Knicks Preview: 5 Keys to Defeating Atlanta Hawks
Oct 18, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Miami Heat forward
Chris Andersen(11) and Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford (15) battle for the ball during the second half at Philips Arena. The Heat defeated the Hawks 101-92. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
4. Limit Second Chances
When the Milwaukee Bucks generated offense against the New York Knicks, it often came on second chance scoring opportunities. New York played a strong defensive game, but struggled to keep Greg Monroe and company off of the offensive glass.
Milwaukee may not have converted many chances, but it pulled down 18 offensive rebounds.
Against Atlanta, the Knicks cannot afford to let Al Horford, Paul Millsap, Tiago Splitter and company dictate the pace of the game by doing the same. If they do, the Hawks will turn offensive rebounds into second chances at 3-point field goals.
With Kyle Korver floating along the perimeter, that’s not acceptable.
Should the Knicks limit the Hawks to one-and-done possessions, they will have a chance to win. The good news is that Atlanta isn’t the most aggressive offensive rebounding team out there.
In 2014-15, Atlanta ranked dead last with just 8.7 offensive boards per game.
Next: The Unsung Heroes