Atlanta Hawks: Top 10 Offense and Defense in 2016?
By John Buhler
The Atlanta Hawks finished sixth in both offensive and defensive rating in 2014-15. Are both sustainable for the team in 2015-16 with higher expectations?
Atlanta had an offensive rating of 108.9 and a defensive rating of 103.1 in 2014-15. Many knew that the Atlanta Hawks were going to play like a Top 10 offense entering last year, with offensive studs like SG Kyle Korver, PG Jeff Teague, and PF Paul Millsap. However, improving to 6th in the NBA on defense came as a surprise to most teams in the league, as Atlanta shook the basketball world with their 60 win campaign in 2014-15.
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It wasn’t possible to keep the same club intact for 2015-16, with most notably SF DeMarre Carroll departing to join the Toronto Raptors during free agency. While his defensive prowess earned him a lucrative deal with the Raptors, perhaps it was his offense that got him to the next level. How will the Atlanta Hawks account for his absence in 2015-16?
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The Hawks plan to recreate Carroll’s production in the aggregate by acquiring C Tiago Splitter on defense and SG Tim Hardaway, Jr. on offense. Getting back a reasonably healthy Thabo Sefolosha as well as a great under the radar move in Justin Holiday drastically improves the Atlanta Hawks’ depth on the wing defensively.
I expect the offense once again to thrive in HC Mike Budenholzer’s system. The core four of Teague, Korver, Millsap and C Al Horford will have another year under their belt as starters for Coach Bud. Unless something catastrophic happens to two of these four All-Stars, expect the Atlanta Hawks to once again play at a Top 10 level offensively.
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However, I think the defense of the 2015-16 Atlanta Hawks will actually be better than the group we saw last year. I don’t know if we’re the same level as Golden State, Milwaukee, or Utah, but by bringing in players like Splitter and Holiday, I can see the defensive identity of this team to emerge as one of the best in basketball.
The moves that the Atlanta Hawks’ front office made has put them in position to again contend in the upper crust of the Eastern Conference. Atlanta should again have routinely strong showings in their 30 games against the Western Conference. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Atlanta go 20-10 against the West this winter.
With what experts are calling as a Top 10 team in the league, the Atlanta Hawks should finish in the Top 10 both on offense and defense in 2015-16. Don’t be shocked to see Atlanta creep into the Top 5 defensively this year while falling back to around 8th on offense. It might actually better serve the Hawks to become a more defensive-minded team since the offensive part of the game comes naturally to most of the squad’s 15 players. Let’s Go Hawks!
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