Peachtree Hoops: NBA power rankings roundup: Week 5

[Hawksquawk]

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Taking a look at this week’s power rankings from around the web.

The Atlanta Hawks are continuing to struggle as they fight to be in the playoff picture early in this season. Injuries on this roster certainly has not helped. There are some good things that we are seeing from this young team but, at the same time, there are plenty of things the Hawks need in order to grow.

To that end, we will check in on power rankings from around the basketball landscape.

NBA.com, No. 22

Trae Young has seen the second biggest drop in in the percentage of his shots that have come from 3-point range (from 45.5% to 32.9%) among 112 players with at least 300 field goal attempts last season and at least 100 this season. But the Hawks still need him to make some of those 3-pointers, and he’s shot a brutal 7-for-37 (19%) from beyond the arc as they’ve lost six of their last seven games. He hasn’t been much better inside the arc (42% in the restricted area), none of his teammates have shot particularly well from deep, and only the Cavs have scored less efficiently than the Hawks (101.1 points per 100 possessions) over that stretch.

The Hawks’ starting lineup still has strong numbers (+13.1 points per 100 possessions). Danilo Gallinari, who has played less than 28 minutes this season, is closer to a(nother) return. And this team (the darling of the league when it was 4-1) needs to get some wins this week, because the schedule gets real tough after three games against the Wolves and Pistons.

ESPN, No, 25

Since winning four of five to start the season, it’s been tough sledding for the Hawks. Atlanta has lost six of its past seven, with the lone victory coming last Monday against a short-handed 76ers squad that was still battling absences because of health and safety protocols. Over those seven contests, Hawks point guard Trae Young averaged only 17.9 points per game while shooting 32.8% from the field — and just 7-of-37 from 3-point range.

CBS Sports, No. 27

The Hawks got a much-needed win on Monday against the severely short-handed 76ers, then lost to the Jazz and the Blazers to close out the week. That’s now six losses in seven games for Atlanta after a 4-1 start, and Trae Young is mired in a horrific shooting slump. He averaged 18.7 points this week on 32 percent shooting from the field and 22 percent from 3-point range, while Danilo Gallinari and Bogdan Bogdanovic continue to be sidelined with injuries.

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The Hawks seem to have stayed in a similar position that they were last week. Hopefully, the Hawks can get in a rhythm and pick up some wins before the schedule gets tougher. Also, it will help with some of the offseason additions getting healthy.

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