Prelude
Before we look at lineups, I think it prescient to say a word about exactly HOW we should analyze lineups. I think a lot of fans and writers miss the point when they analyze a lineup in a vacuum. Rather, we should look at the statistical fingerprint of each lineup.
As Brad Stevens mentioned in the excerpt above, he knew exactly how effective his small lineups were versus his big lineups. I believe each coach has their list of lineups from shooting lineups to rebounding lineups to offensive rebounding lineups, to lineups that turn opponents over…etc.
So, it’s less about how this one group of 5 players performs against everyone. Coaches think more like, “What lineup can I put out there that will give us an advantage? What are our lineups that will take advantage of the other team’s weaknesses?”
So, the Hawks’ “best lineup” may in fact change from game to game depending on the opponent. Also, it’s important to remember that what the Hawks’ best lineup was during the course of the regular season may not matter in a playoff series precisely because that lineup may not match up well with a playoff opponent.
There’s also a common theme with these most-used lineups. It’s Dennis Schröder, Paul Millsap, and Dwight Howard as the core with a mix & match of shooting guards and small forwards. You would think that any lineup with those three players would not differ that much in performance. That being said, it’s fascinating to see how the insertion of one player can dramatically affect an entire lineup’s performance.
With all of that as a backdrop, let’s take a look at the Atlanta Hawks’ 4 most-used lineups from this past season.
All analysis will be per 100 possessions.