5 Predictions for the Golden State Warriors at Atlanta Hawks
By Bryce Olin
5. Al Horford and Paul Millsap will have a huge game
When Golden State has lost lately, and even sometimes when they’ve won, opposing post players have been able to get easy baskets.
Against the Chicago Bulls last week, Golden State gave up 46 points, combined, to Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, and Taj Gibson.
Against the Utah Jazz, the day after the Bulls game, the Warriors gave up a combined 47 points to Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, Trevor Booker, and Rudy Gobert. That just can’t happen against a weak team like the Jazz.
Spotting teams points in the paint is never a good thing in the NBA, but it’s especially detrimental to the Warriors because they can’t get out in transition on made baskets or when the ball gets into the paint consistently. According to teamranks.com, the Warriors average 21.8 fastbreak points per game, the highest average in the NBA.
Atlanta, the sixth-best offensive team in the league based on offensive rating, is going to exploit the Warriors trouble on the inside with two of the best big men in the league right now, Al Horford and Paul Millsap.
Like Utah, Atlanta’s bigs have a tendency to roam around the free throw line and 3-point line until they see a place where they can take advantage. Sometimes, that’s a post-up opportunity with Horford, or it’s a jumper from the elbow or 3 from Millsap, or it’s a cut to the basket when the post defender gets lazy or clumsy with their footwork. That’s how Atlanta likes to operate, especially against big post defenders like Andrew Bogut.
The Hawks have the resources on the bench to stretch the Warriors even further from the basket with Pero Antic and stretch-4 Mike Scott coming off the bench. Both players are capable 3-point shooters. This season, Antic is shooting 31 percent from 3, and Scott’s shooting 36 percent.
With the combination of Horford, Millsap, Antic, and Scott, the Hawks have what it takes to grind the Warriors for the full 48 minutes.
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