Atlanta Hawks playoff preview: Nobody gives the East's best team any respect

[RandomFan]

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/4/16/8269373/atlanta-hawks-preview-nba-playoffs-2015

 

This is an excellent article. Most of this is stuff that a lot of us already know, but it's nice to see an article that actually gets everything correct about why we are good, how we beat teams, and how they can beat us. I highly recommend clicking the article and reading it there because of the illustrated pictures and Gif's that accompany the article, but here is a snippet:

 

 

How they beat you

You'll hear a lot about the Hawks' unselfishness over the next few weeks, but the real key to their success is that every player can shoot. Only the Clippers and Warriors posted a higher effective field goal percentage than the Hawks this season, and only the Warriors shot a higher percentage from the three-point range.

 

That space lubricates Atlanta's movement, passing and screening. The Hawks don't run a lot of set plays. Instead, they have a few basic alignments and read and react off those. It's organized chaos that works because everyone is a high-IQ player that understands spacing and will set screens. Atlanta leverages threats, whether it's Kyle Korver's three-point shooting, Jeff Teague and Dennis Schröder penetrating, Paul Millsap slipping on a pick and roll, Al Horford charging to the rim or anything else. The second the defense takes one threat away is when the Hawks have you beat, because they're really trying to get you with another.

 

The Hawks' defense works in the opposite way. They know most teams have primary threats and less developed secondary options, so they tilt their coverages to force teams to do what they don't want to do. It's common to see Korver venture way off his man to zone against a star player trying to isolate or run a pick and roll. Great players usually find ways to beat this kind of coverage, but the Hawks confuse them because all five players rotate like they're tied together.

 

This allows the Hawks to force lots of turnovers without fouling. The Hawks are third in the league in both opponents' turnover ratio and fewest free throws surrendered per shot attempt.

 

[willthepureshooter]

Great find!

[benhillboy]

Ziller and Prada are exceptional basketball writers. I been wondering all year how "bad" teams give us problems and get ample opportunities at open threes.

They bait the side trap Bud loves so much, force a dive up top, and pop out a shooter behind it. Lovely strategy, but you have to have the personnel to do it. Respecting Zaza's diving seemed to be the key on his example.

It's a cool chess match. Bud is very particular about who he traps. Scoring guards like Wall and Rose not so much becuase he knows the overload to cut off the paint will naturally cause turnovers without proper movement off the ball from their teammates. Our guys know where their man is stationed, so it's just a matter of cutting off passing lanes with active hands.

It's tempting to use versus lesser unsuspecting point guards bringing the ball up who aren't the best handlers. It disrupts the offense early of teams who try to hurt us with our own ball movement and space attack for lack of an isolation guy. It takes a smart coach who can predict that Bud will try to attack his PG and counter it. I expect Bud to use it a lot versus guys like Jack or Dellavadova, even Kyrie who has the handle but doesn't trust his teammates or see a couple passes ahead as a PG should when pressured. None of it versus the Raptors, they're built to destroy the strategy, as they've shown time and time again this year.

The article covered us in a nutshell, but there are so many facets to this team that make it unique, versatile, and just hard to beat. DeMarre being arguably the best 3 and D player going, Millsap's skill set evidenced by his one-of-a-kind stat-line average, and no drop off at the PG position with the second unit just to name a few. The mention of how we mix and match starters and reserves more than anyone else is key, too.

Edited April 17, 2015 by benhillboy

[hazer]

My only concern is Bud having a plan for the Raptors plan...

[Guest]

My only concern is Bud having a plan for the Raptors plan...

Too soon to worry, they have to beat the Wiz first.

[Guest]

My only concern is Bud having a plan for the Raptors plan...

I think he has a plan in place. It starts in game 3 where Harry the Hawk will travel to Toronto with us and immediately drop kick Drake in the face at half court, thus sending a message to the Raps that he and the Hawks mean business...

[Guest]

Too soon to worry, they have to beat the Wiz first.

 

Nobody beats the Wiz (nobody beats the Wiiiiz).  Nobody beats the Wiz .....

 

Sorry got Biz Markie on the mind.

 

Also, they're the 'Zards.

I think he has a plan in place. It starts in game 3 where Harry the Hawk will travel to Toronto with us and immediately drop kick Drake in the face at half court, thus sending a message to the Raps that he and the Hawks mean business...

 

Whoa, I thought Drake was a Cavs fan now.  I can't keep up with the bandwagon-of-the-week club.

[Guest]

Nobody beats the Wiz (nobody beats the Wiiiiz). Nobody beats the Wiz .....

Sorry got Biz Markie on the mind.

Also, they're the 'Zards.

Whoa, I thought Drake was a Cavs fan now. I can't keep up with the bandwagon-of-the-week club.

Really? I thought he was a die hard Raps fan? Hmmm...he has/had those court side seats.

[Guest]

Really? I thought he was a die hard Raps fan? Hmmm...he has/had those court side seats.

Oh, he is a diehard cRaps fan ... and a Kentucky fan ....and a Browns (Manziel) fan ... and a Heat/Cavs fan ... and .....

[Guest]

Oh, he is a diehard cRaps fan ... and a Kentucky fan ....and a Browns (Manziel) fan ... and a Heat/Cavs fan ... and .....

so on and so on.