Late Game Meltdowns

[raleigh]

How do we account for that?

I'm not getting into a Hawks-Pacers comparison. Indy isn't as good as their record and have much left to prove. Remind me next year, and we can argue it then. (Although, they will likely be a much better team after the upcoming offseason. They've managed assets well).

As far as Nate, he lowered the variance -- play vet defenders, slow the pace, take what the defense gives you, junk up the paint, take care of the ball, etc. He got a lot of deserved criticism but he also knew how to maximize a roster.

Quin seems to be taking more of a long-term, philosophical path here, and it's costing the team in the short-term. It seems to me that he's trying to establish a high-variance approach, which would have MAJOR upside, but he doesn't currently have enough broadly skilled players for that. The most pressing needs are a defensive cog and some guys who can switch on the perimeter.

Meanwhile, the Hawks roster is full of guys with highly concentrated skills. Murray and Hunter can only guard certain types of players and are not at their best off-ball. Bey is not quick enough defensively, and Capela is starting to fade as a rim deterrent. I still think Bufkin and AJ have promise but, if we're being honest, neither of them have the right skill-set to build around Trae. And I love Bogi, but he is a 6th man or worse for the rest of his contract.

Guards: Trae
Wings: JJ, Bogi
Bigs: OO

^^^That's the short deck the Hawks are playing with, and it really shows late in games. Personally, I support what Quin is trying to do, but I'm beyond annoyed they didn't try harder to refit the roster in the summer.

[jayu70]

I'm ok with giving JJ the ball.
Time to trust JJ in these situations...place him at the center 3pt line as the outlet from a Trae double and let him go to work. I trust him to make a play for himself or someone else. Teams will typically use lengthy defenders to trap Trae. JJ should have an advantage somewhere.
There will be growing pains, but no time like the present since nobody else seems to do much of anything else.

Couple of observations:

1) The fact we didn't have Bogdan out there for a big stretch of the closing minutes when Trae was being trapped and Dejounte was MIA is criminal. He's the most veteran rotation guard on the team and can kill traps with his 3-pt shot.

2) Trae being on the floor in the closing seconds on that defensive possession was bad...really bad.

That should be a 7-footer guarding the inbounds play. Not the smallest man on the court.

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I've mentioned before playing BIG, particularly in games where we are struggling with rebounding, and Bogi should be part of the closing lineup in these tight games.

[Jamaaliver]

But WHY does it keep happening?

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[D21]

But WHY does it keep happening?

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Maybe the main reason is simply because Quin like to play the 6 last minutes with the starters, but the starters are absolutely not the Hawks best lineup

[jayu70]

But WHY does it keep happening?

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Maybe the main reason is simply because Quin like to play the 6 last minutes with the starters, but the starters are absolutely not the Hawks best lineup

Quin hasn't made half time adjustments. what is the plan when teams trap and limit Trae? Why stick with the starters when the bench player or two may be the answer? Why do we slow the offense to a crawl running time off the clock then take a hurried or bad shot?

[D21]

Jayu, it all makes no sense, and some of these points are the same than with Nate... is it possible that the players are not listening to what Quin is saying and do what they want to do? I would not think it's possible with Quin as HC, but at the same time, I see him doing lots of mistakes that are far bigger mistakes than he was used to do with UTA

[jayu70]

Jayu, it all makes no sense, and some of these points are the same than with Nate... is it possible that the players are not listening to what Quin is saying and do what they want to do? I would not think it's possible with Quin as HC, but at the same time, I see him doing lots of mistakes that are far bigger mistakes than he was used to do with UTA

I am as confused as you.
Sometimes I'm wondering if Quin is trying to prove a point that the roster isn't working. Sometimes I'm watching the game and you can tell OO and Bogi needs to finish games, or we need the big lineup of CC, OO and JJ. I don't get it.

[Geaux_Hawks]

I mentioned in another thread about being an amalgamation of middling talent, inconsistencies, and poor fits. You see a lot of this in our 4th qtrs, both now, and in the past.

Either we got too many shooters on the floor, and no real threat towards the basket; or we lack versatility to switch on defense, and now opposing teams get to choose easy matchups; or nobody can buy a basket after the hot hand went to the bench(Tl;DR, overlapping skillsets).

Then there's the issue of size and lack of athleticism everywhere. Sometimes we just lack the personnel to matchup in general on defense. Often times the starters have to carry so much of the load, that they're simply gassed. We're overly top heavy.

I mean I could go on and on, but it all boils back down to the initial line of the amalgamation that we are. So until we fix that issue, then of course we're going to struggle in the 4th qtr. And the thing is, this sort of struggle isn't relative to the 4th qtr only. It happens all throughout the game. We can come out the gates strong 1st qtr, and then struggle in the 2nd qtr, only to come out of the half still struggling, and then a sudden burst in the 4th qtr. There's really no difference in qtrs for us.

[CP War Hawks]

Two games holding the team under 100 pts for close to 99% of the game. Part slower pace, better defense. This team isn't built to play uber fast and both Trae, DJ aren't the best when you want them at 100mph all the time.

I'll take the playoff style pacing if these are the results. It's one of the few advantages of having two pgs when the game slows down.

[D21]

I am as confused as you.
Sometimes I'm wondering if Quin is trying to prove a point that the roster isn't working. Sometimes I'm watching the game and you can tell OO and Bogi needs to finish games, or we need the big lineup of CC, OO and JJ. I don't get it.

I now have an idea that can explain the way this team plays, and Quin looking like another coach but not like Quin:
he was asked to tank this season, as it's the last time for some years that they can get a good pick

It's the only thing I see that can explain this season