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For the first time that I can remember, ATL has multiple sports teams in first place at the same time.

Birds both play on Monday, with Hawks getting a shot at a reeling Indiana team. While the Falcons take on a top rated Packers team.

The Atlanta Hawks are among the best teams in the Eastern Conference, and on the cusp of their longest winning streak in five years.

A favorable schedule is surely helping.

Atlanta (13-6) is tied with Washington for the second-best record in the conference, thanks in large part to winning six straight and eight of nine. However, that entire winning streak has come against teams that currently own losing records.

"Every NBA game is tough, but we've had a favorable schedule to this point," guard Kyle Korver said. "We've gotten to play some teams that aren't as high up in the standings as we're going to play later."

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Hawks beating the teams they are supposed to before things get rough for the end of the year.

Teague getting a shout out from ESPN.com

A check of the SOS column in the Hollinger Power Rankings reveals that the Hawks have played the weakest schedule in the league to date. Fine. You still have to give the Southeast Division's surprise co-leaders props -- Jeff Teague most of all -- for taking advantage

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We have definitely played the easiest schedule in the NBA so far, no doubt about it. However that doesn't mean this team doesn't deserve to be ranked currently 2nd best in the east. I can't stress it enough, the rest of December is going to tell us so much about this team.

As far as the Falcons go...

We definitely owe Carolina a thank you for crushing the saints yesterday. But I'm not even going to pretend to be optimistic about this game tonight against the packers. Rodgers is hotter than any other QB in the league. We MIGHT have a chance if he has to leave at the half and go shoot another State Farm "discount double-check" commercial

Hawks win. 7th straight. Falcons are making it a frustrating night.

Welcome back Al Horford?! Also, Thabo is an animal on D and I love how he cuts and get buckets in the paint

we should get to 10 straight wins (playing Philly and Orlando twice) before starting that hellish stretch

7 straight! Looks like Teague & Horford had amazing games. I really think the upcoming Orlando series will be a struggle. Orlando has been playing some tough games recently and kept a lot of them close. They've beaten the Suns, Kings, and should have beaten the warriors if it wasn't for that last clutch 3 by curry. I just don't see us "breezing" past Orlando.

^Agree. The record doesn't tell the story with Orlando....I see a split.

PMOTT3 wrote:7 straight! Looks like Teague & Horford had amazing games. I really think the upcoming Orlando series will be a struggle. Orlando has been playing some tough games recently and kept a lot of them close. They've beaten the Suns, Kings, and should have beaten the warriors if it wasn't for that last clutch 3 by curry. I just don't see us "breezing" past Orlando.

Bingo. It's also difficult to beat a team in a home and home series that knows you and your team personnel very well.

A split seems reasonable with ORL. But I'm hoping to start our tough stretch with as much momentum as possible.

10 straight wins would be a nice cushion to have. Here's to optimism.

This really goes to show how important guys like Abraham, Spoon, Lofton, Mo, and DeCoud are to a contender team.

Falcons have an elite offense but nobody on defense. Spoon will be back, but the Falcons are no longer filled with pro bowlers on the defensive end.

I remember when alot of people considered the Falcons to have the best Linebacking core in the NFL when Spoon and Lofton were healthy.

Falcons need to go LB or DE in the 1st and 2nd round. I don't know if im bias, but i hope the Falcons draft Leonard Floyd. Floyd is an animal and can get to the quarterback and just look at what Justin Houston is doing in the NFL now a days. (Fowler and Beasley would also be good pick ups)

I'm still glad the Falcons took Matthews over Mack, but they now need talent on the pass rush.

We never had the option of drafting Mack, he went before our pick. The defense is absolutely awful, Trufant is a beast but that's it. Julio Jones, Jon Asamoah, and William Moore all got injured tonight. Wasn't expecting win, so I'm way more worried about these injuries than I am about the loss.

I know we don't need this win to make the playoffs, but if the Falcons do make the playoffs,.... who cares???

They don't have a pass rush to beat any playoff team.

I like Trufant, but i posted at the time of the draft, that i would have taken Ogletree. i still stand by that.

Weird that I came to a Hawks' board to read up on the Falcons. Weird team there - I'm honestly hoping that they miss the playoffs and save the 10-15 spots in the draft.

Again, no TV but it looks great to see Horford have a big night and even get 6 FTs... 2x so with Millsap a bit cold. Also nice to see Teague starting to add some steals to his game, hopefully he keeps it up. Also interesting that Muscala played and Payne did not (inactive?).

Hate it that BOS blew a 7 point lead in both OTs tonight - woukd have been nice to have a game cushion on the Wiz. One of those "shouldn't have been in it; shouldn't have lost it" games for BOS.

theatlfan wrote:Weird that I came to a Hawks' board to read up on the Falcons. Weird team there - I'm honestly hoping that they miss the playoffs and save the 10-15 spots in the draft.

Again, no TV but it looks great to see Horford have a big night and even get 6 FTs... 2x so with Millsap a bit cold. Also nice to see Teague starting to add some steals to his game, hopefully he keeps it up. Also interesting that Muscala played and Payne did not (inactive?).

Hate it that BOS blew a 7 point lead in both OTs tonight - woukd have been nice to have a game cushion on the Wiz. One of those "shouldn't have been in it; shouldn't have lost it" games for BOS.

Ya, too bad that Wizards and Rap were able to pull it out in OT victories, but its good that Cavs won over the Nets.

Even opposing coaches singing Teague's praises:

Frank Vogel wrote:“The fact Jeff Teague has never been an All-Star is puzzling to me because he’s certainly an All-Star-caliber player,” Vogel told the Indianapolis Star. “I’m sure he’ll be there this year, with their record being what it is.”

Jamaaliver wrote:Even opposing coaches singing Teague's praises:

Frank Vogel wrote:“The fact Jeff Teague has never been an All-Star is puzzling to me because he’s certainly an All-Star-caliber player,” Vogel told the Indianapolis Star. “I’m sure he’ll be there this year, with their record being what it is.”

Unfortunately, the Hawks aren't that popular on a national scale which hurts Jeff's chances to get the popular vote.

Last year Kyrie and Wade got voted in as a starters. Derozan, Joe and Wall got named as reserves. Lowry got snubbed last year and they got a better record than the Hawks right now. Rose is also healthy so that hurts Jeff chances as well. Too many good guards in the East.