Atlanta Hawks 2010 Preview & Predictions

Atlanta Hawks 2010 Season Preview, Predictions Picks & Odds

With the NBA Basketball season just around the corner, we are providing season previews for all 30 teams to give you the betting edge. Follow the best NBA Basketball Handicappers as they analyze their teams in this 2010 season preview. Use our comprehensive and insider info to bet successfully on the NBA in our recommend sportsbooks. View the rest of our 2010 NBA Season Previews here.

Atlanta Hawks 2009-2010 NBA Record: 53-29, 2nd in Southeast Division

Atlanta Hawks Betting Trends & Betting Angles:
• 12-5 ATS past 17 November games
• 15-5 ATS past 20 December games
• OVER is 7-2 past 9 Dec home games
• 8-3 ATS past nNov road games
• 4-16 SU past 20 games as underdog
• 14-5 ATS past 19 vs Atl Div teams
• 4-13 ATS past 17 within Southeast Div

Atlanta Hawks 2010 Preview & Prediction

The mandate for the 2010-11 Hawks is crystal clear: Reach the Eastern Conference Finals, a destination they haven’t visited since moving to the Eastern Conference in 1971. Despite the remarkable progress the Hawks have shown recently, annually increasing their win total from 13 in 2005 to last year’s 53, there is some impatience now that the Hawks are playoff regulars. Two ugly secondround sweeps the last two years gave rise to afeeling that perhaps a ceiling had been reached with this core group. Rather than shake up the roster, however, the Hawks decided to fire coach Mike Woodson this summer and replace him with longtime assistant Larry Drew. The starting five, plus the NBA’s best sixth man, return, reflecting management’s philosophy that the roster simply needed a new voice at the top to continue its progress toward an NBA title.

Atlanta Hawks Coach: Larry Drew, 1st season

Atlanta Hawks Projected Starters: PG Mike Bibby, SG Joe Johnson, SF Marvin Williams, PF Josh Smith, C Al Horford.

Atlanta Hawks Key Additions: F Josh Powell

Atlanta Hawks Key Losses: None.

2010 Atlanta Hawks Point Guards:

Even before Drew moved up a seat on the bench, the plan was to give second-year Jeff Teague every opportunity to win the starting pomt guard job this season. It’s a plan that even 12-year veteran Mike Bibby is on board with. Underrated most of his career, Bibby is coming off his poorest performance, averaging just 9.1 points and 3.9 assists. More significantly, his lack of lateral quickness hurt the Hawks’ perimeter defense. What he has done, though, in Atlanta is steady the flighty Hawks as floor general and provide a consistent perimeter threat- 39 percent shooting behind the arc last year – to stretch defenses. As a combo guard, Jamal Crawford saw his share of minutes here, but forwards Joe Johnson and Josh Smith led the team in assists, which says a lot about the point guard play on this club. The thinking is Bibby can still do those things in fewer minutes, likely off the bench, if Teague is ready. The 6-2 shooting guard has been transitioning to point, including heavy doses of duty for the Hawks’ summer league team. He averaged 15.4 points and four assists but also had 4.4 turnovers this July, meaning Bibby is definitely still in Drew’s plans.

2010 Atlanta Hawks Off Guards:

The case for Johnson’s big contract is four consecutive All-Star appearances and the fact that he’s the only player on the roster that can score in every offensive variation – off the drive, from deep, in the post and yes, in isolation. But the Hawks’ preference to clear out for him – the default No.1 halfcourt option in recent years – is over. Drew wants constant movement to balance the floor and make others more of a threat, too. Johnson is still a centerpiece but his scoring will come off screens and moving without the ball, factors that could make him even more dangerous and take some of the stagnation out of Woodson’s predictable half court sets. Jamal Crawford started the fewest games of his career (0) and got the most attention, winning the NBA’s Sixth Man Award. Despite coming off the bench, he scored less than 10 points just six times and was a deadly 3-point threat for the team. “JC2,” rookie Jordan Crawford, was impressive offensively in the summer league and had some spectacular moments defensively, though overall that phase ofhis game still needs work. His development will impact reliable swing-guard Maurice Evans’ minutes.

2010 Atlanta Hawks Small Forwards:

Marvin Williams’ name came up in trade rumors this offseason but Drew loves what Williams does defensively. The new offense may benefit him, too. It can’t hurt as the 6-9 forward’s scoring average has dropped each of the last two seasons, down to 10.5 in 2009-10. He was stuck shooting jumpers in the old offense but the Hawks will post him up more this year, looking to get him and that career 80-percent free throw accuracy to the line more often. This is the Hawks’ deepest position because Johnson can move up and Josh Smith can move down to play small forward. Rookie French import Pape Sy is still under contract in Europe so he’s likely a year away from joining the mix.

2010 Atlanta Hawks Power Forwards:

Smith should also get more opportunities in the new offense but he has been reshaping his game on his own in recent years. In 2006-07, he shot 152 three-pointers but that total shrank to seven last season, meaning he’s taking better shots and using that amazing athleticism to get to the basket. Defensively, Smith is already atop the league, second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting to Howard and the youngest player in NBA history to reach 1,000 career blocks. Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia can play here, too, but the Hawks are so much better when Smith is on the floor.

2010 Atlanta Hawks Centers:

Horford is averaging a near double-double despite playing out of position. He should be at power forward where he would likely be considered a dominant force. Instead, he’s banging with the biggest bodies, and while he never backs down, he has trouble containing the game’s best and biggest like Howard. It’s a dilemma that has proven problematic in the playoffs. Behind Horford, a committee of journeymen provide depth. Pachulia is a 6-11 banger but unpolished offensively. Seven-foot Jason Collins averaged 4.8 minutes and returns, and Randolph Morris, who was born in foul trouble, could be another possibility. While fans clamored for Shaquille O’Neal, what they got was former L.A. post Josh Powell, who averaged 2.7 points and 1.8 rebounds, meaning Horford is on the hot seat again.

Atlanta Hawks 2010 Season Predictions

We predict that the Atlanta Hawks will finish 3rd in the NBA Southeast Division .

Atlanta Hawks Betting

Atlanta Hawks NBA Championship Odds: +5000
Atlanta Hawks Eastern Conference Odds: +2500

Atlanta Hawks 2009-2010 Betting Stats

Atlanta Hawks Straight Up: 53-29
Atlanta Hawks ATS: 48-34
Atlanta Hawks Home ATS: 25-16
Atlanta Hawks Away ATS: 23-18
Atlanta Hawks Record As Favorite: 46-16
Atlanta Hawks Record As Dog: 7-13
Atlanta Hawks Over/Under: 48-34

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