Recap on the Hawks v.s Bulls

[hawksfan1997]

O.K, I will admit, i wasn't totally focused on this game tonight, I WAS focused on the Lions v.s Saints game. I did switch back time to time to check in and in what i saw, I thought the Hawks played a very decent game. Josh Smith looked really good tonight coming off the overtime win over the Bobcats last night, ( Which he also led the team in points in that game to). I noticed that everyone was playing well and that when we get on a roll, shoot, WE ARE ON A ROLL!!! I didn't see what happnend but Marvin Williams wasn't playing. I probably missed it watching the football game but he did get injured on his ankle. So I guess my question is, if Marvin is gonna be out for some time on this ankle injury, who do you think should be the starter for him. My top two guys right now are Tracy McGrady or Willie Green, ( Yes, Willie Green, i know)

[HalfHawk]

Very true, we can beat any team in the NBA on any given night, but our issue is consistency as we can also lose to any NBA team.

[Admin]

We definitely played better than a decent game! This was one of the best played games by the Hawks in this core groups history. Other than the brief period where we let them back in the game and excluding the scrub minutes at the end our starters were absolutely terrific on both ends of the floor and we were balanced and hardly ever went into ISO ball.

[ersimo2889]

Marvin had only a grade-1 ankle sprain (mildest), so he should be ready to go soon, missing at most tomorrow's game against the Nets.

Like Dolfan said, the only disappointing thing from last night's game was when the 2nd unit was put in the game up around 26-28, and in about 4 minutes or so, it was down to 12-14 and LD had to put the starters back in. But the bright spot is, Hinrich should be a major boost to the bench defensively and as a competent PG, and Vlad will be back with that 2nd unit (assuming Marvin's not injured). Willie Green is showing he can knock down the spot up jumper consistently, and even showed some signs of being able to create his own shot too.

I think we're in good shape!

[Gray Mule]

Apparently JT took it rather personally that he could do nothing with the Bloomin' Rose

so he simply put the screws on him - - AND took the ball out of his hands and went

the length of the floor for two!

So, there, Bulls announcer. Your Bloomin' Rose had 8 points last night.

[lethalweapon3]

Just two more fussy things so far on shot location, not yet worthy of a Stat-du-Jour since it's too early but still worth checking out... (via Hoopdata)

Most field goal attempts "at rim" (<3 feet from rim):

1. Nuggets 34.4

2. Heat 29.4

3. HAWKS 28.5

4. Grizzlies 28.3

5. Kings 27.5

Lowest field goal percentages "at rim":

1. Pacers 52.7%

2. TrailBlazers 55.1%

3. Bobcats 56.2%

4. Kings 56.8%

5. HAWKS 57.9%

Conversely...

Fewest field-goal attempts betw. 10-15' from rim:

1. Nuggets 4.4

2. HAWKS 4.6

3. Clippers 5.2

4. Magic 5.3

5. Warriors 5.3

Highest field goal percentages betw. 10-15' from rim:

1. HAWKS 54.1%

2. Clippers 53.8%

3. Raptors 51.1%

4. Bobcats 49.1%

5. Nuggets 48.6%

~lw3

[Supporter]

Just two more fussy things so far on shot location, not yet worthy of a Stat-du-Jour since it's too early but still worth checking out... (via Hoopdata)

Most field goal attempts "at rim" (<3 feet from rim):

1. Nuggets 34.4

2. Heat 29.4

3. HAWKS 28.5

4. Grizzlies 28.3

5. Kings 27.5

Lowest field goal percentages "at rim":

1. Pacers 52.7%

2. TrailBlazers 55.1%

3. Bobcats 56.2%

4. Kings 56.8%

5. HAWKS 57.9%

Conversely...

Fewest field-goal attempts betw. 10-15' from rim:

1. Nuggets 4.4

2. HAWKS 4.6

3. Clippers 5.2

4. Magic 5.3

5. Warriors 5.3

Highest field goal percentages betw. 10-15' from rim:

1. HAWKS 54.1%

2. Clippers 53.8%

3. Raptors 51.1%

4. Bobcats 49.1%

5. Nuggets 48.6%

~lw3

but what does it mean?

[HawksFan87]

I'm convinced win or lose some of you will find something to complain about it's sad...

[willthepureshooter]

I'm convinced win or lose some of you will find something to complain about it's sad...

Especially those that really don't understand the game thoroughly. I wish people would stop looking at numbers and statistics. So annoying..

[HawksFan87]

Agreed.. Only 9 games in at that.

[Guest]

We shot the ball lights out, but I'm most impressed with our defense - 16 steals, love it. Additionally, we attempted 6 freethrows to the Bulls 20, we got outrebounded 43 to 31. Chicago had 17 OFFENSIVE rebounds to our 4, we need to control our defensive board so much better.

[Admin]

We shot the ball lights out, but I'm most impressed with our defense - 16 steals, love it. Additionally, we attempted 6 freethrows to the Bulls 20, we got outrebounded 43 to 31. Chicago had 17 OFFENSIVE rebounds to our 4, we need to control our defensive board so much better.

The problem is that we don't have anyone who can deal with Asik and his length. We've pretty much neutralized Noah to the point where he's not getting a lot of minutes against us but Asik flat out kills us because he gets great position and has so much length. I don't know who we could acquire to match up with Asik but I'm losing faith that our players will be able to handle him.

[lethalweapon3]

but what does it mean?

Hopefully, not a heck of a lot more than coincidence, especially if the rankings change by years' end.

The first set shows how often we are taking close shots and not converting, relative to the rest of the league. The "we're not finishing a LOT of plays" argument we hear as fan observations seems to hold up with the numbers, but we need to see with more games whether this coincidence is indeed a pattern. Last season, we were dead-last in attempts at the rim (20 per game), so that boost in shots at this distance is a positive development... we just need to get more of them in the basket. We're leaving 12 field goals per game on the table, unconverted.

Unfortunately, my "Conversely" statement is misleading (should say "Coincidentally"), but that second set of rankings shows how well we're hitting on mid-range 2's but not taking nearly as many shots at this distance, again relative to the rest of the NBA. If I should use "conversely" at all, I should be comparing the performance on 10-15 footers with the long-distance shots I neglected:

Repeating those mid-range rankings:

Fewest field-goal attempts betw. 10-15' from rim:

1. Nuggets 4.4

2. HAWKS 4.6

3. Clippers 5.2

4. Magic 5.3

5. Warriors 5.3

Highest field goal percentages betw. 10-15' from rim:

1. HAWKS 54.1%

2. Clippers 53.8%

3. Raptors 51.1%

4. Bobcats 49.1%

5. Nuggets 48.6%

Conversely, for long-range two-pointers...

Most field goal attempts betw. 16-23' from rim:

1. Bobcats 29.1

2. HAWKS 23.9

3. Heat 23.5

4. Grizzlies 23.1

5. Raptors 22.6

Lowest field goal percentages betw. 16-23' from the rim:

1. Pacers 23.5%

2. HAWKS 29.3%

3. Kings 31.3%

4. Magic 32.4%

5. Nets 33.6%

The shot attempts are likely skewed thanks to the additional overtime action. But the contrast in effectiveness between mid-range and long-range shot percentages suggests we're not finding shots where we would be more effective, maybe settling for shots that the defense is allowing us to settle for.

As one example: Al was like tops in the NBA in FG% from that long-range distance (16-23') last season, but so far is shooting just 30% at that range (although he is taking half as many attempts so far, 2.5, compared to last year's 4.8 ). At mid-range (10-15'), he is shooting a career-high pace of 57% so far, but taking less than one shot per game from here (1.5 shots last year).

Altogether, it's early, but we may need to work more to find mid-range jumpers, to be more effective on offense.

~lw3

Edited January 8, 2012 by lethalweapon3

[lethalweapon3]

As with any look at the numbers this early in the year: find the good and praise it, find the not-so-good and hope for improvements in what we're doing. No one should look into these numbers to justify trading anyone to Siberia for a popsicle. But you can use them to justify taking what's going good and making it even better.

~lw3

[Guest]

The problem is that we don't have anyone who can deal with Asik and his length. We've pretty much neutralized Noah to the point where he's not getting a lot of minutes against us but Asik flat out kills us because he gets great position and has so much length. I don't know who we could acquire to match up with Asik but I'm losing faith that our players will be able to handle him.

Yeah...I understand Asik is a load, preventing him from getting more offensive rebounds than your entire team has to be a team effort. A body on him at all times, the guy guarding him may not neccassarily get the defensive rebound but keep a body between him and rim and allow another teammate to get the rebound.

Asik - 5 offensive rebounds, Hawks - 4.

And I'm not nitpicking after a great win, but we have had rebounding issues since last year.

Edited January 8, 2012 by JayBirdHawk

[Admin]

Hey Garrett Siler is a FA he could be our answer to Asik since he's the next Sha... oh no I shouldn't help to get the Siler machine going again.

[AHawks89]

Hey Garrett Siler is a FA he could be our answer to Asik since he's the next Sha... oh no I shouldn't help to get the Siler machine going again.

I've played basketball with Siler a bunch of times. Siler and I are both from Augusta,GA. It would seem like I would be biased, but he's not our answer. Edited January 9, 2012 by AHawks89

[sturt]

89, I'm confident that you can be sure Dolfan was being facetious.

[Admin]

89, I'm confident that you can be sure Dolfan was being facetious.

Who, me, facetious? You are quite right though sir I definitely was. After all the pre-season hype over Siler here last year I'm surprised nobody has mentioned signing him this year after he got released.

[thecampster]

Who, me, facetious? You are quite right though sir I definitely was. After all the pre-season hype over Siler here last year I'm surprised nobody has mentioned signing him this year after he got released.

Does the next coming of Shaq mean "fat, old and team hopping for a championship"? That's the most recent incarnation of Shaq I can remember. Sadly, Siler is none of those things either.