Atlanta Hawks Playoff Rotation: What Could Change vs New York in Game Six

The Atlanta Hawks are facing elimination after back to back blowout losses to the New York Knicks. After taking the series lead against the Knicks last week, New York has punched back and punched back hard, winning the last two games in dominant fashion, and there do not appear to be any answers for the Hawks to try against one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

But it is game six and facing elimination, anything is on the table tomorrow night for the Hawks. Their biggest problems in this series have been shooting, being unable to guard Karl-Anthony Towns effectively), their halfcourt offense, being unable to get anything going in transition, and the bench. While there are no surefire solutions to these problems (and offense just boils down to just needing to shoot better and being more careful with the ball), it is game six and their season is on the line.

What could Quin Snyder do tomorrow to try and find something that works and increase Atlanta's chances of winning?

Buddy Hield time?

There are some bench roles that are not going to change for the Hawks going forward in the series. Jonathan Kuminga, Mo Gueye/Tony Bradley, and Gabe Vincent are going to see minutes, but Corey Kispert, who has seen minutes in this series since game two in place of Zaccharie Risacher, might need to be replaced.

While putting Buddy Hield out there is not going to solve every problem, I think Quin Snyder needs to give him a stint to see if he can help with some of the shooting and offensive flow.

Hield has not been in the Hawks rotation at all since being acquired along wth Jonathan Kuminga at the trade deadline, but Hield is still one of the best shooters in the NBA and could give the Hawks offense a spark. Kispert has not hit a three in the games that he has played this series and has generally been ineffective in all aspects. Hield could give the Hawks a better threat as a shooter and someone the Knicks have to account for.

But there are drawbacks. There is a reason that Hield has not been in the rotation, and that is because of his defense. He would get picked on by the Knicks as soon as he gets on the court, and the Hawks would have to account for that. Still, I don't think it can be any worse than what Kispert is giving the team, and it might be time to just try someone else to give Atlanta a spark if Atlanta is going to play nine guys.

Other options

Zaccharie Risacher had a tough two-minute stint in the first half of game one earlier in the series and he has not been seen since. I think that he is a much better player than Kispert and would give the Hawks more on both ends.

Unless Jock Landale comes back, the Hawks are going to be stuck between a rock and a hard place with Mouhamed Gueye and Tony Bradley as the backup center. There is no other reasonable solution for the Hawks at the spot. Could they play rookie Asa Newell? Sure, but he is not ready for the physicality of the Knicks centers and would struggle on defense. I don't expect that to happen.

Conclusion

Quin Snyder does not make rash decisions with the rotation and the simple answer is that nothing may change or he could just cut the rotation and play eight players, the starters plus Kuminga, Vincent, and one of Gueye or Bradley, and cut Kispert from the rotation. With it being a do or die situation, the starters should be playing minutes into the high 30's.

Could he replace Kispert with Hield or Risacher? That could be on the table.

The thing is, none of these things alone is going to save the Hawks. Their best players have to play better on both ends of the floor if they want to send this to a game seven.

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