Atlanta Hawks: How Will Pero Antic’s 2nd Season Look?
By Adam McGee
As plenty of hardcore U.S. basketball fans are discovering many talented European players that they may not have known before the FIBA World Cup, there’s one European in the NBA who most definitely isn’t unknown any more. Pero Antic, of Macedonia and the Atlanta Hawks, was a free-agent signing last summer from the, at the time, twice reigning EuroLeague champions, Olympiacos.
When he signed with the Hawks the consensus seemed to be that he was an intriguing talent, who in all likelihood would do little more than act as a backup towards the back of the bench. The season that transpired showed something entirely different though.
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Antic started 26 regular-season games for Atlanta, and all seven of their first-round playoff series with the Indiana Pacers.
Injuries and fate definitely played a part in Antic’s larger than expected opportunity, but it’s not very often that you see a “role player” have such a profound impact on an NBA team’s style of play. The 32-year-old’s confidence and belief in himself allowed the Hawks to do just that though, making Antic in many ways the focal point of their offense.
From the beginning of the season, the Hawks had played with an emphasis on three-point shooting and ball movement, but after injuries ruled both Al Horford and Gustavo Ayon out for the year, it became almost a centerpiece of everything they did.
In a dogfight with the New York Knicks for the final playoff spot, Atlanta was left with little choice: they had to try to gun their way to victory.
Antic was tailor-made for that strategy too. Although he isn’t necessarily the most accurate 3-point shooter, he’s capable, and has no fear of taking multiple shots. This resulted in the Hawks playing with a fluid “five out” strategy where every man on the court was capable of moving out on to the perimeter to shoot.
Antic became the center of this game plan, as even if a play wasn’t drawn up for him, he worked as a great decoy.
It wasn’t always the purist’s definition of basketball, but it was undoubtedly entertaining. It also scared the Pacers stiff, giving the No. 1 seed just as much as they could handle in the first round.
This year with Horford healthy again, things should look a little different though. Antic will find himself contributing from the bench more often not, and with the surprise factor now gone, he may have to reinvent himself just a little.
So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at the areas of Antic’s game that should be his focus over the coming months.