The Atlanta Hawks added so many players in the offseason there was always going to be a period of adjustment. The coaching staff had to figure out how each player would fit with each other and with the team’s game plan.
This was further complicated by the number of injuries suffered by the Hawks throughout the season. Bogdan Bogdanovic went down with a fractured kneecap having only played nine games for the franchise. During this time he was really struggling with his shot. However, since his return from injury, he has been a true gift for head coach Nate McMillan.
Trae Young has been tremendous all season. He has grown in so many ways, both on and off the court. Since he has teamed up with Bogdanovic, the Hawks have been very difficult to beat. It is only due to injury that these two have not been able to continue their advance further up the standings.
The Atlanta Hawks backcourt by the numbers.
Since the All-Star break, the Hawks backcourt has been averaging 43.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 13.1 assists, and 1,5 steals. They have been shooting the ball at 49.5 percent from the field, 39.7 percent from deep, and 90.3 percent from the line. However, it is not just their percentages that have helped each other.
The two players have their own roles, with Young being the primary ball-handler and Bogdanovic being the secondary. Young is penetrating while Bogdanovic is shooting more from the 3-point line. While their averages are not the same as some of the other back-courts, they have only been together for half a season and will continue to develop.
Atlanta Hawks backcourt competition – The Western Conference
The Western Conference has a number of incredible backcourts. One which we have not seen together for a while is Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson due to Thompson being injured for the past two seasons. Before that, they were the best backcourt in the association.
Another quality backcourt, which is not as dynamic as the Hawks pair, is Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell. They are averaging 42.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 11.1 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. They are shooting the ball at 44.0 percent from the field, 39.4 percent from deep, and 84.7 percent from the line.
The second-best backcourt in the West is Chris Paul and Devin Booker. They are the second seed and it is due to the way Paul plays. He has just made the team so much better. Booker is still a scoring machine but he is taking better shots thanks to the influence of Pual.
They are averaging 41.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 13.3 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. They are shooting the ball at 48.9 percent from the field, 36.1 percent from deep, and 88.7 percent from the line.
However, the best backcourt in the West, and possibly the league belongs to the Portland Trail Blazers in CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard. They are averaging 52.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 12.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. They are shooting it at 45.3 percent from the field, 39.2 percent from deep, and 90.2 percent from the line.
However, with these two players, it is more than just the numbers. They carry their team when required, bring them back when required. If Lillard is off, McCollum is usually on or the other way around. If the game is close in the fourth, then it becomes Dame Time. This is the way the Hawks duo are starting to play, but they are not quite there yet.
Atlanta Hawks backcourt competition – The Eastern Conference
There are four backcourts in the Eastern Conference who are up and coming, or at the top of the league. The Hawks are one of them but the Cleveland Cavaliers combination of Darius Garland and Collin Sexton have the potential to be great in the coming years.
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They are averaging 41.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 10.5 assist, and 2.2 steals per game. They are shooting the ball at 46.5 percent from the floor, 38.4 percent from deep, and 82.2 percent from the line. They are still a way from being elite, but have shown that they can produce at a high level.
The Washington Wizards had one of the best backcourts in the league until the end of last season with John Wall and Bradley Beal. Then they went and upgraded it by getting Russell Westbrook to replace Wall.
Westbrook and Beal are averaging 53.6 points, 16.2 rebounds, 16.2 assists, and 2.6 steals per game. They are shooting the ball at 46.5 percent from the floor, 33.6 percent from deep, and 77.8 percent from the line. This is where the raw numbers are not enough to judge the backcourt, effeciency and winning come into it and the Wizards took a long time to win.
The best backcourt in the East at the moment, and arguably the best in the NBA is Kyrie Irving and James Harden of the Brooklyn Nets, They are averging 52.3 points, 13.4 rebounds, 17.2 assists, and 2.7 steals per game.
They are shooting the ball at 49.1 percent form the floor, 38.4 percent from deep, and 93.1 percent from the line.Looking beyond the numbers, both Irving and Harden are stars and attract a lot of attentiion but yet they can producve and help their team win. This is the level the Hawks backcourt needs to get to and it feels that they are not far off it.