Despite a shaky start to the year, the Atlanta Hawks destined for the NBA playoffs again. Can they make any noise once they get there?
Paul Millsap is currently sidelined nursing his left knee, but there are no serious concerns according to Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer. Kent Bazemore and Mike Dunleavy both join Millsap on the injury report for Atlanta, though the latter is likely to return.
The Hawks still need to clinch a playoff berth, so they’ll need all the help they can get, but their chances are looking good.
Given the circumstances, the Hawks look primed for a strong postseason. Dwight Howard has turned out being a decent acquisition and he’s worked well with Dennis Schroder, who’s averaging a career-high 6.2 assists this season. Howard’s defense at the rim has been largely useful in place of Al Horford‘s summer exit.
His career-high 63.7 percent shooting is a nice bonus this year as well.
Millsap, meanwhile, has managed to average a career-high 18.1 points per game along with consistent defensive pressure. The pairing of Howard and Millsap has been mostly effective in recent months, but, like most teams, the Hawks needed to develop chemistry to reach that point. When it comes to the Eastern Conference playoff picture, Howard might have a tough time matching up against other bigs, which could ultimately limit offensive and defensive opportunities for him.
The primary candidates that would guard Howard are Horford, Hassan Whiteside, Myles Turner and Serge Ibaka, all highly capable big men on the defensive end.
Millsap won’t have any easy matchups himself, considering Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and Paul George are readily available. There’s even the possibility of Jae Crowder taking the responsibility of guarding Millsap. Each of these guys will limit Millsap’s perimeter scoring potential, forcing him inside against the aforementioned centers.
Millsap is still a formidable scorer, so he’ll find his shots wherever he can. If things aren’t working out for him, the other options on the floor are just as satisfactory. Dunleavy provides a three-point threat every night and Bazemore is adept at scoring from all points of the court. His shooting numbers are a bit down this year, but he’s still offered 11 points per game for the Hawks. Ersan Ilyasova has also been a viable option in the frontcourt, as he’s averaged 10.5 points per game on a slash line of .485/.488/.811 in 14 games for the Hawks.
Budenholzer has seemingly taken a liking to Taurean Prince in the Hawks’ recent stretch. The rookie has scored in double-digits three times in the last six games. Prince has also managed to have games with two, four and three blocks in that stretch, a nice indicator of his defensive presence at the rim.
The Hawks also need Tim Hardaway to continue playing well if they hope to be an offensive juggernaut. He’s averaged 16.9 points per game following the All-Star Break to go along with 39 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Hardaway’s scoring has been far better this season than any year previous, and he’s been making his 26 minutes per game count. His defense and ball-handling leave much to be desired, but his scoring will largely decide much of the tempo for the Hawks.
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Despite the Atlanta Hawks losing five straight, it’s reassuring to see that the team has some depth to work with, and that helps evaluate how effective they can be, come playoffs. Health is the primary issue at the moment, but once this team is healthy, they are just as official as any other squad in the East.