The Atlanta Hawks have played the third-toughest schedule in the NBA to this point based on opponent win percentage. From here on out, their slate ranks as the second-easiest by that same metric. Beating the Washington Wizards still has them 10th in the Eastern Conference but tying the Charlotte Hornets in win percentage.
The Hawks briefly took over ninth with that win on Friday before the Hornets beat the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.
John Collins made his return from a seven-game absence due to a strained foot but Kevin Huerter left near the end of the contest with a shoulder injury. We are still awaiting an update after Nate McMillan said they would further evaluate Huerter.
We should know more by Monday’s tilt with the Detroit Pistons.
Fortunate scheduling will see the Atlanta Hawks face less resistance in their push to the postseason
There are two things that seem to be working against the Hawks down the stretch. Of their 19 remaining contests, 10 of them will come on the road. They have a 12-19 record away from State Farm Arena this season and are just 3-7 in their last 10 tries. The Hawks will also see 10 teams currently in at least the play-in field
The Hawks are just 16-25 against opponents with a .500 record or better.
So how, with these pretty tough circumstances, can they possibly have the 29th easiest remaining schedule per Tankathon.com?
Five of the 10 teams would be guaranteed a shot at the play-in and nothing more if the regular season ended today between the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, and Toronto Raptors in the East and Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans in the West.
The Hawks are 3-5 against the three Eastern Conference teams this season going winless against the Nets but notching a win to bring their record to 1-2 versus the Raptors. Both teams are on two-game losing streaks while the Hawks have the 2-1 edge over the Hornets with the lone loss coming back in December.
They weren’t playing their best ball or at full strength when they last saw Brooklyn either.
Atlanta does have four back-to-backs remaining. But only three will require travel, one of those trips will be back to their home gym, and the first two involve non-playoff teams.
It isn’t as rosy as it could be; they still have three stretches that could prove to be trying if they aren’t locked in. The Hawks face the Milwaukee Bucks on Mar 9 before hosting the Clippers on Mar 11.
They’ll then play three games against current play-in teams in a five-day span starting with the Hornets on Mar 16 and ending with the Pelicans on Mar 20. New Orleans has gone 5-4 since trading for CJ McCollum and has won four in a row. There is word they could also get Zion Williamson back soon.
That is not likely in time for the tilt with the Hawks, though.
There is a home date with the Golden State Warriors but it’s sandwiched between bouts with the Pistons and Indiana Pacers.
Their toughest remaining stretch will come at the end of the season when they will see the Nets and Raptors in between meetings with the Cleveland Cavaliers – against whom they are 2-1 this season – and the Wizards who made Friday’s win too close for comfort.
A final game that comes on the road is less daunting with the opponent being the Houston Rockets, owners of the NBA’s worst record entering play on Sunday, and losers of their last 12 straight contests, though, they did beat the Hawks for one of their 14 wins on the season; also back in a December that saw the Hawks go 5-9.
Houston is one of six out of the Hawks 10 remaining road opponents that are not currently in the play-in field.
Atlanta is just 4-4 against those teams thanks to that loss to the Rockets and an 0-3 mark against the New York Knicks. But, sure Trae Young feels as though he owes them one just as he did the Chicago Bulls and we all know how that turned out.