Atlanta Hawks Defense Improves During Three Game Winning Streak

The Atlanta Hawks have found wins difficult to come by in a season of learning and development. Lately the club has put things together with a three a game winning streak. Defense is the main ingredient to the winning formula.

The Atlanta Hawks gritted out a third consecutive victory, winning 98-95 over the Detroit Pistons. What stands out during the streak is the Hawks ability to lock down defensively. They have decreased their points allowed each game during the streak.

Defense has not been the calling card that coach Lloyd Pierce has hoped it would be thus far. Atlanta ranks number 29 in points allowed on the season. They allow 117.9 points per game. That is just one tenth of a point per game better than the Washington Wizards who allow 118.

The Hawks fare a little better at field goal percent defense. They are ranked number 23, allowing opponents to shoot 47 percent from the field. They are the number 22 team at opponents shooting percentage from two point range. Teams are shooting 52.9 percent, from inside the arch against Atlanta.

Defending the three-point line was a major problem under former coach Mike Budenholzer. Unfortunately it continues to be a major issue for the Atlanta Hawks. They rank number 29 in three-point percentage defense.

Teams are shooting 37.5 percent against Atlanta from deep. That’s the equivalent of shooting 56.25 percent from two point range, when you factor in the extra point per made basket.

The defense has been much improved over the three game winning streak. The Atlanta Hawks are only allowing 104 points per game. For reference, the Denver Nuggets allow 104.3 points per contest and that is third best in the NBA.

During the streak in which the Hawks have defeated the Wizards, Knicks, and Pistons, they have lowered their field percentage defense to allowing  just 44.4 percent. That percentage would rank fifth in the NBA, were it over the full season.

The Hawks have even tightened up the defense from downtown. The Hawks three recent victims have combined to shoot just 32.2 percent from the land beyond. One thing that has really helped the Hawks three-point defense, is they are learning to stop over helping. This is limiting the number of wide open shooters.

Sundays victory over the Detroit Pistons was one of the best defensive performances of the season for the Atlanta Hawks. The 95 points allowed is a season low. Detroit had five players in double figures in the contest, but none were able to crack 20 points.

The Hawks held Pistons star Blake Griffin to just 15 points on 4/14 shooting. All Star center Andre Drummond was held to just 13 points. Detroit was led by Langston Galloway who scored 18 points.

As a team, the Hawks limited Detroit to just 41% shooting from the floor. The Pistons made just 6/23 from downtown, a paltry 34.5 percent. In addition to not over-helping, the Hawks did a much better job of rotating to open shooters, when they did collapse on Griffin or Drummond inside.

Offensively the Hawks were even more off the mark shooting than Detroit was on the afternoon. They shot an icy 41 percent from the field and a frigid 26.1 percent from three-point range. Only Dewayne Dedmon, Vince Carter and Justin Anderson were at 50 percent or better for the game.

It was an unusual Sunday afternoon that saw Vince Carter as the Hawks leading scorer with 18 points off the bench. Alex Len was second on the club knocking in 15 points. He surprisingly got the start over Vince Carter with star John Collins nursing a sprained ankle. Trae Young added 12 points and six assists.

Kent Bazemore made a huge basket in the game. He nailed a three with just under four minutes remaining, to give Atlanta a five point lead. That was Bazemore’s only make from downtown and three of his 13 points.

Jeremy Lin played down the stretch over Trae Young. He put up six of his ten points in the fourth quarter including four free throws late to help ice the game.

A major reason the Atlanta Hawks were able to overcome their horrid shooting, was the fact that they were able to win the battle of the charity stripe. The Pistons attempted 27 free throws, two more than the Hawks, however they made only 17.

On the other hand, Atlanta made 20/25 shots from the free throw line. Interestingly enough the three-point difference at the charity stripe was the same as the margin for the game.

Another major area of the game that helped the Hawks was rebounding. The Hawks starting two centers, shocking pounded Detroit 67 to 52 on the  boards. Alex Len snatched down a game high 17 rebounds. Surprisingly Trae Young, along with Vince Carter were tied for second on the team in rebounds with seven.

The Hawks commanded the offensive glass 15 to 5. This allowed Atlanta to attempt eight more field goals, 91 to 83. More shots at the basket provided a little more margin for error  which was essential to grinding out a win.

The Atlanta Hawks will still have ups and downs, but to see some of the defensive principles Lloyd Pierce is installing be properly executed, is encouraging. He has the team mixing up coverages against the screen and roll. The Hawks sometimes switch, sometimes fight through the screen, and even trap occasionally.

There will be many obstacles on the road for the Atlanta Hawks in going from a rebuild to championship team. However one thing is for certain, the faster they become an elite defensive team, the faster they win arrive at the end of that road.

ATL All Day will have more on the Atlanta Hawks as they return to action at home on Thursday November 4 in State Farm Arena. We will also have the latest news and analysis on all of your favorite Atlanta area sports teams. Please download the FanSided app and favorite All Atlanta Sports. Happy Holidays and thank you for your support.