Al Horford is going to miss at least the next 3 months with a torn left pectoral muscle. Horford has been one of the key players in the Hawks’ organization since he was drafted in 2007. So how will the Hawks perform with Horford out?
Only time will tell, but I think the Hawks will make the playoffs. They still have good players, and the most athletic Power Forward in the NBA. Josh Smith is a freak of an athlete, and he will have to step up and become the leader of this team. In Horford’s first game out Smith had 30 points and 13 rebounds, and the Hawks beat the Bobcats by 30 points. But the Bobcats are one of the worst teams in the NBA, and the Hawks will have to beat some good teams if they want to stay in the top 8 in the Eastern Conference. The top 8 teams are currently the Bulls, Heat, Magic, 76ers, Pacers, Hawks, Knicks, and Cavs. It would be a great story if the Cavs were able to make the playoffs this season and were able to play LeBron in the First Round, but that might be unrealistic. I think it is obvious that Cleveland will not hold on to that 8th spot, and I believe that Boston is the team that will come from outside the current playoff picture to earn a spot, but there are not too many other contenders in the East.
Before the season started I chose the Bucks to make the playoffs, and although they do not look great right now, they are the only team that will challenge the Hawks for a playoffs spot. I think that the final two spots will come down to the Pacers, Bucks, and Hawks. But out of these three teams, the Hawks have the most experience. That will be a big advantage for Atlanta down the stretch. Tracy McGrady will play a big role too. He will have the opportunity to play quality minutes, and I believe that he will take advantage and score a lot of points for the Hawks. He will also provide some rest for players like Marvin Williams and Joe Johnson.
I expect the Hawks to get at least the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference, but it will be close. The biggest thing for the Hawks will be to win the games that they should win. They have to take advantage of playing bad teams. They did that against the Bobcats in their first game without Horford, but they will have to stay focused during this season in which there are so many games in such a short span of time. The Bucks and Pacers will fight for the 8th spot. It will be a very exciting finish to the regular season, but sadly the Hawks will have to face the Heat or the Bulls in the playoffs, and I don’t expect them to make it through the First Round.
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