Final week of regular season to be one Hawks’ biggest tests

The Hawks continued their roll last week. Now, the Hawks will look to solidify their positioning in the playoffs with just one more week left in the regular season.

They’ve won six of their last seven games, including four straight. They’ve worked to solidify their identity as one that thrives in transition.

This season, the Hawks lead the league in points per 100 transition plays. They average 133.9 points per 100 transition plays, per Cleaning the Glass.

The Hawks have benefited from a schedule that featured several teams at different points in their rebuilding. But every win counts the same in the “W” column.

Now, the Hawks wrap up their season with one of their toughest stretches of the year.

Up ahead

The Hawks’ regular season ends April 12. Following that last game, the Hawks could find themselves in the top six of the Eastern Conference standings, escaping the play-in tournament for the first time in four years.

Heading into the final week, the Hawks sit in the fifth seed of the East. They have a 1½-game lead on the Raptors (sixth) and a two-game lead on the 76ers (seventh).

The Hawks have four games in the final week of the regular season, and they have the second-hardest remaining schedule, according to Tankathon.

Monday vs. Knicks

The Hawks face the Knicks in what could be a matchup in the playoffs. The Knicks have had the fourth-best offense over the previous two weeks. But they have won four of their last seven games.

The Knicks and Hawks have matched up fairly well against each other. But much of Monday’s game could come down to how the Hawks limit Karl-Anthony Towns at the rim. The Hawks will also want to try to get the better of the Knicks on the boards, with New York big man Mitchell Robinson a force on the glass.

Wednesday at Cavaliers

Friday vs. Cavaliers

The Hawks haven’t faced the Cavaliers since the first half of the season. Both teams look completely different from their last meeting in November.

The Cavaliers, of course, added James Harden at the trade deadline. They also made a few other ancillary moves to their bench.

The Hawks have similarly made a lot of moves, and the meetings over the next week could also be a preview of a potential playoff matchup.

The Cavaliers have won four of their last six games and have had a top-15 offense over the last two weeks. They still rank fourth in the NBA in average points per game and have a top-10 net rating.