“You’ve got a ways to go to become as famous as me, kid!”
In July 1776, George Washington dispatched a messenger to travel from Philadelphia to Boston, and along the way, the messenger parked his horse at a tavern in Worcester. There, the messenger met a young lad who impressed him with his oratory skills and experience in the newspaper publishing biz.
It didn’t take much prodding before the messenger allowed the gentleman to gather the local tavern patrons around. And on that day, the newly-scripted Declaration of Independence was read aloud, for the first time anywhere in New England, in enthralling fashion, by one Isaiah Thomas.
That “I.T.” was a mere 26 years of age, and by the time he reached his powder-wigged eighties, Thomas would have established a publishing empire, everything from almanacs to journals to Bibles. Before even this, he reported the first accounts of Revolutionary War battles at Lexington and Concord. He wrote the first extensive book on the history of American publishing. And he founded the American Antiquarian Society (AAS), the oldest historical society focused on national history in the United States.
That society hangs an 1818 portrait of Isaiah prominently in its Worcester library, and a detailed plaque of his achievements lie with him in a nearby cemetery. These days, an AAS-hired actor dressed as Isaiah Thomas goes around Worcester schools to teach history to fifth-graders.
You can see why this Isaiah Thomas is the Most Famous Isaiah Thomas in Massachusetts, and why a modern-day Isaiah, he of the Atlanta Hawks’ opposing hosts tonight, the Boston Celtics (7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL; You Don’t Wanna Know in BOS), has a lot of work cut out if he ever intends to take over that mantle.
Without glancing at Wikipedia, the most famous Dennis Schröder in world history probably resides in Georgia. But to keep “famous” from turning into “infamous” (like another Isaiah who once played around these parts), Dennis has a lot of maturing to do.
Yes, it is March 2017, and we are still out here talking about people’s moms. Schröder was pressed by the Boston media to deny Isaiah Thomas’ denial, from over a month ago, that Mutter Schro had some disparaging references directed at her through her progeny. This ain’t exactly the Lincoln-Douglas Debates here.
Dennis (from Jan. 13 to today: 43.1 FG%, 28.8 3FG%, 6.4 APG, 3.0 TOs/game) remains the Hawks’ future. But he is incapable of excelling in the present while dwelling on the past. The same cannot be said of Thomas (29.7 PPG, 2nd in NBA; 91.1 FT%, 3rd in NBA; career-high 38.5 3FG% and 52.4 3FG%), the All-Star guard who practically bathes in his own history.
Did you know Isaiah was the last player selected when he was drafted in 2011? Did you know how he was disregarded by the brilliant minds in Sacramento? Do you know how hard he has to work every day just to make a name for himself in this league, given his diminutive size? Why, of course you knew. He probably just reminded you himself.
Dennis couldn’t resist digging up the Five Fingers to the Face question asked by Thomas way back during Game 3 of the 2016 Eastern Conference semifinals, as an example of how “not professional” Thomas can be as a player. He tried to drag Thabo Sefolosha into the discussion as a witness to Thomas’ unbearable atrocities. Sefolosha, to his credit, backed Schröder but claimed Veteran’s Amnesia about the January beef.
Guess who’s going to win the war of words in the public eye? Hint: it’s not the homie who shot 2-for-11 and registered three assists in 22 minutes at home on national television against a vaunted foe. Not the dude who got benched in that whole fourth quarter (and the end of the third), leaving Kent Bazemore and Malcolm Delaney exposed for Thomas’ late-game and last-second heroics to escape Philips Arena with a 103-101 Celtics victory.
It won’t be the feller whose team has gone 10-10, riding a three-game blowout losing streak, since the two teams last tipped off, his opponent tonight having gone 14-6 in that same span. And it sure won’t be the guy who makes First to Leave, Last to Arrive his mantra, making his lack of punctuality the one current topic about the Hawks that’s remotely interesting to the general public.
Schröder’s recent benchings don’t quite beckon the antacids Hawks fans popped over that other hoopster named Isaiah, a future-star hopeful who smoked his way through 60 games before getting waived back at the turn of the millennium, ostensibly for arriving late to games. But these lapses are concerning enough to raise alarm bells about the focus and direction of the whole Basketball Club.
Mike Budenholzer remains resolute that his team only needs the likes of Malcolm Delaney, plus some patchwork from Bazemore, Junior Hardaway, recently-released Lamar Patterson and/or rookie DeAndre’ Bembry, to back up Schröder (8 assists and 1 TO, but 4-for-17 FGs off the bench vs. ORL on Saturday) whenever his lead guard doesn’t have his head where it needs to be. The dearth of movement on offense and the lack of enhanced perimeter closeouts on defense (12.8 opponent 3FGs per game in February, 2nd-most in NBA) belie Coach Bud’s assertions.
On this team, barring some surprise roster addition, the best alternative to a poor Dennis Schröder is a laser-focused Dennis Schröder. Beyond the player himself, it is on this coaching staff to get his head screwed on straight, and keep it there, if the Hawks seriously intend to become what they claim they could be by season’s end.
Al Horford (6 assists, 1 TO @ ATL on Jan. 13) isn’t around Atlanta to direct traffic anymore. The “center” is scoring and rebounding less (14.2 PPG, 6.6 APG) in his first season in Beantown than he did in any full season since 2008-09 with the Hawks. But with the knowledge that Jeff Teague was on the outs, and given his familiarity with Schröder’s resolve after several seasons together, he is probably thrilled about the decision he made to hop onto Thomas’ bandwagon this past summer.
Because of his ability to set up his teammates efficiently (career-high 4.9 APG, NBA-high among centers; 1.7 TOs/game), you get zero complaints from Chowderheads about the Son of Tito and his accompanying $26.5 million price tag.
Horford’s Atlanta counterpart, Dwight Howard (6.7 assist%, lowest since playing with Kobe in 2012-13) has struggled with the concept of moving the ball unless it’s an outlet pass. The essence of Budball is neutered not only when the guards are more focused on gazes, shimmies, and Yo Momma slights, but also when the center is almost exclusively receiving the ball in the paint for lob attempts and hurried shots before the hacks arrive.
Dwight (3 assists in past 7 games) is averaging 40.5 passes per game, as per SportVu data, which ranks 11th in the league among centers. But of the 12 pivots averaging over 40 passes dished out, only the recently injured Joakim Noah (23.4) receives fewer passes from teammates than Howard (25.4 per game), Utah’s Rudy Gobert (29.9) the only other member of that group receiving the rock less than 30 times.
The inactivity in feeding the post, by Schröder and his motley crew of fellow ballhandlers, and setting up for kickouts, engenders a predictable, stifling, dull offensive approach for Atlanta (February: 100.3 O-Rating, 28th in NBA; 1.35 assist/TO, 24th in NBA) that opponents love to exploit. If your center is fully engaged in a vibrant offense, he doesn’t become single-minded on the floor, unlikely to commit four fouls in the first half of play.
The Celtics have played well enough for GM Danny Ainge to sit on his plum stash of future draft picks through the trade deadline, allowing coach Brad Stevens to continue to build on the team chemistry with the current roster. Coach Bud’s Hawks, conversely, have been shuffling in a cavalcade of rookies and recent arrivals into his rotations, while even core players (Schröder, Millsap and Howard, specifically) are still working through the kinks among themselves.
There will be little time for Atlanta to sort things out. After facing Thomas, and hosting Dallas on Wednesday, the upcoming homestand proceeds with names like Kyrie, Teague, Curry, and Lowry swinging by Philips Arena, in short order.
Dennis hopes to become a heralded All-star name, like the aforementioned, at some point down the road. But to get there anytime soon, his team needs victories, versus good and bad teams alike. To get them, The Menace needs to take control of his actions and mindset, on and off the court. When you show up late to buses and practices, you give away any right to expound upon who is and isn’t a “professional” in your line of work.
There is no more time to get roiled about opponent’s misdeeds and ill words. For Dennis and the Hawks, it is past time to show up (on time!) and show out, beginning tonight at TD Garden. It would be a shame if, decades from now, some techno-pop DJ wizard from Wurzburg turns Atlanta’s point guard into “That other Dennis Schröder.”
Let’s Go Hawks!
~lw3
