Hawks 2023-24 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions

After falling short of expectations last season, the Atlanta Hawks are looking to bounce back in 2023-24.

The Hawks were believed to be on the verge of taking the leap to contender status after acquiring Dejounte Murray to pair with star point guard Trae Young. While the two of them formed a potent backcourt tandem, it only resulted in Atlanta finishing with a 41-41 record and being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

Nate McMillan was fired midseason and eventually replaced by Quin Snyder as head coach. The Hawks finally traded power forward John Collins to the Utah Jazz this summer after years of dangling him in front of interested teams. Atlanta drafted former Michigan point guard Kobe Bufkin 15th overall but didn't make any other significant changes to the roster.

It was just two years ago that the Hawks advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. While the team has shown promise, it has yet to duplicate that level of success. Young is one of the brightest young stars in the league, but he still has to prove he can be the leader of an elite team.

Let's take a look at the schedule the Hawks will have to navigate this year.

2023-24 Hawks Schedule Details

Season Opener: Wednesday, Oct. 25 vs. Charlotte Hornets

Championship Odds: +7500 (bet $100 to win $7,500), per FanDuel

Full Schedule: NBA.com

Top Matchups

Miami Heat (First game: Nov. 11)

The Hawks won't have to go far to test themselves against the elite, as the reigning Eastern Conference-champion Miami Heat also reside in the Southeast Division. With four matchups on the schedule, Atlanta will have ample opportunities to prove it can hang with the best of the best.

Miami, which lost to the Denver Nuggets in five games in the 2023 NBA Finals, didn't make many changes to its core this offseason. While point guard Gabe Vincent chose to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, there will be a majority of familiar faces on the floor for the Heat.

Jimmy Butler is back and hungrier than ever after another stellar postseason came up short. He will lead the way alongside star center Bam Adebayo and rising young guard Tyler Herro, who is coming off a broken hand that he suffered in the playoffs.

The Hawks lost three of four matchups against the Heat last season, but they managed to take down their division rivals in the play-in tournament. Perhaps Atlanta will be able to carry that momentum into this season and be successful against Miami, which would surely make a statement.

Boston Celtics (First game: Nov. 26)

The Boston Celtics have been perennial top contenders in the Eastern Conference over the past few seasons, and that is unlikely to change in 2023-24.

The Celtics loaded up for another chase of the title by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards. While Boston had to deal away 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart to acquire the big man, the team now has arguably the most dangerous Big Three in the league with Porzingis, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

In addition to the star power, the Celtics also benefit from a significant amount of depth. 2023 Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon leads a bench unit that also includes defensive stopper Robert Williams III and sharpshooting guard Payton Pritchard.

When Atlanta and Boston met in the first round of the playoffs last season, the Hawks surprisingly stole two games before being eliminated in six. They will be looking to prove those victories weren't flukes when they meet the Celtics four times this year.

Season Forecast

The Hawks bring a sense of continuity into next season, and that should help them be more than a .500 team.

Atlanta spent much of the 2022-23 campaign at or near that mark, but a full year under Snyder should benefit Young and company as they try to compete for a playoff spot. However, it will be difficult to make the jump to being considered a contender in the talented Eastern Conference.

Young and Murray should fare better in their second year together, as they have the potential to be one of the top backcourt duos in the league. The players around them will need to perform consistently if the Hawks want to take the next step.

Bogdan Bogdanovic should be healthy after being limited to 54 games last year. De'Andre Hunter could shoulder more of the offensive load after he showed flashes of being a reliable third option. Former first-round pick Onyeka Okongwu should see more minutes in the frontcourt after the departure of Collins.

The Hawks will likely be slightly better than they were last season, but it won't be enough to compete for a championship.