Hawks will be contenders if they can solve one final lineup issue

How far can an elite offense go without that same nightly effort on the defensive end?

Chicago Bulls v Atlanta Hawks | Kevin C. Cox/GettyImagesThe Atlanta Hawks are now 2-7 in the month of December. After outperforming initial expectations, the team is quickly coming back down to Earth.

A collapse of this nature, however, was a bit unexpected. Ignoring the ongoing availability concerns of veteran center Kristaps Porzingis, the Hawks have only been getting healthier as the season has progressed. Trae Young recently returned from his prolonged absence. Usually a stable presence in the lineup, Atlanta's star guard missed 22 straight games with a right MCL sprain.

Although many would point to…