The Atlanta Hawks have announced their schedule for the upcoming season, and many are waiting to see how they look on the court. Even after the severalmoves they made this offseason, they still have tocut the roster down to 15 players, so a decision has to be made before the first game.
The first few games of the season will tell the Hawks a little bit about themselves, but it will be important for them to come out strong. One of the reasons for that is how strong the Eastern Conference is, and any bad stretch during the season could put the Hawks in danger. Of course, other teams in the East will also have to start strong if they want to be among the best, but the Hawks need to only worry about themselves.
The Hawks will open the season against the Orlando Magic, which has become a real rival over the past few years due to the battles they’ve had during the regular season and the play-in tournament. With Sean Sweeney as the new head coach, the Magic might still be adjusting to his system by the time the season starts, or they could start off fast, strictly with the talent they have on the team.
After they face the Charlotte Hornets in their second game, the Hawks will have a back-to-back with the Houston Rockets, who are expected to be one of the best teams in the Western Conference. They did lose in the first round of the playoffs last season to the Los Angeles Lakers, but they’ll be getting Fred VanVleet back in the rotation after he missed all of the 2025 season recovering from a torn ACL.
Hawks will go through a gauntlet to start the season
Following those two games, they have a matchup against the Miami Heat and then the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Heat have Giannis Antetokounmpo and could be one of the best defensive teams in the league, and there is still enough time for them to make additions to improve their offense. The Cavaliers look to be bringing back the same team from last season, which helped them get to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Hawks will then have to face the Indiana Pacers, who had a down year last season after Tyrese Haliburton was rehabbing from his Achilles injury. Before then, they were one of the best teams in the East, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they were back at the top again. They then have a back-to-back against the Washington Wizards, who could be a sleeper team in the East with the young talent they have, plus it’ll be Trae Young’s first time playing against his former team.
It’s safe to say that the Hawks will have their hands full to start the season, and they’ll have to start off strong if they want to stay in the mix with the likes of the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Cavaliers and others.
Add us as a preferred source onGoogleLoading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations