a Hawks/Golden State match-up would be close and it would go seven.
You think so? I mean, I've been impressed by the Hawks, and weird stuff can happen in a best-of-7 (still can't believe last year's cruddy Mavs took the eventual champion Spurs to 7 games, e.g.). But I'd probably set the over/under for Hawks wins in that series at 1. The Warriors have significantly better players up and down the roster. They've put up a +10.2 point differential (Pythag. W-L% of .834) in the Western Conference, while Atlanta has managed a +5.8 (.722 Pythag) in the East. And I'm not a total "you need stars to win in the playoffs" guy, but to the extent that it matters: the Ws have the #1 player in the NBA by RPM (Korver is the top Hawk at #13), and four guys total in the top 25 to the Hawks' two.
On top of that, in semi-news: the Ws' nominal "sixth man" Andre Iguodala, who rated
the top player in the NBA by RAPM last season, is apparently feeling great physically (his words) and finally looking like his old, healthy self for the first time since he strained his hammy last season: not just wreaking havoc on defense, but also putting up the best ast/tov ratio among all NBA shooting guards, rebounding, scoring efficiently (ts% of .689 this month), dunking on people in the open court and off the dribble like the old Andre. When he's spry and healthy, he may the best player of his kind not named LeBron.
Also, in terms of matchup and style, I think don't think the Hawks are the type of the team that should really bother the Warriors. They don't have the personnel to punish you inside; they kill you with ball movement leading to cutters and open shooters on the perimeter; and no team in the league can blow up passing lanes and lock you down on the perimeter like the Warriors with their five-headed Green-Thompson-Iguodala-Barnes-Livingston switching-D monster. I think there are a bunch of teams out there who can give the Warriors serious problems (Spurs, Grizz, Cavs, Clips, OKC if Serge and KD ever get healthy, e.g.) Knock on wood, but I just don't see the Hawks being one of those teams.
All that said, much as I like the Hawks and am rooting for them, I'd be pretty surprised if they make it past Cleveland. (And obviously the Ws are no lock to get there, either).