Realistic and Justified Fears for this MIA/ATL Series

[tonegully]

Miami wins one game thats it. Unless we let them win. Wade can score 50 all he wants but is going to have to find another 35-50 points from some where else.

If we play Hawks ball from the 1st quarter to the 4th quarter it really should be no problem. Miami isnt that good. We face the cavs in round 2. As long as we show some fight ill be satisfied for this year.

[txsting]

Lets be real, guys. I love my Hawks. Watched every game they played during the 13 win season. Endured the Lon Kruger debacle and playoff promise. Suffered through the Nique trade and the many second round exits during the Mookie,Deke, Smitty era. Swallowed a bitter pill during the Boston Nique/Bird showdown. I celebrated when we took Boston to seven last year.

That said...

As big of a fan as I am, I have legitimate concern about this series. Not because we don't have enough talent. I just remember what went down in that Dallas/Miami championship series. Wade is an extraordinary talent. I can't take that away from him. He can score 50 at will. He plays angry. That said, he also receives the benefit of a stupid amount of calls from the refs. And my concern is, no matter how hard our guys play, key players will be put in foul trouble. Wade will get And 1's on what should be charges. I'm not playing the panicky fan slant here. We've seen it happen.

This is what frustrates me about the NBA's officiating. Unlike the NFL where an Arizona can make runs and you don't have a ton of questionable calls that happen at the frequency the NBA does.

Are you really confident we can win this series? Although alot of people said they'd prefer to face Miami over Philly (due to our records against them). However, at least against Philly, I feel we would be playing on an even playing field. I just have the erie feeling the refs will influence the outcome of this thing.

I want to see Mario get 7-10 minutes of defense against Wade each night. I'm talking in your jock D and HARD fouls. We need to be men out there. We'll be okay I think.

[crimedog]

The point of this series is pretty mute knowing that whoever wins takes on Cleveland and nobody is keeping Cleveland from the conference finals. I wish the Hawks had lost more games to come in at seeds 6,7 or 8. The 4-5 slot is a bad slot this year.

Hawk88

No, getting to the second round is an end in and of itself... and losing in the first to a lower seeded team is something to be avoided regardless of the next round(s), so it isn't a moot point at all.

We'll play Cleveland anyway if we do beat Miami and increase our revenue, exposure, and experience in the process.

[Duff_Man]

My real fear for the series: running out of booze. Have to make sure I am totally prepared for game day.

[Packfill]

Why do you want the 6, 7, or 8 seed ? That would mean we would have to play the Magic, Celtics, or Cavs in the 1st round.

I fail to see your logic. The 4th seed rocks !

Agreed.

[LOL_Hawks]

I am concerned about Wade getting calls and that's about it. We can hold Wade to below his average. I am not at all worried about us stopping him. I just hope that we bring the same intensity and same mindset that we brought when we played the C's in the first round last year, and bring it ON THE ROAD as well as at home.

Basically, our best > their best. But who knows. Wade has been known to take over entire series' by himself. Hopefully we don't let it happen or the refs don't enable it to happen.

[TruJerz]

Why do you want the 6, 7, or 8 seed ? That would mean we would have to play the Magic, Celtics, or Cavs in the 1st round.

I fail to see your logic. The 4th seed rocks !

lol he said that because if we win, we will most likely end up playing Cleveland who will most likely be the team representing the East in the Finals. If we were the 7th seed, we play Celtics, who we match up with and who some think we can possibly beat especially if KG isnt 100%. but I would rather the 4th seed too

[TruJerz]

Miami wins one game thats it. Unless we let them win. Wade can score 50 all he wants but is going to have to find another 35-50 points from some where else.

If we play Hawks ball from the 1st quarter to the 4th quarter it really should be no problem. Miami isnt that good. We face the cavs in round 2. As long as we show some fight ill be satisfied for this year.

Wade is good and is a superstar so he will get his calls and probably go off for 40-50 points every night. But I do think we are the better team, we matchup well with these guys and we have homecourt advantage..so I say Hawks in 6. But I doubt we sweep the Heat..we arent that much better and Wade is on a mission. Should be a good series..JJ vs Wade and Beasley vs J Smooth!!!

Hawks got this one

Edited April 15, 2009 by r3drumNYNJ

[Atlantaholic]

The only way the Heat can win is if Beasley really goes off. Otherwise i don't think they have any chance. I don't think the series will be close enough for any phantom calls to matter.

I can't remember the last time a Hawks fan said something like this.

You sure you haven't been rooting for the Spurs the last decade?

[exodus]

I can't remember the last time a Hawks fan said something like this.

You sure you haven't been rooting for the Spurs the last decade?

LOL

The key thing to remember is this is a 7 game series. Over 7 games luck tends to get minimized.

the Hawks had far more injuries this year than the Heat and still had a significant advantage in the standings. Hence they are the better team. There is no other way to look at it.

When you look at the types of players that give the Hawks matchup problems (pgs like Harris and Parker, bigs with size who can score down low) the Heat don't have anyone like that. Wade is a great player but he isn't the type that causes matchup problems for the Hawks.

The Heat also depend heavily on guys who are rookies (Beasley, Chalmers) and might struggle under playoff pressue. They depend on washed up bigs like JO and Mags who are slow and suck.

I would have definitely been nervous if we faced Philly but i don't feel concerned about the Heat.

[Gray Mule]

Hawks run hot and cold. One game, they can't miss. Shots are falling. The

three's are almost a sure thing. This Hawks team is dangerous and no one

wants to mess with them. Slam dunks are like icing on a cake.

Then, there is the other Hawks team. The cold one. Couldn't hit the wall of

a barn from inside the barn. This team can't rebound. Can't hold on to the

ball. Every pass is an adventure. Opponent has an open invitation to a lay up

drill. Uglie!

Which team will we see in the playoffs? Could be either team. If the good guys

show up, Hawks could finish this first round in five or six games. If the bad boys

show up, Hawks will go down in five or six.

:offtopic2:

I notice that every poster here have already given King James a first round by

and expect that, if we do come thru the first round, King James will also get a

second round by on the way to the championship.

Sure, he's great. He's super. Almost every NBA team wants to sign him to play

for them as soon as his current contract runs out. They are already clearing room

on their roster and their payroll, just hoping to land him.

King James and his merry men may win every series 4-0, from game one series thru

the NBA championship. Undefeated in the entire second season. How about that!

Then again, remember last season. The ultimate NBA champions were expecting

the Hawks to roll over and play dead for them and have an easy 4-0 run thru

the first round. Their greatest weapon? Intimidation!

I suppose all of us expect all the other NBA teams to be intimidated by King James.

Maybe so. Everyone may roll over and play dead for him. Don't count on it. :thumbsdownsmileyanim:

[HamHawk]

The hot/cold Hawks comment couldn't be further from the truth. And yes, it is a seven game series. I see long series for us as long as we can stay alive. We showed our ferocity last year against Boston, but lost in 7 (to the eventual champs). Even though I think we beat the Heat in round 1, it won't be a quick victory. No series we play will go less than 6 games.

[Gray Mule]

I don't like being called a liar.

I have watched the Hawks when they were hot.

I have watched them when they were cold.

Better get your facts straight before you call some a liar.

[HamHawk]

I meant to say that you were dead on with the comment. Anyone who watches the Hawks knows that. Sorry to mistype one sentence amidst my multitasking.

That being said, . . . lay off the coffee there bro. If someone disagrees with you (though I really wasn't), they aren't calling you a liar. It's a blog. That kind of thing happens. And as far as telling me what "I better do", . . . . ridiculous. There is nothing that makes me laugh more than someone trying to get gangsta on a blog! Thanks for giving me something to laugh at mule. You the man!!

:laughing5:

Edited April 17, 2009 by HamHawk

[Gray Mule]

I see you are one of those people that are always right, at least in your

own eyes. When you said that what I said was far from the truth, that

sounded like you were calling me a liar. What would you have thought?

Sorry for trying to tell you to get your facts right before you blog. Don't

guess you need any advice.

[HamHawk]

It did sound like I called you a liar when I wrote the wrong sentence. I would have thought what you did, hence apologizing in my last post. I am honest about where I stand regardless of being right or not.

But listen dude, I hate reading petty little arguments on a blog instead of the issue at hand. It's bad enough this is wasting our time, but we shouldn't waste everyone else's. Just message me if you want to complain about something so we can keep this between us. . . . .or just don't whine so much! LOL (kidding bro)

(message posted instead of sent privately to remind everyone - myself included - to keep blogs on topic)

[AHF]

From my perspective, any apology accompanied by this icon is not an apology and is only likely to antagonize the other person:

:laughing5:

I would not include it in any post where a legit apology is intended.

[Wade2Beasley]

I truely hope this series is on the up and up. I personally don't think The Heat were given the title in 06, but I do realize that star players get preferential treatment. I'm sure the NBA is eager to get Lebron vs Wade, as well as they are eager to get Kobe Lebron in the finals. I hope that Nazi Stern doesn't have his officials give this or any series away. If the Heat can't earn it, they shouldn't have it.

Edited April 18, 2009 by Wade2Beasley

[mrhonline]

I'm diggin' the avatar, W2B.

Stick around during the series. You'll find we're much harder on our Hawks than the other teams' players.

[Admin]

I'm diggin' the avatar, W2B.

Stick around during the series. You'll find we're much harder on our Hawks than the other teams' players.

I tend to like my avatar just a bit more :go ahead: