More downgrading of the Hawks by the experts

[Plainview1981]

Totally agree.  There is always love for the Wiz for some reason and they always disappoint.   That backcourt is great but not signing one decent 4 or 5 in the offseason is a crime.   But they have a lot of money tied up in Gortat and Nene i guess.   Nene is a $13 million expiring this year though so if they move him at the deadline for a decent PF then they could be trouble in the playoffs.  Still they lack depth.

 

I praised Washington before the start of last season, but they just did not cut it. That front court has peaked already.... And now they don't have PP... Who has always been a big thorn in the Hawks side. I think the Hawks can control Washington's back court enough to win the match ups.

[Dejay]

That will not mean that things will totally change. The Utah Jazz probably didn't get as much credit as they deserved and they made two NBA finals. Atlanta might not be a small market, but the Hawks (even at their best) are still going to look at as a smaller franchise compared to LA, Boston, Chicago and whomever Lebron plays for.

That's where I'm getting at. If Stern had it his way, he would've erased the Jazz from the record books of even making the Finals. Let me use another wrestling analogy, if you will...

To the folks in Secaucus, the Hawks are one of those mid-carders who job to the stars as a warm up act (1st/2nd round of the playoffs) to the main event later down the road (ECFs and beyond). Every now and then, they'll get handed some secondary belt for them and their fans to hang onto in hard times (division title) but the higher ups aren't booking them to win the Royal Rumble or main event in WrestleMania.

[TheFuzz]

The only team in the East that gives me slight pause (outside of Cleveland) is Chicago. I still believe we need an upgrade at the 3, but the other teams in the East just can't hang with us.

 

Miami? Dragic/Wade/Bosh with a side of Deng and Whiteside is pretty nasty, but it ain't better than Teague/Millsap/Horford with Korver/Splitter/Thabo/Schröder tacked on. They don't have the depth to hang with us.

 

Washington? Our top-end AND our depth is way, way better. I'm really starting to despise the Wizards, Is Wall why they get so much love? Is that it?

 

Chicago if properly coached AND healthy (big if) could hang with us but I wouldn't say they're better.

[macdaddy]

The only team in the East that gives me slight pause (outside of Cleveland) is Chicago. I still believe we need an upgrade at the 3, but the other teams in the East just can't hang with us.

 

Miami? Dragic/Wade/Bosh with a side of Deng and Whiteside is pretty nasty, but it ain't better than Teague/Millsap/Horford with Korver/Splitter/Thabo/Schröder tacked on. They don't have the depth to hang with us.

 

Washington? Our top-end AND our depth is way, way better. I'm really starting to despise the Wizards, Is Wall why they get so much love? Is that it?

 

Chicago if properly coached AND healthy (big if) could hang with us but I wouldn't say they're better.

 

 

I agree with all of that.  My thing with Chicago is that we're a matchup problem for them.   Pau on the court for them is a huge vuneralbility against us because he can't hang with our big guys up and down the court or in our offense.   Sure he'll get some post ups but that's not a concern for us.   So Pau on the floor means they have to try to outscore us which basically means that Butler has to be absolutely on fire with his shot and Rose has to do things that Rose hasn't been doing for a while. 

[LucastheThird]

To the folks in Secaucus, the Hawks are one of those mid-carders who job to the stars as a warm up act (1st/2nd round of the playoffs) to the main event later down the road (ECFs and beyond). Every now and then, they'll get handed some secondary belt for them and their fans to hang onto in hard times (division title) but the higher ups aren't booking them to win the Royal Rumble or main event in WrestleMania.

Which is why they need the power of positivity.

 

 

[benhillboy]

I've totally gotten over all my ill will towards the media for disrespecting Atlanta. We know basketball and know how good this team can be, f&@k em frankly.

I glanced at the Orioles game last night on primetime, stadium half-filled, if that. I would imagine the TV rating called for a couple stiff whiskey shots from the producer. With these ballooning numbers to broadcast live events, games like those will be eliminated sooner than later, right?

With the new, sillier programming at ESPN in clear response to the decreasing subscriptions and ratings (more women, failed comedians as anchors) their fall will be swift. His and Hers is quietly the best show on there, I wouldn't be surprised if Mike Smith jumped on a Hawks bandwagon at some point.

Edited September 3, 2015 by benhillboy

[Blazemore]

http://hoopshype.com/2015/09/03/preview-atlanta-hawks/

 

Hoops Hype has us at third third seed and winning our division. I think that's reasonable. Honestly I'm a little scared of that Miami team if they are able to get healthy and gel together. With Paul George coming back, the Bucks putting some pieces together, Toronto adding some pieces, and Wizards loosing there status quo I'd say it looks like the east is starting to get a little more competitive, so I'm actually rather pleased that any media not stationed in Atlanta is giving us such high expectations...they never really do.

 

Also ESPN is a joke. Just wanted to put that out there.

[Vol4ever]

Squawkers don't forget that DMC was our mvp in the playoffs, he brought us out of the 2nd round. I'm hoping that we have someone to take his place I.e. Hardaway Jr........or Thabo.

[macdaddy]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/bdl-25--just-how--excellent--are-these-miami-heat--anyhow-203300532.html

 

 

On second thought, maybe he’s right. Beyond LeBron’s Cavaliers, there’s no clear-cut No. 2 team in the East, so the door is wide open. Maybe the real question is whether Miami can salsa through unscathed by injuries that derailed their 2014-15 season.

 

What the hell?   So how can the clear #1 team in the east last year, went to the ECF,  Is returning 4 all stars and added a top quality center not be the clear cut #2?   We've got all guys in the prime of their career (except maybe Korver) plus good young talent.   We need to prove the naysayers wrong.