The Atlanta Hawks have displayed flashes of both excellence and mediocrity during the 2026-27 season's initial stretch.
Luckily for them, it seems much of the league is having a slow start to the year, particularly in the Eastern Conference. Funny enough, the Philadelphia 76ers - a team widely expected to go through an adjustment period before achieving nightly dominance - came out of the gates firing. They're on fire.
That's a problem for those in the Atlantic Division. In the Southeast, the Hawks are leading the way, despite being just 7-5 on the season. They're way in front. As long as they stay above .500, they should have no problem maintaining their coveted position.
The Southeast Division has been wildly disappointing to begin the year
Well, the Hawks certainly aren't disappointed. The rest of the league should be, though.
The Miami Heat, after a wild offseason of movement that ultimately brought two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to South Beach, stand just 4-6. They began the year 0-4, so if anything, they're just now starting to get back on track. They'll likely be Atlanta's biggest competition in the race for a division title.
Right after the Heat are the Hornets and Wizards, tied for third place in the division.
Charlotte saw how ahead of them the Hawks were when the two ball clubs met for their second game of the season. Atlanta made history, setting a new franchise record for margin of victory - 47 points.
Since then, the new-look squad has continued to disappoint in the post-LaMelo Ball era. The Washington Wizards, however, are a much different story.
Not that they haven't struggled, because they most certainly have, but they had significantly higher expectations than Charlotte entering the year. The Hornets knew they were likely due for a step back in the immediate. The Wizards, not so much.
Washington's slow start has been perhaps the most crucial in the division
They were a mystery entering the year.
Having traded for Atlanta's Trae Young in January, they felt confident beginning the season with him leading the way. Anthony Davis - the ten-time All-Star who was also acquired by Washington before last season's trade deadline - entered the new season healthy.
With a fascinating mix of veterans and young players - headlined by this summer's first-overall pick AJ Dybantsa - the Wizards were either going to be great or an early-season disaster.
The Orlando Magic have been a non-factor. At 2-7, they've got more than a long way to go in terms of catching up to the rest.
Again, the Hawks have been far from perfect, but their closest competitors struggling mightily could continue to help them create early-season separation in the standings.
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