Magic Basketball: Previewing the first round series with Synergy

Matt Scribbins breaks down the series with the aid of Synergy:

The Hawks used nearly 5% fewer possessions in transition against Orlando than they did in the rest of their games. This is a sound strategy because the Magic are the 4th best team in the NBA at stopping teams in transition, the Hawks are an average offensive team when they run (13).

Another interesting trend is how Atlanta attempted to score off the pick-and-roll. The Hawks ball handlers used fewer possessions, and the roll men used more. Again, this is sensible as Orlando stops the ball handler better than anyone in the NBA, and they rank 4th in stopping the roll man. Watch for Atlanta to encounter severe resistance when they run the pick-and-roll in round one of the playoffs.