BEHIND THE MICROPHONE

ORLANDO---They’ve won twice in this building.
They’ve won six of the last seven games between the two teams.
They’ve built double-digit leads in all four games of this series.
They hold a commanding 3-games-to-1 lead.
And yet, the Hawks are once again underdogs tonight as they prepare to close out the Orlando Magic in their first round, Eastern Conference series.
True enough, the fourth game is always the hardest to win, especially on the road. Only the Boston Celtics have been able to do it so far in this year’s NBA Playoffs.
Here’s hoping the Hawks can match the crowd’s intensity and the anticipated desperation from the Magic.
The Hawks are on the verge of doing something that has never been done in Atlanta’s NBA history.
During the regular season, the Hawks won eight fewer games than the Magic (52-44). Only once in a best of seven series, have the Hawks prevailed over a team in the playoffs with more regular season wins. It was the 1957-58 St. Louis Hawks, and it came over the Boston Celtics in the 1958 NBA Finals.
Twice in Atlanta history, the Hawks have done it: in a best of three over Houston in 1979 and the most recent case, 1996 over Indiana in an opening round best-of-five.
After the humiliation that the Hawks suffered at the expense of the Magic last season, payback in their brand new building would be sweet indeed.
See you tonight on SportSouth. Our coverage begins with Hawks Live! at 7 pm.

As wonderful as the Hawks Game Three win over Orlando was Friday night, there was no time to celebrate today.
As the Hawks reported for duty Saturday morning, all thoughts were on taking Game Four Sunday night, to put the pressure squarely on the Magic.
“This is now the big game,” Jamal Crawford told me after practice. “Last night was pivotal, but tomorrow is now the big one.”
Couldn’t agree more.
When the players left practice, they didn’t know, but presumed, that both Zaza Pachulia and Jason Richardson would be suspended for Sunday’s game (6:30pm on SportSouth).
Later Saturday afternoon, the word came down that each would be suspended for one game.
So, which team is hurt more?
I’ve been rolling that around, and I’d have to say both equally, because both players are instrumental in what their teams’ are trying to accomplish.
The Hawks defense has been built on playing Dwight Howard in single coverage, and not allowing the Magic three-point shooters to get going. Zaza has been tremendous in the series backing up Jason Collins in the post, so the Hawks lose a key defender with size.
Orlando must hit three’s to win. Their confidence soars when they hit a few early in a game. Now, the league’s second leading three-point shooter, Richardson, is out. Plus the Magic lose a key defender on Joe Johnson.
Now, the coaches will adjust their rotations. More minutes for Collins. More minutes for Quentin Richardson and possibly Gilbert Arenas in Game Four.
See you on TV!

Looking for the key guy for the Hawks tonight against the Magic? Joe Johnson? Al Horford?
Perhaps it is Jamal Crawford.
Jamal has been a scoring machine off the bench for the Hawks in the first two games against the Magic. He went for 23 points in Game One, and followed that with a 25-point effort in Game Two.
Based on per game average, Jamal is the leading bench scorer (24.0) in the NBA Playoffs through last night’s games.
Jamal waited a LONG time to taste the post-season.
Last year as a Hawks marked his first visit to the post-season after nine years in the league.
To say he has made the most of it would be an understatement. Crawford has now played in 13 playoff games in his career, and he has gone for 20+ points in seven of them! All off the bench!
Crawford has averaged 32 minutes per game in his two-year playoff run. Expect big things tonight as the series shifts back to Philips Arena.
See you on TV!

A reminder, tonight’s Game Three will air on FOX Sports South. Hawks Live! Begins our coverage at 7:30et.

ORLANDO---Despite the fact that the Orlando Magic is once again heavily favored to win tonight’s Game Two against the Hawks, the local media down here would have you believe the home team is a decided underdog.
My, how one game can change perception.
Today’s headline: It’s Hard to Believe in the Magic.
What the Hawks did was take a page out of successful teams in the past versus Orlando’s Dwight Howard: guard him with one man, primarily, with little help and cover the three-point shooters.
I guess it is news because of the Hawks refusal to do that in last year’s playoff series.
But give coach Larry Drew credit for sticking by his guns. He demanded that the Hawks re-sign center Jason Collins after last season, with an eye on just these type of playoff matchups.
Collins is a very skilled post defender. His ability to frustrate Howard has been a major key to this series, and the Hawks success against the Magic this season (four wins in five games).
And, if you haven’t noticed, Collins has really gotten under Dwight’s skin.
Funny, how the Orlando big man can dish out the punishment, but has a hard time taking it.
And if you take away the Magic’s ability to shoot uncontested three’s, the results are predictable: Howard will get his and Orlando will end up losing.
Hey, when a man gets 31 points in a half in a playoff game, that can be a crushing blow to the basketball ego.
But Coach Drew refused to change.
He did what you have to do when you believe in your system: look at the scoreboard and not at the stat sheet.
The Hawks will employ the same strategy with a few minor tweaks, for tonight’s game Two.
And after just one game, there a lot of folks now believing in the Hawks.

Don’t forget, tonight’s game is on Fox Sports South. Hawks Live gets our evening underway at 7pm ET.
See you on TV!