NBA Over/Unders: Atlanta Hawks Pegged for 23.5 Wins in 2018-19

Las Vegas has set the NBA over/unders for all teams over the weekend, and the Atlanta Hawks have ended up with the best odds for the worst record in the league during the 2018-19 season.

After a seismic offseason that saw the team almost completely turn over their roster, the Atlanta Hawks can finally settle in and prepare for the 2018-19 season with the squad that will likely remain on the roster for the foreseeable future.

In advance of the season beginning, Las Vegas oddsmakers have offered up the win total over/under estimates for each of the 30 NBA franchises.

Unsurprisingly, with multiple rookies on the roster and an extremely youthful core of players, the Hawks are slated to have the worst record in the league this season according to Vegas, who provided the Hawks an over/under of 23.5 wins in the 2018-19 season.

Right off the bat, that seems about right, as the team (and its rookie point guard Trae Young) will be given plenty of leeway with which to learn, grow and make mistakes on the court – which will likely equate to losing a lot of basketball games next season. Much of that roller-coaster was on display in Summer League (at least in Trae’s case).

However, even if they don’t live up to that meager total of 23.5 wins, this Hawks team is in far better future climes than they were this time last year, as that team only had a few notable young players to build around (Taurean Prince and John Collins chief among them).

The 2017-18 Hawks were, mostly, an ill-fitting collection of players helmed by a coach who was not interested in rebuilding in any way, shape or form. With all that said, that team still managed 24 wins.

I could see the Atlanta Hawks hitting that number again or even slightly overreaching it, especially if some of the team’s high-upside young players “hit” a little earlier than expected, or if players such as DeAndre’ Bembry or Tyler Dorsey showcase more growth than is expected of them.

The safe bet, of course, would be the under, as this Hawks team will lose A LOT of games in 2018-19, but more than 24 wins is not out of the question next season, to be sure.

Elsewhere in the over/unders, Golden State is unsurprisingly slated to be the best team in the league at 62.5 wins, followed in the Western Conference by the Rockets (54.5), the Thunder (50.5) and the new-look, LeBron James-led Lakers (48.5).

In the Eastern Conference (with LeBron’s reign over), the Celtics have were given the highest win totals by Vegas at 57.5. Right behind them, however, was their playoff opponent from last season, with the Philadelphia 76ers at 54.5 wins and the new-look Toronto Raptors – replete with Kawhi Leonard – also slated for 54.5 wins.