The Atlanta Hawks may have lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, but they're still one of the favorites to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy in 2015. Here are three reasons why they will break through and finally win a championship next season:
3) Big man rotation
Atlanta already had two of the best and most versatile big men in the league in Al Horford and Paul Millsap, but the acquisition of Tiago Splitter will only take this team to another level. Splitter is a true low post presence who will bring his championship experience from the Spurs to a Hawks team in need of learning how to get over the hump.
2) Elite depth
The Hawks were able to win 60 games last season because of their depth and unselfishness. Despite losing DeMarre Carroll to the Raptors in free agency, Atlanta still have a roster of 12 or 13 guys who are capable of playing good minutes, meaning they can attack you from everywhere on the court.
1) Mike Budenholzer
However, despite all of the talent the Hawks have, the mastermind that makes it all work is the biggest advantage Atlanta has over almost everyone else. Budenholzer, the reigning coach of the year, is excellent at putting his players in positions where they're the most successful, and his gameplans may just separate the Hawks from the rest of the contenders in the East.
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