The Atlanta Hawks are nearly a third of the way through the 2018-2019 season. It’s as good a time as ever to check in on where they rank statistically compared to the other squads in The Association.
If the Atlanta Hawks continue on their current pace, they will finish with the second-worst winning percentage in the history of the franchise (.231).
The worst Atlanta Hawks team ever? That would be the 2004-2005 edition, which staggered to a putrid 13-69 mark (.139).
Ty Lue was the third-leading scorer on that team, averaging 13.5 points a game. The Atlanta Hawks would end up picking second in the 2005 draft, selecting Marvin Williams out of North Carolina.
Chris Paul was taken two picks later by the New Orleans Hornets. Whoops.
Of course, this young 2018-2019 Atlanta Hawks team was not projected, nay, was not supposed to be a world-beater. With three new rookies taking on substantial roles, only Kent Bazemore left from a 2015 team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals, and a first-year head coach patrolling the sideline, everyone knew the Hawks would occupy the cellar.
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The eyes of both the fans and the front office were and are focused on acquiring and developing young talent. (The Art of the Deal? More like The Art of the Tank, as written by Travis Schlenk)
But it’s that aforementioned development that the Hawks are looking for throughout this campaign.
Getting quality minutes under the belts of the young guns, instituting a scheme that fits the talents of the players, and building championship habits. Setting a foundation for success.
29 games into the season, small sample size is no longer an inhibitor for taking a broad view of the team’s numbers. What does it tell us about organizational philosophy? What do the Hawks prioritize?
I’ve always been a guy who likes to make judgments based on the eye test, and then go see if the numbers back it up.
What do those numbers say about a 6-23 team? A lot.