The Atlanta Hawks had their franchise-record 19-game win streak snapped on Monday to the New Orleans Pelicans. No matter, as the best team in the Eastern Conference remains eight games ahead of the Toronto Raptors in first place and is coming off of a huge win against the Golden State Warriors. Now 25-3 at home, the Hawks have garnered well-deserved enthusiasm from fans down in the ATL.
But the Hawks have been the talk of the league, playing the best team basketball in the NBA. All five starters are averaging more than ten points per game. There is no more complete team in the Eastern Conference than the Hawks to this point and, after beating the Warriors, they are officially in the discussion among the best teams in the NBA.
A healthy Al Horford has been the biggest factor for the Hawks, allowing the team to regain a strong center. Horford is averaging 15.5 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game and has created a defensive mismatch, forcing teams to play bigger against him and Paul Millsap. Their ability to close out the game against the Warriors proved that teams will struggle if they can't play a bigger lineup in closing minutes against the Hawks. On top of that, the three-point shooting from Kyle Korver, who makes over 50 percent of his shots from beyond the arc, is another deadly weapon. DeMarre Carroll is also a strong shooter, contributing to the team's 38 percent success rate from three-point range.
But let's not forget about the quarterback of this offense, Jeff Teague. In his sixth season out of Wake Forest, Teague has improved his averages steadily. He is second on the Hawks roster with a 17.0 points-per-game average, the best mark of his career. He also leads the team with a career-best 7.5 assists per game. Teague was selected to the All-Star game for the first time in his career, joining Horford and Millsap on the Eastern Conference squad.
The head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Stars is Mike Budenholzer, who is a sure candidate for Coach of the Year. Nobody in the East has managed their team better than Budenholzer, who is in his second year with the Hawks. After making the playoffs with a record of 38-44 last season, Budenholzer has gelled his players and preached a balanced attack coupled with great team defense. Gregg Popovich caught the eyes of the NBA world last season, winning a triumphant championship with a "teamwork-first" mentality. Many teams have copied that model, but it has not worked better for any team than the Hawks. And while the San Antonio Spurs have three potential Hall of Famers, the Hawks barely have a single star. One of the better defensive teams in the NBA, the Hawks have held opponents to 96.5 points per game. But in an Eastern Conference that features weaker teams with few proven stars, Budenholzer looks poised to march his squad to the playoffs and beyond.
Nearly every team in the conference has gone somewhat cold recently, widening the gap for the Hawks. The only real competition that would present a problem for the Hawks in the playoffs is the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls. Even with a recent surge due to the return of LeBron James, the Cavs remain in fifth place behind the Bulls. Since returning from injury, James has scored over 30 points six times, as the Cavaliers have won 12 of their last 14 games.
The Cavaliers have had to rely on a multitude of players, including those that were not on the roster at the beginning of the season. An offseason headlined by James's homecoming and a trade that pulled Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves had many thinking the Cavaliers had formed the top team in the Eastern Conference. However, a rocky start had the team among the middle of the pack searching for an identity. The Cavs have been a streaky team and this hot streak will likely cool down.
On the other hand, a wise management of Derrick Rose's minutes in Chicago could result in a strong Bulls team come playoffs. Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol would present a tough matchup for the Hawks. Both strong defensive teams, the Hawks and Bulls each have unsung talents and would match up well against each other. However, Rose likely will not have the physical strength to keep up with Teague and, like the Cavaliers, the Bulls may not have the longevity to match the Hawks.
Hawks/Warriors in the NBA Finals? A tough Western Conference makes the latter less likely but, for the East, the question remains-who will fly higher than the Atlanta Hawks?