Finally, after all this time we can go back to what the SBI program is all about: sports. And what other team to talk about then my hometown Atlanta Hawks?
The beginning of the season hasn’t been in Atlanta’s favor, currently with a 14-12 record, sitting second to last in the Southeast division, and tied for ninth with Detroit in the Eastern Conference. It’s been a slight drop off in performance compared to last year; Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap are still producing at a high level, but not like the All-Star caliber production last season. However, there have been two bright spots in the rotation this year: Kent Bazemore and Thabo Sefalosha. Bazemore has taken over the starting small forward duties from DeMarre Carroll, who departed to play with the Toronto Raptors, and he has filled in quite well, scoring 13 PPG, being one of six Hawks averaging in double figures. Sefalosha on the other hand hasn’t contributed as much as Bazemore in the scoring category (only 7.3 PPG), but the Swiss forward has provided an all-around spark for Atlanta, grabbing close to five rebounds and being the defensive stopper the Hawks signed from Oklahoma City. The other benefit of signing Sefalosha from OKC was his three-point shooting, and although he’s about average from beyond the arc (36.4 %), there is still room for improvement with a lot of season left. Everyone has sort of dipped in production this year. Even sharp shooter Kyle Korver hasn’t had his traditional year of accuracy, shooting only 39.7% from three and 82% from the free throw line. He’s still one of the better shooters in the league from beyond the arc; it’s just that Korver has been a staple in the 50/40/90 club, which only the best shooters of all time have reached. Keep in mind it’s still early in the season, and once the Hawks find their rhythm, they’ll once again be a favorite to come out of the East.
In other NBA news, even with losing their first game this season against the Milwaukee Bucks, the reigning champion Golden State Warriors are still by far the best team in the league. Not only do they continuously win, but Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and the core of the team are able to rest whole fourth quarters, where as other team’s starters are still playing for victories. Though a healthy Cavaliers team could prove to be a formidable foe, I don’t really see anyone stopping the Warriors from completing a repeat.
The beginning of the season hasn’t been in Atlanta’s favor, currently with a 14-12 record, sitting second to last in the Southeast division, and tied for ninth with Detroit in the Eastern Conference. It’s been a slight drop off in performance compared to last year; Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap are still producing at a high level, but not like the All-Star caliber production last season. However, there have been two bright spots in the rotation this year: Kent Bazemore and Thabo Sefalosha. Bazemore has taken over the starting small forward duties from DeMarre Carroll, who departed to play with the Toronto Raptors, and he has filled in quite well, scoring 13 PPG, being one of six Hawks averaging in double figures. Sefalosha on the other hand hasn’t contributed as much as Bazemore in the scoring category (only 7.3 PPG), but the Swiss forward has provided an all-around spark for Atlanta, grabbing close to five rebounds and being the defensive stopper the Hawks signed from Oklahoma City. The other benefit of signing Sefalosha from OKC was his three-point shooting, and although he’s about average from beyond the arc (36.4 %), there is still room for improvement with a lot of season left. Everyone has sort of dipped in production this year. Even sharp shooter Kyle Korver hasn’t had his traditional year of accuracy, shooting only 39.7% from three and 82% from the free throw line. He’s still one of the better shooters in the league from beyond the arc; it’s just that Korver has been a staple in the 50/40/90 club, which only the best shooters of all time have reached. Keep in mind it’s still early in the season, and once the Hawks find their rhythm, they’ll once again be a favorite to come out of the East.
In other NBA news, even with losing their first game this season against the Milwaukee Bucks, the reigning champion Golden State Warriors are still by far the best team in the league. Not only do they continuously win, but Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and the core of the team are able to rest whole fourth quarters, where as other team’s starters are still playing for victories. Though a healthy Cavaliers team could prove to be a formidable foe, I don’t really see anyone stopping the Warriors from completing a repeat.