Hawks - Raptors: the Do-Over

[lethalweapon3]

It’s Basketball Night in Canada! And the Hawks have a little more to play for than just clinching a playoff spot for the fifth consecutive season. A victory tonight in Toronto will cement their Away record at 17-16, marking the first time since 1999 and only the sixth time in 44 seasons that an Atlanta Hawks team finished the season with a winning record on the road. Last year, the Hawks lost their last three road games and five of their last six to finish just short of the .500 mark, at 20-21.

Previous seasons of “Road Warrior Hawk”:

1998-99: 16-9

1997-98: 21-20

1993-94: 21-20

1986-87: 22-19

1969-70: 18-16

They’ll need a far more spirited effort on both ends of the floor than they exhibited last night at the Dimlight Factory.

It’s hard to avoid playing this team with so many more bigs to throw at you in a physical way, but it will help the Hawks’ cause to keep the fouling to a minimum. Not because they’re a bit shorthanded upfront, but because the Raptors are just 6-27 when they draw less than 20 fouls, 16-12 otherwise. The Raptors feasted on the Hawks’ interior on Sunday, shooting a season high 86 percent at the rim. Sound positioning for rebounds from the forwards and centers, and better defensive positioning from the guards, will help minimize the necessity for fouls.

Keeping a lid on wasteful offensive possessions will also go a long way toward victory tonight, as the Raps strive to keep opponents to one-and-done offense. A team that ranks third in defensive rebounding rate, Toronto is 10-5 when snaring 45 or more rebounds in a game, 12-34 otherwise. In 19 of Toronto’s 22 wins, including last night, the Raptors outperformed their opponents in defensive rebounds.

Even without Bargnani around, it remains baffling why the Raptors rely so much on long jumpers (29.6% of FGAs from 16-23 feet, ranking 3^rd; 36.6 FG%, ranking 24^th), although that choice worked out quite well last night without much defensive pressure from the Hawks (34.2% of FGAs from 16-23 feet; 12-for-26 shooting). On the season, no one other than 10-day pickup Alan Anderson (now signed for the "long" haul, along with Ben Uzoh) is hitting more than 40% from this range. Atlanta’s small forwards must have clearly defined roles on defense – limiting DeMar DeRozan, Linas Kleiza, and James Johnson to contested jumpers outside the paint and helping with boxouts (Marvin and Joe) or helping disrupt driving and passing by the Raptor guards (T-Mac and Vlad).

Our three point marksmen have to be at-the-ready to catch-and-shoot when the kickout comes, and if they are not ready, swing the ball around the arc until it finds a guard who is open. The Hawks are 17-3 when connecting on 8 or more assisted threes in a game (only 5 last night), and 19-3 when hitting more than 40% of their three-point attempts, with two of the losses by just one point.

Sadly, we won't have Justin Dentmon to kick around. His 10-day contract expired today without the Raptors renewing it. Going 3-for-10, 1-for-6 beyond the arc, and leading the team in turnovers last night pretty much did him in. However, he did lead them in assists with four last night, so the starting point guard (Uzoh) will have to pick up the slack. Jeff Teague will need to create more Toronto turnovers (they're 6-22 when turning the ball over 15 or more times a game), and get around Uzoh to draw fouls from the Raptors' big men (as noted yesterday, Toronto leads the league in personal fouls... plus, they're 6-21 when fouling 24 or more times in a game). Jose Calderon (eye) will be in uniform but remains unlikely to appear in tonight's game.

Go Hawks!

~lw3

[DJlaysitup]

Will it be sweet revenge or another helping of Crow?

[lethalweapon3]

What a difference a day makes!

Threes weren't rally falling, but generating 18 Raptor turnovers, 27 Raptor fouls, and lots of questionable Raptor shots after the first quarter more than made up for that.

Congrats to Ivan Johnson on a career high night, and to Jeff Teague for 10 assists and just one turnover. And best wishes to Willie Green and la familia!

~lw3

[Dexmethylphenidate]

Nice to see they're overperforming. It's good to know they can be competitive on the road. Can't say that 5 years ago.

[Gray Mule]

That's more like it!!

For the final game of the season on the road, that looked like our Hawks.

I don't know who that was that pretended to be Atlanta in their last home

game. Two entirely different teams.

A big congrats to JT and Ivan and Marvin. And, a great, defensive 3rd qtr!

Thanks. We needed that!

-------

[Guest]

Drew issued a pregame challenge to Teague to step up his aggressiveness and the third-year guard followed through by leading the Hawks to 28 fast-break points, the most by a Raptors opponent this season.

The ball belongs in Jeff's hands to run the offense.

Best road record in 12 years.

Edited April 17, 2012 by JayBirdHawk