Atlanta Hawks: Preseason Predictions and 5 Players in SI’s Top 100

The Atlanta Hawks have never seemed to get their due with the national media throughout the past few seasons.

This past week, the Worldwide Leader in Sports ranked the Atlanta Hawks as the 5th most likely team to win the Eastern Conference Finals behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat and Washington Wizards. This is after ESPN predicted the week before that Hawks would tie for second in the conference with the Chicago Bulls and go 50-32.

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Many fans (myself included) felt that it was a little presumptive of ESPN’s analysts to think that the loss of DeMarre Carroll during free agency is worth 10 wins for the Atlanta Hawks in the coming season. The frustration of fans was compounded by the prediction that the Atlanta Hawks are predicted to have the 5th best chance in the East to win the conference — especially being behind teams like the Bulls, the Heat, and Wizards.

The Bulls have a new coach this season, and it is unclear what effect Fred Hoiberg will have on his new club. The Wizards lost Paul Pierce this offseason, and were beaten by the Atlanta Hawks last postseason. While the Heat have added some pieces, I still do not believe they will supplant the Hawks in the conference. Just last season, ESPN predicted the Atlanta Hawks would miss the playoffs. I guess the joke was on them in 2015, when the Hawks won 60 games and secured the top seed in the conference.

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The latest in a slew of preseason rankings comes from SI.com, which focuses on the NBA’s top 100 players in the upcoming season. Among the top 100, 5 Atlanta Hawks were chosen. Here is the list that SI compiled:

74. Tiago Splitter

46. Kyle Korver

41. Jeff Teague

32. Paul Millsap

21. Al Horford

I was surprised by seeing Tiago Splitter in the Top 100, but the former San Antonio Spur got his due from the site, who stated: “Don’t be fooled by his modest per-game numbers: Splitter is an effective contributor on both ends who should mesh well with Atlanta’s San Antonio-like pass-heavy offensive philosophy, and with its two All-Star big men: Al Horford and Paul Millsap.” I fully expect Splitter to fit right into the Atlanta Hawks system, and to be a significant contributor.

Kyle Korver comes in at 46 for SI, who states:

"“The game of basketball warps around Korver. Wherever he goes, multiple defenders follow: His own man trailing closely, several others inching toward him out of instinct, and more tracking Korver’s movement with their eyes. So precise is his jumper that opposing coaches scheme around the very possibility of its use. This is impact. This is gravity. This is the perpetual value a player like Korver holds without ever touching the ball, making his every second on the court worthwhile.”"

I’m also surprised to see Korver ranked so high, but it seems that the national media has caught on to the value he brings to the Atlanta Hawks. If he is able to fully recover from his injured ankle before the start of the season, 2015-2016 could be another high flying year for the Hawks’ sharpshooter.

Another surprise is seeing Jeff Teague being put at 41. I surely thought that being an All-Star last year and leading the top team in the East during the regular season would merit a higher ranking. He currently sits behind players such as Derek Favors and Andre Drummond. SI states, “The young guard who moved faster than his brain could follow is gone. In his stead is a smooth practitioner of the pick-and-roll who waits for his screen to be properly set and pauses briefly before exploding into action. That recalibration steadied the Hawks and brought Teague to All-Stardom last year.”

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Coming in at 32 is Paul Millsap, who re-signed with the Atlanta Hawks this offseason. SI talks about what Millsap brings to the Atlanta Hawks, stating, ” The former second-round pick fits like a glove in Mike Budenholzer’s pass-heavy, spread-oriented offense, and his inside/outside versatility is the key that unlocks Atlanta’s pick-your-poison offense.” With the addition of a three-point shot to Millsap’s arsenal, he has become one of the most dangerous players in the league. Though undersized, no team should take his offensive or defensive skills for granted.

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Finally placing at number 21, ahead of the likes of Chris Bosh and Mike Conley, is the Atlanta Hawks venerable leader, Al Horford. Al Horford is a three-time All-Star and one of the best all-around players in the game. SI discusses his versatitility: “To call him a ‘jack of all trades’ undersells the point. Horford is so balanced as a player he’s virtually without weakness—an amazing resource for the purposes of team building.”

Overall, I’m very satisfied that a national media outlet has taken notice of the great performance by the Atlanta Hawks last season. In contrast ESPN’s previews, I do not disagree with SI’s assessment of the Hawks best players. I fully expect another successful season to be in the Atlanta Hawks future.

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