Atlanta Hawks
Nice surprise: The Hawks have mastered the art of fundamental basketball.
They’re superior to the opposition in assists, getting to the line and limiting turnovers. We really shouldn’t be shocked, though. That’s the brand of basketball that underlined their 60-22 season last year, the same type of ball that has led the Spurs to successful season after successful season. If you can label something as a surprise, it’s probably the play of Kent Bazemore. He’s filled in nicely for DeMarre Carroll, despite being undersized.
Needs Improvement: The Hawks are getting murdered on the glass, ranking 28th in the NBA in rebounds.
If Atlanta is going to move up the ranks in the Eastern Conference, they’re going to have to be better on the defensive side of the ball, and that means rebounding the basketball at a higher rate. In addition of being the 28th best team at overall rebounds, they’re dead-last in rebounding percentage. Not good.
Next: Charlotte Hornets