With every first-round playoff series now wrapped up, the NBA Playoffs move to the conference semifinal round. There weren’t many surprises in the initial set of games, so these matchups are going to be pretty darn good throughout the Association.
Check out our preview of the Hawks-Wizards series, which gets going Sunday in Atlanta.
1) Atlanta Hawks vs. 5) Washington Wizards
Season Series: Hawks 3-1
Nov. 25: Hawks 106, Wizards 102
Jan. 11: Hawks 120, Wizards 89
Feb. 4: Hawks 105, Wizards 96
Apr. 12: Wizards 108, Hawks 99
Key Matchup: Jeff Teague vs. John Wall
This is definitely one to keep an eye on as the series progresses. Two All-Star table setters taking on one another with a shot to compete for the conference championship on the line. Teague averaged just 14.2 points but did put up nearly eight assists per game in the Hawks first-round win over Brooklyn. He shot just 40 percent from the field, something that’s going to have to change if Atlanta is going to advance.
Meanwhile, Wall was an absolute stud in Washington’s take down of the Raptors in the first round. He put up 17.3 points and a ridiculous 12.5 assists in completely outplaying a tough opponent in Kyle Lowry.
The Wizards will Win if…
…they continue to play at the same level we saw in the first round. While Toronto might have very well played the worst basketball of any recent NBA Playoff team, the Wizards were in complete control throughout. With Bradley Beal returning to full health, Washington’s back court was on the spot in that series. If they play at the same level here, the Hawks are going to be in trouble. After all, Beal and Wall combined to average 38 points, 6.2 rebounds and 16.5 assists per game in that series. However, their combined 38 percent shooting from the field needs to inch closer to 50 percent in this one.
The Hawks will Win if…
…get back to the way they played during a vast majority of the regular season. This team was not terribly impressive against a Nets squad that entered the playoffs under .500. In what should have been a four-game sweep, Brooklyn pushed the Hawks to the brink of Game 7. It also means that Washington is the better rested of the two squads here.
It all starts with shooting. Atlanta’s field goal and three-point percentages were down substantially from the regular season in the first round. That in of itself starts with Teague and Paul Millsap, two of the team’s All-Stars this year. They combined to shoot just 42 percent from the field. That needs to be closer to 50 percent, especially if Millsap is going to be able to provide more of a punch in the paint.
Series Prediction: Wizards in Six
Marcin Gortat had a pretty good April. pic.twitter.com/SNvYCYUKef
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) April 27, 2015
Simply put, Washington is playing better basketball than Atlanta right now. And while it’s important to take into account each team’s performance during the regular year, how they are playing right now is more important.
We focused on Beal and Wall above, but Washington’s major matchup advantage will come with Marcin Gortat inside. The center put up a tremendous first-round performance against Toronto, tallying an average of 17.3 points and 10 rebounds per game. He also shot 74 percent from the field. It’s going to be interesting to see if the undersized combination of Paul Millsap and Al Horford can go blow to blow with Gortat. I personally don’t see that happening.
We also have to take into account Washington’s experience. Paul Pierce is playing some good basketball, and has the most playoff experience of any player in this series. His veteran savvy will come into play here big time.
Photo: USA Today Sports