Atlanta Hawks 2014-15 Season Preview

Oct 22, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs shooting guard

(14) strips the ball from Atlanta Hawks shooting guard Kyle Korver (26) during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

The Ideal Scenario

Staying healthy is the key.

Overall health is a huge deal for the Atlanta Hawks this season, because they should be fine (and really good) as long as the injury bug doesn’t come along (hello, Al Horford) and ruin everything like it did last year. To start the year, this team looks deep and complete with capable shooters, quality big men, a solid point guard who still has room to get better and en excellent head coach in Mike Budenholzer.

In addition to all of this, the Hawks still play in the Eastern Conference. Yes, it has improved over the offseason, but mainly from a depth standpoint, and is still a far-cry from the difficulties in getting out of the West.

So if everyone stays reasonably healthy throughout the season and players continue to perform at the level that they are capable of, it’s possible for the Hawks to get as high as the No. 3 seed in the East. Cleveland and Chicago are clearly at the top of the conference, but the Hawks are certainly right in the mix with Washington, Toronto, Miami and others.

There’s no real “risk” with this team either as most of the players are proven, the system should remain the same and the biggest departure is Lou Williams.