Atlanta Hawks: 3 bold predictions for 2018-19 NBA season
1. The Hawks will win at least 30 games
Despite facing as much upheaval as the Hawks did during the offseason, increasing their win total by at least six may not be as difficult as it sounds, despite their lack of experience.
This team isn’t the only one rebuilding in the NBA. The New York Knicks seem to be perpetually rebuilding, and the Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets aren’t expected to be a force this year either. The Miami Heat, barring a Jimmy Butler trade, are mired in the middle of the Eastern Conference and don’t come across as a big threat.
There are a handful of Western Conference teams that are in the phase of building around young talent as well. The Dallas Mavericks should be a competitive team this year, but have hit the reset button over the last year or two. The Phoenix Suns have improved, but they are at least a starting point guard away from making noise in the West. The bottom of the West will likely be anchored by the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies, allowing for easy wins for most of the NBA.
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Per Odds Shark, Las Vegas set the odds for the Hawks at 23.5 wins this year. With almost a third of the league in some sort of rebuilding stage, the Hawks leading the NBA in 3-point attempts and Young capturing the ROY award, they should be able to defy the odds and secure at least 30 wins this season.