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The 2020-21 NBA season is nearly here and, after the longest break in recorded history, the Atlanta Hawks will return to action in the coming days. Before the regular season tips off on Dec. 23, the Peachtree Hoops is coming together for a ten-part roundtable series, setting the stage for what’s to come. In the final installment, our staff predicts Atlanta’s final record for the upcoming campaign.
Brad Rowland: As a reminder to everyone, the 2020-21 season is scheduled for only 72 games, so the traditional 82-game format (with 41-41 as the .500 mark, etc.) is out the window. Beyond that, there could be cancellations and flexibility is key. Now, with that out of the way, I’ll go with 38-34. That is higher than the national baseline (and the over/unders are between 34.5 and 36.5 as a consensus), but this is a team with five top-100 players, quality young talent and real depth. That should be helpful over the course of a frenzied season, and this is a playoff team on paper in my view.