NBA Power Rankings roundup: Week 9

The Atlanta Hawks only really had 1 game the previous week and lost after a disappointing showing in the fourth quarter. It appears that Atlanta building up its wing depth was great foresight since the team is limping at that position as we get close to the end of the year. With that said, let’s take a look at where the Hawks are ranked in this weeks NBA power ranking roundup.

NBA.com — No. 13

The Hawks have followed their seven-game winning streak with a 2-4 stretch, unable to find any consistency on either end of the floor. Defense has obviously been the larger issue this season, but they scored just 14 points on 26 fourth-quarter possessions (with as many turnovers as field goals) against Brooklyn on Friday, losing a game they led by 11 in the third.

Overall, the Hawks are one of two teams — Charlotte is the other — with a higher effective field goal percentage on shots outside the paint (53.5%, third) than they have in the paint (53.1%, 24th). But they were 1-for-13 outside the restricted area in that fourth quarter, continuing to struggle offensively down the stretch of close games. Last season, the Hawks ranked seventh in clutch offense (114.2 points scored per 100 possessions). This season, they rank 30th, having scored just 46 points on 60 clutch possessions (76.7 per 100) as they’ve gone 3-6 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes. Trae Young leads the league in clutch usage rate (47.9%), but is 7-for-25 on clutch shots, with just one assist and five turnovers.

After an 8-1 start at home, the Hawks have lost four straight at State Farm Arena, scoring less than 105 per 100 in three of the four losses. They still have five games left on a stretch where they’re playing 13 of 18 at home.

ESPN — No. 15

Maybe one player who can catch Steph Curry is Atlanta’s Trae Young. Through 230 career games, Young has hit 568 3-pointers on 1,631 attempts. Through Curry’s first 230 games, he hit 527 treys, albeit on 1,191 attempts.

SI.com — No. 13

Trae Young is everything you’d want in a franchise anchor, and he’s only getting better in his fourth season. Young is up to 38.6% from three with a notable jump in volume, and he sports a league-best assist rate. Check out SI’s Michael Pina for more on Young’s hot start.

Looks like the Hawks stayed around where they were previously ranked last week. As always the team has a chance to move up so hopefully with the upcoming slate of games Atlanta will be able to turn it around.