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Stats Behind Atlanta Hawks’ Record-Setting Offensive Performance

By Mark Vandeusen

Mar 9, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) passes the ball against the Sacramento Kings in the third quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) passes the ball against the Sacramento Kings in the third quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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On Monday, the Atlanta Hawks torched the Sacramento Kings by a 130-105 margin.  The victory improved Atlanta’s record to 50-13, making it the first NBA team to reach the 50-win plateau this year (the Golden State Warriors won their 50th later in the evening).

The Hawks poured in 76 points in the first half against the Kings, and totaled 105 through three quarters.  The staggering offensive execution they displayed is representative of their entire season–a windfall of unexpected success that now has Atlanta 11 games in front of the second-place Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.

Due to their outstanding performance in two statistical areas, the Hawks put together one of the most efficient scoring nights the league has ever seen.  Atlanta dished out assists, and knocked down three-pointers, at an unprecedented rate.

Atlanta’s 42 assists came on 53 made baskets, a rate of 79.2 percent and the second-most field goals by one team in any game this year.  It’s not at all surprising for an NBA squad to log an assist percentage that high in a single contest.  In fact, it’s happened more than 40 times already in 2014-15.

However, to do it with as many field goals as the Hawks did is extremely rare.  The last instance of any team making at least 53 baskets with an assist rate of 79 percent or better was in January 2000.

Equally outstanding as the assist numbers was Atlanta’s spectacular shooting.

In addition to being an Atlanta club record, the 20 threes is the most by one team in any game this season and only the 14th such occasion in league history.

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By connecting on 20-of-36 long-range attempts, the Hawks shot 55.6 percent from beyond the arc.  Overall they were 53-for-88, a 60.2 field goal percentage.  It marked the seventh time this year that a team shot better than 60 percent in a game–three of them belong to Atlanta.

In the past five seasons, there are just four previous examples of a team converting at least 53 field goals at a 60 percent or better clip.

Even more impressive is the fact that the Hawks were able to shoot 60 percent despite attempting 36 three-pointers.  Of their 88 total shots, 40.9 percent came from long range.

Since the three-point line was first introduced in 1979, there is only one other game on record where a club attempted at least 36 threes and still shot 60 percent from the field.  The Orlando Magic did it on Jan. 13, 2009.

When you combine Atlanta’s assist percentage with their shooting stats, you come across something never before seen in the NBA.

On the short list of games where a club made 60 percent of its field goals and registered assists on at least 79 percent of its baskets (Basketball-Reference began keeping track in 1985-86), nobody ever came close to matching the Hawks three-point proclivity.  The previous high on that list for made three-pointers was 14, for attempts it was 23.

Put together, Atlanta’s assist rate and three-point-heavy shooting accuracy make its dominating victory over Sacramento one of the most productive offensive outings of all-time.

Next: Which NBA franchise is the worst ever?

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