Entering this NBA season, most people would have picked the Atlanta Hawks to finish higher in the standings than the Cleveland Cavaliers. I certainly would have.
The Hawks were flying into the year riding the high of a successful run to the conference finals. The Cavs were coming off a 22-win season and fourth straight year picking in the lottery. I wasn’t expecting the fruits of those picks to blossom for another year or two, especially after they lost 2018 first-round pick Collin Sexton just 11 games into the season.
But as the year progressed, it was clear the Hawks weren’t the same team that knocked off the Knicks and sent the 76ers into full-blown chaos after last year’s playoffs. And behind the progression of 2019 first-round pick Darius Garland and trade acquisition Jarrett Allen into All-Stars, the Cavs were a lot better than anyone anticipated.
