Khadrice Rollins
krollins@ajc.com
Through three games, the Hawks have shown they have no problem taking the ball away from the opposition. And through four games, the Lakers have have shown they have no problem giving the ball away to the opposition. This makes Wednesday’s game at Philips Arena an even tougher matchup for a Los Angeles team that is on the second night of a road back-to-back.
Atlanta (3-0) is leading the NBA in steals per game right now, averaging almost 12 a night. With guard Thabo Sefolosha at the forefront of this cause, the Hawks have made opposing teams pay for being careless with the ball.
Now they welcome a Los Angeles (1-3) squad that leads the league in turnovers per game and is playing its third game in four days, all away from home.
“We have a tendency to try to make the home run pass too often,” Lakers’ coach Luke Walton said. “And a team like Atlanta … they’re looking to get their hands on those balls, in the passing lane and get out and run, so our players will be aware of that. But it’s just about hitting the next open guy, you cut hard, set hard screens, that’s how you avoid the turnovers, but it’s easier said than done.”
Going against Atlanta, it will be key second-year man D’Angelo Russell continues to protect the ball the way he has for the bulk of his young career. Russell committed just 2.5 turnovers per game while playing 28.2 minutes per contest last season.
If the Hawks can force Russell and his backup, Jordan Clarkson, to get the ball out of their hands however, they should have some opportunities to create some takeaways.
Along with Sefolosha, small forward Kent Bazemore has also shown a propensity to get his hands in the right spot whether it’s jumping a passing lane or stripping the ball handler. The pair has accounted for 15 steals already this season.
“As a group, I think there’s like a good instinct, a good feel,” Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said. “We’ve been doing it for I’d say a couple years, maybe three, and always still trying to be good and fundamental and solid defensively without emphasizing steals or turnovers, but our players are gifted and talented and they’ve been able to find that line of being solid and still creating turnovers and getting steals. I think they’re a little bit unique that way.”
