Hawks Odds and Ends

[Guest]

Stepping away from the Hawks beat for a couple weeks

 December 30, 2015 | Filed in: AJC Sports, Atlanta Hawks.

There is a line in the movie Forrest Gump when the title character abruptly ends the cross-country run portion of his eventful life.

“I’m pretty tired,” he simply stated. “Think I’ll go home now.”

I can relate.

And so … I will be taking a three-week hiatus from the Hawks beat and use my considerable accrued vacation time to step away and recharge. I’ve been grinding for some time on this beat that has very few off days, virtually no offseason and a grueling travel schedule. I’m pretty tired.

I will be off from Dec. 31 until Jan. 20 when I re-join the Hawks in Portland for a four-game west coast road trip. I will miss eight games, four home and four road contests.

I share this information to let you know that, despite my absence, Hawks coverage will continue in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and on ajc.com. Former colleague Matt Winklejohn, who helped on the beat last season, will cover home games and practices. Matt is a pro. You can also expect coverage from the road games.

During my time away, I will completely shut down from e-mail and Twitter. There may be some company generated tweets from my account but I assure you they will not be from me. I will be catching my breath, hitting a golf ball, maybe sticking my feet in some warm sand and finally getting to that leaky kitchen faucet.

Thanks for your understanding.

 

http://atlantahawks.blog.ajc.com/2015/12/30/stepping-away-from-the-hawks-beat-for-a-couple-weeks/

[ATLHawks3]

He deserves it.

[bird_dirt]

1 hour ago, ATLHawks3 said:

He deserves it.

We all deserve a CVIV break.

[cam1218]

How are we going to get any important news with him on vacation?!

[macdaddy]

22 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Stepping away from the Hawks beat for a couple weeks

 December 30, 2015 | Filed in: AJC Sports, Atlanta Hawks.

There is a line in the movie Forrest Gump when the title character abruptly ends the cross-country run portion of his eventful life.

“I’m pretty tired,” he simply stated. “Think I’ll go home now.”

I can relate.

And so … I will be taking a three-week hiatus from the Hawks beat and use my considerable accrued vacation time to step away and recharge. I’ve been grinding for some time on this beat that has very few off days, virtually no offseason and a grueling travel schedule. I’m pretty tired.

I will be off from Dec. 31 until Jan. 20 when I re-join the Hawks in Portland for a four-game west coast road trip. I will miss eight games, four home and four road contests.

I share this information to let you know that, despite my absence, Hawks coverage will continue in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and on ajc.com. Former colleague Matt Winklejohn, who helped on the beat last season, will cover home games and practices. Matt is a pro. You can also expect coverage from the road games.

During my time away, I will completely shut down from e-mail and Twitter. There may be some company generated tweets from my account but I assure you they will not be from me. I will be catching my breath, hitting a golf ball, maybe sticking my feet in some warm sand and finally getting to that leaky kitchen faucet.

Thanks for your understanding.

 

http://atlantahawks.blog.ajc.com/2015/12/30/stepping-away-from-the-hawks-beat-for-a-couple-weeks/

His first article without a typo!   Way to go CViv!   I kid, i kid.

[Guest]

Time to get the defense on track to match the offense.  

 

[benhillboy]

2 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Time to get the defense on track to match the offense.  

 

The PPG lead is surprising, I would've guessed Boston or Cleveland.  don't know how Vogel gets 102 a night out of his squad.

We struggled to break 90 at times before we got rest.  The coaches have amazingly accounted and compensated for Kyle being a shell of himself.  

I fear the defense won't get to the level it should, though.  Thabo and Tiago are experiencing too many nagging injuries, I doubt Kyle's ability, and have little faith in Jeff's effort or his rubbery ankle.  

I like to think the team is only operating at 80-85% by design but I don't see them as the type that can "turn it on" mid-April.  Hell, outside of Junkyard they "turned it down" last year.  

It's selfish of me but I hope no one goes to the AS game, even though we only have 2 possibles instead of 4.  It definately threw us off last season.  Instead of 5 players having a whirlwind week of travel and responsibilities, just chill at Al's house with the hyper barracks, eat good, and play Uno.

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, benhillboy said:

The PPG lead is surprising, I would've guessed Boston or Cleveland.  don't know how Vogel gets 102 a night out of his squad.

We struggled to break 90 at times before we got rest.  The coaches have amazingly accounted and compensated for Kyle being a shell of himself.  

I fear the defense won't get to the level it should, though.  Thabo and Tiago are experiencing too many nagging injuries, I doubt Kyle's ability, and have little faith in Jeff's effort or his rubbery ankle.  

I like to think the team is only operating at 80-85% by design but I don't see them as the type that can "turn it on" mid-April.  Hell, outside of Junkyard they "turned it down" last year.  

It's selfish of me but I hope no one goes to the AS game, even though we only have 2 possibles instead of 4.  It definately threw us off last season.  Instead of 5 players having a whirlwind week of travel and responsibilities, just chill at Al's house with the hyper barracks, eat good, and play Uno.

 

I think the defense can get better.  The effort if not the skill from Korver is always there on defense but Teague's effort is disappointing.  He gives up on a screen so easily, doesn't fight over and through them enough. We definitely need Thabo, though I was surprised on how well our defense was against the Bulls without him.  Bud needs to manage Tiago's minutes, that was my one concern when he was signed - to many little nagging injuries.

I've been thinking about the AS game too and would prefer our players not go.   Millsap is the only deserving one.  Al is coming on strong the last 5 games, so who knows.

I didn't want Korver participating in 3 point contest last season for fear it would mess him.

[macdaddy]

Sap should go to the all star game.  He deserves it.   I also can't believe we are leading PPG and FG%.   I mean we've been stinking it up by hawks recent standards.  

I really like what we are getting from Mike Scott offensively.   I feel like the coaches should be pushing him to play very physically on defense.  Even if it means fouls.    He's a decent rebounder and could get under some people's skin by doing some pushing and shoving on rebounds.   We need to start adding some toughness to the equation.    I much rather see these opposing bigs go to the line after taking an elbow in the rib cage than give them an easy offensive rebound and slam.   It may not be the Spurs way but it's eastern conference basketball.

[Guest]

 

 

[Guest]

Hawks in TOP TEN in Both Offense and Defense.

 

We're roughly at the midway point of the season and there are now five teams who are in the top-10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency featuring the San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks.

The Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets are in the top-10 in offensive efficiency.

The Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons are in the top-10 in defensive efficiency.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/240481/Spurs-Warriors-Thunder-Cavs-Hawks-In-Top-10-On-Both-Offense-Defense

[Guest]

3 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

Nice! I miss plastic man. One of my fav Hawks of all time. A guy who looked like he never aged. His face today prolly looks the same as the day he was drafted by us in 91... :-)

[macdaddy]

3 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Hawks in TOP TEN in Both Offense and Defense.

 

We're roughly at the midway point of the season and there are now five teams who are in the top-10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency featuring the San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks.

The Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets are in the top-10 in offensive efficiency.

The Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons are in the top-10 in defensive efficiency.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/240481/Spurs-Warriors-Thunder-Cavs-Hawks-In-Top-10-On-Both-Offense-Defense

 

That's pretty nice.  We're there with the 4 teams that are almost universally considered the only true contenders.   The only issue is i think we're 9 or 10 in both categories where i believe the other four are top 4 in one or the other or both categories.   Not trying to diminish it though.   I think we need to improve in either one to get where we want to be.   Our offensive efficiency is mainly because we have some really good jump shooters.   Of course it's amazing we're there with the off year Kyle and some others are having shooting the ball.

I'm not one to panic about rebounds but dead last in rebound % is unbecoming  of a top 5 team.   If we were even middle of the pack in defensive rebounds i'd be ok but we are 27th.   

[AHF]

5 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

 

That's pretty nice.  We're there with the 4 teams that are almost universally considered the only true contenders.   The only issue is i think we're 9 or 10 in both categories where i believe the other four are top 4 in one or the other or both categories.   Not trying to diminish it though.   I think we need to improve in either one to get where we want to be.   Our offensive efficiency is mainly because we have some really good jump shooters.   Of course it's amazing we're there with the off year Kyle and some others are having shooting the ball.

I'm not one to panic about rebounds but dead last in rebound % is unbecoming  of a top 5 team.   If we were even middle of the pack in defensive rebounds i'd be ok but we are 27th.   

It is nice and it's fair because we aren't at the level of those teams.  I am totally with you that the defensive rebounding is my area of concern on the boards.  

[benhillboy]

That is a damn good space to occupy considering the peaks and valleys so far.  We have arguably the second best mix of young and vet behind GS, even if SAs Big 3 continue to be frozen during the summer then thawed and re-engineered at training camp.  

All I take the chart to mean is Bud is pretty damn good to get this talent level to play solidly on both ends consistently.  When we finally get a bonafide stud this team won't even be fun to watch because the fourth quarters will usually be non-contested.  If he were coaching the Cavs or OKC they'd be lumped right there in the standings with the 2 juggernauts easily.

[Guest]

 

 

[Guest]

53 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

Upset is an understatement. 

[LamarHampton]

Millsap definitely isn't guaranteed to get in, but I definitely think he should make it.  But he's competing for one of very few spots with several very talented guys. Crossing my fingers for Sap.

[BigDog90]

12 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

He deserves it. He plays hard every game. Top 5 PF in the NBA.

[benhillboy]

There isn't much to glean from playing the Sixers but the team may have turned a corner.  A 38 point  margins is nothing to sneeze at.  This ain't your baby daughter's Sixers, they got Ish Smith now!

To be where we are considering Kyle's PER is 9.7 is amazing.

Al shooting .490 from 16 feet to the arc.  He isn't setting up there nearly enough though (.243 of his attempts compared to .352 last season).  No picks allowed on his chest so he can't pop while I have to watch little ass Draymond Green set screens and roll like a madman.  It's so maddening, but I was surprised Al's got 47 dunks.  Surprisingly Molly Mike got more than Baze.

We're closing the three point shooting gap between us and our opponents but we've  surprisingly surpassed their foul total.  

One of my favorite BudBall staples is the reliance on steals and blocks.  Still heavy on that front despite lack of athleticism.  The staff may have the best drills in the league in terms of getting defensive hands on the ball.

I was skeptical of Jeff's three ball but the more I watch him I'm starting to get on board.  If he continues the great efficiency of .410 on 3 attempts, that would be a huge boost for the team going forward.  I definately gotta give him props for playing great in the midst of the trade talk.  I thought for sure he'd go the other way.

When Bud said the defense was "trending upward" I was like "huh?"  The January numbers are great and all but I like to think you're only as strong as your weakest link: when Jeff finally gets back to the effort he showed on that end much of last season then we can cook.  At some point he has to grow tired of being pulled early due to being a turnstile for a much smaller, less experienced player because he competes so much harder than you on that end.  It's the staff's job to hide Kyle, I do not envy the task.

I've been more critical of Bud this year than I've ever imagined but I trust he has a plan.  I'm also glad he's stayed the course and only tested the market for Al and Jeff.  When we beat GS all the woes of the season will be gone and all our lives will be in perfect order.  

Matter of fact I propose a HS Viewing Party since I ain't paying $100+ extra dollars over the same seat I got to the game last year. I pray to Stephen before I go to bed but I ain't paying interest for those "really big rings."