It's that time of year. The driest part of the offseason is nearing conclusion and the 2025-26 regular season schedule has been revealed. Atlanta has more excitement around them than ever due to some bold summer acquisitions, and the league did not shy away from challenging the new-look roster early in the season.
While the schedule-makers gifted the Hawks a great chance to start 1-0 with the Toronto Raptors coming into town, reality may hit sooner than most fans may have expected. Their second matchup of the season is on the road against the new-look Orlando Magic, and then they return home to take on the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on the second night of a back-to-back.
This is quite the turnaround. If Atlanta returns home 1-1 after games against the Raptors and Magic, they could see themselves falling behind in the standings early, given that the Thunder will have a rest advantage in just the third game of the season. However, if previous seasons are any indicator of how this one will go, the Hawks will disregard their tired legs and play up to their competition.
This matchup allows Atlanta to get an early assessment on the team
The expectations for the Atlanta Hawks are high. National media is starting to give the team some respect, but most of it will still have to be earned. Overreactions are always at their highest at the beginning of the season, and there is no better way to make some early noise than to take down the defending champions in just the third game of the year.
Nobody should sleep on Atlanta's ability to do so, especially this season. This is not the same Hawks team as before; it no longer looks like too uneven of a matchup on paper. With Jalen Johnson back healthy and Kristaps Porzingis coming over from Boston, the Thunder may not have any clue on how to contain Atlanta's frontcourt. Dyson Daniels should also be able to neutralize the reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The tough early schedule does not end with the Thunder. In just their fifth home game of the season, Atlanta will have to take on LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Hawks are historically known for their inability to defend either player well. Even then, every matchup between the Hawks and Lakers over the past few seasons has been entertaining. Last time the Lakers were in town, Trae Young hit a game-winning three in overtime.
The league is being intentional with how they are matching the Hawks up with these tough Western Conference opponents in the first few weeks of the season. If they can maintain a solid record amidst one of the tougher early-season schedules, it will prove to the rest of the NBA that the Atlanta Hawks are legit contenders.