It’s always difficult to buck the trend, go against the grain, or choose your own parallel to that cliche statement.
In high school, for example, there are the cool kids (i.e. jocks, cheerleaders, kids who can get beer with an older sibling’s fake ID) and the not so cool kids (i.e. band members, chess club people, “emo” types, etc.).
Some of us are the first part of that universe, and some are the second. I am a proud member of the second. So while some continue to boast their allegiance to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, or Toronto Raptors when the Eastern Conference playoffs begin, does it shock anyone that truly knows me that I’m riding into the playoff fire with the Atlanta Hawks?
The “cool kids” of the Eastern Conference are definitely getting their due respect because they’ve been there and done that. The Hawks, however, are kind of the social pariah of most circles. Atlanta is just standing on the wall of the playoff dance while everyone else seems to be on the floor having a good time.
Why is this?
The Hawks have the statistics you want to see in a playoff team. They are top five in the NBA in FG%, 3 pt%, FT%, and assists. They hold their opponents to 96.6 points per game (fourth best in the NBA) and 43.4 percent shooting (tied for fifth best in the NBA with Milwaukee). The only statistic that doesn’t make Atlanta look that great is them being 28th in the NBA in total rebounding.
Everything else passes the eye test.
Defensively, the team reflects the coach — Mike Budenholzer, a Gregg Popovich disciple. Atlanta defends the ball very well, especially on the pick and roll because of their overall team speed. Look at the game from March 6 — a win over the Cavaliers. Any time the Cavaliers went to a pick and roll play, the Hawks trapped and rotated very well on the perimeter and befuddled Lebron James, Kyrie Irving & co.
Is there a lack of love for the Atlanta Hawks because they don’t have any of the “cool kids” who are household names? Maybe, but that shouldn’t discredit their chance to win the East.
Who is Jeff Teague? Up until last year, unless you live in the greater Atlanta area, you probably had no idea. Now, you may know him as one of the top ten point guards in this league. (That’s right, I said it. I’ll tweet you my list if you doubt me.)
Now Teague is in no way the kind of point guard that Budenholzer is familiar with from his days in San Antonio, but he runs the offense very well without turning the ball over or making the wrong choices (11.8 assists to 4.6 turnovers per 100 possessions). That’s what you want out of your point guard to win games. Teague CAN SCORE when the team needs him to or if the matchup is favorable, but the Hawks aren’t solely dependent on it. They just need him to not be terrible in decision making. Let others get the points.
Al Horford and Paul Millsap, for example, benefit from Teague’s basketball IQ. Last year in his first season with Teague and Coach Bud, Millsap posted 17.9 points per game (a career high) and has 16.9 this year off 47.8 percent shooting. Hawks fans saw a little of what Horford could do offensively in this system scoring 18.9 in 29 games before injury. He’s having a nice bounce back year, and hopefully, there will be another gear to kick into come playoff time. Would I be a lot more confident if Millsap and Horford’s rebounding numbers were closer to ten per game rather than closer to eight? Sure, but they’d only be facing two real “banger” teams come playoff time: Chicago (who they’re 2-0 against) and Washington (who they are 3-0 against).
It’s impossible to talk about the Hawks without mentioning “Mr. 50/50/90” — or at least “Mr. POTENTIALLY 50/50/90”. I’m aware that Steve Kerr’s 50/50/90 in the 1994-1995 season is the first of its kind, so I won’t gush over Kyle Korver being the first, but that doesn’t make what he’s doing any less special.
Korver’s 12.6 points per game isn’t going to be what stands out, but he is fourth on the team in win shares (6.8) and second in VORP (3.1). Korver’s ungodly shooting ability forces defenses to stretch their defensive coverage because you HAVE TO respect him. If he’s not guarded, he makes you pay. Teague, Horford, and Milsap all find him if he’s open, and if he’s open … *swish*.
Do people not like the Hawks because they don’t beat the best? Maybe if that were true, that would be a case to be made, but they have beaten the best. Consistently.
Atlanta is 9-3 against the other top four seeds in the Eastern Conference (Toronto, Cleveland, Chicago, and Washington) and 10-1 against the Western Conference’s top six (Golden State, Portland, Memphis, Houston, Dallas, and the LA Clippers). The team everyone seems to swear by in the East, Cleveland, is 1-3 against the Hawks. No disrespect, Lebron, but I know you have “Uncle Drew” and “Wes”, but you’re not helping to sway my vote with just the amount of stars you have.
Conventional wisdom does dictate that the Hawks have under-performed in the playoffs since … well forever. They’ve been to the Finals zero times and have been bounced in the first round in three of the last four seasons. That case is granted. If that’s what you’re solely basing your criteria on why this Hawks team WON’T make it to the Eastern Conference Finals (or the NBA Finals), then you’d be foolish and near sighted.
It’s always fun to buck the trend. Perhaps this is the season the Atlanta Hawks finally do so.
More Atlanta Hawks coverage from FOX Sports:
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