My grade school teacher used to have a saying: "Life isn't always fair, but it's always life." For some reason I found myself thinking about that expression just now, after finding out that both Marvin Williams and Al Horford will be inactive for tonight's game against the Cavaliers.

Cleveland is tough to beat when 100% healthy, let alone when you are down a pair of starters (and arguably your two best defenders). But, as Coach Woodson said this morning, no one is going to think about excuses if the team loses tonight, so they better not focus on who isn't available and worry about using who is.

A look around the league shows that winning is indeed possible, even on the road, when some of your best players are down. Orlando has persevered without Jameer Nelson, Boston is in the second round without Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe, and Houston amazingly hasn't skipped a beat without Tracy McGrady. Every team has to deal with injuries.

Full strength or not, the Hawks won't win tonight if they don't do the things they do when they do best (got that?): namely, share the ball offensively and play lock-down defense. Atlanta did that for 2+ quarters in Game 1, and only when they stopped did Cleveland run away from them. Play as a team, and they have a chance tonight no matter who is in uniform.

Catch all the action tonight on ESPN, and once again feel free to join up with your fellow Hawks fans at the local viewing parties at Jay's Place in Stone Mountain, Ultimate Bar and Grill on Camp Creek Parkway, and Cheyenne Grill in Buckhead.

I'll be keeping you up to speed on Twitter as always.

Go Hawks!