NBA Analyst Makes Bold Atlanta Hawks Prediction For Month Of March

Can the Hawks find a way to salvage their season in March?

Feb 28, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) shoots over Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) in the third quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks have had a tough start after the All-Star break, going 1-4 and falling to 9th in the Eastern Conference standings. Given the injuries this team has been dealing with, it is hard to see how the Hawks are going to make a move up the standings the rest of the season, but there is still a month plus for them to try and turn it around.

The month of March is going to be huge for every team in the NBA and Bleacher Report analyst Grant Hughes gave a bold prediction for every team in March, including the Hawks:

Atlanta Hawks: Onyeka Okongwu Will Let It Fly

"Onyeka Okongwu attempted 27 threes in November, his highest in any month of his career. Now a full-time starter for an Atlanta Hawks team that has lost considerable spacing since deadline trades sent away Bogdan Bogdanović and De’Andre Hunter, the fifth-year center is going to blow that number away.

Beyond Atlanta needing someone to spread the floor, Okongwu should be experimenting to an extreme degree. If he’s going to become a true impact starter and long-term building block for the Hawks, he has to do more on offense than dive to the rim and clean up messes on the offensive glass. Clint Capela, removed from the first unit in favor of Okongwu and headed into free agency this summer, could do those things."

Okongwu averaged 1.8 three point attempts per game in the month of February and shot 33% from three. The Hawks offense would benefit from Okongwu being able to find a consistent three-point shot. Atlanta ranks 19th in three-point percentage this season and shooting and spacing have been recurring issues for this team. Those problems don't all fall at the feet of Okongwu, but it would be huge for the team if he could start hitting those shots consistently.

Can the Hawks find a way to turn things around and salvage this season? It has not been all bad believe it or not. The bright spots of the Hawks' season have been the play of Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher. Both players had great months in February and appear to be getting better on both ends of the floor. Daniels and Risacher are going to be crucial parts of the future for the Hawks and this transitional type of season centered around them. It can be hard to take a big picture approach during a tough stretch, but it should not go unnoticed that those two have shown a lot of growth this season. Integrating three new players into the rotation also has its challenges on both ends of the floor.

After the loss last night, Atlanta is now 9th in the Eastern Conference, three games ahead of the 10th place Chicago Bulls and 5.5 games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets, who are in 11th. Atlanta is two games back of Miami for the No. 7 seed, showing how congested the play-in race is in the Eastern Conference. Any hopes of surging into the top six are likely dead and the best Atlanta might get at this point is the No. 7 spot. The matchups against Orlando and Miami the rest of the season are going to be crucial.

The final full month of the season is upon the NBA and for the Atlanta Hawks, they will be trying to snap out of this funk they have been in since the All-Star Break. There is still time to turn things around and make the most of this season, but time is running out.

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