Atlanta Hawks rival?

[Diesel]

I know that in years past, our rivals have been Boston and Indy and probably Orlando.  However, when you move up in class, don't you get new rivals?

 

Is it safe to say that our new rival is Cleveland or do we have regional rivals like Cleveland and Memphis?  Or do we have a rival like Detroit?  Or is NJ our rival because of Joe?

 

Who is the Atlanta Hawks rival?

 

[JETSET]

Got to stay within the division.  I say the Heat and Wizards are our rivals and the Magic will be once they become more competitive.  Charlotte will always suck so they don't count.

[Guest]

Personally, I'm going with the Warriors (again more of a regional/personal thing for me) They hired a Spurs assistant a year after we did. They run the same plays, both are similar in having unselfish players, both were horrible for years (Even though I've been following this matchup for years, awesome job in 1990 in Atlanta by Rumeal and Volkov with his putback shot at the buzzer, I hate you Latrell for your game winner in Atlanta in 92).

However, since they are a western conference team and we are eastern, it's tough to be a rivalry unless we meet them in the finals at least twice ala Lakers/Celts Lakers/Pistons Lakers/Sixers. So I'm going with the Heat or the Wizard as well. This season I'm going with the Wizard since imo they will be better than the Heat, but you never know which big name free agent Miami will land in the next few years. Ok, I'm all in for now, the Wiz. Their backcourt will be a challenge for us for years, but so far we have an edge, we beat their butts in round 2 of the playoffs..:-)

[hazer]

Wizz

[hawkman]

After the way the Cavs bullied the Hawks, I'd say they are a rival. You don't take a beating like that and not have some hard feelings.

[Alex]

Wizards probably if anyone at all.  You can't say the Cavaliers because they own the Hawks.  Need two teams to make it a rivalry.

[JETSET]

Wizards probably if anyone at all.  You can't say the Cavaliers because they own the Hawks.  Need two teams to make it a rivalry.

The Cavs are 7-14 vs the Hawks in the last 5 years.  Do they teach math at Michigan St?

[AHF]

I don't think we truly have a rival yet.  We need sustained success accompanied by back and forth wins and tension/bitterness to get there.  Nothing makes it more clear than the diversity of answers on this thread and the inclusion of a team like Golden State as our rival:  never met in the playoffs, no significant victory or loss (involving both teams) in the history of the franchises, no bad blood between the teams, individual players or fan bases...ladies and gent I give you our biggest rival!  

 

In the near term, Cleveland and anyone in the SE Division have the potential to be our rival of the day if circumstances play out right.  For Cleveland to be that team, we have to put their fans in fear that they might actually lose in the playoffs to us.  We aren't there yet.

[Alex]

The Cavs are 7-14 vs the Hawks in the last 5 years. Do they teach math at Michigan St?

How about when both teams were actually good? It means nothing when the Cavs were losing 50 plus games a year.

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[JETSET]

How about when both teams were actually good? It means nothing when the Cavs were losing 50 plus games a year.

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They were only 5-3 vs the Hawks last year.  It's impossible to make a rivalry off of one year so you need to look back at least 3 if not 5 years.

Edited August 12, 2015 by JETSET

[Alex]

If you told the Cavaliers the Hawks were their rival they would laugh in your face.

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[JETSET]

If you told the Cavaliers the Hawks were their rival they would laugh in your face.

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Same with the Hawks because there is no rivalry.  The Cavs have been good for 1 year after being gifted the #1 overall pick in 4 of the past 10-11 years.  The Hawks have the second longest consecutive playoff streak in the league while the Cavs just made the playoffs for the first time in 5 years.

 

1 good year is nothing.

[capstone21]

I don't think they have a rival right now ... I can't really think of a rivalry that can be identified with the Hawks.  Def not the Cavs.

[Guest]

I don't think we truly have a rival yet. We need sustained success accompanied by back and forth wins and tension/bitterness to get there. Nothing makes it more clear than the diversity of answers on this thread and the inclusion of a team like Golden State as our rival: never met in the playoffs, no significant victory or loss (involving both teams) in the history of the franchises, no bad blood between the teams, individual players or fan bases...ladies and gent I give you our biggest rival!

In the near term, Cleveland and anyone in the SE Division have the potential to be our rival of the day if circumstances play out right. For Cleveland to be that team, we have to put their fans in fear that they might actually lose in the playoffs to us. We aren't there yet.

I kind of pointed out that the Warriors thing was a personal rivalry for me since I've been living in the Bay Area for 30 years. I do understand they aren't our rivals.

[rd79]

Same with the Hawks because there is no rivalry. The Cavs have been good for 1 year after being gifted the #1 overall pick in 4 of the past 10-11 years. The Hawks have the second longest consecutive playoff streak in the league while the Cavs just made the playoffs for the first time in 5 years.

1 good year is nothing.

The 2nd one will follow now, no doubt...

[Diesel]

I know that in years past, our rivals have been Boston and Indy and probably Orlando.  However, when you move up in class, don't you get new rivals?

 

Is it safe to say that our new rival is Cleveland or do we have regional rivals like Cleveland and Memphis?  Or do we have a rival like Detroit?  Or is NJ our rival because of Joe?

 

Who is the Atlanta Hawks rival?

 

I meant Charlotte and Memphis.. not Cleveland and Memphis.

[Diesel]

Well, the thing with the Wiz is that we're on the same level and in the same division.

 

The interesting part about Cleveland is that before Lebron, we owned them, we played them on Nique Night, and the PG matchup is interesting.

 

However, allow me to reach here:

 

Toronto....  We the South.  The only thing that's missing is significant games.

 

Chicago...   They destroyed the JJ/JC combo.  However, last year we finished better than they.

[AHF]

I kind of pointed out that the Warriors thing was a personal rivalry for me since I've been living in the Bay Area for 30 years. I do understand they aren't our rivals.

 

You can make the same form of argument about most of these teams.  We had some good games against the Celtics over a couple of seasons but are they really our rivals?  No.  Nobody stands out as having the history for this.  I think the best odds are someone in our division emerging:

 

Washington

Charlotte

Miami

Orlando

 

But none of them are our rival at this point in time.  Washington has immediate potential to heat up into some good every-year battles if both teams keep along the same lines as they've been traveling recently.  It is going to take time, games with real weight to them and bad blood to get to a level of rivals, though.

[Guest]

We don't have a significant/specific rival. Rivalries are made in the playoffs over a number of series/years.

We just have competitions, no great rival.

[Guest]

You can make the same form of argument about most of these teams. We had some good games against the Celtics over a couple of seasons but are they really our rivals? No. Nobody stands out as having the history for this. I think the best odds are someone in our division emerging:

Washington

Charlotte

Miami

Orlando

But none of them are our rival at this point in time. Washington has immediate potential to heat up into some good every-year battles if both teams keep along the same lines as they've been traveling recently. It is going to take time, games with real weight to them and bad blood to get to a level of rivals, though.

Yes I think we might be saying the same thing.