Atlanta Hawks 2016-2017 Season Review: Dennis Schroder

The Good

Schroder might be the most explosive scorer on the Hawks’ roster.

This season, Schroder was second on the team averaging 17.9 points per game and shot 45.1 percent from the field. His speed and quickness stand out when one watches him attack the basket. He brought a new element to the Hawks’ offense in that regard, as Teague was not nearly as explosive.

Schroder’s presence as a downhill guard gave the Hawks a go-to scorer at times. While he wasn’t always the most consistent, Schroder could go get buckets when the team needed them without any help from teammates.

In the playoffs, Schroder looked like a top-ten point guard in the NBA.

His performance was in the shadow of John Wall’s masterpiece but Schroder was terrific in his own right. The 23-year-old averaged 24.7 points, 7.7 assists, and just 1.7 turnovers per game in the playoffs this year. He also shot 45.5 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from three-point range.

Schroder routinely blew by Wall in that first-round series and was a great scorer for the entire series. His jumper was falling as well, which is the key to Schroder taking the next step as an offensive player. But the most important part of Schroder’s play was that he took care of the ball. The ball was in Schroder’s hands a lot in the postseason and he made good decisions against the Wizards.

Schroder posted a 126 offensive rating in the playoffs and while other Hawks scorers struggled mightily in that series, it was not the fault of Schroder. He was nothing short of terrific and looked like a future All-Star with the way he dueled with Wall.