Fansided

5 reasons the Atlanta Hawks will win the NBA Finals

By John Buhler

Jan 20, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha (25) goes after a ball with Portland Trail Blazers forward Noah Vonleh (21) during the third quarter of the game at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Hawks won the game 104-98. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha (25) goes after a ball with Portland Trail Blazers forward Noah Vonleh (21) during the third quarter of the game at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Hawks won the game 104-98. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 20, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha (25) goes after a ball with Portland Trail Blazers forward Noah Vonleh (21) during the third quarter of the game at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Hawks won the game 104-98. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha (25) goes after a ball with Portland Trail Blazers forward Noah Vonleh (21) during the third quarter of the game at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Hawks won the game 104-98. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Outstanding defensively

Last season, Atlanta was an evenly balanced roster that finished sixth in both offensive and defensive team ratings. While the Hawks can still put up points in a hurry from beyond the arc like they did in 2014-15, Atlanta is a defense-first basketball team in 2015-16 and a dominant one at that.

Through 80 regular season games, the Hawks are second in the NBA in team defensive rating, allowing 101.2 points per 100 possessions. They allow the sixth fewest opponents’ points per game of 99.0 per contest despite playing at a feverish pace. Atlanta is eighth in the Association in pace, averaging 97.0 possessions per game.

Anchoring Atlanta’s dominating defense is All-Star power forward Millsap, whose individual defensive rating is a ridiculous 96. Every member of Atlanta’s rotation has no worse than a 106 defensive rating and a few are nipping at the heels of finishing the regular below 100. Those players include Bazemore, Sefolosha, Horford, and Humphries, all 101 or better.

Great defense wins championships and Atlanta can certainly bring it nightly on that end of the floor. Given that they do a solid job of dictating pace and playing swell defensive basketball, should the Hawks be able to generate enough offense against playoff caliber defenses, Atlanta’s defense will stand as the primary reason behind the Hawks winning their first NBA Championship in city history in 2016.

For more posts on the 2016 NBA Playoffs, please check out our NBA Playoffs hub page.

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