Stat Du Jour: Passing Up Passing on the Road

[lethalweapon3]

If the Hawks look a little different when they don't have their own fans influencing their style of play, it shows up in at least one stat.

Our Fine Feathered Friends are currently third in the NBA in assists... at Home.

1. Jazz (26.1 dimes/game)

2. Lakers (25.3)

3. THE HIGHLIGHT FACTORY (25.1)

4. Nuggs (25.0)

5. Celts (24.0)

On the Road, the Hawks clip their own wings, as they're next-to-LAST in Assists.

26. Clips (19.0)

27. Nets (18.6)

28. Hornets (18.6) -- gee whiz... who's THEIR point guard???

29. HAWX (18.3)

30. Grizz (16.3)

The Jazz are consistently ranked 1st in assists, regardless of home-and-away stats. While virtually all NBA teams have assist numbers that drop off when they hit the road, none display the precipitous Jekyll-and-Hyde passing performance like the Hawks have so far.

It can't be explained solely on tighter defenses, as the Hawks are among the best at protecting the ball on the road (11.7 Turnovers/game, ranking 4th fewest, compared to 13.2 goofs/game at Philips).

Perhaps too many isolation plays on the road?

~lw3

[DrReality]

Bibby needs to assert himself on the road. And I think he is in the process of doing this. It is looking more and more like it is Bibby's team instead of JJ's?

[bronnt]

If the Hawks look a little different when they don't have their own fans influencing their style of play, it shows up in at least one stat.

Our Fine Feathered Friends are currently third in the NBA in assists... at Home.

1. Jazz (26.1 dimes/game)

2. Lakers (25.3)

3. THE HIGHLIGHT FACTORY (25.1)

4. Nuggs (25.0)

5. Celts (24.0)

On the Road, the Hawks clip their own wings, as they're next-to-LAST in Assists.

26. Clips (19.0)

27. Nets (18.6)

28. Hornets (18.6) -- gee whiz... who's THEIR point guard???

29. HAWX (18.3)

30. Grizz (16.3)

The Jazz are consistently ranked 1st in assists, regardless of home-and-away stats. While virtually all NBA teams have assist numbers that drop off when they hit the road, none display the precipitous Jekyll-and-Hyde passing performance like the Hawks have so far.

It can't be explained solely on tighter defenses, as the Hawks are among the best at protecting the ball on the road (11.7 Turnovers/game, ranking 4th fewest, compared to 13.2 goofs/game at Philips).

Perhaps too many isolation plays on the road?

~lw3

Hornets might be the bottom just because they play at the slowest pace in the NBA. Fewer possessions = fewer baskets = fewer assists. They're probably pretty low at home, as well, despite having CP3. Atlanta plays at the 7th slowest pace in the NBA, FWIW.

The actual effective way to see how much passing is happening is to check the % of baskets that are assisted. They track stuff like that at 82games.com.

Edited January 24, 2009 by bronnt

[Admin]

I think it's just a maturity thing. We haven't learned how to play on the road yet and it's probably going to take another year or two before we do.

[Swatguy]

Bibby needs to assert himself on the road. And I think he is in the process of doing this. It is looking more and more like it is Bibby's team instead of JJ's?

It is Bibby's team and Flip is the whip. Joe is the guy with the most talent.

[lethalweapon3]

23 assists Sunday night at Philips against the Suns

7 assists Monday night down in Miami.

Look out, Grizzlies, here we come!

~lw3

[DJlaysitup]

23 assists Sunday night at Philips against the Suns

7 assists Monday night down in Miami.

Look out, Grizzlies, here we come!

~lw3

We got some fancy assists tonight - the two we threw to Wade for dunks were ESPN highlighters.

[tonegully]

We have no point guard. That is why our assists suck.

[lethalweapon3]

Hornets might be the bottom just because they play at the slowest pace in the NBA. Fewer possessions = fewer baskets = fewer assists. They're probably pretty low at home, as well, despite having CP3. Atlanta plays at the 7th slowest pace in the NBA, FWIW.

The actual effective way to see how much passing is happening is to check the % of baskets that are assisted. They track stuff like that at 82games.com.

Anybody know of a way to divvy up the (home vs. away) %Assisted stats on 82games.com? (Or just provide a link) It'd be good to reveal the stark differences.

Meanwhile, thanks to the last two performances the Hawks remain 1st in the Eastern Conference in assists/game at home (25.0, now a hair behind the Nuggets in 4th) and last in the East (17.8) on the road, closing the gap with the Grizz in the race to the bottom.

~lw3

[Packfill]

I think it's just a maturity thing. We haven't learned how to play on the road yet and it's probably going to take another year or two before we do.

Since Bibby and JJ, both grizzled vets at this point, do most of the ball handling, I am not sure that maturity is the issue.