After a big-time win against the Sacramento Kings and an arguably even more emphatic victory against the Utah Jazz, the Atlanta Hawks are feeling on top of the world.
Being able to blow out teams with hopes of staying afloat in a bloated Western Conference is no walk in the park. Were it not for Atlanta’s otherwise so-so start to the year, a win in this sort of fashion would have everyone raving about how red-hot the Hawks are.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, there seems to be one key piece holding the team back. It’s not just limited to one player, either. In fact, this shortcoming has plagued every single one of the Hawks’ 7 most influential rotation pieces.
When a statistical trend is this commonplace amongst your seven most important players, you'd certainly think something is deeply wrong with the roster.
Sitting at 14th out of 30 NBA teams, shooting 37.0% from range, the number isn't immediately apparent that Atlanta is shooting that poorly from 3-point range. However, this number is incredibly deceiving. A few Hawks have propped this number up well beyond what the rest of the team has done to tank it.
Vit Krejci, headlined by what can be described as nothing short of an act of heroism in a colossal effort to defeat the Clippers by shooting 8/10 from range, has hit the deep ball at a 51.0% clip on over 5 looks a game.
Luke Kennard - a name that should be all but expected from anyone familiar with his game - has continued his elite touch from 3, shooting 45.0% on 3.6 looks a game. While this number is solid, look for Luke to see even more burn from deep. It is his greatest asset, after all.
Finally, Asa Newell - yes, the rookie Asa Newell, characterized by his shaky shot - has converted 50.0% of his 2.0 long-range attempts per game. While this number is bound to regress, fans should be absolutely stoked with the start that Asa has had.
The rest of the Hawks have gotten off to a sluggish start from deep
In spite of these three elite shooters, five key Hawks have all regressed from range - Dyson Daniels, Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Zaccharie Risacher, and even Trae Young.
Trae Young's 19.2% 3-point shooting from deep on over 5 looks a game (granted, in a small sample size) was a massive reason why the Hawks got off to a slow start this year in the win column. Look for Trae's shot to bounce back shortly after his inevitable return to action this season.
Kristaps Porzingis' 31.1% on over 5 looks a game isn't break-a-mirror ugly, but it isn't ideal - especially when you consider his 41.2% metric just last season with the Boston Celtics. Some of this dropoff can certainly be attributed to adjusting to a new system, especially one that isn't one of the most dominant offenses of the century, like Boston's was.
Unlike Young and Porzingis, two NBA veterans with proven jumpers, Daniels, Risacher, and Alexander-Walker are relative newcomers to the league and have yet to firmly establish they are consistent shooters.
While Alexander-Walker's varying 36.1% to 39.1% metric in his three years with the T-Wolves is certainly solid proof of a reliable shot, it isn't elite. Just a slight regression (e.g., 32.3% this year) is enough to sink the Hawks' overall ability to space the floor.
Zaccharie Risacher's 34.0% number this year isn't ideal either. His outside shot was touted as his greatest strength as a prospect, and over 3% below league average is anything but elite. If Risacher wants to prove himself to Coach Snyder and earn more minutes, it starts from deep.
Finally, Dyson Daniels' 25.0% deep ball is frighteningly bad for the Hawks. In fact, it brings to light Atlanta's worst fear surrounding the young talent. While he does everything else at an elite level on the hardwood, if he can't space the floor for his co-stars, he won't be able to see consistent burn - especially in a playoff setting, where shooting matters just that much more.
While Atlanta's role players are doing a standout job hoisting the team up from range to start the season, if the stars can't get their bearings and rise to the challenge, the Hawks will struggle to keep up with more patented elite teams in the East - the onus is now on them to take that critical next step.