Hawks frustratingly fail to make statement they desperately needed to

Once April hits, every game matters for teams yet to clinch a playoff spot. The Atlanta Hawks are one of those teams. They've been stellar since February's All-Star break, but their early-year struggles dug them into a hole that's been difficult to climb out of. In the home stretch of the regular season, they've had to face several tough opponents, and the outcomes have been less than ideal.

Two golden opportunities for the Hawks to make an emphatic statement arose with timely matchups against the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers. Both contenders in the Eastern Conference, a win against either would suggest Atlanta belongs right there with them.

That didn't happen, leaving immense doubt in the team's trajectory

Losing two games in a row has almost become a foreign concept to this revamped Hawks squad, as it hadn't happened in months. That's a benefit of an easier schedule, no doubt, but they also beat up on some quality teams during that stretch. Rarely did they see that caliber of team two nights in a row, though.

This was new adversity, and it's going to pay dividends for them in the postseason. They're now battle-tested, and while regular season wins are certainly of high importance, it all comes down to how they can perform when the stakes are at their highest.

To their credit, each matchup was close. They didn't get blown out. They didn't back down after any intimidating run. This resilient Hawks squad fought to the finish in each of the two losses.

The game against Cleveland, in particular, would've likely been a win for Atlanta if it weren't for the outlier third-quarter performance. The Cavaliers won that frame 44-20, making the Hawks' comeback attempt extremely difficult. Even then, they brought it back within one just before Cleveland pulled away in the final minute.

If the Hawks learn from these matchups, they'll be just fine.

What now? Well, the Hawks have yet another golden opportunity to prove themselves. Fresh off of their two consecutive losses, they get a rematch with the Cavaliers, this time at home. After that, they'll conclude their regular season in Miami to take on the Heat.

The stakes are even higher now, leaving no doubt they'll be warmed up for whoever they're set to face in the postseason. If there's one thing this group can do, it's bounce back. Their ability to respond to adversity has defined the season, and they're going to have to keep it up in these final two games.

It's almost playoff time. Can't look back now.