The most important question for our season...

[DavidSomerset]

I say we miss it this year...I'm thinking we get about 33 wins +-5 depending on our luck.

What do yall think?

[DJlaysitup]

I'd like to vote yes - but in reality we need to see how our most important offseason acquisition (Speedy) fits with the team and whether he makes an impact. The primary reason we got behind in the last preseason game was early turnovers (11 in the 1st quarter if I remember right).

Of course all of the turnovers weren't the PG's fault, but hopefully Speedy can help the team improve in that area.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Defense is going to make or break this team, as far as making the playoffs go. If we become even an average defensive team, that may be enough to get us the #7 or #8 seed.

We need Speedy to at least stay in front of PGs in this league and force them to shoot jumpers or tougher shots over him.

On the inside, we really need some guys to come up with big stops or key rebounds in the 4th quarter.

Everything we've done this offseason has gone to address those two key issues.

If we can hold opponents to 44% - 45% FG . . . and win the rebound battle on a nightly basis, we should be able to get in.

[vdunkndunk]

Chad Ford in his ESPN chat today said that the Hawks won't need to tank to keep their pick this season, because he has us ranked as the second worst team in the league. The worst team in the league is the Trailblazers, in his opinion.

[gutz]

Chad Ford is a complete idiot and knows nothing really about sports. I don't see how these people are sportswriters for ESPN. Same goes for the idiot Hollinger who has us ranked DEAD LAST in his rankings. They obviously haven't scouted our team at all or realize the acquisitions we made addressed our two weaknesses from last year. They both say oh well they lost their second leading scorer from last year and got no one to replace him so they will suck. What a joke! Getting rid of Al was addition by subtraction. Its just funny how none of these guys do any research before releasing their predictions.

[bootsybug]

i voted yes just because it's histoically proven that a 20-something win team can go to the playoffs. it's been done plenty of times. i think all we needed was a balanced roster and more seasoning, and we have those ingredients.

if i wasn't a hawks fan, i don't know how i would have voted, but since i am, why be objective?

[TheNorthCydeRises]

As a Cincinnati Bengals fan, I know all too well how these sportswriters can completely overlook your team. Their reasoning is . . . "well you sukked last year, so you're going to suk this year as well."

As far as the Hawks go, it's like I told some of you fans this summer. Joe Johnson is the real deal, and he's going to be the guy that takes this team to the next level because he'll improve on what he did last year.

I hope most Hawks fans realize this, and not think that Marvin or Smoove are somehow going to become the "go-to" guys on this team. They'll get plenty of opportunities to shine, but this is JOE'S TEAM. NO if's, and's or but's about it.

And for all of those people that think Al is going to improve the Pacers by leaps and bounds, they have another thing coming. If Peja was there, then I would agree. But all the Pacers did, was replace what Peja gave them, with what Al will give them.

Yes, guys like Danny Granger will improve, but who else on that team is going to take their game to the next level?

As good as Jermaine O'Neal is, I don't see him elevating his game to be a 25 ppg . . 12 rebs guy. I think that's what he'll have to do, in order for the Pacers to jump to that upper tier of teams in the East.

The East is so full of "average" teams, that you can almost shuffle the deck after the top 5 teams ( Cleveland, Miami, Detroit, New Jersey, and Chicago ( maybe ) ), and come up with the other 3 playoff teams.

The Hawks have 4 players in JJ, Marvin, Smoove, and Speedy, who could dramatically improve their game this season. If that happens, we're almost a lock for the playoffs.

On the flip side, we don't need a situation in which we're still bad defensively, and we go through tremendous offensive droughts.