Atlanta Hawks: 5 most compelling games of the 2017-18 season
1. Dec. 4 vs. Brooklyn Nets
The best way for the Atlanta Hawks to improve their chances going forward may be to lose as many games as possible during the regular season.
The team with the worst record in the league has a 25 percent chance of securing the top pick in the NBA Draft and is guaranteed a top-four selection.
With several highly touted prospects set to enter the league, including Michael Porter, Marvin Bagley III and Mohamed Bamba among the prized players available, Atlanta may need to lose in order to secure the best talent available.
The home contest against Brooklyn in early December is part of a home-and-home series against the Nets — a pair of games that may ultimately swing the draft lottery odds into the favor of one of the organizations.
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No team looks to actively throw away a season, but if neither one has managed to secure enough wins to even consider playoff contention, these outcome of these meetings may go a long way on draft lottery night.