The NBA has released the full schedule for the 2026-27 season, and amidst the most popular storylines heading into the year, there's an overlooked one set to take place in Atlanta.
The Atlanta Hawks - fresh off of an unexpected late-season surge in the previous campaign that led to them giving the eventual-champion New York Knicks a good scare - are looking to make some real noise, once again, in the Eastern Conference.
While no NBA schedule is easy, and Atlanta's certainly isn't, they landed a pretty favorable drawing in the early portion of the year. Sometimes, that's all a team needs to hit their stride and never lose a step.
Hawks have a golden opportunity to start hot
The first two matchups of their upcoming campaign are very winnable.
Not that any team in this league should be taken lightly - because that's when the best of the best suffer unanticipated defeats - but the Hawks should be favored in both matchups.
They open their season against the Orlando Magic. A tough team on paper, the Hawks simply had their number last season, sweeping them four games to none. Aside from a few changes that've gone under the radar, both squads look mostly similar to what they were last season.
Maybe their recent coaching change will result in a culture shift, but things like that take time. The realisticness of Orlando suffering from a slow start gives Atlanta a huge chance to benefit.
After they visit Orlando, they'll remain on the road to face the Charlotte Hornets.
While Charlotte had the upper-hand on Atlanta last season, they're entering the new year without two of the players who've historically carved up the Hawks' defense the most: LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges. They traded both away this summer as they look to fully commit to their young core.
They'll face quite the challenge after, but then back to an even more favorable stretch
The four games that follow their initial two outings are difficult. A back-to-back against Houston, followed by home meeting with the Heat and Cavaliers - the Hawks will certainly be battle-tested early.
It returns to normalcy after that four-game stretch, though, with New Orleans, Indiana, Washington (2x) and Brooklyn all on deck.
A 9-2 start for the Hawks is well within reach, it's just a matter of how they end up playing up or down to their competition.
No team should be overlooked, but if Atlanta plays their cards right, they should be set up nicely for an impressive season. It has to start somewhere.
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