{"id":1596187,"date":"2024-09-25T10:45:59","date_gmt":"2024-09-25T14:45:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/?p=1596187"},"modified":"2024-09-25T10:45:59","modified_gmt":"2024-09-25T14:45:59","slug":"the-2024-25-atlanta-hawks-are-a-better-team-than-you-think","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/news\/the-2024-25-atlanta-hawks-are-a-better-team-than-you-think\/","title":{"rendered":"The 2024-25 Atlanta Hawks are a better team than you think"},"content":{"rendered":"
To many people, this season is more of a rebuild for the Atlanta Hawks. After all, they <\/span>traded away<\/span><\/a> their second-best player, Dejounte Murray, to the New Orleans Pelicans, conceding that their decision to bring him on board was a misstep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But those individuals are making a grave mistake: prioritizing star counting over proper roster building. In reality, what looks like a less talented team is actually a more balanced and versatile unit. <\/span>One that could sneak up on some teams in the Eastern Conference<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Last season, Trae Young missed 23 games from late February to early April. In that stretch, the Hawks went 12-11 (43-win pace in an 82-game season), which is much better than they performed in their other 59 games (24-35, 34-win pace). <\/span>During that time<\/span><\/a>, I wrote about how this span was evidence, not that the Hawks were better off without Young, but rather that Murray and Young <\/span>were not destined<\/span> to be backcourt partners.<\/span><\/p>\n According to PBP Stats, Young and Murray posted a net rating of -5.71 in the 1,172 minutes they shared the court together in 2023-24. For reference, every other “star” duo in the league <\/span>had a positive net rating<\/span><\/a> in their minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n Another merit against their chemistry is that none of the Hawks’ top 5 lineups featured both <\/span>of the<\/span> guards on the floor <\/span>at the same time<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 2023-24 Atlanta Hawks Top 5 Lineups*<\/b><\/p>\nAddition By Subtraction<\/h2>\n