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Did the Hawks finally turn a corner after one miserable fourth-quarter failure after another this season?

Maybe.

“It’s tough losing,” Dennis Schroder said after the Hawks recorded their first back-to-back wins of the season. “Everybody hates losing. We just have to find a way to make it happen. Right now, how we are playing, we are doing everything together. Playing for each other. When we play like that, we have fun and we win a couple of games as well.”

Of the Hawks’ 25 losses, nine have come by six points, two possessions, or less. Five of those defeats have come in the past 11 games. Just prior to their consecutive home victories over the Mavericks and Wizards, the Hawks lost at the Thunder on Russell Westbrook’s 3-pointer in the final seconds playing without Schroder on Dec. 22. They also lost a home game to the Pacers on Dec. 20, a 10-point loss after they trailed by just two at halftime. That lost was difficult, according to coach Mike Budenholzer.

“I really felt like we’ve been playing better basketball with the exception of the second half against Indiana,” Budenholzer said of the Hawks’ recent play. “We were really disappointed, really frustrated with that second half. But in the first half of that game and in some of the games prior, we’ve been playing better. Our offense has been a little more efficient, a little more dynamic. We are getting guys back healthy and we are playing bigger more.”

While the Hawks go through a rebuild, and many in the fan base hope for a top pick in next year’s draft, there is no denying they have been close late in games. The Hawks have played 19 games that were within five points with five minutes remaining and have a 6-13 record. Their 153-point output is 14th in the league in that clutch situation, scoring 24 points less than their opponents.

The Hawks are on the road to getting healthy in a thinned frontcourt. The return of the depth and flexibility can only help.

jayu70 wrote:Reasons for 2 game win streak:
1. They have been playing better
2. Guys coming back from injury
3. The Mavs are horrible
4. The Wiz are full of themselves for no apparent reason and was prolly still on their beating Boston high.
5. The torrid schedule to start the season barely allowed for any practice time, the schedule has not been as hectic.

Having said that, I'd be OK with 'maintenance scedule' for our vets. Picks in exchange for vets is also a possibility.
I don't think we'll trade all of them but whoever yields the highest return would be traded. Trading for a pick that's unlikely to convey is useless (I've seen enough of those ideas on the trade board).

MaceCase wrote:

jayu70 wrote:Reasons for 2 game win streak:
1. They have been playing better
2. Guys coming back from injury
3. The Mavs are horrible
4. The Wiz are full of themselves for no apparent reason and was prolly still on their beating Boston high.
5. The torrid schedule to start the season barely allowed for any practice time, the schedule has not been as hectic.

Having said that, I'd be OK with 'maintenance scedule' for our vets. Picks in exchange for vets is also a possibility.
I don't think we'll trade all of them but whoever yields the highest return would be traded. Trading for a pick that's unlikely to convey is useless (I've seen enough of those ideas on the trade board).

I don't know about the Mav's being horrible anymore. Over their last 8 games they have wins against the Spurs, Pistons, Raptors and Pacers, all playoff teams. Maybe the tank teams are coming to the same conclusion, this isn't a 3 player draft anymore, why not look a lil more respectable in the W/L column.

jayu70 wrote:I'm so torn. I can't root for them to lose but we need that top pick. I don't want to get Sura'd again.

Spud2nique wrote:Ok we need to scale back the wins now...3/4 was fun but let's lose 3/4 now but play hard.

jayu70 wrote:

Spud2nique wrote:Ok we need to scale back the wins now...3/4 was fun but let's lose 3/4 now but play hard.

5 game roadie out West, may not be hard to do. Suns, Blazers, Clippers, Lakers, Nuggets.

Jamaaliver wrote:

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We have a good chance to really make up some ground in the playoff standings this month.