The Hawks' timing couldn't be better.

They are winners of four consecutive games and eight of their past 10, just in time for their end of the season playoff push.

RENEE' HANNANS HENRY/AJC (ENLARGE)

Joe Johnson, the Eastern Conference Player of the Month, has the Hawks in position to break a seven-year playoff drought.

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Tuesday center Al Horford was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for the March and minutes later Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month.

"I like what we're doing right now as a group," Johnson said after the Hawks' 116-99 victory in Memphis on Monday. "We've had our ups and downs, but we've weathered the tough times and come out of it where we are right now, and that's a good spot."

But not anywhere near secure in their potential playoff position.

The Hawks' lead over New Jersey and Indiana for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot was three games Tuesday morning. With eight games to play, the first being Wednesday's game against Toronto at Philips Arena, the Hawks have to guard against feeling too comfy with their recent success.

"For what we're trying to do [ending the NBA's longest playoff drought], we can't stop now," Josh Smith said. "We're talking about finally getting this franchise back into the playoffs after all these years. So to stop eight games short and start admiring ourselves in the mirror, before we've even done anything, would be foolish.

"We've still got a lot of work to do."

If the Hawks' most recent performances are a true indicator, Smith is right. While the Hawks have won four straight in reasonably impressive fashion, the scores might be a bit misleading.

They've squandered big leads in all four games and had to hold on, at least in the past two, to escape with victories.

The Grizzlies went on an 18-0 run in the fourth quarter Monday to slice into the Hawks' 38-point lead and make things interesting. The lead was down to 12 before the Hawks regrouped and finished them off.

But Hawks point guard Mike Bibby wasn't worried about it.

"It was good," he said after the game. "We did what we wanted to do. We jumped out there early, that was our plan, just to try and get over them early.

"But all games are important to us right now. And we just have to keep it going."

If Johnson keeps his flow from March working, the Hawks should be in good shape. He averaged 24.9 points and 7.0 assists in 42.2 minutes last month. He scored 20 or more points 12 times, including eight consecutive with 20 or more and three with 30 or more.

"Being a young team, this has been a four-year process as far as I'm concerned," coach Mike Woodson said. "This has been a turning point for our young guys and their growth. And it's nice to see them come together, but we still have to take it one game at a time."