While the Hawks’ franchise remains in perpetual confusion off the court — with one owner exiled, the others in flux and a general manager in relative purgatory — the on-court product is exhibiting traits we’re generally not accustomed to in Atlanta.
Stable. Professional. Exceedingly efficient.
They have won seven consecutive, their longest streak since 2009. They are 14-6 — not 5-8 and several blocks from respectability like the Falcons (NFC South mathematics notwithstanding), or stuck in a well-disguised rebuild mode like the Braves.
The Hawks just make sense. They don’t have the kind of team that will light up a marquee or spin turnstiles. They just win. And as a bonus, they’re not asking for a new arena.
Now, we can nitpick about how the Hawks have played a weak schedule and nothing in the standings in any league really matters until you make the second-half turn. But the fact that they’ve gone from an off-court grease fire in September (see: Bruce Levenson email; Danny Ferry scouting report) to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference says something about this team.
It also says something about Mike Budenholzer. He knows what he’s doing.
Last year, Budenholzer implemented a new system, helped guard Jeff Teague elevate his game and nearly led a beat-up roster minus Al Horford and others to a first-round playoff upset of Indiana. But to replicate that effort and improvement in Year 2, against the backdrop of franchise buffoonery, wasn’t a given.
Budenholzer, who took on the added title of interim general manager, said before the season that he didn’t believe his players would be distracted by the front-office issues.
“I was more concerned that we were bringing everybody back, and sometimes when you do that everybody thinks, ‘Well, it’s just going to happen,’ and they don’t realize how hard you have to work.”
Teams are a reflection of their coach. If players haven’t been distracted and maintained their same work ethic and mentality of a year ago, credit to Budenholzer. He’s probably the only non-polarizing coach on Atlanta-area teams, pro or college.
“We have talented players. It bothers me when people say we don’t,” Budenholzer said. “But we have to play a certain way. We have to understand our identity. I love the challenge. Some of the greatest teams have had both (stars and work ethic). That’s probably the Holy Grail. But the LeBrons and the Duncans of eight to 10 years ago is not how we’re building here.”
No Holy Grail here. Teague is the Hawks’ leading scorer at 17.5 points per game. That ranks 32nd in the NBA. Paul Millsap is their leading rebounder at 7.7. That ranks 29th.
Other than the possibly alien 3-point shooter, Kyle Korver, the Hawks don’t have a lot of big shooters. Yet, they’re averaging 103.7 points (third in the East, seventh in the league) and 47.5 percent shooting (first in the East, fourth in the league). They’re small up front and not particularly intimidating on defense. Yet, their 99 points per game allowed ranks fifth in the East and 11th overall.
The schedule has been kind. There were 14 teams with winning records going into Tuesday. The Hawks have played only four of the other 13 — Toronto, San Antonio, Washington, Cleveland — and are 1-4. Their strength of schedule, based on opponents’ overall winning percentage of .423, ranks last in the league.
So it’s reasonable to wonder: How dangerous is this team?
“I have no idea,” Budenholzer said. “I don’t think of it in those terms. When you play a schedule, you just play. The most important thing is that we build on good habits and we understand how we want to play. If I see those things, I’m much less concerned about wins and losses, who we’re playing and not playing, whether we’re dangerous or not dangerous.”
They’re undersized. Again. But the team’s defense in the paint and at the rim has significantly improved, especially by Al Horford. The top five scorers, from Teague (17.5) to DeMarre Carroll (11.8) are separated by less than six points. Backup point guard Dennis Schroder is becoming increasingly comfortable and is a nice weapon off the bench. The team ranks fourth in assists. They function, unlike units of Hawks ghosts past.
How seriously should this team be taken? The next few months will answer that. But with Budenholzer, it’s easy to see the upside.
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