Atlanta Hawks: Eastern Conference Power Rankings, Nov. 12

A good Toronto Raptors team is a scary thing for our Atlanta Hawks. Along with Detroit, Memphis, and Cleveland, these are the four teams I hate to see the Hawks play. Kyle Lowry is in shape, DeMar DeRozan is healthy, they’ve got DeMarre Carroll, and Jonas Valanciunas is growing by the game. The Raptors should easily win the Atlantic for the third year in a row. If they are an improved club defensively, they have an outside shot to win the East. Playing in the ECF seems like a realistic goal for Toronto.

I’m very proud of how the Atlanta Hawks have handled their early onslaught of games. Obviously the players are very tired, but yet they continue to fight every night they take the floor. This team seems to have another gear this year, where the club can put up big runs when it counts to either get back in a ball game or push the opponent out of it. The system Coach Bud has in place is sustaining excellence. Atlanta should win over 50 games again and has a legitimate shot at winning the East.

Next: Atlanta Hawks Beat New Orleans Pelicans, 106-98

Cleveland is still the best team in the conference. Every other team has two or more losses. I though that the club would come out of the gate a bit sluggish, but they’ve played great thus far. If their big three of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love are healthy come playoff time, this is a mighty difficult team to beat. If Cleveland is going to win an NBA Championship, this is the year they will do it.