NBA power rankings 2012: Hawks check in at No. 18

In the latest 2012 NBA power rankings from SB Nation's Seth Rosenthal, the Atlanta Hawks are No. 18. Atlanta is off to a 2-3 start to the regular season. Here's what Rosenthal had to say about the team's early-season status:

Larry Drew's team is having an understandably difficult time choosing a lineup he likes post-Joe Johnson. No matter the unit, the offense has been fairly effective despite not getting nearly enough looks at the rim or trips to the free throw line for a team with a decent mix of floor-spreaders and interior finishers. That may just be a matter of chemistry at this point.

The Hawks are in the midst of a two game losing streak, though both losses came against teams that made the playoffs last season. The team has wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, both of which were also playoff teams last year.

With their 2-3 start, the Hawks find themselves in a tie for second place in the Southeast division with the Charlotte Bobcats. The Miami Heat have a hold on first place with a 5-2 record.

Forward Al Horford leads Atlanta in both scoring and rebounding at this point, while Jeff Teague leads the club in assists.

The Hawks will try to get back to .500 when they face the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. That game is set to start at 10 p.m. ET.