The Atlanta Hawks have lost two games in a row. Immediately after a four-game winning streak, they've returned to the inconsistent play that's limited their success in recent years.
In each loss, they've had more than enough opportunities to sneak away with a victory, but poor decision-making has hindered their efforts. Both on and off the court, the Hawks have been their own worst enemies this season.
The good thing about an 82-game NBA season, though, is that they have more than enough time to figure it out. They should probably reassess who goes in when certain players go out. Of all their issues in the early portion of the season, one has limited their success the most.
A common lineup without a lead playmaker has been a disaster for Atlanta
The Hawks, more often than not, begin games playing well. Early leads for the 7-6 ball club haven't come in a small quantity. It's not about how a team starts, though - wins are decided by how the team that suffers an early setback responds.
A squad that isn't built for sustainable success folds. Atlanta has grit. They're not a team to just give up when things aren't going well. One of their biggest problems is carving out a lead and maintaining it. They would be able to maintain it more effectively if they utilized their bench in a better way.
One of Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Kingston Flemings should be on the floor at all times.
Now, giving Head Coach Quin Snyder and the rest of the coaching staff the benefit of the doubt, Flemings' back pain cut his night short during their recent loss to the Chicago Bulls.
Knowing that, though, they shouldn't have a moment where one of Johnson and Daniels isn't on the court. A lineup full of quality scorers, without a lead playmaker, is much less effective than it could be.
The numbers prove the Hawks should stop testing out this combination
Entering Friday night's matchup in Chicago, the four-man group of CJ McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins had a net rating of -19.6.
They played 11 minutes together in their most recent loss, starting as early as late in the first quarter, exiting the night with a net rating of -33.3.
Again, all are great scorers, but the lineup simply won't be effective until a lead playmaker is added to the group.
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