Atlanta Hawks pick-and-roll offense, health could be deciding factors vs CHI

The last two times the Atlanta Hawks (28-30) took on the Chicago Bulls they came away licking their wounds. However, they could find some solace in the fact that they went into both contests severely undermanned as both games came at the height of their issues with health and safety protocols.

It’s also not like losing to the Bulls is an upset. They are currently second in the Eastern Conference but share the same record as the top-seeded Miami Heat.

Chicago was without point guards Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso but did have their big three of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic in both previous matchups. The Hawks were down John Collins, Danilo Gallinari, Kevin Huerter, De’Andre Hunter, and Delon Wright in one.

All but Collins are back for the Hawks while the Bulls are still down Ball and Caruso.

The Atlanta Hawks should be better equipped to take on the Bulls this time

Atlanta allowed 130 points in both games while putting up 118 and 117 points. It was a period of the season in which the Hawks went 5-9 and started Skylar Mays as well as 10-day players like Chaundee Brown to deal with injuries and COVID absences. They went 8-7 in January after getting healthier and are 4-4 in February with four games to go.

The Hawks won two in a row and three of their last five games before the break including one over the upstart Cleveland Cavaliers.

For the Bulls, it was a five-game run that ushered them into the layoff.

The Hawks should be able to take advantage of Bulls center Nikola Vucevic in the pick-and-roll. But Chicago added Tristan Thompson, a tough rebounder and pick-and-roll defender, on the buyout market from the Indiana Pacers.

Trae Young is lethal in the pick-and-roll even with John Collins out as long as Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu are around. He should also have his patented floater available whenever he wants it against Vucevic. Not having Collins available to pull Thompson out of the paint as a small-ball five hurts but having the others helps tremendously.

Young had 29 points and nine assists in the first meeting and 26 points with 11 dimes in the second while getting 15-plus boards from Capela.

Without Ball and Caruso, the Bulls have had one of the worst defenses in the NBA. They are 20th on the season in defensive rating but are 24th since Caruso last played.

The Hawks defensive rating was 28th before that but is 11th in the time since.

There is a kicker, though, as the Bulls have been slightly better on both ends in the pick-and-roll generating 0.96 PPP on offense while allowing 0.86 PPP defensively. The Hawks generate 0.91 PPP and allow 0.88 PPP to pick-and-roll ball handlers.

Atlanta does get far more production from its roll man.

Perhaps that is where they can do double damage to Vucevic sending Capela at him to get his fouls up while also running him through the wringer in the pick-and-roll. This game could still be won in part due to the fact that the Hawks are the healthier team for the first time in the season series.