Atlanta Hawks Still Searching for Playoff Identity

"Presumed Heavyweight."

Nobody wants to hear or read those words about your team in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs.

But, with last night’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks the Atlanta Hawks are now in danger of having a season with 53 wins go up in flames.

If only that was all the Hawks had to lose. An early exit out of the playoffs could spell the end to the latest Hawks Era.

With their third straight run into the playoffs this Hawks teams looked poised and ready to prove just how far this team has come since head coach Mike Woodson took over in 2004.

Woodson has guided the team a long way from the 13-win 2004-2005 season. However, he still has yet to get the Hawks to reach that next level that was promised by management to their fans.

The addition of Joe Johnson to the team during the offseason before the start of 2005 brought new hope to the city of Atlanta about their Hawks. His arrival immediately had a positive outlook on the team. Atlanta was still a work in progress, but at least there was progress with a 26-win season.

Since that season, the team has improved every year and gotten closer and closer to the next level. At the turn of the decade the Hawks were ready.

Their draft picks were all grown up, they had a true All-Star to help lead the team above the competition, a veteran point guard as the floor general, a coach whose system and philosophies were excelling with his players, and a bench that was solidified with a huge offseason addition.

While this year’s success has been a sight for sore eyes, it might be coming too late. Coach Woodson’s contract is set to expire and Johnson is about to be a highly-courted free agent. If the Hawks are in fact beaten by the Bucks in the first round, then why would Johnson stay, and why would the front office keep Woodson.

As great of a regular season as the Hawks had this year, not making it to the second round of the playoffs is a failure in my eyes. I would rather the Hawks barely get into the playoffs and have to scrap to reach the second round than have them to just fold over like they are.

This is now a team with playoff experience and also one of the best teams in the East. Yet, they continue to fail in playing consistently and up to their potential, struggling at finding their identity. Even if the Hawks do get past Milwaukee, their weakness has been exposed.

The backcourt of Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford has not been able to keep up defensively with Milwaukee’s. If they can’t even find a way to disrupt the play of a rookie point guard, how do they expect to even try and keep up with Jameer Nelson.

The Bucks have also done a very good job at spreading the Hawks out on defense. This has created matchup nightmares for Atlanta with their “Bigs” trying to keep up with Milwaukee’s guards.

What does the future hold for the Hawks? Ever since the start of this season and the team’s failure to sign Johnson, there has been pressure on the Hawks to be a contender.

They really have put forth a terrific effort. Hopefully they will keep fighting.