A Look at the Hawks' Playbook (w/ Video)

[mrhonline]

http://nbaplaybook.com/2010/10/18/looking-at-the-new-atlanta-hawks-offense/

[coachx]

Nice find, Mr. H !

I have not been able to see any pre-season this year but seeing all 4 guys move without the ball is more then refreshing. I'm really looking foward to seeing how good this team will be.

In order to run this offense right you need alot of shooters and ball handlers. Every one must be a threat to score and this team has that. As Sund has said many times, "this team is as good as the sum of its part." This offense, with multiple scoring threats, is perfect for this type of roster makeup.

Drew will really have to play his bench if he wants to get consistent defensive intensity and transition play. That offense takes away alot of energy with all the movement. No one should average over 34 mpg if we expect to run that type of offense consistently while playing intense defense and getting the run game going when the oppurtunity presents itself.

I'd like to see regular substitution patters, around the 7 or 8 minute mark, EARLY in the 1st quarter when playing this style. No player should play more then 9 consecutive minutes when playing this brand of ball.

Rather then simply tracking how many minutes a guy plays......an assistant will need to track how hard they are actually working (trips down the floor, #'s screens he runs around on both defense and offense, times hitting the floor, how many times he is forced to sprint, etc.) The Falcons (Dimitroff) are actually doing some ground breaking training where players wear monitors that record their heart rate and performance correlations when practicing. Each player has a different drop off in terms of endurance effecting their performance. I'd like for the Hawks to get in on that to maximize this style and to get 1 up on the competition.

Edited October 18, 2010 by coachx

[Diesel]

In order to run this offense right you need alot of shooters and ball handlers. Every one must be a threat to score and this team has that. As Sund has said many times, "this team is as good as the sum of its part." This offense, with multiple scoring threats, is perfect for this type of roster makeup.

Drew will really have to play his bench if he wants to get consistent defensive intensity and transition play. That offense takes away alot of energy with all the movement. No one should average over 34 mpg if we expect to run that type of offense consistently while playing intense defense and getting the run game going when the oppurtunity presents itself.

I

I think this is why Drew wanted to run this offense in the first place. Yes, there is more chance of turnover but it gets everybody involved, we have the personnel for it and it makes our primetime players like Joe better. Joe will see more 1 on 1 opportunities when we run this offense correctly. I'm of the opinion that nobody can really stop Joe one on one. No two and very few threes can stop Joe 1 on 1. You couple that with an offense that moves and attacks and I really like what Drew is doing. Guys will see more wide open shots. When Tubby was at UK, he ran some variations of the flex. In college, you're limited to your talent. However, when he had his son and Rondo at the guard positions, he was success even though neither of those guys could shoot. Having Joe Johnson, Jamal Crawford, Mike Bibby as our guard trio... We will murder teams who try to play zone and not matchup correctly. Not to mention Horf in the post. I really hope that Horf has developed his post up skills. In the flex, he should have a post up opportunity every time down.

Another NBA who will probably run the flex is NJ. I know Avery Used it with the Mavs. If he uses it with NJ, it will be that much better because he has a C who can score in the post. He will have to wait on the shooters.

Right Now, Jobs 1 and 2 are getting condition physically and mentally to run the flex and 2. Fixing the defense.

LD is right, nobody can be lazy on this team.

[DrReality]

If/when we lose to The Griz that's when the sky will start to fall.

[JTB]

that was great to watch! im really understanding what LD is trying to do with this team and as the season moves on the hawks will get better at running this style of play. To be honest they dont look bad at all against washington here in the vids. They ran the offense really good. I know there are going to be turnovers but its apart of the game, the important thing here is that our whole team is being used more and thats what needed to change.

By the way I know orlando beat us down but thats only because the hawks again lost confidence. if they keep up with the gameplan and dont lose confidence, not even D. Howard can stop this LD offense, it too much motion....Anyways we run the offense with more confidence to me the hawks win more games and become an elite team their destined to be. Of course the defense needs to be able to step it up too! ood job so far for LD though.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

JTB . . . what Orlando did is what they always do to us . . make us take long jumpers and contested shots. And that's how you beat this offense, by forcing those types of shots. And especially if you're Orlando playing us, because we're scared of challenging Dwight Howard by going right at him. They know that we'll settle for jumpers, rather than get something going toward the rim. Dwight definitely knows it.

Drew is NOT running anything groundbreaking here. Eddie Jordan tried the same thing in Philly last year, and it failed miserably.

The movement is very nice. But as we saw last night, a good defensive team can defend it. At one point late in the 1st half, the starting 5 + Jamal Crawford were a combined 2 - 22 FG.

Let me repeat that . .

2 - 22 FG . . . that's 9% shooting.

We don't have great outside shooters on this team. Jamal and JJ are streaky from 16 feet and out. Jordan looks to be just like JJ and Jamal in his streakiness. Marvin's shot was off last year. Bibby's shot was off last year. Mo Evans' shot was off last year. Teague couldn't make the few jumpers he got. And Josh Smith can't shoot at all.

Al Horford was our best midrange shooter last year. But in this offense, he may not get an increase in touches. It may even go down, if we also have to cut his minutes for fear of overfatiguing him.

When ran correctly, this offense can definitely work. But we can't settle for open jumpers all the time. We have to cut to the basket and go all the way to the hole as wel. At the very least, fouls have to be drawn and points scored at the FT line, for this offense to work.

The most important thing that Drew has to do, is recognize what is working. If it's motion, stick with it. But if it isn't working, he better have the flexibility to run what does work, and stick with it . . . even if it's ISO-JOE.

Edited October 20, 2010 by northcyde

[Diesel]

Drew is NOT running anything groundbreaking here. Eddie Jordan tried the same thing in Philly last year, and it failed miserably.

T

Philly = No shooters to be found.

AI took the most 3 pters on that team and he's a .310 shooter from three. We had Joe, Jamal, and Bibby shooting more than 300 3 pters and shooting over 36.9% from distance.

You can't run this offense if you don't have shooters.

Plus, Philly's front court players don't pass. Smoove had 342 assists..... He had more assists than their whole front court and BUs combined.

Philly would have been better trying to dump it down to Brand and play Iso Brand.

[jy23]

Philly = No shooters to be found.

AI took the most 3 pters on that team and he's a .310 shooter from three. We had Joe, Jamal, and Bibby shooting more than 300 3 pters and shooting over 36.9% from distance.

You can't run this offense if you don't have shooters.

Plus, Philly's front court players don't pass. Smoove had 342 assists..... He had more assists than their whole front court and BUs combined.

Philly would have been better trying to dump it down to Brand and play Iso Brand.

+1.....you cant compare that team with ours

[JTB]

JTB . . . what Orlando did is what they always do to us . . make us take long jumpers and contested shots. And that's how you beat this offense, by forcing those types of shots. And especially if you're Orlando playing us, because we're scared of challenging Dwight Howard by going right at him. They know that we'll settle for jumpers, rather than get something going toward the rim. Dwight definitely knows it.

Drew is NOT running anything groundbreaking here. Eddie Jordan tried the same thing in Philly last year, and it failed miserably.

The movement is very nice. But as we saw last night, a good defensive team can defend it. At one point late in the 1st half, the starting 5 + Jamal Crawford were a combined 2 - 22 FG.

Let me repeat that . .

2 - 22 FG . . . that's 9% shooting.

We don't have great outside shooters on this team. Jamal and JJ are streaky from 16 feet and out. Jordan looks to be just like JJ and Jamal in his streakiness. Marvin's shot was off last year. Bibby's shot was off last year. Mo Evans' shot was off last year. Teague couldn't make the few jumpers he got. And Josh Smith can't shoot at all.

Al Horford was our best midrange shooter last year. But in this offense, he may not get an increase in touches. It may even go down, if we also have to cut his minutes for fear of overfatiguing him.

When ran correctly, this offense can definitely work. But we can't settle for open jumpers all the time. We have to cut to the basket and go all the way to the hole as wel. At the very least, fouls have to be drawn and points scored at the FT line, for this offense to work.

The most important thing that Drew has to do, is recognize what is working. If it's motion, stick with it. But if it isn't working, he better have the flexibility to run what does work, and stick with it . . . even if it's ISO-JOE.

WOW...seriously! Come on brutha man get real. We have shooters on this team and no way the hawks keep shooting that bad. An its not orlando its us , if we get the open shots that we want out of the offense the hawks will more than likely make those shots. Im not worried about our shooting these are pros and they will get it done. Now if we were philly, whom you tried to compare us with, that offense strategy doesnt fit that team cause they have no shooters, we have shooters that can make their shots open or just good looks. Damn man it is possible for the hawks to beat the magic they just have to play wit more confidence!