Earning it the Hard-a-Way

[hazer]

Bud Knows Wazzup

How Hardaway Jr. earned his way into Hawks’ rotation

Posted: 9:36 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016

 

Email 0Facebook 0Twitter 77ShareThis 77

By Chris Vivlamore - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution



 

PORTLAND —

Three weeks ago, Tim Hardaway Jr. was on assignment in the NBA Development League.

Now, he has earned his way into the Hawks’ regular rotation with his eighth straight appearance in Wednesday’s 104-98 win over the Trail Blazers.

+

Curtis Compton

Hawks’ Tim Hardaway Jr. reacts to hitting a 3-pointer against the Magic’s Devyn Marble during the MLK Day basketball game on ... read more

Here’s how he did it, according to coach Mike Budenholzer.

“He worked so hard,” Budenholzer said before Wednesday’s victory. “We were saying how hard he was working and when he’s not playing it’s hard to believe it or appreciate it or both.

“I think he really put in time in the weight room. He missed a little bit of the summer with his (injured) wrist. His athleticism, his pop, which is one of the things that intrigued us about him, has returned. Then, he’s just working defensively. He’s getting over screens, fighting through screens. He just really understands how important it is to be good defensively and you see it when he’s playing. He’s communicating. He’s talking. He’s working. On the offensive end, he’s just letting it come to him.”

So the offensive talent earned his way with his defensive improvement.

Hardaway’s lack of playing time this season has been well-documented. The Hawks traded their first-round pick in June’s NBA Draft to acquire the shooting guard. When he appeared in just four of the Hawks’ first 35 games, the move came under great speculation. The Hawks coaching staff and management preached patience as they got Hardaway in their player development system.

Hardaway said Wednesday his emergence has been a combination of understanding the team’s defensive system and getting healthy.

“It’s a little bit of both but it’s also the wanting,” Hardaway said. “You put your mind to it then it comes a lot easier. That’s what I’ve focused on and it’s helped me get in the lineup and I make sure that it all falls into place when I’m on the floor.”

Hardaway played 10:40 against the Trail Blazers and missed his only shot. He added one assist and one blocked shot. Still in the past eight games he has scored 32 points, including three eight-point performances. He has done so on 12 of 29 shooting with five 3-pointers. Hardaway has added 12 assists and seven rebounds and averaged 15.5 minutes. Hardaway is known for his outside shot but he contributed a couple thunderous dunks to this total.

“It feels great but it doesn’t stop there,” Hardaway said of his strides on defense. “There are always things to work on and learn from. I’m learning from Thabo (Sefolosha) and (Kent) Bazemore when they are out there. They are talking to me while I’m on the bench and figuring out ways I can make myself better on that end of the floor.”

Hardaway added he is letting the offense come to him.

“In this offense when you have the opportunity to shoot the ball, you have to deliver,” he said. “I feel like I’m there right now. I can do better. It’s a progress each and every day, each and every game. I just trying to get better.”

Budenholzer said Wednesday that, for the most part, he has settled on the current rotation of 10 players. Hardaway Jr. is one of them. He could be a big plus for the Hawks going forward as part of the wing rotation.

 

[macdaddy]

Quote

Budenholzer said Wednesday that, for the most part, he has settled on the current rotation of 10 players. Hardaway Jr. is one of them. He could be a big plus for the Hawks going forward as part of the wing rotation.

Frankly i think this is a great thing

Teague/dennis  korver/thj  baze/thabo  sap/scott  horf/splitter

These are our legit guys and i'd like to see what they can do together with solid minutes from Hardaway and Scott. 

 

[hazer]

4 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Frankly i think this is a great thing

Teague/dennis  korver/thj  baze/thabo  sap/scott  horf/splitter

These are our legit guys and i'd like to see what they can do together with solid minutes from Hardaway and Scott. 

 

I did this exact calculation in my head when I read that too.

[hazer]

1 hour ago, hazer said:

“I think he really put in time in the weight room. He missed a little bit of the summer with his (injured) wrist. His athleticism, his pop, which is one of the things that intrigued us about him, has returned. Then, he’s just working defensively. He’s getting over screens, fighting through screens. He just really understands how important it is to be good defensively and you see it when he’s playing. He’s communicating. He’s talking. He’s working. On the offensive end, he’s just letting it come to him.”

Good for you, 10m Jr! Good for you...

[benhillboy]

The kid does explode to the rim on the break.  I had lost all hope, good to have some return.

[TheFuzz]

Always had the skillset and the fluidity. I think we should trust Bud when it comes to talent/developing talent JUST a little bit...

[Duff_Man]

57 minutes ago, TheFuzz said:

Always had the skillset and the fluidity. I think we should trust Bud when it comes to talent/developing talent JUST a little bit...

Why be patient when it is so much more satisfying to whine on the internet in an instant?

I know he is still learning, but he has looked good in his limited run. He's only going to get better once those old habits die out. If he really comes on later this season, it will be a great story. 

[benhillboy]

16 minutes ago, Duff_Man said:

Why be patient when it is so much more satisfying to whine on the internet in an instant?

No reason at all.

I like to think I could work in the NBA.  I would've traded Jeff or Al a month ago and been on the outside looking in at the 8th seed like a jag off.  Kinda like Cleveland currently shopping Mozgov after he changed their season last year.

[macdaddy]

30 minutes ago, benhillboy said:

No reason at all.

I like to think I could work in the NBA.  I would've traded Jeff or Al a month ago and been on the outside looking in at the 8th seed like a jag off.  Kinda like Cleveland currently shopping Mozgov after he changed their season last year.

Man i'd love to snag Mozgov but i doubt they'd send him to us and we wouldn't offer much they 'd want i wouldn't think.   

[hazer]

1 hour ago, TheFuzz said:

Always had the skillset and the fluidity. I think we should trust Bud when it comes to talent/developing talent JUST a little bit...

I never lost faith, nor whined about it, like so many knee jerks around here did. Because, you know, they're better evaluators/developers/coaches/Presidents than Bud. His whole "Kawhi Leonard" (and COTY) thing was just an anomaly...

[QuantumHawkz]

6 hours ago, macdaddy said:

Frankly i think this is a great thing

Teague/dennis  korver/thj  baze/thabo  sap/scott  horf/splitter

These are our legit guys and i'd like to see what they can do together with solid minutes from Hardaway and Scott. 

 

Scott is playing better and so is Splitter. If THJ keeps improving, by the playoffs that's a solid 10 man rotation.

[macdaddy]

Just now, QuantumHawkz said:

Scott is playing better and so is Splitter. If THJ keeps improving, by the playoffs that's a solid 10 man rotation.

I'm most excited about Scott although I hate that he's got this drug thing hanging over.   It seems like he's starting to get more physical on the defensive end which is what we need from him.     I'm still not totally sold on Splitter being our only backup big going into the playoffs but i'm willing to be convinced he can handle it.  

[QuantumHawkz]

6 hours ago, macdaddy said:

Frankly i think this is a great thing

Teague/dennis  korver/thj  baze/thabo  sap/scott  horf/splitter

These are our legit guys and i'd like to see what they can do together with solid minutes from Hardaway and Scott. 

 

Scott is playing better and so is Splitter. If THJ keeps improving, by the playoffs that's a solid 10 man rotation.

 

4 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

I'm most excited about Scott although I hate that he's got this drug thing hanging over.   It seems like he's starting to get more physical on the defensive end which is what we need from him.     I'm still not totally sold on Splitter being our only backup big going into the playoffs but i'm willing to be convinced he can handle it.  

What I like about Splitter is his post defense. He's starting to learn how to play with Dennis which is going to go along way.

[Guest]

I stated in chat last night that Dennis is finally adjusting to playing with Splitter as opposed to Pero. With Pero it was look for him on the perimeter, with Splitter look for him inside. All those Dennis 'knee' passes to Splitter earlier are now finding him rolling to the basket for what should be easy buckets (he misses too many though).

Scott's defense has really improve and so has his passing.

[QuantumHawkz]

5 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

I stated in chat last night that Dennis is finally adjusting to playing with Splitter as opposed to Pero. With Pero it was look for him on the perimeter, with Splitter look for him inside. All those Dennis 'knee' passes to Splitter earlier are now finding him rolling to the basket for what should be easy buckets (he misses too many though).

Scott's defense has really improve and so has his passing.

Very accurate observation.

[BigDog90]

13 hours ago, macdaddy said:

Frankly i think this is a great thing

Teague/dennis  korver/thj  baze/thabo  sap/scott  horf/splitter

These are our legit guys and i'd like to see what they can do together with solid minutes from Hardaway and Scott. 

 

What's wrong with Muscula? He was playing so well towards the end of last season.

[pimp]

THJ had a good game tonight. He was  the spark that got us back in the game after we went down by 17.
He derserved more playing time, but i guess Bud feels that he has to have Korver out there no matter what.
He has no problem benching Teauge  though lol

[rd79]

Tim may go from DNP-CD to starter in a very short time with Kyle's ongoing struggles. When Kyle airballed that three tonight I thougt he might have lost his shooting touch for at least this season, I doubt he will ever become that kind of deadly three point threat again he was last year. 

[Guest]

8 hours ago, BigDog90 said:

What's wrong with Muscula? He was playing so well towards the end of last season.

He's still a weakling.  I was disappointed in how he came back with his body.  I saw this in summer league, i expected him to be the best player for Hawks summer league, he was far from it.  He tries but.......

[benhillboy]

Yeah, I had hoped of Moose being a poor Olynyk.  Ship sailed.