Hawks’ Playoff Push: A Stunning Turnaround Fueled by Team Chemistry
Just weeks ago, the Atlanta Hawks’ playoff hopes appeared dim. Some might have even considered them a lost cause. As of February 19th, the Hawks (38-31) held a mere half-game lead over the Bulls for the tenth seed in the Eastern Conference, trailing the fifth and sixth seeds by 6.5 and 5.5 games respectively.
Fast forward to today, and Atlanta is experiencing a remarkable resurgence. Riding an impressive 11-game winning streak – the longest active streak in the NBA – the Hawks have positioned themselves to potentially climb as high as the fifth or sixth seed. Following Wednesday’s victory, Atlanta was just 1.5 games behind the Raptors for fifth place and half a game behind the Magic for sixth.
The Hawks have effectively erased a 6.5-game deficit against the 76ers since February 19th and now lead them by one game for the eighth spot. Importantly, Atlanta holds the tiebreaker over Philadelphia, having won all games against them this season.
The Impact of New Additions and Team Cohesion
A key factor in Atlanta’s turnaround has been the integration of new players. The Hawks made several moves before the trade deadline, acquiring seven new players and trading Trae Young. These additions required time to build chemistry and adjust to new roles within the team structure.
“Credit to all of them,” said Hawks coach Quin Snyder. “It’s hard to put yourself in their shoes. And I reckon what stands out the most is that the guys have had to figure each other out, which really means figuring out roles. I think it was key for us to really get comfortable. And, really, this is the first night that really happened with Jonathan (Kuminga), and it took all of them to have a really selfless attitude.”
Defensive Prowess and Remaining Challenges
This newfound cohesion has translated into stifling defense. Since the All-Star break, the Hawks boast the best net rating in the NBA and the second-best defensive rating, trailing only the Thunder.
Despite this momentum, Atlanta faces a challenging path ahead. Of the 13 remaining regular season games, six are against teams with a .500 record or better.
The Raptors have the 19th most difficult remaining schedule, while the Magic are at 16th. The Heat have the 12th most difficult schedule, making their April 12th matchup particularly crucial.
If the Hawks and Heat finish with the same record, Miami currently leads the season series 2-1, and the two teams will not meet again until the final game of the regular season. Atlanta leads the season series against the Magic with an 8-6 record, while the Heat are 7-7.
Enjoy how we write? Then join the conversation! You can find us on Twitch (click HERE) and YouTube (click HERE) with many weekly and bi-weekly shows. For those who want to follow our podcast, The Weak Side, the appointment is instead every Thursday afternoon for live recording, with a release scheduled for Friday morning on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
