There once was a team from Atlanta. Coming off a surprising playoff run, it was expected to be even better. It fell below .500 and stayed there for what seemed forever. It roused itself enough to qualify for postseason and, lo and behold, stuck around until the league commissioner handed that team a trophy.
Yes, we’re talking about the 2021 Braves. We might also be speaking of the 2021-2022 Hawks. After coming within two victories of the NBA Finals, much was expected from the young team that is also Young’s Team. Little has been delivered.
Trae Young has again been great. He ranks 14th among NBA players in VORP (value over replacement player), seventh in player efficiency ranking. Through 58 games, his team has produced a heapin’ helpin’ of not much. The Hawks are 28-30. They haven’t been above .500 since Dec. 12. If the playoffs began today, the Hawks would qualify as the 10th seed in the East, which could mean their postseason will last one game.
