Updating the playoff picture for the Atlanta Hawks with eight games remaining
The Atlanta Hawks are still in the play-in race with eight games left of the season. For those who have watched the Hawks this could be a little surprising. Despite the dominance of Trae Young who is surely in line for All-NBA honors, the Hawks have not had the season they would have hoped for.
However, the Hawks are not focussed on individual honors. While this will certainly help Young’s pay packet, he is much more focussed on winning. It is unfortunate for the Hawks that the team has been so inconsistent, which has been a result of the Hawks’ injury issues and the Covid-19 crisis.
With eight games left in the season, the Hawks are still not guaranteed a play-in spot. The Washington Wizards still have a mathematical chance to make the play-in being 5.5 games back in the 12th slot. The New York Knicks are five games back and have won some big games including the last-start win over the Eastern Conference No. 1 seed the Miami Heat.
The Atlanta Hawks need to make use of their easier schedule.
The Hawks’ next game on the schedule is against the Indiana Pacers who have not been the same team since they traded Domantas Sabonis away. They are in full rebuild mode meaning that the Hawks should account for them easily.
At the time of writing the Hawks are a full game behind the Charlotte Hornets. It will be interesting to see if the Hawks can get above the Hornets. When the two teams met the Hawks were not able to get the win which would have put them into ninth and in the box seat for home-court advantage in the play-in tournament.
Next. The Hawks future is well served by the CP Skyhawks. dark
Mathematically the Hawks can still make the final playoff spot but it is unlikely. They have one of the easiest schedules of any team in the league, Right now the best that they can realistically hope for is to overtake the Brooklyn Nets for the eighth seed, giving them two bites at the play-in cherry.