AJC > Sports > Hawks > Blog > Archives > 2007 > December > 13
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Back to the pack?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Those fears expressed by the regulars in Orlando the other night might have a little more merit than I thought.
Three straight losses by the Magic has made the Southeast Division and Eastern Conference races quite a bit more interesting today than they were Monday morning. It appears that the Magic is coming back to the pack, or vice a versa.
And if that’s the case, things are going to get mighty interesting between now and the end of the calendar year. The Hawks, provided they can stay on their current course, should be right in the thick of that mix - the word “should” being the operative term here.
Boston doesn’t appear to be slowing down at all, and they shouldn’t, not with a chance to run away from he pack. Detroit is strong, too.
But the rest of the East - and yes, people, the Hawks qualify this year - it’s up to you. Get on a nice roll (like the one the Raptors look like they might get on here) and you can elbow your way right up into contention for one of those top eight spots.
The Hawks’ recent three game win streak is proof positive that just a little momentum can get a team back into the mix. If you mess around and rip off four or five in a row between now and New Year’s Eve, you can cause a serious ruckus. The Hawks are playing as well as any other team in their division in the last 10 games (both the Hawks and Magic are 6-4 in their last 10 but the Hawks have gone 3-for-4 and the Magic 1-for-4 in the most recent five-game block).
Ultimately, we don’t know for sure how this thing plays out. But whatever happens, I just think that this is as crucial a time as there is for NBA teams. So much is made of a team’s status by the All-Star break and how the teams with a playoff shot have to be poised to make their run then. I think the what a team can accomplish in December, particularly teams trying to move out of the lottery and into the playoff realm, is of the utmost importance.
Finally, I was glad to see T.J. Ford back on his feet last night in Toronto., and what a huge win for the Raptors over Dallas. And as soon as word comes down regarding any possible penalty for Al Horford we’ll bring it you here.
