Shaky Ankles

How the Atlanta Hawks have managed to stay afloat this season is a bit of an understated miracle. Before getting hit with several key injuries and after losing one of their best players to free agency, the Hawks already stood as one of the league’s oldest teams, fighting a valiant, uphill battle with a slingshot to the rest of the playoff worthy team’s machine gun artillery. But when Jeff Teague happens to be the rock you’ve placed in the elastic, well, you might just have a puncher’s chance.

As a change of pace speedster, Teague has started 27 games this season. He’s shooting 45% from deep (good for second highest in the league among starting point guards. Also: not a misprint) and trails only Nash, Curry, Rose, and Paul in TS%. But, when it’s all said and done, efficiency means very little when placed beside actual production on a grading scale. Right now Teague averages fewer points per game than Jarrett Jack, D.J. Augustin, and Brandon Knight. He’s attempting, and making, as many shots at the rim as Tony Parker, but the middle of the floor is really where he’s struggled to consistently manufacture offense. If Teague wants to take his game to a higher level, he’ll establish himself as one to respect out in no man’s land. He’ll have confidence in his jump shot. Once he does that, the Hawks may have something a bit more dangerous than a sling shot on their hands as they head into nightly battle.