The Atlanta Hawks may have found a late-game identity that leans all the way into what they do best on defense.
Lu Dort’s arrival gives Quin Snyder a new option when the game gets tight, and it could push Atlanta into some seriously uncomfortable territory for opposing offenses. The Hawks already had a flexible closing group last season, often finishing with CJ McCollum, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu. But Dort changes the equation.
One version of a closing lineup - Daniels, Alexander-Walker, Dort, Johnson and Okongwu - would be built almost entirely around stopping people. Daniels and Dort together give Snyder two First Team All-Defensive-level perimeter stoppers in the same group, while Alexander-Walker brings another dependable wing defender, Johnson adds switchability and length, and Okongwu protects the rim.
That’s the selling point: there may not be an easy matchup on the floor for an opponent to hunt.
Of course, there’s always a cost. The offense would have to carry some of the burden in that group, and that’s where the questions start.
Alexander-Walker is the most reliable perimeter shooter in the bunch, while Johnson, Okongwu and Dort can hit open looks well enough to keep defenses honest. Daniels is the biggest swing piece after shooting just 18% from three last season.
If Daniels’ work over the offseason shows up in training camp, preseason and then the regular season, Atlanta could get much more comfortable using that five-man unit in crunch time. Better shooting from Daniels would make it harder for opponents to load up on Johnson and Okongwu inside, and it would give Snyder more room to keep his best defenders on the floor without giving away too much on offense.
If Snyder wants a little more scoring punch, another closing look could be McCollum, Alexander-Walker, Daniels, Dort and Johnson. That group gives Atlanta more shot creation, but it would be smaller without a true center. Even then, Dort’s value remains obvious.
He has shown he can hold up against bigger players despite being undersized for those matchups. His strength and physicality have helped him defend forwards like Julius Randle and Jaren Jackson Jr., and he’s also useful as a helper from the weak side when bigger frontcourt players are involved.
That doesn’t mean Atlanta should ask him to spend all night trying to check Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert or Daniel Gafford alone. But it does mean Snyder has some flexibility if he wants to play smaller for short stretches and keep more shooting and creation on the floor.
McCollum supplies that offensive piece. His shot-making and ability to create for himself could matter a lot late, while Alexander-Walker, Daniels and Dort take the toughest perimeter jobs and Johnson becomes the main frontcourt creator.
In the end, Snyder’s closing group will probably depend on the opponent and the moment. Some nights will call for Okongwu’s size and interior defense. Others may call for a smaller, more aggressive look built around guards and wings who can defend and score.
The one thing that seems hard to mess with is the Daniels-Dort pairing. When Atlanta needs one stop, it’s tough to imagine Snyder choosing to sit either of those defenders.
The real question is whether all that defensive firepower can coexist with enough spacing and shot creation to finish games cleanly. If Daniels keeps improving as a shooter and the rest of the group does enough offensively, the Hawks could have multiple closing lineups that make the final minutes one of their biggest strengths.
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Landale is expected to provide minutes, size and a veteran presence while helping younger players along, but the real value may come later. The Hawks continue to operate with an eye on the trade deadline, where an expiring deal can become useful currency if the right star becomes available. In other words, this is another sign that Atlanta is still searching for the best way to put a true co-star next to Johnson. [Read more 🡒]