Hawks Defense 2022-23: Where do we end up?

[JayBirdHawk]

We weren't good last year! Down right atrocious at times.

Full article with videos here: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2022/9/13/23346100/two-ways-atlanta-hawks-spark-defense-in-2022-23-dejounte-murray-trae-young-video-analysis

 

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....the Hawks need to solve a lot more on the defense end in the approaching season than on the offensive end. The Hawks’ 114.9 defensive rating during the regular season was the worst of the 20 teams that qualified for the play-in and playoffs, and that’s just not a sustainable model for contention or even consistent winning.

In a modern NBA that values spacing, dribble drives to the rim, and spot up attempts around the arc, there are a handful of ways teams have chosen to set up their defense to combat this. The Bucks prefer to pack the paint with a big body and long, rangy athletes. The Heat prefer to switch everything. The Suns and Celtics trail screens and recover.

But even after over 100 games of Nate McMillan’s tenure, Atlanta’s defense can be best described as “try hard sometimes” and “occasionally present”.

The Hawks need to find a defensive identity and they need take ownership in it.

 

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Communication is key

Look at the best defenses in the league and you’ll see at least one person, if not multiple, pointing and gesticulating during almost every defensive half court possession. Draymond Green, for example, dominates the game more mentally than physically in pointing out actions before they occur, and beating his man to the intended spot.

If you have a clearly tuned TV or internet feed of games, or happen to be close enough to the action in the arena, you may even pick up on verbal orders barked, especially in transition opportunities. In a fluid basketball game, your defense has to constantly adjust for different situations and all five guys on the court must be in tune to one another.

The Hawks often failed this assignment, and looked and sounded lost against even average or below average attacks.

Atlanta had the worst transition defense in the league on a per possession basis, giving up 1.20 points per possessions in those opportunities. Atlanta just simply couldn’t communicate effectively to the first line of defense in those situations.

 

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Between the rest of the likely starting backcourt, Murray and Hunter, the Hawks should feature a premier point of attack defender for many primary matchups — although I suspect Murray will be used a majority of the time in a secondary or helper defensive role with Hunter on ball. The Murray-Hunter duo will need to use their long arms and ranginess in disrupting plans to target Young, and communicating switches, blitzes and double teams will be paramount.

Hunter often faced off against the most difficult perimeter players last season, even to such a degree that he admitted to it putting a strain on the rest of his game and development. But with Murray in tow, these responsibilities can now be shared on a game-by-game basis. Regardless, surrounding Young in the backcourt with these two, the Holiday brothers off the bench, and athletic bigs everywhere should represent a big step forward.

 

[Spud2nique]

I was thinking of our defense this morning Burd you read my mind. I was gonna make a thread saying we move into the top 10 in D this year. We were 26th in defensive rating last year. I have us in the top 10 this year.

DM-Hunter-Cap-OO-JC (jc will D up this year)

[Diesel]

I think we might be the 5th best defense. 

 

[AHF]

I'm not expecting a jump into the top 10 (or the top 5) but I do think we should be significantly improved.  I especially don't think we'll see a huge improvement if we end up running the ball more.  Faster pace offenses frequently suffer in DRTG because they tend to lead to easier baskets for both teams.

[Final_quest]

If we jump into the top 5 on defense, we are just about the best team in the league. 

I'm gonna throw out the 13-17 range for where I expect us to be.  Which that could still put us in the top four of our conference.  

[Diesel]

I say top 5 because when you think about our starters..

DM, CC, and DH...  we have a strong defensive trio.

When you think about our bench....

Holiday. OO, and maybe Holiday or Harkless...   We still get more defensive.

If Culver makes the squad it will be because of his defense. 

I think the theme this offseason was get more defensive and I think it will give us Gain. 

[Peoriabird]

Top 10 without Gallo in transition and Huerter on the point of attack.  Healthier Clint and Collins.  Hunter not having to guard point guards.  Better rebounding team with Murray.  Also Bogi not in the starting line up as the point of attack defender also.  Doesn't hurt that we added the Holiday brothers.  Okungwu should take another step.  Murray will also help lower Young's turnovers per game.

[JTB]

7 hours ago, Peoriabird said:

Top 10 without Gallo in transition and Huerter on the point of attack.  Healthier Clint and Collins.  Hunter not having to guard point guards.  Better rebounding team with Murray.  Also Bogi not in the starting line up as the point of attack defender also.  Doesn't hurt that we added the Holiday brothers.  Okungwu should take another step.  Murray will also help lower Young's turnovers per game.

I can see top 12 as a possibility but you listed some good reasons.

 

I will stick with top 15 as my prediction so I don’t get too frustrated in case it all fails. It’s clear defense was the approach this off-season however.

[Gray Mule]

It's terrible at being on the bottom.

It's also great because the only way we can go is up!

Trae was the worst of the total bad defense.  "Be really careful out there.  We have no one to replace you if you foul out."

This has now changed.  Therefore, Trae can and will play better defense.  Players added since the close of the season have the reputation of being better defensive players than the players who left.

Travis has, once again, done his part.  Now, it's all up to Nate and his crew of assistants.

[JayBirdHawk]

1 hour ago, Gray Mule said:

Travis has, once again, done his part.  Now, it's all up to Nate and his crew of assistants.

This! We have added defensive minded players so the players have to buy in and Nate being known as a defensive coach has to show ut.

[JayBirdHawk]

What was our season's defensive split - 1st half vs 2nd half?

[JayBirdHawk]

Where are we on defense with 2 games to go?

 

 

[Diesel]

Well, Defensive FG%, we kinda suck still. 

 

[sturt]

I believe Jalen has shown himself to be a new weapon in the defensive arsenal than what he'd been thought to be earlier. I believe Yeka has begun to show himself to be significantly more consistent. I believe Bey is a better defender than, at least, I'd anticipated fwiw. And he doesn't get on the floor nearly enough, but Aaron Holiday's defense has been a pleasant surprise. (And I think the coach is saying too many good things about him... he's going to be getting more minutes, surely.)

There's reason to believe our post-season defensive stats could be substantially healthier than the regular season numbers.

[JTB]

2 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Where are we on defense with 2 games to go?

 

 

Defense Efficiency- 22nd

Points per game allowed - 24th

Points in the paint allowed - 29th

4th quarter points allowed - 28th

Opponent 3pt % - 9th

Opponent 3s made (allowed) per game - 7th

 

we seem to be ok on the perimeter based on the stats but we are awful at the rim overall. 

[benhillboy]

Under Quin the D Rating is 120.5.  Pretty ugly and would never be the case under Nate.  A lot of that IMO is Clint gradually getting healthy and getting on the same page as Quin.  Preventing dribble drive will always be an issue with this group but I can live with the general quality of shot contest out there.  Giving up their fewest points with Trae out is a good sign obviously based on history.  
 

On the flip side a 122.4 O Rating wouldn’t be possible under Nate in this long of a stretch, guys are certainly moving off the ball more and hunting plays to create corner threes.

Edited April 7, 2023 by benhillboy

[AHF]

10 hours ago, benhillboy said:

Under Quin the D Rating is 120.5.  Pretty ugly and would never be the case under Nate.  A lot of that IMO is Clint gradually getting healthy and getting on the same page as Quin.  Preventing dribble drive will always be an issue with this group but I can live with the general quality of shot contest out there.  Giving up their fewest points with Trae out is a good sign obviously based on history.  
 

On the flip side a 122.4 O Rating wouldn’t be possible under Nate in this long of a stretch, guys are certainly moving off the ball more and hunting plays to create corner threes.

If I do the math right, net rating is almost +2 under Snyder and was something like +0.4 under Nate so I'll take the better net rating over success in isolation on either side of the ball.  

That said, I do think actual scheme changes are coming next year so I don't take these numbers under Snyder to mean much.

[Peoriabird]

Oh man was I so wrong about capela and DJ!

[AHF]

On 9/13/2022 at 3:09 PM, AHF said:

I'm not expecting a jump into the top 10 (or the top 5) but I do think we should be significantly improved.  

I missed as well.  I wasn't expecting a huge jump but 26th to 22nd in DRTG is not really what I would call significantly improved.

[RedDawg#8]

On 4/6/2023 at 8:23 PM, JTB said:

Defense Efficiency- 22nd

Points per game allowed - 24th

Points in the paint allowed - 29th

4th quarter points allowed - 28th

Opponent 3pt % - 9th

Opponent 3s made (allowed) per game - 7th

 

we seem to be ok on the perimeter based on the stats but we are awful at the rim overall. 

It hasn’t proven itself against them yet but our 3 point defense should bode well against the C’s.