The Atlanta Hawks run in the playoffs came to an end thanks in large part to their getting outrebounded. It might not seem like much, but the 5.3 board deficit and being outscored by fewer than ten points for the series would seem to go hand-in-hand. It also only tells part of the story of the surprise run to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Much of the discussion has revolved around the bench’s ability to grab boards but the stats tell a different story, especially over the final two games.
Atlanta’s bench held up their end of the bargain, and then some, averaging eight boards more than Milwaukee over that span. It was the starters, led by 2020 rebounding champ Clint Capela, that were minus-13 on the boards.
That doesn’t totally let the Hawks bench off of the hook, though because it was the other way around when De’Andre Hunter was healthy versus the Knicks. The starters were plus-three while the bench was minus-five. That deficit, while not as bad as the starters versus the Bucks, it still isn’t very good.
The Atlanta Hawks should be able to find solid bench depth at the center position in free agency
What had been a strength of the Hawks all year as they ranked fifth in total boards as a team during the regular season. But it failed them in the postseason as they finished ranked 12th.
Clearly, there is room for improvement.
Luckily, there are also means to do so even if they bring everyone back. The Hawks can use their Mid-Level Exemption, worth about $9.5 million to bring in a solid backup big man to both help out the bench in the immediate term and take on extra minutes if need be.