2020-2021 Season News and Notes

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[marco102]

Great article from the Athletic! 

https://theathletic.com/2357288/2021/02/01/atlanta-hawks-trae-young-john-collins-deandre-hunter/

Quote

After spending big in free agency, Hawks are being carried by young stars

“It shows that the hard work we’ve been putting in behind closed doors is paying off,” John Collins said. “I feel like just as a team and organization, you’re always going to put a lot of stock into your young players. I just feel like both ends of the candle are burning in the sense that we’re developing, and it’s helping the team. You can’t say enough about that. We want to become better as a team and as a young unit. We know how deadly we can be when that does happen.”

What has been impressive about the young players carrying the Hawks is their box score numbers, for the most part, are down across the board. Trae Young’s efficiency is slightly down, and he’s scoring two points fewer per game; Collins is scoring five points fewer per game on lower efficiency; Cam Reddish’s scoring is up almost two points, but his efficiency is worse than last year — and it was already bad; and Kevin Huerter is mostly putting up the same numbers, but his scoring is slightly down. De’Andre Hunter is the outlier in the group with his scoring up five points and his field goal percentage up more than 10 percentage points.

So how are they doing it if four out of the five players’ scoring numbers are down and their field goal percentages are lower than what they were last year? They’ve cut down the turnovers and are in the top half in protecting the ball after being third-worst last season, and they have the eighth best defense with Capela anchoring the middle with the “Core Five” collectively performing better on that end of the floor. 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

55 minutes ago, marco102 said:

Great article from the Athletic! 

https://theathletic.com/2357288/2021/02/01/atlanta-hawks-trae-young-john-collins-deandre-hunter/

 

This was good! A few snippets 

Quote

They agreed on five contracts with free agents that totaled more than $160 million during the lifespan of those deals.

So far, those five players haven’t contributed much of anything. Bogdan Bogdanovic, the prized free agent from Sacramento, has played in nine games and isn’t close to returning after sustaining an avulsion fracture in his knee; Danilo Gallinari has played in seven games, missing a few weeks with a sprained ankle and is still on a minutes restriction because of that injury; Rajon Rondo has played in 10 games and had a four-game stretch when he shot 0-for-11; Solomon Hill has played in every game but is shooting below 36 percent from the field; and Kris Dunn hasn’t played in a game and is still recovering from ankle surgery.

The Hawks have missed a combined 73 games this season due to injury, the second-most in the NBA behind Orlando, per ManGamesLost, and because of the injuries of the free agents, Atlanta’s bench production has suffered. The  Hawks have scored the third-fewest bench points.........

Quote

Atlanta currently has the sixth-best record in the Eastern Conference with most of the production has come from the “Core Five” and Clint Capela. Last season, this group — minus Capela — won 20 games with a bench unit that had similar production as what we’ve seen so far, and yet this young group has carried the Hawks this season.

“It shows that the hard work we’ve been putting in behind closed doors is paying off,” John Collins said. “I feel like just as a team and organization, you’re always going to put a lot of stock into your young players. I just feel like both ends of the candle are burning in the sense that we’re developing, and it’s helping the team. You can’t say enough about that. We want to become better as a team and as a young unit. We know how deadly we can be when that does happen.”

What has been impressive about the young players carrying the Hawks is their box score numbers, for the most part, are down across the board. Trae Young’s efficiency is slightly down, and he’s scoring two points fewer per game; Collins is scoring five points fewer per game on lower efficiency; Cam Reddish’s scoring is up almost two points, but his efficiency is worse than last year — and it was already bad; and Kevin Huerter is mostly putting up the same numbers, but his scoring is slightly down. De’Andre Hunter is the outlier in the group with his scoring up five points and his field goal percentage up more than 10 percentage points.

So how are they doing it if four out of the five players’ scoring numbers are down and their field goal percentages are lower than what they were last year? They’ve cut down the turnovers and are in the top half in protecting the ball after being third-worst last season, and they have the eighth best defense with Capela anchoring the middle with the “Core Five” collectively performing better on that end of the floor. The two most used lineups this season have Young, Hunter, Collins and Capela on the floor together with the only difference coming at shooting guard with Reddish and Huerter. Both lineups have a net rating of at least +15.5, and both units are holding opponents to fewer than 100 points per 100 possessions, per Cleaning The Glass.

The “Core Five” and Capela have held the line without their free-agent acquisitions and have them in the playoff hunt through a quarter of the season.

Baby steps now. Looking for a giant step when healthy!

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[Gray Mule]

Dang.  I wish Agent 0017 would get 100% healthy.

[terrell]

52 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

LP might have to dust off Bruno....

Edited February 1, 2021 by terrell

[JeffS17]

7 minutes ago, terrell said:

LP might have to dust off Bruno....

Bruno will get abused by this front court -- run clint 48 minutes no water breaks

[terrell]

Okungwu out? smh

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[bleachkit]

40 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

Cam is behind Solo? That's troubling.

[REHawksFan]

Mavs up next.  They are on a 6 game losing streak by an average of 11.2 pts per game. Last game was lost on a buzzer beater though.

The really interesting thing to me is the Mavs are 8-13 with a negative 2.0 differential DESPITE beating the Clippers by 51 points.  Consider:

• In 8 Wins:  Mavs avg victory is by 15.4 pts (10.3 pts if you exclude the 51 pt game)
• In 13 Ls:  Mavs avg defeat is by 12.7 pts
• 6 of 8 Ws are by double digits: Margins of 51, 10, 13, 7, 14, 11, 12, and 5
• 8 of 13 Ls are by double digits: Margins of 4, 23, 19, 10, 3, 16, 23, 25, 4, 12, 19, 6, and 1 
• 5 of 13 Ls by 19+ pts

So bottom line is Mavs don't typically play in close games.  Only 7 of their 21 games have been decided by 9 pts or less. They are 2-5 in those games.  They are 6-8 in double digit games.

For comparison, the Hawks are 10-10 with a positive 2.5 differential. Consider:

• In 10 Ws: Hawks avg victory is by 13.6 pts
• In 10 Ls: Hawks avg defeat is by 8.6 pts
• 7 of 10 Ws by double digits:  Margins of 20, 10, 8, 18, 18, 11, 8, 18, 9, and 16
• 2 of 10 Ls by double digits: Margins of 4, 5, 5, 8, 8, 24, 6, 14, 4, and 8  

For the Hawks, they generally either win big or lose close.  Not a ton in between.  The Hawks are 3-8 in games decided by 9 or fewer points and 7-2 in games decided by 10+ points.  

 

[Gray Mule]

Western division - NBA.  Rookie of the month - December - January - Tyrese Haliburton - Kings!!!

Get well soon - Agent 0017 - Atlanta Hawks Rookie.  We really need you to play.

Remind me - Who was it that we gave away and only got Trae and Cam in return?  Perhaps we get to see that team soon (like, tonight) and see what we really lost in this trade.  Hope our two are available.

[macdaddy]

2 hours ago, REHawksFan said:

Mavs up next.  They are on a 6 game losing streak by an average of 11.2 pts per game. Last game was lost on a buzzer beater though.

The really interesting thing to me is the Mavs are 8-13 with a negative 2.0 differential DESPITE beating the Clippers by 51 points.  Consider:

• In 8 Wins:  Mavs avg victory is by 15.4 pts (10.3 pts if you exclude the 51 pt game)
• In 13 Ls:  Mavs avg defeat is by 12.7 pts
• 6 of 8 Ws are by double digits: Margins of 51, 10, 13, 7, 14, 11, 12, and 5
• 8 of 13 Ls are by double digits: Margins of 4, 23, 19, 10, 3, 16, 23, 25, 4, 12, 19, 6, and 1 
• 5 of 13 Ls by 19+ pts

So bottom line is Mavs don't typically play in close games.  Only 7 of their 21 games have been decided by 9 pts or less. They are 2-5 in those games.  They are 6-8 in double digit games.

For comparison, the Hawks are 10-10 with a positive 2.5 differential. Consider:

• In 10 Ws: Hawks avg victory is by 13.6 pts
• In 10 Ls: Hawks avg defeat is by 8.6 pts
• 7 of 10 Ws by double digits:  Margins of 20, 10, 8, 18, 18, 11, 8, 18, 9, and 16
• 2 of 10 Ls by double digits: Margins of 4, 5, 5, 8, 8, 24, 6, 14, 4, and 8  

For the Hawks, they generally either win big or lose close.  Not a ton in between.  The Hawks are 3-8 in games decided by 9 or fewer points and 7-2 in games decided by 10+ points.  

 

I haven't looked but Mavs numbers i would guess would point to a team that relies a lot of shooting 3s?

[bleachkit]

13 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

I haven't looked but Mavs numbers i would guess would point to a team that relies a lot of shooting 3s?

Trading Curry was a bad move. They are struggling from three this year.

[NBASupes]

8 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

Trading Curry was a bad move. They are struggling from three this year.

Because of how big of a liability he is in the playoffs due to his defense. Teams are quick to get rid of him but his greatest value is his offensive gravity. He creates so much space for others like Steph. Steph obviously does a lot more than that but he's invaluable to an offense impact wise even if the stats don't show it. 

[macdaddy]

Boy it's quiet around here.  I guess that's a sign the Hawks are doing pretty good.  

[bleachkit]

13 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Boy it's quiet around here.  I guess that's a sign the Hawks are doing pretty good.  

Were are a .500 club. That's about what must of us were expecting. If we can stay healthy I think we will finish the season above .500.

[REHawksFan]

21 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

Were are a .500 club. That's about what must of us were expecting. If we can stay healthy I think we will finish the season above .500.

If they can get healthy AND learn how to close out games in the 4th quarter they can be a top 4 seed in the East.  I'm convinced of that.  I have no idea if either of my caveats will happen though.  

[REHawksFan]

2 hours ago, macdaddy said:

I haven't looked but Mavs numbers i would guess would point to a team that relies a lot of shooting 3s?

Mavs are 30th in the association in 3PT% and 14th in 3PT attempts.  So yeah.  They kinda suck in that department.  Now watch them go 20-40 tonight. 

[AHF]

3 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

If they can get healthy AND learn how to close out games in the 4th quarter they can be a top 4 seed in the East.  I'm convinced of that.  I have no idea if either of my caveats will happen though.  

Almost certain to have mixed success in both categories.  I'm not banking on a top 4 seed by any means but I'd be thrilled to see it.