The Hawks had a light practice this morning in preparation for taking off for their last West Coast trip of the season. It won't be an easy one, with three teams on the menu who would make the Western Conference playoffs if the season ended today.

First up will be the Phoenix Suns on Friday night in Phoenix. The Hawks may catch a mini-break if Steve Nash remains out with a shoulder injury, but based on how Leandro Barbosa has played in his absence, I don't know how much that will really change. The Hawks will have to play their best basketball of the season to keep pace with the Suns, who have cooled just slightly since their 17-game winning streak was snapped last week.

I spoke to Mike Woodson today to get his thoughts on the road trip and a few other subjects as the team heads out for their last few games before the All-Star break. He seemed in good spirits, even though last night continued another in a long line of tough last-minute losses that have plagued this team over the past couple years.

Why do they keep happening? Who knows. I think it has something to do with the team's youth. I'm not making excuses, but something has to explain why these keep happening (though we aren't always on the losing side - witness Sunday's win at New Jersey).

Last night was the perfect example of the difference between a veteran squad and a young team. The Nets trailed by a point, and they got the ball to Vince Carter, who immediately drove to the basket and scored. Faced with the same situation, the Hawks were unable to get the ball to their top threat and failed as well to get to the rim. Hopefully, experiences like last night will hang with these players and when faced with similar situations in the future they will know to do things differently.

Strangely, the Hawks have played better on the road than at home this season, so perhaps this upcoming five-game trek will help cure some of what ails them.