Soaring Down South
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The next two weeks could pay off in a big way for the Atlanta Hawks

By Joshua Buckhalter

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 06: Nate McMillan of the Atlanta Hawks looks on during the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on December 6, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harrison Barden/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 06: Nate McMillan of the Atlanta Hawks looks on during the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on December 6, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harrison Barden/Getty Images) /
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The Atlanta Hawks could have their chance to gain ground in a competitive Eastern Conference. Their opponent on Friday, the Brooklyn Nets, sits atop the conference that has yet to produce a team anyone would deem a juggernaut. Each of the Nets, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat have taken turns being the “favorites” so far.

It is a conversation the Hawks should be a part of. Thanks to their average start and swoon in early November, they are on the outside looking in on those discussions. What they did is battle their way back to being the eighth seed if the playoffs started today.

Alas, they do not. There is still about two-thirds of the season remaining and an eighth seed just gets you in the play-in tournament anyway.

This is still a pivotal time for Nate McMillan‘s Hawks as they are slated to get several players back from injury over the next few weeks including Onyeka Okongwu and Cam Reddish, the latter of whom could play versus Brooklyn.

The Atlanta Hawks could gain some ground in the East ahead of Christmas

Christmas Day is the unofficial “start” of the season for many casual NBA fans. The day is always loaded with several marquee matchups and the Hawks have Julius Randle and the New York Knicks waiting for them at Madison Square Garden.  In the lead up to that, however, the Hawks catch a bit of a break in their schedule and could rise in the standings as a result.

Over the next two weeks, including Friday against the Nets, the Hawks will face teams with a combined record of 56-70.

The Denver Nuggets are the only other team aside from Brooklyn to have made the postseason last year and they are a shell of themselves even with the reigning MVP in Nikola Jokic. Atlanta also gets the woeful Orlando Magic twice.

They have a couple of tricky matchups in the Houston Rockets, who have won seven straight heading into Friday, and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The currently sixth-seeded Cavs handed the Hawks their first loss of the season.

Getting revenge for that would be nice but it would be even better if the Hawks could be fighting for the sixth or even fifth seed by the time we get to Christmas. It would be quite the turnaround after they fell to 4-9 thanks to their six-game skid.

Next. Gallinari, Williams’ veteran leadership critical going forward. dark

A seven-game winning run has them in a position to make some serious headway in a very competitive conference.

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