Well it looks like the Hawks are starting to get it together and putting a little space of comfort for that final playoff spot. The Hawks got two big wins over the weekend and look to not only keep the 8th seed, but also move up in the weekly power ranking.
Jason Patt of SBNation.com starts things off with putting the Hawks at #17.
The Hawks may have woken up just in time to save their playoff spot in the East, winning two straight games in convincing fashion.
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com makes a great Pero Antic reference as he ranks the Hawks at #16.
They faked their own death. Elvis is probably on the roster. He's probably Pero Antic.
Marc Stein of ESPN.com moves the Hawks up to #18 and stops all thoughts of tanking.
The manner in which they stormed to a (no joke) 55-23 halftime lead in Indy, right after breaking out of a 1-7 funk to smack down Cleveland's playoff hopes, suddenly suggests that the Hawks do prefer a first-round date with Miami to a lottery pick. Either that or they just can't help themselves.
John Schuhmann of NBA.com moves the Hawks up to #17 and pretty much stamps them as the final team to make the playoffs.
Sunday in Indiana was a good time for the Hawks to get their first road win of the season over a team with a winning record (at the time). Paul Millsap has four straight double-doubles and the Hawks have gone 3-1 to take back control of the No. 8 seed. Success is typically fleeting with this team, but they look pretty good for their seventh straight playoff appearance, the longest current streak in the East.
Marc J Spears of Yahoo Sports is also thinking the Hawks will make in into the postseason this year while New York prepares for the next season.
The Hawks hold a two-game lead over the Knicks – three in the loss column – for the East's final playoff seed. Three of Atlanta's six remaining games are against teams with losing records.
Matt Dollinger of SI.com moves Atlanta up to #17 and seems to believe that the Hawks will make their seventh consecutive playoff appearance.
OK, Eastern Conference. You win. We give up. The Hawks looked dead in the water after losing six straight games, but have rebounded to win three of four. They're closing in on their seventh consecutive playoff berth.
Kurt Helin of NBCSports.com also moves Atlanta to #17 and thinks we have a great advantage since the Knicks are apparently the only banged up team.
Quality offensive outings against the Pacers and Cavaliers have given them a two-game cushion over a banged-up Knicks team — they are in the driver’s seat to make the playoffs, with only two of their remaining six on the road and half the games against teams below .500.
Finally, USA Today is picking the unheralded hero of "X-Factor" for each team in their rankings. That said they move the Hawks up to #18 and chose everyone's favorite as this team unheralded hero.
DeMarre Carroll, who has made the most of his limited skills as a starting small forward.
Well that does it for this week in the rankings and it looks like the Hawks are moving up in the ranking as the season comes to the end. Anyway let me know what you guys think and if we should've been ranked elsewhere on the list.