Hawks Screening

[benhillboy]

Poor and infrequent screening is usually the foundation of bad teams.  This is from a guy named Coach Mac but any good one will tell you:

“Anyone can set a strong, effective basketball screen.

The players who set the best screens aren't necessarily the tallest or strongest players, the best screeners are the players who WANT to set a good screen.

They're the players who take pride in getting their teammates open.”

Out of 16 different screens, I can only pinpoint about 6 that the Hawks employ.  When GS kills their first road trip all the complaints about their schedule will die down.  They’re benefiting much more from a screen game that travels wherever they play.  They set all 16 regularly.

The other side of the token is having players who move off the ball.  Not exactly this team’s strong suit.

The Hawks 6 Screens I can identify (please dispute if needed)

Flare screens for Bogi and Kevin.

Ball/ flat for Trae ALL THE DAMN TIME.

Down screens for Bogi.

Hammer for Bogi, John, and Dre.

Ram and horns screens when Capela is fully mobile.  Since he isn’t, we get hit twice as hard when he can’t screen and roll on the perimeter nor hedge and recover on defense.

Thats pretty much it.

Screens that the Hawks rarely if ever use:

Cross screens.  They don’t feed the paint enough.

Double screens. Wings don’t like setting em.  If they do they’re mediocre.

Forget floppy or elevator screens.  Those are pretty much Warrior staples.  No other teams have the team IQ that emanates from Dray, Steph, and Iggy.

No drags: opponents have more transition opportunities than us with the low pace and live ball turns.

Back or flex screens once a week.  Kevin converting one a few days ago looked so foreign.  Our wings just don’t want easy layups.

Don’t have anyone quick enough to get around, catch, and shoot off a staggered screen.  Only the best off ball defenders require this screen, which there aren’t that many.  JR Smith and Iman Shumpert had the best performance I’ve ever seen versus GS’s staggered screens, basically jumping Steph in the Finals they won.

No step-up screens: poor slashing from wings, Trae not comfortable in areas away from the middle of the floor (see shot chart: https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/trae-young-shotchart). Where’s Josh Childress when you need him on the baseline 

No UCLA.  Again, the closer Trae is to the sideline, the less confident he is in his triple threat position.  And the wings don’t cut hard.  Would be good for John.

With Capela hobbled, the screen game is just all out of whack.  Our PG NEVER cuts (aight @TheNorthCydeRises he did once last night and didn’t get the ball but the fact remains) nor screens nor is comfortable outside the center of the floor.  I put the onus on all of our wings, who are all good size, who just aren’t wired to set good ones.  I have no idea why they don’t cut knowing Trae will always find them.

Its an early failure of this coaching staff no question.  Unfortunately there’s no media member to ask Nate in detail about it so there’s no pressure about a non-glamourous yet crucial aspect of team ball.

Edited November 13, 2021 by benhillboy