Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA Thanksgiving: What Every Team Has To Be Thankful For, Part 1

By Gerald Bourguet

November 13, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) celebrates against the Phoenix Suns during the fourth quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Suns 133-120. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
November 13, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) celebrates against the Phoenix Suns during the fourth quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Suns 133-120. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 16
Next
NBA
Nov 23, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) pulls down a rebound and is fouled by Atlanta Hawks center Dwight Howard (8) and forward Kent Bazemore (24) in the second quarter of the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Atlanta Hawks: Defense

The Atlanta Hawks have hit a snag, dropping three of their last three four games. That being said, their defense so far in 2016-17 is as good as last year’s second-ranked unit, holding opponents to a league-leading 96.2 points per 100 possessions.

Al Horford was thought to be a more versatile defender at this stage than Dwight Howard, while Jeff Teague was clearly the more experienced point guard compared to Dennis Schroder. Despite those two switches in the starting lineup, Mike Budenholzer’s defense is as stout as ever.

With Howard around to protect the rim and boost what was a lackluster rebounding Hawks team, Atlanta is closing possessions with defensive boards and now ranks third in overall rebounding percentage. The Hawks need to get themselves out of this temporary rut, but with so many changes in the starting lineup, it’s reassuring that stifling defense remains their calling card.