The Hawks knocked off the Heat in seven games (two too many if you ask me...) and now Atlanta will travel to Cleveland to face LeBron and the Cavs. Let's just settle down everybody.
Yes, Hawks fans should be happy that the team had its first winning season in 67 years (maybe it just seems like that) and YES Hawks fans should be happy that the team advanced to the second round.
But let's be real here. Cleveland will take games one and two, with the Hawks firing back to take game three before falling in games four and five. Five games. That's what is left of the Hawks' season.
And honestly, this is what the next three or four years will be. A playoff seed somewhere from 4-8 with AT BEST a first round series win. But the Hawks are on the second tier and will be for some time. This season, they LEAD the second tier after Cleveland, Boston and Orlando in the first tier.
Next season it will be the same story with Atlanta possibly slipping to a #6 seed as Miami and Chicago look poised to pass them.
The following year, Cleveland and Boston will probably go away but Chicago will likely move into the first tier as well as New York as LeBron and Chris Bosh sign on.
The Hawks team, the way it is currently constructed with faux-superstar Joe Johnson and the forever-immature Josh Smith (yes he went for 21-9 last night, but how about that 30-foot 3?) representing the "core building blocks" of the franchise, this team is locked into a second tier.
Joe Johnson, as talented as he is against crappy competition, just ISN'T capable of being one of the top 5 talents in the NBA. Wade, Kobe, LeBron, Howard, Rajon, Rose, just to name a few (of the many) are better and are ACTUAL FRANCHISE PLAYERS. This guy is a slightly better version of Gerald Wallace.
Meanwhile Josh Smith has been "young and immature" ever since he came into the league 5 YEARS AGO. GROW UP ALREADY. You saw the market for yourself last off-season, right? NO ONE WANTED YOU! The Hawks got you by matching a shite offer from Memphis. THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF YOU JSMOOVE. SO GROW UP ALREADY AND PLAY UP TO YOUR POTENTIAL!
As long as Atlanta has these two as a one-two punch, they are going to be behind LeBron and MoWill as well as KG and Pierce(or Allen and Rondo) as well as Dwight and Lewis(or Nelson) as well as Rose and Gordon(or Deng or Miller or Noah) as well as Wade and Beasley, etc. No disrespect to these guys. They are better than a majority of the Eastern Conference, but not good enough to be one of the best.
But right now it is great for Hawks fans. They are enjoying the playoffs after 43 years of not making it, the team has made it two years straight. Just please don't start treating this team like the Braves after several seasons of one-and-done or second-round-sweep. Remember that the Hawks in the late 90s/2000 season got tired of first and donezos so they traded away Mutumbo and then missed the playoffs 7 straight years or something like that. Realize that this team as it is currently constructed has hit its ceiling. Expect NOTHING more over the next few seasons until Bibby (who should be resigned 3/24M, perhaps) can groom a point guard (perhaps Eric Maynor from VCU) to take over. Hopefully you can get a Rose/CP3 knockoff there. I will celebrate with you now Hawks fans, (especially since you've helped me in my battle against the city of Miami!) but I will know that this is all there is for a while.
And don't say I didn't warn you in three seasons when the team has made the playoffs and gone one-and-done the next few postseasons. Don't you DARE call for this team to be rebuilt, because I warned you. If you want to celebrate now, don't be pissed later. If you want to be pissed later as the team fails to break through the glass ceiling, then you should not party so hard right now. Join the realist party with me right now. I think Jon Barry is already on board....
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