Offensive Breakdown
Before the season began there were many questions about Atkinson. One of the most glaring ones was what type of offense would he run. Atkinson had coached under Mike D’Antoni in New York and Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta. While both coaches are heavy proponents of spacing the floor and shooting on the perimeter, they tend to go different routes to get these results.
Ever the learner, Atkinson has shown that he’s taken a bit from both of his previous stops in the NBA. The Nets have run sets and plays that are key staples in Budenholzer’s offense with the Hawks and D’Antoni’s “Seven Second or Less” offense that’s followed him from Phoenix to New York to Los Angeles and now to Houston.