ARE THE HAWKS ELITE ???

by dkrib on Feb 1, 2012 10:03 AM EST

Based on an interview with Sund last season, he mentioned that the Hawks were elite and most people rediculed him. However, his definition of elite is

1.The elite teams are those that earn homecourt advantage in the first round and advance to the second round. 2.Your record at the end of the season( must be above 500 )against all the final four teams in your conference.Based on his definition, the Hawks were elite.

However, the media thinks only Miami and Chicago can be considered elite in the east.

What is an elite team in the NBA? What qualifies a team to be elite. Are the Hawks an elite team. Fellow bloggers, please help me in answering these questions.

Poll

Are the Hawks an elite NBA team?

YES

35 votes

NO

29 votes

64 votes | Poll has closed

A FanPost expresses the opinion of the community member who wrote it and not that of the blog management.

Tweet Comment 13 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

To me, an elite team is a team that at least reached the conference finals the previous season or is considered a good bet to do so this season. Both Miami and Chicago reached the conference finals last year and it’s widely assumed (in the sports media) they will be back there this year. Hence they are elite. The Hawks did not reach the conference finals this year and are unlikely to do so this year. Hence they are not elite.

by redwards95 on Feb 1, 2012 10:24 AM EST reply actions

I think if Horford comes back in the playoffs, they have a shot at being in the conference finals.

Yes. they have a shot at beating the Bulls or Miami in a 7 game series.

by dkrib on Feb 1, 2012 10:43 AM EST reply actions

I agree that they have a shot. The question is: how big a shot? Certainly it’s much less of a shot than Miami and Chicago.

by redwards95 on Feb 1, 2012 12:14 PM EST up reply actions

I think this question is better asked after the season

@Kris_Willis
+Kris Willis
facebook.com/krisawillis

by Kris Willis on Feb 1, 2012 11:58 AM EST reply actions

I think that this team is making its case.

They have seen just about every way to lose games. This year there are “no excuses”. Players are stepping up. The team is playing together. They are working hard. They have muscled Chicago and Miami. So yes, while the Hawks are under the radar, they are one of the best in the league. But only elite teams win championships in my opinion. So technically, there are no elite teams in the East at all. Not Chicago and not Miami. Until either can win a Championship, they are just really good teams trying to win one. The same goes for the Hawks.

by jdewayneatl on Feb 1, 2012 12:52 PM EST reply actions

Just how stupid is the word "Elite"? Let me show you.

Eastern Conference Teams

Miami:
Record: 16-5
Record Against +.500: 8-3
Record Against -.500: 8-2

Chicago:
Record: 18-5
Record Against +.500: 5-3
Record Against -.500: 13-2

Philadelphia:
Record: 15-6
Record Against +.500: 4-4
Record Against -.500: 11-2

Indiana:
Record: 14-6
Record Against +.500: 8-3
Record Against -.500: 6-3

Atlanta:
Record: 16-6
Record Against +.500: 4-4
Record Against -.500: 12-2

Orlando:
Record: 12-9
Record Against +.500: 7-5
Record Against -.500: 5-4

Summary: So as you see these are teams with the best record in the Eastern Conference. Each team can create an argument on why their team can be called “elite.” Totally subjective, and rightfully so. The highlighted teams show some type of discrepancy with their record as to why they are not considered “elite.” The two team that are sure fire “Elite” teams are Chicago and Miami and rightfully so since their records dictate that against higher quality and lower quality opponents. Now with that same logic you should also consider Indiana and Orlando elite BUT YOU DON’T. Indiana and Orlando have many more wins than Chicago against top tier opponents and yet you still don’t rank them in the same status as Chicago. Why? Because it doesn’t matter.

Western Conference Teams:

Oklahoma City:
Record: 16-4
Record Against +.500: 4-2
Record Against -.500: 12-2

Denver:
Record: 14-7
Record Against +.500: 4-6
Record Against -.500: 10-1

Utah:
Record: 12-7
Record Against +.500: 8-5
Record Against -.500: 4-2

Portland:
Record: 12-9
Record Against +.500: 8-4
Record Against -.500: 4-5

L.A. Clippers:
Record: 12-6
Record Against +.500: 8-5
Record Against -.500: 4-1

L.A. Lakers:
Record: 13-9
Record Against +.500: 9-8
Record Against -.500: 4-1

Dallas:
Record: 14-8
Record Against +.500: 6-6
Record Against -.500: 8-2

San Antonio:
Record: 13-9
Record Against +.500: 7-4
Record Against -.500: 6-5

Houston:
Record: 12-9
Record Against +.500: 4-5
Record Against -.500: 8-4

Summary: Same idea. These are teams with the best record in the Western Conference. Each team can create an argument on why their team can be called “elite.” Totally subjective, and rightfully so. The highlighted teams show some type of discrepancy with their record as to why they are not considered “elite.” The only team is sure fire “Elite” teams is Oklahoma City and rightfully so since their records dictate that against higher quality and lower quality opponents. Denver has the second best record in the conference yet they have a losing record against top tier opponents. Are they in the “elite” category? Portland has the same problem as Orlando yet they dominate the winning teams. Are they in the “elite” category? Utah has dominated lesser and higher quality opponents yet they will never be considered in the same space as Oklahoma. And then you have the L.A. Lakers who have faced 17 teams with a record +.500. and they still have a winning record against them, but they are 2nd in their division and 6th in their conference. Would they be considered “elite” facing the most +.500 teams in the entire league. The Western Conference has many more +.500 teams than the Eastern Conference do people take that into consideration. Probably not. So my point is saying a team is completely subjective and has no value in a conversation.

On that note, the Atlanta Hawks are elite.

Ron Artest = Ron (sm)Artest - He Is The Most Interesting Man In The World

by JoshChildressAfroIsCure4Cancer on Feb 1, 2012 1:28 PM EST reply actions

Well yeah there’s no completely objective way to determine who is elite or not. You inevitably have to define some minimal criteria (over .500 record overall, over .500 vs other over .500 teams, etc.) and some kind of cut off (top 2-3, etc.). Most people also consider past performance. A team such as Indiana may make the cut based on its over .500 record and record vs other good teams, but what have they done in the playoffs lately? Jacksquat. It’s fair to say to teams like that (and yes the Hawks too): show me first then I’ll call you elite.

by redwards95 on Feb 1, 2012 1:50 PM EST up reply actions

Quit living in the past.

Twitter: twitter.com/edgrohl Google+: Ed G

by Duff_Man on Feb 1, 2012 6:14 PM EST up reply actions

I won't say yes

But I will say this: Hawks beat the Heat in Miami. Hawks also, recently, beat the Bucks in their house, with Bogut. Heat just went to Milwaukee and lost. They also lost to the Bucks at home.

Recent road games for the Heat-they lost in Golden State, lost to the Clippers, lost at Denver, beat Detroit, then lost to the Bucks. Lot of road games for them in February, including a 3 game in three day stretch where they go to Atlanta, back to Milwaukee, and then to Indiana.

Hawks have a chance to leapfrog the Heat this month if they just take care of business, and that’s completely serious. If they don’t get their business together, they could be in 4th place as the All-Star break.

Braves will be fine. I'm not worried.

by Bronn on Sep 18, 2011 4:26 PM EDT

by Bronn on Feb 2, 2012 12:09 AM EST reply actions

yeah

i am very positive I see the hawks in 1st or 2nd place in the east by the all star break.

by dkrib on Feb 2, 2012 4:24 PM EST up reply actions

Hawks also lost to Miami in Atlanta with Wade and James out. And then there was last night.

by redwards95 on Feb 3, 2012 8:54 AM EST up reply actions

Are the Hawks Elite?

By Sund’s definition. Yes.

By my definition**: not yet.

Elite: beating another team that is truly championship caliber in the playoffs.

by Jeff_H on Feb 3, 2012 5:23 AM EST reply actions

elite?? elite??

Comeon man. I dont know if we are elite if we play like we did against memphis. half court game and in the post we were destroyed. we did not look like we wanted to play. this home stretch not the road, wil determine if we can play against championship caliber teams. I am hoping for 4th place in conference. coach will have time to prepare a scheme for chicago (who will be number 1 in the east)

by shawty3000 on Feb 4, 2012 8:22 AM EST reply actions