The Atlanta Hawks are really struggling and the way they look right now makes me think that they’re headed for a first round exit in the playoffs. The Mike Bibby for Kirk Hinrich trade was a good move, so why are they still one of the most inconsistent teams in the league? Sometimes they look really tough and have crushed some really good teams this season. When the Knicks were at their peak this season before the Carmelo trade, the Hawks beat us by over 20 points. However, they got WRECKED by the Bulls on national television the other night and lost to the Sixers last night. They’ve dropped four of their last five games.

The answer to their problem is Joe Johnson’s disappointing season. He has had ups but more downs this year. While his teammates like Marvin Williams, Jamal Crawford and Josh Smith have always been inconsistent, Johnson was the even keeled veteran who led them and rarely had an off-game. This year he is just struggling: last year he averaged 21 points per game but this year he sits at 18.5 ppg. Also, he shot 37% from three-point range last year. This year? 30%. That’s dramatic. The Hawks, like the Knicks, better hope they figure it out before the playoffs.