The Hawks returned to work Monday and looked happier about it than before the weekend.
They staggered into the All-Star break with losses in eight of 12 games. The Hawks’ bodies and minds were tired from the compressed schedule, and their demeanor often suggested they could use some time apart.
After defeating Orlando on Thursday to stop a three-game losing streak, the Hawks went their separate ways for four days of rest, relaxation and space.
“I can see our guys needed [the break] not just from a physical standpoint but from a mental standpoint,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. “It’s good to get away from everybody. I’m sure they were glad to get away from me, and now we will look to finish up the second half of the season.”
With 32 games remaining in the lockout-shortened season the Hawks (20-14) stand sixth in the Eastern Conference, on track to qualify for one of eight playoff spots. That’s respectable considering they had a particularly busy schedule to start the season and have lost key players to injuries.
But the Hawks are only 6-12 against opponents with winning records and trailed by at least 20 points in seven of their last eight losses. Those are potential warning signs since their ultimate goal is to improve on their second-round playoff exits in the last seasons.
A look at what went wrong and right for the Hawks in the first half of the season:
What went right
Defense: The Hawks have continued to defend well even without Horford, who is a very good and versatile defender.
They rank seventh in the NBA in points allowed per possession. While that doesn’t quite put them in elite company, it’s better than defensive-minded teams such as Indiana and Orlando and not much worse than their pace before Horford’s injury.
Much of the credit goes to Johnson, forward Josh Smith and center Zaza Pachulia.
Smith, always an important frontcourt defender for the Hawks, has taken on an even larger role without his “Bash Brother” Horford to help him defend the rim. Though he’s now expending more energy on offense, Smith has significantly increased his rates for blocks, steals and defensive rebounds.
Pachulia has started 20 games in place of Horford and has been strong on defense against some good counterparts. Before the knee gave him problems, Johnson was noticeably more active on defense.
Veterans: The Hawks' payroll was pushing against the luxury-tax threshold entering the season, and the team's owners were reluctant to pay the dollar-for-dollar penalty. That meant general manager Rick Sund had to fill in the margins around his core group with minimum-salaried free agents.
He managed to do it for the most part. Guards Willie Green and Jannero Pargo and forwards Vladimir Radmanovic and Tracy McGrady all have had stretches of strong play that contributed to Hawks victories.
A rookie: Ivan Johnson figured to be just another fringe rookie invited to camp to fill out the roster, soon to be waived and forgotten. That's what happens to some drafted prospects, much less a 27-year-old with a history of anger-management problems.
But Johnson made the roster with a strong camp, performed well when Drew gave him chances early in the season and eventually became part of the frontcourt rotation. He was the backup center at one point because of the injuries to Horford and Collins.
Johnson has slid to the end of the rotation recently, in large part because of his shaky offense, but the Hawks would have been in serious trouble in the frontcourt without their unlikely rookie contributor.
What went wrong
Health: Two seasons ago the Hawks enjoyed remarkably good health. They also were pretty lucky last season, with the exception of an elbow injury that plagued All-Star guard Joe Johnson.
That good run of wellness came to an emphatic end this season.
First All-Star center Al Horford went down with a torn pectoral muscle that will keep him out at least three months. Later his backup, Jason Collins, was lost for at least a month because of an elbow injury. Last week Johnson finally shut it down after he no longer could tolerate the tendinitis flaring up in his left knee.
No wonder when Drew was asked about his biggest concern for the rest of the season, he answered: “Injuries.”
Johnson is expected to return to the lineup this week, Collins is out at least another week, and Horford hopes to return by the end of the regular season.
Chemistry: The core group of Hawks players always have seemed to like each other and generally get along. They've shown the ability to band together when outsiders doubt them, such as their playoff series victory against Orlando last season or their initial surge in the wake of Horford's injury.
But when things go bad for the Hawks, they can go really bad. And when that happens, players seem more focused on scowling and fussing at each other than bearing down to get back in games. The bickering bleeds over into their effort and execution.
“The chemistry, it’s definitely tough when we start losing,” Johnson said. “You can probably read guys’ body language. It’s something we really have to work on as a team, especially myself. I know when things start to go a little sour for us we all tend to hang our heads a little bit.”
Offense: The Hawks rank 18th of 30 teams in points scored per possession (a better measure than points per game because it takes pace into account).
Some slippage was expected since Horford is their most efficient scorer, but the Hawks still have enough offensive talent to score better than that. Drew offers a simple explanation for how the Hawks can improve the offense. “We just have to make shots,” he said. “That’s what it comes down to.”
But the Hawks might find it easier to score if they were better at generating more efficient shots. According to hoopdata.com, only two teams in the league attempt more long two-point shots per game, and those are the least efficient shots. The Hawks rank 16th in the shots per game they attempt at the basket and 24th in the percentage they make from there.
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