2019-2020 NBA Season Team Analysis: Atlanta Hawks

2019-2020 NBA Season Team Analysis: Atlanta Hawks

NBA

by | Aug 31, 2019 | NBA

With a lackluster season in the year 2018, the Atlanta Hawks finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 29-53, the organization has made big changes within the roster in efforts to bolster a young roster with more depth and a stronger veteran presence. The Hawks have one of the younger teams in the league, while shifting majority focus to developing their duo in point guard Trae Young and forward John Collins. With the recent additions of De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish after this year’s NBA Draft, the amount of potential on this roster is deep. On top of the young talent that the organization has acquired over the offseason, they’ve also made moves in acquiring players that can make a legitimate impact on the floor.

Young averaged 19.1 points per game on 41.8% shooting, 3.7 rebounds, and 8.1 assists. With numbers such as this over the course of 81 games coming from a rookie is astounding, allotting him enough votes to be recognized as the runner-up in last year’s NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Young has been a 3-PT threat the entire season, and that doesn’t seem likely to change with the season to come. Teams around the league know that Young is going to score the ball and his future gets only brighter from this point on. The only minor concern could be that, like other soon to be second year players in the league, may suffer from the “Sophomore slump”, where players find themselves not producing the same way they once did a season prior. Now if that is a matter of superstition or teams making the correct adjustments defensively, fans will see in time whether or not Young can live up to the challenge.

The other half to the other young Hawks duo in John Collins has made a name for himself in also being an offensive force for the Hawks last season, averaging 19.5 points per game on 56% shooting, 9.8 rebounds, and 2 assists versus his rookie season averaging only 10.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. With a 6’11 wingspan and very impressive athleticism, the 2017 19th draft pick also has the potential to be a dominant presence on the defensive end of the floor, getting his hands into passing lanes, blocking shots, or coming over to help defensively. Going into his third season of his career, the league is starting to see Collins’ full potential, as being a solid all-around player at the forward position for the Hawks.

This year’s NBA Draft was star-studded, with a multitude of big names going making their way into the league. The Atlanta Hawks were no strangers in acquiring talent in the draft, most notably with Virginia forward De’Andre Hunter and Duke forward Cam Reddish coming into the equation for the organization. Looking at the statistics for both rookies from their time in college, Hawks fans can believe that these two will be potential options offensively. Additionally, a perk in regards to these two players is their size, with Hunter listed as 6’7 and Reddish as a 6’8. This allows for both of them to potentially switch to several different positions throughout the season. This also gives them an edge defensively, being able to potentially defend from the point guard position on switches to the power forward position. A major concern in regards to Reddish however is in his play style. Reddish is a bonafide scorer, but his time at Duke did not exactly allow him to play how he has seen to be most effective, with ball in his hands. More times than naught fans would see Reddish playing as a spot-up shooter, waiting at the wings while the other ball handler’s would run the offense, as opposed to his fellow rookie teammate. Hunter seems to thrive spotting up or coming off the dribble and making the play inwards of the three-point line.

 

 

 

 

Shifting topics from youth of this team to the veterans, the Hawks have their fair share of solid players on the team hoping to make the difference for the organization. Most notably, Allen Crabbe of the Nets, Evan Turner of the Trailblazers, Chandler Parsons of the Grizzlies, and Jabari Parker of the Wizards. Crabbe and Parsons serve as a shooting threat from outside, Turner has been well-known throughout his career to be a solid all-around player, while Parker, despite suffering injuries throughout the stages of his career, has been a slashing force to be reckoned with.

In other news regarding the Hawks, however, is the headline of Vince Carter coming out saying he’ll be playing his last season with the Atlanta Hawks. Carter has spent the previous season with the Hawks, over an illustrious soon to be 20 plus season career. Despite his extensive time within the league, Carter is still able to play the game at an elite level, providing solid scoring off the bench with the occasional highlight reel dunk at the age of 42.

It is needless to say that the Hawks will be an exciting team to watch this season, with projections to do better than the season prior. With all their new acquisitions, and the hunger of the roster who remain, fans league-wide should keep their eyes on the Hawks in the East this coming October 2019.

 

Aug 31, 2019 No Comments
Battle for Los Angeles 2019-2020: A Lakers-Clippers Rivalry

Battle for Los Angeles 2019-2020: A Lakers-Clippers Rivalry

NBA

by | Jul 17, 2019 | NBA

This offseason has led to some of the most interesting Free Agency moves that NBA fans have seen in quite some time. And while we are left to speculate of how our favorite teams will stack up in the upcoming season, there has been an underlying question in the back of some fans’ minds regarding the state of Los Angeles basketball and which team will prove to be the better ball club.

In years past there has always been one team to show its dominance over the other whether it had been the Los Angeles Lakers or the Los Angeles Clippers. Looking back into the history of the league, the Lakers moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in 1960, while the Clippers moved to Los Angeles fairly recently in 1984, starting the “rivalry”. History would also tell you that the Lakers have been typically been the better franchise between the two with the overall All-Time Series being 101-52, favoring the Lakers. This is not, however, a fitting representation of the two teams in their current respective states.

As a full disclaimer it is only right to state that making comparisons of which team is better than the other is utterly speculation and cannot fully be assessed due to the many variables that go into an 82-Game NBA Season. However, if we can assume that both teams are at their healthiest, playing a 4-Game Regular Season Series, would one team emerge victorious over the other, or would we find ourselves tied a two games a piece.

Upon review both rosters in their current states, the point can clearly be made that while both teams are stacked respectively, the Clippers depth is more young with loads of potential versus the Lakers’ multitude of veterans with a handful of young players. Aside from the bigger off-season acquisitions in Davis and Cousins, the Lakers have been able to sign exceptional role players such as Avery Bradley, Jared Dudley, Quinn Cook, and two-time NBA Champion Danny Green. The Lakers seem to have found fitting pieces to surround their stars with, hopefully able to provide for their team while the others are off the floor. For the Clippers, aside from the obvious George and Leonard, have not acquired many big names other than Maurice Harkless in the Jimmy Butler deal that sent him to Miami. That is mostly in part by the fact that the Clippers had no need to fill up a roster quite like how the Lakers did. In terms of depth, however, I give the edge to the Lakers.

Now that we’ve talked a bit about the entire rosters, I suppose we should now focus on the potential starting units of these teams and how their match-ups play out. We can assume that the starting five would look something like Beverly, George, Leonard, Harrell, and Zubac assuming that Lou Will comes off the bench as per usual for the Clippers, while the Lakers have Lebron at point guard, either Bradley, Green, or KCP, Kuzma, Davis, Cousins for the Lakers. From an offensive standpoint the Lakers would seem to have the upper hand, perhaps by only slightly, but more specifically through individual scoring, while the Clippers would be absolutely terrifying on the defensive end. Not to take away the fact that the Lakers have very solid defenders on their team, but the sheer grit feeling that fans get from Beverly and Harrell alone, to not even mention Defensive Player of the Year Candidates Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, is ridiculous. When discussing starting fives, I give the edge to the Clippers.

To say what team would win in a regular season series between the Lakers and Clippers is too hard to tell, especially when these teams come with fresh acquisitions that really change the face of the team. I personally believe that every game between the two clubs will be nothing but a tightly contested game from wire to wire, and to say who comes out on top, we’ll just have to wait and see once the season rolls around.

Jul 17, 2019 No Comments
The New Face of Los Angeles Basketball? Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers

The New Face of Los Angeles Basketball? Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers

NBA

by | Jul 8, 2019 | NBA

The NBA world was stunned on July 5, 2019 with reports of Kawhi Leonard opting not to re-sign with NBA Champions Toronto Raptors and rather play for the Los Angeles Clippers. Leonard would go on to be the first player to not stay with a team after winning Finals MVP. To add on to the shock and awe of the news, Oklahoma City Thunder Guard Paul George was traded to the Clippers as well, only minutes of Leonard’s decision.

The Clippers have found themselves in the best situation they have ever been in since the Chris Paul and Blake Griffin era, in terms of All-Star power. The organization had however been able to make the playoffs last year with no real standout players on their roster. With the new acquisitions of Leonard and George, two of the best two-way players at this time, it is arguable that the Clippers have one of the most stacked teams in the league. The Clippers made an unfortunate early exit in last years Playoffs in 4-2 series against the Golden State Warriors. However, implementing their two newest acquisitions into the starting line-up would increase their play both offensively and defensively.  Leonard last season averaged 26.6 points on 49.6% shooting while George averaged a career-high 28 points on 43.8% shooting. Having two go-to players on offense as well as having 2018 and 2019’s Sixth Man of the Year in Lou Williams, the Clippers have an abundance of options on that side of the floor. However the defensive side of the floor is where most teams should be fearful of the Clippers this coming season. With a potential line-up consisting of Patrick Beverly, Lou Williams, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Montrezl Harrell, players that are notorious for their effort and hard-nosed defense, teams league wide must think twice when coming down the floor offensively. Beverly, George, and Leonard have all found themselves on the First Team All-Defensive in years past, with the addition of Harrell having a breakout season last year, becoming a bigger part of the Clippers identity. With the multitude of blockbuster trades and acquisitions that have occurred up to this point into Free Agency, players, fans, and the organizations still have more in store until the deadline approaches.

Jul 8, 2019 No Comments
The 6ix in Six: 2019 NBA Finals Recap

The 6ix in Six: 2019 NBA Finals Recap

NBA

by | Jul 2, 2019 | NBA

The NBA Finals have come to a conclusion, with the Toronto Raptors winning their first Championship in franchise history in a 4-2 victory over the Golden State Warriors. As the celebration in Toronto ensues, alongside with Raptors fans worldwide, we are finally given the opportunity to look back into the 6-game series of a constant back and forth momentum swings.

Game 1 was a tone setter for the Toronto Raptors, winning 118-109, with Pascal leading the Raptors with 32pts, 8reb, and 5ast. There was also strong consistency with the Raptors bench, having 5 players out of the Raptors 9 scoring in double figures, in comparison to the Warriors 3. In addition to the

Game 2 was both a perfect retaliation for the Golden State Warriors and a sign of caution to the Toronto Raptors. The Warriors were able to take a game away from home, with notable contributions to the Warriors starting 5, but particularly recently acquired Center DeMarcus Cousins.  Cousins finished the game 11pts, 10reb, and 6ast, in comparison to his Game 1 stats of 3pts, 0reb, and 2ast. Being able to get more contribution from Cousins forced the Raptors defense to become more mindful of him when he has the ball, opening up potential looks for his teammates, which was a result of the 6 assists that Cousins had by the end of the night. With this momentum swing, the Warriors were felt good going home to Oracle Arena for Game 3 but the Raptors, despite the loss, would not relent.

This was especially true in Game 3, kicking off the first string of games that represented the end of the great Oracle Arena. The Raptors finished the game with a 14-point victory over the Warriors at home. This particular game shows the tale of two very different types of play, with the Raptors playing a more team based game with six players scoring in double figures, with Raptors All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry leading the way in scoring, while the Warriors superstar Point Guard Steph Curry went off to score a game-high 47 points. Despite the scoring display he had shown, and the contributions that his teammates made, or tried to make for that matter, fell short and the Warriors found themselves down 2-1 in the series.

Game 4 back at Oracle Arena was a much more balanced game in terms of depth in the scoring aspect of things, with Klay Thompson and Steph Curry leading the Warriors with 28 and 27 points respectively. However the Raptors received a surge (pun intended) from former Oklahoma City Thunder PF Serge Ibaka, off the bench with 20 points in 22 minutes for the 11-year veteran. Alongside his scoring output was Kawhi Leonard’s game-high 36 points to lead the Raptors 3-1 in the series. it was at this point many fans assumed the series was over, considering it was heading back to Toronto for what could have been the last game for the Raptors. However, the Golden State Warriors and Warriors fans around the world believed in the Strength in Numbers in hopes of a reverse sweep.

There perhaps could not have been a more poetic way for the series to come to a conclusion other than the hometown Raptors winning their first NBA Championship in front of the fans in their own arena. Most unfortunate for them however, that was not the case. Last year’s NBA Finals MVP in Kevin Durant had missed the entire series up until this point, and with him back on the floor the Warriors knew for a fact that they stood a chance in this series. With their morale at an all-time high, only to be crushed when Durant went down with an Achilles injury, having only played 12 minutes into the game. He would not return for the rest of the series but had contributed to his team the best he could adding 11 points and 2 rebounds while he was still in the game. It was at this point the rest of the Warriors rallied together behind their Point Guard in Steph Curry to propel themselves to a 106-105 victory in Toronto, moving the series to 3-2, and NBA fans worldwide wondered if the reverse sweep was possible for the Golden State Warriors.

It seemed that the Warriors had all the momentum going into Game 6, despite not having Kevin Durant in the lineup. The game would go down to the wire in the 4th Quarter, with a constant back and forth between the two teams. It was ultimately decided when Steph Curry took an off-balance three pointer that he has almost become notorious for hitting those shots, missing, and amidst the battle for the loose ball, Warriors PF Draymond Green comes up with it only to call a timeout, despite not having anymore timeouts to give at this point late into the game. Here the Warriors receive a technical foul for excessive timeouts, ultimately giving the Raptors a one-shot free throw, leaving no time for the Warriors to try for the win. It was at this moment in time that the realization had begun to set in, and the Toronto Raptors stormed the floor, celebrating their victory, forever adding their name to the list of NBA Champions as well as obtaining the first championship for the Toronto Raptors in league history.

Jul 2, 2019 No Comments
Los Angeles’ Next Big Man: An Analysis of the NOLA/LAL Trade

Los Angeles’ Next Big Man: An Analysis of the NOLA/LAL Trade

NBA

by | Jul 2, 2019 | NBA

The NBA world was in collective shock on June 15, 2019 when word got out that the New Orleans Pelicans agreed to a trade that would send All-Star big Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first round picks. The response to this blockbuster trade has been fairly mixed, however, for fans are uncertain for what the remainder of the offseason has in store for their respective teams.

There are always two sides to every story, and this one is no different. On one side fans believe that having another dynamic duo in Los Angeles is exactly what the team needs as long as they have the complimentary pieces necessary, while the other believed in the once young Laker core that consisted of Ball, Ingram, Hart, Kuzma, etc. With that approach to the Lakers’ roster no longer an option, it seems like the organization is sticking to its guns by opting into the Shaq and Kobe, Magic and Kareem situation where they have big name players and surround them with necessary pieces for team success. In this case, however, the Lakers have some of the biggest names in basketball of this generation in LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The ultimate question regarding these two is: just how good can these two be together? James averaged 27.4ppg, 8.5rpg, and 8.3apg last season with, arguably, a lackluster Lakers roster in 55 games while Davis averaged 25.9ppg, 12rbg, and 3.9apg while playing only 56 games. With the combination of James and Davis, alongside with potential future talent to come leaves nothing but high hopes in Laker fans’ hearts. The only questions remaining are the health of the team, what pieces will be added, and of course, what will the future of the Lakers organization look like.

Whilst on the topic of futures, the New Orleans Pelicans have a very bright one ahead of them. With all their recent acquisitions, ranging from the Lakers-Pelicans trade, as well as the recent news of the draft and free agency thus far, we’ve come to see a team that has the potential to be even better than seasons prior. The Pelicans up to this point in time have acquire a large list of players such as, 76ers Shooting Guard J.J. Reddick and Utah Jazz Forward Derrick Favors from Free Agency, as well as drafting strong potential talent in Center out of Texas Jaxson Hayes, Wing out of Virginia Tech Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and of course none other than the Forward out of Duke, Zion Williamson. When comparing the two teams, it is fairly debatable to figure who really got the better of this trade. Which only raises many questions and increases the level of excitement for the season to come.

Jul 2, 2019 No Comments