Power Ranking Every Atlanta Hawks Player During the 2017 Playoffs
By Nile Goodwyn
2. Paul Millsap
Millsap’s 2017 playoff run was one of the first where he seemed to be outmatched at times.
Even while he recorded five games with at least nine rebounds, and scored no less than 19 points in any game, Millsap was flustered by Markieff Morris. Morris totaled five fouls in every game other than the series finale, representing just how physically he was with Millsap. Statistically, Millsap thoroughly outclassed Morris, leading him in every relevant stat.
Even with this, Millsap upped his regular season numbers across the board. His points, rebounds, assists, and field-goal percentage numbers all increased substantially, making him a great compliment to the Hawks’ superstar of the series. Millsap had trouble from three-point range, making only two of his 17 attempts from deep. Millsap played like the All-Star that he has proven to be throughout the series. If this was his final playoff series as a Hawk, he went out like one of the greatest Hawks to ever wear the jersey.
1. Dennis Schroder
Schroder was unarguably the most important player for the Hawks during their short time in the playoffs.
He led the team in points and assists per game, while matched up against the Wizards’ star lead guard John Wall. Neither Wall or Schroder played extremely well on the defensive end, both giving up over 20 points per game to their opposition over the series. At times, Wall’s porous defense made Schroder seem as if he was the four-time All-Star in the matchup, only for Schroder to validate Wall’s stature as an elite guard on the other end of the court.
Schroder’s most impressive development during the playoffs was his lack of turnovers. During the regular season, Schroder had 15 games in which he totaled five or more turnovers and ended the season averaging 3.3 turnovers, eighth-highest in the league. During the playoffs, Schroder averaged a mere 1.7 turnovers, which was tied for fourth on the roster. His assist-to-turnover ratio was a staggering 4.6 over the Hawks’ six games, which ranked second only to Rajon Rondo of the Bulls (min. 30 MPG). If Schroder hadn’t risen to the level that he did in the Playoffs, the Hawks would have been swept and made into a league-wide joke. Schroder nearly single-handedly saved the Hawks from irrelevance during the Playoffs.
Next: How the Hawks Failed at the Trade Deadline
If Schroder hadn’t risen to the level that he did in the Playoffs, the Hawks would have been swept and made into a league-wide joke. Schroder nearly single-handedly saved the Hawks from irrelevance during the Playoffs.