The Hawks – as with most of the NBA – welcome the rest that comes with a week off for the NBA All-Star break.
How the Hawks respond following the hiatus for the final 27 games of the regular season remains to be seen. The inconsistent Hawks entered the break with a 31-24 record, good for first in the Southeast Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference. They are 8-1/2 games behind the Cavaliers, 5-1/2 games behind the Raptors and one game behind the Celtics. They are also only three games ahead of the Hornets in the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference.