Last season, the Atlanta Hawks shocked the NBA. The team came in with almost no expectations on them and made it all the way to the Eastern Conference finals only to fall to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Team basketball and unselfish play got the Hawks one of the longest win streaks of the season while also being the most impressive road team during the year. While they lost DeMarre Carroll in free agency, the Hawks bring back most of the team as they aim to repeat the success.
The Hawks and Detroit Pistons kick off the first day of NBA play as Atlanta looks to make their way back to the Eastern Conference Finals once again. They certainly will have the attention of the league as they are no longer underdogs in the race. Their 60 wins last season which was a club record means they are now a force to pay attention to. Bringing back players like Kyle Korver who averaged 49.2 percent shooting from the 3-point line, Jeff Teague, Paul Millsap and Al Horford will certainly help Atlanta retain the success of last season.
The Hawks were forced to replace Carroll. The team signed Tiago Splitter to add another big to the rotation. Kent Bazemore is expected to get the starting nod as he averaged 5.2 points last season. Thabo Sefolosha returns healthy after breaking his leg last year. Dennis Schroder is looking better than ever after a successful summer playing overseas. Is this enough for Coach of the Year Mike Budenholzer to prove that last season was not a fluke? They get their first test at home against the Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons lost Greg Monroe in the offseason as he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. However, Andre Drummond is ready to take over the starting job. He took a step back last year averaging just 13.8 points a game, but he is now the main center on the roster. The Pistons will be without Brandon Jennings to start the season as he is still not healthy after tearing his Achilles tendon. However, Reggie Jackson is back after receiving the biggest contract extension in team history with his 17.6 points averaged in 21 games with Detroit.
Coming to Phillips Arena is not an easy task for the Pistons. The Hawks have won 12 of their last 13 meetings against the team in Atlanta. They look to keep the streak going.