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Atlanta Hawks: Eastern Conference Power Rankings, Jan. 21

By John Buhler

Jan 20, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum (3) has his shot blocked by Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (15) during the fourth quarter of the game at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Hawks won the game 104-98. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum (3) has his shot blocked by Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (15) during the fourth quarter of the game at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Hawks won the game 104-98. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /
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. . Previous: . Charlotte Hornets. 12. team. 170

Charlotte is slipping. Though point guard Kemba Walker put up a 52-point performance the other day, the Hornets are only a few games ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks in the loss column for 13th place in the Eastern Conference.

This team is too good to end up being a team capable of winning the NBA Draft Lottery, but can’t seem to win games away from Time Warner Cable Arena (4-15). Going 2-8 in their last 10 doesn’t help. Should Charlotte continue their slide for another week, they will likely find themselves in the bottom tier of these Eastern Conference Power Rankings.

38. . . Previous: . Orlando Magic. 11. team

This happens with a young and inexperienced team. The Orlando Magic went from a team that could maybe win a playoff series to a club that will miss the postseason all together. Orlando isn’t a 50-loss team in 2015-16, but are we sure that they have the staying power to get into the Eastern Conference Playoffs?

Orlando has lost four straight games, including a 98-81 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night and were the first team in the East to lose to the Philadelphia 76ers this season, 96-87 Wednesday night. This team has lost its defense-first identity during this current losing streak and it has dropped this upstart Orlando Magic team below .500 at 20-21 at the midway point of 2015-16.

Washington Wizards. 10. team. 142. . . Previous:

John Wall is still one of the three best point guards in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, his Washington Wizards aren’t a very good basketball team. They started out slow and are in the middle of trying to get back to over .500 at 20-21 in at the halfway point.

A sub-.500 record wasn’t necessarily a bad thing in the East the last decade or so, as teams with losing records could and would make the playoffs as seventh or eighth seeds. The problem for Washington is that it isn’t the case in 2015-16, as Washington sits in 10th place in the East, still a game back of the Boston Celtics for the final playoff spot.

Next: Tier III: Likely First Round Exit

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