With less than 10 games remaining for Atlanta and Toronto every game matters as both of these teams scrape and claw for playoff position. Toronto appears to have a spot locked up, however they are hoping to stay out of the seventh spot and a first round match-up with Detroit while Atlanta is trying to secure a spot in the playoffs for the first time since the 1998-99 season. With teams having lots to play for tonight it looks like it should be a great game for fans of both teams.

To get Raptors fans ready for this game I sent Chase from Impending Firestorm some questions and he was great in responding - even if I did rip Mike Bibby earlier this week.

1. I was highly critical of Atlanta dealing for Mike Bibby because he’s a shoot first point guard and I feel they need a pass first point guard like Brevin Knight. However, the Hawks seem to be doing great with Bibby. What’s your take on Bibby? Is this the missing ingredient to make Atlanta a threat in the playoffs?

I’m not sure that Bibby makes them a major threat if they end up having to play someone like Boston in the first round of the playoffs, but he certainly makes them more dangerous. I wouldn’t say he was the greatest acquisition, but he was certainly an upgrade and gives Atlanta the best chance to make the playoffs since the millenium…and that’s all Hawks fans can really ask for right now. A lot of people felt the team needed a pass-first point guard, but the truth was Atlanta needed someone who could handle the ball, play defense and not turn the ball over, especially at the end of the game. While Bibby is not really any of those things, he does at least provide Atlanta with some more offense and gives them another outside threat besides Johnson. Passing and defense would be ideal in their future point guard, but Bibby is at least better than what they’ve had in a long time.

2. Josh Smith is about to become a free agent. Has he warranted a max deal? What kind of deal will he get this summer and how much should Atlanta pay him?

I’m not sure Josh Smith has warranted a max deal quite yet but he will certainly demand and deserve a great deal of money this summer. Atlanta should pretty much pay him anything to keep him on the team. He is one of the youngest players and is still improving year after year. He consistently rebounds, steals and blocks and has very much improved on his scoring. Smith is a type of player that is very difficult to find and has converted much of his athleticism to basketball skill in the past few years. He is someone who can go out on any given night and have 30 points, 15 boards and 8 blocks while playing 35 minutes. He presents a matchup problem to opposing defenses and is the type of player you would love to build a team around. Right now Joe Johnson, Al Horford and Josh Smith are the 3 most important pieces to keep on this team.

3. Everyone know’s about the big three of Mike Bibby, Josh Smith and Joe Johnson. Who’s a player on Atlanta that Toronto fans should keep an eye out for?

I’ve always been a big fan of Josh Childress. If he comes off the bench and plays well, Atlanta tends to win or at least make things close. He is an energy type of player for the Hawks who comes out and scores points off the bench while also infusing energy into a team that can lack focus at times.

Al Horford is becoming an increasingly effective player, but in his rookie season he is certainly not the type of player that can take over a game yet.

If Marvin Williams gets hot from the outside, he can certainly put in enough points to give a team trouble, so he remains a constant threat.

The truth is, Smith and Johnson are the big men on this team, and the record tends to go as they do.

4. Heading into the season I was excited to see what Acie Law IV would bring to your squad. What are your thoughts on his rookie campaign? Is he the future point guard for Atlanta or does the acquisition of Mike Bibby mean the team is going in a different direction?

I was so happy about the Hawks drafting Law last summer and could not have painted a better draft picture for the Hawks than what happened in reality. The problem is that Law has been hurt constantly and really had no one to mentor him during the season while he was actually in. Law was forced into a tough situation in which he was supposed to be the answer to a problem he wasn’t made to fix. Law is much closer to a Damon Stoudamire than he is the type of point guard Atlanta would really love to have, but that being said I think he is the point guard of the future for this team. Many people will be scared after a rough rookie year, but he was injured a lot and didn’t have much time to adjust to the NBA. He is a smart player who has a lot of experience from college ball and should be just fine in the next year or so. If Law stays healthy other teams are really going to have to watch out for him in the future. I don’t see any reason why he can’t develop into exactly what this young squad is looking for at the point. Bibby is just a temporary fix this season so the team could make a run at the playoffs and people wouldn’t be calling for the heads of Woodson and Knight.

Again, a big thanks goes out to Chase for taking the time to give Raptors fans the scoop on the Hawks. Make sure you check out Impending Firestorm tomorrow for his game recap and the chance to get a different perspective on the game.