees Lakers. There is a bit of backstory here as the Wizards traded Russell Westbrook for most of the Lakers future. Westbrook does not appear to be working out for the Lakers while Kyle Kuzma is balling out in the nations capital.
The Hawks need the Lakers to take care of the Wizards who are without their best player Bradley Beal and are also trying to incorporate the newly acquired Kristaps Porzingis into their rotation. If the results fall the way the Hawks want, then they will again have a 2.5 game advantage. If the Hollywood ending does not happen, the Wizards will be closer again in the standings.