Five straight wins and Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder is still not letting up on his team.
The Hawks are above .500 for the first time since the third game of the season, and they have done so thanks in large part to play improved defense. But they have also found themselves in holes early in games.
They fell behind the Milwaukee Bucks 16-6 to start Win No. 5, and Hawks head coach Quin Snyder spoke candidly about the root cause.
“When we turn the ball over early, we don't give ourselves a chance to defend, and that's the biggest issue. And then sometimes you don't make shots,” Snyder told reporters after the game on December 4. “If you're turning it over, and they're scoring and you're making shots, it's not as slow a start.
“I think as much as anything, when we're defending, that's the ticket. Whether it's the beginning of the first quarter or third quarter – end of the game – we just got to really commit to guarding. And that allows us to try to get out in transition.”
Kobe & Jalen make a hustle play 👏 pic.twitter.com/OSI8IoKJv3
— Atlanta HaWWWWWks (@ATLHawks) December 5, 2024
The Hawks average the third-most turnovers in the first quarter of games entering play on December 5, and it does not get much better during the heart of the game.
They average the sixth-most second-quarter turnovers and fifth-most in the third.
However, the Hawks have locked in during the fourth quarter, ranking 13th. Like their defensive turnaround, it is modest in a vacuum. But in combination with that defense and the multi-faceted offense the Hawks have put on display, the results have been clear.
Hawks swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic pointed to Dyson Daniels’ influence on the court, and Snyder praised the former for putting in the effort.
The veteran came up with a career-high 5 steals versus the Bucks.
Quin Snyder praises Bogdan Bogdanovic
His play on that end helped offset an offensive slump earlier in the season that was especially disappointing after his showing during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Snyder offered a very thoughtful answer on how critical that has been for the Hawks.
Further to Snyder’s point, the Hawks rank first in transition frequency off steals and third in overall on-the-run frequency, per Cleaning The Glass.
They are 13th in points per possession in both metrics.
But their early-season injury woes may have played a significant part in that. If anything, it is something that bears monitoring as the season wears on. Offenses go cold. But consistent effort on defense travels, and well.
Good on Snyder for finding a way to harp on the details while simultaneously giving his team credit for locking in when it needs to.
Now, if only they could shake those pesky turnovers to start games.