SI: Baze, After the Kentract

[lethalweapon3]

Longform from Sports Illustrated on Bazemore's offensive adjustments this season.

~lw3

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Good article.   Didn't know that the Hawks made tweaks to his jumper.  His shot does look great at times.  But his issue is that he plays too fast and out of control at key points of the game.  Last night, he played with control and confidence.

[benhillboy]

I usually read any national article highlighting a Hawk, long form or short.  I can't read one on Baze man.  He's the 25th best SF in the league give or take.

Edited January 27, 2017 by benhillboy

[Gray Mule]

@benhillboy  You should read this one.  We learn that this player is still a work

in process and that he's still growing.  As you say, he still has a long way to go

but, on the other hand, he's come a long way.

Most of us don't come into this world as perfect and we seldom find that individual

that is the top in his chosen profession when he enters it.

This article points out how far he's come since he started and how far he still has

to go to become really good.  But, the important thing is, he's willing to work on

his game and improve on it.  He seems to be doing that.

Years ago, when J Smoove would shoot, I would think, "Oh no!"  Until recently,

when his shot has improved, I thought the same with Blaze.

[macdaddy]

shooting 40% from 3 in January.   I'll take it.   If he comes on strong when it counts that could be huge for the hawks.  

[AHF]

8 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

shooting 40% from 3 in January.   I'll take it.   If he comes on strong when it counts that could be huge for the hawks.  

I'll take anything positive we can get!

[ATLSmith]

Trust the Process.  Wait.  Can I use that or does Philly have exclusive rights?

[Guest]

Updated look at Bazemore's numbers:

December:

GP

MIN

FGM-FGA

FG%

3PM-3PA

3P%

FTM-FTA

FT%

OR

DR

REB

AST

BLK

STL

PF

TO

PTS

12 27.1 3.0-8.9 .336 0.4-2.7 .156 1.3-2.5 .533 0.7 2.4 3.1 2.8 0.8 0.7 2.3 1.7 7.8   January: GP MIN FGM-FGA FG% 3PM-3PA 3P% FTM-FTA FT% OR DR REB AST BLK STL PF TO PTS 15 27.1 4.9-10.7 .453 1.9-4.2 .444 1.7-2.2 .758 0.7 2.5 3.2 2.3 0.5 1.0 2.2 1.3 13.3

 

The good news is his 3pt percentage went from 15% to 44% and his freethrow percentage from 53% to 75%.

Let's hope he keep trending upwards.  He plays well for us it helps on the floor and it helps if we need to trade him.  C'mon Baze get it together to help the Hawks either way.

[Guest]

Still trending up...

GP

MIN

FGM-FGA

FG%

3PM-3PA

3P%

FTM-FTA

FT%

OR

DR

REB

AST

BLK

STL

PF

TO

PTS

December	12	27.1	3.0-8.9	.336	0.4-2.7	.156	1.3-2.5	.533	0.7	2.4	3.1	2.8	0.8	0.7	2.3	1.7	7.8
January	15	27.1	4.9-10.7	.453	1.9-4.2	.444	1.7-2.2	.758	0.7	2.5	3.3	2.3	0.5	1.0	2.2	1.3	13.3
February	5	26.2	3.8-8.0	.475	1.2-3.0	.400	1.4-1.8	.778	0.4	1.4	1.8	2.6	0.4	2.2	1.0	2.2	10.2

Field goal percentage and free throw percentage (small February sample size though)

[macdaddy]

29 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Still trending up...

GP

MIN

FGM-FGA

FG%

3PM-3PA

3P%

FTM-FTA

FT%

OR

DR

REB

AST

BLK

STL

PF

TO

PTS

December	12	27.1	3.0-8.9	.336	0.4-2.7	.156	1.3-2.5	.533	0.7	2.4	3.1	2.8	0.8	0.7	2.3	1.7	7.8
January	15	27.1	4.9-10.7	.453	1.9-4.2	.444	1.7-2.2	.758	0.7	2.5	3.3	2.3	0.5	1.0	2.2	1.3	13.3
February	5	26.2	3.8-8.0	.475	1.2-3.0	.400	1.4-1.8	.778	0.4	1.4	1.8	2.6	0.4	2.2	1.0	2.2	10.2

Field goal percentage and free throw percentage (small February sample size though)

Did he vacation in Miami over the holidays?

[Guest]

2 hours ago, macdaddy said:

Did he vacation in Miami over the holidays?

Whatever it is, it's working.

[Guest]

21 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Whatever it is, it's working.

Yeah, Skip is out to make the Hawks great agin ...

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/kent-bazemore-unlike-stephen-curry-thinks-donald-trump-is-hip-to-this-world-013902087.html

You can't fool me, Skip.  You jus' tryna kill yer trade value.

[Guest]

 

[HawkItus]

I don't get how people don't understand we made a commitment to Baze.   He is not going anywhere.     

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, HawkItus said:

I don't get how people don't understand we made a commitment to Baze.   He is not going anywhere.     

Commitment or not - he is not an 'untouchable'.

[HawkItus]

37 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Commitment or not - he is not an 'untouchable'.

He isn't  untouchable, but we aren't trading for any of the guys I see thrown around here.

[Guest]

Now healthy, Bazemore making good on contract

Quote

SACRAMENTO, Calif.

Kent Bazemore sensed the frustration of his teammates.

The Hawks wing had struggled so much early in the season that he was turning down open shots for fear of missing. He took a moment and had an epiphany.

“I was like, if I’m going to fail, it’s going to be an aggressive fail,” Bazemore said Friday morning before the Hawks played the Kings.

Bazemore said the moment came in Jan. 13 against the Celtics. He finished with 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting, including two 3-pointers. In the past 15 games, Bazemore averaged 14.1 points and shot .479 from the field and .424 from 3-point range. This is more like what the Hawks envisioned when they signed him to a four-year, $70 million contract this summer to return to Atlanta.

In the 15 games, Bazemore has scored in double figures 11 times. He reached double figures only 16 times in his previous 36 games since the start of the season.

Bazemore said the biggest factor in his recent success is simply his health. He said he was slowed much of the year by a sore right knee. He missed two games in December with the ailment and came off the bench for the next three games before returning to the starting lineup.

“That was a huge part of everything I was going through — the frustrations, not being able to be who you are,” Bazemore said. “In the present moment not being able to adapt. You are so stubborn mentally, you are going to the game with one mindset and that’s to play the way you play. You can’t do that and it wears on you.

“I had a moment there where I took a step back and said this is what you have, this is what you have to play with. Make the best of it. It worked for me.”

In his first 36 games, Bazemore averaged 9.8 points per game and shot .365 from the field and .295 from 3-point range. There were questions about the contract. Was he deserving? Did the Hawks make a mistake? Bazemore heard them. Maybe, for a few minutes, some of the doubt crept into his own mind.

Bazemore just wanted to get healthy. There was extra rehab and weight-room work to finally get back to feeling normal.

That was followed by a return of confidence.

“I’m just feeling a lot better physically and being aggressive,” Bazemore said. “Now that my body is getting back to me normal self, I’m able to do a little bit more, go a little bit harder and not think about certain parts of my body. It’s all about getting healthy.”

“(My right knee), it’s my jumping knee, my power knee. It was bothering me a little bit, and I was favoring it and scared to do things. I’m over that and getting after it.”

Bazemore said he has been driving to the basket more of late. That has been a product of opponents again having to respect his 3-point shot. Bazemore has gotten inside as defenders rush at him.

The Hawks stuck with Bazemore for his defensive ability. That’s a must in the Hawks’ team system. Play defense first. Bazemore did all that despite his health limitations. The shot and the confidence would eventually return.

Overall, Bazemore is averaging 11.0 points in 51 games with a .401 shooting percentage and a .340 3-point shooting percentage.

Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said he doesn’t see one specific thing that has led to the turnaround. Well, maybe one thing. One important thing.

“I feel like he’s just making shots,” Budenholzer said. “When he’s getting open looks, he is making a higher percentage. That’s what I feel like it has been.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/basketball/now-healthy-bazemore-making-good-contract/cJoo4lXKbV0xX2sucadAjI/