The Atlanta Hawks are anti-NBA… and I love it
The Atlanta Hawks are the most fun and exciting team in the NBA right now. They’re talented, deep, and look like they’re having fun, but also know that the best record in the East and the second-best in the NBA isn’t the ultimate goal. If you watch a Hawks broadcast with Bob Rathbun (the best in the biz, by the way) and Dominique “Nique” Wilkins, you hear it over and over–this team doesn’t celebrate wins. They move right onto the next one with the ultimate goal–an NBA championship–in sight.
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And, as they’re doing all of this, they’re doing it in a way that is making it fun to watch, not just as an Atlantean, but as a non-NBA fan. When you think of the NBA, what do you think? A self-centered star, a team that has been there and done that time and time again, and a big-market team.
You all know, as well as I, that the Hawks are none of these.
Name your favorite Hawk right now. Go ahead. And, don’t worry, there’s no wrong answer. The point I’m trying to make is, if you polled 100 Hawks fans, Family Feud style, you’d get multiple different answers. Not like in Cleveland where you’d say LeBron James. Not in Oklahoma City where you’d answer Kevin Durant. Not in Los Angeles where you’d say Kobe Bryant. If you’re a long-time Hawks follow, you might say Al Horford or Kyle Korver. Those new to the Hawks might prefer Paul Millsap. Those who are continuing to jump on the bandwagon might say DeMarre Carroll or Pero Antic.
The point is, this isn’t a one man rodeo. This is a team. And, in what many call the “quintessential” team sport, that’s how you’re going to find the greatest success. Hell, in the game against Washington Sunday, Korver could have taken the ball to the rim, but decided to dish it off. No sense of selfishness on this team, which is marvelous.
Now, while its true the Hawks have the second-longest playoff appearance streak in the league (trailing only the San Antonio Spurs), but they’ve yet to pass the second round and aren’t even a main stay there. The point here–they’re not the Lakers. Bulls. Knicks. Heat. The teams that at the beginning of the season, you can pretty much guarantee will be in the Finals. That’s the one thing I can’t stand about the league–in the past 30 years, only eight have won the Finals. The Hawks certainly aren’t a team anyone expected to be in this position, which is another reason why this team is so much fun.
The Atlanta Hawks are owning the NBA right now, and shoving everything that the NBA is into the league’s face. Take that.
And go Hawks.