The Atlanta Hawks‘ second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers took another twist. Just days after the Hawks announced that De’Andre Hunter is out for the rest of the season, the 76ers announced that starting shooting guard, Danny Green is out for the next two or three weeks per Shams of the Athletic.
The playoffs are often won by the team with the greatest depth. Both of these teams have some of the best depth in the NBA. The thing about the 76ers is that they have so many guards on their roster who can take over a game,
What they don’t have is Green’s championship experience. Green has won three NBA championships, including two years ago with the Toronto Raptors, and then last year with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was the only 76ers starter who knows what it takes to win it all.
How will Danny Green being out impacts the Atlanta Hawks
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The Hawks have out-hustled on defense for the past two games. Green, despite being beaten by Trae Young in the first game of the series has been a big part of that. He has then been tasked with defending Bogdan Bogdanovic, making his life difficult.
Now the Hawks have a chance to crack open the 76ers defense, just a little. This can be all that it takes to turn a series. Without Hunter, Tobias Harris has been very difficult to stop. Without Green, it might mean that the Hawks have a breakout player.
It is likely that Furkan Korkmaz should be the player to step up and his defense is not on the same level as Green’s. It also has the impact of shortening the 76ers rotations meaning that it is less likely that one of their bench players goes off as they have in other games.
At this point in the series, the Hawks will take any potential advantage that they can get. Sometimes it is all it takes is for one starting spot to change.