Speed Kills: Time To Up The Pace In Atlanta
Last Thursday’s 103–91 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies entailed a predictable defensive struggle between two of the best in the league. For the first half at least, until the Grizzlies bolted down the rim on the Hawks in the second. However, what we didn’t expect was the Hawks finishing with 16 fast-break points, 12 of those coming in the first half.
This season they are ranked 20th with just 12.3 points a game in that department and a large reason for that is due to the poor three point defense. The goal under Budenholzer is shutting out the paint as a way to force long shots, meaning long rebounds, which should result in fast-break opportunities, but that hasn’t came to fruition.
“It starts with the defense, said rookie Taurean Prince. “When you can’t get stops then you can’t get out and run. When we start to get more stops then it will show in the fast-break points.”
In order to jumpstart these opportunities the Hawks must first limit their opponents offensive rebounds and second chance points, something they haven’t accomplished under Mike Budenholzer’s tenure. They are currently sitting in the exact same spot in regards to opponent offensive rebounding , 24th, as they were in that glorious 60 win season. As for second chance points, not much has changed there either, just 26th in the league two seasons ago and currently rank 20th.
“When you have two guys involved in a pick and roll the small guy will take the big guy and vice versa”, said Ersan Ilyasova. “Sometimes those little guys shoot floaters or what not and the ball bounces around. Sometimes guys shoot threes and long rebounds happen. We all have to be involved in rebounding.”
The Nuggets, Magic and Thunder are examples that their is somewhat of a direct correlation between limiting the opponents offensive rebounds and being among the most productive transition teams. Atlanta has plenty of examples this season:
- TNT televised the win over Houston a month ago where the Hawks scored 14 points on the break and held the Rockets to just seven offensive rebounds.
- Defeating Boston in TD Garden, when the Celtics accumulated 9 offensive boards, while Atlanta tallied 15 points in transition.
- Despite overtime, the Hawks limited the Spurs to just 9 offensive rebounds and poured in 24 fastbreak buckets in 114–112 win on New Years Day.
The importance of getting out in transition for a team with limiting shooting like the Hawks can’t be emphasized enough, but the all around pace and flow has to be set earlier in games. Atlanta’s offense is as patient as it comes in the league, but that has also been a major contributor to several blow-outs. Stagnation and lethargy seem to make an appearance at the most inopportune times for Mike Budenholzer’s men.
This has happened particularly in first and fourth quarter points of games, quarters where they are currently ranked in the bottom half of the league. This team wants to get the best shot out of every possession, but in doing so may actually play themselves out of one.
“Sometimes I think we are slowing down just a tiny bit too much, said Thabo Sefolosha. We try to get into a preferable situation, but i think the more shots the better. We will look at the tape but yes I do think we need to play faster.”
As the postseason lingers, it’s time to speed things up in the ATL.
