Talent exploded! Defense collapsed! Double-A team, was beaten at the start?

It is surprising that a new dark horse team that received double-A ratings from ESPN and TA Sports during the offseason was completely beaten in the opening game of the regular season by a team that won 30 games last season.

The Eagles 118-138 the Raptors, losing by 20 points in the first game of their debut.

Behind the tragic defeat, what was exposed were the deep-seated problems of the entire team. Next, let's take a look at how this so-called talented eagle failed so completely.

Looking back at this game, the Hawks and Raptors were relatively close to each other at the beginning, and the score difference between the two sides was not widened in the first quarter. However, in the second quarter of the game, the Raptors began to gradually widen the gap. In the third quarter, the game completely collapsed. The Hawks were outscored 28-45 in a single quarter and were directly defeated by the Raptors.

In the final quarter, they surrendered early. The point difference was so huge that there was no motivation to recover the score. Only the Raptors were left on the court to show off their skills, and the Eagles were just running with them most of the time.

It seems that the big score loss was just an accident, but judging from the entire game, there seem to be signs of this collapse.

The Raptors did not hit a high three-point shooting rate in this game, making only 6 of 25 shots. However, they still scored 138 points in the game, which is enough to imagine the fragility of the Eagles' defense. The problem is not only poor three-point defense, but more seriously, the team's low defensive will.

Trae Young has always been called a defensive vulnerability, and the awareness of other teammates in this game was almost zero. Even during the game, it was obvious that everyone was trying to score points on the offensive end, but no one wanted to work hard on the defensive end.

In terms of statistics, seven of the Raptors team, Barrett, Barnes, Ingram, Poeltl, Quickley, and Dickshead, scored in double figures, and three of them scored more than 20 points. On the other hand, for the Hawks, Trae Young played 34 minutes, making 5 of 14 shots, 1 of 7 three-pointers, and only scored 22 points and 5 assists. Behind him, Jaylen Johnson and Porposon scored 22 points and 20 points respectively. The core lineup data does not seem bad, but the overall efficiency is low. It can also be seen that several core players were surrounded by opponents in the game.

With such performance, it is reasonable for the Eagles to suffer a heavy defeat.

What is even more ironic is that before the start of the season, the Hawks were rated as an A-level team by ESPN and TA during the offseason.

For comparison, ESPN gave three teams an A-rated team during the offseason, namely the Hawks, Rockets, and Nuggets. As for TA Sports, they ranked the Nuggets first in A+, followed by A-level teams such as the Hawks, Mavericks, Rockets, and Thunder.

From this perspective, at least under the professional media rating system, the Hawks are recognized as a potential team in the new season, with a top-notch talent lineup. However, the actual situation is very different. The preseason record of 1 win and 3 losses has been slapped in the face, and they were slaughtered by the Raptors in the first game of the regular season. The gap between the front and back is inevitably embarrassing.

Of course, the reason why the media and fans support the Eagles during the offseason is not difficult to understand. After offseason manipulation, the Hawks have accumulated a group of large-bodied players. Thirteen of the team's core rotation players are over 2 meters tall. Theoretically, such a height combination should have crushing advantages in rebounding, frame protection and matchup pressure.

But the reality is that even with a low outside shooting percentage, the Raptors can still score easily. A large part of the reason behind this is the players' defensive awareness. A group of lost tall men, no matter how talented they are, it is useless without the ability to execute tactics.

In addition to defense, the Eagles' offensive performance was also unsatisfactory.

As the core of the offense, Trae Young can still create scoring opportunities, but the team's tactical cooperation around him is obviously not in place. He is often seen playing in isolation on the court, but his teammates are unable to move in time and lack effective cover and cuts. As a result, his shot selection is limited and his shooting rate is also sluggish.

This situation also further amplifies the team's waste of talent. Although it has a high degree of size and potential, it lacks chemical reaction and coordination awareness. In the end, it can only be beaten by its opponents after they seize the loopholes in the game.

In contrast, as a large lineup, the Rockets also deployed a five-strong lineup in the opening game, but they were able to play back and forth against the defending champion, which is enough to illustrate the advantage of height and talent. But compared to these, the more critical thing is tactical execution and team awareness.

For the Eagles, their offseason reinforcements are sufficient, but relying solely on paper data and height advantage, it will be difficult to win in high-intensity competitions. What they need is to adjust defensive rotations and collaborative tactics, and be armed from top to bottom. This is their most original capital for being rated as a Double-A team in the offseason.