Dennis being benched

[thecampster]

Early in the season, I mentioned how much the season depended on Dennis maturing.  IMHO, Bud took way too long in benching Dennis. Individual games in March don't matter. What matters is if Dennis starts to buy in as a member of a team and not believe he is mini Jordan. Dennis needs to start realizing his ability to impact a game, not just shoot the basketball.  Dennis has talent, loads of talent but he plays street ball in a professional NBA setting. It takes 5 to win and more importantly, 5 to stop the other team from winning. 

Currently, Dennis leads the team with 912 shots attempted. 70 more than Millsap (in 136 less minutes) and 447 more than Howard.  There is no universe where a 1st time starter at PG should be out attempting an all-star power forward or doubling the attempts of a top 10 center.

Dennis is out of control and out of his role. 912 shot attempts and 387 assists from your point guard is insane. A 5 points to 2 assists ratio from a point guard is pretty selfish basketball. Dennis needs to stop chasing endorsements and start chasing team basketball. Bud's discipline is eons behind.

[thecampster]

Just to clarify this. Chris Paul is averaging 2 less shot attempts than Dennis this season and 3.3 more assists. Its a mindset with Dennis, not a talent thing...Dennis needs to get himself under control.

[Guest]

Preeeeeeeaaaaaccchhh onnnn!!!!

[Guest]

This "analysis" feels incomplete.

Are you accounting for the fact that at least 2 (maybe even 3) starters have extended periods when they should never even peer towards the rim with thoughts of hurling a "shot" at it?

In this era of the NBA, the point guard is so much more of a scoring position that I think we simply have to rethink these preconceived notions that the 1 should just rack up assists and score like 8-12 points per game.  It doesn't work like that anymore.

Does he need to play better?  Obviously, yes.  However, that can be said about everyone on the team with the exception of maybe THJr.

[BrazilianHawk]

Nimbers don´t lie.

[Guest]

Sometimes in life you gotta fall on ur dumb lil face for a minute then pick yourself back up just to knock yourself back on ur keister.

 

Thats what's up with Dennis. Today, we will beat the Nets and act like everything in hunky dory...well I say F that $hit. 

 

FIX IT FAST HAWKS!!!!!

[rd79]

After last year's performance there was the decision to promote him to be the starting PG. Everybody (including me) wondered if he can match his own numbers (per36 not in total) vs better competition and more playing time. And... he does! All percentages are even up and the missing assists are replaced by less turns. Yes he isn't as good defensively now, but somewhere must be a difference between defending 2nd stringers and the likes of Westbrook, Lowry and Wall.

But how can someone watch at the stats below and say "He obviously has to play better". I wish he would play even better but I don't expect him to do so in his 1st season as a starter. 
He still play for $2.7M a year. Not many better deals in the league I guess, Next year he will make big money but I expect an improvement which will justify this...

 

SEASON	TEAM	AGE	GP	GS	MIN	PTS	FGM	FGA	FG%	3PM	3PA	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PF
2016-17	ATL	23	62	61	1915	20.4	7.9	17.1	45.9	1.5	4.3	34.4	3.2	3.8	83.7	0.6	2.8	3.4	7.3	1.0	0.2	3.6	2.1
2015-16	ATL	22	80	6	1621	19.5	7.3	17.3	42.1	1.7	5.3	32.2	3.2	4.0	79.1	0.6	4.0	4.5	7.8	1.6	0.2	4.1	3.1

 

[kurupt]

How often do we need to discuss Howard not being a good option on offense? All he can reliably and somewhat efficiently do is putbacks, dunks and alley hoops. He is a shit post-up players. And, as was already mentioned several times: Howard is amongst the players with the most post touches in the league already. He is getting pretty much the kind and number of shots he should be getting.

As for Millsap: as long as Schröder has a better eFG% and TS% and fewer "off-nights" (4/12 outings and worse) it is absolutely okay for him to take a few more shots.

We don't even need to talk about the other options on this team.

As for the comparison to Chris Paul: every player is unique. Most players in the league (if not all) are not Chris Paul. ALso, the dude has never been to a Conference Final in his career somwhow despite playing on decent teams and being hailed as a PF god by many. If his style of play is so desirable, how can that be?

[macdaddy]

28 minutes ago, kg01 said:

This "analysis" feels incomplete.

Are you accounting for the fact that at least 2 (maybe even 3) starters have extended periods when they should never even peer towards the rim with thoughts of hurling a "shot" at it?

In this era of the NBA, the point guard is so much more of a scoring position that I think we simply have to rethink these preconceived notions that the 1 should just rack up assists and score like 8-12 points per game.  It doesn't work like that anymore.

Does he need to play better?  Obviously, yes.  However, that can be said about everyone on the team with the exception of maybe THJr.

So you're saying there's a wing problem?   

[Lurker]

I feel like this has been discussed already before and is a dead horse.

1. How many times do we have to tell you that Howard is 5th option caliber on offense? He wouldn't be doing that much better if he was looked to as a go to option and passed to more.
2. Combine that with Bazemore and Sefolosha being 5th option caliber, and this is what we have.
3. In Bud's system, it's hard to average more than 7 assists.
4. In the modern NBA, the art of the pass first PG is dying. The double double candidate at PG is slowly going away and is only seen in the top 5 PGs.

[macdaddy]

Dennis has a mercurial personality.   That's a good thing.  Being ultra competitive is a good thing.   He just has to make it a positive more often.  But i'd say he's been very good this season in terms of positive impact on the court.   And I agree that his low assist numbers are in part (not completely) due to the fact that our shooters suck.  

[Lurker]

It's honestly amazing to see how comically overrated Dwight Howard gets. This is who Howard is now. A 14/12 guy at the most that should only be looked to offensively when he doesn't have to make more than one move.

[macdaddy]

8 minutes ago, Lurker said:

It's honestly amazing to see how comically overrated Dwight Howard gets. This is who Howard is now. A 14/12 guy at the most that should only be looked to offensively when he doesn't have to make more than one move.

I'm not sure anyone is overrating him.   But he could certainly score more with more touches.  He's open a ton in the paint where he only has to make one move.   But whether getting him more points improves our chances of winning is really the issue.   

I'm glad we have a 14/12 guy though and not a 14/6 guy. 

[hazer]

10 minutes ago, Lurker said:

It's honestly amazing to see how comically overrated Dwight Howard gets. This is who Howard is now. A 14/12 guy at the most that should only be looked to offensively when he doesn't have to make more than one move.

Who could turn a Dennis maturity thread into a D8 sux thread? @Lurker, that's who. I'm shocked.....

[Guest]

46 minutes ago, BrazilianHawk said:

Nimbers don´t lie.

Nope but they can certainly be misinterpreted, misrepresented, hoodwinked and led astray ....

23 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

So you're saying there's a wing problem?   

Nope, I'm saying there's a wang problem.  There's a difference.

[Guest]

He good.  We good.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/basketball/budenholzer-meets-with-Schröder-after-guard-was-benched/XX42WSZi7QxyAlIhidQOSK/

Interdasting comments from Slap ...

Quote

According to a person familiar with the situation, Paul Millsap had sharp words for Schröder following the game. However, Millsap said Wednesday he understands there is an adjustment for Schröder.

“We talk all the time,” Millsap said. “That’s between me and Dennis. I don’t want to get too far into it but Dennis is like a little brother to me. I talk to Dennis like I talk to one of my little brothers. I treat him as such. We are that close. We have conversations all the time. He wants to get better. He wants to be better. I respect him for that. When you are young, you miss a lot of stuff. When you are young, you do dumb stuff. I was young. I’ve done dumb stuff. It’s good to have veteran guys and a coach who care.

I think we're gonna take off from here.

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, kg01 said:

He good.  We good.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/basketball/budenholzer-meets-with-Schröder-after-guard-was-benched/XX42WSZi7QxyAlIhidQOSK/

Interdasting comments from Slap ...

I think we're gonna take off from here.

Yup...16-3 to end the season at 50 wins!

[macdaddy]

18 minutes ago, kg01 said:

He good.  We good.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/basketball/budenholzer-meets-with-Schröder-after-guard-was-benched/XX42WSZi7QxyAlIhidQOSK/

Interdasting comments from Slap ...

I think we're gonna take off from here.

While a lot of folks on here were screaming 'Bud cost us the game' sounds like Sap was solidly on the 'Dennis cost us the game' wagon. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Spud2Nique said:

Yup...16-3 to end the season at 50 wins!

Not while we're tankin for Loston ....

(Yeah, I switched gears since that post.)

ETA: Losin' for Loston!

[TheNorthCydeRises]

3 hours ago, Spud2Nique said:

Sometimes in life you gotta fall on ur dumb lil face for a minute then pick yourself back up just to knock yourself back on ur keister.

 

Thats what's up with Dennis. Today, we will beat the Nets and act like everything in hunky dory...well I say F that $hit. 

 

FIX IT FAST HAWKS!!!!!

LOL . . . exactly.  We might beat the Nets, but what if they push us well into the 4th quarter?  And what if it's not Dennis' fault?  That means that things are NOT OK.

Honestly, if it wasn't for THJ bailing this team out with his scoring the past 3 games - ( 26.3 ppg - 57% FG - 46% 3FG ) - this thing would look a whole hell of a lot worse.