Atlanta Hawks Young Guns and 2004-05 Phoenix Suns: Not So Different?
By Chris Guest
A discussion of D’Antoni’s Suns is not complete without a mention of the blistering pace that those teams played at. As the NBA was aiming to shake off the defensive, grind-it-out mentality of the 90s, in which post play and big men were among the most important parts of the game, the Suns went the exact opposite direction.
D’Antoni had always been on the forefront of offensive innovation, and the 2004-05 typified that. They led the league in pace at an estimate 95.9 possessions per 48 minutes. This year’s Atlanta Hawks, similarly, lead the league in pace at a titanic 104.1 possessions per 48 minutes – underscoring just how much the NBA has changed over the past 15 years.
Similarly showcasing how the game has changed, the Suns were first in three-point attempt rate in the 2004-05 season at 28.9 percent. The Hawks, whose modern shot profile is a testament to new head coach Lloyd Pierce’s focus on good shots only, currently rank 7th in the league with a three-point attempt rate that’s nearly 10 percentage points higher than the 04-05 Suns at 38.2 percent.
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When the Atlanta Hawks have better shooters, and/or Trae Young is able to pull up more with consistency, expect that number to creep higher.
One final arrow in the quiver of these two teams’ similarities is the focus on offensive talent above defense. The Suns had the best offense in the league in 2004-05 with a 114.5 offensive rating and 110.4 points per game; numbers that pale in comparison to their uninspiring defensive rating of 107.1 (17th) and opponent points per game of 103.3 (last in the league).
Just like those Suns, the Atlanta Hawks have three notable young players that are far more offense-focused than they are defensively inclined: Trae Young, John Collins and Kevin Huerter.
(Note: the Hawks do not have an equivalent player to The Matrix, Shawn Marion, whose two-way brilliance was exceedingly important to the early 2000s-era Suns. Perhaps Atlanta will find their Marion in an upcoming NBA Draft — De’Andre Hunter, anyone?)