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Atlanta Hawks: Lock for Top 4 Seed in East in 2016?

By John Buhler

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The Atlanta Hawks are coming off their best season in franchise history with a 60-win 2014-15 NBA Campaign that earned the Hawks the Top Seed in the Eastern Conference and the team’s first ever appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals.  Though the West is undoubtedly the tougher of the two conferences in the NBA, I expect the East to have several strong teams entering the 2015-16 NBA Season.  After last year’s triumphant success, are the Atlanta Hawks essentially a lock to stay a Top 4 seed in the Eastern Conference and have home court advantage in the first round of the 2016 NBA Playoffs?

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To best dissect this question, let’s see which Eastern teams are sure things to make the playoffs in 2016.  Outside of Atlanta, I feel that there are five other teams certainly making the 2016 NBA Playoffs out of the East: the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Chicago Bulls, the Miami Heat, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Washington Wizards.  You also have to factor in the Atlantic Division winner, who will likely be either the Boston Celtics or the Toronto Raptors, with possibly the Brooklyn Nets still in the mix there as well.

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    • The reason getting a Top 4 Seed is so crucial is that it means the Atlanta Hawks will have home court advantage in at least the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.  With three of those spots going to the winners of the Atlantic, Central, and Southeast Divisions respectively, it’s almost imperative that the Atlanta Hawks repeat as Champions of the Southeast.  Look for Miami and Washington to battle with the Hawks all next year, with the Charlotte Hornets fighting for a playoff spot and a Orlando Magic team likely on the rise as well.

    I see Cleveland earning the top seed entering the 2015-16 NBA Season as both the reigning Central and Eastern Conference Champions.  Until somebody in the East can stop LeBron James in any capacity or Tristan Thompson on the glass, Cleveland is the de facto favorite to come out of the East.  So they are a lock for a Top 4 Seed in the East, without hesitation.

    The Atlantic will have a playoff worthy team next year, but probably not deserving of that protected 4th Seed.  I feel that Toronto three-peats in the Atlantic with the help of DeMarre Carroll and gets that 4-seed even though I think the Raptors are the 7th best team in the East heading into 2015-16.  Boston could win the Atlantic if the Raps slip this winter.

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    I look at Milwaukee and though I really love was Jason Kidd is doing with the Bucks, I can’t confidently say that his team will surpass the Bulls in the Central.  Even with a new HC in Fred Hoiberg, I can’t see the Chicago Bulls winning the Central over the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.  They could get in the Top 4 again as the best non-division winner in the East.

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    So in reality, the Atlanta Hawks probably will have to win the Southeast again to have home court advantage in the first round as a Top 4 Seed.  While I do like the Hawks’ chances to have a better season than the Bulls and maybe stand as the best non-division winner, Coach Bud’s team needs to take care of business in the Southeast and outplay the Heat and Wizards in 2016 to assure a Top 4 seed.

    As we are about to enter August of 2015, I see the Top 4 in the East as follows: 1. Cleveland Cavaliers (Central Division Champion), 2. Atlanta Hawks (Southeast Division Champion), 3. Chicago Bulls (2nd in Central), 4. Toronto Raptors (Atlantic Division Champion, 6th best record in the East).  Getting either the 1 or 2 seed is imperative as ever because I don’t think the Atlanta Hawks want to play either Miami, Milwaukee, or Washington in Round 1.

    To bring it all back home, are the Atlanta Hawks a lock to finish in the Top 4 in East?  Not quite, I can’t guarantee a repeat of the Southeast Division until I see how a healthy Miami Heat team plays or how Fred Hoiberg does in Chicago.  But it would shock me tremendously if the Atlanta Hawks are worse that 5th in the East after winning over 50 games in 2015-16.

    Even at a 5 seed, I do like the Hawks to beat the Atlantic Division winner and play in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2016.  If a favorable matchup occurs there in Round 2, I have no doubt that the Atlanta Hawks can again play for an Eastern Conference title against probably LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Work hard and win the Southeast again, boys!  We’re going to need it.

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