The Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets have looked more like equals thank first and eighth seeds in the playoffs. The Nets have been in playoff mode for several weeks now while the Hawks were cruising and have stuttered since entering the postseason. Atlanta has won all of their home games, while the Nets did the same in Brooklyn. That could play a big factor in Game 6 as the series heads back to Brooklyn with the Nets aiming to force a Game 7.
The Hawks have looked far from the best team in the East. They escaped two close wins at home before losing both on the road. Game 5 saw the team build a favorable lead only to lose it in the fourth quarterback and have to fight off the Nets once again. Brooklyn is keeping things extremely competitive despite having a 22-game difference entering the playoffs. They hope that remains in Game 6.
The Nets are trying to be the Hawks of last season who pushed No. 1 seed Indiana to a Game 7 before eventually losing. Atlanta had no issues with Brooklyn in the regular season, outscoring the team by 17.3 points per game in a series sweep. The Hawks claim they are not underestimating the Nets, fully aware of what seasoned vets like Deron Williams and Brook Lopez are capable of. Al Horford believes the team is simply struggling to find their edge that they had during the regular season.
The Hawks looked slightly better in Game 5 getting the 107-97 win. Horford and Jeff Teague led the way with 20 points apiece. The team built a big lead in the first quarter only to let it slip away thanks to Jarrett Jack in the fourth. Atlanta finished on a 10-2 run to win the game. Injuries were an issue again for the team as Horford continues to be bothered with a dislocated finger while Teague tweaked his ankle. Paul Millsap is still dealing with shoulder issues.
Brooklyn has been riding their bench during these games with players like Jack and Alan Anderson leading the way while Atlanta is relying heavily on their starting five. Pero Antic and Dennis Schroder have been getting some time for Atlanta, but DeMarre Carroll and Kyle Korver have seen more playing time than normal. Atlanta is hoping to wrap the series up on Friday, but would be wise to not to overlook the Nets who are 5-0 in Game 6 situations.