AJC > Sports > Hawks > Blog > Archives > 2006 > October > 30
Monday, October 30, 2006
Let the Hawks W-L predix begin!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Now we can toss out the exhibition record (5-3, the best ‘round these parts in a little over a decade) and start to focus on the numbers that really matter. I know everybody else will be waiting until Tuesday morning to forecast their big predictions about this season and what will become of the boys in Hawksville.
But I can’t wait. I say we do it today. Let’s get on with the fearless forecasts (and the explanations) for this Hawks team in the 2006-07 season.
I’ve been back and forth the past two days trying to figure out what I think and what seems realistic and what seems possible. I’ve stated 35-40 wins consistently since mid-summer and that range still sounds good to me. But with the injury factor now more than just a theory (Speedy Claxton’s injury didn’t bother me as much as Marvin Williams’ because I knew Speedy would be back in time for Wednesday’s season opener), I’m trying to come up with a more specific number.
So here goes.
36 wins. I really went out on a limb there, huh? A 10-win improvement from a year ago shouldn’t be totally out of the question if you’ve gotten better and filled in your holes, to an extent, with free agents and draft picks.
Too high? Too low? Realistic? Unrealistic? When you’re caught up in the training camp matrix it’s hard to know left from right. Teams always look so much different in October than they do in, say, December or March. Who knows what will happen between now and then?
Tell me what you think and give me your own prediction.
