Are the Hawks a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference?
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Over the past seven years, the Atlanta Hawks were viewed as a team in “Basketball Hell,” a good team that was never a serious threat to win a championship or even make it to the NBA Finals. The Hawks made it to the postseason the last seven seasons, but they lost in the first round four times and never got out of the second round.
Could that finally change this season?
After an impressive 104-97 victory on the road against the Houston Rockets on Saturday, Atlanta is 19-7 and third in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks have won 12 out of their last 13 games and have been playing excellent on both ends of the floor. Atlanta is seventh in the league in both offensive and defensive efficiency, and they’re one of just five teams to rank in the top 10 of both categories.
Atlanta poses some serious matchup problems with the way they spread the floor, move the ball and shoot the three. The Hawks rank sixth in three-pointers made per game and are tied for third in three-point percentage at 37.8 percent. Kyle Korver, who had 22 points in the win over the Rockets, is the biggest reason for this. Korver has made the second-most three-pointers in the league, and his dazzling 53.9 percent mark from long range is also second.
But Korver’s not the only serious deep threat on the roster. DeMarre Carroll is knocking down 40.0 percent on the season, while starting point guard Jeff Teague is at 36.9 percent. Toss in two stretch fours in Paul Millsap (35.1 percent) and Mike Scott (39.4 percent), and you have a bunch of capable three-point shooters.
In addition to the solid three-point shooting, Teague has done a heck of a job running the offense. The 26-year-old is having a career season, with averages of 16.8 points and 7.0 assists to go along with a team-high PER of 21.29. He’s currently battling a hamstring issue and has missed the last two games, although that hasn’t stopped Atlanta from pulling out two victories over tough opponents in the Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers.
You also can’t talk about the Hawks without mentioning Al Horford. The big man missed the majority of last season with a torn pectoral muscle, which effectively torpedoed any chance at a deep playoff run. Atlanta still got into the playoffs with a 38-44 record and nearly upset the top-seeded Indiana Pacers, but they fell just short. With Horford back in the lineup manning the center position, the team is much more complete.
So considering how strong the Hawks have been on both sides of the ball, are they legitimate contenders in the East this season?
Despite the superb 19-7 start, I would still place Atlanta fifth in the East pecking order behind the Cavs, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards. Vegas agrees with this sentiment, as the Hawks have the fifth-best odds to win the East at 20/1, according to VegasInsider.com. Atlanta’s odds to win the championship currently sit at 50/1.
However, perhaps more people will start to believe in the Hawks if they keep playing at this level. I tend to think Atlanta is still another really good player away from making a title run, but the way it stands right now, the East is wide open and anything can happen.
Even if you don’t believe in the Hawks as a championship contender, you should believe in them as a solid bet on most nights. Atlanta is 16-10 against the spread this season, which is the third-best mark in the league, per VegasInsider.com.
