Among the many items to consume in the 106-99 Hawks loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder is whether the young upstarts from Oklahoma are really already beyond the Hawks in terms of their progression as a team.
Yes, as Mike Prada over at Bullets Forever noted to us over on Twitter after the game, the Hawks are further ahead in the standings than the Thunder, and while that calmed the veracity of our opinion, it didn't stop us from looking further into the numbers to change our minds for sure.
Looking into the Fabled Four Factors we see the following:
Team A: 102/100 Off/Def Efficiency, 48.63/47.33 EFG% (Own/Opp), 32.6/30.1 FT Rate, 14.58/14.21 Turnover Rate, 28.35/27.36 Offensive Rebounding Rate
Team B: 108.4/103.5 O/D Effic., 50.47/49.73 EFG%, 27.8/28.8 FTR, 11.38/13.72 TO Rate, 27.58/27.07 ORR
Pretty close, and those who watch the Hawks know that Team A is the Thunder and Team B, with the low own turnover rate, is Atlanta.
That turnover rate is the only thing, statistically, keeping the Hawks ahead of the Thunder at this current juncture, as it impacts both efficiencies. With the Thunder's age/experience difference, you might expect them to have a higher turnover rate than the more seasoned Hawks.
Weigh in that the Thunder are still rising this season, while the Hawks are tailing off a little bit from their league leading start. Even in the Basketball-Reference stat, SRS, the Thunder are closing in, ranking 10th while the Hawks have slipped from 1st to 5th.
Now look on the court, where OKC has taken care of the Hawks twice now. They are active and long defensively, out Hawks-ing the Hawks, giving ATL all kinds of fits inside, especially on the glass, where the Thunder outworked the Hawks for (17) offensive rebounds, including (5) from PG Russell Westbrook. The Hawks started the season faring better on the defensive glass, but have slipped back into the familiar twenties (21st before Tuesday's game) in that category.
Offensively, the Hawks, despite THHB's harping on sharing the ball more and working inside-out for better shots, still outpace the Thunder in Assist Rate, though OKC shoots a considerable lower percentage of three point shots per game than does ATL.
The Hawks have the great Joe Johnson, whose ability to score was on display again against OKC, under control for (37) points, with (4) of his (13) buckets assisted. Johnson hit on some iso, but the ball found him in good positions to score and Joe took advantage of a shifting defense to get in the lane and get higher percentage looks. All (4) of his assisted baskets occurred from the outside (16) feet.
They also have Al Horford who, while being recognized as one of the league's best as an All-Star, still plays timid at times around the rim. Horford shot 2-6 at the rim against OKC, and hasn't lost the habit of bringing the ball all the way down below his waist when preparing to hoist himself up around the rim. The process takes so long that the opponents can collapse on him and block his shot. This has caused Al to get into a habit of trying to sneak the ball into the basket, resulting in--on one occasion, sending the ball quickly and inaccurately way too high and hard off the glass versus trying to stuff it home or draw a foul.
Josh Smith, who became the youngest player in NBA history to reach (1000) blocked shots, had a nice game as well (15/6/3), gives the Hawks a nice triumvirate of talent, but neither he (5) nor Horford (2) got enough defensive rebounds to hold the Thunder in check. The (6) extra shots and (7) extra free throw attempts were enough to make the difference between winning and losing against the Thunder.
On the Thunder roster are a number of solid, young players. Jeff Green and James Harden provide toughness and shotmaking, and Westbrook is an energetic playmaker. But what has moved the Thunder so far, so fast, is the continued improvement of (surprise) Kevin Durant, and his ascent from potential to arrival.
Nobody has to be reminded that Durant is a superstar. His offensive prowess is evident, with his 100 rating stroke, but all of his rates are going up as well: rebounding, blocks, steals, etc. What we're seeing in OKC is the power of the superstar making the water rise to new levels. He's getting to the free throw line more and more, earning (14) throws against the Hawks.
It's the presence of the superstar that can lift franchises to greater heights than the team that is built around a number of fringe all-star caliber players. We've seen Cleveland go to greater heights than the roster around LeBron James would indicate---and OKC seems to be built much more efficiently than even that squad.
Looking back at the numbers, at this moment in time, the Hawks maintain an edge based on their ability to take care of the basketball. But the Thunder are right there statistically, and it won't be long before the star of Durant and the rest of the Thunder carries them above what even the talented Hawks can muster.
Showing posts with label Thunder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thunder. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Monday, November 10, 2008
Ummmm---Are You Seeing This?
In a game on the road where Josh Smith was absent, Joe Johnson and the team were off target shooting 37 percent, and the bench was outscored 42-21, the Hawks continued to be bulletproof in 2008-09, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 89-85.
Really, the HHB had to feel somewhat for the Thunder fans because, as Hawks fans, we understand what it's like to outplay, outhustle, and outshoot a team at home only to watch that team high fiving on their way to the locker room after the seemingly inevitable conclusion had been reached--a disappointing loss.
To say the Hawks didn't have their fastball is misleading---they didn't have a good curve or changeup, either. It seemed to be a classic case of playing down to the level of their competition, especially on the defensive end, where Thunder players were running unchecked coast to coast, through the lane, and to the hoop for an easy layup seemingly every other possession.
To that end, the Thunder seemed in control until Flip Murray woke up in the fourth and scored nine straight points, and then Josh Smith took control of Al Horford for an amazing block of Kevin Durant in the lane. The Hawks gained the momentum of the game and never let it go, putting the victory cherry on the sundae when Al grabbed a rebound, spun, and lobbed it down the court to Joe, who flushed the hoop and the Thunder in one two-handed swoop.
It is refreshing to know that the team can win without playing it's best, it's a sign of a good team. Chances are you will not always be at the top of your game, but teams have to grind through those nights and give themselves a chance to win, which is exactly what the Hawks did.
However, tempting fate won't go for more than one game in a row, and with the Hawks getting into the meat of the road trip now, they will have to execute better defensively than they did against the Thunder to continue this great run.
Flying High:
Ronald "Flip" Murray, who did his best Vinny Johnson impersonation (now with defense!) and shot the Hawks back into the game at 77 all in the fourth.
Al Horford, who did his best Josh Smith impersonation (missed threes sold separately) and added five blocks to another double digit rebound game---now if the coaches would call a couple more post plays for him.....
Marvin Williams, who still looks a little drunk sometimes on the court (just in his moves, not his breath---not actually questioning his sobriety), but attacked on a number of occasions and had a staggering +15 in this game. Hey, that led the team!
Joe Johnson---Why? Because he's freaking clutch, that's why. He had shots rimming out, just missing, and he forced a couple---but he was still in control of his game and his presence in the post set up a clutch three from Marvin as the Thunder collapsed on him in the lane, he kicked out and the ball worked around to the corner, where Williams was able to bang down the three.
Dead Birds:
Hawks defense---I know---how that this be bad if they shot less than their 41 percent average? It was the embarrassing level of layups that the Thunder executed almost uncontested.
Team effort level----For the first time this season, except for the first quarter of the Sixers game, the Hawks were completely getting outhustled and outworked. The Thunder were the aggressors almost the whole game until the Hawks woke up in the fourth. With any team that had more firepower, the Hawks would have been down like they were in Q1 against PHL. Big.
View From the Nest:
The unbeaten streak is likely to come to a close during this roadtrip, especially given the fact that whenever a team loses a key player like Smith is to the Hawks, while a bench can provide a brief spark, the overall effectiveness of the team does take it's toll. That the Hawks did beat OKC was important---teams that have playoff aspirations have to find ways to win those games, but expecting a sweep of Chicago, Boston, and New Jersey would be a little much.
But for now---it's an amazing 5-0, five games over .500 for those of us who attended Florida---It's a great time to be a Hawks fan.
Really, the HHB had to feel somewhat for the Thunder fans because, as Hawks fans, we understand what it's like to outplay, outhustle, and outshoot a team at home only to watch that team high fiving on their way to the locker room after the seemingly inevitable conclusion had been reached--a disappointing loss.
To say the Hawks didn't have their fastball is misleading---they didn't have a good curve or changeup, either. It seemed to be a classic case of playing down to the level of their competition, especially on the defensive end, where Thunder players were running unchecked coast to coast, through the lane, and to the hoop for an easy layup seemingly every other possession.
To that end, the Thunder seemed in control until Flip Murray woke up in the fourth and scored nine straight points, and then Josh Smith took control of Al Horford for an amazing block of Kevin Durant in the lane. The Hawks gained the momentum of the game and never let it go, putting the victory cherry on the sundae when Al grabbed a rebound, spun, and lobbed it down the court to Joe, who flushed the hoop and the Thunder in one two-handed swoop.
It is refreshing to know that the team can win without playing it's best, it's a sign of a good team. Chances are you will not always be at the top of your game, but teams have to grind through those nights and give themselves a chance to win, which is exactly what the Hawks did.
However, tempting fate won't go for more than one game in a row, and with the Hawks getting into the meat of the road trip now, they will have to execute better defensively than they did against the Thunder to continue this great run.
Flying High:
Ronald "Flip" Murray, who did his best Vinny Johnson impersonation (now with defense!) and shot the Hawks back into the game at 77 all in the fourth.
Al Horford, who did his best Josh Smith impersonation (missed threes sold separately) and added five blocks to another double digit rebound game---now if the coaches would call a couple more post plays for him.....
Marvin Williams, who still looks a little drunk sometimes on the court (just in his moves, not his breath---not actually questioning his sobriety), but attacked on a number of occasions and had a staggering +15 in this game. Hey, that led the team!
Joe Johnson---Why? Because he's freaking clutch, that's why. He had shots rimming out, just missing, and he forced a couple---but he was still in control of his game and his presence in the post set up a clutch three from Marvin as the Thunder collapsed on him in the lane, he kicked out and the ball worked around to the corner, where Williams was able to bang down the three.
Dead Birds:
Hawks defense---I know---how that this be bad if they shot less than their 41 percent average? It was the embarrassing level of layups that the Thunder executed almost uncontested.
Team effort level----For the first time this season, except for the first quarter of the Sixers game, the Hawks were completely getting outhustled and outworked. The Thunder were the aggressors almost the whole game until the Hawks woke up in the fourth. With any team that had more firepower, the Hawks would have been down like they were in Q1 against PHL. Big.
View From the Nest:
The unbeaten streak is likely to come to a close during this roadtrip, especially given the fact that whenever a team loses a key player like Smith is to the Hawks, while a bench can provide a brief spark, the overall effectiveness of the team does take it's toll. That the Hawks did beat OKC was important---teams that have playoff aspirations have to find ways to win those games, but expecting a sweep of Chicago, Boston, and New Jersey would be a little much.
But for now---it's an amazing 5-0, five games over .500 for those of us who attended Florida---It's a great time to be a Hawks fan.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
