NBA Playoffs 2015: Friday Schedule, Tip Time and Predictions

Few expected the Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta Hawks to have much trouble with the eighth-seeded Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs, but they enter Friday's Game 6 in Brooklyn with a razor-thin lead of 3-2 in the series.

The Hawks scored a hugely important victory in Wednesday's Game 5, which means they should have momentum on their side. The Nets have home-court advantage, however, which means something has to give in one of the biggest games of the opening round.

As Atlanta and Brooklyn prepare to write another chapter in what has been an entertaining and highly competitive series, here is everything you need to know about when and how to watch Friday's Game 6.

Where: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York

When: Friday, May 1, at 8 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN

Hawks Player to Watch

The Hawks owe the bulk of their success during the regular season to the fact that they played better team basketball than anyone. They may not have any individual superstars, but any of their starters and even some of their bench players are capable of taking over any given game.

One player in particular who has stepped up during the playoffs is DeMarre Carroll. He was the least heralded of Atlanta's starters during the regular season, as he put up just over 12 points and five rebounds per game, but his production has reached another level against the Nets.

The former Mizzou standout is averaging 17 points, three assists and nearly eight rebounds per contest, as Brooklyn has no answer for him. He has been especially strong over the past three games with at least 20 points in each along with some great peripherals, according to NBA.com/Stats:

Carroll dropped 24 points in Game 5 to pace the Hawks, but he also played smart basketball, as he simply didn't make negative plays, per Hawks announcer Bob Rathbun:

Atlanta doesn't necessarily need Carroll to dominate in order to have success in Game 6 due to the presence of players such as Jeff Teague, Paul Millsap, Al Horford and Kyle Korver. What the Hawks do need, though, is for Carroll to continue playing the type of clean game that makes things easier for his teammates.

Carroll has really opened things up for the rest of the team in this series, and there is no doubt that the Nets will be very much focused on slowing him down as they attempt to keep their season alive.

Nets Player to Watch

While the Hawks have the upper hand on Brooklyn in many areas, one thing that the Nets have excelled at during this series is their play in the paint.

That can be attributed almost entirely to center Brook Lopez. The 27-year-old big man had another solid year for a mediocre team, as he put up over 17 points, seven rebounds and nearly two blocks per game. With the Hawks struggling to defend him, though, he has been even better during the postseason.

The 7-footer is averaging 20 points with over nine rebounds and two blocks per contest. With the Nets down 2-0, Lopez's play at home was a huge factor in their ability to even up the series. In addition to his offensive excellence, Lopez could not be solved on the defensive end in Game 3, according to ESPN Stats & Info:

Lopez scored 20 or more points in Games 2, 3 and 4. He didn't get a ton of help from his teammates in some of those games, but his dominance allowed guys like Joe Johnson, Jarrett Jack and Deron Williams to get going at times.

As evidenced by Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer's comments, the team was extremely worried about doing everything possible to make things more difficult for Lopez inside, per the Hawks' official Twitter account:

Atlanta was successful in that regard in Game 5, as Lopez was limited to just 15 points and three rebounds. If the Hawks can keep him in check once again, then it is tough to envision the Nets forcing a Game 7.

Unlike the Hawks, it can be argued that Brooklyn relies too much on one player. That player is Lopez, and there is no question that he is the biggest key to the Nets' success in Game 6.

Prediction

One of the most important stats in this series is the fact that the home team is undefeated. That means the Nets should be in the driver's seat for Game 6, but they cannot advance to the next round without winning a game on the road.

Their focus is entirely on Game 6 first, but that doesn't guarantee anything. The Hawks have a one-game cushion; however, there is no way that they want to go all the way to a Game 7 in the first round against the No. 8 seed.

Because of that, they figure to be motivated to break the trend and win on the road in Game 6. Provided Atlanta is able to handle Lopez like it did in Game 5, that is a very real possibility.

The Hawks have a huge advantage when it comes to depth and team play, and that is why they will defeat Brooklyn 98-92 in Game 6 to win the series.

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