It might surprise fans new to the Hawks, but Monday’s 93-82 victory against the Detroit Pistons went as planned right down to a rebounding disparity so great as to prompt a question: how does a team get beat by 19 on the boards and yet win — by double digits, no less?
In 14 words: defense and confidence that your offense is efficient enough to cover deficiencies.
Detroit’s 61-42 rebounding edge at Philips Arena was ugly, and the Pistons’ 41 defensive rebounds on Atlanta’s 47 missed shots looked like a wart in a scab. The Hawks did not grab the first of their five offensive rebounds until there was 2:50 left in the third quarter. Even then, they led 60-56.
Coach Mike Budenholzer places such an emphasis on not getting beat down the floor in transition that:
“Bud told us before the season even started he doesn’t care if we’re last in the league in offensive rebounds; he wants us getting back and getting stops,” said guard Kyle Korver, one of three Hawks to grab six rebounds behind Paul Millsap’s seven.
Clearly, with 27 wins in the past 29 games, the Hawks (34-8) are ahead of their own curve.
They entered Monday afternoon's game next-to-last in the NBA with an average of 8.51 offensive rebounds per game.
Yet by abandoning the offensive glass Monday, when it was clear they had only a tiny of goal of corraling their missed shots, they limited Detroit to nine fast break points even as the Pistons gathered 41 defensive rebounds.
Here’s why:
NBA players are really good in the open court. When they get out and run, especially en masse with numbers advantages like those created when an opponent follows its shots too zealously, the bad guys are going to score often.
So, don’t let them run.
Perhaps that’s more valuable than getting an offensive rebound and a second shot — especially when you’re one of the NBA’s top shooting teams to begin with.
You figure there’s a good chance you’re going to score on one shot to the point where you’re less interested in getting a second if you miss and more interested in NOT allowing an easy play the other way.
So, if you can, nevermind Greg Monroe’s 16 points and 20 rebounds.
“I covered my eyes sometimes,” Budenholzer said of the rebounding. “For us, we’re prioritizing transition defense and getting back. It’s one of those things where opposites collide. They killed us on the boards. It’s not something we like, but I don’t know what else to say.”
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