Official Game Thread: Hawks at Wizards: GAME 2

[StephenHawking]

Just now, Spud2Nique sagte:

The playoffs don't start until somebody wins on the road. All the Wizards did was go 2-0 and protect their home floor. Now it's our turn to do the same.

Tough task with this squad if you ask me

[Guest]

Just now, StephenHawking said:

Tough task with this squad if you ask me

Agreed it's a tough task...at the same time we are so unpredictable we could win 4 in a row.

[Thomas]

Thought the Wizards would be winning with the three but after these games they have barely broken thirty percent overall and we're still down two-zip. Sucks because if I'd seen that stat a week ago I would have thought we took one or even both games, but no. 

[High5]

We had a chance to win both games with the Wiz shooting poorly and we blew both opportunities. I have to believe they're going to get hot in at least one game and run us out of the building. I'm not as confident in us ever finding our shooting touch. 

[Guest]

Millsap 5

THjr 4

Baze 4

Dwight 3

16 of the 18 TURNOVERS by this group. Wow, just Wow.

More TURNOVERS than ASSISTS.

When you give away that many possessions in a close game you can't win.

 

[Guest]

Chris Vivlamore 

 

✔ @CVivlamoreAJC

Paul Millsap on Hawks' small lineup success: "Our small lineup is better than theirs. Simple as that."

[Lurker]

The most amazing part of the turnovers is Dennis has played a minimal part of it.

But here's your major, major issue: For major stretches of game, the pace is being controlled by the Hawks. They're still losing.

If it gets away from them in Atlanta, we might see a 30+ blowout loss.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Lurker said:

 

If it gets away from them in Atlanta, we might see a 30+ blowout loss.

You mean the same 30 points you kept saying they were gonna be down at the end of the 3rd. Sigh.

[Lurker]

Outside of continuing to take "under" shots, Dennis did a good job of controlling the pace and played a major part of the 3rd quarter run and he at least tried to give the team momentum with a rare dunk from him.

But Bazemore. Or I should say, Skip Bazeless.

[Thomas]

Throwing an idea against a wall that Bud would never employ but play Prince forty minutes each game and he is on the floor at the end of the fourth quarters every time and play Bembry more minutes than Baze, please.

[Lurker]

1 minute ago, JayBirdHawk said:

You mean the same 30 points you kept saying they were gonna be down at the end of the 3rd. Sigh.

I mean it for real in this case. It gets away when the pace speeds up.

[SalvorMallow]

 

Absolutely embarrassing effort from this team.  I'm ready to blow this bitch up.  Everyone but Dennis, Prince, and at times Millsap look like garbage out there.  

[Lurker]

My radical idea is going to have to happen:

1. Make both Howard and Bazemore inactive in Atlanta.
2. Start Schröder/Hardaway Jr/Prince/Millsap/Ilyasova.
3. Put the rookie on Wall and switch every screen.
4. Continue doing what was done offensively in this game outside of a few mins in the 4th.

1 minute ago, SalvorMallow said:

 

Absolutely embarrassing effort from this team.  I'm ready to blow this bitch up.  Everyone but Dennis, Prince, and at times Millsap look like garbage out there.  

It's almost like an immobile center that can't guard PNR is a bad idea.

[JSmooooove]

I'm sorry but most of the blame goes to our 70 million dollar man. We had a real shot to steal this game and he tries to do it all by himself and turns it over. To the surprise of absolutely nobody. That was the most Baze play of all time. 

[NBASupes]

5 minutes ago, JSmooooove said:

I'm sorry but most of the blame goes to our 70 million dollar man. We had a real shot to steal this game and he tries to do it all by himself and turns it over. To the surprise of absolutely nobody. That was the most Baze play of all time. 

Defensively, Bazemore was pretty good. Even better in person. Offensively, he was beyond awful. His off ball movement was worse than you actually saw on TV and his ball handling is trash. Decision making is trash 

[Guest]

28 minutes ago, High5 said:

We had a chance to win both games with the Wiz shooting poorly and we blew both opportunities. I have to believe they're going to get hot in at least one game and run us out of the building. I'm not as confident in us ever finding our shooting touch. 

Yep. Our inability to execute down the stretch and Bud's rotations leaves alot to be desired.

As bad as the shooting has been there was a chance to win. But tight games = tight sphincters. Can't execute and too much 1 on 1 by players who just aren't adept at doing it.

[BigDog90]

31 minutes ago, Spud2Nique said:

Agreed it's a tough task...at the same time we are so unpredictable we could win 4 in a row.

True. Saturday is a must win. If they lose, it's a wrap. I don't think they're mentally tough enough to beat WAS 4 straight times after being down 3-0.

[BigDog90]

17 minutes ago, Lurker said:

My radical idea is going to have to happen:

1. Make both Howard and Bazemore inactive in Atlanta.
2. Start Schröder/Hardaway Jr/Prince/Millsap/Ilyasova.
3. Put the rookie on Wall and switch every screen.
4. Continue doing what was done offensively in this game outside of a few mins in the 4th.

It's almost like an immobile center that can't guard PNR is a bad idea.

I'd start Muscula at C and have Hump back him up.

Got to play Thabo over Dunleavy. 

[NBASupes]

My five takes: 

 

1. Dennis is pretty good but not great. He has the quickness, the feel for the game when getting solid screens, he can shoot on occasion but defensively, he's hit or miss on the ball and sometimes he gets tunnel vision but in person, he's really good. Not great though. 

2. Dwight. He might be the worst Basketball player on this team. Lazy off of the ball. Doesn't fight for rebounds and when he does, he starts swatting the ball away  and he's slow as molasses, has no post moves, can't finish in a crowd, lacks BBIQ, doesn't have vision, doesn't dive off a screens hard, sets terrible screens, poor footwork, terrible body language, when he does dive, he doesn't have a feel for when it dive like Moose has and he refuses to raise his arms up to contest shots. Just the most frustrating player I've seen in a Hawks uniform in along time. 

3. Bazemore just doesn't fit on this squad. If he is asked to simply take open threes, cut to the basket, play great off the ball defense and communicate on defense with solid man defense, he would be an excellent role player as a 5th and only 5th option on a team with a star or two on offense but when he's asked to be a ball handler, a decision maker, a PG, a slasher... man o man, he is truly horrendous at it. Bazemore fits today's NBA but he doesn't fit these Atlanta Hawks. I see why Bud likes him, in person, he is very impressive defensively especially in terms of decision making on defense where many of our players are lacking. Offensively, he's horrendous. He needs to stick to doing two to three things at most, he's not an all around player but sadly, this personnel does him no justice. I do think he has a future in this league as a starter. He's not as frustrating in person as he is on TV but he's damning nonetheless. 

 

4. Millsap is an excellent player but #1 option, he is not. He does a lot well. Such an excellent player but he's not a #1 option, I wish we stop it but we lack alternatives. GM Bud is horrendous. 

5. GM Bud is horrendous. Dwight is wash up garbage. He's not worth 10 mil per a season. Bazemore is worth his deal but not for these Hawks. He needs a role which Atlanta can't give him. Sap is not worth the max on this team but he's a max cat and rightfully so. GM BudCox needs to be fired. 

Edited April 20, 2017 by NBASupes

[NBASupes]

36 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Yep. Our inability to execute down the stretch and Bud's rotations leaves alot to be desired.

As bad as the shooting has been there was a chance to win. But tight games = tight sphincters. Can't execute and too much 1 on 1 by players who just aren't adept at doing it.

I can't agree with Prince over Bazemore in this game. Prince on offense was average and on defense, he was below average off the ball and solid on it. He was getting caught on screens too often and struggled to read the defense. For as bad as Baze was offensively, he was exceptional defensively. Sadly, his offense or lack thereof ruin his defensive impact and lost us the game.