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If you're going to draft two wings, you don't also hit the panic button and resign someone that when he's good at all, is only good when the floor is spaced. They KNEW they were moving away from the offense that revolved around Kyle Korver.

I actually thought Ham managed well. He knew what he was doing by removing Dwight and Kent early in the second half, the only time this team really plays good defense is when it plays aggressive, trapping defense and this isn't doable with Dwight in, plus Kent sucks. It woke them up again.

Now I understand the next to last play was a busted play. They were trying to force a switch for Hardaway Jr onto a big man. It didn't work, but I like that kind of play and he usually can take bigs (it's a part of his improvement). But still, there were plenty of timeouts? If the play looks like a bust, why not call TO? Ham did a nice job of managing I thought, especially because if Dennis wasn't in foul trouble, I don't think Kent ever comes back in the game. He did it differently, in that he subbed Kent out much sooner and when he saw what Tim was doing was positive, while Kent struggled, he was not going to give Kent his **annual 30**.

Driving would have made it more likely that the ensuing scramble wouldn't have happened. That is the main issue.

I have no issue with Hardaway Jr handling but if nothing is happening, he needs to not go iso and call for a PNR. He's a solid passer when he wants to be so a PNR wouldn't be a bad thing. Bazemore typically was awful and Dennis was mostly sulking.

There is a noticeable difference between now and December, he is not doing terrible but he's not even impacting the game in the frustrating but impactful way he did then, and I know that you're not a big fan of him, will. There are periods in which it looks like he's sulking on the court, and that's not a good way to play in any sport. Outside of Boston in the second half when I've watched, he's sulking, disengaged, and disinterested. handling millennial types today is dangerous, some of them won't be mad about punishment, they'll be sad and will sulk.

A lot of the Hawks need is for Bud to swallow his pride but what's needed might not even work. A switching lineup is the only realistic hope against a couple of teams.

Dennis is capable but I've said he's more worried about the SHOWTIME! play than the right play in National TV games and that's horrible. Kent does not deserve props for 6 minutes, he was getting whipped as well. You can't be down and out and suddenly decide "oh! we need to lock it down!".

Like I've said in other threads, in the NBA you can't get away with simply hoping to "get hot" like in other sports, you have to have a top 15-20 caliber player. And even that may not be enough.

I absolutely despise Bazemore, but no, sorry, he did not guard Irving well either. He was on him much earlier even with Dennis still out there and was getting whipped. 70 million. For a cheerleader. SMH

Nah he was switched onto him earlier and was taken to school for the majority of the time.

They kinda already don't play the system they did 2 years ago. It's mostly a lot of high pick and roll or going through Millsap when he causes defenses to scramble. This actually started last year, once the plays revolving around Kyle were snuffed for good. (It's actually a lot of Millsap-Schröder high pick and roll, not Dwight)

That was finals game 5 Kyrie and LeBron, and no team is beating that.

No one is beating the Cavs when Kyrie and LeBron play like they are absolutely angry. It seemed like they were absolutely angry about the loss in November and wanted to show they were still the way better team. Dwight not playing was a part of the reason for the comeback, as I said over and over in the chat, if Tristan isn't going to play, the Cavs offense will be absolutely unstoppable against the Hawks if they want it to be. The best chance is to remove him and switch every single pick and roll...which they did...and it erased the blowout.

Goudelock isn't really a true PG, but we have to realize that Euroleague assist rules are quite a bit different than American assist rules. I think in Euroleague an assist only comes when the guy shoots immediately after catching the ball from someone else. You can't put the ball down, not even just once/twice. If you do it's not an assist. He can play PG but he's more of a shooting PG....which most PGs are today anyway.

The starting lineup together got their butts whooped by the Celtics last time. It would have not been a "barely beating" if they had stayed in.

Now it looks like the Celtics may have been overlooking the Hawks and seeing them as no big deal. :|

Maybe the worst half I've ever seen played by a point guard. Can't be passive AND turnover prone. But it all worked out in the end. Great game by Ersan Ilyasova.

Not anything special, but if he's picked up he should immediately be the 2nd PG. There's nothing that Delaney provides that is necessary.

There will be four in. There's four in comfortably right now. Maybe 5. Right now I'd say the maybe is Vanderbilt but if Georgia beats Arkansas without their best player they'll hop right into the conservation with a win over Vanderbilt (I think). Which again, is absolutely crazy. I don't expect it to happen.

Georgia is probably in if they win out and win their first SECT game which is absolutely nuts (they likely won't beat Arkansas without Maten on the floor).

The big differences in this game are relatively simple btw. Dennis actually being a professional and not worrying too much about outplaying a star point guard and the insertion of Taurean helped stuff Boston's PNR actions.

This was true in December. After the Spurs game, outside of a miracle vs Houston, the Hawks were looking completely overmatched against good teams that were faced. It was just masked because January was such a weak schedule. If the December version of Dennis is back, this might be fine.

Isaiah Thomas is crying that he didn't get any calls lmfao.

If "December Dennis" is back, I may be wrong on March.