Final 27 games of regular season give Hawks chance to make playoff push

But the season doesn’t end today, and the Hawks still have time to make a push to make it to the top six of the Eastern Conference standings, with the regular season ending April 13.

As of Wednesday, the Hawks sit three games out of the top six, with fewer than four games separating the teams currently ranked six through nine. So, the next 10 games present the Hawks a prime opportunity begin that push, make up some ground on teams in the Eastern Conference and potentially create some separation.

Though incredibly rare since they look at the better overall winning percentage. But the NBA has several scenarios in place in case teams end up in a tie, including the head-to-head win-loss percentage. They also consider the division leader.

Should that not break the tie, the NBA has other criteria it will take into account including: Conference record, winning percentage against playoff teams in its own conference, winning percentage against playoff teams in the opposing conference and point differential in all games.

Over the next two weeks, the Hawks face the Magic, the Pistons, the Heat (two times), the Thunder, the Grizzlies, the Bucks, the Pacers (two times) and the Sixers.

Here are the number of games the Hawks trail each opponent.

Magic - 0.5 games behind

Pistons - 3.0 games behind

Heat - tied

Thunder - N/A

Grizzlies - N/A

Bucks - 4.0 games ahead

Pacers - 5.0 games behind

Sixers - 5.5 games ahead

The next two months of the regular season may look a little daunting, especially with how much the Hawks have swung to either side of the pendulum. For example, from Nov. 27-Dec. 21, the Hawks first won six consecutive games, and then lost four of the next five. From Dec. 23-Jan. 9, they then strung together a four-game win streak before again losing four of the subsequent five. From there, a three-game win streak ensued, which included an overtime win over the Celtics, before they lost the next eight games. They then won four of the six games leading into the break.

But the Hawks have been competitive this season despite having a young team. They’ve lost only six games by 20 or more points.

The Hawks have cracked the top six multiple times this season and could work themselves back into that position after adding a little more depth to their second unit following the trade deadline.

The team is 3-1 since acquiring Caris LeVert, Terance Mann and Georges Niang on the day of the trade deadline and all three have their sights set on helping the team reach the playoffs. All three acquisitions bring plenty of playoff experience, with a collective 124 playoff games between them.

They’ve already provided a stabilizing presence for the Hawks coming off the bench, helping the team’s second unit to be among the league’s most productive. In the four games since the trade deadline, the Hawks bench has averaged 45.8 points per game.

The Hawks have had a fairly productive bench this season thanks to a breakout season by former Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter, who was traded for LaVert and Niang. But with the three savvy veterans in the fold, the Hawks have the potential to increase that.

LeVert, Mann and Niang will have to help, especially after the Hawks lost Vit Krejci and Larry Nance Jr. to injuries before the break.

Krejci provided the Hawks with a big chunk of their playmaking in the absence of Jalen Johnson, who is out after having surgery to repair a torn labrum. Nance gave the Hawks depth at center and optimal spacing as the team looked to knock down more 3’s.

But the two could be out for the remainder of the season depending on how things unfold in the final 27 games of the regular season.

First, though, the Hawks take on the Magic on Thursday night at State Farm Arena.