The 10-2 Hawks Are Even Better Than You Think

Twelve games into the NBA season, it's become clear that the best team in the Eastern Conference is ... Atlanta?  For all the talk about the East being dominated by Boston, Orlando and Cleveland, the Hawks are making a pretty good case for themselves.

With last night's 105-90 win over Miami, the Hawks moved to 10-2 on the season, which ties them with Phoenix for the best record in the league.  It's not like Atlanta is doing this against an easy schedule either.  They already beat Boston in Boston, won twice against a really good Portland Trailblazers team and clobbered the Nuggets by 25.  They're also second in the league in point differential, a stat that tends to indicate that future success is on the way.

With all this in mind, it's worth asking why aren't the Hawks getting more recognition for their exploits?  They held steady at ninth in the SB Nation power rankings this week, behind three teams (Boston, Denver, Portland) that they already beat.  I realize we're not used to the Hawks being an elite team, but putting them at nine is pretty low, right?

Perhaps people are skeptical because the Hawks also started fast last year.  Atlanta won their first six games, only to eventually fade and finish 47-35 and fourth in the East.  But everyone who is following the Hawks says this year is different. 

ESPN John Hollinger was at last night's game and wrote that the Hawks have finally developed some smarts to go along with their supreme athleticism. 

We're a long way from answering whether they're actually the East's best team, but we're even further away from the "well, they're athletic" days. The effort on Wednesday night, when the Hawks ran away and hid with a 28-8 second quarter run before coasting to victory, provided further evidence.

Hollinger cites four factors have changed for Atlanta: better shot selection, particularly from Josh Smith; the veteran additions of Mike Bibby, Maurice Evans, Jamal Crawford and Joe Smith; a newfound ability to play hard every night; and stifling defense.  The bottom line, Hollinger writes, is that Atlanta was once a team that tantalized with its talent, but couldn't consistently put everything together.  So far this season, that has changed.

When we talk about individual players, however, the real key to Atlanta's season has been the improved play of Smith and Al Horford.  At least that's what SB Nation's Hawks blog, Peachtree Hoops, thinks.

The Hawks have something special going on in the front court. They are so improved it is tough to know how much of an impact they could have on the team, but right now, they are the difference in this year and last year. Sure, they might cool off a bit, Atlanta will play some stouter front lines, and opposing coaches will adjust, but watching Josh Smith and Al Horford hover over people, daring them to shoot, and then swallowing up shots that should be called something better than a block, seeing those two run the floor for dunks or follow each others' misses with dunks, own the post, draw fouls, it is hard to talk yourself out of asking, how special are these guys? Tonight? Just 26 boards and 32 points. Ho hum.

Peachtree Hoops also writes that the Hawks' renewed emphasis on the secondary break has been a huge part of their improvement.  In the past, the Hawks would either score quickly on the fast break or pull it back and run a stagnant half-court offense that usually resulted in Joe Johnson dribbling aimlessly trying to set everyone up.  Not so this season.

When they mix actual fast breaks with quick, open shots off penetration, they are deadly on offense. The team does not need to be a fast break team, but they no longer have to be a team that gets in their set with nine seconds to go on the shot clock. The offensive weapons at every position demand immediate attention and that creates mismatches quickly and open shots efficiently.

The numbers show this.  Atlanta is currently fourth in the NBA in offensive efficiency (points scored/100 possessions) and is in the top ten in shooting offense, fewest turnovers and highest offensive rebound rate. 

Regardless, it's looking more and more like this season's fast Atlanta start is no flash in the pan.  If the Hawks do indeed keep up this success, perhaps they will usher in a new philosophy on team-building.  Rather that trying for big, risky moves, like the Celtics did, perhaps clubs will rebuild the "Atlanta way."  They'll take your lumps, keep drafting young talent and keep adding in veterans along the way until slowly, but surely, a juggernaut is built.