So, I would imagine that this is going to be a yearly segment. Every Hawks fan at this point in the year has either forgotten the Hawks exist or is trying to figure out what foreign center the Hawks are going to waste a second-round pick on (hopefully not this is a sad existence). Alpha Kaba we’re looking at you, sir. But, since they moved to Atlanta the Hawks have never made a finals. In fact, the Hawks have only ever won two games in the Conference Finals (would’ve made the finals if Trae didn’t sprain his ankle or if Lebron played football at Ohio State instead). This leaves us with the yearly task of trying to figure out which team winning in June makes us feel better about ourselves. Let me make this decision for you.
2024 is going to be particularly tough in this department: we have the Celtics and the Mavs. It says a lot about the Hawks that our fanbase would consider the Celtics one of our biggest rivals. The Celtics probably think about the Hawks as much as the Dawgs think about Vandy (for the uneducated google Vandy o-line Alabama). Although, I’d argue that Zaza Pachulia gave KG a bigger scare than James Franklin did to Todd Grantham. Examples of both below for your own entertainment/decision. Thank you for your service at Florida btw Todd.
Hawks (at least the Atlanta version) have never beaten the Celtics in a playoff series, 0-9. The Celtics were also responsible for Dominique never getting past the second round in Atlanta. A feat Joel Embiid is determined to accomplish as well. Now, you also have to consider the whole Boston sports fan thing, but eh who cares if they win another one. Tatum and Brown probably deserve to finally win one and Jrue Holiday seems like a good guy. Peyton Pritchard looks like he should be asking for the next game at the Y though.
This leaves Dallas. As a former Trae Young truther, this has been painful. Particularly so that a future Hawk, Anthony Edwards, put up such a pitiful fight in defending his hometown’s honor in the last round. Shoutout KAT for absolutely nothing.
Draft night 2018 will haunt Hawks fans for eternity. For years with a straight face I tried to rationalize the fact that the Hawks didn’t trade Trae for unnamed guard, LD. “We also got Cam Reddish and what turned into Deandre Hunter!” AAU-legend Cam Reddish is going to be coaching AAU in 12 months, and Deandre Hunter couldn’t dribble through a cone drill at any of the local basketball camps happening this summer. Hawks gonna Hawk.
There were several voices post-2018 draft that said LD wouldn’t fit in Atlanta, and that it made sense for the Hawks to trade for assets and someone proven in the college game. But uh, the dude that lost to Rhode Island in the first round of the NCAA tournament v. the guy who won a Euroleague title where they’re literally allowed to shoot flares at you is an interesting choice.
This leaves us an existential question. Are we going to be bitter and cheer against a player and a team who has no actual rivalry with the Hawks? Or are we going to cheer against our rival who doesn’t even know a rivalry exists?
If you’re a Hawks fan you better be dressed as a Leprechaun if you have to be.
Hawks won the trade. Celtics in 4. (7).
Georgia-ish 
Mavs in 5
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Stop it.
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