Official Game Thread: Wizards at Hawks

[benhillboy]

7 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Love to hear it!

 

 

I wished more casual fans and even players could grasp this fact.  Scoring/ shooting efficiency is so overrated in the NBA when there’s literally dozens of things you can do in lieu of shooting well to contribute to wins.  That’s actually the mark of a truly great player/ team: winning despite mediocre or worse shooting.  Which is gonna happen every other night.  This team is so balanced Trae could take single digit attempts and the Hawks can still beat a good squad.  Chris Paul took 5 shots tonight in 28 minutes and was still a +5 in a win.
 

I definitely don’t want Trae at the very bottom of the league in FGs added like he was for part of last season but I’ve never tripped too tough over his poor shooting stretches.  I’ll take a non-scoring PG with a nice floor game, like Trae has exhibited early so far over a one-dimensional great scoring one all day.  
 

He’s on pace for career highs in steals, offensive fouls drawn, and most importantly his % of field goals assisted by a wide margin (24% of his twos and a whopping 50% of his threes compared to porous career marks of 16% and 30%, respectively). Such an easy indicator of how spirited his off ball play is and how well he’s getting off the ball to get it back.  Jalen’s passing looms large in those increases but for the most part your best player’s movement off ball directly affects how well non-facilitators can make possession-advancing passes. These are a few of the things I been screaming about for years (with very few listeners lol), so glad Quinn is getting through.

Edited November 2, 2023 by benhillboy

[benhillboy]

Jalen holding on to his +10 game average.   Boy was all over the glass tonight.  It’s scary how good he can become.  I’m no fan of Clint but he can help Jalen become a considerably better team defender just like he did with John and sky’s the limit.  

[Final_quest]

5 hours ago, Sothron said:

Hawks lose first two games...17+ pages

Hawks win their third game in a row... 9 pages

Tell me we have "fans" without telling me we have "fans"...

The news media makes money off bad news.  If it bleeds it leads.  

Last night I didn't want to jinx the game, but towards the end of the 3rd quarter I was having memories of the 60 win season.  Particularly the undefeated January.  This was our third game in a row we played with a huge lead to close out the game.  

During that streak I remember getting to a point in each game where the victory was secured with a few minutes left to play.  We weren't just winning games.  We had them wrapped up half way through the 4th.  Last night even though the Wizards shaved about ten points off our lead, the victory was never really in doubt. 

If we can continue to take 15+ point leads with 6 minutes left, something really special is brewing.    

[NBASupes]

1 hour ago, benhillboy said:

I wished more casual fans and even players could grasp this fact.  Scoring/ shooting efficiency is so overrated in the NBA when there’s literally dozens of things you can do in lieu of shooting well to contribute to wins.  That’s actually the mark of a truly great player/ team: winning despite mediocre or worse shooting.  Which is gonna happen every other night.  This team is so balanced Trae could take single digit attempts and the Hawks can still beat a good squad.  Chris Paul took 5 shots tonight in 28 minutes and was still a +5 in a win.
 

I definitely don’t want Trae at the very bottom of the league in FGs added like he was for part of last season but I’ve never tripped too tough over his poor shooting stretches.  I’ll take a non-scoring PG with a nice floor game, like Trae has exhibited early so far over a one-dimensional great scoring one all day.  
 

He’s on pace for career highs in steals, offensive fouls drawn, and most importantly his % of field goals assisted by a wide margin (24% of his twos and a whopping 50% of his threes compared to porous career marks of 16% and 30%, respectively). Such an easy indicator of how spirited his off ball play is and how well he’s getting off the ball to get it back.  Jalen’s passing looms large in those increases but for the most part your best player’s movement off ball directly affects how well non-facilitators can make possession-advancing passes. These are a few of the things I been screaming about for years (with very few listeners lol), so glad Quinn is getting through.

In the last three games, Trae has played very well. First two games were rough for Trae. 

[JayBirdHawk]

1 hour ago, benhillboy said:

I wished more casual fans and even players could grasp this fact.  Scoring/ shooting efficiency is so overrated in the NBA when there’s literally dozens of things you can do in lieu of shooting well to contribute to wins.  That’s actually the mark of a truly great player/ team: winning despite mediocre or worse shooting.

Say this again for those in the back. .

Find ways to impact the game when the shot isn't falling.

[kg01]

4 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Say this again for those in the back. .

Find ways to impact the game when the shot isn't falling.

Eggsactly.  Like how, when I have nothing to add to the discussion, but I still be postin'.  You're welcome. 

[bleachkit]

Great game Hawks!

Edited November 2, 2023 by bleachkit

[ABH]

I just like to see more rotations..like 11 or 12 players getting in..I know sometime ls it's hard to

[Spud2nique]

 

 

 

Finished watching the game just now.

We are good. We initially seemed to play around with them for a while but the scheme is there as is the grind and focus. Quin is making the players understand that 48 minutes has a lot of ups and downs, stay together.

Jalen is starting to get too good, he’s starting to score buckets for the wrong squad.  

 

But hey, Bey has a problem of steppin out of bouncing before launching threes, this is his 3rd of 4th time this season, comon baby clean that up.

I thought Trae was fabulous in controlling the momentum of the game. Trae has dominated many times but he was really controlling tempo this time, he’s maturing. The dimes were just extraordinary for the best passer in the league. His vision is nutty l, here let him tell ya..

DJ brought it, threes on, middy on, the drives and the defense. The way he disrupts the plays up top are fabulous and then it’s showtime

this is sick.

Hunter was on. When in the right position he can punish defenders one on one on the block BUT, when he dribbles it’s most likely a turnover but he can good Dre on. I specially liked this play where he took a pass from Trae and just aggressively attacked the rim, nice play! Quin is understanding where to make Hunter most valuable.

grabs it here from Trae..

THEN BAM bum rush the rim!!!

3 bigs with double doubles in CC, OO and Jalen (nice work on the glass youngster).

and OO from deep with a nice stroke..

Hunter approves!

Trae is special..

and now Trae and DJ becoming special together..

3-2 now and have won 3 straight, where Will?

Go Hawks!!!

 

[AtLaS]

This is the future Trae if we want to have true, consistent postseason success, IMO.  Play more like his favorite player Steve Nash.  We don't need 30 ppg and him shooting 25 times per game.  He's so gifted as a passer.  If he is focused on getting others involved he raises the floor of everyone around him, and they are going to feed off that.  I don't want him running pure heliocentric, Luka/Harden style offense.  

Remember those Suns teams?  Every year they were adding new guys to the rotation and they just fit right in b/c Nash was such a great facilitator.  And he was a pass first guy so everyone felt involved on offense.  It raises morale.  I've played on teams with a ballhog and it's demotivating on offense.  You feel as you never get the ball so when you do you want to jack up a shot.  But the team isn't cohesive.

Right now we are.  Trae's shot attempts are the lowest in 3 years, his turnovers are the lowest in his career and steals are highest in his career.  His shot just isn't falling, yet.  When he gets back to career average shooting #'s this team is going to be truly dangerous.

 

 

[AtLaS]

Adding to that, our best player and top scorer is shooting 32% FG and 25% from three, and we are STILL a top 5 offense so far this year.  That's how gifted a playmaker Trae is.  Focus on that.  The shots will start to fall eventually.

[AHF]

Kudos to everyone for our first game day thread without any inter-poster sniping!  

Could it be that a three game win streak (unheard of for most of last season) has put us all in a holiday mood of kindness and comradery?  

Well, it is appreciated anyway.  

 

[JayBirdHawk]

1 hour ago, ABH said:

I just like to see more rotations..like 11 or 12 players getting in..I know sometime ls it's hard to

The 8/9 man rotation is still learning Quin's offense and defense. When they've mastered it, our W/L record, we may see more players. It's a long season.

[bleachkit]

1 hour ago, AHF said:

Kudos to everyone for our first game day thread without any inter-poster sniping!  

Could it be that a three game win streak (unheard of for most of last season) has put us all in a holiday mood of kindness and comradery?  

Well, it is appreciated anyway.  

 

That's why threads are shorter after a win. There's nothing to argue about. 

[AHF]

12 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

That's why threads are shorter after a win. There's nothing to argue about. 

[kg01]

2 hours ago, AHF said:

Kudos to everyone for our first game day thread without any inter-poster sniping!  

Could it be that a three game win streak (unheard of for most of last season) has put us all in a holiday mood of kindness and comradery?  

Well, it is appreciated anyway.  

 

This is basically one of times when Bob says a guy hasn't missed a free throw all game?

 I can spark a tickle fite between AH and Peo any time I want, win or lose, kg. 

[JeffS17]

2 hours ago, AtLaS said:

Adding to that, our best player and top scorer is shooting 32% FG and 25% from three, and we are STILL a top 5 offense so far this year.

DJ is shooting 54/33 this year

[marco102]

1 hour ago, JayBirdHawk said:

The 8/9 man rotation is still learning Quin's offense and defense. When they've mastered it, our W/L record, we may see more players. It's a long season.

I was thinking about this last night.  I agree 100%.  Quin's playing the guys more early so they get comfortable in his system.  Once they do and hopefully the wins are piling up, he'll expand his rotation to keep everyone fresh for the playoffs.  I don't want to get too far ahead of myself with the playoff talk though.  

[JayBirdHawk]

15 minutes ago, marco102 said:

I was thinking about this last night.  I agree 100%.  Quin's playing the guys more early so they get comfortable in his system.  Once they do and hopefully the wins are piling up, he'll expand his rotation to keep everyone fresh for the playoffs.  I don't want to get too far ahead of myself with the playoff talk though.  

That's why in games like last night, we can't have the end of game meltdown - that time should have been for the 3rd stringers.

[marco102]

4 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

That's why in games like last night, we can't have the end of game meltdown - that time should have been for the 3rd stringers.

Rewatching the highlights  of the game, the spacing Dejounte and Trae have to work with is night and day between last year and this year. I now see why you guys disliked Nate's offensive scheme so much.