Nothing is more important to a team with championship aspirations than momentum, especially in a wide open Eastern Conference. A late-season stretch of wins could be the difference between another Play-In Tournament appearance for the Atlanta Hawks or a locked-in playoff spot at the top of the conference.
Thursday's schedule release revealed that the Hawks have it tough in the first few months of the season. While staying around .500 through the first half of the season could come across as a disappointment, Hawks fans will need to remain patient, as the schedule only gets easier the rest of the way.
Everything changes after the All-Star break. The two matchups immediately following the break are against Philadelphia and Miami, two teams that could provide a tough challenge for the Hawks. If they take care of business in those games, the next five could be the start of a dominant run. Opponents in that stretch include Brooklyn, Portland, and Milwaukee. They've also got two matchups against the Washington Wizards, the team projected to be the worst in the Eastern Conference.
The Hawks must capitalize on this easy post-break schedule
Another interesting wrinkle in Atlanta's post-break schedule is that they play 10 out of their first 12 games at State Farm Arena. This will be a huge advantage considering the road-heavy month prior. If the Hawks have a respectable record heading into the final few months of the regular season, they could build legit momentum during this easy stretch and have a real chance at a deep postseason run.
The first seven games following the All-Star break will be crucial. They will likely be favored in every matchup. In previous years, Atlanta has had a tendency to play down to their competition and show up big-time against the best in the league. This cannot be the case in a franchise-defining season. A 7-0 or 6-1 record in this stretch will give Atlanta the boost they need to finish the season strong.
It's no secret that momentum is the biggest key to a championship run. Last season, the Indiana Pacers had a rough start. They were blessed with an easier second half of the season and they took advantage. All of their players bought in to the idea that this was their year and they ended up advancing all the way to the NBA Finals. This year's Hawks have been compared to last year's Pacers on numerous occasions. There is no reason they can't replicate Indiana's unpredicted success and make a Finals run.
It's going to be a fun season. Atlanta will have a chance to prove themselves early in the year, but even if they float around a .500 record up until the All-Star break, the championship hopes will still be very much alive.