The Atlanta Hawks need to fix the clutch in the second half of the season

The Atlanta Hawks have had a rough time in the first half of this season. They have suffered through injuries, a coaching change, and All-Star snubs to their top performers. However, what is frustrating fans more than anything is the loss of big leads and falling short in the clutch.

The Hawks have a terrible record in the clutch. At the halfway point of the season, the Hawks record is 3-10 in the last three minutes when the score differential is under three points. This is a big reason the Hawks are not safely in playoff seeding at the mid-way point of the season.

This is a problem that needs to be rectified for the second half of the season. There are many avenues for this to be fixed. The Hawks have started to rectify this by replacing the voice on the sideline with interim head coach Nate McMillan.

The Atlanta Hawks need to work out their closing lineup.

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As stated earlier, having a new voice on the sidelines is going to help this issue, particularly one who has a winning record after 19 seasons. McMillan has developed a fair understanding of how to handle clutch time plays.

The Hawks need to start having the right players on the court at the end of the game. Obviously Trae Young needs to be on the court due to his offensive prowess. His defense may be questionable at best, but without Young on the court, the Hawks’ offense suffers.

Danilo Gallinari also needs to be on the court. His 3-point shooting is key to keeping the floor spaced. Clint Capela is crucial for rebounding and defense with the opportunity to get a putback off a missed shot.

McMillan needs to find his closing lineup in order to make sure that the Hawks turn this poor clutch record around. This is going to be crucial for the Hawks to move up the standings as the second half of the season unfolds.