Atlanta's Playoff Possibilities

Written by Dylan Hunter Carter

Following their 102-101 thriller victory over the Boston Celtics, the Atlanta Hawks displayed their team’s ability to close out games and to play effectively as a unit. Although they haven’t had the most notable season, the Hawks snuck into the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference and solidify home-court advantage for the first round. Head Coach Mike Budenholzer spent 17 years on the Spurs bench alongside Gregg Popovich. As a member of Popovich's staff, he learned the importance of team basketball and crisp ball movement; which he has instilled in his versatile and talented Hawks roster. 27-year-old point guard Jeff Teague has been a staple of the Hawks organization for years and has adapted to many different styles of play. Now, with arguably the best Hawks roster in years, Teague has finally excelled and shown his true potential as a ball handler, floor general, and shot creator for the Hawks.

         The Hawks frontcourt tandem of Al Horford and Paul Millsap have created deadly matchup issues for every single team they’ve faced this year. Horford and Millsap are both efficient post players with effective outside shots. They are easily a top 5 frontcourt in the league and have continuously proved themselves with their underrated play throughout the past 2 years. The pair of big men fit the Hawks needs at both sides of the floor by providing exceptional scoring capabilities, energy, rebounding, and passing. With this combination leading the way, the Hawks may possibly find themselves making a run in the unpredictable Eastern Conference.

         Every great team needs role players, and the Hawks have a surplus of talented role players on their sidelines. Players such as Mike Scott, Walter Tavares, and Tim Hardaway Jr. provide massive sparks off the bench as the Hawks often seem effortlessly interchangeable. Tavares is often called upon for a strong presence down low, Hardaway for his potent offensive skill, and Mike Scott for his fantastic athleticism. The most important X-Factor for the Hawks thus far has been 4th year swingman; Kent Bazemore. After relatively dismal stints with the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers, Bazemore has re-identified himself as a defensive pest and an all around offensive spark plug. Per 36 Minutes, “Baze” averaged 15.1 points on 44% shooting along with 1.7 steals, 3 assists, and 6.6 rebounds. The young jack-of-all-trades can give any team trouble, especially guided by his veteran Hawks teammates.

         With the Eastern Conference title truly up in the air, the Hawks have a real shot at making a run to the NBA Finals. As long as they can stay healthy and fight their hardest they'll succeed in the postseason. The Hawks also needs to battle the idea that they are a “Regular Season Team” and have no playoff experience, but this newly orchestrated squad has the capacity to break their playoff cold streak. Atlanta will face off with Boston on Tuesday night at 7:00 EST on TNT. 

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Where Will Dwight Howard Sign in Free Agency?

Written by Taylor Odenat

Dwight Howard is approaching unrestricted free agency following the conclusion of the Houston Rockets postseason. When Howard was a free agent a few seasons ago, he didn’t handle the situation all that well. Before his actual contract was terminated with the Magic, he forced his way out of Orlando and was granted a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers in a four-team deal. After joining the Houston Rockets a few seasons ago with huge aspirations, he has yet to eclipse the Western Conference Finals. Additionally, this season there were stirring rumors that Howard and James Harden, who Howard was excited to play with, tried to get each other shipped off. With Howard developing durability issues and problems with the franchise’s top player, it seems his time in H-Town has come to an end. The only question now is, where will Howard sign in free agency?

Since his departure from Orlando, Howard hasn’t made a significant impact on an organization; and at this point it might be too late. His statistics might disagree with that statement, considering he averaged a double-double this past regular season with the Rockets and the season prior to his exit from the Lakers. However, his impact on these franchises hasn’t allowed him to capture that championship ring that he covets so dearly. At this point of his career, he isn’t getting any younger and isn’t the same commanding force that he once was. 

Once upon a time, there was no discussion for who was going to win Defensive Player of the Year. From 2008-2011, D12 dominated the annual award and even the year he didn’t win the trophy he still finished third in the voting. Fast forward to present day, Howard is an aging center with knee and back concerns. Is the man once monikered “Superman “still worth a max contract?

DH12 has botched his tenures at his last two locations, so the fourth time has to be the charm. His free agent decision will come down who can provide him with the highest salary or who give him the opportunity to win a championship. After reports of Howard considering a return to Orlando, it looks like he’s seeking the former. Joining the Magic would be an awful decision. Only a mere four years has gone by after that terrible situation that occurred between the two parties. Howard wouldn’t propel the roster to a championship contender and he’s not much of a veteran leader to use that as justification for signing.

Dwight could find a new home in a young team with a dynamic roster and innovative coach such as the Boston Celtics; but their money should be used elsewhere. There’s also the possibility of cashing out and inking a contract with a team that has no hopes of winning in the foreseeable future; see the Philadelphia 76ers. However, that would result poorly for both Howard and Philly. After Dwight eliminates all of the nonsensical options, he should take a trip to Miami and having a meeting with Pat Riley. 

The Miami Heat should be one of Howard’s prime destinations. He’ll immediately be on a roster in title contention with a intelligent coach, cunning front office, and tons of veterans lead by superstar Dwyane Wade. Hassan Whiteside is currently their center and has experienced rapid development. However, he’s an unrestricted free agent and will command tons of dollars. If the Heat decide to part ways with Whiteside, then Howard is a great second option. Miami will pay less money for the aging center than they would for the shot blocking extraordinaire, and Howard finds a suitable new home. Both sides benefit with this deal, Howard gets a strong chance at a ring and Miami won’t have to pay the steep price to retain Whiteside. D12 should consider his options, test the waters, but eventually sign a contract sending him to the “Magic City.”

Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram?

                                                    Written by Taylor Odenat

With the regular season rapidly coming to a close, teams will be preparing to welcome an addition to their roster by way of the 2016 NBA Draft. There will be several teams making a return to the lottery. Franchises including the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, and the Los Angeles Lakers will all make their disheartening return to the lottery this year. It’s always beneficial for a team to acquire a young player that can be developed into a substantial piece; however, to constantly be victim to terrible/subpar seasons is a different situation. Nonetheless, whichever organization is fortunate enough to have their ping pong ball selected for the No.1 pick will have several worthy options to choose from.

The Philadelphia 76ers will ultimately finish with the worst record in the league, only managing to muster up 9 wins over the course of 77 games. As a result of their putrid season, General Manager Sam Hinkie and the 76ers will have the highest probability at landing the No.1 overall pick. However, it’s not guaranteed that they will leave the draft lottery victorious even though they lost more games than any other team. Back in 2012, the Charlotte Bobcats concluded with a .106 winning percentage and seven total wins. Subsequently, at the 2012 NBA Draft Lottery, the Bobcats were left with the No.2 pick in the draft and elected to take Kentucky forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. He hasn't exactly turned out to be such a no-brainer decision. Nonetheless, for the sake of predictions; the Philadelphia 76ers will have possession of the first pick heading into the 2016 NBA Draft.

The City of Brotherly Love can’t be too happy with the 76ers tragic performances over the last few seasons. They haven’t gotten anywhere near the postseason since the 2011-12 season, and they’ve made countless questionable decisions. They’ve made interesting choices in the past three drafts, electing to select centers for three straight years; all within the first 10 picks. Nerlens Noel, drafted in 2013, has proven himself to be a defensive stud; but he has shown to have durability issues. Same with Kansas’ one-and-done big man Joel Embiid; he has yet to see the court since being drafted. Lastly, Jahlil Okafor is a major offensive weapon and has proven he can score in the post, but he has troublesome issues with maturity. The 76ers can’t handle another incorrect draft decision. They’re approaching another season without making the playoffs, and they possess a roster not fit to compete in either conference on a consistent basis.

With that being said, there are two admirable candidates to be the No.1 overall pick in this draft; their names are Brandon Ingram and Ben Simmons. The 76ers will perhaps take a look at Buddy Hield for three point shooting, Jakob Poeltl to indulge their love of centers, and Kris Dunn for use of a floor general; these are definitely not the front-runners though. 

Brandon Ingram is a 6’9’’ forward with above average ball handling, the ability to shoot spot-up or off the dribble, and length to bother shots. He’s been compared to Kevin Durant due to his slim frame and impressive scoring arsenal at his size. While he may be only 18 years of age and has time to bulk up, his slender build might be a red flag for the future. His weight is currently 195 pounds, so he’s guaranteed to have difficulties finishing among the trees in the NBA. The other option is an extreme jack of all trades, LSU forward Ben Simmons. Simmons has shown that he is the most complete player in this draft class. He can rebound, averaged 11.8 rpg on the season, he’s a superb passer, averaged 4.8 dimes on the season, and an efficient scorer, averaged 19.3 ppg on 56% shooting. However, Simmons doesn’t seem to have that killer instinct in him. He was unable to guide his team to the NCAA tournament, which brings concern to his leadership and his ability to take over. Nevertheless, Simmons is intelligent and has a high basketball IQ. While a killer instinct is something that’s hard to teach, arguably unteachable, so is an innate knowledge of the game.

The question now is, which forward should Philly pick? This is their fourth consecutive selection in the lottery, they can’t afford yet another mistake. The right move here would be to draft Ben Simmons with the No.1 overall pick. Every player on the Philadelphia roster will benefit from playing with Simmons. Simmons is extremely versatile and while his jump shot might not be super dependable, he is still an elite athlete with vision and playmaking skills. The 76ers need a savior, and Simmons could certainly be that player to finally guide them towards the light.