This blog has moved! Yes, already!
As of Thursday, Feb. 12, this little blog has relocated to a new home on AJC.com. It’s the same newspaper, the same Web site and the same writer (feel free to groan) — there’s just a new URL.
New features: Bigger type, more graphics, comments that load 10 times faster and a larger and more recent photo that makes me look pretty doggone old. I think you’ll like it (the blog, not the photo). But I am, as we know too well, often wrong.
Home > Mark Bradley > Archives > 2008 > May > 01
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Do the Hawks believe in themselves?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Boston - We’re about to learn if, in their heart of hearts, the Hawks believe they can win this series. They didn’t play like it Wednesday night. They lost by 25 points and afterward Josh Smith said, “Other than giving up some offensive rebounds, this doesn’t disappoint me because we still played hard. We continued to fight ever though the game was out of reach.”
Granted, this playoff thing is all new for these Hawks. But the idea at this time of year isn’t to play hard. The idea is to win no matter what it takes. There’s money and prestige on the table: It’s a given that nobody’s going to loaf.
If the Hawks still believe they can take this, they’ll win Game 6 and come back for Game 7 on Sunday. Having lost three times here already, it’s hard to imagine that a fourth time would be any different, but you never know. Any given Sunday and all that…
But here’s the cold reality: The Hawks are, counting the playoffs, 12-32 on the road; they haven’t yet won a quarter in TD Banknorth Garden this postseason, let alone a game; Mike Bibby, who’s supposed to be the seasoned pro, has had three consecutive two-baskets-and-one-assist road games. There’s nothing in any of that to offer much hope.
Then again, there wasn’t much hope entering a series against a team that won 29 more games than they did, and the Hawks managed to take two from Boston in Philips Arena. As impressive as the Celtics were Wednesday night, they still have to win once more.
Imagine if they find themselves back here for a Game 7 against a sub-.500 opponent and the score is tight with five minutes to play. Imagine the pressure on them then.
In three games here, the Hawks haven’t yet applied such heat. They’ve been out of it almost from the start. But it only takes one road win to steal a series if you hold serve at home. We’ll see Friday if the young Hawks believe strongly enough to give themselves that chance.
Permalink | Comments (86) | Post your comment | Categories: Hawks/NBA
