| Hawks Prove Critics Wrong Authored by Brian Reynolds - January 4, 2009 - 11:36 am
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The Hawks, highlighted by a Bibby 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds to play, beat the Houston Rockets (21-14) 103-100 on Saturday night improving to 15-2 at Phillips Arena and 22-11 overall. It was their 10th win in 12 games.
After pushing Boston to seven games in last year's playoffs, the Hawks began to receive recognition around the league. The team even uses the slogan, "Now You Know" as a way to advertise to its fans and the rest of the NBA of its recent success. However, many experts thought the loss of Josh Childress, who bolted to Greece in July, would be too much to overcome. Of the ten experts at ESPN.com that made preseason predictions, only four of them picked the Hawks to make the playoffs. Their highest predicted seed? 7th!
The Hawks countered the loss of Childress with key additions including Ronald "Flip" Murray and Maurice Evans. Murray is averaging 8.6 points per game (ppg) including 17 points in 36 minutes against the Rockets. Evans has bounced around the league in the last couple of years, but have seemed to found a home in Atlanta. He is averaging almost 23 minutes a game and has provided the Hawks with a defensive spark off the bench.
Meanwhile, Joe Johnson and other Hawks continue to fly under the radar. Johnson led the team with a season high 14 assists in the victory against Houston. On the season, he is averaging 23.1 ppg and 5.8 assists per game (apg). Josh Smith, who saw his 58 million dollar contract with the Memphis Grizzlies matched almost instantaneously by Atlanta in the offseason, has recovered from an early season ankle injury and seems to be at 100 percent. He piled in a season high 29 points against the Rockets.
Then there's Mike Bibby. Bibby, who came to Atlanta at last year's trade deadline has emerged as the team's leader. He is averaging 16.3 ppg and 5.3 apg. He has always been a clutch shooter and added to that legacy with his shot to win the game against Houston. He has taken this team by his side and now has led them into 2009 with 11 more wins than losses and the current four seed in the Eastern Conference.
Whether the Hawks continue their success and claim home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs has yet to be seen. There is still four months left before the playoffs even begin. However, one thing is for certain. After beating the Celtics three times at home in last year's postseason, and winning 15 of their first 17 at Phillips this season, the Hawks have proven to be nothing but dominant on their home floor. And if the experts could do it over again, there is no doubt they would have Atlanta a little higher on the predicted standings. But they didn't know.
Brian Reynolds is a contributing writer from Emory University and can be reached at Brian.matthew.reynolds@gmail.com |
