The record stands for itself.
Several hours before the NBA trade deadline of 3 p.m. Thursday, Paul Millsap was asked whether he felt like the Hawks needed to make a trade to strengthen the team for the stretch run.
“43-11,” was his simple answer.
There you go.
The trade deadline came and went without the Hawks making a move. They will go into the final 28 regular-season games with the roster largely as it is constructed. There is a chance the Hawks could sign a free agent – one currently available or one available following a trade and buyout. However, for the most part the chemistry remains intact for the team that has shocked the NBA and returns from the All-Star break with a 6-1/2 game lead in the Eastern Conference.
There was a flurry of moves Thursday afternoon with the likes of Kevin Garnett, Michael Carter-Williams, Isaiah Thomas, Goran Dragic, Reggie Jackson, Kendrick Perkins, Enes Kanter, Aaron Afflalo, Tayshuan Prince and Norris Cole being moved.
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said Wednesday he did not anticipate the team making a trade deadline move. He offered that the Hawks would continue to look for ways to improve the team but he would happily stand with the current roster. At all times, disrupting the team chemistry was a concern. The Hawks did trade first-round pick Adreian Payne to the Timberwolves last week in a move that freed up a roster spot.
The Hawks won’t ease into the stretch run now that the All-Star break and trade deadline have past. They host the Raptors in a key conference game Friday. The Raptors are the second-place team in the East. On the line is the head-to-head tiebreaker as the Raptors are 2-1 in the season series.
“It’s imperative,” Millsap said of Friday’s game. “It’s got to be this game. It can’t be the next two games or three games. We’ve got to find our rhythm early. We’ve got to get our chemistry back early and catch fire. …
“We want to get another 19-, 20-game win streak going. We know the level of focus that takes. It’s going to be tough but we feel like we are capable of that.”
The Hawks had post All-Star break practices Wednesday and Thursday. The four all-stars, Al Horford, Kyle Korver, Jeff Teague and Millsap, were at both workouts as they were in frigid New York City and not a tropical locale like several teammates for the extended break. Budenholzer said the workouts were beneficial before jumping back into the final two months of the regular season.
“It was probably a little hit and miss,” Budenholzer said of Thursday’s workout. “There were guys who were great today and there were some guys who are still getting their rhythm back. I think to be expected coming off an All-Star break. I think by the time tomorrow comes, we’ll be in a better place than it used to be where we would have played a game already and those games coming off the All-Star break sometimes can be just not the prettiest.”
Budenholzer said he felt all the Hawks’ all-stars were able to get some enough rest for the stretch run. Millsap said he felt good after two days off.
The Hawks were 3-3 in their six games prior to the All-Star break. Millsap said he felt the team lost its focus in those final games.
“Keeping our focus the way we have all year,” Millsap said of the key to the second part of the season. “Keep it simple – first quarter, second quarter, third quarter, fourth quarter, the whole game.”
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