Jeff Teague loves his job as a delivery man.
The Hawks’ point guard ranks second in the NBA in assists per game. It may not come as a surprise, considering his penchant for helping others to score.
“It’s just being comfortable and enjoying other people making buckets,” Teague said Tuesday of his assist totals. “I know a lot of people like to score. I like to make assists. I like to see other people’s names on the scoreboard getting those points.”
Through seven games, Teague has averaged 10.1 assists. He trails only the Clippers’ Chris Paul at 12.4. As a team, the Hawks are tied with the Heat for the league lead, with 28.0 assists per game.
Teague has five double-doubles of points and assists in the first seven games for the Hawks, who host the Knicks on Wednesday. He ranks tied for third in the NBA in the category, which includes those with double-doubles of points and rebounds.
“I think Jeff deserves the credit,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “He is seeing the floor, seeing the pass. I think when I arrived that was one of the things I was most surprised with was how well he can pace and the different paces he could play. I felt like I knew Jeff, but you never really know someone until you are around them on a daily basis. He has a real ability to pass the ball.”
Budenholzer has installed a ball-movement offense aimed at his team playing with pace and space — two more buzz words around the Hawks’ camp. The early results have been encouraging.
The Hawks (4-3) have assisted on 196 of 273 field goals, a 71.8 percent rate, second best in the NBA. They trail only the Heat at 196 of 268 (73.1 percent).
Budenholzer called the team’s assist total a good sign.
“It’s early in the season, so I don’t think we can make that much of it, but the fact that we are getting assists on a lot of our made field goals, that means we are playing together as a team,” Budenholzer said. “Part of the system and part of the way we want to play is that, playing as a team and playing as a group and limiting the one-on-one type of basketball.
“We are going to get the ball in the post, and they are going to play one-on-one, but generally we want to play two-man games and pick-and-rolls and ball movement and people movement and not a lot of standing around and one-on-one.”
The Hawks rank seventh in the NBA in scoring, with an average of 104.7 points per game. The Hawks and the Heat are the only teams that have scored more than 100 points in every game.
“When we have a lot of assists, we are playing well, we are playing together,” Teague said. “When the ball doesn’t stick in no one’s hands, then everybody is playing together and free. I think we are a better team.”
Williams a step closer to return: Hawks guard Lou Williams participated in some contact drills Tuesday, the first time he has done so during his rehabilitation from a torn ACL in his right knee.
The team will evaluate Williams’ Tuesday performance. The next step will be to clear Williams for full five-on-five contact drills. The veteran has played three-on-three and four-on-four recently.
“He’s getting closer,” Budenholzer said.
It could take a month after Williams returns to full-contact practices to be ready to play in a game. His return will bolster the Hawks’ thin backcourt.
Williams was injured Jan. 18.
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