It is now or never for the Atlanta Hawks. After losing Game 1, the team enters a must-win Game 2 against the Washington Wizards as they look to stay alive in the playoffs. The chances are slim that the Hawks can bounce back in two road games if they lose both at home which means the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference has the pressure on them to get a win at home and tie the series up before it shifts back to Washington.
For the first time all season, Atlanta lost at home when leading into the fourth quarter. The team went from scoring 37 points in the first quarter to just getting 35 points in the entire second half. The meltdown was ugly and the Wizards took advantage of it. The first 12 minutes of the game were quickly forgotten when Atlanta shot just 37.8 percent from the floor including going 5 of 8 from the 3-point range. They were aggressive despite the quick turnaround from Game 6 against Brooklyn, but the fourth quarter blow up put that to rest.
Atlanta looked worn down when Washington hit the gas on their uptempo offense. Kyle Korver went just 3 of 11 from 3-point point range. DeMarre Carroll did have 24 points, but Jeff Teague went a rough 4 of 14 from the field. Atlanta also had 11 turnovers while only forcing six from the Wizards. The team did not have the intensity level to match the well-rested Wizards.
Washington rode John Wall and Bradley Beal to the finish. However, both players are dealing with injuries, but are still expected to play in Game 2. Beal injured his ankle in Game 1 while Wall is dealing with a hand injury. The Wizards remain unbeaten in the postseason after sweeping the Toronto Raptors. They have all of the momentum right now in the playoffs and they intend to continue capitalizing. Wall told the media that last season the team suffered from inexperience when they got to the postseason, but this year is a different story and it is certainly showing.
