The Atlanta Hawks Must Win Game 4 Tomorrow

As tough as yesterday’s heartbreaking loss was thanks to Paul Pierce, the Atlanta Hawks didn’t have to win Game 3 of their series with the Washington Wizards. The Hawks just had to take one of two in the Verizon Center this weekend. But now that Game 3 is in the past, the Atlanta Hawks have to win Game 4 tomorrow night in DC, no exceptions whatsoever.

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It’s imperative that the Atlanta Hawks take back control of home court by winning a road playoff game tomorrow night. If the Hawks were to steal Game 4 in Washington, Atlanta benefits from being the higher seed as Game 5 and potentially Game 7 would be at Philips Arena. While it seems that panic is in the air in the Peach State, Atlanta should have had no shot in winning Game 3 after three highly disappointing quarters. The bench came up huge in the fourth and nearly took the Hawks to victory. If the Hawks’ rotational guys play even close to their fourth quarter output, I like Atlanta’s chances to bring the series back home tied at two apiece.

What I think that we are all finding out is that the game of basketball changes in the playoffs. The game slows down, isolation takes over, and bench depth is less important. Mike Budenholzer is an excellent coach but how the game plays out in the postseason conflicts with how the Hawks got the top seed in the first place. While I have liked the defensive intensity in most games of the playoffs, the perimeter game has been an issue on both ends of the floor. Brooklyn and now Washington are thriving beyond the arc against the Hawks’ depleted wing defense. And unless Kyle Korver or DeMarre Carroll are shooting lights-out from three, the outside shots just aren’t falling. While Atlanta fell in love with the Atlanta Hawks’ perimeter game this season, their play in the paint during this series has me very concerned.

Atlanta is fortunate that Game 4 begins at 7PM ET, as the Hawks have struggled all year to play competent basketball with early starts. It is painfully obvious with our big men who look asleep until the clock strikes seven. Are the Hawks nocturnal or on Aleutian Time? Marcin Gortat and Nene are good big men in the Association but they should not continue to have their way with the Atlanta Hawks frontcourt. I understand that Pero had to start for Millsap because Paul had the flu, but where was the anger from Al Horford?

Yesterday was a game that Al Horford needed to step up and he did not. Al and Jeff Teague need to get back to their pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop sets to draw Gortat and Nene out of the paint. Washington is not a team of destiny now that John Wall is out seeming indefinitely. Honestly, the Hawks aren’t anymore either. But the opportunity to advance to the Eastern Finals for the first time is very much within reach. How badly do you want it, Hawks? Philips Arena will give you a boost in Games 5 and 7, but you have to play focused in Game 4 tomorrow night. Your magical season very much comes down to how well y’all play in Game 4. I still believe. Let’s Go Hawks!

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