Thabo Sefolosha: The Atlanta Hawks X-Factor

The Atlanta Hawks acquired Thabo Sefolosha in 2014 in a sign and trade deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

A defensive specialist, the Atlanta Hawks traded for Sefolosha to bolster depth at the wing and add defense when starting SF DeMarre Carroll was on the bench. It is difficult to exactly quantify Sefolosha’s value to the Hawks last season, and it will become increasingly harder this season as he is the heir apparent to start at the 3 for the club.

Last season, the 31-year-old Thabo Sefolosha’s numbers might seem quite pedestrian to the average sports fan, averaging only 5.3 points per game while shooting 41.8 percent from the field — but to the fan that watched the Atlanta Hawks night in and night out, his presence on the court meant much more than those mundane statistics.

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In the 18.8 minutes per game that Thabo Sefolosha played for the Hawks, he brought a defensive skill-set and intensity that is difficult to find in the NBA today. Though his 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game don’t indicate spectacular play, the defensive prowess of Sefolosha allowed the Hawks to maintain a level of defensive intensity even when the starters were on the bench.

The Atlanta Hawks ranked 5th in the NBA in points allowed per game at 97.1 in the 2014-2015 season. Head Coach Mike Budenholzer’s philosophy centers around solid defensive play and unselfish distribution of the basketball; and Thabo Sefolosha’s presence perpetuated this ideal throughout the campaign. Sefolosha is able to move without the ball, cutting to the basket or setting himself up for an open jump-shot. Though his three-point percentage was not incredibly impressive at only 32.1 percent, he showed the basketball intelligence to know when to take smart shots and not to waste precious offensive possessions.

“When Sefolosha was in uniform, the Atlanta Hawks were 41-9. Yes, 41-9.”

Thabo Sefolosha’s value to the Atlanta Hawks was truly shown after he suffered two separate injuries during the season. He suffered a quadriceps injury in the midst of the Hawks record-breaking 19 game winning streak. After returning from the quad injury, Sefolosha was lost to the season due to an injury caused by the NYPD outside of a night-club. When Sefolosha was in uniform, the Atlanta Hawks were 41-9. Yes, 41-9.

Following the loss of Thabo Sefolosha for the year, the Atlanta Hawks’ went 19-13 — only 6 games over .500. Though there is not necessarily causation to assert that Thabo Sefolosha was the reason the Atlanta Hawks were only 6 games over .500 during his absence, there definitely is a correlation between his presence on the court and the Hawks’ success.

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During the 2015 postseason, the Atlanta Hawks desperately missed Sefolosha, especially against the Washington Wizard’s Paul Pierce and eventually against Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. With a hobbled DeMarre Carroll in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Hawks were unable to contain the King and his band of merry men. If Sefolosha was not injured, the Hawks would have possessed the ability to apply more defensive pressure consistently on the Cavs, which may have changed the entire complexion of the series.

Thabo Sefolosha’s importance to the Atlanta Hawks is even more significant for the upcoming season. With the loss of DeMarre Carroll to the Toronto Raptors, and wing reserves not known for their defensive specialization (Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Justin Holiday), Sefolosha’s experience and ability are more important to the team’s success than ever.

While it is not concrete that Thabo Sefolosha will become the starting SF (Bud may still want him coming off the bench) his impact on the team will help the Atlanta Hawks fill the void left by Carroll and will hopefully help propel the team into uncharted waters in the coming season.

Next: Atlanta Hawks: Will Team Rebounding Improve in 2015-2016?

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