NBA Playoffs 2017: Wizards vs. Hawks Game 2 live stream: Watch online
By John Buhler
Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards will be on Wednesday. Here is how to watch it online.
Game 2 of the No. 4 versus No. 5 series in the 2017 Eastern Conference Playoffs, between the Washington Wizards and the Atlanta Hawks, will be on Wednesday, April 19. Washington, who went 3-1 versus Atlanta this past regular season, took Game 1 in Washington, 114-107.
Atlanta’s inconsistencies shooting the basketball and on the glass, along with John Wall’s takeover in the third quarter, was ultimately the difference in the game. The final score may indicate that the game was a close one, but Washington’s dominance in the second half made it an easy Game 1 victory for the Wizards.
Getting the Game 1 win at home was huge for the Wizards’ confidence, as it could be easier for them to take a 2-0 series lead into Atlanta with a Game 2 win. Atlanta needs to win a game on the road to have any shot in this best-of-seven series.
For Atlanta, would could see the same starting five we saw in Game 1: Dennis Schroder at point guard, Tim Hardaway Jr. at shooting guard, Taurean Prince at small forward, Paul Millsap at power forward and Dwight Howard at center. One, four and five won’t change, but we could see Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer change it up on the wing.
Budenholzer didn’t play strong wing defender Thabo Sefolosha at all in Game 1, as he is coming back from injury. Prince did play well in his first career playoff start. Hardaway has been the more consistent offensive player over Kent Bazemore this season. Expect him to get the starting nod at shooting guard again.
As for Washington, the Wizards will trot out the same starting five they do every night. Why wouldn’t they? These are clearly their best four players: Wall at point guard, Bradley Beal at shooting guard, Otto Porter Jr. at small forward, Markieff Morris at power forward and Marcin Gortat at center.
Washington head coach Scott Brooks knows that he has a starting five that can compete with anybody. The problem is that his bench is still incredibly weak. He won’t want to start any of them, but wings Bojan Bogdanovic or Kelly Oubre Jr. could spot-start at any point in these 2017 NBA Playoffs.