Are the Hawks the 2nd Best in the East?

[Moranis]

I still think the Raptors are the 2nd best team in the East, but the Hawks are certainly in that very close grouping of teams from 45-52ish wins that I was expecting, which depending on how the season played out could have come out in basically any order (Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Detroit, Indy).  The Bulls being in that grouping thus far is the team that has most surprised me (I thought they would be a playoff team just a step back).

[tankcity!]

Looks like Koz was right. See my signature below after they signed Howard.

[alldaboston]

Looks like Koz was right. See my signature below after they signed Howard.

he might have been right about Atalnta. But that wasn't the point of that discussion. The point was that he believed our roster this year is worse than our roster last year.

[kozlodoev]

Looks like Koz was right. See my signature below after they signed Howard.

he might have been right about Atalnta. But that wasn't the point of that discussion. The point was that he believed our roster this year is worse than our roster last year.

The point of that discussion, if I recall correctly, was that last offseason somehow made us the uncontested third best team in the East because we got unconditionally better while Atlanta got unconditionally worse. I didn't think this was accurate then, and it sure doesn't seem accurate now.

[alldaboston]

Looks like Koz was right. See my signature below after they signed Howard.

he might have been right about Atalnta. But that wasn't the point of that discussion. The point was that he believed our roster this year is worse than our roster last year.

The point of that discussion, if I recall correctly, was that last offseason somehow made us the uncontested third best team in the East because we got unconditionally better while Atlanta got unconditionally worse. I didn't think this was accurate then, and it sure doesn't seem accurate now.

I see. That makes sense. I think both teams are gonna be good, and both have a chance at being better than they were last year. Is that accurate?

[kozlodoev]

Looks like Koz was right. See my signature below after they signed Howard.

he might have been right about Atalnta. But that wasn't the point of that discussion. The point was that he believed our roster this year is worse than our roster last year.

The point of that discussion, if I recall correctly, was that last offseason somehow made us the uncontested third best team in the East because we got unconditionally better while Atlanta got unconditionally worse. I didn't think this was accurate then, and it sure doesn't seem accurate now.

I see. That makes sense. I think both teams are gonna be good, and both have a chance at being better than they were last year. Is that accurate?

I have no problem with that, but I think folks overestimated the impact of Horford, and underestimated the ability of Schroder and Howard to contribute. On the balance, I think, both teams kind of moved laterally. Injuries notwithstanding, I expect us to be as evenly matched as last season.

[alldaboston]

Looks like Koz was right. See my signature below after they signed Howard.

he might have been right about Atalnta. But that wasn't the point of that discussion. The point was that he believed our roster this year is worse than our roster last year.

The point of that discussion, if I recall correctly, was that last offseason somehow made us the uncontested third best team in the East because we got unconditionally better while Atlanta got unconditionally worse. I didn't think this was accurate then, and it sure doesn't seem accurate now.

I see. That makes sense. I think both teams are gonna be good, and both have a chance at being better than they were last year. Is that accurate?

I have no problem with that, but I think folks overestimated the impact of Horford, and underestimated the ability of Schroder and Howard to contribute. On the balance, I think, both teams kind of moved laterally. Injuries notwithstanding, I expect us to be as evenly matched as last season.

Sounds cool. I, for one, didn't think Howard would look so good in their system. Since Horford played such a large role for them by spacing the floor and being a good passing big and all, I felt that Howard would be a bad fit there, and that they would be worse. Obviously, I have since been proven wrong, although I still think Horford is gonna be very big for us.

[kozlodoev]

I still think Horford is gonna be very big for us.

Horford will be a great addition, but I don't think the team adequately addressed the loss of Evan Turner or the rebounding that Sullinger brought. Also, Horford is a skilled and heady player, but not a dominating game-changer. So he can make you incrementally better, but not give your team the instant makeover you can get by adding someone who can singlehandedly win games. I think people got carried away with the "we added a max player" spiel a little bit.