The Atlanta Hawks added many players this offseason to an already young and upcoming roster, and it now appears that the Hawks are potential playoff contenders. Atlanta’s roster boasts a wealth of promising young talent that rivals the rest of the NBA, and it has acquired valuable pieces that can help the team take the next step.
Now that the NBA season is less than a month away, it is a good time to take a deeper dive into where the Hawks rank as far as starting lineups compared to other teams in the league. Next up, the Boston Celtics.
After dominating for the past few seasons, including winning the title in 2024, Boston is going to look different this season. Jayson Tatum is likely going to be out for the year, Kristaps Porzingis is now on Atlanta, and Jrue Holiday is in Portland. While they might not slip into being one of the worst teams in the league, they are not going to be a contender either.
Young is one of the best point guards in the NBA and is coming off another All-Star season in which he averaged 24.2 PPG, 11.6 APG, and 3.1 RPG, shooting 41% from the field and 34% from three. It was a different kind of season for Young, as he took more of a backseat and tried to have a different approach with his teammates. It largely worked, and now Young is going to have the most talented team around him that he has ever had. I expect an All-NBA type of season.
Who will start at point guard for Boston? The reigning sixth man of the year or the recently acquired Simons?
Simons is one of the best scoring guards in the NBA and can score 30 on any given night. Where he lags behind Young is playmaking. Simons is also a poor defender, even worse than Young is. He averaged 19.3 PPG on 43% shooting from the field and 36% from three.
How will Simons fit in with Boston? It is going to be an interesting stylistic fit. Young wins this matchup comfortably, but Simons can cause any team trouble.
Advantage: Hawks
Daniels averaged 14.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 4.4 APG last season while shooting 49.3% from the field and 34% from three. He grew as a playmaker and made strides in a lot of different areas on offense. While there is still a way to go for Daniels on that end, he is a better all-around player than White, even though White is the better scorer and offensive player. Daniels won the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award and was second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He is one of the premier perimeter defenders in the NBA and should only get better, even if he does not repeat the gaudy statistics he did last year.
While Daniels is very good, he is not quite on the level of Derrick White. When the Hawks look at White, I imagine they want Daniels to eventually mold into the kind of player that he is.
White averaged 16.4 PPG, 4.8 APG, and 4.5 RPG on 44% from the field and 38% from three. He is an elite catch-and-shoot player and can also initiate offense when needed. He will need to generate more this season with so many new faces, but White could also be in line for a potential All-Star appearance.
Advantage: Boston
While I think Zaccharie Risacher has a very bright future, this is a monster mismatch on paper.
Risacher had a solid rookie season, finishing second in rookie of the year voting and really coming on strong in the second half of the season. His shooting numbers really improved (46% from the field and 36% from three), and Risacher really had a solid tournament in this year’s EuroBasket, showing that he might be ready for a breakout season.
Brown is going to get a chance to show that he is the No. 1 option for Boston this season with Tatum out. Brown averaged 22.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 4.5 APG on 46% from the field and 32% from three. He is an elite defender and one of the best two-way players. Easy advantage to the Celtics here.
Advantage: Boston
If Johnson can stay healthy, this could be the year that he makes the All-Star team and possibly All-NBA. He was averaging 18.9 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 5.0 APG while shooting 50% from the field and 31% from three last season before going down with a season-ending shoulder injury. Johnson still has improvements to make and has to stay healthy, but the upside for him is through the roof.
This is a question mark for Boston, but I will give the edge to Boucher due to a lack of other options. Boucher is a solid get for the Celtics, especially at that price point. Boucher played in 50 games for the Raptors last season and averaged 10.0 PPG and 4.5 RPG on 49% from the field and 36% from three. What can he do with a larger role this season?
Advantage: Hawks
The Celtics financial struggles are going to work to the advantage of the Hawks.
Boston was in a position where they had to move on from Kristaps Porzingis and the Hawks swooped in and landed him.
The Hawks have two quality options to start at center for them and that is why they are going to be one of the East’s best teams.
Porzingis and Okongwu are two different players, but both are very good. Porzingis gives the Hawks an elite threat from three while also giving them strong interior defense. Okongwu is a really strong defender, just not a shot blocker, and a terrific pick-and-roll partner with Young. The defense for the Hawks was really strong when Okongwu and Johnson played together last season.
Both Neemias Queta and Luka Garza are decent depth options, but I don’t think either should be starting. This is a massive advantage for Atlanta.
Advantage: Atlanta
Brown is the best player on either team, but the Hawks have better depth than Boston this season and better frontcourt play. As long as they are healthy, the Hawks have a superior roster to Boston for the first time in about a decade.
