NBA Stats show Hawks are among league's best passing teams

The Hawks are riding high on a 14-game win streak.  No one has called the Hawks selfish at any point in this year, but Atlanta's passing efficiency is taking them to new levels.  Here are the Stat Geek Five, starting with a focus on Atlanta's passing:

1. During this streak, the Hawks are assisting on 70 percent of their makes.

Coach Bud's system is on the table and everyone is buying in.  The Hawks are a passing machine led by Jeff Teague's climbing assist totals, and Atlanta has even assisted on an incredible 80 percent or more of their makes in a game three times this season.  Even the league-leading Warriors haven't cracked 70 percent (cumulative) in their current 11-1 run (though they are very close).  The foundations were laid early and the Hawks assisted on 64 percent of their makes in their 7-6 start, but they've accessed another gear and are now in full stride, assisting on 79 percent in their last three games.

2. During this streak, the Hawks are averaging 5.64 players per game with at least one three-pointer.

When you share the ball on a team with shooters, players are bound to end up in the corners or leak to the three-point line while someone is driving to the hoop, waiting to kick it out.  The Hawks average on the year is 5.16, and the drastic increase shows you how the passing game is opening up shooters, and with players like Al Horford and Dennis Schröder developing a more reliable shot, this number has a chance to rise.

3. During this streak, the Hawks are averaging 5.21 players per game in double digits.

When those threes start racking up, so do the points.  The Hawks have come up to an average of 5.21 players per game in double digits from their 2014-15 average of 4.93.  All five starters average double digits in points.  There's more sharing of the wealth here than in Hasbro's Game of Life.

4. The win over the Toronto Raptors made the eighth time this season the Hawks have shot 50% or above from three AS A TEAM.

Can we call the starting five the Splash Quintuplets now?  Sure, the Hawks don't have the glitzy West Coast duo, but all five starters (and most of the bench) can hit the three.  How many teams in history could boast that?  The Hawks are firmly entrenched in the three-point age and embracing it.  Eight players shoot threes over 33 percent.  One of the ones who doesn't is Thabo Sefolosha, who has gained momentum recently and is expected to pass that threshold and make it nine.

5. In his last five games, reigning Player of the Week Al Horford is shooting 76.5 percent from the field.

There's no way I could wrap up this five without mentioning the white-hot Al Horford.  Big Al did sit out the Boston game to rest, but in the last five games he's played, he's been absolutely untouchable including a stellar 8-8 from the field against the overwhelmed Toronto Raptors.  If he keeps this up, I'll get to use that "reigning Player of the Week" bit again in next week's Stat Geek Five.

If you hear or come up with your own cool stat about the Hawks, tweet to @peachtreehoops or directly at me at @themarkphelps or leave a comment.  Use the hashtag #StatGeek on Twitter so we can all share in love of stats!