Atlanta Hawks make sizable jump in Sports Illustrated NBA power rankings

The Atlanta Hawks are sitting at 5-4 on the strength of a spotless, 4-0 record at Philips Arena to begin the 2014-2015 NBA season. While the team has not blown the roof off with their initial performance, the Hawks are beginning to win some pundits over to their side, and that is evidenced by Sports Illustrated lifting Atlanta from number 22 to number 14 in their latest NBA power rankings from Matt Dollinger.

Here is what Dollinger had to say about Atlanta’s early-season showing:

"The ball movement in Atlanta is a sight to behold. The Hawks are registering assists on a league-best 67.1 percent of their baskets. The Hawks might not have a traditional star, but their balanced offense makes up for their lack of a volume scorer."

Ball movement has been one of the core strengths of this group under the direction of head coach Mike Budenholzer, and that is evidenced by their gaudy assist numbers this season. A large portion of the fan base would likely revolt against that, saying instead that the Hawks do not possess any “star”-level players, but the team has played a pleasing brand of basketball this season, and there is something to be said for that.

What do you think of Sports Illustrated’s assertion that the Atlanta Hawks fall in the “top half” of the NBA as of this week? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to stay tuned to ATL All Day for all the latest content surrounding the Atlanta Hawks as they navigate the season.