Atlanta Hawks: Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams’ veteran presence needed
On a team that is young like the Atlanta Hawks are, veteran leadership is invaluable. Situations arise in every game where things get out of hand. In those moments, teams with less experience can be prone to mistakes. They try to press the issue when oftentimes the solution is to slow down and simplify things, especially when nursing a lead.
Look at the impact Chris Paul has had on the Phoenix Suns or what Mike Conly allowed the Utah Jazz to do with Donovan Mitchell out. For an example closer to the Hawks, look at Derrick Rose in his second stint with the New York Knicks.
The Atlanta Hawks need their savvy veterans to play as they have in postseasons past
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It was supposed to be Rajon Rondo for the Hawks but, well, that didn’t work.
The Hawks have a pair of battle-tested vets of their own in Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams and they’ve definitely put their stamps on this postseason run.
Gallinari is averaging 14 points on 46 percent shooting from the floor and 41 percent from three. In Game 2, he still had 12 points, but he only shot 25 percent from three. That hurts when the rest of the team is struggling from outside as well.
Williams, a three-time Sixth Man of the Year, hasn’t been what we’ve grown accustomed to.
His 6.6 points per game this postseason are the fewest he’s ever put up in 10 postseason trips. He just hasn’t made much of an impact as a scorer up to par thus far.
He did score 13 points in the fourth quarter of Game 5 against the 76ers and has played a much better traditional backup point guard than most may have expected.
The Hawks might look to get more out of Cam Reddish and Onyeka Okongwu. But this bench, which had been one of the most efficient in the postseason, is still led by its veterans. Trae Young’s father has talked about the impact Williams has had on his son.
When the duo is clicking, Atlanta is pretty tough to beat as both can give you 15 to 20 points on any given night.
The problem is they, much like the rest of the Hawks, haven’t been able to put it all together in the same game. With the Bucks stepping up their intensity and getting more out of their bench in Game 2, Gallo and LouWill need to play up to their reputations in Game 3.
Atlanta Hawks: 3 key adjustments after blowout Game 2 loss. dark. Next
They could be the key to avoiding a similar fate as they did in Game 2. Surely they don’t want to have that kind of letdown in front of the home crowd.