The Atlanta Hawks did not have a good season, which was sometimes lost in the hype surrounding Trae Young and John Collins, who were individually playing like All-Stars. Before the NBA suspended play, they were on pace for fewer wins than last year despite a more talented roster on paper, thanks to some players not living up to expectations.
There were other factors of course, like Collins’ 25-game suspension, frequent injuries, and one of the league’s toughest schedules early on, but the Hawks did still underperform. Whether it was valid or not, some had the team tabbed as a potential eighth seed in the playoffs before the season began.