Opponent Scouting: Atlanta Hawks. (31-32)
Tonight at 7:00pm EST the Detroit Pistons will be hosting the Hawks of Atlanta. Both teams are on two days of rest and coming off of wins. The Pistons having beaten the Pacers and the Hawks have beaten the Wizards.
The Them:
The Hawks enter this game as a glass cannon. Featuring the NBA’s 2nd most potent offense and its 27th defense. They score many points, they allow many points, this is the way of the Hawks. Gone is the feel-good of last season where they suddenly were competent on the defensive side of the ball.
They are, of course, led by Trae Young. He dominates the ball in the Hawks offense to the tune of 28 points and 10 assists per game. He takes a ton of threes, draws lots of fouls, is an excellent passer, and possesses a sneaky floater game. Talk all you want about his style of hunting for fouls and his defensive liabilities, but he is an offensive engine of the highest order.
John Collins is a bouncy athlete with real skills and shooting. Clint Capela has fallen off defensively but is still a good rebounder and capable roll-threat. Danilo Gallinari is old now but can still get tough buckets. DeAndre Hunter has come into his own as a big wing who can do lots of everything.
Bogdon Bogdanovic is a really well-rounded offensive player, Delon Wright is here doing his herky-jerky act. Lou Williams is a shell of what he once was.
The more this season goes on the more it looks like last season was an oddity. This was the sort of team that it looked like the Hawks should be on paper heading into last season, a dynamite offensive team that cannot guard anybody, this year that has come to fruition. Perhaps they will find some secret sauce and put things back together with this group, but it looks like not.
Matchups to watch:
Pistons vs. Trae: The Hawks have other offensive options but it is no secret that if you can slow down Young you are in great shape. It also will be a team effort no matter what, this also may call for more Killian and less Cory Joseph.
Bey/Cade vs. Asserting themselves: As previously mentioned, the Hawks don’t do defense so good and are especially thin on the wings. In theory both Bey and Cunningham should be able to get the shots they want, it will just be a matter of going and getting them.
Stewart vs. Capela: Tough matchup for Stew to go against someone who is not only bigger and more athletic but is not likely to get put off by his physical style. That said, the rest of the Hawks will want nothing to do with him so if he picks his spots well (basically any time that Capela gets drawn off him so someone else has to box him out) he could make an impact.
Pistons bench vs. Holding up: Part of the Hawks issue is that they kind of have too many guys, the problem for Detroit is this means that in their last game both Collins and Bogdanovic came off the bench. The Pistons bench will have their work cut out for them.
Pistons vs. The good vibes: It’d be nice if they kept right on winning, make this a real thing.
So in conclusion…
Run for the hills if:
Trae Young has 30 at half-time
Beef Stew is totally out of the game
The Pistons bench gets boat-raced
Wink knowingly at your friends if:
Cade is getting everything he wants
Visible eye-rolls are seen from Hawks players and Trae hoists another 30-footer
The Pistons offense suddenly looks excellent
Opportunities for me to look stupid:
The Pistons regress to the mean after shooting 50% last time out.
The Hawks struggle to score…. because I never predict the Pistons to lose
Pistons win.