Hawks down shorthanded Mavs 104-87

On the rear end of a back to back, the Dallas Mavericks were missing numerous key players. Guard Rajon Rondo sat due to suspension (conduct detrimental to the team), SF Chandler Parsons sat out yet again due to his ankle, Back up big man Amar'e Stoudemire had a scheduled rest day, and starting center Tyson Chandler sat due to a hip contusion. The depleted and worn out Mavericks, who have played five games in the last seven nights, started off stronger than most, even I, expected. Especially against the Eastern Conference leading Atlanta Hawks. Dallas took a 53-47 lead going into the half, but the Hawks had different plans in the second, and quickly created separation in the 4th quarter to take the win 104-87

Turnovers killed the Mavericks tonight yet again, and they were lucky the Toronto Raptors were just as careless Tuesday night, The Hawks would not make the same mistake and that ultimately did the Mavs in in the 3rd quarter.

Dirk Nowitzki had a game to forget in regards to scoring, only coming up with 4 points to go along with his 5 rebounds and 4 assists, Kyle Korver shot 50% from the field and tallied 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 block shots in the winning effort, Korver, Paul Milsap, and Dennis Schroder were the Mavericks kryptonite tonight, combing for 48 points.

Let's hope Rondo and Dick Carlisle can get along come Saturday. This team doesn't need any sort of distractions as it enters the final sprint to the playoffs in a Western Conference where you can drop from the 4th seed to the 7th seed just by losing a single game.

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Ascension: Atlanta Hawks

                               

When someone says the Atlanta Hawks what does one think of? Just 3 Months earlier one's answer might have been completely different. Or maybe its still the same. The mantra of the Hawks for almost a decade now has been a team who can win in the regular season but not pose a threat in the post-season.  There could be many reasons as to why the Hawks couldn't get over the hump in past seasons. One could be facing the "Big 4" of the Celtics in the first round in 2008. Could it be facing King James in 2009 and the NBA MVP Derrick Rose in 2011?  The truth is the Hawks just weren't good enough.

Coming into this season many people had the Hawks as a Lower seed in the playoffs or maybe not in it at all. They had a relatively quiet Off Season by NBA means. The Players the Hawks picked up plugged some holes. One great signing has been Guard/Forward Kent Bazemore who is a great wing player who can guard the Point guard through SF position. He's a 6'5 player with a 6'11 wing span and has a non-stop motor. Another signing for the Hawks was previous Starting Shooting Guard Thabo Sefolosha. One of the best wing defenders in the league, Sefolosha helps out an area where the Hawks struggled last year.

The signings were key for the team's success for this season, but I bet you're wondering why the Hawks starting 5 is having so much success. The main thing is ball movement. The ball is always moving in this offense and the system has the right players. The head of the show is All-Star PG Jeff Teague. One of the quickest players in the league with great vision, Teague has put it all together this season as he's improved in every major category. Improving on defense was another goal Teague worked on during the off season and has became a very pesky player on that end.  One beneficiary of Teague passes is Kyle Korver who was also named an All Star.  Korver is not only having his best season but he's having one of the best shooting seasons of all time.  Currently he's on pace to accomplish the first 50-50-90 (50% FG, 50% 3P, 90% FT) in NBA history.

The biggest key to the Hawks however has been getting big man Al Horford back from a pectoral injury that sidelined him for the last four months of the 2013-2014 campaign including the playoffs. With Horford and his Front Court mate Paul Millsap playing at all-star form the Hawks should be a scary team to face in the Playoffs. The one player I didn't mention was the Hawks SF Demaree Carroll who is the grit of the starting unit. He's a player that will do anything to get a W.  It's a reason  he's called the "Junkyard Dog. Carroll rounds out the core who has guided the team to their highest win total at the all star break in franchise history.

So when someone says the Atlanta Hawks what do you think? You don't have to answer now because there's plenty of games that are left to be played, but take a moment to realize the history this team is making due to a 19 game winning streak which included a 17-0 record for January.  The January success of the franchise led to the entire starting five being named the NBA's Players of the Month, a first in the history of the honor.  With that being said the real focus with the Hawks will be on how they perform in the post-season.

Postseason.......Postseason is a touchy word in Atlanta. Hearing that around here can give you a few reactions. Maybe laughter, Possibly anger, or you might hear despair in the voices of the Atlanta fans. The last major sports championship for the city was won by the Atlanta Braves in 1995. The Hawks however have never won a ring since they relocated from St. Louis in 1968. This team is bringing hope back to this city, and with that hope they also bring a certain buzz. More and more people are talking about the team. A championship to this city will mean so much. This city has suffered through so many bad teams and bad years and Atlantans deserve that championship feeling.  If the Hawks reach the pinnacle they will have the entire city celebrating with them, reveling in and sharing the moment. 

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Hawks Soar And Bulls Remain a Mystery

If you are looking for a surprise team in the NBA's Eastern Conference, look no further than the Atlanta Hawks, who have the best record at 43-10 just before the All-Star Break.

The Hawks have been tearing it up, beating the best in the West, as well as foes in the East.  Recently, Atlanta defeated the Golden State Warriors, in a matchup of the top two teams in the League.  Monday night they defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves with strong games from Al Horford and Paul Millsap.  Horford scored 28 points, his best this season.  Millsap scored 19 points and had 9 rebounds.  DeMarre Carroll had 26 points, his career high.  Kyle Korver had 4 three-pointers for 12 points.

Coach Mike Budenholzer has virtually wrapped up Coach of the Year Honors making the Hawks a team to take seriously in the playoffs.

The Chicago Bulls, at 32-20, were being spoke of as a top contender in the Eastern Conference, 2 to 3 weeks into the season. But Cleveland has weathered some storms, mainly the season ending injury to Andrew Varejo, their Center.  The Cavs acquired Timofey Mozgov, a big man who has filled in admirably.

Since obtaining Imman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, and Mozgov, the Cavs have climbed back in the Central Division race, trailing the Bulls by a half game.

Chicago has been up and down the last 20 games since F Mike Dunleavy injured his ankle.  Dunleavy could be counted on providing solid numbers on offense and his defense had improved while he did play.  Other Bulls have been out as well for a few games, to more than a handful.  Taj Gibson sprained his ankle. Derrick Rose had various minor injuries, and Joakim Noah, missed games as well.  Still the Bulls have competed. But they've lost to teams that could have defeated, while beating Portland and Houston at home.  Their home record of 13-11 is not that of a title contender.  The team knows this. But can they find another gear in the final two months?

In their matchup against the Cavs, the Bulls have not fared well. Lebron and company have their number. The Bulls defense looks stretched thin against James, Kyrie Irving, and now, an improving Kevin Love.

Is it too much to expect more from Derrick Rose?  He hasn't played this many games in over two years. Can Gasol, having one of this best seasons in his long career, play well with Noah on defense?  Can Dunleavy return healthy to the starting lineup?  The Bulls have been weaker on defense this season while the offense has been fairly effective. Chicago has had off-shooting nights and when you don't shoot well, you don't look good.

However, after the All-Star break, the pressure will be on Chicago to live up to pre-season predictions.

Strap on your seat belts, the stretch run is about to begin.

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Hawks Show Why They Are on Fire in Chicago

The Atlanta Hawks, winners of 12 straight are red-hot.  At 33-8 they are the surprise team in the NBA.  Their road record is a scorching 17-5 and it was reflected against the Chicago Bulls, as they did all the right things in beating the home team, 107-99.

The Bulls got off to a slow start in the first quarter and it hurt them.  Atlanta led 24-16, and that was essentially the margin of defeat, 8 points. "They got us in the first quarter and we were chasing them the whole game," said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau.

Kyle Korver, a former Bull, torched his old team, hitting 7 treys, and finished with 24 points. He moved off screens, was covered, and then found an opening, and boom, hit a trey.  Al Horford, the center, was a force down low and added 22 points and 9 rebounds. Jeff Teague, the Hawks' smart and shifty guard, scored 17 and had 11 assists.  Paul Millsap had 16 points for the Hawks. Atlanta doesn't have a D-Wade or Tim Duncan. What they do have is a team that is playing on all cylinders and taking on all comers.

Atlanta showed Chicago what a very good team looks like and the Bulls are not there, yet. Chicago's home record is a disappointing 12-10. The Bulls had a hot spell, but have cooled off and now, an excellent team comes in and it's touch and go.  Chicago played Atlanta even for the rest of the game, but that wasn't enough.  "Right now, our margin of error is so small," Thibodeau noted.

Players worked hard. Taj Gibson logged almost 42 minutes. In part due to the absence of Joakim Noah, who is out with a sore ankle. It doesn't look like Noah is coming back immediately.  So, the Bulls, who face Cleveland next, will have their hands full.

Derrick Rose started 0-4 from the floor and shot only 8-22, hitting for 23 points. He nearly had a triple double in dishing out 10 dimes, and grabbing 8 boards. Pau Gasol, another workhorse, had 22 points and 15 boards. Jimmy Butler played 38 minutes and scored 15.  Aaron Brooks, who plays a bit like Teague, scored 13 points for the Bulls.

Atlanta had fewer turnovers than the home-team Bulls, who had 13 errors.

In his post-game press conference, Thibobeau, ever the stalwart coach, said, "Cleveland's next." Noting that the team just had to play with more effort and smarter defense. The Bulls need to tighten their defense. That is asking a lot with Noah, the league's reigning Defensive Player of the Year out of action.

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Bulls Fall To a Hot Atlanta Team, 93-86, On Road

In the second game of a back to back, one doesn't want to face a good team. The Chicago Bulls did just that in playing the Atlanta Hawks, with a 17-7 league record.

The Bulls fell on the road in a contested game, with an injured Joakim Noah sitting on the bench looking like he'd rather be on the court, 93-86.

Atlanta, one of the surprises this season, is putting it together.  They are opportunistic, look for the open man, and have decent team speed. They also have Kyle Korver, one of the most accurate 3 point specialists in NBA History.  He was 4-8 from beyond the arc. The Hawks know how to spread the court and Chicago had a problem defending that.  Al Horford scored 21 for Atlanta while Jimmy Butler led the Bulls with 22 points.

The front court of Pau Gasol and Taj Gibson played very well.  Each having a double-double.  Gasol scored 13 with 12 rebounds, and Gibson had an excellent game with 15 points and 17 rebounds.

Atlanta did not let Rose move to the hoop and he was forced to shoot longer shots. He had 14 points
Mike Dunleavy, the fifth starter had 11 points.

"Give them credit." said coach Tom Thibodeau. He wasn't displeased with the team's effort. They had 57 rebounds in the game. They didn't shoot the ball well,  37.6% from the floor.  However, "Thibs" loved Butler's effort. "You can't say enough about him," he said. (He's) having an All-Star season."

Noah is nursing a sore ankle and hopefully will be back on the court soon.

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With the Eastern Conference wide open, don't sleep on the Atlanta Hawks

In a matter of a few weeks, the landscape of the Eastern Conference has dramatically shifted from being a two horse race between the Heat and Pacers to a wide open derby with as much as seven contenders. Of course, this is primarily due to LeBron James' decision to head back to Cleveland to join the Cavaliers, but other factors such as Lance Stephenson going to the Hornets and Pau Gasol going to the Bulls have also contributed to this shift. While everybody is all abuzz about the Cavaliers, Bulls, Wizards, and Hornets, nobody is paying one iota of attention to the Atlanta Hawks and the potential they have to make a run for the Eastern Conference crown.

The reason why they aren't getting any attention is equally obvious as it is incoherent: They haven't added any major free agents to their team this summer. What makes this incoherent is that their star center Al Horford missed almost the entire season with a torn pectoral muscle, and yet they found themselves taking the #1 seeded Indiana Pacers to a Game 7 in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.  

                                          (credit: soaringsouth.com)

With Al Horford now healthy, the Hawks will finally be able to see how much damage they can do with a frontcourt that features Al Horford and Paul Millsap, two guys who are both all-stars. In my opinion, the damage that they can do is severe enough to come out of the Eastern Conference and stun everybody who follows the NBA. 

Before he went down with his pectoral injury last season, Al Horford was having the best season of his career, averaging 18.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per contest. As for Paul Millsap, what earned him all-star honors was his season average of 17.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. Those aren't numbers to ignore in today's NBA, especially for big men. With Pacers center Roy Hibbert going all coo coo in the head, the door is now open for the Hawks to have the best front court in the Eastern Conference even with the Bulls having Joakim Noah and the Cavaliers potentially landing Kevin Love.

In addition to their fantastic frontcourt which also features the very dangerous stretch-big man Pero Antic, the Hawks have a very dangerous backcourt which features Jeff Teague and also Thabo Sefolosha who they signed this summer in free agency. Like Horford and Millsap, Teague has gotten better every season with this past season being his best, averaging 16.5 points, 6.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. 

Teague is not only a playmaker offensively, but he is also a playmaker defensively. By adding Thabo Sefolosha to their backcourt, the Hawks now have a very dangerous defensive team on the perimeter that can give the best backcourts in the NBA serious trouble. In addition, the Hawks also have Kyle Korver knocking down threes at the small forward position, which makes up for Sefolosha's lack of offense. 

As for the role players on the Hawks, I like the pieces that their head coach Mike Budenholzer has to work with. Kent Bazemore, who had a breakout season of sorts with the Lakers last season should be able to provide scoring off the bench, DeMarre Carrol is effective at providing energy and hustle, and Dennis Schroeder is looking like he may become a quality backup point guard. Plus, both rookie Adreian Payne and veteran Gustavo Ayon should be able to provide quality relief in the paint for Al Horford and Paul Millsap. 

The only knock on the Hawks is that they don't have a big name player who will put them on ESPN and TNT every week. They will once again fly under the radar as a result, but don't allow that to make you forget that Hawks still exist as a viable contender in the East. They can beat you in the paint and on the perimeter and they also have quality role players. In addition, they learned that without Al Hoford they can still make some noise in the playoffs. Now that they are getting Horford back, I don't see any reason to think that they can't run the table and come out of the East. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

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Atlanta Hawks 2013-14 Team Review

No one could have imagined that on May 1st of the year 2014 that the Atlanta Hawks would be only 48 minutes away from defeating the number one seed in the Eastern Conference, the Indiana Pacers.  The Hawks had seemingly taken control of the series and the Pacers were reeling, fighting alongside of one another on the court while battling each other off of the court.  The Hawks would eventually falter in game 6 and eventually return to normalcy during game 7 as the Pacers moved on to the second round.  Despite the undesired result, the Hawks had served notice to the entire league as they were not going to be an easy out.

First year head coach Mike Budenholzer further moved the franchise away from the days of "Iso Joe" made famous by Mike Woodson and continued with Larry Drew.  Having served under Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs, Budenholzer brought a free flowing offense to the Hawks where the ball simply doesn't "stick".  Budenholzer was the right fit for the franchise who at the time was fighting for an identity.  Now dubbed as the "Spurs of the East" Atlanta has become a somewhat enticing situations for free agents.

During the regular season they amassed a record of 38 wins and 44 losses which in seasons past wouldn't result in a playoff berth.  Adding to the equation that they were without "franchise" Al Horford for three fourths of the season makes their result much more impressive.  With that being said the absence of Horford allowed G Jeff Teague to continue his stellar play and ascend to new heights as there was no doubt to who was the most important player for the Hawks last season.  Teague averaged a career high 16.5 points per game and added 6.7 assists.  Not fazed by "the moment", Teague raised his scoring output to 19.3 points per game during the playoffs.

Off-season addition Paul Milsap was stellar for the Hawks he was one of the best off-season acquisitions (2 years, $19 million).  Millsap averaged 17.9 points (career high) and 8.5 rebounds per game.  His stellar season was validated when he was named to the 2014 NBA All-Star Game as a reserve for the Eastern Conference.  Millsap's first season with the Hawks also included his first ever triple double which came against the Toronto Raptors.  The overtime win saw the Hawks saw Millsap finish with 19 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.

As currently constructed the Hawks have a young nucleus and tons of cap space but as far as immediate needs are concerned they need a solid small forward that can stretch the floor and engage in perimeter defense.  A name that comes to mind here is Trevor Ariza who will be an unrestricted free agent.  More known for his defensive capabilities, Ariza can be an explosive offensive threat.  Last season for the Washington Wizards, Ariza averaged 14.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.  Franchises such as the Los Angeles Lakers will allow try to lure Ariza away from the Nation's Capital but the Hawks will allow Ariza the chance to have more offensive freedom than he has in Washington or would have in Los Angeles.

Another name that has come up as a possible target for the Hawks is Luol Deng who is currently vacationing in Europe.  Deng split last season between the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers and while Deng is older than Ariza by a few months, he's still just as capable.  For his career Deng has averaged 16 points and 6.3 rebounds per game and is seeking between $10-12 million in free agency.  The Hawks have potentially freed extra cap space by recently trading G Lou Williams to the Toronto Raptors in an attempt to draw a big name.

The Atlanta Hawks are definitely a team on the rise in the weak eastern conference and they will benefit greatly from the return of Al Horford and the continued emergence of Jeff Teague.  Should they acquire either Trevor Ariza or Luol Deng, the Spurs of the East will be a team on the rise and should threaten to to enter the second round of the playoffs next season and possibly even further in the near future.

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Prospect Examination: Tyler Ennis

"I'd like to thank Coach [Jim] Boeheim, the coaching staff, my teammates and the amazing fans of Syracuse for the opportunity to play at a great university like Syracuse," Ennis said in a statement as he declared for the draft. "I feel this experience has helped prepare me to fulfill my lifelong dream – to play in the NBA."

Tyler Ennis entered this years college basketball season as a nobody since he's wasn't talked about in comparison to the other freshmen. At the start of the season Ennis wasn't thought of as a potential lottery pick and as he improved throughout the season it became more obvious to the oblivious that he would declare for the NBA Draft after his strong but surprising freshmen season ended. The Canadian product wasn't known or hyped up coming out of High School and didn't receive great ranks from respected High School athlete ranking sites (I.e. scouts.com, maxpreps.com, 247sports.com and rivals.com). Actually 247 Sports had him as a five-star athlete. But his high school rankings mean nothing now as he was clutch this season showing calmness in the court the entire 40 minutes.

This season with the Syracuse Orange he was a semi-finalist for the Naismith College Player of the Year and was named to the Second Team All-ACC (2014), All-ACC Freshmen Team (2014), All-ACC Defensive Team (2014). In 34 games he averaged 12.9 points, 5.5 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 2.1 steals, 41.1% (FG%), 35.3% (3P%) and 76.5% (FT%) in 35.7 minutes.

Ennis is expected to be a mid-late first rounder as he is believed to have more weaknesses than strengths, he is believed to be the third-best Point Guard in this years crop behind Dante Exum (Australia) and Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State). 

"If you were to ask me right now whether I'd take Ennis over Kyrie Irving, I think it's Ennis," an NBA GM said. "He does all the things that help a basketball team win basketball games. You can pick him apart on individual flaws, but I would take this kid right now and trust him to run my team. I think there's very few freshmen you could ever say that about."

Watching Ennis throughout the season it can be seen that he is very mature as a 19-year old and with that maturity he was given a bigger role and opportunity by long time Syracuse Head Coach, Jim Boeheim. Boeheim doesn't show if any admiration for freshmen but to him Ennis is different.

"Tyler, for us, he’s so valuable," Boeheim said on Ennis' importance. "He plays 40 minutes in the [ACC games]. We can’t win a game without him. Literally. If you talk about the best pro prospect (in the ACC), it’s Jabari Parker, but who’s the most valuable to his team? We don’t have a point guard, I don’t know where we would be without Tyler Ennis."

Scouts are impressed with Ennis' poise when he plays the game and it's obvious that he has a feel for the game that some players are missing which sets him apart from his other with a tremendous IQ and smooth operator like attitude. He has great handles as he only averaged 1.7 turnovers per game. On the court he has showcased leadership and great communication skills as he got his teammates into the right spots on the floor to make the offense flow like a waterfall which was a main reason as to why Syracuse started the season 25-0. Ennis will attempt to follow in the footsteps of former Orangemen guards Michael Carter-Williams and Dion Waiters into the NBA but the question is, Where will he get drafted? Most if not all NBA teams have a franchise Point Guard at this point in time and Ennis isn't good enough to become a franchise player but will be a backup in this golden age of Point Guards, the acculturation of the position is tremendous and it will be interesting to see how Ennis adjusts. 

Ennis' pick-and-roll game will translate perfectly to the NBA if he is teamed up with a good finishing big-man. If you compare Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and Jrue Holiday to their respective college careers you would notice a difference in their points averaged from college to the NBA. The reason for that difference is because most colleges especially big schools have a offense they they refuse to change regardless of the players and players from smaller schools as in Damian Lillard and Jimmer Fredette who had to be scorers for their respective schools. 

Ennis is a mixture a pass-first guard and a scoring-guard; typically he's a traditional Point Guard in the first half but in the second half he's what most of this generations point guards do and that is score and if needed he will takeover. Some believe he's to unselfish, but there's no such thing of that at the point guard position since his job is to do what's best for the team and go with what  the defense gives him. He's an All-Around great Point Guard as he averaged a 3.24 to 1 assist-to-turnover ratio along with having a 5.38 Pure Point Rating which was good enough for 18th in the nation. 

When in the NBA he'll need to improve his jumpshot as it is very inconsistent. This past season he averaged 4.4 made shots per game on 10.6 attempts. As the season progressed Ennis gained more confidence to take that shot and would sometimes catch fire with it when his defender least expected it; sometimes on the fast-break when you think he's going to do something else he pulls-up for the shot, his shot wasn't as deadly as his driving ability to the rim. When needed he can score in bunches in a variety of ways if it's with hit shot, driving ability, runners, floaters etc.

At 6'2" and 180-pounds he isn't the biggest defender on the court and his lack of mass is quite evident. Despite his lack of size, he did average 2.1 steals, 3.9 steal percentage and 2.2 defensive win shares all show how IQ on that side of the court but he doesn't have the potential to become a good defender and could just be average on that end; possibly a liability. 

"I think he’s a great college player," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. "I think physically he probably could’ve used another year. A little bit different than Dion Waiters who I had a couple of years ago who left. I think Dion was physically better, more physically ready."

When in the NBA Ennis' might not be selected to the All-Star team but will be a solid contributor to any team he's on. He contains things not can't be taught but only born with. As a team leader he brings positivity to the court as he never seems down in any situation and seems very positive. It'll be great to see how he performs during the combine and pre-draft workouts.

"He’s a tremendous player and a very, very smart point guard," Jim Boeheim said. "And I think the one thing I think is point guard is probably the hardest position to break into in the NBA, it’s a very difficult position, but he’s got the skill set to do that. It’s just a question of him landing in the right place."

NBA Comparisons: Chauncey Billups, Ray McCallum, George Hill, Austin Rivers

Best fits: Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks & Toronto Raptors.

Twitter: @NBAFLASHNEWS

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Paul George's Home Burglarized During Game 5 Loss

As if life wasn't tough enough on Paul George right now. After coming out blazing the first half of this season, George has taken a major decline since the NBA's All-Star Break. As if the Hawks' sound 107-97 thumping of the Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse (sending the Pacers down 2-3 and on the brink of elimination) wasn't enough, he arrived to his Indianapolis home to find a troubling surprise. 

According to police reports, George's home was broken into between 7:15 pm and 11:45 pm, and over $16,000 worth of items were stolen. Among them were his platinum 2014 NBA All-Star ring(valued at around $15,000 with multiple diamonds), a $700 "Flex" watch, a pair of red Jordan 4 "Toros" valued at $170, and $20 in cash were all missing. According to the report, there was no sign of forced entry at the home and the alarm system was not set. George's parents had been at the house that night and alerted authorities around midnight that they had discovered the burglary. They also told police they had not locked the home because they did not have a key to get back inside.

This downward spiral for George has been sad to watch. With all the media attention he's been getting from the Pacers' poor play, his own struggles, fights in the locker room and the cat fishing incident, this is definitely to last thing he expected to happen with his team pushed to the brink. Thursday night is a big night not only for George, but for the entire Pacers team and organization. Coming into the postseason as the #1 seed, expectations were high, Now, instead of easily advancing to the next round, they will be fighting for their season against a team playing with extremely high confidence. Indiana is in the danger zone, and George must not let this affect his mindset or play heading into the Highlight Factory. Game 6 will be Thursday, 7:00 PM ET on NBA TV.

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What we've learned from the 1st-round of the NBA Playoffs

The NBA regular season is entertaining due to seeing all 30 teams put out their best effort day-in and day-out. With that being said during the 2014 NBA Playoffs we've begun to learn that the regular season isn't as important as we first thought. In hindsight, teams aren't as formidable and players are gaining respect on a national level. Class is in session and we've learned a lot about multiple teams and players through week one of the postseason.

Predicable?

For years we've heard people call the NBA playoffs predictable because traditionally the higher seed would decimate the lower seed and it's always easy to have an idea of which franchise will be holding the Larry O'Brien Trophy late into June. The thoughts of predictability led viewers to prefer the NCAA Tournament, NHL Playoffs and NFL Playoffs as they aren't predictable.

Surprisingly, the 2014 NBA Playoffs have been far from predictable with multiple games ending in over times, 4-point plays that make you rub your eyes asking yourself “Did he just do that?”, star performances and more. What no one predicted or saw coming was road teams winning 9 of the first 16 games with two sweeping the first two games on the road (Washington & Portland). Also it's the first time in NBA history road teams are 9-7 through the first two games of the postseason.

Superstar players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Chris Paul are expected to put up insane stats but it has yet to happen however Portland Trail Blazers All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge is averaging 44.5 PPG and 13.0 RPG on the road. No one expected him of all people to breakout this early in the playoffs — his 89 points through two games the most since Allen Iverson's 90 points through two games in the '01 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. It took eight years but Aldridge has finally received a invitation to join the "elite players" group which wasn't expected. 

Regular Season Impact: 

San Antonio Spurs Head coach Gregg Popovich won the Coach of the Year Award after leading his team to a regular season best 62-20 record.  It's Popovich's third time winning the award joining Pat Riley and Don Nelson as the only coaches to receive the prestigious award that amount of times.

Now it's great for Popovich to win the award, it shows that more coaches can regularly rest their players during the regular season as he did in San Antonio with not one player playing 30 minutes per game. Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra did pick-up Popovich's method and rested his "Big-3" throughout certain points of the season. Popovich winning C.O.Y is going to promote more teams to rest their key players throughout the regular season and looking at it from a fans perspective, it's going to suck seeing million dollar sitting on the bench healthy, especially if your a season ticket holder.

The consistent winning of the road team is a NBA record and raises the question, Why compete during the regular season? The 2014-2015 NBA Season could be in jeopardy because teams like the Indiana Pacers put in max effort for 82-games to secure homecourt throughout the East section of the playoffs just to lose in Game 1 to the only playoff team with a losing record which was the Atlanta Hawks.

Early Collapse?

Ever hear the song "Started from the Bottom" by Drake? Yea well a few teams have started at the bottom and are staying because their whole team isn't there. The Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers have been exposed for their weaknesses which could lead to their demise.

The Chicago Bulls entering the playoffs were thought of as "The team you don't want to face" but right now with the way they are playing against Washington Wizards, that assumption by many has become invalid. Chicago is known for their great defense and were thought by many to be able to put the clamps on the Wiz's offense. Bill Russell said is best, "It's all about getting buckets" and the Bulls can't do that. It doesn't matter how good your defense is, if you can't put the ball in the hole then expect to be bathing in the sun early. No disrespect to D.J. Augustin and Kirk Hinrich, but they should not be your leading scorers through two games in the NBA Playoffs. Along with their lack of offense, Chicago has been exposed for their lack of depth as their starters are over played; most notably Jimmy Butler who played all 53 minutes in Game 2 and has only had a 4:54 minute break through two games.

You've heard the cliche "If it ain't broke don't fix it", but apparently Kevin Pritchard and Larry Bird saw a mistake in something perfectly good. When long-time Pacer Danny Granger was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers it made us say two of the Ws "what and why" because it was a shock as Evan Turner came to town. Andrew Bynum came to town also and fast forward to today and the championship hopes in Indiana are becoming as slim as the Charlotte Bobcats' chances to eliminate the Miami Heat. The panic button for the Pacers should've been hit repeatedly because now they have problems with Evan Turner and Lance Stephenson reportedly getting into a scuffle, Roy Hibbert doing his best Kwame Brown impersonation, Andrew Bynum having knees worse then a 80-year old and Paul George's off the court issues.

The Houston Rockets were chosen by many as championship contenders with the pairing of Dwight Howard and James Harden as they were thought of the second coming of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. While they might achieve something close to Shaq and Kobe, both Howard and Harden have issues they need to resolve. Harden is struggling through two games as his shooting woes have led him to 29.8% shooting and 26.3% from the 3-point line but as for his sidekick Dwight Howard, well he's been dominate averaging 29.5 points, 14.5 rebounds and 4.0 rebounds through two games. You'd think with Howard making a mockery of his opposition that Houston would lead or at least tie the series, but Harden's insufficient shooting is the reason why the Rockets have a huge problem being down 0-2. Houston should not be running their offense inside-out because it's hindering the success of others. Also worth noting is that Harden's temper is as thin as Mohawk when he verbally attacked a reporter after Game 2.

Since 2011 we've talked about Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Their relationship reminds me of a married couple that has so many flaws but for someone they stay together. Both are great players at their respective positions but they will not a championship by living outside the paint. Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal have said it the best, "You don't live by the jumper you die by the jumper" and right Westbrook is digging OKC's grave next to other teams that thought they could win a ring by consistent shooting. In Game 2 Westbrook and Durant combined for 56 shot attempts (28 a piece). Now Durant can take 28-shots but Westbrook can't and that might seem like a double-standard but it's true. Durant is a 4x scoring champ and likely MVP for a reason and Westbrook is just a sidekick with great athletic ability. OKC may go far but they won't win it all unless Westbrook learns that his hand isn't always hot.

Show some respect:

Respect is earned not given and Al Jefferson has earned it rightfully from us all. A few minutes into the Charlotte Bobcats' playoff game, Al Jefferson heard a pop in his foot and was diagnosed with plantar fascia. Plantar fascia is a painful injury according to those who have had it and "Big Al" Jefferson is a 7-foot burly man who is currently playing through it. Jefferson hopped his way up and down the court against Miami because he's determined to get Charlotte their first ever playoff win. The injury was so bad that Jefferson needed to take a injection to even walk but had the heart of a champion to keep fighting. 

Jefferson entered AmericanAirlines Arena the same way he left which was in a boot for Game 2. Before tip-off he needed to take another shot to play and did and just like in Game 1 he was hobbling up and down 94-feet. Jefferson has earned the respect from anyone following the series because he could easily be shutdown for the season with that injury but refuses to go down without a fight.

Wrap-up:    

In general we've seen a great start to the NBA playoffs with nothing turning out as many expected it to with teams becoming exposed for their weaknesses and collapsing at the wrong time. As we get deeper into the 1st-round their are just so many questions; Will the Chicago Bulls get swept by a young Wizards team? Will the Indiana Pacers have the biggest collapse in NBA history? And can Russell Westbrook realize that OKC won't a ring with him shooting 20+ shots? These are all feasible questions to think about as we progress to crowning a champion.

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Atlanta Hawks are showing that seeding is just a number

The Hawks-Pacers shifted to the Highlight Factory for Game 3; a venue where the Pacers would rather not visit due to only winning there two times since December of 2006. Entering tonight a Pacers win would add to the narrative of the rich getting richer but with the Hawks earning the victory the narrative of the Pacers was more like the worse growing even more worse and the collapse of the Indiana  pacers is a tale worth telling. Tonight the No. 8 seeded Hawks defeated the No. 1 seed Indiana Pacers 98-85 and Vogel said his team won't "quit" but have they mentally?

The game was the first aired tonight as it was featured on NBA TV.  One couldn't blame the NBA for airing the game there because it was something that would've put one to sleep through 4 quarters as both teams shot under 40% and a combined 27 turnovers.  The game did however pick up towards the end as guard Lou Williams hit a 3-pointer to close out the 3rd quarter to help the Hawks gain momentum into the most crucial quarter.  

But the shot of the game occurred when the shot-clock was winding and the ball was in Teague's hand.  He dribbled to the left (went out of bounds but wasn't called) went up and drained a 3-pointer over Pacers forward Luis Scola to increase the Hawks' lead to nine and caused the crowd to go berserk. After Teague made the incredible shot he jogged back on defense doing the "Jordan Shrug".

MVP: Jeff Teague controlled the game finishing with 22 points and 10 assists becoming the first Atlanta Hawk since Spud Webb back in 1986 to have a 20+ point and 10+ assist game.

Atlanta proved the doubters wrong......their Game 1 victory was no fluke and that they could come at the Pacers with all their might and they certainly did so.

All-Star forward Paul George and All-Star center Roy Hibbert combined for 5-20 shooting in game 3 combining for 16 points as their struggles were quite evident. The only player who showed up in the blue and gold was Lance Stephenson as he had a team-high 21 points and 13 rebounds.

Who said upsets only happen during March Madness? The Atlanta Hawks are three wins away from cementing their place in NBA history if they eliminate a No. 1 as the underdog

Game 4 is Saturday in Atlanta         

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Hawks Stun Pacers, Lead Series 1-0

We thought the Indiana Pacers had hit rock bottom. We thought their spirit was broken, as well as their will, and last night was a prime example of that. After barking all season long about home court advantage, it was put to the ultimate test last night. What started off as a screaming crowd, ended in a smattering of boos, as the 8th seeded Atlanta Hawks stormed into Bankers Life Fieldhouse and stole home court advantage from the NBA's Eastern Conference top seed with a sound thumping of the Pacers.

Atlanta finished the season 38-44, good enough for the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. Some debated whether or not they deserved a playoff spot, as the 48 win Phoenix Suns failed to clinch an 8th spot in the Western Conference. The Pacers, meanwhile, finished 56-26, which gave them the 1st seed and home court advantage throughout the eastern conference playoffs. What took place was shocking to some, to others not. Indiana has not lived up to the hype they placed upon themselves, as they hit the wall after the All Star break, and have not recovered since. Frank Vogel might be regretting that little "we're back" comment right now. Throughout the whole game, there was never a feeling of the Pacers taking control, even though at one point they held a 49-43 lead in the first half.  The Hawks responded at every turn, evening up the score at 50 at the half and would then proceed to blow this game open on Indy's home floor. Jeff Teague was phenomenal, scoring a playoff career high 28 points on 9-19 shooting, including an impressive 9-10 from the free throw line. Paul Millsap was also extremely impressive, scoring 25 points, dominating Hibbert and West down low and also hitting two three pointers, one of them a four point play. He added 8 rebounds and a block.

For Indiana, their offensive struggles continued. Paul George scored 24, but shot only 6-18 from the field, and 3-8 from three. Roy Hibbert struggled yet again, scoring only 8 points on 4-9 shooting most of which coming with the game well out of reach. He grabbed 8 boards, but also committed 5 fouls. David West was a no-show as well, shooting 4-10 from the floor and only scoring 8 points, and one confrontation with Pero Antic. Overall, the scary thought is Atlanta looked like the superior team yesterday, and Indiana is in big trouble if they lose Game 2, as if they weren't in enough trouble already. Time to back up all the talk, Indiana, or else you're going to enjoy a long offseason of criticism, mocking and fishing.

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NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference 1st Round Preview

Indiana Pacers (1) vs Atlanta Hawks (8)

The Pacers spent much of this season at the top of the Eastern conference standings, but a slump in performances over the last month or so saw the Heat catch up and eventually take control of the top seed, only to hand it back to the Pacers. Paul George has been excellent once again this season, and is a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, but it is the continued improvement of Lance Stephenson that has been most impressive.

The Hawks have had problems of their own this season, having lost star center Al Horford to his second torn pectoral muscle in as many seasons, causing him have season ending surgery. Jeff Teague has been putting the team on his back in recent weeks, despite the Hawks continuing to fall down the standings. The Knicks almost caught up to Atlanta after a late surge, but a victory against Miami secured the Hawks place in the post-season.

Despite their recent slump, this series should be just what the Pacers need to get their form back on track. The Hawks may be able to cause them a few problems, and may even steal a game on their home court, as Indiana has not been great away from home, but other than that the Pacers should get through this match-up without too much trouble.

Winner: Pacers in 5.

Miami Heat (2) vs Charlotte Bobcats (7)

The Miami Heat have not been at their best for much of this season as the rigors of attempting to make the NBA Finals for the fourth straight season has started to take its toll. Despite this, they have still been able to comfortably secure second place in the Eastern Conference standings, challenging Indiana all the way for the top spot. The Heat has been resting Dwyane Wade for the second game of most back-to-backs to allow his ailing knees a chance to heal, which just makes Miami even more dangerous in the post season.

The Bobcats have been one of the surprise packages in the league this season. The stellar play of Al Jefferson has carried Charlotte into the playoffs, with his consistent double-double performances carrying the Bobcats up the standings. Back in September, Kemba Walker was quoted as saying he was “sick of losing” and his play this season has certainly shown that, as he has set career highs in rebounds and assists, helping the Bobcats to their first season over .500 in four seasons.

The Heat should have too much quality to beat the Bobcats without a lot of difficulty. Miami swept the season series 4-0, and although the Heat has always had trouble with forwards like Al Jefferson during the Big Three era, he will not be able to win the series, or indeed a game on his own against this team. The Bobcats are the only NBA franchise yet to win a playoff game, and I expect that to remain the same at the end of this series.

Winner: Heat in 4.

Toronto Raptors (3) vs Brooklyn Nets (6)

The Raptors have surprised a lot of people around the league with how well they have done this season, not only making the playoffs for the first time in six seasons, but winning the Atlantic Division for the first time since 2001 by way of a franchise record 48 wins. The trade of Rudy Gay in December allowed Toronto to change their approach on offense, from a team looking to isolate Gay into a pick and roll offense. This has seen the Raptors get the best out of their players, in particular DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, who are both having breakout seasons.

The Nets had a terrible start to the season, and it appeared as though, despite all the money they had spent in putting together a team capable of challenging for the title, they might not even make the playoffs. However, despite losing center Brook Lopez to a season-ending foot injury, the Nets have been one of the form teams in the league since the all-star break, which saw them fly up the standings and fall just short of gaining home court advantage in the first round.

If things had stayed as they were before the last day of the regular season, the Raptors would have been very happy, as it would have meant facing the Wizards in the first round. However, the Nets lost and the Wizards won their final games, meaning Toronto have arguably a more difficult match-up now. The Nets have a vast wealth of playoff experience, and will be ready to play physical basketball; they will need to be in order to slow the game down and keep up with the much younger and athletic Raptors. This will be a tricky test for Brooklyn, but one they should win.

Winner: Nets in 6.

Chicago Bulls (4) vs Washington Wizards (5)

The Bulls have once again shown resilience to make the playoffs despite losing former MVP Derrick Rose to yet another season ending knee injury. They have also had to deal with the trade of Luol Deng, one of their key contributors, while only getting Andrew Bynum, who was later released, and draft picks in return. Joakim Noah has been in inspired form throughout the season, and has been putting up numbers that have put him in the running for the Defensive Player of the Year award. DJ Augustin has also provided some much needed offense off the bench, leading the team in scoring at 14.9 points per game.

Washington has been pleasantly surprising this season, making the playoffs for the first time since 2008. John Wall has been healthy and playing excellently this season, averaging 19.4 points and 8.8 assists per game. With Bradley Beal alongside him, averaging 17 points per game, the young duo make one of the best backcourt pairings in the league. Forget about their frontcourt at your own peril, however, as Nene and Marcin Gortat will battle down low, while Trevor Ariza has proved he is more than capable of knocking down outside shots.

This is a match-up of a team all about offense against a team all about defense. However, the Wizards are going to have a tough time breaking down the impenetrable Chicago defense. With Noah and Gibson in particular locking down the paint, that will cut off a lot of the driving lanes that John Wall needs to be effective. This could lead to Washington having to settle for long range shots, and with a defender like Jimmy Butler on one of the Wizards’ better shooters in Bradley Beal, the Bulls should be able to nullify the opposition’s threats and win this series with relative ease, especially with the wealth of payoff experience they have over their youthful and inexperienced opponents.

Winner: Bulls in 5.

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