Blanketing coverage, hard closeouts make the Atlanta Hawks tick on defense.
It was wise for the Hawks to focus the rest of their roster on defense considering that Young has always been an easy target for offensive ball-handlers. The first 14 games of the season have proven that Atlanta can fortify itself defensively so long as the four players sharing the court with Young are geared toward this side of the game, making it easier for Young to be an average defender as opposed to a net negative on a regular basis.
It begins with the philosophy of keeping the backcourt players focused on shooters above the break. The Hawks tend to have perimeter players guarding up on shooters, forcing them to pick up their dribble or drive into the paint. This leaves them with two ugly options: either put up a shot against a stout, vertical big man or kick out for a 3-point attempt. When slashers kick out, so do Hawks defenders, who are closing out against corner shooters with such intensity and length that the highest-percentage 3-point shot becomes a trap. Teams are shooting just 29.3% against the Hawks on corner threes, and from the outside looking in, it appears to be by design.
The ability to put such focus on the perimeter is buoyed by the terrific interior presence of center Clint Capela, who at 28, is having one of the best defensive seasons of his career. Now healthy and engaged, Capela has been a superb deterrent at the rim, holding opponents to 57.8% in the restricted area while oftentimes preventing them from taking any layup in the first place. Credit also goes to Young himself, who is getting attacked on the drive and holding his own by putting his body on the line while funneling slashers into double coverage thanks to his trusty bigs. In turn, the Hawks rank eighth overall in paint defense by field goal percentage this year.
Although their offense has been sporadic, the frontcourt of Okongwu and sophomore Jalen Johnson has been fantastic defensively in relief of the starters. They bring a new level of dynamism to the lineup with their athletic feats, surprising mobility and verticality on defense.
Oh, and did we mention that Dejounte is tied for second place in steals per game? That’s par for the course from the annual All-Defensive threat.