Hawks Still Believe Star-Less Approach Will Win...Soon

[RandomFan]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2476689-on-brink-of-elimination-hawks-still-believe-star-less-approach-will-winsoon

 

On Brink of Elimination, Hawks Still Believe Star-Less Approach Will Win...Soon

 

By Howard Beck , NBA Senior Writer May 26, 2015

 

CLEVELAND — If the Atlanta Hawks were a political campaign, they would be worried right now about the optics.

 

Their paid pollster would pore over a spreadsheet and sigh, while a team of strategic consultants shook their heads in dismay. "The optics," they would mutter. The optics look bad.

 

The ledger shows the Cleveland Cavaliers with three victories, and the Hawks with zero in the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals. Team LeBron is poised for a landslide victory, and the pundits are ready to pounce. "It's still a superstars' league," they will sneer.

 

This is not how the Hawks' campaign of hope and change was supposed to end.

 

Atlanta set out to win on traditional basketball values, of selflessness and character, on a spread-the-wealth offense and a salt-of-the-earth defense. They ran a campaign of egalitarian ideals, believing that a group of solid, skilled players could prevail over the NBA's entrenched superstar paradigm.

In this grim 11th hour of the campaign, they still believe.

 

"Still confident in it," Hawks guard Jeff Teague said Monday. "No matter what happens, still going to be confident in it. We believe in our team. We believe in the guys that we have. We feel like we can do something special, whether it be this year, next year or whatever. We're going to stick to this."

 

The Hawks will try to stave off elimination here Tuesday night and send the series back to Atlanta, but they know the end is near. No NBA team has ever won a series after losing the first three games, and these Hawks are unlikely to be the first.

 

But they find themselves emboldened by the campaign—and all the more certain that, given another year together, this unconventional model can contend for a championship.

 

Bad optics aside, the Hawks have every reason to still believe.

 

They did win 60 games this season, the second-best record in the NBA.

 

They were one of four teams—joining Golden State, San Antonio and Portland—to rank in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

 

They were dubbed Spurs East—by LeBron himself—for their pass-happy team play and stout defense.

They made the conference finals, without a single transcendent player.

 

It would be a mistake to simplistically view this series as a referendum on the No Stars Model.

"They're here," said ESPN analyst Jon Barry. "They're in the Eastern final. And this team hasn't played anywhere near the type of level of basketball that we saw when they won 33 of 35 [in the regular season], when they were beating elite teams in the West. They were smoking everybody."

 

Barry added, "No, I don't think you have to have that one, dominant, go-to superstar player to win. I don't."

 

Yes, the Hawks' run will ultimately have been cut short by LeBron James, the greatest player in the game, and that will be how the public remembers this series. So much else was in play here, however.

 

The Hawks were built on the notion of five very good players—backed by a deep bench—working in harmony, and events threw that model into disarray before it had a chance.

 

DeMarre Carroll has not been the same since badly injuring his left knee in Game 1, robbing the Hawks of their best defender against James. (Thabo Sefolosha, their next-best perimeter defender, was lost to a broken leg before the postseason began.) Kyle Korver suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Game 2, robbing the Hawks of their best shooter. Teague, Paul Millsap and Al Horford have all struggled with less publicized injuries throughout the playoffs.

 

The most serious of those is Millsap's sprained right shoulder, which caused him to miss five games in early April and has never fully healed. There are whispers that it might require surgery after the season.

Every team has injuries at this time of year, and the Hawks will get no sympathy from their current opponent. The Cavs lost All-Star forward Kevin Love in the first round, while Kyrie Irving has hardly played in this series because of knee troubles. But LeBron is the ultimate equalizer, able to turn even a battered roster into a contender. That's what superstars do.

 

The Hawks, built as they are without a transcendent individual scorer, have less room for error. Their greatness depends on having all five starters in sync, and a vibrant bench behind them. They are the proverbial sweater with the loose thread—pull it, and the entire sleeve begins to unravel.

 

"It's a team sport," Teague said. "Basketball is played with five guys on the court. We feel like we have really good players at all five positions."

 

In truth, the Hawks' slide began late in the regular season, after they clinched the East's top record and went into cruise control. Their passing stats and their offensive efficiency have both declined in the postseason.

 

 

Despite everything, the Hawks nearly pulled out a season-saving victory here in Game 3, taking the Cavaliers into overtime with a more spirited effort than they put forth in the first two games. And they might have won Sunday had Horford not been ejected on a controversial flagrant foul call in the first half.

Would a fully healthy Hawks team have beaten a fully healthy Cavaliers team? We'll never know. But the Hawks are unbowed.

 

"There's no doubt, the way that we've built the team, with a lot of really good players, a lot of high-character guys, we feel like we can compete and play with anybody in the league," coach Mike Budenholzer said, adding, "This is the way we're built, we believe in it, we think we can win at a high level and we'll continue to do that."

 

As such, you can expect the Hawks to do everything possible to keep this group together this summer. That means re-signing Carroll and Millsap, who will both be coveted free agents. Carroll, a bargain at $2.4 million this season, could command $9-12 million a year on the open market, according to rival executives. Millsap, who made $9.5 million this season, might command $16 million or more.

 

Depending on how it all unfolds, the Hawks could have the flexibility to add a $10 million player before using Bird rights to re-sign Carroll and Millsap, although market pressures could disrupt that.

Atlanta also has the 15th pick in the June draft, via Brooklyn, thanks to the Joe Johnson trade.

 

Hawks officials remain committed to this non-superstar model, what they call the "middle build," and in this core group, most of whom are still in their mid-prime. As much as the Hawks, like any team, would love to snare a Kevin Durant type, they will not be, as one team official put it, "chasing ghosts" in the name of making a splash.

 

They are committed to this model, and they should be. Transcendent players are in short supply, and rarely available. The draft lottery is a crapshoot. Waiting around with cap room for Durant to come is not a sustainable model.

 

"Unless you have a top-five player, you have to go the Atlanta way, and pray that you stay healthy," said a rival executive. "Unless you have LeBron, [steph] Curry or [James] Harden, go the 50-, 55-win approach, and hope you catch lightning in a bottle with health."

 

By late Tuesday night, or later this week, the Hawks' season will likely be over. But the dream is alive. The template is there. The Hawks are the inspiration for every star-less team and every small-market franchise. The campaign of hope and change isn't over. It just needs a little fine-tuning before the next election cycle.

 

 

[Batkins]

Well, I guess that answers my question, doesn't it? Hawks will bring back the same group and play the same way...oh well.

[JETSET]

Well, I guess that answers my question, doesn't it? Hawks will bring back the same group and play the same way...oh well.

LOL.  and that's a bad thing?

 

What will it take for people to be satisfied?  This team just won 60 games and made the first ECF appearance.  Their performance once reaching the ECFs has been a disappointment but let's not act like we were in tip-top shape when we got there or that we played our best.  This team can play far better than they have shown in this series and these playoffs as a whole.  As the article states, when you have a team built like ours, health is of the utmost importance and we have had bad luck with that throughout these playoffs.  We have seen what this team can do when healthy.  Add a piece here and there and they will be in this same spot next year. 

[Plainview1981]

Well, I guess that answers my question, doesn't it? Hawks will bring back the same group and play the same way...oh well.

 

Everything in this article is predictable. They're trying to sell us on the idea that 4 good players will win it all.

 

History just repeating itself. 

[Mdizzle5]

LOL.  and that's a bad thing?

 

What will it take for people to be satisfied?  This team just won 60 games and made the first ECF appearance.  Their performance once reaching the ECFs has been a disappointment but let's not act like we were in tip-top shape when we got there or that we played our best.  This team can play far better than they have shown in this series and these playoffs as a whole.  As the article states, when you have a team built like ours, health is of the utmost importance and we have had bad luck with that throughout these playoffs.  We have seen what this team can do when healthy.  Add a piece here and there and they will be in this same spot next year. 

 

Its not bad per se... the issue is the improvement to the rest of the East. Milwaukee, Pacers, and so on. If the Hawks' maintain the exact same core (WLOC 2.0) and the exact same strategy, it may not be as effective as it was this year. Teams can game plan for it now. 

[Guest]

They were dubbed Spurs East—by LeBron himself—for their pass-happy team play and stout defense.

What the hell? Leebrwon is now going out of his way to stake claim for a nickname that he didn't even come up with? Man, this guy is insufferable.

Edited May 26, 2015 by hawksfanatic

[JETSET]

Its not bad per se... the issue is the improvement to the rest of the East. Milwaukee, Pacers, and so on. If the Hawks' maintain the exact same core (WLOC 2.0) and the exact same strategy, it may not be as effective as it was this year. Teams can game plan for it now.

You act like we're going to stay the exact same while everyone else improves. We will continue to get deeper and bud will continue to develop players better, individually and within the system, than his counterparts.

[jmac54]

Millsap should not be 're signed. At 31 years of age he won't be worth it and would be foolish to waste money like that on a guy on the bad side of 30. Save that money for a True Center. If Demarre commands too much. Then save that money for a Wing who can score at a high clip and hit clutch shots. This core will get no further then we did this year. Until we address those needs. It's really that simple. A true scorer and good rebounder will get us much further then this group. I'm sorry but its a reality.

[Guard]

It's crazy to think that after a 60 win season, I'm seriously questioning if it's smart to bring everybody back. This has been a weird season all around.

[thescout5]

Everything in this article is predictable. They're trying to sell us on the idea that 4 good players will win it all.

 

History just repeating itself. 

Agreed. I do wonder with a healthy Hawks team and adding some snipers from the outside like Shumpert,JR,Jones does for Cleveland if the Hawks could win it all. I doubt it but just a thought. Right now come crunch time we have players that are scared to take the shots from what I see. Yes Teague stepped up but still didn't get the job done during the driving layup over Lebron. The shots have been there but Hawks players fail to knock them down. Even a healthy Hawks team will it really matter since we have no crunch time players. 

[yungsta]

if you want to believe in the star-less model, fine. However, you cant not overcome lacking a star while overcoming a HUGE rebounding deficit, while overcoming a lack of post play, while overcoming a lack of shot creation on the wings.

 

that is extremely unrealistic to the point that its delusion.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

Superstar-less? Yes. Star-less?  No way. 2004 Pistons had stars (Wallace's, Hamilton, Billups). Championship Spurs teams had two stars (Parker and Ginoboli) and 2 HOFer's (Duncan and Robinson). You don't need a Jordan, Kobe, or LeBron, but you definitely need exceptional talent to become champions.

[Guest]

Its not bad per se... the issue is the improvement to the rest of the East. Milwaukee, Pacers, and so on. If the Hawks' maintain the exact same core (WLOC 2.0) and the exact same strategy, it may not be as effective as it was this year. Teams can game plan for it now.

Here we go again, all the other teams will make improvements except the Hawks. Bringing back DMC and Milsap doesn't mean there is no room for additional improvement. The 3rd year in Buds system should in itself be run more smoothly, this is Al's 1st full season in it. Expected growth from Dennis, Moose and Baze. Upgrades alone to Brand, Daye and Jenkins. Possibilities of trading Scott and/or Mack. Teague's continued improvement. Free agent signings, draft picks. The possibilities are endless because we have flexibility.

[Mdizzle5]

Here we go again, all the other teams will make improvements except the Hawks. Bringing back DMC and Milsap doesn't mean there is no room for additional improvement. The 3rd year in Buds system should in itself be run more smoothly, this is Al's 1st full season in it. Expected growth from Dennis, Moose and Baze. Upgrades alone to Brand, Daye and Jenkins. Possibilities of trading Scott and/or Mack. Teague's continued improvement. Free agent signings, draft picks. The possibilities are endless because we have flexibility.

 

I never said we wouldn't improve. Of course some of our own players will get better... I'm simply stating that we aren't catching anyone by surprise the same way that we did this year. And you're right, we do have possibilities. As long as Pero's gone, I'd have some satisfaction for that alone. 

[Wretch]

Superstar-less? Yes. Star-less?  No way. 2004 Pistons had stars (Wallace's, Hamilton, Billups). Championship Spurs teams had two stars (Parker and Ginoboli) and 2 HOFer's (Duncan and Robinson). You don't need a Jordan, Kobe, or LeBron, but you definitely need exceptional talent to become champions.

 

I've been saying exactly this for years...  The Hawks have stars and they have the talent...hell we won 60 damn games.  What we need is tweaking and we need to not be afraid to make tough decisions in order to improve the team.  THAT is what will kill us.

 

I didn't believe in building a team this way, but this team has made a believer out of me.  It can be done without blowing it up and without dipping into the lottery.

[Plainview1981]

Yeah, they're playing tonight as if they truly believe all of this.

[Bonkers]

Yeah, they're playing tonight as if they truly believe all of this.

Lmaoooo

 

The star-less approach...The dumbest thing I've ever heard lol

Edited May 27, 2015 by Bonkers

[devilwentdown2GA]

Guys, there are 4 teams left and we are one of them. We need to make some tweaks, but we are better off than we've ever been.

[Bonkers]

Guys, there are 4 teams left and we are one of them. We need to make some tweaks, but we are better off than we've ever been.

Unless the Hawks get a superstar they aren't gonna do anything

[Alex]

Under normal circumstances making the ECF would be great and an awesome building block. But when you get absolutely destroyed, obviously changes need to be made.