NBA on ESPN host Michael Wilbon joined Dukes & Bell and talked about why the Hawks have struggled this year but why he thinks the team can still accomplish some of it's goals for the season.
When asked about the Hawks struggles this season.
“No they’re not as good, last year they were good, they had the coaching change which really helped them immediately get a bounce. People were still getting used to Trae Young it’s a team full of people that young, ambitious, talented players,” Wilbon said. “They took advantage of every advantage they had and they don’t have those advantages this year, I thought the two teams that would take a step back in the East this year would be the Knicks and the Hawks, the Hawks at least don’t embarrass themselves, they’re struggling but they don’t embarrass themselves like the New York Knicks.”
Wilbon said despite the Hawks not getting better they can still be a real threat in playoffs.
“It’s hard if you don’t get better, what offseason acquisitions or draft picks, they lost De’Andre Hunter for a while with his injury, Trae has been playing great, he didn’t get off to the same start as he got off to last year. Atlanta’s gonna make the playoffs, the Hawks are gonna make the playoffs, they could be a real threat in the playoffs because they’ve been through this now once. But the East is better, the Bulls are better, obviously Brooklyn and Philly are better, even the team that won’t make it, I don’t know what the hell happen to Washington their roster is better. All the teams, Charlotte’s better, some of the teams in the east are better and there was no guarantee the Hawks were gonna have some bounce up to the next level and if they are going to do that it’s gonna be done in the playoffs and they’re gonna have to beat a top seed.”