The Atlanta Hawks have a chance to go on a winning streak

Technically, the Atlanta Hawks (32-34) have gone streaking many times this season. But they haven’t won more than two games in a row since January. The win on Friday, coupled with three straight losses by the Washington Wizards, give them a 3.5-game advantage for the final play-in spot with a head-to-head still on deck next month.

Trae Young got downhill early and often in the win over L.A., a recipe the Hawks should ride until the wheels fall off.

Clint Capela also notched a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double and played stellar defense.

If they can sustain those two things, they can take full advantage of that second-easiest remaining schedule. For starters, Friday’s win kicked off a three-game homestand as well as a stretch where they will five of their next six at State Farm Arena.

The Atlanta Hawks could go on a bit of a run over the next few games

It’s been all about ‘location’ for these Hawks. They are seven games above .500 at 20-13 in their gym and have won eight of their last 10 games. On the road, they are nine games below even at 12-21 dropping seven of their last 10 outings. This is proof of why one of their preseason goals was to get homecourt advantage in the postseason.

Fighting for their playoff lives just a week ago, and still, to be honest, they will have to settle for earning more chances at advancing in the play-in.

As the 10-seed, they will have to win a one-game showdown with the nine-seed (currently the Charlotte Hornets) just for a right to play the loser between the seven and eight-seed. At 4.5 games back of the Toronto Raptors, getting to seventh is likely out of the question.

There is a better chance of catching the Brooklyn Nets who are just 1.5 games up for eighth.

Fortunately, the Hawks have head-to-heads with both the Hornets – with whom they share the same win percentage – and Nets giving them direct control over their future, all other things being equal. The rub is that rarely if ever has anything been equal for these Hawks who have been inconsistent even when the myriad outside factors weren’t beating them up.

They come in having beat Indiana two times already this season including a 133-112 blowout just before the trade deadline.

Yes, the Hawks have won two or more games in a row several times this season. But no self-respecting streak can begin before three games and they have only done that twice. That is when it goes from coincidence to pattern and, eventually, it will become a habit again.

By then, hopefully, the Hawks can be rolling heading into the postseason.