Taking a Look at the Miami Heat’s Competition in the East

Atlanta Hawks

May 20, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) celebrates with center Al Horford (15) and forward Mike Muscala (31) during the second quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

That leaves two teams left standing in the way of the Miami Heat and a Finals appearance, the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Hawks looked to be a powerhouse last year until they crumbled in the playoffs. Most likely, this meltdown was due to injuries throughout their starting five, but it may also be a sign that teams without a set “star” have problems succeeding in the postseason.

Yes, the Detroit Pistons won a NBA Finals with Chauncey Billups as their best player, but that was over a decade ago. The Hawks have enough B-plus level talent to compete, however, a bit of a drop off from their 60-win season is to be expected.

Maybe 27-year-old Jeff Teague can continue to improve and carry the team. Usually guards don’t get much better in their late 20’s, but in the last two years, Teague went from 29 to 13 in NBA Real Plus-Minus among point guards.

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