Hawks streak halted.

The Atlanta Hawks are the first team in NBA history to complete an entire month undefeated.  Atlanta finished the month of January with a 17-0 record. Coming into the season the Hawks were not expected to be one of the elite teams in the NBA.  Right now it's fair to say the Hawks are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.

Atlanta isn't a traditional championship team.  A number of players can beat you on any given night.  Despite their lack of a superstar, the Hawks boast arguably the best starting five in the NBA.  This team won't be a pushover come postseason play.  At this point the elite teams around the league may still be skeptical about Atlanta.  Rightfully so, Atlanta hasn't been a playoff hotbed to say the least.

The city of Atlanta is yearning for a winning sports franchise.  Atlanta is the flagship city of the south.  If the city is ever going to stand hand-in-hand with the likes of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, a team from Atlanta has to get it done.  The Atlanta Falcons came one win shy of the Super Bowl a few years back.  The Hawks are the latest team to captivate the city.

Atlanta lost their first game of 2015 to the New Orleans Pelicans bringing their season long winning streak to a halt at 19.  The streak is the longest by any team since the Miami Heat won 27 consecutive games in 2013.  Miami validated their 27 game winning streak by beating the San Antonio Spurs to win their second consecutive NBA Championship.

Atlanta must keep up the intensity during the second half of the season.  Right now a dominant team does not exist in the Eastern Conference.  If the Hawks get a few favorable opponents they could find themselves in the NBA Finals come June.