Season Predictions 2016
Current seeding: 4th
Projected seeding: 6th
The Hawks have been relatively solid and consistent over the course of the season, with no major injuries to their key players, and thus have only been thrown off-course by minor and quick slumps. But that’s almost exactly what the problem is: there’s nothing special about this team, nothing that’s changed for the better in the past couple of years. It’s almost like the same old, same old. Sure, C Al Horford, PF Paul Millsap, PG Jeff Teague, and the others are all having decent seasons, but they’re slight drop-offs from last year’s heroics and the team is also sans SF DeMarre Carroll. Still, Atlanta continues to excel defensively, even if it falters offensively, and is simply a hard team to beat on a given night. However, with Miami adding SG/SF Joe Johnson, Charlotte’s return of C Al Jefferson, and Boston’s ever-improving young cast, I had no choice but to lower this solid -- yet same -- Atlanta roster.
First round: Boston Celtics (3)
But the fact that this is the same team as last season’s, who made the Eastern Conference Finals, might not be such a bad thing come playoff time. It’s very hard to compare other teams to this unique, young and energetic Celtic squad, but playoff experience is playoff experience. The fact of the matter remains that Boston boasts almost zero key players that have ever made it past the first round, while obviously Atlanta have several players who have been there and done that. As the playoffs are a completely different atmosphere than the regular season, I almost always pick the more experienced side when in doubt, thus the upset call here.
Prediction: Atlanta wins, 4-3
Second round: Toronto Raptors (2)
With that being said, when you face a team that is simply more talented, experience only gets you so far. Against a PF Luis Scola-C Jonas Valanciunas frontcourt, it is clear that the Millsap-Horford pairing has the definite advantage -- rebounding, defending, scoring, you name it. But what the trouble will be for Atlanta, which is frankly the same type of trouble most teams have to deal with when facing Toronto, will be containing the electric backcourt duo of PG Kyle Lowry and SG/SF DeMar DeRozan, who are averaging a combined 45+ points per game this season. Teague is a solid defender and all-around player, but there is no way that he, or any other Hawk for that matter, will be able to match up well against the duo. Essentially what it comes down to is Lowry and DeRozan versus Millsap and Horford, and with Raptors like C Bismack Biyombo potentially able to limit Atlanta’s frontcourt, this series is looking pretty solid for Toronto.
Prediction: Toronto wins, 4-2
Current seeding: 4th
Projected seeding: 6th
The Hawks have been relatively solid and consistent over the course of the season, with no major injuries to their key players, and thus have only been thrown off-course by minor and quick slumps. But that’s almost exactly what the problem is: there’s nothing special about this team, nothing that’s changed for the better in the past couple of years. It’s almost like the same old, same old. Sure, C Al Horford, PF Paul Millsap, PG Jeff Teague, and the others are all having decent seasons, but they’re slight drop-offs from last year’s heroics and the team is also sans SF DeMarre Carroll. Still, Atlanta continues to excel defensively, even if it falters offensively, and is simply a hard team to beat on a given night. However, with Miami adding SG/SF Joe Johnson, Charlotte’s return of C Al Jefferson, and Boston’s ever-improving young cast, I had no choice but to lower this solid -- yet same -- Atlanta roster.
First round: Boston Celtics (3)
But the fact that this is the same team as last season’s, who made the Eastern Conference Finals, might not be such a bad thing come playoff time. It’s very hard to compare other teams to this unique, young and energetic Celtic squad, but playoff experience is playoff experience. The fact of the matter remains that Boston boasts almost zero key players that have ever made it past the first round, while obviously Atlanta have several players who have been there and done that. As the playoffs are a completely different atmosphere than the regular season, I almost always pick the more experienced side when in doubt, thus the upset call here.
Prediction: Atlanta wins, 4-3
Second round: Toronto Raptors (2)
With that being said, when you face a team that is simply more talented, experience only gets you so far. Against a PF Luis Scola-C Jonas Valanciunas frontcourt, it is clear that the Millsap-Horford pairing has the definite advantage -- rebounding, defending, scoring, you name it. But what the trouble will be for Atlanta, which is frankly the same type of trouble most teams have to deal with when facing Toronto, will be containing the electric backcourt duo of PG Kyle Lowry and SG/SF DeMar DeRozan, who are averaging a combined 45+ points per game this season. Teague is a solid defender and all-around player, but there is no way that he, or any other Hawk for that matter, will be able to match up well against the duo. Essentially what it comes down to is Lowry and DeRozan versus Millsap and Horford, and with Raptors like C Bismack Biyombo potentially able to limit Atlanta’s frontcourt, this series is looking pretty solid for Toronto.
Prediction: Toronto wins, 4-2