Atlanta Hawks Young Guns and 2004-05 Phoenix Suns: Not So Different?
By Chris Guest
Comparing the current Atlanta Hawks core with three major players from the “seven seconds or less” Phoenix Suns from the 2004-05 season.
The early 2000s Phoenix Suns were well ahead of their time. Though the team’s pace numbers looking fairly pedestrian by the modern NBA’s rollickingly fast style of play, the “seven seconds or less” Suns served as the prototype for much of a modern NBA offense looks like today, including the Atlanta Hawks.
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While the framework for that offense was dreamt up by offensive maestro Mike D’Antoni, it also helped that the team had the perfect blend of talent and a terrific core that knew exactly how to play within the system.
With a roster littered with multiple All-Stars and future Hall of Famers and put together by (ahem) Bryan Colangelo with a sole focus on dominating on the offensive end, there are quite a few similarities between the major players on those early 2000s Suns teams and the current young core of the Atlanta Hawks.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. That Suns run revolutionized the NBA in a way that was taken to extremes in recent years by the Golden State Warriors (who the Atlanta Hawks have also been rumored to be emulating) and Houston Rockets (another D’Antoni joint). Also, the 04-05 Suns were a complete juggernaut that jumped out to a 31-4 record before finishing the season with the best record in the West of 62-20.
Let’s explore details of that juggernaut Suns team and compare them to the Hawks’ current play style.