NBA Power Rankings

[Guest]

ESPN...

10. Atlanta Hawks
2016-17 record: 4-2
Previous ranking: 9

The schedule hasn't been the toughest, true, but Atlanta will arrive for Tuesday night's plenty challenging visit to Cleveland sporting the top-rated team defense in the Eastern Conference. Dismiss this if you wish as premature praise, too, but Dwight Howard will also confront the Cavs in a really good place, with his Hawks career off to a strong statistical start and a comfortable victory to savor from Saturday night's maiden reunion game with James Harden and the Rockets.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Dejay said:

What? Watching a game? That's way too much to ask...

Why watch a game when I can just read box scores and "advance" stats to tell me what happened? - BSPN Eggspert

[Guest]

Sports Illustrated - 7th

The Hawks have feasted on a friendly schedule, but Dwight Howard looks rejuvenated, and that’s great news. I was unsure about his offensive fit, but his impact on Atlanta’s rebounding has been palpable early.

FOX Sports - 8th

in the early part of 2016-17, the Hawks truly seem to be a better team with Dwight Howard at center. The pieces simply fit better in Atlanta.

NBC Sports - 7th

the defense is second best in the NBA at 94 points allowed per 100 possessions and that is getting them wins. Mike Budenholzer is using Dwight Howard well, not just giving him the ball on the block but also in the high post and places where he’s asked to facilitate, not just score. It’s got Howard involved beyond just defendable post ups.

USA Today - 7th

[JTB]

Hawks are getting better each game and working through some mistakes but overall I think Howard has been what I expected! The guy honestly could drop 25 a game in Buds system once it's ran to near perfection.

i predicted 18/12 for D8 before the season started but I can seriously see a avg of 24/12 by simple things like Howard moving better at all times to get better position within the post, setting better picks without movement  and trying to make half his free throws. All along with this whole Hawks team doing a better job on the entry passes to Howard.

Its all a work in progress and so far I'm just not mad at the results. Things will continue to get better.

[macdaddy]

I don't know why the surprise.   The Hawks under Bud have always been a good team when we've had a center.   When Al played as a center we were great, in splitter's dozen games we were effective, when Humph came and filled in at center our play improved.   It should be no surprise that you put a top 5 center on the team we'll be tough.      The times we're iffy is trying to play small ball or stretch 5.   Jump shooting teams don't need a stretch-5, they need a 5.   

[benhillboy]

4 hours ago, macdaddy said:

I don't know why the surprise.   The Hawks under Bud have always been a good team when we've had a center.   When Al played as a center we were great, in splitter's dozen games we were effective, when Humph came and filled in at center our play improved.   It should be no surprise that you put a top 5 center on the team we'll be tough.      The times we're iffy is trying to play small ball or stretch 5.   Jump shooting teams don't need a stretch-5, they need a 5.   

Let the church say amen.  The Warriors will figure this out the hard way.

[Mdizzle5]

On 11/1/2016 at 7:09 AM, macdaddy said:

This is the best part if you hate the Cs.   They are only 2-1 because they are shooting friggin lights out.   They aren't that good of shooters so that will end at some point and they are going to have to find a way to rebound the ball.   

That sounds awfully familiar doesn't it? Lol

[Guest]

Let's shove it in the Cavs collective smug faces today. Looking forward to it! If we beat Cavs today, we should be considered for top 5 in the next power rankings. Granted we take care of biz.

[Guest]

7 hours ago, macdaddy said:

Jump shooting teams don't need a stretch-5, they need a 5.   

@macdaddy for the ultimate win.

Very, very true.

[aali34]

Bleacher Reports Power rankings-

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2674846-2016-17-nba-power-rankings-mid-november-edition/page/28

Hawks looking good

[Guest]

This needs fixing..........

Quote

Atlanta, meanwhile, coughs it up on 17.6 percent of its possessions, which ties the Rockets for the highest rate in the league.

 

[aali34]

I've said this over and over again, losing Evan Turner was the worst thing that happened to the Celtics in the short term, maybe Jaylen Brown becomes a star in the future maybe not, but right now, their best player/shooter and only play maker is 5''9. Al horford won't be much help defensively because they don't need help on the perimeter. I don't know much about Amir Johnson's defense, but I'm guessing its not as good as Paul Millsaps. Evan Turner was a guy with good vision who allowed Thomas to be an off-ball scorer. 

I never understood how people believed that they would contend with Cleveland seeing that their two best players who play clearly defined, non-interchangeable positions on the court are clearly undersized. and physically will always be at a disadvantage.

I can picture Isiah Thomas trying to contest a Kyrie Irving fadeaway on the baseline but can barely keep a hand in his face, and then on the next possession seeing Tristan Thompson snatching rebounds out of Horfords hands.

 

[Guest]

Just now, aali34 said:

I've said this over and over again, losing Evan Turner was the worst thing that happened to the Celtics in the short term, maybe Jaylen Brown becomes a star in the future maybe not, but right now, their best player/shooter and only play maker is 5''9. Al horford won't be much help defensively because they don't need help on the perimeter. I don't know much about Amir Johnson's defense, but I'm guessing its not as good as Paul Millsaps. Evan Turner was a guy with good vision who allowed Thomas to be an off-ball scorer. 

I never understood how people believed that they would contend with Cleveland seeing that their two best players who play clearly defined, non-interchangeable positions on the court are clearly undersized. and physically will always be at a disadvantage.

I can picture Isiah Thomas trying to contest a Kyrie Irving fadeaway on the baseline but can barely keep a hand in his face, and then on the next possession seeing Tristan Thompson snatching rebounds out of Horfords hands.

 

Yep, I said they would miss him.  He facilitated the offense which allowed IT to shoot at will.  They don;t have another capable ball handler.

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, aali34 said:

I've said this over and over again, losing Evan Turner was the worst thing that happened to the Celtics in the short term, maybe Jaylen Brown becomes a star in the future maybe not, but right now, their best player/shooter and only play maker is 5''9. Al horford won't be much help defensively because they don't need help on the perimeter. I don't know much about Amir Johnson's defense, but I'm guessing its not as good as Paul Millsaps. Evan Turner was a guy with good vision who allowed Thomas to be an off-ball scorer. 

I never understood how people believed that they would contend with Cleveland seeing that their two best players who play clearly defined, non-interchangeable positions on the court are clearly undersized. and physically will always be at a disadvantage.

I can picture Isiah Thomas trying to contest a Kyrie Irving fadeaway on the baseline but can barely keep a hand in his face, and then on the next possession seeing Tristan Thompson snatching rebounds out of Horfords hands.

 

Spot on analysis.  Turner was a huge loss for them.  I keep hearing a stat that Turner was top 5 in 4th qtr. assists last season which is significant for a bench player.  His playmaking was overlooked by them.  They didn't even move to replace it.  I guess they figured Schmart would slide into that role.  Mistake.

The notion that they'd challenge CLE was misguided at best.  Recall, many eggsperts think wHorford helps them by bringing a tough presence in the lane on both ends.  That's laughable and is a manifestation of the fact that they do not watch our games.

[Guest]

6. Atlanta Hawks (Overall: 6-2, Last Week: N/A)

Sure, they lost to the Lakers and Wizards, but when you follow that up by beating the Rockets and Tuesday night’s 110-106 victory over the Cavs, the Hawks solidified themselves as a team to watch out East. I’ll admit that I had my doubts about the partnership between Dennis Schröder and Dwight Howard, but these guys look phenomenal.

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/nba-power-rankings-1111/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[Thomas]

15 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

6. Atlanta Hawks (Overall: 6-2, Last Week: N/A)

Sure, they lost to the Lakers and Wizards, but when you follow that up by beating the Rockets and Tuesday night’s 110-106 victory over the Cavs, the Hawks solidified themselves as a team to watch out East. I’ll admit that I had my doubts about the partnership between Dennis Schröder and Dwight Howard, but these guys look phenomenal.

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/nba-power-rankings-1111/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Maybe insiders actually follow some of the teams they write about. This was obviously not cut and paste from an ESPN article.