What's RIGHT with the Hawks?

[Jamaaliver]

Defense Defense Defense

After detailing what was wrong with the team as we struggled earlier this year, it's only fair to acknowledge what has carried us this year and especially during this stretch of defensive dominance.

The Hawks have won seven of nine to improve to a season-high nine games above .500 after pounding the Pacers on Sunday. With 15 games to play they are now just 1 1/2 games behind the Celtics for third in the East.

What’s most surprising about the Hawks’ surge is that the defense, already good, has been even better. The Hawks have allowed 93.4 points per 100 possessions over their last nine [games], compared to 101.2 points allowed per 100 possessions for the season (second-best in the league). The Hawks were a very good defensive team last season and they’ve been even better this season.

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The Hawks are second in the NBA in defensive efficiency at 98.6 points per 100 possessions. They trail only the Spurs at 95.5. However, the Hawks are first in the league in the statistic since Dec. 12 at 96.2.

The Hawks are sixth in the league in points allowed at 98.6 points per game. However, they are second since Jan. 1 at 97.1 and first since Jan. 12 at 96.0.


Other statistics to support what the Hawks are doing defensively:

* First in the league in defended field goal percentage at 43.2 percent.

* Second in opponent field goal percentage at .433

* Third in forced turnovers at 15.8.

* Third in steals at 9.3.

* Fifth in defended field goals attempted and eighth in defended field goals made.

* Fifth in opponent 3-point field goal percentage at .334.

Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer and players reiterated Sunday night that the team’s defense has allowed time for the offense to develop in what has been an inconsistent season.

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Thoughts?
Predictions?
Concerns?

Can the defense carry us deep into the post-season?
Will the offense ever come around?
Should we expect the defense to fall back to Earth or stay at this elite level for the rest of season?

[DirtybirdGA]

I'm stomping the floor at "defense".

[jayu70]

We were playing this kind of defense last season before Thabo went down.
Glad it's back on track at the RIGHT TIME - heading into the playoffs.
Our guards have been leading the charge.

“Man, our guards. Jeff did a great job on Monta Ellis. (Kent Bazemore) and Thabo (Sefolosha) did a great job on Paul George. Those guys were fighting over screens, contesting shots. When they contest at that level, I think it makes us a different team.” – Horford on containing Paul George and Monta Ellis

[Jamaaliver]

Our defense has been phenomenal of late. but we can't get too comfortable. Each of our likely opponents in the first round of the playoffs has equally formidable defenses as well.

Indy, BOS and MIA are right there with us...each allowing just over 100 points per 100 possessions for the year. MIA in particular features a veteran coach with accomplished players and could prove problematic should we face off against them.

[ATL Boy]

I don't think it's a surprise that the defense has really turned it on, as of late.

For one, THJ, who was relegated to the D-League for the first half of the season has emerged as an absolute defensive stopper, in the second half. Big shoutout to Bud and the coaching staff for helping him discover that part of his game, I didn't know he had it in him.

Then you look at the fact that Thabo, our best perimeter defender (the best when Carroll was here, too, last season), is back to full strength after that broken leg.

Our lineup of Schroder, THJ, Thabo, Scott, and Al is the most efficient lineup in the NBA when it comes to defense (min. of 100 minutes on the floor together). This squad gives up 81.7 points per 100 possessions.

I don't think that we'll really fall off defensively, and it looks like the offense is finally starting to come around. This team seems to be peaking at the right time, this season.

[Jamaaliver]

Hawks seem to be clicking on all cylinders. Right now...our boys are doing everything right.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Wes_Morton/status/714652849305726976[/tweet]


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[jayu70]

The starting line-up is finally carrying their own weight after the bench doing a lot of the heavy lifting to start the season.

The success of the 60-win Atlanta Hawks during the 2014-2015 season was built on a dominant starting lineup. In nearly 1,000 minutes of game action, the quintet of Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver, DeMarre Carroll (now departed), Paul Millsap and Al Horford outscored opponents by 8.1 points per 100 possessions and, in general, Atlanta was able to blow away opponents at the beginning and end of games throughout the campaign.

Fast-forward to the 2015-2016 season, and the "new" starting five began with a thud. Mike Budenholzer inserted Kent Bazemore into the lineup in place of DeMarre Carroll, and while the Hawks rolled up a respectable but underwhelming 31-27 record through late February, the results of the core five-man unit were highly underwhelming. The group was outscored by 2.7 points per 100 possessions in those 58 games, and on the defensive end, the results were disastrous to the tune of 105.7 points allowed per 100 possessions.

During that time, Atlanta was kept afloat by the bench, including strong contributions from Dennis Schröder, Thabo Sefolosha and even Mike Scott. Still, many pointed to the starting lineup's struggles (including in this space) as a reason to potentially insert Sefolosha in place of Bazemore to fix the most prominent five-some. Budenholzer stayed strong, however, and the results have paid off in a phenomenal way in recent weeks as the team's overall performance has also taken off.

http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2016/3/29/11324962/atlanta-hawks-starting-lineup-improvement-al-horford-paul-millsap