It was not a coincidence that the Hawks opened training camp with a defensive drill.
The team began the first three days of camp on the campus of the University of Georgia Tuesday working on defense, both drills and concepts.
Call it the buzzword of Training Camp 2014.
“If we want to get to where we want to be, we are going to have to be better defensively,” coach Mike Budenholzer said. “As a group, we want to have a defensive identity. So if the first thing you do in practice, hopefully you are carrying through with your actions and your words with what we are talking about and where we want to improve and where we want to be good.”
Budenholzer and players said improving the team’s transition defense is the top priority. It was an issue at times last season as Budenholzer and his staff installed new principles.
The Hawks were 14th in the NBA last season allowing 104.1 points per game. All 13 teams ahead of them made the playoffs.
“Definitely transition defense,” Jeff Teague said of the camp agenda. “The league is a lot faster defensively all over and we definitely have to step it up. We know we can score the basketball but defensively is where we need to make our mark and our staple. That is what we are focusing on now.”
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