The Atlanta Hawks are 14-16 and could see things get much worse following their 104-98 loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. Both teams were extremely short-handed with a slew of players around the league getting placed into health and safety protocols.
When all was said and done, they came up short in a game they were favored in.
This was their seventh-straight loss at home, a place they made clear they wanted to make a tough venue for visitors.
They are now 8-8 at State Farm Arena on the season.
The Atlanta Hawks bumpy ride could last well into the new year
With their upcoming schedule, we could not only see that home skid extended but there is also a very good chance their five-game road winning streak comes to an end. The Hawks face a depleted Philadelphia 76ers team on Thursday while still licking their wounds from the loss on Wednesday.
Next comes the highly-anticipated matchup on Christmas day against the New York Knicks who have gotten R.J. Barrett and Obi Toppin back in consecutive days from protocols.
Those two games are daunting enough with both coming on the road and the Hawks 0-3 against those teams this season. But the Hawks then have a home-and-home with the Chicago Bulls, the second game of which will begin a six-game road trip.
"We have to step up and say something to each other, challenge each other, in situations like that." pic.twitter.com/THkWYD9vl9
— Bally Sports: Hawks (@HawksOnBally) December 23, 2021
The last time the Hawks went on the road for that long, they lost every game.
In addition to the Bulls, the Hawks will travel to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, and both Los Angeles teams. The Cavs are fourth in the East while the Clippers and Lakers are fifth and sixth, respectively, in the West. The Blazers are just 13-19 but still roster the always-dangerous Damian Lillard.
Sacramento is the only “pushover” on the slate for the next few weeks.
The tough sledding will last well into January at which point they will have to face the Miami Heat three times, as well as the Knicks (again), and the Milwaukee Bucks.
They will presumably be close to being whole at that point as everyone in health and safety protocols should be back and they might even have or be close to having forward De’Andre Hunter back from wrist surgery.
Atlanta recently got big man Onyeka Okongwu back in the fold against the Denver Nuggets and Bogdan Bogdanovic made his return against the Magic.
Even once they are healthy, they have some issues to work out. Still, those issues certainly can’t be worked out, nor can the season be turned around, with everyone sidelined for various reasons.
These next few weeks are going to be pivotal for the Hawks pursuit of back-to-back playoff appearances.