Subscribe
Follow Us
When the Atlanta Hawks reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the expectations were for them to be a Top 4 seed this season. Those expectations are not close to being reached due to a plethora of reasons, like underperforming role players and unfortunate injuries up and down their rotation. Trae Young has been the only consistent contributor, but he has finally galvanized his teammates en route to their recent climb.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, Onyeka Okongwu and De'Andre Hunter are some of the incredible revelations who have raised their numbers over this impressive stretch. Their offensive rating has risen to second in the league just behind the Utah Jazz.
Aside from Young's exceptional scoring, his vision and unselfishness has been the discerning factor on why he has led Atlanta to successive victories.
With that said, we take a look why the Hawks are a lock to make the playoffs after their rather forgettable start to the campaign.
Atlanta Hawks 2021-22 NBA Playoff Chances
3. High-octane offense
With the strength of their core being the offense, Hawks head coach Nate McMillan must continuously polish and enhance for it to be close to unstoppable. As more individuals are getting healthy and searching for their touch, the wins are starting to increase for the struggling Atlanta squad.
Bogdanovic, Huerter and Danilo Gallinari are three of the most prolific shooters on the Hawks roster, and playing alongside Young gives them the liberty to jack up several open shots every game.
When Young is able to push the pace quicker, the shooters could space the floor before the opponents get into their sets. Moreover, Young has a unique decision-making skill on pick-and-roll situations, as he knows how to maneuver through any sort of opponent. With this, he is able to create terrific looks for his teammates.
This should be a facet of their team that can consistently cause headaches for others and help them lock a postseason berth.
Article Continues Below
2. Shot-blocking prowess
Clint Capela has been a brilliant acquisition for the organization, as he remains a phenomenal rim protector for the Hawks. It is well-known that Atlanta has numerous subpar defenders on their team, which opens up the driving lanes and kickouts to corner shooters. However, protecting the paint and forcing opponents to settle for contested layups could be the focus of their defensive schemes.
Young is one individual who could easily be blown by, but if Atlanta tries emulating the impeccable defense of the Cleveland Cavaliers, they could once again be a force to be reckoned with. The perimeter guys of the Cavs are not excellent defenders as well, but their team defense is predicated on forcing attackers to meet Jarrett Allen or Evan Mobley at the cup.
Capela, Okongwu and John Collins could easily block two or three shots a game, so this style of defense could finally be the answer to their early slide.
1. Exceptional shooting from long distance
Over the past years, analytics have proven that attempting 3-point shots at a high volume will result to better offensive numbers for every team. Atlanta has been one of the organizations to add a slew of shooters on their lineup because they know their franchise superstar would flourish under that kind of system. Being fifth in threes made and second in percentage over the past six games is a vital indicator on the style of offense constructed by McMillan.
When shots are raining in the State Farm Arena, it would be hard to beat this Hawks team. The streaks and rhythm their shooters are capable of producing are all on a superb level.
It will be a difficult journey for the Hawks to make the playoffs given how competitive the East is. Nonetheless, there is no doubt they have all the talents they need to dominate and make things work.
