A week ago, when Paul Pierce dismissed the Hawks as a title contender, he was doing more than pumping up his own team’s chances of getting to the Eastern Conference Finals. He was reiterating what a lot of NBA coaches, pundits and scouts have been whispering for months: the Hawks are a team built for the regular season, not the playoffs. They don’t have length, they don’t have a dominant scorer and they don’t have experience.
In 60 years of playoff basketball, one thing has remained true. The game slows down in the post-season. What works in the regular season doesn’t necessarily work in a pressurized, grind it out playoff game.
Atlanta takes with them into their game 4 against Brooklyn the worst shooting offense in the playoffs. They are making 39% of their shots.
Last year in the playoffs, as the #8 seed, without Al Horford, the Hawks also shot 39%. The two seasons have no obvious comparison so why are the playoff numbers so similar?
- The Hawks are missing open shots. Aside from more concentrated ball pressure in the lane, the Nets are being the Nets. They are a much slower, less athletic team than they Hawks. They are using their style of play as a weapon. It is a calculated choice to use length in the paint and take chances on the perimeter, banking on pressure, tired legs and the percentages to make the Hawks shots fall flat.
- The Hawks are rushing their possessions. They don’t have the timing and rhythm that marked their regular season campaign. Horford and Paul Millsap are getting the same shots but the proficiency is slightly off. Injuries will do that. After Saturday’s game DeMarre Carroll said, “our offense isn’t built to feed one particular player”. As a strategy, that works in the regular season but in the post-season possessions often break down. Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder can play a little bit reckless trying to make something out of nothing.
- Three point shots aren’t created equal. In the playoffs, the Warriors and Cavs have taken the most threes per game (31). The Hawks are next with 30 attempts. But the reason the Warriors and Cavs didn’t lose a game in the first round of the playoffs is because both teams had an efficient inside game with Andrew Bogut, Draymond Green, Lebron James, and Timofey Mosgov. The Hawks inside game with Horford and Millsap has struggled.
Sir Charles In Charge
Apr 19, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver (26) shoots a three point shot against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Hawks defeated the Nets 99-92. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Two Point Shots (Playoffs)
- Andrew Bogut: 63%,
- Draymond Green: 55%
- Lebron James: 55%
- Timofey Mosgov: 53%
- Al Horford: 39%
- Paul Millsap: 32%
Three Point Shooting (Playoffs)
- Golden State Warriors 38%
- Cleveland Cavaliers 32%
- Atlanta Hawks 31%
The only playoff teams with worse efficiency putting the ball in the basket from deep are Toronto and Boston who have already been eliminated, and, of course, anemic Brooklyn.
Because the Nets are using their length to discourage penetration, the Hawks have been tossing up three point shots that aren’t derivative of their offense. Even Paul Millsap recognized after Saturday’s game, those are the three point shots that are hurting the Hawks.
Assists
The Hawks were second in the NBA in assists in 2014-15 but in the playoffs they are seventh. Everyone’s assists numbers have fallen from the regular season except Al Horford. Less ball movement for a team like the Hawks that is dependent upon actions and counteractions increases the ability of a bad shot even if it is not contested by the opponent.
- Jeff Teague: 5 assists ( -2)
- Dennis Schroder: 3.3 assists (-.8)
- Paul Millsap: 2.3 assists (-.8)
- Al Horford: 4.7 assists (+1.5)
Apr 19, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer reacts with guard Dennis Schroder (17) during the game against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Hawks defeated the Nets 99-92. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The Bench
The production of the second unit has dropped considerably from the regular season. A bench that shot 42%, and 34% from three in the regular season, is now shooting 32% and 28% from three. Only Pero Antic has improved his scoring.
- Dennis Schroder: 9.3 points (-.7)
- Mike Scott: 4.7 points (-3.1)
- Kent Bazemore: 3.0 points (-2.2)
- Pero Antic: 7.7 points (+2.0)
The Starters
Scoring is a viral Hawks disease across the board. The core group of Hawks that are supposed to lead them to the NBA Finals are counted on to increase their output in the playoffs. Simply, they must play better on offense than what they have shown the last three games if they expect to meet their goals and defy the critics. Only DeMarre Carroll has improved his scoring and rebounding from the regular season
- Paul Millsap: 14.3 points (-2.4), 10.3 rebounds (+2.5)
- Al Horford: 10.3 points (-4.9), 10.3 rebounds (+3.1)
- DeMarre Carroll: 13.7 points (+1.1), 7.3 rebounds (+2.0)
- Kyle Korver: 13.3 points (+1.2), 4 rebounds (-.1)
- Jeff Teague: 15 points, ( -.9), 2 rebounds (-.5)