Atlanta Hawks: The playoff picture five games out.
The Atlanta Hawks against the other playoff teams.
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The Celtics are the team that currently owns the last guaranteed playoff spot. Their record is equal to that of the Heat but they currently own their tiebreaker. They torched the Orlando Magic to the tune of 36 points to ensure they stayed in the sixth seed.
They have what appears to be an easier schedule but they take on the Heat twice and finish the season against the New York Knicks who currently hold the fourth seed. Four of their last six games are also on the road. They are 1.5 games behind the fifth seed but the Hawks also own this tiebreaker.
The Hawks trail the Knicks by half a game but do not hold this tiebreaker so they need to win two more games than the team from New York for the rest of the season to pass them. The Knicks were soundly beaten by the Denver Nuggets on the second night of their Western Conference road trip.
Next. How Trae Young makes Clint Capela better. dark
They still have to take on the Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and the LA Clippers on the road and then playoff-caliber competition at home for their final three games. If they manage to stay above the Hawks with their remaining schedule, then they deserve to be there