The Hawks face a difficult season in many ways. After being finalists in the East against all odds, it is difficult to gauge the expectations of Atlanta this time, because on the one hand it is difficult to see them repeating this feat but on the other they do not want to run the risk of underestimating their chances. This is precisely what Bogdan Bogdanovic has spoken about, who believes that a single good year is not enough to win the public’s trust.
“People still don’t believe in us, but that’s normal,” he said in a statement to Chris Kirschner, a journalist for The Athletic. “To prove something, you have to achieve it several times. It is not enough to have results once because that does not mean anything today. Whatever you do, you have to stick to that line so as not to just be a one-day flower. Continuity is what helps you earn respect in this league, it is something that cannot be achieved with just one season. “
Still, Bogdanovic does believe that the achievements of the past playoffs will affect his approach to what is to come, as it will add some pressure and put the rest of the teams on alert.
“We have to be able to manage the pressure this year, because when someone faces us they will do it differently. Atlanta is no longer a place where you can come relaxed and win. Maybe it was in previous years, but last season we showed that it was no longer. Now our rivals are going to take us more seriously, and we have to continue to be able to maintain our strength at home. “
The Hawks are still a young team with room for growth, and their goal should be to squeeze the most out of that room and continue the upward line at the game level. If this, like last season, is accompanied by great sporting results, all the better, but not repeating the Conference Finals should not be taken as a failure. After all, there are plenty of great rivals in the East, rivals Atlanta will have to try to look into again as it continues to grow as a team. Once that is achieved, whatever happens.
(Cover photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)