Game Thread: Phoenix in Atlanta -- 3/4

[Jamaaliver]

Back to the topic at hand:

Observations from Hawks 113, Suns 112

Budenholzer said while Prince does have the ability and aggressive to drive the ball, the team wants him out on the edge as a shooter.

Over the past two games, using Prince as a shooter as paid off. Against the Warriors on Friday, Prince shot 5 of 12 from the 3-point line and recorded 15 total points. Against the Suns, he was 6 of 8 from the 3-point range, a new career-high from behind the arc, and finished with a team-high 22 points.

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Dorsey got the start, his second . The rookie out of Oregon shot 4 of 12 from the field and 2 of 5 from beyond the arc for 12 points, five rebounds and three assists.

^Solid production from Dorsey. He seems like the best 2nd round choice this squad has made in years.

Taurean is being used mostly as a perimeter player on offense. Leads me to doubt Bud will play him too much at small ball-4 moving forward.

Suns coach Jay Triano said before the game that the biggest challenge for his young team would be to control the ball when facing the aggressive Hawks defense.

Similar to their defensive aggression over the past two games, the Hawks scored 20 points off 14 Suns’ turnovers. On Friday, the Hawks — first in the league in opponent turnovers (15.5) — scored 30 points off 18 Warriors’ turnovers. On Wednesday, the Hawks scored 31 points off 24 Pacers’ turnovers.

^This is a testament to the coaching and the defensive scheme we utilize.

Schroder, who recorded 21 points, six rebounds and six assists left with 2:45 left in the third quarter and did not return. Budenholzer said Schroder leaving the game was not due to injury, but gave him an opportunity to rest and let other players play in a tight game.

myAJC


^Bud is trying to tank. But it's amazing how close we are to being on a 3-game win streak right now had we pulled out a close game against GSW.

[D21]

And, remember, we will have at least two other picks, a first and an early second round.
I can get excited just thinking about our new players, can't you !!

At best we have "best odds to land the 1st pick" and the 15th if MIN finish in the last spot of the playoffs teams.
If we get the 1st pick, and want Young, we can still make a trade and get more than just Young. We can also get the 15th, or package it with 30th or 29th that HOU will send to ATL, and/or the 31st, so have a lot of possibilities

At worst, we failed at the first year of tanking after a decade of playoffs, get the 6or 7th pick, MIN with too much injuries can't make the playoffs (or decide they won't do anything in playoffs and tank the last part of the season) and go in the lottery so we don't get their pick, we still get the HOU pick, and the 36 or 37th pick

Right now, ATL is more on the second way than the first

[jayu70]

I'm more impressed with Dorsey's defense, really surprised by it. Good for him and us.