NBA Power Rankings: Hawks Remain In The Middle of The Pack in Latest Batch of Rankings

The Hawks have continued to keep pace in the Eastern Conference Play-In Race and remain in 7th heading into the weekend

Mar 18, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) goes to the basket against Charlotte Hornets guard Damion Baugh (7) during second quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Aside from a bad loss to the Brooklyn Nets this past Sunday, it has been a solid week for the Atlanta Hawks. They got two wins against tanking teams like Philadelphia and Charlotte (twice), but also had a loss to the Clippers, who have been a bad matchup for the Hawks in both games they have played this season. The next set of games for the Hawks (Warriors, 76ers, Rockets, and Bucks) will be tough to close out the month, but Atlanta remains in 7th place in the East.

In the latest set of power rankings from ESPN, the Hawks come in at No. 17, which feels appropriate. ESPN analyst Chris Herring had this to say about the Hawks and he highlighted :

"Dyson Daniels is set to surpass Ricky Rubio's mark of 191 steals during the 2013-14 campaign to give the Hawks wing the most in the NBA in more than a decade. The Hawks, who have struggled defensively this season, will need Daniels to perform well on that end -- and reduce the opponent's air space on jumpers -- given they would face either Cleveland or Boston's offenses in the opening round, should the Hawks advance from the play-in"

The Atlanta Hawks dominated a (very) shorthanded Charlotte Hornets team last night on the road, beating them 134-102. Trae Young led the Hawks's efforts in this game tonight, scoring 31 points and handing out eight assists. Young also went 5-9 from three and in doing so, joined Lakers superstar LeBron James with the 8th most games in NBA history with at least 30 points and five made threes.

Young was incredible last night for the Hawks, leading them to their most dominant victory of the season and sweeping the season series against their divisional opponent. Young continues to be one of the best guards and playmakers in the NBA and has the Hawks headed towards the playoffs.

It was not just Young who had a strong night vs the Hornets.

Dyson Daniels had a near triple-double with 22 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, and Zaccharie Risacher scored 21 points (including a fantastic 16-point quarter in the third). Atlanta shot 54% from the field and 49% from three in the game. The defense forced Charlotte into 17 turnovers and scored 22 points off of those turnovers. The Hawks averaged 1.35 points per possession and had a 134.5 offensive rating. If you have those kinds of numbers, you are going to win more often than not.

This is not any kind of statement win or anything for the Hawks considering the roster that Charlotte had out there, but it was a nice bounce-back win and they took care of business, unlike Sunday vs Brooklyn. Now the Hawks will have three days off before they welcome Stephen Curry and Golden State to State Farm Arena on Saturday night.

Additional Links

2025 NBA Mock Draft: Latest Mock Sees Hawks Land UConn Star + An Elite Stretch Four

Three Big Takeaways From Atlanta's Blowout Win Over Charlotte

After a Stellar Performance vs Charlotte, Trae Young Ties LeBron James In Historical NBA Stat Category