No easy solution for Hawks against Magic's Howard

¹²³ · May 4, 2010

By Michael Cunningham

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Assuming he’s not just being sly, Hawks coach Mike Woodson won’t decide what to do about Magic center Dwight Howard until some time on Tuesday.

Woodson is wrestling with a difficult problem. The solution is central to the Hawks’ chances against the Magic in their Eastern Conference semifinals playoff series, which opens Tuesday night.

“We still haven’t figured out what we are going to do yet as far as double [team] him or play him straight-up,” Woodson said before the Hawks departed for Orlando on Monday. “That is something I will sleep on tonight and make the final decision [Tuesday].”

No matter which strategy Woodson settles on, it may well work better than expected against Howard, at least if the four regular season games against Orlando are an indication.

A review of those games indicates the Hawks had more success slowing Howard by sending a second man to help guard him in the post. But Hawks center Al Horford, an All-Star like Howard, more than held his own when left to defend him alone.

“I feel like if we show both things, it works best for our team,” Horford said.

The video and statistical evidence, accumulated by Synergy Sports Technology, seems to support a varied approach.

In the four games against the Hawks, Howard attempted to score 34 times on post-ups against Horford. The Hawks sent a second defender before Howard made his move on 10 of those possessions.

When Howard was alone vs. Horford, the Magic center scored 16 points on 24 possessions (five field goals and six free throws). Howard turned the ball over four times.

That’s excellent defense by Horford, but it's even better when he gets help. The Hawks forced nine turnovers on those 10 possessions (Howard scored the one time he got off a shot).

This goes to explain why Woodson said that, while he’s tempted to let Horford handle Howard on his own, the success of the double team makes him hesitant to try. But sending a second defender can leave the Hawks vulnerable on the perimeter against one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the league.

That’s a worry for the Hawks, who’ve been inconsistent all season with closing out on shooters.

“I think we can double some and sometimes play heads-up and see what position on the floor we are in,” Horford said. “If the guys can’t come double, we don’t want to get into wrong rotations.”

At least the Hawks know they can slow Howard using either strategy or some combination of the two. Howard scored 18 points and had 13 turnovers on 34 total post-ups against Horford, both with single coverage and help.

Howard was 33 percent more efficient scoring against the league overall and turned it over 20 percent less frequently.

“He’s a great player,” Horford’s primary backup, Zaza Pachulia, said of Howard. “He’s strong, athletic. He runs the floor pretty well. But nobody’s perfect. He has some minuses, too.”

Horford gives up one inch and about 20 pounds to Howard, who has the most success against him deep in the post. But Horford is a smart position defender, nearly Howard’s equal athletically and uses those talents to limit his other options.

Horford, like Howard, has a long wingspan and has a knack for making Howard uncomfortable by swiping at the ball before he can make his move. Horford is quicker than most centers and is able to cut off Howard when he tries to spin to the baseline.

If Horford falters or gets into foul trouble, the Hawks have other options to deal with Howard. Center Jason Collins played little during the regular season and against Milwaukee in the first round but Woodson said he’s an option against the Magic.

“We got people like Jason and Zaza and Joe Smith just in case,” Woodson said. “This is a series now with bigger bodies.”

No matter how they deploy defensively, it will be difficult for the Hawks against Howard, who is considered the premier center in the East. He’s an excellent leaper, prolific at catching lobs for dunks and the defensive attention required for Orlando’s shooters allows him room to operate in the post.

He’s a poor free-throw shooter, making 59 percent for his career, so if all else fails the Hawks might hack away.

“Don’t give him any dunks,” Pachulia said. “If he has a wide open dunk, put him on [the] free-throw line and take a chance with that. It’s going to be a team effort to guard him. It is going to take all the [big men] we have on the team.”
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CelticKing · May 4, 2010

I will be surprised if Hawks get 2 games from the Magic.

¹²³ · May 4, 2010

CelticKing said: ↑

I will be surprised if Hawks get 2 games from the Magic.
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Yep. i am expecting the Hawks to win one game in this series.

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