The Atlanta Hawks were unceremoniously swept out of the playoffs by the Cavaliers during last year’s Eastern Conference Finals; but with a healthier team and some new pieces, are a greater threat this time.
Last postseason, the Atlanta Hawks were not at full strength and were dealing with a litany of injuries. This year they will play the Cleveland Cavaliers at close to full strength.
A year ago against Cleveland, DeMarre Carroll sprained his knee in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, limiting their best defender on the wing. Paul Millsap was recovering from an injured shoulder, and their best defender, Thabo Sefolosha, had a broken leg after an altercation with the New York Police Department.
Kyle Korver also suffered a season-ending injury in Game 2 against the Cavs, as point guard Matthew Dellavedova dove into Korver’s ankle with reckless abandon while trying to fight for a loose ball. With all these injuries, the Hawks were a shell of the team that had won 60 games and secured the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
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This postseason, however, things are different for a number of reasons. The Hawks did not have the same success in the regular season as they did a year ago, but entered the playoffs hot, winning 17 of their final 24 games.
Atlanta also has the benefit of being relatively healthy, and is not dealing with any significant injuries currently. Against a healthy and hot Cavaliers team, having the squad at full strength is key to making this a competitive series.
Thabo Sefolosha, one of the better wing defenders in the league, is healthy and ready to do his best to slow down LeBron James. Kent Bazemore, a role player who was used in a limited role a season ago, has flourished into a legitimate starter, wing defender and three-point threat.
Kyle Korver has recovered from his early season struggles, shooting 45 percent from beyond the arc against the Celtics in the first round. The threat of Korver will draw defensive attention his way, giving his teammates more opportunities on the offensive end.
Perhaps the biggest difference for the Atlanta Hawks going into the second round is the health of Paul Millsap. Millsap had an excellent series against Boston on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court; and unlike a year ago, is fully healthy.
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The Hawks also have the bench personnel to make the series interesting. Tim Hardaway Jr. is a sparkplug, while Mike Scott provides another scoring threat in coach Mike Budenholzer.
A year ago, the best big off the bench for the Atlanta Hawks was Pero Antic, who did not provide the physicality needed to offset the presence of Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov. This season, Kris Humphries has made a great impact for the Hawks, and will be used extensively to try to limit Cleveland’s second chance opportunities.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be heavily favored going into the series; and rightly so. The Cavs are a dangerous team that earned the top seed in the conference.
However, these Atlanta Hawks are not the same team that the Cavaliers played a year ago. They are better prepared, have more experience, and will be looking for revenge. I’m not saying the Hawks will beat the Cavs; but I think the series will be closer than most pundits predict.
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This year’s rendition of the Hawks is different. Let’s see if that translates into a competitive series.