The Atlanta Hawks are the hottest team in the league right now. They have set a franchise record for consecutive wins with 15 and have taken down the Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls during it. Their last game was a home win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in which the Hawks' defense limited Kevin Durant and came from behind to extend their streak.
The Hawks’ winning streak shows they are a real contender
Their 15-game winning-streak has cemented the Hawks’ status as the second-best team in the league behind the Warriors.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Their next five opponents are the Minnesota Timberwolves, Brooklyn Nets, the undermanned Trail Blazers, the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Orleans Pelicans missing their starting point guard, before a real test arrives when they host the Wizards on Feb. 4. It's not unthinkable for the streak to span all of January and reach 20 before the schedule becomes more demanding. Even if the streak is snapped earlier, what the Hawks have done is remarkable. Here are some of the most noteworthy aspects of Atlanta's last 15 victories.
The Hawks’ defense is better than ever
The Hawks' defense was a problem last season and their personnel suggested it would continue to limit their potential. There are no rim protectors or anyone with wing stopper credentials and Jeff Teague's size often puts him at a disadvantage against the league's big point guards. Surprisingly, Atlanta has been able to make up for individual deficiencies with terrific team defense by playing to its strengths and disrupting the opponent's offense with physicality. Before the streak, they had the seventh best defense in the league, allowing 101.1 points per 100 possessions, a huge upgrade over the 14th place and 104.1 points they averaged last season.
During the streak, the Hawks defense has found another gear. The Hawks have allowed just 95.8 points per 100 possessions, a mark that would lead the league if it was sustained throughout the season. Only the Milwaukee Bucks boast a better defensive rating during the past 15 games. They are getting 1.5 more steals per game while their opponents are shooting 2.4 percentage points worse from the field and 1.6 percentage points worse on three-pointers.
Those numbers might not sound like much, but they add up to have a huge impact on games. Even more impressive has been the improvement in rim protection. Atlanta went from allowing a field goal percentage of 60.1 within five feet of the basket -- the eight highest mark in the league -- to a respectable 57.2 percent. If they can keep their defense functioning at that level, few teams can compete with them.
Their stars are playing better
The Hawks were a decent offensive team before the streak, ranking 11th in the league with a 105.7 offensive rating. They use the three-point shot as one of their best weapons and pass the ball around, racking up assists. It was exactly the type of approach a team with no elite one-on-one scorer and a predilection for half-court offense was supposed to use and it was working. Their attack was balanced, which helped mask mediocre offensive years for Al Horford and Teague.
While the Hawks' philosophy of ball movement and unselfishness has remained the same, Horford has improved his assist numbers significantly during the streak while his turnovers have dwindled. After getting back in rhythm following a lengthy injury, Horford is back to being the facilitator he's always been, only now he has better teammates to pass to. For his part, Teague has been scoring and assisting at a higher rate for the past 15 games despite playing fewer minutes. With those two guys stepping up to flank the always reliable Paul Millsap and DeMarre Caroll, along with the best shooter in the game in Kyle Korver, the Hawks have been able to score at a rate of 109.2 points per 100 possessions, the fourth-best mark in the league during the span.
The passing is beautiful
The Hawks have focused on ball movement more than any other team since Mike Budenholzer took over as coach. They ranked second in assists per game and led the league in assist opportunities and points created by assists last season. This year they trail only the Golden State Warriors in all three categories. Six players average over two assists per game while Teague -- on top of ranking sixth in assists per game this season -- is third in secondary (or hockey) assists per game. No one has an ego in Atlanta, not even during a long winning streak.
As that play shows, the Hawks don’t settle for good shots but instead look for great ones. That’s an out of bounds play likely designed for Carroll all along. But Horford is a former All-Star, the highest paid player on the team and is shooting 48.7 percent from mid-range. No one would have said anything had he pulled the trigger. Instead, he made the extra pass. During their streak that focus on sharing the ball has only intensified.
The supporting cast has stepped up
The Hawks' starting five figured to be one of the best in the league and it has lived up to expectations. They rank sixth in the league in net rating among units that have been on the floor at least 300 minutes. The supporting cast, however, was a question mark. Danny Ferry went for bargains, not experienced players. He traded explosive bench scorer Lou Williams away. The rotation outside the main five is comprised of shooting big men Pero Antic and Mike Scott, second-year point guard Dennis Schröeder, Shelvin Mack, Thabo Sefolosha and Kent Bazemore at the wing. Those names didn't inspire fear and they all struggled to start the season.
That has changed. Antic went from shooting 29.3 percent on three-pointers to 39 percent during the streak. Sefolosha from 21.1 percent to 42.9 percent. Scott has upped his rebounding to go with his deft shooting while Shröeder has filled in well for Teague despite struggling with his shot. With Mack out, Bazemore is getting more minutes and doing well in his new role by providing boundless energy and solid shooting. The Hawks have gone from being a top-heavy team to being able to go nine deep without suffering too big a drop off when the starters get a break.
Is it sustainable?
The Hawks are playing at such a high level that it seems impossible to sustain. The problems that were there at the beginning of the season are still very much real. The team lacks rim protection, a bailout one-on-one scorer and is too reliant on outside shots. What they have been able to do during the streak is hide those weaknesses better than anyone had anticipated by getting a boost from a rejuvenated Horford and their system. Now their confidence is so high and their execution so good that there’s little teams can do to exploit the Hawks’ handicaps.
Whether Atlanta can continue to play like the second-best team in the league during the regular season and cruise through the playoffs remains to be seen. The key will be their supporting cast continuing to play well, giving Budenholzer options. Other than that, what has been going on in Atlanta these past 15 days doesn’t seem like a fluke. The Hawks have good players who know their role and execute it beautifully, possessing the athleticism and toughness to survive the physicality that is often the bane of finesse team’s existence. The Warriors are the best team in the league but the Hawks are not that far behind.
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