Official Game Thread: Kings at Hawks

[ATLien_]

4 hours ago, Thomas said:

Agree. The King's starting frontline had fourteen fouls and could have been called for several more. Dwight can put the opposing starting frontline players on the bench for good stretches. Advantage us.

This is going to be huge against the Cavs.  I think he'll have Tristan Thompson in alot of foul trouble. This is one benefit of Dwight I over looked. Despite his horrid free throw shooting; he'll  get us in the bonus early and often. Hell keep opposing bigs in foul trouble. 

[NBASupes]

8 hours ago, Lurker said:

There was two shots that Dennis missed in the first half that you have to make and should make. A wide open three with no one within several feet of you has to go down. It has to. His third quarter stint was noticeably bad however and then they went to Millsap as the main playmaker. He came back in trying to push the pace in the 4th and get shots out of it...and he did relatively well to no avail.

In all fairness, we missed a lot of wide open shots yesterday. Wasn't a good shooting day.

[lethalweapon3]

55 minutes ago, django2341 said:

I don't know if this has to be a shot at somebody. I mean team chemistry is hard to figure. It was good the last years but it seems like it is even better this year. Sometimes there are just Little Things making a difference. Everyone seems to be on the same page now. With that (being) said I can imagine Teague and Schröder weren't as close brothers as they told to the media. Teague's 'bad' play last year was like he was feeling the pressure from Schröder more and more. So that obviously could be a reason for some 'bad blood' in the locker room, but still this post does not necessarily have to be a shot at Teague and/or Horford. I think Dennis is just really enjoying the situation (being) a starter in a team with good teammates and friends and thought that this pictures shows that perfectly.

I mentioned it in the Squawkchat room, but Baze's postgame interview w/ Olivia included a comment to the effect of ((paraphrasing)), "Last year, we would've tripped up in a game like this, playing the way we did (when the Kings came back)." Guess which two ex-Hawks immediately came to mind?

In the same way as Dennis, I think Baze was trying to acknowledge their shortcomings as a team (as a whole), with a bit of shade as an unintentional effect. The remaining players' adjustments and offseason improvements might have been more of what they were aiming at.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

"RETALIATION. The newest fragrance from Calvin Klein..."

DeMarcus Cousins is a Toys R Us Kid!

~lw3

[StephenHawking]

I'm so pleased with how we handled those dirty kings. I mean we would've never won a game like that last year if we're being honest.

Just the thoughness in the post D8, Moose and Hump displayed is totally new to us. 

That game totally encouraged me as in there's no specific playstyle which works against us. Last year such teams simply outmuscled us and won games on the boards.

[lethalweapon3]

John Fricke (92.9 The Game's morning show host) noted this is the first time the Hawks started 3-0 while winning those games by double digits.

~lw3

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

John Fricke (92.9 The Game's morning show host) noted this is the first time the Hawks started 3-0 while winning those games by double digits.

~lw3

Let that sink in.

All games won by double digits with beastly defense in the 4th quarter.

 

[lethalweapon3]

"Shhhh... Everybody thinks I'm really Ryan Kelly!"

~lw3

[Guest]

1 minute ago, lethalweapon3 said:

"Shhhh... Everybody thinks I'm really Ryan Kelly!"

~lw3

"If dey squint real hard they might think I'm Mike Scott."

My biggest takeaway from this game is I'd have a really hard time rooting for Cousins.  He's never committed a foul.  Nothing is ever his fault.  He can take whatever shot he wants at any time regardless of time/score/game situation.  No one 'coaches' him, you only 'manage/tolerate' him.  That's why he'll probably never win.

Imagine him in a playoff game where, by design, there's more physicality/less called fouls.  He'd be T'd up twice by halftime.

[Guest]

LOL...Good speech Bud.

[DS17Fanboy]

What stands out for me overall, is that till now we have been the death of a thousand cuts to the opposing teams, while in each and every one of them tacking out their main weapons. Also last night we seen the first time a real hack-a-howard game, which sorta stinks, especially when Howard misses as many shots as he did, but the Hawks also have many other players who are good at drawing fouls(Dennis, Millsap, Baze), so once a SAC is going to give away 1-2 granted fouls early in the quarter, it is going to add up sooner or later when we avidly try to turn that table on them. I already had this notion is the 2nd quarter and it seems Bud did as well and soon it panned out and Cousins and Gay where in trouble.

[macdaddy]

I'm realizing that Dwight at the free throw line works for us make or miss.   At least in games like this.   It slows the game down and puts the other team in foul trouble.   Still no idea why they are letting him shoot with all wrist but whatever.   50% is the best we're going to get without major changes to that shooting motion.    And what a great friggin block at the end there by Dwight.  Thabo had that nice steal but i'd say it was that block that ended it.  

Baze is pushing way to hard.   Dude needs to calm down a little and have some fun out there.   

If Hardaway ever figures out when to shoot and when not to he'll be really good.   

Nice to see Kyle making moves to get open 2s.   The dude could be a much bigger scorer than he has been. 

Even when Dennis' numbers aren't good he still controls the game and so far we're still successful.   That's huge.   While provoking cousins is fun, i don't think that's a great idea.

[Thomas]

"Kris Humphries has dealt with bigger divas than DeMarcus Cousins."

Humorous and accurate. Too an earlier post, Humphries toughness in the post is not absolutely new to us. Recall the throw down he laid on Kevin Love in the playoffs and he was the most aggressive big man defensively for us in the paint against the Cavs in that series. Ended up with the best PER by any of us because of that performance even though minutes were way too limited. 

[macdaddy]

1 minute ago, Thomas said:

"Kris Humphries has dealt with bigger divas than DeMarcus Cousins."

Humorous and accurate. Too an earlier post, Humphries toughness in the post is not absolutely new to us. Recall the throw down he laid on Kevin Love in the playoffs and he was the most aggressive big man defensively for us in the paint against the Cavsin that series. Ended up with the best PER by any of us because of that performance even though minutes were way too limited. 

I was glad we brought him back and glad he came back.   I very happy that he's not just sitting on the bench too.    The guy brings toughness and skill.   We need that. 

[Thomas]

I know this is beating a dead horse but Dwight's free throws are not one smooth motion. He stops once he pulls the ball up for too long. Believe its called a hitch. Anyway he still put a ton of pressure on the Kings and Bob Rathbun made the comment the Kings were running out of lead keeping up with the foul count. Clever. 

[JSmooooove]

45 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

"Shhhh... Everybody thinks I'm really Ryan Kelly!"

~lw3

I told y'all I was showing up!! LOL

[macdaddy]

Just now, Thomas said:

I know this is beating a dead horse but Dwight's free throws are not one smooth motion. He stops once he pulls the ball up. Believe its called a hitch. Anyway he still put a ton of pressure on the Kings and Bob Rathbun made the comment the Kings were running out of lead keeping the foul count. Clever. 

This is the part I'm not getting.   I know he's worked with a ton of 'shot doctors' and i don't claim to be an expert but there is no way anyone would achieve consistency with the motion he uses.   His shot is a flip of the wrist.   I mean stand 2 feet from the basket and try that and you'll still hit 50%.     I know we've really beat this subject to death but a big change to his motion (and timing) should happen and i'm not talking about underhand.   

Anyway, his misses didn't hurt us.  In fact, him getting to the line so much even with the misses helped us a lot.   Go Dwight!

 

[Thomas]

Almost wonder if Kyle is even allowed to work one on one with Dwight at the foul line. They were on the practice court together in the offseason. As you said Dwight helped us a lot and eighteen and eleven will definitely work in our favor. He draws serious attention. Dwight doesn't have to help defend for someone to block shots either he has that command down there.   

[AUhawksfan]

32 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

This is the part I'm not getting.   I know he's worked with a ton of 'shot doctors' and i don't claim to be an expert but there is no way anyone would achieve consistency with the motion he uses.   His shot is a flip of the wrist.   I mean stand 2 feet from the basket and try that and you'll still hit 50%.     I know we've really beat this subject to death but a big change to his motion (and timing) should happen and i'm not talking about underhand.   

Anyway, his misses didn't hurt us.  In fact, him getting to the line so much even with the misses helped us a lot.   Go Dwight!

 

If you compare his form with those free throw clips over the summer to what we're seeing in games, it's different.  That hitch isn't there over the summer.  Reminds me a little of Shaq where there's that hitch/pause at the top.  Not fluid from bringing the ball up to the release point.

This is what pretty much tells me it's mental and I don't think there is much more we can hope for than 50%.  Form is one thing but some people just can't get past the mental piece when the lights are shining and if he hasn't done it after being in the league 10+ years I don't think he ever will.

[Dnice]

Just get the board on the second miss. Lol