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Breaking Down Five Plays from Hawks Loss in Chicago
All season long, we have been told to wait for the final stretch of the season. The Hawks' confidence, or perhaps hubris, has exceeded their real-life output. Their plan has always been to flip the switch like they're the 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers.
In the first game back after eight full days off, the Hawks looked like the same team as before the All-Star break. Let's review five plays that helped the Bulls pull out a victory against the Hawks.
DeMar DeRozan
Like I wrote last night after the game, DeMar DeRozan is an MVP candidate. It appears that the Hawks didn't get the scouting report on the resurgence of the veteran shooting guard.
I'm not sure why Bogdan Bogdanovic chases DeRozan over the screen, and Clint Capela sinks back into the paint. DeRozan attempts less than two three-pointers per game while taking over 18 shots under the arc per game. His mid-range game is no secret. So why did the Hawks let him get to his spots last night?
Kevin Huerter
Let's stick with the theme of DeMar DeRozan torching the Hawks last night. After the game, Hawks head coach Nate McMillan said he wanted to throw a double-team at DeRozan, but the final play "happened too fast."
I mean, I guess. DeRozan walked the ball up the court, and Kevin Huerter's defensive assignment was near the logo. Once again, the Hawks allowed DeRozan to get to his spots in the midrange, where he knocks down 54.3% of his shots.
Ayo Dosunmu
Chicago Bulls rookie Ayo Dosunmu got plenty of playing time last night. Dosunmu was drafted one spot after Jalen Johnson but has played 1,433 total minutes this season compared to Johnson's 64 minutes. Anyway, I digress.
Check out the defensive spacing between Huerter and Bogdanovic in the paint. I've seen middle-schoolers slow dance further apart than that. It goes without saying, Dosunmu (a 41.3% three-point shooter) knocked down the open look.
Nikola Vucevic
It's not going to be easy for any defender to stop the crafty Nikola Vucevic in the paint. Even worse, the Bulls went ultra-small last night and spaced the Hawks out on defense. Nevertheless, watch every Hawks player not named Clint Capela stand around flat-footed, watching the action unfold.
Tristan Thompson
Not Tristan Thompson having a career game against the Hawks. Delon Wright got posted up in mismatch, and Onyeka Okongwu comes down to help prevent the easy bucket. Inexplicably, Okongwu jumps like he accidentally hit the wrong button on his controller while playing NBA 2K. Thompson finished the game with 11 points on 3-3 shooting.
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