4 Ways the NBA was petty with the Atlanta Hawks schedule

4. End of the Regular Season

January might just be a precursor to the slog that will be the end of the regular season for the Hawks. Over their final eight games, they will face seven playoff teams including ending the regular season on the road against this past season’s NBA Finals runner-up, the Celtics (Apr 9). Boston beat the Hawks both times the teams played in TD Garden Arena last season.

Beginning with the Grizzlies (Mar 26), the Hawks will then host the upstart Cleveland Cavaliers – who finished one game better than them last season – before traveling to take on the Brooklyn Nets (Mar 31). The Hawks and Nets split their two meetings last season but neither was in Brooklyn. The Nets were 20-21 in their home gym last season, though, and remain in a state of flux with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks (Apr 2) join the Bulls (Apr 4) as teams that pundits are lower on after their offseasons left many wanting more. But Chicago beat the Hawks 3-of-4 times last season while Dallas split, taking their home game. The Mavs will visit the Hawks in this meeting. But the Bulls get to host where they took both meetings and went 27-14 last season.

Their “easiest” game on the run is against the Wizards (Apr 5) at home. But we’ve already discussed Wright and how weird things can happen. The Wizards were also surprisingly scrappy when they faced the Hawks last season. There is also the danger of overlooking what could be a “lesser” opponent with the Philadelphia 76ers (Apr 7) – who took 2-of-3 meetings last season including in Atlanta – and Boston staring the Hawks down. Very petty.