Hawks vs Nets: Nothing Matters But Tonight
By Mitchell Kay
Apr 13, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (15) shows emotion against the New York Knicks in the fourth quarter at Philips Arena. The Knicks defeated the Hawks 112-108. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Shooting Struggles Outside the Paint
Atlanta has been shooting quite poorly. In game four, they looked to rebound from their scoring woes. The mission was accomplished for the Hawks, except from the free throw line. All five starters scored in double digits as the team shot 50 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from downtown.
Traditionally, Atlanta is a very strong free throw shooting team and had been maintaining that trend throughout the first three games of the post season. They cooled off from the line in game four, shooting 66.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Game five should see the Hawks do all the things they did in game four to correct the inefficiency that was occurring at the start of the series. Taking the right shots and deferring when necessary is crucial. Atlanta finds the most success when they play smart basketball. Smart basketball involves taking the right shots. The right shots ultimately lead to high percentage conversions.
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The Hawks will need to convert at a high percentage from everywhere they shoot. At the very least, the team needs to stay solid from the line and one other designated spot. The team should look to maintain a strong true shooting percentage against the Nets defense. Playoff games are won and lost from the free throw line. Atlanta has ZERO excuses for shooting 66.7 percent from the free throw line in a post season game. In this league, you truly live and die by the jumper. The Hawks made several key adjustments on offense and executed those changes.
Next: Are the Hawks Desperate?