The Atlanta Hawks are no longer the prized secret possession of basketball diehards. With stifling pressure on defense, quick movement in transition and beautiful passing in the halfcourt, the Hawks have gone from the NBA's best-kept secret to its most sought after League Pass team in a ridiculously short period of time.
The Hawks, currently sitting at 34-8 on the season, haven't lost a game since the day after Christmas. They've won 25 of their last 27, and are beating all of the NBA's best teams as they go along. This team, once a reasonably legitimate question mark, has made it clear that they're a very, very real threat to win the entire thing.
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One of the best parts of this team for hoops junkies could be the most frustrating for casual fans. The Hawks employ a number of good players, but no one on the roster is considered a superstar, and most title contenders of years past have had one singular talent. Instead, Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer has worked out a brilliant offense, in which its best players' premiere skills are accentuated within the system.
The process, in theory, is fairly simple. The Hawks run up the court quickly, as if they're in a fastbreak situation. Once they cross halfcourt, they get into their offense, which involves motion from all five guys, faster than anyone in the NBA.
When the starting lineup is in, that can mean five potential threats from 18 feet and out. On top of that, both bigs are extremely competent in the paint. In other words, the Hawks can score from anywhere, at any time, and do so quickly. Their motion often results in wide open shots, and can be lethal in crunch time.
The Hawks' bench is solid, but the starters play out of their minds in this offense. Some of them are playing like All-Stars. A couple Hawks will make it, but an argument can be made that four of them deserve strong All-Star consideration. This isn't to say that all four players, listed below, should make the team over anyone else, but rather that their cases are strong.
You won't find anybody on the Hawks averaging over 20 points per game, or even 18. Instead, you'll find a group of quality players learning to share in a way that is rarely seen at any level of basketball. Four of them do it best:
Al Horford
Probably the most obvious of the four, Horford is the only guy that has played at an All-Star caliber level for the majority of his career. His numbers this season won't jump out at you (15.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks per game), but his play on the floor should. He's as dangerous from midrange as he is near the basket. Horford is a sound defensive presence, is always in the right place on offense and is as unselfish a quality big man as you can find.
Horford deserves to be an All-Star because he is (arguably) the best player on the best team in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks don't have a Durant-esque go-to scorer. They're very much a platoon-style scoring bunch, especially in crunch time. Still, every team has a guy they look to for guidance on the court, no matter how democratic the process may be when the ball is moving. For the Hawks, Horford is that guy.
Paul Millsap
Still, Horford isn't the only guy with an All-Star past on his record. The Hawks got an absolute financial steal a year ago when they signed Millsap to a 2-year, $19 million contract. Not only was it cheap, it was also short enough deal that cutting ties would be easy if Millsap didn't fit. It has worked out. Millsap, the Hawks' lone All-Star a year ago, is the team's best-passing big man, coming in with a clip of 3.2 assists per game. He's also taken the load on the offensive and defensive glass, leading the team in both categories.
Past the stats, Millsap's offensive arsenal is more complete than anyone else on the roster. He is much better at creating shots off the dribble than he gets credit for. While coach Budenholzer's offense rarely calls for any sort of isolation, Millsap (depending on the matchup. has all the ability to look like a guard when he puts the ball on the floor. Factor in his touch around the basket, his effective mid-range game, and his secret ability to destroy people when going up for dunks, it's tough to keep his talent off the All-Star squad.
Kyle Korver
Talent is step one of getting into the All-Star game, but statistics can often make an even stronger case. Take Kyle Korver, for example. Korver's shooting percentage from beyond the 3-point line is better than his shooting percentage from the field. He is shooting over 51 percent from the field. Yes, you read that correctly.
Korver is on pace to become the first player in NBA history to shoot over 50 percent from deep and from the field — oh, and he's leading the league in made threes this season. If you don't put him in the big show, at least let him display his magic in the 3-point contest. The man deserves something.
Jeff Teague
The guy who will have the most trouble finding his way into any festivities is, weirdly enough, the team's leading scorer and assist man. In most cases, a guy with Jeff Teague's numbers would have no problem finding his way onto the team. Unfortunately for Teague (but fortunate in every other way), the NBA's current class of guards, specifically point guards, is at an all-time level of absurdity.
Teague has slowly developed into a star-quality point guard, especially within coach Budenholzer's offense. When he's facing the hoop straight on, there really isn't a spot he doesn't like to shoot from. His improved range and finishing ability have made it easier for him to average 7.4 assists per game on top of everything else. Still, in today's NBA, making the All-Star game is tougher than just being a good point guard. His team's success gives him a great shot regardless.
No matter what happens when the Eastern Conference All-Star roster is announced, there will be critics. If Horford, Millsap, Korver and Teague all make it, there will be some who say too many made it. If only one or two make the roster, there will be some who call the snubs a sports crime. No matter what happens, the Hawks will keep doing what they do, playing ike All-Stars.