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| Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images |
All I keep hearing is how the Hawks
play like the San Antonio Spurs of the East. I wonder why. Oh yea, Coach Mike
Budenholzer (AKA Gregg Popovich’s most regarded pupil). If you know me, you
know I love comparing everything to the Spurs, so let’s do that.
Some key stats: the Hawks rank near
the bottom in rebounds (25th) but are at the top of the league in
field goal percentage (4th) and 3-pt percentage (3rd).
The Hawks are also second in the NBA in assists and sixth in scoring..
Defensively, Atlanta ranks tops in the
league in points per game, 4th in opponents field goal percentage,
and 6th in 3-point percentage.
Right off the bat I notice the spacing
and ball movement I have come to love from the Spurs. On the first possession,
a drive and kick to the corner for an open 20-footer; on the second, four
passes lead to an open wing three.
Defensively this team works hard, that
is pretty evident. I don’t think anyone on this roster jumps out as an elite
defender, but each guy is putting in the effort. What strikes me is their help
defense. As soon as the Pacers make their first pass this team is moving. You
can see the guards surveying where they will need to be as soon as a teammate
jumps a lane or double teams. You love to see that. The problem with that is
that if the Pacers can make three or four passes, they will have (and at times have
had) wide open jump shots (including a few corner 3s—a big “No-no” in San
Antonio). I don’t know how much they trust Paul Millsap, Al Horford, Pero
Antic, and Mike Scott to defend one-on-one on the block, even though David West
is really the only player on the Pacers with any sort of effective low-post
game.
If you look at the Spurs playoff run,
especially in the Finals and the WCFs, the second quarter was where the
championship was won. That was when Boris Diaw, Manu, and Patty Mills would
take over games. The Hawks have some of that 2nd team mojo going for
them. Dennis Schröder [shrew-der], Thabo Sefalosha, and Antic come in and don’t
miss a beat. The best benches are those that mesh well with the starters, no
matter who is in. With Schröder in, it is amazing how many good looks Korver,
Antic, and Thabo get from beyond the arch. Another thing the Spurs mastered is
getting the most from players that you wouldn’t expect to contribute much
(Aaron Baynes, Jeff Ayers, Austin Daye). Kent Bazemore and Mike Scott are those
guys in Atlanta. I think Bazemore and Scott look amazing on this 2nd
unit.
This Hawks team reminds me a lot of
the Spurs team that lost the 1–8 matchup the Grizzlies. That was the season
that the Spurs began running this fast-paced, pass-first offense, and they
struggled balancing it with good defense. Although, I will say this team is far
better defensively as a whole than the Spurs were then.
I can see why this team ranks so low
in rebounding; their offense is extremely efficient. I love what coach Bud has
done on that side of the ball. Every guy on the team is looking to make the
extra pass, leading to open shots. Jeff Teague may not be as dynamic and
overwhelming as Wall, Irving, and the West’s point guards, but he gets the job
done. He has the play making ability of Manu and the finishing at the rim touch
of Tony Parker. Al Horford and Paul Millsap aren’t dominant on the block, but
they look to get each other open and neither of them take bad shots.
Much like that 2010-11 Spurs team, I worry
about the Hawks ability to defend good, efficient bigs over a 7-game series
(i.e. NOT the Pacers). Their team defense is really good, and the numbers
reflect that, but when the pace slows down in the postseason, this team may be
in trouble. Luckily for them, aside from the Bulls and Wizards, there aren’t
any teams in the East with good, efficient bigs.
I’m also concerned about the offensive
make-up of this team. Kyle Korver and Paul Millsap are definitely championship
pieces, but this team lacks that #1 guy. The thing about the Spurs and their
offensive system is that if they are ever in a rut or go cold, they have FOUR
guys that can dominate a game for 6–8 minutes at a time. FOUR. I don’t think
Atlanta has even one. I love the combination of efficient, team ball on offense
and elite defense, but what is this team going to do when Joakim Noah and Jimmy
Butler take Millsap and Korver out the game?
Still, the playoffs are still a world
away, the Hawks look like the best team in the NBA, and they can and will get
better.
It’s great to see the Pop Coaching
Tree flourish!
Good read bro, I agree with everything you said.
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