What is the minimum level of success you want to see?

[mrhonline]

I'm convinced that most of the disagreements on how to assess this team are related to differences in expectations.

Let's put this out there for all to see...

[High5]

I'd like a more impressive first round victory and a more competitive second round than last year.

[Buzzard]

I'd like a more impressive first round victory and a more competitive second round than last year.

Agree, a 1st round victory and as long as we are competitive in the second round I will consider the season a success. I do think that until we can offset (not beat but compete with) the post presence of Orlando, Boston, and Cleveland, we cannot win in the 2nd round and it would be childish to expect that of this team.

Our bigs have to play bigger or we need to get some new bigs, if we ever want to get out of the 2nd round.

[Atlantaholic]

I'd like a more impressive first round victory and a more competitive second round than last year.

Yeah. Expecting to beat any of the big three is totally unrealistic IMHO... but we should compete. i think we would have competed last year if we were healthy so this year I expect at least a 6 game series in the second round.

[sillent]

By the end of this season, yes!! We should be able to beat at least one of the elite(specially if that team is Boston). We are talented enough to make it happen and should definitely be able to show that by the end of the regular season.

[coachx]

No worse then the 5th seed in the East.

We do not need to be playing the "big 3 teams " in the 1st round.

[ATLSmith]

I want to see them get past the 2nd round... but if they take it to 7 games and loose I won't be dissapointed.

I think we can beat Boston in the second round... not sure about the Cavs or Orlando.

[frosgrim]

I don't think it's childesh to think that this team should win a 2nd round series for the first time in team history. This is a talented, deep group of players. They can beat Boston in the 2nd round, but I agree with the idea it is probably too hard of a series to try and beat the Cavs and/or Magic.

[HawkItus]

I chose option one, but that is assuming we finish 4th and don't have Homecourt in the 2nd round. If we have Homecourt in the 2nd then I want that series won.

[jy23]

We can challenge anyone on any given night so if we catch em at the right time I don't see y we couldn't make it to the conference finals

[tbhawksfan]

I don't think it's foolish for a fan to have high expectations. I think every athlete needs to have that; I can't miss, I'm not going to miss (lose) attitude and each true fan of a team or athlete should expect the same. Sports has become a business and in the real business world, if you lose, you go out of business.

I expect the Hawks to do their absolute best and that is nothing short of a championship. Is there an organization not playing to win ?

[BusBoyIsBack]

I'd like a more impressive first round victory and a more competitive second round than last year.

This sums it up perfectly. 2nd round berth but this time actually threaten to win more than ZERO GAMES.

I think at least going 6 games with Boston/Orlando/Cleveland and we can't really complain.

The year after this one is when we can start talking ECF berth