2009 Atlanta Hawks NBA Finals Betting Odds

Written April 16, 2009 by Jason Lowry

Hawks Basketball The Atlanta Hawks showed flashes of how good this team could be last year in the postseason against the Celtics, and that play transferred over to the 2009 season, as the Hawks will finish the season with a winning record for the first time since the shortened 1998-99 season. The Hawks solid play has earned them the No.4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and a first round matchup against the Miami Heat, who they beat 3 out of 4 times this season, including a two point win earlier this week at home. The Hawks have been a bit shaky of late, as they lost 6 of 8 games towards the end of March, but have responded of late winning their last 5 games heading into the playoffs. So with postseason play just a couple days away, here is a quick look at why I think the Hawks will and won’t win it all this year.

Why They Will Win It All: Okay there isn’t much that favors the Hawks to come out of the Eastern Conference this season, but this team showed last year that it won’t go out without a fight, and you have to like that about this team. A big reason for the Hawks late surge is they are finally back to full health, as forward Marvin Williams joined the team last Friday after missing 16 games with a back injury. If the Hawks are going to surprise everyone and make it out of the Eastern Conference, they are going to need some kind of performance from their star guard Joe Johnson, who comes in leading the team with 21.4 points and nearly 6 assists a game. Also having Mike Bibby in the backcourt will be huge for this team in the postseason, and its not just Johnson that does the scoring, as 6 different Hawks are averaging double figures this season. It won’t be easy but if this team can find a way to win a couple on the road, they just might have what it takes to upset some of the big dogs in the Eastern Conference. Bet the Hawks +3000 to win the Eastern Conference Championship at Sportsbook.com.

Why They Won’t Win It All: Lets face it the path to the NBA Championship is not an easy one for the Hawks, as they not only have to deal with one of the best players in the game in Dwayne Wade in the first round, but if they get past the Heat they very likely meet up with the Cavaliers in the second round, and it doesn’t look like much can stop the Cavs this season. Even if the Hawks can pull off the upset against the Cavs they would still have to get by either the Magic or Celtics in the Conference Finals, and then its on to the Finals where the Lakers likely wait for whoever comes out of the East. What is really going to hurt this team is the fact that they just aren’t any good on the road (16-24), and if you are the No.4 seed you have no option but to win on the road if you want to advance. I like the Hawks chances of getting by the Heat in the first round, but I think this team is still a couple years away from competing with the likes of the Cavaliers, Celtics, and Magic in the Eastern Conference. Bet the Hawks +6000 to win the NBA Championship at Sportsbook.com.

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