Four Keys to Atlanta Hawks Beating Dallas Mavericks
While the Atlanta Hawks are far from out of the woods, they are beginning to gel as a team. Atlanta has won their last three games and is fully healthy entering tonight's game against the Dallas Mavericks.
Every time Atlanta and Dallas face off, much will be made of the blockbuster trade that went down at the 2018 NBA Draft. All eyes on the nationally-televised game will be locked on Trae Young and Luka Doncic. Below are the four keys to victory for Atlanta in tonight's matchup.
Pace
While Atlanta and Dallas both have ball-dominant guards that pick-and-roll their opponents to death, the two teams' play styles contrast sharply. Atlanta plays at the ninth-fastest pace in the league, while Dallas ranks next to last.
Players, coaches, announcers, and fans all agree that Atlanta plays their best basketball when they are out and running. With a healthy lineup, there is no excuse to settle back into a methodical half-court offense during tonight's game.
Defense
There have been plenty of disappointing aspects to the season for Atlanta so far. However, the team's improvement on defense has been a major silver lining. Currently, Atlanta ranks 12th in defensive rating.
The outcome of tonight's game will largely hinge on Atlanta's ability to stop Doncic and Dallas' three-point attack. Dallas ranks third in three-pointers made and attempted.
Trae Young fouls Luka Doncic.
© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Rebounding
Atlanta must win at the margins to overcome the odds in tonight's game. Limiting second-chance points is one obvious way to pull out a road win. Atlanta is an average rebounding team, but Dallas ranks last in the league in rebounds per game.
Capela looked good in his first game back on Monday, and Onyeka Okongwu has shown continued improvement this season. Outside of Christian Wood, Dallas doesn't have any post players capable of rebounding at a high rate. This is an area where Atlanta should excel.
Shot Diet
One of the more maddening characteristics of Atlanta has been their incomplete games this season. They have often raced out to first-half leads and let their double-digit advantages slowly fizzle into the fourth quarter.
The team's inconsistent play can often be traced to settling on offense. Despite their recent success, Atlanta still has an unhealthy shot (too many midrange shots and not enough three-point attempts or free throws). Consistent play for Atlanta can be equated to a healthy shot selection.
