McMillan needs the Hawks as much as the Hawks need him

[AUhawksfan]

It's worth bringing these to the table since Nate Dogg is getting a little bit of heat from the media.

https://www.si.com/nba/2021/05/27/hawks-bench-nate-mcmillan-knicks-tie-series

Stubbornness can almost always be to the detriment of the team so I hope he makes some adjustments for game 3.  He's a smart guy so hopefully he doesn't clam up and stick with his plan too much, you have to be flexible as things change throughout the course of the game.  It was a good call leaving Lou in game 1 but he rode the bench way too much in game 2. 

[macdaddy]

Yeah.  Not getting why everyone is on Nate's case when the starters scored 1 point in the last 5 minutes of the game.   I guess we could have started that sooner?

Here's a list of coaches whose player rotations fans really like : 

1.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

As a coach, he has to manage the feel of the game better.

Trae pretty much had all facets of his game going, so his minutes should've been extended.  Lou was trying to force the issue from a scoring standpoint, and didn't have it going, so his minutes should've been cut . . especially when they went down by 6.

Gallo, while his defense was effective in Game 1, has not provided much offense whatsoever in this series.

If you want to keep Lou out there, put him out there with Trae.  If you want to get Lou his minutes, play him mostly in the 1st half, with the option to keep Trae in there for at least 22 of the 24 minutes in the 2nd half.

I'm very disappointed on how Nate handled that stretch.  Highly disappointed.

[MarylandHawk]

2 hours ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

As a coach, he has to manage the feel of the game better.

Trae pretty much had all facets of his game going, so his minutes should've been extended.  Lou was trying to force the issue from a scoring standpoint, and didn't have it going, so his minutes should've been cut . . especially when they went down by 6.

Gallo, while his defense was effective in Game 1, has not provided much offense whatsoever in this series.

If you want to keep Lou out there, put him out there with Trae.  If you want to get Lou his minutes, play him mostly in the 1st half, with the option to keep Trae in there for at least 22 of the 24 minutes in the 2nd half.

I'm very disappointed on how Nate handled that stretch.  Highly disappointed.

What we are for getting is the early foul trouble for Collins. At one point, he was in the game with all back ups and I had never seen that line up before and this was after a loooong rest on the bench. There was no offensive sets or rhythm they could get into and the Knicks took control. On the other side, Tibbs gamble of playing Rose early and extra long paid off. I was hoping fatigue would set in in the fourth quarter with him, but when he hit those two threes, I knew it was going to be tough to win. It was amazing that Gallo couldn’t get into a rhythm with all the minutes that he played. 

[HawkingAwesome]

i'd like to see if the hawks can shut down rose and randal

[MarylandHawk]

This is where the team can come together for Nate. They need to keep believing and deliver this next win for him.  I believe if we can get this next game, there is no ceiling for this team. 

[Diesel]

We have made tremendous strides on defense under Nate.   He has taken a group that were not ever thought of as being defensive and made them learn to give effort on the defensive side of the ball. 

That's damn good coaching. 

The other thing I like about Nate is that he has trust for his players.   He doesn't panick and pull as some coaches do.  He allows them to go back to their training on the floor. 

[HawkingAwesome]

On 5/29/2021 at 2:11 PM, HawkingAwesome said:

i'd like to see if the hawks can shut down rose and randal

Pay this man

[dalamchops]

been a fan since 96, have seen teams coached by lenny, coach bud, LD, woodson, list goes on. the hawks have never had a team that was capable of turning up the extra gear in the playoffs until now.

[JayBirdHawk]

3 hours ago, dalamchops said:

been a fan since 96, have seen teams coached by lenny, coach bud, LD, woodson, list goes on. the hawks have never had a team that was capable of turning up the extra gear in the playoffs until now.

Add to the fact that before this series started, the lineup of Trae, Bogi, Hunter, Collins and Capela had only played 16 minutes together.

[JayBirdHawk]

Believe.

 

Quote

The truth is that the Hawks, constructed to score against any foe, are playing below the offensive standard they set during the season. Tough defense is the reason why the Hawks are up 3-1 in the Eastern Conference playoff series after winning two games at home. It’s why the Hawks can end the series Wednesday at Madison Square Garden even if Young and Co. aren’t crisp on offense.

Then the playoffs started, and the Hawks dug in on defense. They’ve taken it to the Knicks in a physical series. Interim coach Nate McMillan and his staff have quickly fashioned the Hawks into an effective defensive unit, right at the perfect time.

 

 

“He really preaches physicality, being ‘into the ball’ and kind of establishing ourselves at that end of the court,” Hawks forward Kevin Huerter said Tuesday. “We played well at home. We shot it really well. Both games we had runs where we moved the ball, and we looked really good.

“But our staple has been (defense). Defensively, we’ve really been good his series. We’ve forced them into tough shots, and we are willing to live with the results. (McMillan) always says, ‘You can’t just be a one-way player on this team. You’ve got to be a two-way player here to play for me.’”

The Hawks have responded to that message. Purported weak links Danilo Gallinari and Young have held their own. Huerter, a 3-point specialist, has been a key defender off the bench. Clint Capela and De’Andre Hunter have done their usual good defensive work. All the Hawks have executed the defensive plan so well that the Knicks have struggled to create good shots.

 

[MarylandHawk]

They did it!  They did it! Nate has secured his future. He got them to the first round with good coaching and made them believe in themselves. They got him past the first round.  They are now strapped with confidence and supreme talent. He sky is the ceiling. 

[Thomas]

Such a clique "A match made in heaven". Nate and the players really are fitting snugly. 

[HawkingAwesome]

1 minute ago, Thomas said:

Such a clique "A match made in heaven". Nate and the players really are fitting snugly. 

if someone could bottle this chemistry they'd be a billionaire

[marco102]

Nate's not going any where. 

 

Edited June 3, 2021 by marco102

[JayBirdHawk]

1 minute ago, marco102 said:

Nate's not going anyway. 

 

He didn't thank LP for sucking? 

[KB21]

Him getting a long term deal to be the head coach seems to be just a formality at this point.  I'm curious to see if any assistant changes go along with this.  

[NBASupes]

He won game 5 for sure. He coached a masterclass

7 minutes ago, KB21 said:

Him getting a long term deal to be the head coach seems to be just a formality at this point.  I'm curious to see if any assistant changes go along with this.  

He needs to keep them all. 

[High5]

16 minutes ago, marco102 said:

Nate's not going any where. 

 

Kind of unusual after the first round, but given his playoff history and how much criticism he has take over the years I can imagine how great this must feel. 

[kg01]

As @JayBirdHawk mentioned in the tears thread, Stephen A. Smith says McMillan has signed a deal to remain Hawks coach.  It just hasn't been announced yet.