Hawks season

atljwilson

10-things-to-watch-in-second-half-of-hawks-season

10 Things To Watch In Second "Half" of Hawks' Season

6-reasons-why-the-hawks-have-been-so-hot-at-home

6 Reasons Why the Hawks Have Been So Hot At Home

Atlanta Hawks fans aren't shy about where they think their team will fall in the Eastern Conference pecking order this season.

Some are more realistic than others, but all seem to share the theme that this Hawks team could be really good.  Check out the responses:

hawks-fans-make-bold-predictions-for-2014-15-season

Hawks Fans Make Bold Predictions For 2014-15 Season

17-predictions-for-the-atlanta-hawks-in-2014-15

17 Predictions For The Atlanta Hawks In 2014-15

19-reasons-to-be-stoked-about-the-hawks-season

19 Reasons To Be Stoked About the Hawks' Season

atlncrooks

In case you missed it, below are all of the 2013-14 Atlanta Hawks player reviews.  

Note:  We use stats per 36 minutes instead of stats per game on the graphics.  The reason behind that is stats per 36 tell a more complete story of how a player did while he was on the court, as opposed to per game stats which averages a player’s stats based on the number of games that player appeared in, regardless of how many minutes he played.  The per 36 minutes compares all players equally by taking the minutes played out of the equation to measure the most effective players during their time on the court.

2013-14-season-reviews

2013-14 Season Reviews

After putting on a dazzling performance in Summer League last season, there were high hopes for Hawks first round draft pick Dennis Schröder this season. With Shelvin Mack emerging as the backup point guard early in the season Schröder’s minutes were sparse, but over the course of the year he showed a lot of development.

In 49 appearances this season, Schröder averaged 3.7 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.2 rebounds in 13.1 minutes per game. He scored 10 points twice -- against the Lakers and Thunder -- and as the season wore on, appeared to get more comfortable with the Hawks offense and the tempo of the NBA game.

Early in the season, he looked to be moving too fast and getting out of control at times. As the season progressed, his tempo got much better. He used his speed to his advantage by being shifty and accelerating past defenders rather than trying to play at top speed all the time.

Schröder was assigned to the Bakersfield Jam -- the Hawks D-League affiliate for 2013-14 -- for six games, and in those games he was terrific. He averaged 17 points, 6.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.8 steals in 34 minutes per game as he put his full array of talents on display.

His offensive game is still a work in progress, but the potential is clear, particularly in the pick-and-roll. His court vision is superb, as he is quite adept at picking out the right pass anywhere on the court even at just 20 years old. His speed allows him to get into the paint, and he’s continuing to improve at his finishing with layups and adding a floater to his arsenal. His jump shot is inconsistent, but he’s showed the ability, when set, to knock down the perimeter shot.

Defense is where Schröder can really make his presence felt. His length and hand size are exceptional for a point guard, and this makes him a terror as an on-ball defender. His footwork is impeccable, allowing him to stay in front of guards on dribble drives, and he is very good at getting around screens -- sometimes too well when the big hedges high, leaving the roll-man wide open. As he got more comfortable with the Hawks’ coverages and rotations, he made strides to improve as an off-ball defender.

Schröder’s season was not quite what some expected coming out of Summer League, as he was made the third point guard because of Mack’s terrific play. However, he showed growth, which is ultimately what you hope to see from a 20-year-old prospect, and with another offseason to continue to build his skills and strength, the future is bright for the young German. 

season-review-dennis-schroder

Season Review: Dennis Schröder

Still recovering from a torn ACL, Lou Williams’ 2013-14 season did not begin until Nov. 15 when he debuted against the 76ers, scoring seven points in a Hawks win. His season had plenty of ups-and-downs as he worked his way back into form after the first major injury of his career. He finished the season averaging 10.4 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.1 rebounds per game on 40 percent shooting (34.2% from three).

By his own admission at exit interviews, WIlliams felt he was lagging behind early in the season because he had not gotten the opportunity to work in Coach Bud’s system in training camp and practices because of his rehab, and he admitted that it affected his play.

Williams showed flashes of his old self in December, as he scored 25+ points three times, including a season-high 28 points in a win over the Bobcats. In those games he was attacking the rim, getting to the free throw line, and showing that burst that we hadn’t seen since the injury. He had the bounce and rhythm to his game that made him such a dynamic offensive player prior to the injury, which was an encouraging sign.

In February, as the team was decimated by injuries and hitting its worst losing streak of the season, Williams had to play a bigger role in the team’s offense because they lacked scorers. He had seven consecutive double-digit scoring games in the end of Feburary and beginning of March, but the team continued to struggle. Williams' season reached it’s low point when he was benched for seven straight games in March, as the team was getting healthier and Coach Bud tried to re-work his rotations to achieve a different result -- something he was successful with as they won five straight during that stretch.

He would be called on again, and he responded with some big performances down the stretch of the season to help the Hawks clinch a playoff berth. One of Williams’ best games came against the Heat in April, when he had 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting (4-of-4 from three) to help the Hawks clinch a playoff spot.

Williams season was a bit of a roller coaster, but towards the end of the year he seemed to be grasping the concepts Coach Bud wanted him to on both ends of the floor. He seemed more active on defense, did well facilitating on offense, and was active on the boards -- something Bud wants to see out of his wing players.