Atlanta Hawks: Can Shelvin Mack Improve Again?
By Adam McGee
After a couple of seasons bouncing around the league from team to team, Shelvin Mack finally seems to have come into his own as an NBA player. One of the key components of the Butler teams that reached back-to-back national championship games in 2010 and 2011, Mack always looked to have NBA potential, yet it only really began to materialize once he arrived in Atlanta.
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For Mack, the Atlanta Hawks have just seemed a perfect fit. After joining on a couple of 10-day contracts towards the end of the 2012-13 season, Mack surprised many observers by fighting his way through training camp to make the roster last season. Then after starting the season as the third choice at point guard, Mack quickly proved himself to be a more reliable option than Dennis Schröder, and as a result jumped him in the rotation.
From that point on, the 24-year-old never looked back, going on to play in 73 regular season games for the Hawks, and even start 11. Mack showed himself to understand Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer’s system and playing philosophies, and by showing discipline and consistency he excelled within them.
The highlight of Mack’s season was undoubtedly his performance in Game 5 of Atlanta’s first round playoff matchup with the Indiana Pacers. Behind Mack’s team highs of 20 points and five assists, the Hawks took a vital game on the Pacers’ floor to give themselves a 3-2 series lead.
That type of standout play gives Hawks fans plenty of cause for optimism in regards to Mack heading into this season. In many ways, Mack will need to step up though. With Louis Williams now in Toronto, more responsibility will fall to the Kentucky native off the bench, and with Schröder returning re-energized and with experience now under his belt, he offers yet another challenge to be seen off.
Let’s take a look at some of the key aspects of Mack’s game from last year, which if he wants to have another impressive season, he needs to focus on maintaining and improving.