My friend Jon Newberry rolled out some interesting stats on the home court advantage that the Hawks now enjoy in their up and coming series with the Boston Celtics.
Read it here: http://bit.ly/IeAopP
Good points, all.
But to make those numbers work in the Hawks favor, intangibles come into play, a few of which the Hawks can actually control.
1. Will the Hawks be totally ready to play? No question, the coaching staff will have done their job. In depth prep, film work, and refining of the game plan have been put into place. The rest is up to the players.
2. Will the fans be ready to make an emotional committment? This is what brings a home court advantage to life. In ‘08, the Celtics lost all three games here. One reason? The emotional investment of the fans. They were so ready for the playoffs after a decade-long absence, Philips Arena exploded with noise. That must be duplicated.
3. Can the Hawks execute under the glare of the bright lights and the pressure of the moment? They were 1-2 against the C’s, with both losses coming at the wire.
All it takes is one loss to give home court back to Boston. But a breakthrough win in Game One by the Hawks would send shockwaves thru the NBA, especially in Boston. Game One Sunday night has a chance at being special.
