9/10 experts agree: Hawks aren't a playoff team

[AnnArborHawk]

From ESPN's preview: link

Only Hollinger has us in the playoffs, although others suggest us as a "dark horse"

[Jdawgflow]

Good. More motivation. Just makes it that much sweeter when we make it.

[WraithSentinel]

The players should have enough motivation going for them now. They better not go through the Falcons syndrome though. That is if the team start to play well and people start complimenting them. They don't get a big ego and then fall flat on their face. This team showed signs of that last year whenever they started playing well.

[Dexmethylphenidate]

At Zaza:

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He's tall, so he's got that going for him.

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LoL

[AHF]

Wow - This is just inexplicable:

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Chris Sheridan - I have them at 30 wins tops, with 24 wins a more realistic prediction.

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His best case scenario for this team is worse than last year with our key players healthy and a significant infusion of talent in the low post and at the point? WTH?

I would take the over bet with him any day of the week.

[coachx]

Put that on the bulletin board in the locker room.

Coaches love to get motivational help, it makes part of the job a little easier.

[AnnArborHawk]

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I would take the over bet with him any day of the week.

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Yeah, I'd be first in line to take over 24 for this team.

[Nicholasp27]

chris sheridan isn't an 'analyst' at all then...what analysis gets u to put our ceiling this year at last year's win total with our expected wins to be 6 wins fewer? last year we were decimated by injuries and this year we are healthier AND we replaced ivey/batman with law/horford AND all the guys got a year older and closer to their prime and grew more chemistry

what 'analysis' did he do?

[jerrywest]

Chad Ford said Marvin Williams has all star potential. I thought that thing I smoked was a cigarette.

[NJHAWK]

They are always right. Every expert picked the Rockies to be in the world series at the start of the season. Every expert picked Golden State to beat Dallas in the playoffs last year. Experts are never wrong. lmfao

[Traceman]

he meant for THIS season. I think what he meant was that Smoove, Marvin and Horford all had All Star potential in the future.

[jerrywest]

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he meant for THIS season. I think what he meant was that Smoove, Marvin and Horford all had All Star potential in the future.

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Obviously. Nobody thinks Marvin will be an all star this year. The fact that he thinks Marvin can be that good is a long leap from his previous stand.

[AHF]

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he meant for THIS season. I think what he meant was that Smoove, Marvin and Horford all had All Star potential in the future.

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Obviously. Nobody thinks Marvin will be an all star this year. The fact that he thinks Marvin can be that good is a long leap from his previous stand.

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He has talked out of both sides of his mouth with Marvin. He has called him a potential All-Star numerous times in the past, but has also gone to town bashing the Hawks for taking the player he said was the most talented in the 2005 draft.

[Traceman]

most upside of anyone in his draft class before the draft, he just thought that Marvin was the wrong pick for us because we had just drafted Chillz and Smoove the previous year. It doesn't surprise me that he is saying Marvin has All Star potential now because he said it back then.

[jerrywest]

Didn't Ford bash us more than anybody else for just about everything. He started the Hawkbashing culture among the sport reporters and now its an epidemic. As far as I remember, Ford only bashed Marvin since we drafted him.

[Traceman]

for taking him. He HATES BK with a passion and he has ripped him constantly no matter what he does.

[jerrywest]

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for taking him. He HATES BK with a passion and he has ripped him constantly no matter what he does.

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He hated Babcock too.

[Traceman]

He was sitting behind the bench and he went to the Hawks dressing room at half time. I always liked Pete as a person and I am glad to see that he is still welcome around the team.

[jerrywest]

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He was sitting behind the bench and he went to the Hawks dressing room at half time. I always liked Pete as a person and I am glad to see that he is still welcome around the team.

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He was the nicest guy. Terrible at drafting but pretty good at trading.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Let's look at this from the outside looking in.

The problem that most "experts" have with picking the Hawks higher, is that most "experts" will have 8 of these 9 teams in the playoffs:

- Cleveland ( because they went to the Finals and because they might have the league MVP on the team in Lebron )

- Chicago ( nice young nucleus of good players who made noise in the playoffs last year )

- Boston ( because of the trade that brought Ray Allen and KG to Beantown )

- New Jersey ( because they still have Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson )

- Toronto ( made the leap last year that we're expecting to make this year, with Bosh possibly developing into a top 5 post player )

- Detroit ( the old stand-by, that still has a very talented starting lineup, for the most part )

- Miami ( a healthy Wade and Shaq will always get the benefit of the doubt )

- Orlando ( D-Howard is the next big thing, and people think by adding Rashard Lewis to the mix will push Orlando to the playoffs )

- Washington ( they were the East leader, until Arenas got hurt )

So out of these 9 teams, which team do you drop out, and put the Hawks in?

For me, it's either between Orlando, Washigton, or Toronto. And I totally agree with Hollinger by picking Washington as the team to fall out. Toronto could fall out too, depending on how good Boston and Jersey really are.