The Atlanta Hawks entered the final ten games of the first half of the season in a very precarious position. They were 11-15 and in serious danger of having their season derailed if they were not able to right the ship in some way.
With only two games left before the All-Star break, the Hawks then decided to part ways with their third-yead head coach, Lloyd Pierce. Fortunately, the Hawks planned for the future in the offseason when they hired Nate McMillan who is now acting as the interim head coach.
The Hawks have come together over the last ten games, splitting them 5-5 so that they entered the All-Star break with a 16-20 record. This is a whole lot better than the record they could have had if they had continued to play the way they were at the start of February.
How the Atlanta Hawks can improve their season.
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As has been the way with the Hawks all season, they won games they should not have been able to and then lost the ones they should have won. They beat the Boston Celtics twice out of three games in eight days.
They also beat the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat who are both seen to be much better teams. Their fifth win was against the Orlando Magic which is a game they should have won, which is not to say they would have won it with the way they have been playing this season.
The problem for the Hawks is that they are losing too many games that they should win. Part of the reason for this may have been the coaching of Lloyd Pierce and he has paid for this with his job. Now Nate McMillan has the job of steering the ship.
The Hawks have lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Charlotte Hornets, and the New York Knicks twice. They have also lost to the OKC Thunder, a team that is rebuilding this season and should have been a win.
The Hawks need to start winning these games against the lower end of the NBA standings if they are to guarantee their playoff future. Hopefully, they can do this under their new coach Nate McMillan.