Tonight's game against New Jersey is, simply put, huge. The Hawks must get a win tonight to build momentum going into the west-coast swing that will end the first half of the season for the team. Looking at the schedule, the rest of February is absolutely brutal. The Nets are a team we can (and should) beat, especially at home, and we need to take advantage of every opportunity like that that we come across, because we can play our best and still lose eight of the next ten we play.

The Nets are a down team right now thanks to injuries, as Coach Woodson spoke about this morning, but with talents like Vince Carter and Jason Kidd, they are capable stealing a few games here and there. We beat them without our best game on Sunday, and that is a credit to the team (especially on the road), but if we come out flat we are going to be in trouble. Speaking of Coach Woodson, SI.com's Ian Thomsen did a little interview with him recently, so check it out.

The team hasn't shot the ball particularly well the last two games, so I like to think we are due for a good night. Look for Josh Smith to continue his improved play of late inside against the likes of Jason Collins, but his match-up against Mikki Moore, the Nets' journeyman center who is enjoying a career year in the middle in place of the injured Nedad Krstic, may be much more important. Moore is a feel good story for the league, showing that hard work can pay off, even if it takes several years and several stops (Moore was even a Hawk for a little bit back in 2002-03.

Come out to Philips tonight and root our boys on in the last home game before the All-Star break!

See you there!