Through the first four games of this series, it was pretty clear: the team that struck first went home with a victory. And though the Hawks and Heat battled a little more closely in the first quarter tonight, it was a relief to see that pattern hold to form. Atlanta made a run in the second to take a big lead, and Miami was never able to match it as the Hawks took control of the series with a 106-91 win at Philips Arena on Wednesday night.

They won it the same way they won the other two games in this series - by using their superior depth and athleticism to control the boards, sharing the wealth on offense, and by forcing the Heat to try to beat them from the perimeter. And while the script was similar to previous outings, there were some new wrinkles tonight.

For example:

- Joe Johnson finally got his offensive game rolling, scoring a team-high 25 points. Despite a sprained ankle that saw him hobbling severely after Game 4, JJ attacked the rim with gusto tonight, getting to the line 15 times. That's a good night for any player, but especially for Joe, who doesn't typically get enough whistles blown his way to make that many trips.

- Flip Murray saw his offensive game return in a big way as well, hitting 8 of his first 9 shots on the way to a career playoff-high 23 points. Murray's offense was a huge spark for the team, particularly since Mike Bibby dealt with foul trouble for much of the 2nd and 3rd.

- Mike Bibby has established himself as the Hawks best perimeter shooter, but he had several nice moves into the paint tonight as well. 3 different times he took it straight at Jermaine O'Neal, and all 3 times he managed to sneak it past the big man for 2 points. He's what you'd call crafty.

Miami may have shot the lights out to win Games 2 and 3, but as tonight's game showed, that's really the only way they can beat these Hawks. They just don't have the horses outside of Dwyane Wade, and when Wade struggled in the first half, they fell too far behind to really make it a game, even when Wade got it rolling in the third quarter. The Hawks continue to dare the rest of the Heat roster to beat them, and that strategy need now work only 1 more time to advance to the second round.

The win didn't come entirely without cost, as the physical nature of the series continued to take it's toll. With Marvin Williams already out with a wrist injury, it remains to be seen how much time (if any) Al Horford will have to miss after spraining his ankle in the second quarter. Miami felt it as well, with Dwyane Wade missing several minutes early on after hitting the back of his head on the court, and Jermaine O'Neal caught an incidental elbow from Zaza Pachulia that left him dazed for a spell as well.

The Hawks will head to Miami tomorrow in advance of Friday night's Game 6 (with Denver's series-clinching win over New Orleans, Game 6 will tip at 8:00 ET), and it's possible they could be without 2 starters depending on how Horford and Williams' injuries heal.

This series isn't over, but it's heading in the right direction for the Hawks. If they can keep up the intensity and the energy they've shown the past two games, they can absolutely end this series without coming back to Atlanta.

Congrats to Mike Woodson and the team for their win. 3 down, 1 more to go!

63-40. This was as good a first half as we saw by the Hawks in Game 1, with the one exception being the injury to Al Horford. (The report out of the locker room is a right ankle sprain, which is way better news than a potential knee injury. He will be reevaluated tomorrow.) We hope Big Al is ok, but Al or no Al Atlanta has thoroughly dominated Miami in every facet of the game so far. The Hawks have more assists, more rebounds, steals, alley-oops, better haircuts, higher credit scores...the whole shebang.

While everyone has contributed so far, special mention goes to the Hawks starting backcourt, as Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson have combined to outscore their counterparts for Miami (D-Wade and Mario Chalmers) by a combined 31-9. We've been waiting for JJ to break out in this series, and at this point the only thing that looks like it might keep him from his first 20-point performance will be the start of garbage time.

HAVING SAID THAT - this game ain't over. We saw in Game 4 that the Heat are capable of closing the gap in a hurry, so this is no time for the Hawks to rest on their laurels. Particularly with all the bumps and bruises being suffered by the home team, it would be especially nice for Atlanta to come out firing and press their advantage so they can get some rest for their top guns.

It's been a physical game so far, and tempers have flared several times. Let's hope for a clean second half and an easy Hawks win to put them one win away from a trip to the second round.

Wheeeew. That was about the strangest game I've ever seen. The Hawks outclassed the Heat nearly the entire night in just about every facet of the game, yet because of that ridiculous 19-4 run by Miami to close the second quarter, we had ourselves a nailbiter.

I am on my way to the airport to catch the team plane, so I will have to be relatively brief, so why not use a few bullets to talk about tonight's HUGE 81-71 win over Miami, knotting the series at 2-2 and sending us back to Atlanta with homecourt intact.

• Can't say enough about the play of Zaza Pachulia tonight. He was the MVP for the Hawks, not only because of his play on the court in general, but because it came in relief of Al Horford, who spent much of the game on the bench in foul trouble. Big Z had 12 points and 18 rebounds, much of which came on the offensive end.
• Zaza was big, but at the same time this was a total team effort tonight. Six Hawks in double figures, all spread somewhere between 10 and 15 points.
• The defense was outstanding. As they've done all series, they forced Dwyane Wade to shoot jumpers from the perimeter, and he couldn't keep up his hot streak from the last two games. Wade ended the night with a game-high 22 points, but they came on 27 shots from the field - a stat the Hawks will take every time.
• As expected, the Heat returned to Earth from long-range. 4-16 for the game (25%), and 1-8 from Wade in particular.
• If Zaza was MVP, Josh Smith gets runner-up. He was aggressive all night long both shooting and passing, and it paid dividends. Smoove had several and-1s as well as a few bullet passes to find teammates down low for easy buckets. His offensive rebound late in the game which sprung Flip Murray for a lay-up was pretty much the final nail in the Heat's coffin.

Momentum. It's a funny thing. The Heat had it all rolling after two straight wins, but now we're back where we started, with the Hawks holding homecourt and heading back to what should be a raucous Philips Arena for Wednesday night's Game 5.

This was as big a test of the Hawks' will as they've had in the Mike Woodson Era, and as far as I'm concerned, they passed with flying colors.

Honestly, I am a little thrown by the end of the first half. I was all set to write about what a dominating performance the Hawks put up in the first half, but then the Heat put on quite a blitz over the last few minutes (including 2 4-point plays in succession for James Jones) to close the gap to 46-42 at the break.

That was a pretty crazy run, but I still feel like Atlanta is doing many of the things they need to do tonight to get the win. They are rebounding on both ends (the Heat have yet to grab an offensive rebound), they have held Dwyane Wade to 3-12 shooting, and they are distributing the ball well to get open looks on offense (10 assists on 16 made baskets).

Quite honestly, the reason this game isn't still a Hawks demolition right now is what we'll call Miami's ability to get to the free throw line. 7 Atlanta players have at least 2 fouls apiece, with Mike Bibby and Mo Evans called for 3. To be fair, the Heat also have 5 players with at least 2 fouls, and 10 different players for Miami have been whistled.

Clearly the refs are calling it tight tonight, and how each team adjusts to that in the second half will undoubtedly play a big role in how this game plays out.

Meanwhile, the Hawks accomplished their first goal tonight, which was to come out strong and not let the Heat dictate the terms of the contest, and they did that well, leading by as many as 21 before the Miami charge. 

The Heat crowd is back into this one, and it's on the Hawks to maintain their composure the way they did to start the night.

24 minutes from 2-2. Let's Go Hawks!

If you've listened to any of my Playoff Podcasts with Bob Rathbun, you've probably heard us say several times that during the playoffs, every win and loss can have a huge impact on your confidence level. After the Hawks win in Game 1, it felt like the Hawks couldn't be beat. Now after two straight losses, it feels like the team's 47-win regular season was a mirage and the Heat might be legitimate competitors for the NBA title. It's hard to keep perspective.

Yet the fact remains, if the Hawks win tonight, this series is back to even, and Atlanta will hold homecourt advantage in basically a best 2-of-3 series with 2 potential games at Philips Arena.

What will it take to get that seemingly elusive win? To hear the players tell it, it's more about offense than defense, specifically at the beginning of the game, where Miami has done particular damage the past two outings. A look at the first quarter scoreboard tells the story: the Hawks scored 18 points in the first 12 minutes of Game 2 and a paltry 12 in Game 3. Those early holes are causing the team to press, and at the same time giving Miami's regulars the confidence that no doubt fueling their incredible 3-point shooting.

Speaking of which, Miami has taken a 2-1 lead in this series due to some factors that weren't really at play during the regular season - specifically, reliable scoring inside by Jermaine O'Neal and the aforementioned 3-pointers. It will be interesting to see tonight if the Hawks make moves to counteract those two things that have so influenced this series so far - after all, two games shouldn't negate the 82 that came before them.

No doubt about it, tonight is about adjustments, and it is also gut check. Hawks assistant coach Larry Drew said it best this morning at shootaround: "You have to look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are giving it all you've got."

The Hawks have responded well to desperation this season, and for that reason I have confidence heading into Game 4 - that and a continued refusal to believe Miami can keep this up.

We'll find out at 8:00 ET on FS South (HD!) and TNT. And please - don't watch this one alone. Come out to one of the Hawks viewing parties to take in the action with your fellow fans. Here are the locations:

T-Mobile Viewing Party at The World of Coca-Cola
Cheyenne Grill in Buckhead
Jay's Place in Stone Mountain
Ultimate Bar and Grill on Camp Creek Parkway

Let's Go Hawks!

One game. When the Hawks blew the Heat out in Game 1 of this series by a 90-64 final, they still only led 1-0. And after tonight's 107-78 defeat at the hands of D-Wade and company, Atlanta still only trails by 1 game as the series heads to Game 4 on Monday.

It was a tough night for Atlanta - everything I can think of that could have gone right for Miami did (Wade was hot, O'Neal continued his time machine act, the crowd was into it the whole game), and everything that could have gone wrong for Atlanta (Joe and Bibby had tough shooting nights, Marvin was hurt and couldn't play, etc) did as well.

But the bottom line is, this series is not over. It's silly to cry over spilled milk, honestly. If the Hawks come back and win Game 4, then homecourt is restored and we go back to Atlanta looking at a best 2-3 with two games at Philips Arena.

Having said that, tonight was bad, and the Hawks need to examine all alternatives available to them to try to get this thing back on track. Miami deserves a lot of credit for how they played tonight - they were tough, they were energetic, and they dictated what they wanted to happen on both sides of the court.

Let's put this one behind us and focus on Monday. We came here to get one, and we still can.

Bad news, which I just broke on the Hawks Twitter feed - Marvin Williams will miss tonight's Game 3 with a wrist injury. Marvin apparently hurt it at some point during Game 2, and went through shootaround this morning to see if he could make a go of it. But apparently he wasn't able to get the range of motion he wanted on it (it's his shooting wrist), and after meeting with the coaches and team doctors this afternoon it was decided to shut him down for tonight and hope he can be back for Monday.

It's a tough blow for Marvin, who is still working his way back from a back injury, but the Hawks proved in the last 6 weeks of the season they can put Maurice Evans into the lineup and not experience much (if any) drop-off. That's not to say Marvin won't be missed tonight; he certainly will be. But I don't think it's a sign that the team should panic.

Here is what Coach Woodson had to say about the situation before the game.

In more positive news, Acie Law will dress tonight (inactives for the game are Marvin, Speedy, and Randolph Morris). They wouldn't dress Acie if they didn't think he could potentially contribute, so hopefully he can help replace some of the production in Marvin's absence as well.

One of the old adages you hear said over and over again come playoff time is, "The series doesn't start until someone wins on the road." The Heat won Game 2 in Atlanta, so I guess that means this series is on, and if the Hawks are going to advance into the second round, they are going to have to get one back here in Miami.

I for one think they can do it, and I'll tell you why.

Back in December, loyal readers of this blog may remember I traveled with the team on the murderous Texas trip, which culminated with a game against the Heat here in Miami. The games in Texas were dreadful, with each loss more frustrating than the one before it.

By the time we got to Miami, the Hawks were 12-9, and with back-to-back games against the Heat and at home against Cleveland, we were staring 12-11 in the face, with all the good vibes built up from the 6-0 start vanishing into thin air.

The game in Miami started exactly as I'd feared it would - the Heat came out on fire, the crowd was behind them, and Atlanta looked lost. The Heat had 11 before the Hawks got on the board, and it felt like a total doomsday scenario.

And then a strange thing happened, and that moment has stuck with me throughout the rest of the season. The Hawks started battling, started forcing the Heat into some turnovers that led to easy baskets on the other end, and by halftime held a 43-40 lead. And after a few baskets back and forth in the third, the Hawks turned it up another notch and turned a 58-54 lead into a 75-55 advantage going into the fourth quarter.

It was a thing of beauty. Atlanta was running at every opportunity, off turnovers, missed shots, you name it, and finished the game with a comfortable 87-73 win. Spurred on by the victory, the team proceeded to beat Cleveland the next night and win 7 of their next 8, a run that really cemented their standing as the team to beat for the 4th seed in the East.

But back to that game. When it became increasingly clear as the season went on that Miami would be our first-round opponent, I couldn't stop thinking about how the Hawks took over that night. It wasn't like they all of a sudden started raining threes from everywhere (like the Heat did in Game 2), or Dwyane Wade turned the ball over a bunch of times (like he did in Game 1). Atlanta was just the better team with better players, and when they started using their advantage in skill and athleticism to their advantage, it seemed like there was nothing Miami could do about it.

That's what the Hawks need to do tonight and Monday if they want to reclaim homecourt going back to Atlanta. If they can find that will, that focus that we saw from them in Game 1, I  have no doubt they can win (at least) one here, regardless of what their history on the road might suggest.

Game time tonight is 6:30 ET, with SportSouth HD your destination for the home broadcast and TNT for national coverage.

Don't forget too, if you want to take in the action with your fellow Hawks fans, Budweiser is sponsoring three viewing parties at Cheyenne Grill in Buckhead, Jay's Place in Stone Mountain, and at Ultimate Bar and Grill on Camp Creek Parkway.

• Hawks All-Access Episode 8

There is a line from one of my favorite movies, Kill Bill Vol. I, after Uma Thurman has made quick work of several goons trying to protect Lucy Liu's Japanese-American crime boss character. She hears approaching motorcycles in the distance, which means the "Crazy 88", Liu's personal army, are on their way to take her on.

Liu smirks at Thurman and says, "You didn't really think it would be that easy, did you?", to which Thurman responds: "You know, for a moment there? Yeah, I kinda did."

That pretty much sums up tonight for me, as the Hawks fell 108-93 to Miami to drop their first home playoff game in two years. After the total annhilation of the Heat in Game 1, I think we were all starting to search for our brooms, marveling at how old Jermaine O'Neal looked and wondering who on the Heat could possibly hurt us if D-Wade wasn't up to the task. Now we know the answers to those questions.

As we saw tonight, winning this series isn't going to be that easy. The Heat responded after their poor performance in Game 1 as we should have expected, and the Hawks just weren't able to match that fire unfortunately. To their credit they made several attempts at comebacks, but every time the Heat had an answer - usually from distance. Miami hit a franchise playoff record 15 threes in the game, raising my blood pressure with each one (Seriously Wade? A banked three?).

Miami deserves credit for this win, but the Hawks failure to execute in several areas (particularly at the foul line) aided the visitors' cause.

The good news is that, in my opinion, the sky isn't falling. I don't think Miami can play much better than they did tonight. Certainly Wade can go for more than 33, but I don't know that Jermaine O'Neal (impressive as he was tonight) can put up 19 every game, and I am not sure Cook or Wade will hit 6 threes again. Wade aside, I don't expect his supporting cast to maintain those efforts, and even with them, the Hawks still had a good chance at winning this game late. Atlanta most definitely can play better, and I expect that they will.

Lastly, I will say this. Maybe I'm wrong, but I know people are going to talk a lot about the difference in Dwyane Wade's performance tonight versus his output in Game 1. They are going to say he was more aggressive, that he got back to being the Wade we've come to know and complain about getting preferable treatment from the zebras love, but to me, he played almost the exact same game he did in Game 1 - he just hit the shots this time. Almost every perimeter shot he took was contested, and I don't recall all that many forays into the lane that put him on the line. But that's the thing about guys like Wade, Kobe, JJ, and the other elite scorers in this league - when they are hitting shots, sometimes there's just not that much you can do. I'm still more comfortable with him shooting jumpers than camping out at the charity stripe all night. All things considered, I would prefer he take the shots he took tonight, I'd just prefer he not, you know, make so many of them.

The series is now 1-1, and we move on to Miami for Game 3. We'll have plenty more to come before we get there, but in the meantime, we do know this - there will be a Game 5 at Philips Arena next Wednesday (time TBD), so why not go ahead and reserve your spot to be in the crowd now?

- Postgame Analysis
- Game 5 Tickets

A few quick thoughts from the first half as the Hawks trail 54-41:

- Dwyane Wade is playing like the MVP candidate we were worried about coming into the series. He was fairly quiet early on, but like his nickname, in a Flash he scored 13 straight for the Heat in the second quarter and finished with 21 for the half. He is making a ton of perimeter shots, and unfortunately, that's the lesser of two evils when defending him. As far as I'm concerned, you still have to continue to respect his drives into the lane and live with the outside shots.

- The Hawks offense hasn't found a rhythm yet. There have been a few nice highlights, but they haven't really been able to string together several baskets in a row. The team is shooting just 41.6% for the game, a figure that will hopefully improve as the game continues. I think we need to try to get inside touches for Al and Josh a little more in the second half, where they can use their quickness to their advantage.

- This game is far from over, but the Hawks are going to have to play with a much bigger sense of urgency in the second half. I got the feeling that they weren't worried about the deficit in the first half, and while I admire the team for not panicking, they do indeed need to be concerned. I don't care who you are playing, it takes a lot of effort to overcome a double-digit deficit against any NBA team.

- Having said that, I still think the Hawks are in decent shape despite the score. The law of averages should see Atlanta shoot much better in the second half, and I don't see Miami replicating their first half 8-13 performance from downtown.

Leave your thoughts on the first 24 minutes in the comments, and don't forget to join in the conversation by following the game on Twitter @atlanta_hawks.

Here is what I think we know going into Game 2 tonight:

- I think we know Dwyane Wade is going to play better. Wade is one of the best big-game players in the NBA, and I can't imagine him having too many 19-point, 8-turnover games in the postseason.

- I think we know the Hawks play in Game 1 wasn't an aberration. They played well, for sure, but not so well as to think it was a height they can't reach again. They turned the ball over more than usual, and they didn't shoot particularly well from the field (46.2%) or from deep (28.6). That's not to say they didn't do many things well (duh), but it does mean it wasn't the "perfect" game for ATL.

- I think we know the Heat don't really have an answer for Josh Smith, and maybe Al Horford as well. Miami can plot and scheme all they want, but they don't have anyone on their frontline who can match the athleticism of Smoove and Al. If the Hawks continue to make use of that advantage, they will be in good shape.

- I think we know that the Philips Arena crowd can and will continue to make a difference in this series. The atmosphere at Game 1 was so much fun, it almost makes me hate that this is my job and therefore I can't sit in the stands and scream like everyone else. Every dunk, every big bucket, every defensive stand was greeted with immense enthusiasm by the hometown fans. I expect the patrons tonight to be no less raucous.

- I think we know the Hawks aren't taking Game 2 lightly. Zaza Pachulia told me that in the locker room after Game 1, the players got together and decided to go ahead and put the win behind them and treat the series like it was 0-0. As he said, "It was one win - we need four." They know they got a big win in Game 1, but they know they have to validate that victory with another one tonight. Everything they've said all week shows me a determined and focused team, and I don't expect the effort to be any less than what we saw on Sunday.

Come out tonight to Philips Arena to enjoy Game 2 and let's send the series back to Miami 2-0!

- All-Access Shootaround
- Al Horford talks to the media

One thing I definitely want to mention though is a cool little thing we put together with Paste Media Group called www.NowYouKnow.me. Paste Media is the same company that developed the incredibly popular Obamicons, and we've worked with them to give Hawks fans a chance to create their own Hawks webicons, like this one I just made (look ma!).

Check the site out, it's pretty fun to mess around with. You can take any picture you have and Hawk-ify it, and there are plenty of ways to mess with the text and the photo to create something fun to send around to your fellow Hawks fans. And, keeping up with the webernet trends, you can also upload your webicons to your Twitter and Facebook pages!

Give it a spin, rate your fellow fans' contributions, and comment on the ones you like the most!

• NowYouKnow.me

Some final thoughts from tonight's win, before I head into a blissful slumber...

You really couldn't ask for a better start to the series for the Hawks. I know it's only one game of the series, but we made Miami look bad tonight. This wasn't a case of Miami just missing a bunch of shots that should normally go in - they looked completely outmatched and outclassed. Dwyane Wade was the only guy on the floor who was able to do much of anything against Atlanta's defense, and I don't think he's going to have fond memories of his performance tonight either.

The Hawks shot out of the gates with fire and intensity, and they gave the raucous crowd at Philips Arena several opportunities to stretch their vocal chords. Like this. Or this.

Josh Smith was the lead story in this one, leading all scorers with 23 points and getting a double-double with 10 rebounds. Marvin Williams had 7 points early, and finished with 10 in his first start since March 7 - and Coach Woodson was able to limit him to just 17 minutes without penalty. Otherwise, there wasn't really anything of note to talk about offensively. Everyone who played contributed, but other than Smoove no one went crazy. Which bodes very, very bad for Miami.

The Heat offense never got it going in Game 1, and the run most people assumed they'd eventually go on after getting down by 20 in the first half never came. You want a crazy stat? If the Hawks had scored only 6 points after halftime, they'd still have won the game.

The Heat will no doubt go back to the drawing board to try to figure out how to get back in this series on Wednesday (have you gotten your tickets yet?), and if there is one thing we learned from last year's playoff series with the Celtics, it's that blowouts don't count any more than 2-point victories. This series is not over.

But if I'm the Hawks, I'm feeling pretty confident right now about where this thing is headed.

Game 1 Analysis

Two great in-arena videos tonight, if you couldn't make it to Philips for the game tonight. Enjoy:

What a first half. This game and this series have a long way to go before it reaches a conclusion, but you couldn't have asked for much more than a 20-point spread (59-39) after only 24 minutes of action.

The Hawks are playing outstanding basketball - forcing turnovers, making free throws, and spreading the ball around to keep the Heat from keying in solely on Joe Johnson. 4 players are in double figures, with Josh Smith leading the way with a game-high 17. Dwyane Wade has 17 as well for Miami, but no one else seems capable of providing him with much help.

Let's see, what else. Hawks owning the defensive glass, as Miami got only 1 offensive rebound in the first half (and promptly turned it over), and outrebounding the Heat overall 22-17. Oh, and this - the Hawks are making Philips Arena live up to its nickname "The Highlight Factory", as we've seen several jaw-dropping dunks from Smoove and Marvin. Needless to say, the crowd is loving it.

This game is far from over - I literally don't believe the Heat are capable of playing this bad for another two quarters - so it's important the team doesn't rest on its laurels and keeps the intensity up on offense and defense. But wow - this is as big a whuppin' as I've seen ATL put on anyone this season.

Game day! I don't know about you, but I am checking my watch every five minutes to see if it's time to head down to Philips Arena for the game.

I've been to Philips once already today, as I headed down for shootaround this morning to get some sound from the guys in advance of tonight's action. Check out Hawks Podcast Central to hear what Woody, JJ, and Marvin had to say about the start of the series against the Miami Heat, and check out this All-Access feature from Hawks.com featuring today's preparation:

I mentioned this on Twitter (sign up to follow us today!), but Marvin will be back in the starting lineup tonight for the Hawks. It's great news for Atlanta, as Marvin will be relied upon heavily in this series not only for his offense but for his defense, as he's sure to see plenty of time trying to stop Dwyane Wade.

Speaking of D-Wade, many people outside of the team (fans, media) are of the opinion that how the Hawks do against him will determine the outcome of this series. The team, however, doesn't see it that way. I've heard them (players, coaches) talk all week about how they can't just focus on guarding Wade, or the rest of the Heat lineup can beat them, and Coach Woodson himself said this morning that he doesn't care if Wade gets 50 as long as the Hawks get a win.

Atlanta did a great job defending Wade in the regular season - only 5 teams held him to less points per game than the 25.7 he scored against the Hawks - and they kept him off the foul line, as he only shot 18 free throws in three games. As worried as many are about the whistles potentially aiding his cause as it may have in the past (ask Dallas fans, they'll tell you), if the Hawks can keep him to 6 FTs a game I think they'll consider that a success.

The Hawks worked all season long to secure home court in the first round of the playoffs, and tonight is their first chance to take advantage of it. But they can't waltz into the game and assume they are going to win just cause they are at home; after all, 3 of the 4 road teams won in yesterday's playoff action.

In reading much of the analysis of this series, people seem to agree that the Hawks have the best team, while the Heat have the best player. I'm ok with that being the case, as the better team usually wins in a 7-game series in the NBA. If Atlanta comes out and plays with focus and intensity on both sides of the ball, I think they win and move on to the second round.

Is it time to start the game yet?

"Hometeam" Brandon Leak sits down with former Hawks great and current NBATV broadcaster Steve Smith to talk about the Hawks and their upcoming playoff series against the Miami Heat:

Hawks fans, I know you are getting pumped for Game 1 on Sunday night at Philips Arena (Have you gotten your tickets yet? What are you waiting for???). And though the game is set for 8:00 ET, don't forget about the Block Party beforehand - the festivities will kick off at 5:00 and run all the way up until game time.

Here is a run-down of all the fun and games we'll have going on, so make sure to come down early and take advantage.

Block Party Itinerary:

5:00pm – HAWKS BLOCK PARTY IS OPEN
5:00pm – 5:35pm: Streetball Games & Contests with Fans!
5:35pm – 5:45pm: Hawks Mascot’s SkyHawk & Harry Hawk performance!
5:45pm – 6:00pm: Fan Contests!
6:00pm - 6:10pm: Drumline performance!
6:10pm – 6:45pm: Streetball Games & Contests with Fans!
6:45pm – 6:55pm: A Team Dancers perform!
6:55pm – 7:05pm: Harry the Hawk Show!
7:05pm - 7:15pm: Drumline performance!
7:20pm – 7:25pm: A Town Dancers perform! -
7:25pm – 7:40pm: Hawks SkySquad (Dunk Team) Showcase!
7:45pm – Head into the Highlight Factory for Tip Off!

Here are the dates and times for Games 1-4.

Much more to come on the dates, matchups, you name it, but now that we know the time and place, get your playoff tickets now and we'll see you on Sunday!

Plus they won! 81-79 Hawks, which clinches the season series over Miami 3-1 and puts the team at 31-10 at home for the 2008-09 regular season.

Congrats to the team for a wonderful regular season home schedule, and here's to one more uneventful and injury-free game tomorrow night in Memphis before the second season begins this weekend at Philips Arena.

Get your tickets now!

Consider this your thread to discuss the match-up between the two teams. What will it take for the Hawks to get a win? What will the Heat try to do?

Don't forget to get your playoff tickets before they're gone!

The Hawks have officially clinched the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference with tonight's 122-118 win over the Indiana Pacers. Woo hoo! It's the final piece of the regular season puzzle for the Hawks, as they've achieved a playoff spot, a winning record, and now the all-important homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Congrats are in order for Mike Woodson and his crew for all their hard work and dedication to getting to this point.

Now that that's official, it's time to focus our thoughts on the next frontier - the postseason. We also know - BREAKING NEWS! - that we will be hosting Game 1 on either Saturday, April 18, or Sunday, April 19.

But who will we play? With 3 games remaining in the season, Miami and Philadelphia are the only teams in play for the 5th spot, with the Heat leading the Sixers by just 1 game.

We've heard from Lang. We've heard from the Hawks Blogger Roundtable. Now let's hear from you.

Who would you rather see opposing the Hawks in Game 1 at Philips Arena next weekend - the Heat or the Sixers?

Let's open it up for discussion in the comments!

Interestingly enough, it has been their play on the road the past two nights that has pretty much made that a reality, as the Hawks won away from home for the second straight night, topping the Bucks 113-105 in Milwaukee.

The key to this one was the third quarter. After letting the Bucks offense run wild in the first half (I don't know if that's entirely fair - when the opposition is sinking everything they throw at the rim, there's not a whole lot you can do), Atlanta outscored Milwaukee 31-12 in the third quarter to take control.

The Bucks would rally late, but Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson did what they often do, hitting several crucial baskets late in the game to finish it off.

The win moves the magic number to just 1, which gives the team a chance to clinch home court on Friday night at Philips Arena against the Indiana Pacers.

Hawks GM Rick Sund set as a goal for this team to try to win somewhere between 15-17 wins on the road this season. With the win tonight, the Hawks now have 16. While it's not quite something to brag about, it's definitely an improvement over the past, and further proof that this team is heading in the right direction.

Well done guys. Well done.

If you follow the NBA and have a computer (and based on the fact that you are reading this right now, I'll wager you do), you are probably aware of the recent spate of trick shots from the likes of LeBron James and Dwight Howard.

As far as Marvin Williams is concerned though, that's child's play. Any basketball player can make a basketball shot, right? Marv has mastered something a little more difficult, as this video proves:

To that I say - let's see you do it!

The magic number (you know I love them) is now down to 2, as both the Sixers and Heat trail the Hawks in the loss column by 3 with only 4 games left to play.

This win was a team effort - 7 players in double figures, double-doubles by Al Horford (15 points and 12 rebounds) and Mike Bibby (13 points and 10 assists), and it was nice to see guys like Mo Evans and Al Horford get back on track after some shooting struggles the last few games.

Toronto may be out of the playoff hunt, but don't forget this was a legit playoff team the last two years and had won 6 straight until a loss on Sunday to the Knicks. They have the talent to beat any team in the league, home or away. This was a good get.

In the meantime, congrats to Woody and the team for the win.

5 games left in the season, and a 2-game lead over Miami (and 2.5 over Philly) in the race for the 4th spot. It's time to separate the wheat from the chaff, the men from the boys, and any other cliche you want to use.

One thing I will say about this Hawks team this year is, when the stakes have been the highest, the guys have come through. That doesn't mean they've won every big game they've played, or that they haven't lost some frustrating games. But in my opinion, every time they've been staring at a situation where the season could start to get away from them, they have stepped it up. Lose three straight in Texas? They win at Miami. Lose at Milwaukee and lose Joe Johnson for two games in the process? Marvin leads them to road wins in Minnesota and Charlotte. Home after a tough 1-4 trip out West? They beat Miami at home.

What is my point? The Hawks have only 5 games left in the season, and with home court advantage over the Sixers and Heat on the line, I have faith that they will come through. They have shown that they can get it done this season when it counts, even after frustrating losses or frustrating stretches of play.

The road hasn't been kind to Atlanta of late, as they've lost 5 straight away from Philips Arena. But just when you think the Hawks are going to zig, they zag. While it is frustrating that they sometimes seem to wait until their backs are against the wall before they bring the pain, I think that's exactly what we'll see them do tonight.

Toronto is playing out the string after the Knicks eliminated them on Sunday. They will be looking for any kind of motivation they can get as the season winds down, and the chance to keep the Hawks from homecourt should have them fired up tonight.

Tune in at 7:00 ET on FS South for all of the action.

It'd be great to salvage one win out of the season series, especially given how close the teams have played in the three previous games, and in the process move a little bit closer to securing home court in the first round of the postseason. But to make that happen they are going to have to find a way to play better offensive basketball than they did a week ago in Atlanta.

The final score of that game may read 99-93, but the Hawks had to make a furious 4th-quarter rally just to get it that close. That offensive desperation may be just the thing they need tonight to bring it home. If Atlanta comes out and plays every possession like it's the last, I think they can finally slay the dragon.

Though I hate to admit it, I'm wrong quite a bit of the time (just look back at my predictions for 10 Games At A Time this season for evidence). Just like any fan, I am subject to personal bias when it comes to the Hawks, as I'm given to viewing anything and everything regarding the team through rose-colored glasses (though not through Derrick Rose-colored glasses).

One thing I've been right about this season, I am happy to say, has been the success of the free-agent signing of Flip Murray by the Hawks. We've all seen this year just how valuable his scoring has been this season, as he has helped turn what was supposed to be a weakness for the team (bench play) into a bona fide strength.

Here's what I said about it at the time:

The thing I like about Murray's game is his ability to create his own shot, a skill not many Hawks possess save for Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby (though I think Acie Law is developing). He's a vet, he's been in the playoffs, and he gives the team another shooter to take some of the pressure off our starters.

Yeah, yeah, yay for me and what not. We all know Flip has been valuable to the team's success. But how valuable?

Bret at Hoopinion followed up on a question I posed to him and found this: it depends on what formula you use, but either way he has been one of the top free agents signings in all of the NBA this year.

The money quote:

After looking at three advanced metrics designed to account for as much of a player's value as possible, Flip Murray appears to be at worst the 4th-best and at best the 2nd-best value for money free agent to change teams this past off-season.

Definitely read the whole article for further breakdown of the situation, but it does raise an interesting question overall.

Given what we know now, what would you rather have as we head towards the playoffs: Josh Childress, or the Flip-Mo Squad?

- Hoopinion: How Good A Free Agent Signing Was Flip Murray?

Hawks.com went along with him to cover it, and technically speaking, got some behind-the-scenes footage of his behind-the-scenes activities. Behind-the-scenes.

Anyway, check out this video recap!