Just when fans started to get their hopes up after the Hawks prevailed in a back-to-back against the Nets and Trail Blazers, the team came out flat as can be this past week. Sure, Trae Young and Cam Reddish both missed a little time, but the inconsistencies — which can be expected from such a young team — are still present.
After that back-to-back, the Hawks had found themselves in a position where they moved up the table a bit, just enough to be in the fifth spot of the reverse standings, thereby reducing their chances of landing a top pick. They had a 42.1% chance of picking in the top four and a 10.5% chance of landing the top overall selection.
Fast forward one more week to today — with the Hawks currently losing three straight contests — they now find themselves second in the reverse standings. For those who are not aware, with the new lottery format, the three teams with the worst record now share the best odds to receive the top overall pick. So as things stand, the Hawks share the best lottery odds with the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. They have a 52.1% chance of landing a top 4 pick, and a 14% chance at the number one overall pick.
In what many consider to be a not-so-deep draft class, it surely would be helpful for Atlanta to get one more potential superstar atop the lottery before they start to make a playoff push. If the pick ends up landing outside of the top three, I could see it being used in some sort of trade package.
The odds race is super tight. While Golden State looks to have the top spot all locked up, the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, and New York Knicks are all within a game and half of each other. With 17 games remaining for Atlanta, there could be a lot of movement in this area, and it is a situation worth monitoring.
The Hawks could see themselves get “out-tanked” down the stretch. While some teams will be playing for ping pong balls, Trae Young and company are ready to win now — uninterested in losing on purpose. The Hawks have the second easiest schedule in the NBA for the remainder of the season, so even if Clint Capela does not return, they have a chance to win some games down the stretch.
Regardless of what happens, the Pelicans won the lottery last year with only a 6% chance to do so. The Hawks are due to win one of these things, but it’s only become more difficult with the new lottery odds formed to prevent teams from tanking.
You must log in to post a comment.