Did the Atlanta Hawks make it to 2024 NBA Playoffs?

Coby White notched a career-best 42 points as the Chicago Bulls surged forward in the play-in tournament, eliminating the Atlanta Hawks with a 131-116 triumph on Wednesday evening.

White, surpassing his former best of 37, relentlessly attacked the basket throughout the game, earning chants from supporters as the Bulls dominated the Hawks.

Chicago will head to Miami on Friday for a chance at the number eight seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, setting the stage for a first-round clash against Boston.

Dejounte Murray emerged as Atlanta's scoring leader, tallying 30 points. However, the Hawks faced yet another setback, extending their losing streak to six games in the season's final stretch.

DeMar DeRozan chipped in with 22 points and facilitated nine assists while Nikola Vucevic contributed 24 points and secured 12 rebounds for Chicago.

Ayo Dosunmu made a notable return, notching 19 points after sitting out the last four regular-season games due to a bruised right quadriceps. The Bulls displayed sharp shooting, boasting a 56.8% field goal percentage.

What's next for the Atlanta Hawks?

The Atlanta Hawks concluded a taxing and disheartening season. Entering the campaign with aspirations of bypassing the play-in tournament and securing among the top seeds or better in the Eastern Conference, Atlanta grappled with injuries throughout the season.

The team finished with a deflating 36-46 record, landing them in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

Following a humiliating defeat to the Chicago Bulls in the recent play-in tournament, the Atlanta Hawks find themselves on the brink of their most pivotal offseason in years, if not in franchise history. The decisions made in the coming months will shape the future of the franchise for years to come and they must navigate this period carefully.

Amid significant chatter surrounding their potential moves leading up to this season's trade deadline, Atlanta ultimately chose to maintain their roster and navigate the remainder of the campaign with the existing lineup.

While it seemed as though the Hawks might conclude the season without securing a play-in berth, the lackluster performance across the rest of the Eastern Conference ensured they maintained their position. However, given the current state of the roster and the unsatisfactory outcomes, Atlanta cannot afford to adopt a similar approach moving forward.