https://theringer.com/atlanta-hawks-cavaliers-identity-shift-paul-millsap-7c6e8a523351#.t3mgmgqu5 Atlanta earned a confidence boost by handing the defending champs their first loss of the season, but how much will that mean come playoff time? It was just one night in early November, but the Hawks’ seventh game of the season carried a psychological burden. Prior to Atlanta’s 110–106 victory over Cleveland on Tuesday, it was staring at an 11-game losing streak to the Cavaliers in the span of just under one full calendar year — three regular-season losses sandwiched by two consecutive postseason sweeps at the hands of LeBron James and Co. More so than any other Eastern Conference also-ran in the shadow of James’s long trail of dominance, the Hawks can be defined specifically by their inability to shake LeBron. Atlanta’s team identity over the past few seasons, built on spacing and aggressive team defense, has been as strong as any in the league, but its DNA changes sequence against LeBron; it becomes unwound. On Tuesday, the Hawks used a different look and approach. It worked. We can chalk that up to it being one night in early November, but desperation is the greatest agent of change. Before the game, Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer downplayed just how haunted his guys have been by LeBron and the Cavaliers. “If you spend too much time obsessing about a team or a player, you may not ever even play that team or that player in the playoffs,” Budenholzer told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “You just have to put together the best team possible with as many good players as possible and that is what is going to give you your best chance. You make a mistake chasing something that is that specific.” This is a perfectly reasonable thing to say about a team in a league of 30, wherein each, just before the ball is tipped, conceivably has a 50–50 chance of winning — wherein teams rarely have the power to determine postseason matchups. But life imitates art through metaphor: With 2:11 remaining in the third quarter Tuesday night, the Hawks found themselves in a 1-on-5 situation trying to defend LeBron in the fast break. Consider this a physical rejoinder to Budenholzer’s comments: The Hawks were given a face-lift during the offseason, whether it was a direct response to the threat of LeBron or not. In swapping out Al Horford for Dwight Howard, part of the Hawks’ core identity was fundamentally altered. Having a frontcourt of Horford and Paul Millsap meant the Hawks were best suited leveraging their quickness up front. In lieu of traditional rim protection, they would blitz pick-and-rolls, crowd the ball, and trap. It was an exercise in discipline and chemistry; every defensive possession was its own trust fall. That frantic style of defense only works if all five men on that side of the ball are committed. But when the gears begin to wear down and you’re staring back at a wholly superior opponent, it’s nearly impossible to sustain at the level required to win out against a championship contender. Bringing in Howard meant that Atlanta’s base pick-and-roll philosophy would have to change. Instead of protecting the painted area by having the entire team swarm and recover, the Hawks have allowed Dwight to do what he’s done well his entire career: drop back and single-handedly patrol the paint. Because of how blitzing drew frontline defenders away from the basket, the Hawks of the Horford-Budenholzer mini-era consistently ranked among the worst defensive rebounding teams in the league. During matchups with Cleveland, that played right into the Cavs’ hands. Tristan Thompson is one of the three best offensive rebounders in basketball, and in last season’s second-round sweep he averaged more offensive rebounds (six) than defensive rebounds (five) per game. The Cavs shot the 3 at historic rates in that series; when they missed, they revived possessions at an abnormal clip for another go at it. If there was any immediate course corrective following the Hawks’ second straight embarrassment at the hands of Cleveland, addressing the rebounding issue was it. They were able to snag only 46.3 percent of the rebounds in that series against the Cavs, and their 69 percent defensive rebounding percentage was more than 5.5 points lower than their regular-season figure. By installing an elite rim protector on defense, the Hawks have recommitted themselves to the defensive glass, while lessening the amount of wear their perimeter players have to endure on the defensive end. Budenholzer might not admit it, but acquiring Dwight was very much a decision made to negate the glaring advantages that Cleveland waved in the face of Atlanta. So far, so good. The Hawks are 5–2, with a win over the champs in the books. Atlanta was the best defensive team in the league once the calendar rolled over to 2016 last season, and it’s been no less impressive this fall, holding teams to 95.3 points per 100 possessions, a top-five mark. What’s changed is now it’s a top-five rebounding team, too. The Hawks still show glimpses of their old mode of play — Millsap has been slotted at the 5 at times this season as a curveball, and those lineups rely on Millsap to stay in front of his man and long, athletic wings like Thabo Sefolosha and Kent Bazemore to help cover him — but the addition of Dwight allows the team to dial back the intensity without sacrificing results. The Hawks now have a true anchor down in the paint; as such, Howard has lifted some of the burden from the team’s group-oriented defense. One of the more encouraging things to take away from the Hawks’ win on Tuesday was Howard’s demeanor on the floor. He attempted only five shots in the game, making three, and took four free throws. He was targeted on a few lobs in the pick-and-roll, but the offensive game plan wasn’t ceded to him. He looked secure in his dominance, even though it didn’t manifest in the points column. Howard had 17 rebounds, 15 on the defensive end, and completely eclipsed Thompson, who had two rebounds on the game, neither on the offensive glass. Howard was another face in the crowd, doing his job and doing it well. This isn’t his team. More at the link
Hawks are playing better than expected given the changes. I put this on Budenholzer. He's a great coach. That said nobody can seriously expect them to come out of the East at this time.
It's early, Dwight always starts out happy, but rarely does it end well. Dwight is not knowledgeable enough about basketball to GM or coach, but he's just influential enough to get the ear of those two pivotal team roles. This is where his malice unintentionally begins. If he had a good attitude, the sky was the limit for him. ...Too bad for all those that latch on like I did...
