Defense: Dwight Howard
Dwight has been one of the best defenders in the league. Per NBA.com, he’s in the top 10 in rim protection among players who defend 5.0 attempts at the rim per game.
His block numbers haven’t been dominant (1.4 per game), but he creates offense with his defense.
Howard is the anchor of Atlanta’s defense. They’re 11th in points allowed per 100 possessions and points allowed in the paint.
One area Atlanta struggles is guarding the perimeter, however. The Hawks are 26th in opponent’s three-point percentage. New York used that to their advantage in their Nov. win, going 10-27 from downtown. They should do it again on Wednesday.
