"Hawks are perfecting the Zone Defense?!"....anyone else ever paid any attention to this article?

[JTB]

http://www.nba.com/2012/news/game.recap/02/15/hawks-suns/index.html

Was looking over some previous games of this past year and I noticed that the game held against PHX on feb.15th where the hawks won 101-99. The article started out praising our ATL Hawks on their defense stating....

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Notebook: Hawks 101, Suns 99

Posted Thursday February 16, 2012 12:47AM

By Mike Tulumello, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: The Atlanta Hawks are perfecting the art of the zone defense. The Phoenix Suns, who led for almost all of the first three quarters Wednesday night in Arizona, couldn't crack the Hawks' zone when it counted most: down the stretch in a 101-99 Hawks' win.

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.............Wow really! maybe Im late but I check this website quite often and I never seen anybody post this. Now I know the hawks have been a lot better this year on defense and they have also been more consistent with the defense especially when they get the offense rolling their damn near shutting teams down on the other end when shots are dropping! Anyways this is great news to hear that someone out there thinks that the Hawks are perfecting the ZONE DEFENSE!

then to follow it up PHX Coach Alvin Gentry says this about the ATL Hawks Zone Defense.....

"We couldn't get anything going against their zone...This is the team that probably plays more zone than anybody," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said.

.................Again wow! I dont know about you guys but I had no idea the Hawks play the most Zone Defense in the NBA?...hmmmmm How much truth is in that? I dont know but what I do know is defense is Gentry's strong point so Im sure he watches opposing teams defenses pretty close so maybe he's right. If so give LD a pat on the back if League believes that the Hawks are a perfect zone defense!

What do you think about this Article Squawkers? Do you believe that the Hawks have perfected the Zone defense or is this specualtion all off of one game from the NBA writer and Coach Gentry?

http://www.nba.com/2...suns/index.html

Edited March 2, 2012 by JTB

[Diesel]

I know that down the stretch of games, we play a zone and it has been effective. We stayed in the Chicago games and the Miami games by using a zone. However, I wouldn't start claiming perfection.

[MaceCase]

Shame really because the Hawks have no answer against the zone.

[Randy]

I guess they have had a pretty good defensive record this year. Good for them.

[macdaddy]

I think the important part of the zone that LD realizes is that you can't play it all the time. Its great to shift to late in the game because it throws off the other teams rhythm. Other than the Hawks being a pretty good defensive team I don't know what we do in a zone that's better than anyone else. I'm guessing its thanks to BK's length and athleticism focus that our guys are good at the zone.