With their 96-69 rout of the Phoenix Suns at home Tuesday, the Hawks broke the franchise record for single season victories, as they notched their 58th win of the season. While the Dominique Wilkins-led teams of the 90’s were electrifying, I think it’s fair to say that the 2014-15 Hawks are the best team in franchise history. A Cinderella story of sorts, the Hawks came into this season with NBA analysts predicting them to likely finish around 4th in the East. Even lifelong Hawks fans never could have imagined the club having the type of success they have achieved this season. But with the return of a healthy Al Horford and the additions of Kent Bazemore and Thabo Sefolosha, the team that nearly upset the 1-Seed Pacers in the first round last season took their game to a whole new level. The Hawks began the season with a 7-6 record, and then broke out and went on a 19-game win streak. While this type of success is not sustainable, the Hawks have hardly slowed down since. Though the team has had a bit of an injury bug in recent weeks, the team is still on pace to win over 60 games this season. They currently hold an 8 game lead over second-place Cleveland, and have clinched the 1 seed. What makes this team so special is the way Coach Mike Budenholzer has the team playing as a complete, selfless unit. The hawks move the ball better than any team in the league and play tenacious defense. They are a well-balanced attack, as they are still yet to have a 30-point scorer all season. While many Hawks fans would have been ecstatic for the Hawks to reach the Eastern Conference Finals at the beginning of this season, anything short of that is now a disappointment. Though the Hawks have been an early exit in each of their past 8 playoff appearances, anything short of an NBA Finals birth is a bust at this point. The sky is the limit for the “Spurs of the East.” Tuesday night marked a historic night for the franchise, and hopefully it is the beginning of a new standard the Hawks hold themselves to. The time is now Hawks fans. The playoffs are around the corner, and this team is well coached and plays with the type of confidence that will enable them to beat any given team come playoff team. Believe, Hawks fans.
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