アトランタの長さがボストンのプレーメイキングの欠陥を露呈する可能性

The Hawks' Unsung Defensive Edge

Everyone talks about the Celtics' offensive juggernaut, and for good reason. Jayson Tatum dropped 34 points on 12-for-23 shooting against the Hawks last month, pulling from deep and getting to the rim. But what often gets overlooked is how Atlanta, even with its defensive struggles this season, has the personnel to really bother Boston's primary initiators.

Look, the Hawks finished the regular season 27th in defensive rating, giving up 120.5 points per 100 possessions. That's rough. But when you break down their individual matchups, particularly when they're locked in, things get interesting. Dejounte Murray is a legitimate ball hawk, averaging 1.4 steals per game. And then there's the length: Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu, Clint Capela – these guys are not just big; they move well for their size.

Here's the thing: Boston relies heavily on Tatum and Jaylen Brown to create, often in isolation or simple pick-and-roll. Against teams with active hands and switchable bigs, those easy looks can dry up. Remember that March 13 game? Boston shot 40.7% from three. The Hawks, despite the loss, made them work for it in stretches. The Celtics only had 20 assists, which is a bit low for their usual flow.

Boston's Half-Court Hiccups

My biggest concern for Boston, from a tactical perspective, is their occasional tendency to revert to stagnant offense when shots aren't falling. We saw it in last year's playoffs at times, and it still pops up. They can get by with pure talent against most teams, but against a long, athletic Hawks squad that's trying to make a statement, those possessions become live-ball turnover opportunities.

Trae Young, for all his defensive shortcomings, is a fantastic opportunist in transition. He averaged 1.0 steals himself. If Murray or Johnson can force Tatum into a tough midrange pull-up, or if Capela alters Brown's drive and it results in a scramble, Young is already looking upcourt. That's how Atlanta stays in games it shouldn't be in. The Celtics' 11.8 turnovers per game is good, but they sometimes commit the *bad* kind of turnovers – unforced errors in the half-court.

Real talk: Boston's ancillary playmaking isn't always consistent. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday are solid, high-IQ players, but they're not primary creators in the same vein as Tatum or Brown. If Atlanta's defense can successfully funnel those two into contested looks or force them to give the ball up late in the shot clock, the Celtics' half-court offense could grind to a halt. I think the Hawks’ best chance to upset the Celtics is by making them play ugly, grinding basketball.

I'm bold enough to say that if these two teams met in a playoff series, the Hawks, if they could just find some consistent scoring from their role players, would make it a much tougher out than people expect. They have the defensive tools to annoy Boston's stars.