Is This Atlanta's Year To Make The Playoffs?

[Lamrock]

Right now, the Atlanta Hawks have a record of 14-12, good enough for 5th in the East. (4th if Toronto loses to Seattle tonight)

My question is: Do you think the Atlanta Hawks, owners of the longest playoff drought in the NBA (Haven't made it since 1999) will finally break through and make the playoffs? They have quite a talented roster.

There are plenty of teams in the Easy right now that are underachieving and can (and probably will) pass them though. (Namely Cleveland and Chicago) However, do you think they will break through and make the postseason, handing the award for longest playoff drought to Portland? (and if they make it, they pass it on to New York and New Orleans, though the latter will likely make the playoffs too)

[Axel]

Yes.

[JT_55]

Still early in the season, hard to tell. A few setbacks here and there might make them miss it again.

I hope they don't. Phoenix still has their pick, right?

[Lamrock]

Yep, Phoenix has their pick, unprotected now. Just their luck that the Hawks are finally semi-decent.

I think they will fall short this year. But I think they will make it soon. The Hawks are the only team I've never seen play in the postseason, barring Charlotte. (First NBA Season I watched was 2000)

Its pretty impressive seeing Atlanta in 4th place a third through the season, although they are just a loss away from 7th...

[buzzy]

I also think they will. Should be a head to head race for the second place in the Southwest with Washington, like it was last year with Miami and Washington.

Though I don't think that the Cavs and the Bulls will keep struggeling all over the season, they'll end up with a better record than the Hawks anyway.

[Indy]

Boston, Detroit, Toronto, Orlando, Indiana, Chicago, New Jersey, Cleveland

[Lamrock]

I have my doubts about New Jersey and Indiana though...

[Axel]

I have my doubts about New Jersey and Indiana though...

As do I after watching them give up a 21 point lead in the first half, and allowing 131 points to the lowly Timberwolves.

That said, I think the Eastern Conference is more mediocre this year than it ever has been. Aside from Boston, Detroit, Orlando (and perhaps Toronto), the rest of the teams are about the same.

[Indy]

As do I after watching them give up a 21 point lead in the first half, and allowing 131 points to the lowly Timberwolves.

Never underestimate a group of professional athletes that are hungry, challenged, embaressed and on a losing roll. The Wolves would have beaten San Antonio the way they shot the ball on us the last 3 quarters, if you actually watched it as you claimed you would not feel this way. Antoine Walker hit 6 threes with a hand right in his grill from 3-4 feet behind the 3 point line, as did Gerald Green. When players feel they have nothing to lose like Minnesota did that type of thing can happen. JOB did a good job getting on their ass anyways, and getting them to play very solid defensively against Washington. The Pacers just finished playing 8 games in 12 days also, which is the hardest stretch any NBA team has to go through. We won 5 of those games, and 6 of our last 9. The Pacers schedule has been brutal as hell to this point and we came out of it above .500. If you look at the Pacers schedule, I fully expect them to be 29-20 or so by the end of January.

[Matt]

Hawks schedule will get tougher later on so they better pad up their record while they can. Either way, they'll have a decent shot....especially with Cle, Chi & NJN struggling.

[Sauru]

i have been saying since the draft that the hawks will be a much better team this season and if i recall i picked them for the 8th spot

[shadowgrin]

So you want a cookie if your prediction is correct?

[Mikki]

Billy Knight is a genius for drafting forwards every year (like a badass).

[Sauru]

So you want a cookie if your prediction is correct?

two please

[Indy]

Billy Knight is a genius for drafting forwards every year (like a badass).

Nobody has ever made that joke before.

[Lamrock]

I have my doubts about New Jersey and Indiana though...

Well, the Hawks beat the Pacers today 107-95, putting them 3.5 games ahead of the 9th place team(s). I really hope they keep this up.

They are finally moving forward! heh...

[Indy]

I have my doubts about New Jersey and Indiana though...

Well, the Hawks beat the Pacers today 107-95, putting them 3.5 games ahead of the 9th place team(s). I really hope they keep this up.

They are finally moving forward! heh...

I'm still a little bit baffled about that game. The Pacers should not be capable of playing as horribly as we did offensively, it was brutal. Missed layups, tons of missed wide open 3s, Jamaal played awful, Danny played worse, Dunleavy was bad... The Hawks offense was pretty good all game and we were OK defensively. Yet somehow we were within 3 late in the 4th before it all collapsed again.

I know I'm going to win our .500 bet, but this Pacers team still really baffles me. We should have 20 wins right now the way we've played the games, but then we play like we did against Atlanta and I start thinking this might be a sub .500 team afterall.