Atlanta Hawks Tickets

Atlanta Hawks 2011-12 Season Preview The Atlanta Hawks will once again return with the large majority of their roster from a playoff team that yet again seems a couple of pieces away from being a legitimate contender.

The Hawks finally dropped Mike Bibby as their point guard last season, and that might be a small step in the right direction. The former Sacramento Kings star wasn't nearly the same player without Chris Webber and Co. to lean on, and it was past time that Atlanta went in another direction.

Kirk Hinrich is an upgrade at point guard, but a small one at that. Can he match up against the better point guards in the Eastern Conference, guys like Deron Williams, John Wall, LeBron James/Dwyane Wade and Derrick Rose? The fans need to come games and see for themselves.

Joe Johnson remains the team's leader and top scorer, but he would be much better off as the second option, playing a supporting role to a superstar.

I love the way Johnson plays, but my favorite Hawks player is Al Horford. He is a rugged low-post player who plays just as hard on the defensive end as the offensive end. He is a terrific rebounder and defender, and the type of player who won't back down from anyone.

The Hawks will once again be a playoff team, but will they ever really be anything more than that? They certainly aren't among the elite teams in the conference, and while they can push them a little bit in a seven game series, time will tell if they have the players to take them down.