Wednesday Windmill: Can the Boston Celtics be stopped at home?

Despite being 1-6 on the road, the Boston Celtics are now 10-0 at home in the playoffs after Wednesday night's 96-83 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. After dropping two straight games in Cleveland, the Celtics bounced back like Drake, dominating the Cavaliers from the opening tip. Jayson Tatum led the way for the Celtics with 24 points and 7 rebounds while Jaylen Brown finished with 17 points of his own.

As frustrating as their road woes have been, the Celtics have made the most of their home court advantages in each series, winning every single game in Boston. As a result, they are now just one win away from reaching the NBA Finals with a Game 7 in Boston in their back pocket. With how these playoffs have gone, it is fair to wonder whether or not the Celtics can be stopped on their home floor.

10 years ago, the Celtics experienced a similar kind of situation, winning their first two series' 4-3 before defeating the Detroit Pistons in six games to win the Eastern Conference crown. We've seen this Jekyll and Hyde behavior from them before, but thanks to having home court advantage, they've been able to scrape by. Teams work all season to put themselves in the position to have home court advantage and the Celtics make the most of it, using up nearly every home game they have to advance.

The key to understanding this phenomenon is recognizing how difficult it is to win a road game in Boston. There's something about the place that makes it nearly impossible to get a win. The parquet floor, the retired jerseys, and all the championship banners give Boston an almost magical environment. It's like playing in a living museum. The fans are passionate and they get behind their team like few fan bases do.

                                         (Chad Finn. The Boston Globe) 
                           
When you combine that environment with an exciting young team, you have the recipe for home dominance.  Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier, and Al Horford all feed off of the energy created by their home fans and play their best basketball as a result. Away from home the Celtics are very vulnerable, but at home they're nearly invincible. If anyone had any doubts about how much of an impact their home environment has, those doubts should be erased after what we saw on Wednesday.

The unfortunate reality for LeBron James and the Cavaliers is that if they want to get back to the NBA Finals, they're going to have to win a game in Boston and with the way things are going, the odds of that happening do not look likely. In each of the three games played in Boston during this series, the Celtics have won by an average of 17 points. That's as dominant as you can get.

As much as I want to believe in LeBron James' abilities to will his team back from the dead and beat the odds, it's really hard to ignore these numbers. The Celtics have been lights out at home and until some team cracks the code, they should be favored in every home game they play in these playoffs. Picking against them is not only disrespectful. It's flat out foolish.

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Saturday Slam: Can either the Boston Celtics or Houston Rockets reach the NBA Finals?

On Sunday at 3:30 PM EST on ABC, the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers will play Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals in Boston. On Monday at 9:00 PM EST on TNT, the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors will play Game 1 of the Western Conference finals in Houston. Despite not having home court advantage, both the Cavaliers and Warriors are expected to reach the NBA Finals and face off once again for the fourth consecutive season.

While Warriors fans and Cavaliers fans would probably prefer another rematch, the rest of the NBA's fans are dying to see a different NBA Finals match up, preferably Rockets vs. Celtics. While the odds are stacked against them, it is possible that the Celtics and Rockets both reach the NBA Finals. It's just a matter of them playing up to their maximum potential and getting a little bit of luck to go their way.

First, let me address the Celtics and what they need to do. While they don't have LeBron James on their side, they do appear to have the deeper team even without Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving. Terry Rozier has done a fabulous job of stepping in for Irving as the team's floor general, averaging 18.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game in the playoffs while Al Horford has also stepped up his game, averaging 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in the playoffs. In addition to the stellar play of Rozier and Horford, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have also stepped up their play, both averaging around 18 points per game.

The key for the Celtics more than anything will be to not get psyched out by the Cavaliers and just play their brand of basketball, which is predicated on crisp ball movement and gritty defense. If they come out with a lot of energy in Game 1 and play the way Brad Stevens has been coaching them to play, they could sneak out with a Game 1 victory and build some momentum from there.

While I do think the Cavaliers will win the series, I do think that the Celtics have the ability to make this series a lot more interesting than people expect. Unlike the Raptors, the Celtics seem to believe in their abilities and do a good job executing the game plan outlined by their head coach. It's just a matter of them continuing to do what they do well and not let LeBron James get in their heads. So long as they are able to contain him and do what they do, they could find themselves playing into June.

In regards to the Rockets and their series with the Warriors, they too need to buy into what they've done all season and not let the Warriors get in their heads. When Chris Paul and James Harden are playing up to their maximum potential, the Rockets are scary good. They move the ball really well, knock down threes, and are a handful in the transition. The brand of basketball that they play is both exciting and effective.

If I could label anyone as an x-factor for the Rockets, it would be Clint Capela, who is averaging 14.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game in the playoffs. He's really blossomed into one of the best big men in the NBA due to his combination of size, quickness, athleticism, and skill. He's very difficult to stop when he's down on the block and in turn, he does a great job of protecting the rim and controlling the glass. The Warriors will not have an easy time containing him. He more than any other player on this Rockets team could make the difference in this series.

I think the Warriors will likely win this series, but the Rockets should not be underestimated. They have a fantastic backcourt in Chris Paul and James Harden to go along with one of the league's best big men in Clint Capela. On top of that, the Rockets have some really solid role players in Ryan Anderson, P.J. Tucker, Eric Gordon, and Trevor Ariza. Similar to the Celtics, the Rockets have the pieces to reach the NBA Finals, it's just a matter of them executing their game plan and not panicking when the Warriors go on a run.

To go back to something I touched on earlier, the fact that both the Celtics and Rockets have home court advantage should not be understated. Home court advantage matters more in the NBA than any other league. As long as the Celtics and Rockets can hold serve at home, they'll be just fine. While they want to win every game at home, Game 1 will be especially crucial for both teams. If the Cavaliers and Warriors both steal Game 1 on the road, it's going to be tough sledding for the Celtics and Rockets. If on the other hand, the Celtics and Rockets win Game 1, they'll establish authority early on and give themselves some much needed confidence to win their respective series.

While it is likely that we once again see another Warriors/Cavaliers finals, it would be foolish to instantly write off the Celtics and Rockets. These teams have home court advantage for a reason and need to  be respected as a result. If the Warriors and Cavaliers want to get back to the finals, they're going to have to earn their way back and take out a very quality opponent. It's going to be fun to see how this all unfolds.

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Wednesday Windmill: The Atlanta Hawks are tanking and I don't know why

The Atlanta Hawks are tanking and I don't know why. To be clear, I know why teams tank. They tank to get higher draft picks so that they can be better for the long term. The Atlanta Hawks, however, are a team who seemed to tank for no good reason. They went 43-39 last season, which was good enough for 5th place in the Eastern Conference. The year before that, they were 48-34, which was good enough for 3rd place in the Eastern Conference, though they fell to 4th place due to a tiebreaker. In the 2014-15 season, the Hawks finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference at 60-22 with Paul Millsap, Al Horford, Jeff Teague, and Kyle Korver as their core, all of whom are no longer with the team.

Since the 2014-15 season, the Hawks have gone downhill, wholesaling their best players to other teams without wanting anything good in return. Rather than trying build around a core that won 60 games, the Hawks decided to blow the whole thing up and start anew, believing that what they had wasn't going to produce a championship no matter what moves they made.

While I understand the tanking philosophy and acknowledge that it has its place, the Hawks were not a team in need of embracing it. They should have instead embraced the quality roster that they had in the 2014-15 season and done all they could to enhance it for the purposes of better positioning themselves for a championship run.

By embracing the "If you're not first, you're last" mantra of Ricky Bobby, the Hawks have robbed their fans of witnessing deep playoff runs year in and year out. While it is true that the ultimate goal is to win a championship, it's not like the only successful seasons are the ones that result in a championship. Reaching the conference finals is a successful season that gets your fans excited. Winning a playoff series can also be considered a successful season, especially if you are a young and up and coming team.

My point is that if your ceiling is to reach the conference finals for a few years in a row, ride that ship out and see where that takes you. You never know, maybe someone gets hurt and you find yourself in the NBA Finals. If you are positioned to make those kind of runs year in and year out, tanking is not the solution to getting over the hump.

With most teams that tank, I understand why they are doing it. They're far from winning a championship and are in need of replenishing with young talent. The Hawks however were not in either of those camps. They were close to winning a championship and had a talented core that had plenty of years left. Taking a nosedive like this is very perplexing and difficult to understand.

Wednesday Windmill is a weekly piece that focuses on the Eastern Conference 

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Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Boston Celtics vs. Washington Wizards

The #1 seeded Boston Celtics and #4 seeded Washington Wizards are facing off in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Celtics won Game 1 of this series by a final score of 123-111. Game 2 will be held tonight at 8:00 PM EST on TNT. The Celtics come into this series having taken out the Bulls in six games while the Wizards come in having taken out the Hawks in six games.

After understandably struggling right after the death of Isaiah Thomas' sister, the Celtics have now won five straight games and appear to be fully locked in. Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, and Al Horford are playing really good basketball right now and are back to playing the type of basketball that got them the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, playing unselfishly and getting everyone involved.

The Wizards likewise come into this series playing good basketball. John Wall is showing why he is arguably the top point guard in the NBA, scoring 42 points and dishing out 8 assists in the Wizards' series clinching win over the Hawks in Atlanta. Bradley Beal is also playing at a high level, putting up points and proving himself to be a fantastic backcourt mate for John Wall, dropping 31 points in Game 6 against the Hawks.

Last week, I said the key to the Celtics' success is Al Horford stepping up his game and he is so far doing just that. In Game 1 against the Wizards, Horford scored 21 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and dished out 10 assists. When Horford plays at an elite level, the Celtics become a really difficult team to stop. Isaiah Thomas is one of the best scoring guards in the NBA, Jae Crowder has emerged as one of the top small forwards, and Avery Bradley is one of the best two-way guards in the NBA. When you combine their stellar play with a big man like Al Horford who is putting up 20 points and 10 rebounds, they can hang with anyone in the league.

In order for the Celtics to win this series, they not only need Al Horford to step up. They also need Avery Bradley to do all he can to slow down John Wall and Bradley Beal in the backcourt. When Wall and Beal are on a roll, the Wizards are very difficult to stop as well. Bradley is one of the few defenders in the NBA that can give those guys trouble and he needs to do all he can to get in their grill, fight through screens, and not allow them to get easy looks. If he is able to do that, the Celtics will be in really good shape.

As for the Wizards, they need to do more than just get stellar production from John Wall and Bradley Beal. They need to do a good job on the glass and not allow Al Horford, Jae Crowder, and Kelly Olynyk to have an easy time inside. Marcin Gortat, Markieff Morris, and Otto Porter, Jr. need to do all they can to keep things competitive on the glass. Morris injured his knee in Game 1 and his status for Game 2 is a game-time decision. If he is unable to go for an extended period of time, that could be trouble for the Wizards.

My prediction for this series is Celtics in six games. I think the Wizards will get a couple of games, but the Celtics are simply the better team. Plus, the Celtics want to be as rested as possible for the Cavaliers. This will be a fun series, but in the end, it will be the Celtics advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

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Wednesday Windmill: The Boston Celtics need Al Horford to step up

The Boston Celtics are now up 3-2 on the Chicago Bulls after a 108-97 victory on Wednesday night. Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley each scored 24 points while Al Horford finished with 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists. Horford was the major offseason acquisition for the Celtics, signing a 4 year, $113.3M contract in free agency. After inking such a massive contract, he was expected to be the new face of the Celtics and cement himself as the next great big man in franchise history.

While the Celtics had a great regular season, finishing as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, Al Horford didn't exactly live up to expectations. He averaged a solid 14 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5 assists per game, but "solid" isn't going to cut it when you are making top of the line money. Instead of being a 20 & 10 guy, Horford has been a 14 & 7 guy, which isn't what the Celtics paid for. They are paying for Horford to produce like he did on Wednesday night on a regular basis and at times exceed that level of production.

If the Boston Celtics want any chance of reaching the NBA Finals, they need their highest paid player (by a lot) to play like it. Isaiah Thomas has been the MVP of this Celtics team and he is making roughly 25% of what Al Horford is making. At the beginning of the season, the Celtics were expecting Al Horford to be their top player, not Isaiah Thomas.

While it's obviously a great thing that Isaiah Thomas has exceeded expectations, it shouldn't be forgotten that according to the payroll, this is Al Horford's team and it's time he plays like it. If Horford is able to produce closer to the 20 & 10 level that he was expected to, the Celtics have a great shot at making it to the NBA Finals. If he stay right around where he's been all season, the Celtics are not going to get past the Cleveland Cavaliers. It's that simple.

The NBA playoffs are where the stars earn their money and so while he hasn't had the best regular season, Al Horford can still earn every penny of what he is making if he leads the Celtics to the NBA Finals. Will he do it? I honestly doubt it, but I'm willing to say he deserves a shot. He had a huge game in a pivotal Game 5, so he's proven that he can step up in the playoffs. Whether or not he can do so consistently is the $113.3 million dollar question.

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Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls

In the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the #1 seeded Boston Celtics (53-29) will take on the #8 seeded Chicago Bulls (41-41). The regular season series split 2-2.  Game 1 will be played on Sunday at 6:30 PM EST on TNT.

After dueling it out with the Cleveland Cavaliers down the stretch, the Boston Celtics were able to secure the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Isaiah Thomas leads the way for this Celtics team, averaging 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game on 37.9% shooting from three-point range and 90.9% shooting from the foul line. Thomas has had an MVP worthy season for the Celtics, leading the league in 4th quarter points and guiding his team to the top record in the Eastern Conference. He has truly established himself as an elite NBA player.

In addition to Thomas, the Celtics have another quality guard in Avery Bradley, who is averaging 16.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Bradley is one of the top perimeter defenders in the league, capable of guarding anyone on the perimeter. When you combine him with Isaiah Thomas, you have something scary in the backcourt. Down on the block, the Celtics have Al Horford, who signed with the team in free agency after being with the Atlanta Hawks. Horford is averaging 14.0 points and 6.8 rebounds, giving the Celtics a very sound post presence.

In addition to the trio of Thomas, Bradley, and Horford, the Celtics have other quality players in Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, Kelly Olynyk, and rookie small forward Jaylen Brown. The Celtics have a very balanced team, capable of doing damage both inside and out. While not many people expected the Celtics to get the top seed, they certainly earned it and deserve the respect that goes along with it.

As for the Chicago Bulls, this is a team that has not lived up to expectations. When they got Dwyane Wade in the offseason to go along with Jimmy Butler, lots of people expected this Bulls team to be an upper echelon team in the conference and be a contender. Instead, the Bulls barely squeaked into the playoffs and have had to deal with a lot of distractions caused by Rajon Rondo and rumors that head coach Fred Hoiberg was going to get canned.

In a way, it's a miracle the Bulls still found a way to make the playoffs. For a while there, they were looking like a lost cause. For them, this series is an opportunity to hit the reset button and see what the Jimmy Butler/Dwyane Wade combination can do in the playoffs. The pieces are definitely there to win this series, but the question is will the Bulls play up their maximum potential or will they once again underperform?

If the Bulls want any chance at giving the Celtics a scare, they need to get all they can out of Dwyane Wade, who is averaging 18.3 points per game. Jimmy Butler leads the team in scoring with 23.9 points per game and Wade is the only guy on the team who he can truly rely on to give him some help in terms of sharing the scoring load. If Wade is able to produce above his scoring average, the Bulls could make this series interesting. If on the other hand, Wade struggles and never gets into a groove, this series will be over really quick.

A lot of this depends on the health of Dwyane Wade, who has returned to the lineup after being sidelined with a knee injury. There are major questions of as to whether or not Wade is physically capable of playing up to the level that the Bulls need him to. In his three games back, Wade has averaged 11.3 points per game, which to say the least is not encouraging. Dwayne Wade is really the x-factor to this whole series. If he plays well, the Bulls have a chance to win. If he doesn't, the Celtics will win easily.

In terms of my prediction, I have the Celtics sweeping the Bulls 4-0. Isaiah Thomas is the best player in the series and the presence of Avery Bradley out on the perimeter will make things tough on both Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade. The Celtics are on a mission to get to the NBA Finals and they should be motivated to win this series as quickly as possible. I know I'm coming off as dismissive of the Bulls, but the truth is I don't see this series being all that competitive. If Dwyane Wade were at full strength, it would be a different story, but so long as it will be Jimmy Butler needing to play hero ball, I don't see the Bulls having a prayer.





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Wednesday Windmill: The Boston Celtics are gaining ground on the Cleveland Cavaliers

After a 109-104 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, the Boston Celtics are in sole possession of the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference standings and only 2.5 games back of the #1 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, who just hosted Mario Chalmers, Kirk Hinrich, Lance Stephenson, and Jordan Farmar for a workout earlier in the day according to ESPN. 

After speculating of as to whether or not the Celtics need to make another move to contend, it appears as though this Celtics team is making the case that it might be smart to not shake things up and see what this current roster can do. Isaiah Thomas continues to be the major catalyst for the Celtics' success, averaging 29.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 6.4 assists while going off for 40+ points on a fairly regular basis. Al Horford is playing solid ball with his 15.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while Jae Crowder is likewise stepping up with his 14.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. 

This Celtics team is very good and what's scary is that they are getting better. Rookie small forward Jaylen Brown is starting to come into his own more and more as the season goes on and other guys like Marcus Smart and Kelly Olynyk are doing well in their supportive roles, too. As an added bonus of sorts, Avery Bradley, who averages 17.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, is scheduled to be back soon. Once he comes back, the Celtics' offense and perimeter defense will get a really nice boost. 

I know I said earlier that a trade is something the Celtics should consider, but so long as they play like this, they need to ride this wave out and see where this roster can take them. Making a serious trade midseason shakes things up and this is certainly not a team in need of a shakeup. This is just a team in need of more experience and confidence boosting wins like the one they got on Wednesday. 

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Wednesday Windmill: The Atlanta Hawks would be crazy to trade Paul Millsap

                                          (Credit: Ketih Allison. Click here for source) 

At 18-16, the Atlanta Hawks are 5^th in the Eastern Conference, battling for a top-four seed and home court advantage in the playoffs. They’ve won 3 straight games and are coming off of a 114-112 win over the San Antonio Spurs in overtime at home. In short, things are looking good for the Hawks at the moment.

At the same time, their leading scorer Paul Millsap (17.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game) is frequently being mentioned in trade rumors. It’s not like there’ve been a few whispers of him possibly being moved. This is out in the open. On New Year’s Day, Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst of ESPN both reported that Paul Millsap could be traded in advance of the trade deadline due to the impending player option on his contract, which he’ll be able to exercise this summer.

Due to this player option, Paul Millsap could theoretically be an unrestricted free agent in the summer, but it’s no guarantee that he’ll exercise his option. Even if he does exercise his option, he could do so as a means to re-upping with the Hawks for more cash. So, the possibility of him hitting the free agent market doesn’t necessarily indicate that he’ll choose to leave Atlanta.

If there’s any indication that he won’t choose to bail on Atlanta, his words to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution seem to be pretty solid proof that he wants to remain a member of the Atlanta Hawks: “Everybody knows where my heart is and where I want to be. That would be here [Atlanta], yes.”  

Unless the Atlanta Hawks are utterly convinced that Paul Millsap would hop on the first steamboat out of Atlanta if given the chance, they need to seriously think about whether or not they want to really trade him. Paul Millsap is one of the top forwards in the NBA and by trading him, they’ll essentially be heading for rebuilding mode. I could understand making such a move if the Hawks were below .500 and struggling to make the playoffs, but as a team that could get home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, looking to pull the plug and rebuild feels a bit premature.

The Hawks brought in Dwight Howard as a complimentary piece to Paul Millsap down low and they also have a quality young point guard in Dennis Schröder, who is averaging 17.5 points and 6.3 assists per game. In addition to Howard and Schröder, the Hawks have other quality pieces around Paul Millsap as well like Tim Hardaway, Jr., Kyle Korver, and Tiago Splitter, who is currently sidelined with a calf injury.

The bottom line is that the Hawks have a quality team with Paul Millsap as their centerpiece, which means there’s really no reason to blow the whole team off the map. While they aren’t a championship contending team, they are still a competitive team that is growing and getting better. I understand that sometimes you need to have a championship or bust type of approach as an NBA franchise, but I see no reason to have such an attitude when you are in the mix to get home court advantage in an opening round playoff series.

With that all being said, it sounds like the Atlanta Hawks are determined to find a home for Paul Millsap, which means that there will be a lot of teams bidding for his services at the trade deadline.

As far as possible trade partners go, the Boston Celtics are an obvious team that could be willing to make a move. If you read my blog last week, you’d know that I think the Boston Celtics are in need of a trade to really threaten the Cleveland Cavaliers. If the Boston Celtics added Paul Millsap to the fold and reunited him with Al Horford, they could really be cooking with gas.

Other teams that come to mind are the Philadelphia 76ers, who might be shopping Nerlens Noel, the Phoenix Suns, who might be shopping Eric Bledsoe, and maybe even the Utah Jazz, who Paul Millsap had great success with for many years. The Utah Jazz made the mistake of letting Paul Millsap go and so they could right that wrong by maybe trading away Derrick Favors to get him.

The only issue with making a move for Paul Millsap for the Utah Jazz (22-14) is that they are playing really good ball with their current roster and in order to get him, they would have to part with some pieces that they probably don’t want to part with. All the same, given Paul Millsap’s success in Utah and how much he liked the area, the Utah Jazz wouldn’t be crazy to at least entertain the possibility of bringing him back into the fold. 

If I can be totally honest, I don’t like the idea of Paul Millsap having to once again move on to a new city. He’s a really good dude and has played worthy of being a franchise player in both Utah and Atlanta, two teams that historically don’t contend for championships very often. The Jazz and Hawks are lucky they’ve had Paul Millsap both as a basketball player and as a citizen in their community.

Like I said, the Hawks would be crazy to trade Paul Millsap since they won’t get that same level of production in return and in addition, they’ll be heading in the direction of the NBA Draft Lottery. It makes no sense to me why you would trade a guy like Paul Millsap when he’s got your team in the thick of a playoff race, but perhaps that’s why I’m a sports journalist and not an NBA general manager.

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Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks

      The Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks begin their second round series tonight on TNT. The Cavaliers come into this series having swept the Detroit Pistons while the Atlanta Hawks took care of the Boston Celtics in six games. 

     The biggest thing the Cavaliers need to do to win this series is get off to a good start and not let the Hawks believe they have a chance. If The Cavaliers win their opening two games in a dominant fashion with LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love all playing well, the Hawks may be in over their heads and not believe they have much of a chance of winning the series. The Cavaliers have more weapons than the Hawks and probably the best player on the planet in LeBron James. If the Hawks get punched in the mouth early, it might be too much for them to overcome. 

     As far as at the Hawks are concerned, they need to be patient and not panic when things get tough. They need to trust in each other and win by having a balanced attack led by Al Horford, Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague, and Kyle Korver. If all four of those guys get each other involved and all play well, the Hawks could have what it takes to upset the Cavaliers. 

     The Hawks have a really nice balance of inside-outside play that can give teams trouble. They have guards who can score from the perimeter, bigs who can rebound and score inside, and the ability to win in a variety of ways. They can pop threes; get to the line, etc. 

    However, the reality is that the Cleveland Cavaliers are the better team on paper and they've played like it all year. So long as LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love stay healthy, the Cavaliers will be the best team in the Eastern Conference. As a matter of fact, they won the Eastern Conference crown last season with Kevin Love injured and unable to play. The truth is that so long as they have LeBron James healthy, they'll be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. 

     Ultimately, I have the Cavaliers winning this series in six games. I think the Hawks will win a couple of games in the series, but they won't take the Cavaliers to a Game 7. The Hawks certainly have the pieces to upset the Cavaliers, but the Cavaliers would have to really fall apart in order for an upset to occur. Barring a major surprise, the Cavaliers will win this series with relative ease. 

Wednesday Windmill: The Atlanta Hawks are getting it done so far

     Despite having the best record in the Eastern Conference and being just one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals, the Atlanta Hawks are still flying under everybody's radar. "Smart money" has the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, or Los Angeles Clippers winning the NBA championship. If somebody wants to walk on the wild side and have a more edgy and gutty pick, they'll pick the Chicago Bulls.

     But you won't hear anybody picking the Atlanta Hawks.  I want to raise the question "Why not the Hawks" and further ask, "What have they done to not deserve our respect?" They were pressed by the Brooklyn Nets in the first round, splitting the first four games, but after that they dispatched of them rather easily, winning the series in six games.

     In Wednesday's pivotal Game 5 with the series tied 2-2, the Hawks still found a way to win even after Paul Pierce hit a clutch shot to give the Wizards the lead with 8 seconds to go. Everybody was convinced that the return of John Wall for Game 5 would give the Wizards the easy win, but it turns out everybody was wrong. Al Horford, Kyle Korver, and Dennis Schröder all hit big shots down the stretch to give the Hawks the win.

     What I think everybody is forgetting is that with each game they win, the Atlanta Hawks are getting more confident. I think in many ways their biggest enemy has been themselves. They haven't always had the belief that they are as good as their record indicates. But I think after Wednesday's come-from-behind win, which was won on a tip in by Al Horford, the Hawks are starting to believe that they can win a championship.

     If you really think about it, why shouldn't they? They have played some pretty sloppy games and still found ways to come out on top. In addition, they can beat you in a wide variety of ways. Al Horford and Paul Millsap can kill you inside, Kyle Korver can kill you from beyond the arc, and both Jeff Teague and Dennis Schröder can kill you by slashing to the basket and creating for others.

     This Hawks team is very balanced, deep, and versatile. The only thing they have lacked in this post-season at times is confidence. But I think at this point, the confidence they need to win a title is coming. They've been on the verge of going down 2-3 a couple of times and both times they have found ways to come out on top.

     I expect this team to be waiting for either the Cleveland Cavaliers or Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals with a renewed sense of optimism and confidence that we haven't seen from them all season. We can criticize and doubt them all we want, but as of right now they are still standing strong and in just as good of a position as anyone else in these playoffs to win the NBA championship.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

2014-15 Southeast Division Preview

I continue my preview of the 2014-15 NBA season by taking a look at the Southeast Division, home to the Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Hornets. I will address each team in order of where I think they will finish with a projected win total in parentheses.

                                                          Washington Wizards (50) 
 
     The Wizards' backcourt of Bradley Beal  (17.1 ppg) and John Wall (19.3 ppg) is one of the best backcourts in the NBA, averaging a combined 36.4 points per game last season. They can only be expected to improve this season and with the addition of Paul Pierce, they could be on the cusp of a trip to the NBA Finals.
    The most important thing for this Wizards team is going to be how well they can stay healthy. Their roster itself is really solid. In addition to a great backcourt, they have a great frontcourt rotation with Marcin Gortat, Nene, and Kris Humphries. With Paul Pierce playing the small forward position, they look very dangerous and capable of winning the Eastern Conference provided they stay healthy. If any of those guys is out for an extended period of time, then there will be trouble.
     This won't be an easy task as Nene, Bradley Beal, and John Wall all have dealt with injuries in the past. It will be really important for their head coach Randy Wittman to manage the minutes of all his players carefully. Especially Wall and Beal since they are the real driving force behind this team.
    What also will be important to keep an eye on is their bench. Glen Rice, Jr., Andre Miller, Otto Porter, Jr., Martell Webster, and Garrett Temple will have to step up and provide quality relief for Pierce, Wall, and Beal.
     I'm confident that Andre Miller will play well and that Martell Webster will continue his solid off the bench production. It's the other guys that are hard to call. Especially Rice and Porter. Neither player  was a factor at all last season, and yet both have the potential to be quality off the bench scorers. If both of them can have significantly improved seasons, that will do wonders for the Wizards since their bench honestly is suspect.
     Overall, this Wizards team looks very solid. The starting five is great and they have nice balance between a good backcourt and a good frontcourt. They can beat you inside and out. Ultimately, injuries or the lack thereof will make the difference for this team's season. If they stay healthy, they'll make a strong push to win the East. If they get injured, they'll make the playoffs, but fail to make much of a push.

                                                           
                                                               Miami Heat (47) 

This team may have lost LeBron James, but they still are going to be dangerous. Luol Deng was a very underrated addition to this team since everybody was only thinking about how he isn't LeBron James instead of thinking about how he averaged 16 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1 steal per game last season. While it is true that he is no LeBron James, he is still a very quality small forward who should fit nicely with what the Heat have been doing during their four straight trips to the NBA Finals.
     In addition to Deng, the Heat also still have Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, who is the heart and soul of the franchise. Both of those guys are still capable at producing at a high level. Ironically, like last season, this team's success hinges on the health of Dwyane Wade's knees. If Wade stays healthy, the Heat will still be very dangerous since outside of the Cleveland Cavaliers, they arguably have the scariest trio in the Eastern Conference.
     What will also be crucial to this team's success is how well Danny Granger and Josh McRoberts fit with the team and how productive they are. Especially Granger since he has had injury issues these past couple of seasons. If Granger is able to be anything close to his old self, the Heat could really be cooking with gas in terms of offensive firepower.
     The biggest concern for this team outside of Wade's knees is their lack of size in the middle. Chris Andersen and Udonis Haslem aren't bad in the paint, but they still have a weak front line that was largely masked by the amazing play of LeBron James. They are going to have to find ways to win despite getting beat on the glass. I think Deng will fit the style they've been playing, but since he isn't as multi-dimensional as LeBron James, I expect their lack of size to be an even bigger concern this season.
      The Heat are one of the few teams that might give the Cavaliers serious trouble in the playoffs. Health will be huge, but if they can weather that storm, they could find themselves in a position to knock out the Cavaliers and surprise everybody.

                                                    Charlotte Hornets (44)

     The renaissance of Buzz City is a great thing for the city of Charlotte. They finally have a team that they can really embrace and get behind. "Charlotte Bobcats" always felt strange and so it's nice to see the nickname "Hornets" back where it belongs.
     As for the team itself, they look promising. They added Lance Stephenson and Marvin Williams in free agency and also P.J. Hairston and Noah Vonleh in the draft. Those guys should all prove to be very good additions to go along Al Jefferson, Kemba Walker, and Gerald Henderson. In addition, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Cody Zeller should be improved with another year under their belts.
     Of all those additions, Lance Stephenson is undoubtedly the most important. He emerged into an all-star caliber player last season and he could prove to be a terrific fit with Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson who largely had to carry the load last season. It was clear that the Hornets didn't have the firepower to win a series with just Jefferson and Walker as their best players. It's no disrespect to them. They just needed help and Stephenson's ability to attack the basket from the perimeter as well as his defensive and rebounding abilities could be just what the doctor ordered.
     Noah Vonleh should provide quality production inside and P.J. Hairston should be a nice scoring threat off the bench. But with those two guys being rookies, the Hornets can't bank on them being consistently good every night. Lance Stephenson on the other hand played a big role on the Pacers last season and he should be expected to be a major contributor right away.
   Ultimately, I see the Hornets making the playoffs, but not threatening to win the East. The East is wide open, but there is still a pecking order that goes Cleveland, Chicago, Washington, and then Miami. Charlotte isn't good enough to break into that tier, but they still will be exciting and certainly dangerous.

                                                       
                                                            Atlanta Hawks (41)

     The Hawks are coming off a season in which they almost knocked off the top seeded Indiana Pacers  in the playoffs as an 8 seed, taking them to seven games. This team accomplished a lot last season considering that they were without Al Horford for the bulk of the season including the playoffs. We are still yet to see how this team can do with both Paul Millsap and Al Horford healthy, which gives reason for optimism if you are a Hawks fan.
     Before going down last season, Horford was averaging 18.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, the best numbers of his career. As for Paul Millsap, he too had a career year, averaging 17.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. If the Hawks get that kind of production from both players throughout the whole season, they will be very scary. Especially since they also have a solid point guard in Jeff Teague, who averaged 16.5 points and 6.7 assists per game last season.
     As for the rest of the team, they have some solid pieces. Kyle Korver is able to knock down threes with regularity and stretch the floor, DeMarre Carroll hustles and does all the dirty work, and Pero Antic is a big man who stretches the floor by hitting threes. Plus, they added Kent Bazemore in free agency, a swingman who averaged a career high 13.1 points per game during his stint with the Lakers last season. Those players all know their roles and fit nicely with the Teague, Horford, and Millsap trio.
    This team's success comes down to how healthy Teague, Horford, and Millsap stay. If those three can all play 70+ games each while staying healthy for the playoffs, they'll be scary. However, they won't be good enough to win a series in my opinion if everything in the Eastern Conference holds to form. But if they are healthy like I mentioned and a couple teams fall due to injury, the Hawks could be prime for a first round upset. I just won't predict it at this point in time.

                                                   Orlando Magic (34) 
   
     The Orlando Magic drafted Aaron Gordon out of Arizona with the #4 overall pick in the draft. I am really high on him due to his athleticism, energy, and defensive abilities. I think he'll have a really good rookie season even if he has a hard time scoring because of all the other things he brings to the table.
     In addition to drafting Gordon, the Magic also added Channing Frye and Ben Gordon in free agency. Both guys can score the ball, especially from downtown, and that is something that this team lacked last season. This team already had a slasher from the backcourt with Victor Oladipo and a quality paint presence with Nikola Vucevic inside. The three-ball they lacked and by now having it, they should be much improved.
    One of the more interesting things to look for in this young Magic team is how point guard Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo play together in the backcourt. Payton came into the draft as one of the best point guard prospects. If he can hold his own at point, the Magic may have themselves a really good backcourt for the future.
    This team can compete for a playoff spot, but right now, I see them missing the playoffs. However, not by much. 34 wins is probably 4-5 wins shy of a playoff spot, which means that if they get some luck they could snag the 8 seed in the East. Most previews of this team's season aren't going to be as optimistic as mine is. I actually like the additions they made in free agency and the draft. It's just going to be tough for it to all come together in one season.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Wednesday Windmill: With the Eastern Conference wide open, don't sleep on the Atlanta Hawks

In a matter of a few weeks, the landscape of the Eastern Conference has dramatically shifted from being a two horse race between the Heat and Pacers to a wide open derby with as much as seven contenders. Of course, this is primarily due to LeBron James' decision to head back to Cleveland to join the Cavaliers, but other factors such as Lance Stephenson going to the Hornets and Pau Gasol going to the Bulls have also contributed to this shift. While everybody is all abuzz about the Cavaliers, Bulls, Wizards, and Hornets, nobody is paying one iota of attention to the Atlanta Hawks and the potential they have to make a run for the Eastern Conference crown.

The reason why they aren't getting any attention is equally obvious as it is incoherent: They haven't added any major free agents to their team this summer. What makes this incoherent is that their star center Al Horford missed almost the entire season with a torn pectoral muscle, and yet they found themselves taking the #1 seeded Indiana Pacers to a Game 7 in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.  

                                          (credit: soaringsouth.com)

With Al Horford now healthy, the Hawks will finally be able to see how much damage they can do with a frontcourt that features Al Horford and Paul Millsap, two guys who are both all-stars. In my opinion, the damage that they can do is severe enough to come out of the Eastern Conference and stun everybody who follows the NBA. 

Before he went down with his pectoral injury last season, Al Horford was having the best season of his career, averaging 18.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per contest. As for Paul Millsap, what earned him all-star honors was his season average of 17.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. Those aren't numbers to ignore in today's NBA, especially for big men. With Pacers center Roy Hibbert going all coo coo in the head, the door is now open for the Hawks to have the best front court in the Eastern Conference even with the Bulls having Joakim Noah and the Cavaliers potentially landing Kevin Love.

In addition to their fantastic frontcourt which also features the very dangerous stretch-big man Pero Antic, the Hawks have a very dangerous backcourt which features Jeff Teague and also Thabo Sefolosha who they signed this summer in free agency. Like Horford and Millsap, Teague has gotten better every season with this past season being his best, averaging 16.5 points, 6.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. 

Teague is not only a playmaker offensively, but he is also a playmaker defensively. By adding Thabo Sefolosha to their backcourt, the Hawks now have a very dangerous defensive team on the perimeter that can give the best backcourts in the NBA serious trouble. In addition, the Hawks also have Kyle Korver knocking down threes at the small forward position, which makes up for Sefolosha's lack of offense. 

As for the role players on the Hawks, I like the pieces that their head coach Mike Budenholzer has to work with. Kent Bazemore, who had a breakout season of sorts with the Lakers last season should be able to provide scoring off the bench, DeMarre Carrol is effective at providing energy and hustle, and Dennis Schroeder is looking like he may become a quality backup point guard. Plus, both rookie Adreian Payne and veteran Gustavo Ayon should be able to provide quality relief in the paint for Al Horford and Paul Millsap. 

The only knock on the Hawks is that they don't have a big name player who will put them on ESPN and TNT every week. They will once again fly under the radar as a result, but don't allow that to make you forget that Hawks still exist as a viable contender in the East. They can beat you in the paint and on the perimeter and they also have quality role players. In addition, they learned that without Al Hoford they can still make some noise in the playoffs. Now that they are getting Horford back, I don't see any reason to think that they can't run the table and come out of the East. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord