Atlanta Hawks seen as early betting underdog to make 2020 NBA Playoffs

The Atlanta Hawks have been busy in recent days, cutting ties with Omari Spellman and adding intriguing forward Jabari Parker to the mix. Even before that shuffling, however, the Hawks have been discussed as an intriguing playoff darkhorse and, in some ways, that was backed up in betting odds released this week.

Online bookmaker PointsBet (via Action Network) set the odds on Atlanta making the playoffs at +300 (meaning that a $100 bet on the Hawks would net a $300 profit), with -400 on the team not finishing as a top-eight team in the Eastern Conference. For the sake of comparison, the two closest teams to the Hawks in the East are the Pistons (+100 to make the playoffs) and Bulls (+350), with Atlanta coming in at No. 10 in the conference.

It is, of course, quite early to be evaluating the pecking order with an eye toward the playoffs. In the same breath, the Hawks are a newfound darling in many national circles on the strength of the team’s intriguing young core.

With Trae Young, John Collins and Kevin Huerter returning for another run, expectations will be higher in 2019-20. If things go well with the supporting cast highlighted by Alex Len, De’Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish, Parker and others, it isn’t crazy at all to think that the Hawks will be in the mix over the course of the 82-game marathon, though it may be safer to keep things in perspective until Atlanta plays at a playoff level over the long haul.

Stay tuned.