ATLANTA – Just weeks ago, the Atlanta Hawks’ playoff hopes appeared dim. Some might have even said they were all but extinguished. As recently as before the All-Star break, Atlanta (38-31) held just a half-game lead over the Chicago Bulls for the tenth seed in the Eastern Conference, trailing the fifth and sixth seeds, Toronto and Philadelphia, by 6.5 and 5.5 games respectively.
Now, five weeks later, the Hawks have engineered a remarkable turnaround. Riding an 11-game winning streak – the longest active streak in the NBA – Atlanta has climbed to eighth in the East and positioned itself to potentially reach as high as fifth or sixth. While the Eastern Conference standings have been fluid in recent weeks, the Hawks, after Wednesday’s victory, were just 1.5 games behind the Raptors for fifth and half a game behind the Orlando Magic for sixth.
Atlanta has effectively erased a 6.5-game deficit to the 76ers since February 19th and now hold a one-game advantage over Philadelphia to maintain the eighth spot. Crucially, Atlanta as well holds the tiebreaker over the 76ers, having won all games against them this season.
The Hawks currently share the same record as the Miami Heat, but do not hold the tiebreaker advantage. Miami leads the season series against Atlanta 2-1 and the two teams won’t meet again until the final game of the regular season on April 12th.
A significant factor in Atlanta’s resurgence has been the integration of new players. The Hawks made several moves before the trade deadline, acquiring seven new players and trading away Trae Young. Developing chemistry among these new additions, while simultaneously adjusting to changes in the rotation and lineups, presented a considerable challenge.
“Credit to those guys,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “It’s hard to put yourself in their shoes. And I think what stands out the most is the guys have had to adjust to each other, which really means adjusting roles. I think it was important for us to really receive comfortable. And, really, this was the first night that really happened with Jonathan (Kuminga), and it took all of them having a really selfless attitude.”
This cohesion has translated into stifling defense from the Hawks over the last 28 days. Since the All-Star break, they boast the NBA’s best net rating and the second-best defensive rating, trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder. With 13 regular season games remaining, Atlanta has ample opportunity to continue its climb, despite facing the sixth-most difficult remaining schedule in the league.
According to Tankathon, the three teams currently ahead of the Hawks all have easier schedules down the stretch. Tankathon analyzes the remaining games for each team and calculates the combined win percentage of all their opponents. The Raptors have the 19th-easiest remaining schedule, while the Magic are 16th. The Heat have the 12th-easiest schedule, which could make their April 12th matchup even more critical.
Should the Hawks defeat the Heat and both teams finish with the same record, the season series would end in a tie, and the placement would be determined by further tiebreaker criteria. The Magic currently lead the Southeast Division, and the next criterion is head-to-head record. The Hawks hold an 8-6 advantage over the Heat.
Atlanta faces a challenging stretch run with its final 13 games. The first six of those contests will take place over the next nine days, beginning with back-to-back matchups against the Rockets and Warriors on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
The Hawks’ resurgence is a testament to their adaptability and the impact of recent roster changes. As they navigate a difficult schedule and jockey for playoff positioning, the team’s ability to maintain its defensive intensity and continue building chemistry will be paramount. The Eastern Conference playoff picture remains tightly contested, and Atlanta’s next few games will be crucial in determining its ultimate fate.
The Hawks will look to continue their winning ways on Friday when they host the Houston Rockets. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM EST (11:30 PM UTC).
