Hawks in an Early Season Soar
The Atlanta Hawk’s preseason hype was seemingly non-existant this season when they got ranked 12th in the preseason power rankings. After the first four weeks of the NBA season, the not-so-distant future is looking much brighter for the Hawks.
The Atlanta Hawks returned all five starters to the team this season. Led by veteran PG Joe Johnson and young gun PF Josh Smith, the Hawks are finally ready to compete in their tough Southeast Division. Atlanta’s biggest threats in the division are the Miami Heat and returning East Champions the Orlando Magic.
Although Miami is on fire, they don’t have enough help for Dwayne Wade in the paint. As for the Magic, the loss of Hedo Turkoglu has had lasting effects on the team’s ability to shoot the 3-ball.
Shooting the 3-pointer is something the Hawks have had no trouble with. Veterans Mike Bibby and Joe Johson are around 40% from the arc. This gives the Hawks the ability to make up large deficits. In the paint, the team is lead by two young guys with promising futures in the NBA. Al Horford and Josh Smith combine 20 rebounds a game with 4 blocks a game. When you have players like Zaza Pachulia, Maurice Evans, and rookie Jeff Teague coming off the bench, you know your team is in good hands despite the injuries to come. The Hawks are a complete team from the inside out.
The Hawks have defeated the Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Hornets, Miami Heat, and Boston Celtics, who are all major playoff contenders. The Hawks only losses have come from away games at returning finals champions the LA Lakers, Charlotte Bobcats, and New Orleans Hornets. The Hawks are undefeated on the home court and are having an early season similar to the Cleveland Cavaliers of last season. If the Hawks can continue to win at home they could be a force in the playoffs if they can achieve a 1 seed by winning the East. If that is accomplished look for the Hawks to make some noise on their way to the NBA Finals.
Loading ...