Next man up: Nate McMillan

[Vol4ever]

Well at least we will have choices now. If Nate dont cut it this season there are options in the offseason.  Main thing is we got rid of a problem.

[RedDawg#8]

Sounds like Nate may not even WANT the job full time. He had to be convinced to accept interim status 

https://www.nba.com/news/nate-mcmillan-reluctantly-agreed-to-be-hawks-interim-ap

[AHF]

8 hours ago, RedDawg#8 said:

Sounds like Nate may not even WANT the job full time. He had to be convinced to accept interim status 

https://www.nba.com/news/nate-mcmillan-reluctantly-agreed-to-be-hawks-interim-ap

That is much ado about nothing, imo.  Nate has been around long enough that he did not want to be associated with coming in to backstab LP and take his job.  When this issue came up as to whether he would take the interim role, I said he would put up a show of standing up for LP and then take the job.

By the time the offseason arrives, the fact that he has taken over for LP is not going to be any kind of barrier to him staying on with the team.

[AHF]

BTW - I'm thrilled with the start to Nate's time in the HC seat.  I am optimistic about him sustaining improvement relative to what we saw in the first half under LP and if we can get more guys healthy that will help bolster his efforts.

I have said SSS elsewhere before drawing conclusions so I'll just remind people that the team's first 5 games under LP this season went 4-1 with an average margin of victory in those wins of 14 points.  (Nate is 4-1 with an average margin of 10 points).  LP couldn't sustain it and struggled to adjust as injuries hit.  Nate needs to show he can better sustain this success.  His experience and track record make me optimistic but I'll still need to see it before I'm ready to remove the "interim" label if I'm the GM.

[Buzzard]

On 3/2/2021 at 2:47 PM, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

 

I think this statement is a big deal. He sees major adjustments need to be made. But needs the break to start putting them in place. That tells me Pierces rotations/lineups/playing time/practice regimen etc...did not meet his criteria.

I look forward to the 2nd half. I am also with @JayBirdHawk that this first month or so could be a honeymoon. So I will also have a little caution knowing they still have coaching options in the off season.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Buzzard

[Spud2nique]

3 minutes ago, Buzzard said:

I think this statement is a big deal. He sees major adjustments need to be made. But needs the break to start putting them in place. That tells me Pierces rotations/lineups/playing time/practice regimen etc...did not meet his criteria.

I look forward to the 2nd half. I am also with @JayBirdHawk that this first month or so could be a honeymoon. So I will also have a little caution knowing they still have coaching options in the off season.

Nate will have to make playoff noise, we gotta win a couple games in round one or even upset a team for him to keep it I think.

Otherwise Mark Jackson, Kenny Atkinson, Dantoni are waiting...

[macdaddy]

Pretty much anyone but Mark Jackson for me.   Actually no Jason Kidd either.  I can't stomach either of those guys.  

[Spud2nique]

6 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Pretty much anyone but Mark Jackson for me. 

You may not be a happy camper next season, just sayin.

[macdaddy]

1 minute ago, Spud2nique said:

You may not be a happy camper next season, just sayin.

I hope this isn't the case but i can't imagine Travis would be down with it.   

[RedDawg#8]

14 minutes ago, AHF said:

BTW - I'm thrilled with the start to Nate's time in the HC seat.  I am optimistic about him sustaining improvement relative to what we saw in the first half under LP and if we can get more guys healthy that will help bolster his efforts.

I have said SSS elsewhere before drawing conclusions so I'll just remind people that the team's first 5 games under LP this season went 4-1 with an average margin of victory in those wins of 14 points.  (Nate is 4-1 with an average margin of 10 points).  LP couldn't sustain it and struggled to adjust as injuries hit.  Nate needs to show he can better sustain this success.  His experience and track record make me optimistic but I'll still need to see it before I'm ready to remove the "interim" label if I'm the GM.

The good news is that in LP's 4-1 start, it was mostly on the backs of some serious offensive outings where every shot was going in and we were able to jump on teams early, but fade late, losing the 4th quarters. The writing was there that if shots werent falling, we were not built to hold close leads. 

In Nate's 4-1 start, its almost the exact opposite. He has been outscored in the 1st quarter, but has rode the backs of great 2nd quarter and good 2nd half defenses, and a strong 4th quarter offensive finishes. His teams defend better, close games stronger than LP's, and score at a clip that seems sustainable as he hasnt had the crazy offensive outbursts like LP benefited from.

 

LP first 5 Games:

1st Quarter: 34.4, Opponents: 27.4

2nd Quarter: 32.6, Opponents: 30.6

3rd Quarter: 31.2, Opponents: 27.8

4th Quarter: 27.6, Opponents: 29.6

Avg Score: Hawks 125.8 Opponents 115.4 

 

Nates first 5 games:

1st Quarter: 26.4, Opponents: 31.4

2nd Quarter: 24.2, Opponents: 23.6

3rd Quarter: 28.8, Opponents: 27

4th Quarter: 33.2, Opponents: 26.2

Avg Score: Hawks 112.6 Opponents 108.4

 

LP on average Won 1st 3 quarters and lost the 4th, Nate loses the 1st quarter but wins the last 3 Quarters. 

Small samples but very telling in how the team is executing for each.

[JayBirdHawk]

4 minutes ago, RedDawg#8 said:

The good news is that in LP's 4-1 start, it was mostly on the backs of some serious offensive outings where every shot was going in and we were able to jump on teams early, but fade late, losing the 4th quarters. The writing was there that if shots werent falling, we were not built to hold close leads. 

In Nate's 4-1 start, its almost the exact opposite. He has been outscored in the 1st quarter, but has rode the backs of great 2nd quarter and good 2nd half defenses, and a strong 4th quarter offensive finishes. His teams defend better, close games stronger than LP's, and score at a clip that seems sustainable as he hasnt had the crazy offensive outbursts like LP benefited from.

 

LP first 5 Games:

1st Quarter: 34.4, Opponents: 27.4

2nd Quarter: 32.6, Opponents: 30.6

3rd Quarter: 31.2, Opponents: 27.8

4th Quarter: 27.6, Opponents: 29.6

Avg Score: Hawks 125.8 Opponents 115.4 

 

Nates first 5 games:

1st Quarter: 26.4, Opponents: 31.4

2nd Quarter: 24.2, Opponents: 23.6

3rd Quarter: 28.8, Opponents: 27

4th Quarter: 33.2, Opponents: 26.2

Avg Score: Hawks 112.6 Opponents 108.4

 

LP on average Won 1st 3 quarters and lost the 4th, Nate loses the 1st quarter but wins the last 3 Quarters. 

Small samples but very telling in how the team is executing for each.

Also no Capela the 1st 2 games, the Gallo got injured in the 3rd game when Cap returned.

[RedDawg#8]

11 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Also no Capela the 1st 2 games, the Gallo got injured in the 3rd game when Cap returned.

Yes. I left injuries out because they both have a case for missing guys at each point of the year. LP was missing most of the new guys to start the year, but Nate has been down a handful too

Specifically during the 5 game stretches we are discussing:

Dunn- 5 games each

Clint-  1 game Nate, 2 games LP

Gallo- LP, 2 games

Snell- LP, 5 games

Bogi- Nate, 3 games

Dre- Nate, 5 games

Cam- Nate, 2 games

OO- LP, 5 games, Nate DNP 2 games

Rondo-missed 3 games each

I figure its subjective and a wash to compare the injuries.

 

[AHF]

1 hour ago, RedDawg#8 said:

Yes. I left injuries out because they both have a case for missing guys at each point of the year. LP was missing most of the new guys to start the year, but Nate has been down a handful too

Specifically during the 5 game stretches we are discussing:

Dunn- 5 games each

Clint-  1 game Nate, 2 games LP

Gallo- LP, 2 games

Snell- LP, 5 games

Bogi- Nate, 3 games

Dre- Nate, 5 games

Cam- Nate, 2 games

OO- LP, 5 games, Nate DNP 2 games

Rondo-missed 3 games each

I figure its subjective and a wash to compare the injuries.

 

And it just isn't a meaningful sample size in either case.  If Nate keeps this up over a longer period of time it will mean more.

[Thomas]

If nothing else Nate doesn't give lip service about D. Rotations and fourth quarter minutes moving forward should be revealing in that. Many more games needed for a stat on that stuff but am more comfortable in the last three or four minutes of a game now. 

[AHF]

22 minutes ago, Thomas said:

If nothing else Nate doesn't give lip service about D. Rotations and fourth quarter minutes moving forward should be revealing in that. Many more games needed for a stat on that stuff but am more comfortable in the last three or four minutes of a game now. 

We should be generally more comfortable even in the absence of a more significant sample of results.  Nate has a ton of head coaching experience.  LP was in his first year with a roster that could potentially compete and coaching for the first time in pressure situations late in games.

[Thomas]

3 minutes ago, AHF said:

We should be generally more comfortable even in the absence of a more significant sample of results.  Nate has a ton of head coaching experience.  LP was in his first year with a roster that could potentially compete and coaching for the first time in pressure situations late in games.

Been talking off and on about the end of games for two and a half years with the Hawks. Remember I pissed a few off by the late game comparison of LP to Ron Jirsa. Maybe that was more of an insult than a comparison but my point is you just got to win late in games to really be a contender. Control your destiny.  

[bleachkit]

8 hours ago, macdaddy said:

I hope this isn't the case but i can't imagine Travis would be down with it.   

TS isn't hiring Mark Jackson. He's an extremely strong personality, and Trae can be kinda prickly and defensive. It's too risky, it could blow up. This group needs a player's coach, that is also very strong with X's and O's

[AHF]

13 hours ago, Thomas said:

Been talking off and on about the end of games for two and a half years with the Hawks. Remember I pissed a few off by the late game comparison of LP to Ron Jirsa. Maybe that was more of an insult than a comparison but my point is you just got to win late in games to really be a contender. Control your destiny.  

Not sure I've seen a worse coach than Jirsa.  Hated that guy (as a coach).

[Gray Mule]

Couldn't fire the entire team, so we fired the coach.

Maybe it's just me but didn't the Hawk players play different, harder, with our new head coach?  Also, perhaps we have injured players who are improving and getting to play.  This is a big plus for us.

With no trades, our beloved Hawks will be different in the second half.  We may see a trade also.  Our new coach will do things different.  Can he fit the pieces together to make a clear picture?  And, we now find that NBA will change things so that our 2 way players are not limited and they will be able to play in post season if we make it.

Small, nagging injuries will have the opportunity to heal now.  Really, I'm happy that the Hawks do not have players in the all star week.  The team needs the time off more than they needed all the work.

Reddish, Hunter and Capela will be back and Kris Dunn is closer to actual playing time.  Hawks have not been very good this season - - Not nearly as good as we had hoped.  Things change.  Sometimes they become better.  All of us Hawk fans really hope and believe that our best is yet to come!

GO ATL HAWKS !!

[Atlantaholic]

17 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

You may not be a happy camper next season, just sayin.

Wasn't Schlenk on the GS staff when the Marc Jackson era happened? Yea, safe to say he won't be the pick. Now, not saying he is a bad coach, but it's well documented there was massive friction between him and the front office which lead to his firing, so a Schlenk reunion is unlikely to say the least imo.