Game Thread: Hawks @ Pistons -- 10/26

Post #1 » by **Jamaaliver** » Wed Oct 26, 2022 1:03 pm

Looking to tighten up defense, Hawks open two-game set vs. Pistons

Doubleheaders are a rarity in the NBA. The Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons won’t play two games in one night, but they’ll face each other in back-to-back games at the same venue.

The Hawks will play at Detroit on Wednesday in the first meeting of the two-game set as they look to rebound from their first loss of the season.

Atlanta defeated Houston and Orlando in its first two games, then lost to Charlotte 126-109 on Sunday. The Hawks’ trip to Detroit will be their first road test this season.

Charlotte picked apart the Hawks’ defense, shooting 52.2 percent and scoring 82 points during the second and third quarters.

“When you’re not making shots, you can’t drop your head. You have to get back and play defense,” Atlanta coach Nate McMillan said. “I felt like our lack of shot-making (Sunday), we took that to the defensive end of the floor. We didn’t play (expletive) defense.”

The Hawks shot 41.1 percent overall but made just 22.9 percent of their 3-point attempts. Forward John Collins misfired on all seven of his long-range attempts.

“I think they just came here wanting the game more, showing more effort,” guard Dejounte Murray said. “They were ready to play. We weren’t ready to play, to start on myself. That’s really what we take from it.”

Thus far, the Hawks have been reliant on their starters for most of their scoring punch. Trae Young, as usual, leads the club in scoring (25.3 points per game) and assists (11.7). Backcourt partner Murray is second in both categories (19.7, 8.3) while grabbing 7.3 rebounds per game and nabbing 3.3 steals per outing.

Collins is averaging a double-double (19.0 points, 10.3 rebounds), but the highest-scoring reserve, Onyeka Okongwu, is averaging just 8.7 points. Charlotte’s reserves outscored Atlanta’s bench 52-28.

“That’s going to happen, these situations like that, where one or two of the starters may not get going and you’re going to need some help from the bench,” McMillan said. “I just didn’t feel like we were connected out there (Sunday).”

The Pistons will be trying to bounce back from three consecutive road losses. They’ll be playing the tail end of a back-to-back after losing to Washington 120-99 on Tuesday.

Detroit was outscored 64-50 after the break.

“We didn’t come out in the second half with the proper approach,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “I take the ball for that, for not getting them ready at halftime. We came out and they attacked us. In the first half, it was nip and tuck. I thought we competed at the proper level. We didn’t come out with any force in the second half.”

Bojan Bogdanovic was the most consistent offensive threat, scoring 25 points and going 4-for-7 on 3-point attempts. The rest of the team shot 4-for-21 from deep.

Franchise player Cade Cunningham had another subpar night, shooting 7-for-19 while scoring 19 points. He had as many turnovers (three) as assists. Cunningham is shooting 38.6 percent through the first four games.

Detroit won its lone home game, 113-109, against Orlando, when it recorded 31 assists.

“We had three assists in the second half (against the Wizards),” Casey said. “From (31) the first night to three assists in one half — that won’t cut it.”

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Post #2 » by **Jamaaliver** » Wed Oct 26, 2022 1:06 pm

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DirtybirdGA · Post #3 » by **DirtybirdGA** » Thu Oct 27, 2022 12:12 am

I see the hawks don't care about defense.

D21 · Post #4 » by **D21** » Thu Oct 27, 2022 12:29 am

"Looking to tighten up defense"... But more than the defense, the problem is again this season the dominant starters and the bench that screws up everything.
Just a positive point, they are +12 with Capela at this moment
ATL leads at the half 62-61, being about +10 with starters and -10 with bench guys

D21 · Post #5 » by **D21** » Thu Oct 27, 2022 12:58 am

3rd quarter: tied, and same thing, good with Capela (+19), bad with Okongwu (-18)

I just hope Nate realized that and he will play Capela more than 6min in the 4th, unless Okongwu starts to have more impact

D21 · Post #6 » by **D21** » Thu Oct 27, 2022 1:37 am

Win! Nate played Capela enough to win (thanks for his offensive rebounds), they built a lead once he was back, and survived to the 4 on 5 at 3pts (with one And1) of Bogdanovic (scoring the last 13pts for DET)

ATL finishes with +22 with Capela and -19 with Okongwu

Post #7 » by **Jamaaliver** » Thu Oct 27, 2022 1:44 am

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jayu70 · Post #8 » by **jayu70** » Thu Oct 27, 2022 2:00 am

Glad we won, but so much to work on.

atlantabbq99 · Post #9 » by **atlantabbq99** » Thu Oct 27, 2022 2:41 am

Ugly win, nothing to be proud of. Hawks have not been dominating, but its good to see that the team plays smart down to the end and knows how to close out games.

I wish the team could blow out lesser teams like the Pistons more so that Trae, DM, Collins can get more rest and not push +35min.

Trae is going to have a hard year if the Hawks can't get him so load management.

CP War Hawks · Post #10 » by **CP War Hawks** » Thu Oct 27, 2022 4:12 am

It's a good thing the Hawks are catching Cade struggling and Ivey out with these b2b games. If they can go 4-1 during this 5 game stretch it was a successful stint. Need another wing defender in the worse way. Could still use Harkless or someone with similar size IE Crowder.

atlantabbq99 · Post #11 » by **atlantabbq99** » Thu Oct 27, 2022 11:59 am

CP War Hawks wrote:It's a good thing the Hawks are catching Cade struggling and Ivey out with these b2b games. If they can go 4-1 during this 5 game stretch it was a successful stint. Need another wing defender in the worse way. Could still use Harkless or someone with similar size IE Crowder.

When is Bogdanović getting back? Hasn't it been 3 months already?

jayu70 · Post #12 » by **jayu70** » Thu Oct 27, 2022 3:34 pm

atlantabbq99 wrote:
CP War Hawks wrote:It's a good thing the Hawks are catching Cade struggling and Ivey out with these b2b games. If they can go 4-1 during this 5 game stretch it was a successful stint. Need another wing defender in the worse way. Could still use Harkless or someone with similar size IE Crowder.

When is Bogdanović getting back? Hasn't it been 3 months already?

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D21 · Post #13 » by **D21** » Thu Oct 27, 2022 4:14 pm

atlantabbq99 wrote:
CP War Hawks wrote:It's a good thing the Hawks are catching Cade struggling and Ivey out with these b2b games. If they can go 4-1 during this 5 game stretch it was a successful stint. Need another wing defender in the worse way. Could still use Harkless or someone with similar size IE Crowder.

When is Bogdanović getting back? Hasn't it been 3 months already?

We need him to see how the bench can perform, but I think they don't want to rush anything and avoid that they did to him and Hunter the last two seasons

CP War Hawks · Post #14 » by **CP War Hawks** » Thu Oct 27, 2022 4:22 pm

atlantabbq99 wrote:
CP War Hawks wrote:It's a good thing the Hawks are catching Cade struggling and Ivey out with these b2b games. If they can go 4-1 during this 5 game stretch it was a successful stint. Need another wing defender in the worse way. Could still use Harkless or someone with similar size IE Crowder.

When is Bogdanović getting back? Hasn't it been 3 months already?

It's your guess honestly, but I wouldn't expect him back until mid Nov at the earliest. I would take it slow if this is the same knee that seemingly been giving him issues since coming here.