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Five Reasons The Atlanta Hawks Shouldn’t Lose Hope

By Ti Windisch

May 20, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll (5) reacts after a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
May 20, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll (5) reacts after a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 22, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Former Atlanta Hawks coaches Lenny Wilkens (right) and Mike Fratello (left) honor current Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer (center) with the 2014-15 NBA Coach of the Year Award prior to game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Brooklyn Nets at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 96-91. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 22, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Former Atlanta Hawks coaches Lenny Wilkens (right) and Mike Fratello (left) honor current Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer (center) with the 2014-15 NBA Coach of the Year Award prior to game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Brooklyn Nets at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 96-91. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Mike Budenholzer is the Best Coach in the NBA

According to his peers, Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer is literally the best in the business. If anyone can figure out a way to adjust lineups and strategies to overcome the loss of a cog like DeMarre Carroll, it’s Coach Bud.

He managed to get the so-called “team with no superstars” to the top of the Eastern Conference–above even the Cavaliers, it’s worth noting–this season and won 60 games, second only to the Western Conference juggernaut Golden State Warriors.

It’s hard to not feel like without the Junkyard Dog that Atlanta doesn’t have much of a chance in the rest of this series. After all, LeBron James is still LeBron James, and Cleveland has a talented roster. Fortunately for the Hawks, they too have a very talented roster, and they also have something the Cavaliers do not have: a great coach.

In the words of one Aaron Rodgers (there’s my inner Wisconsinite showing): r-e-l-a-x, Atlanta. Trust the system, trust the other players on this great Hawks roster, and most importantly trust Coach Bud. Speaking of the system, let’s go into the next reason I don’t think Atlanta is out of this series quite yet.

Next: The Advantages of Selfless Basketball

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