Sunday, December 13, 2009

December 13th Game Thread: New Jersey (2-21) @ Atlanta (16-6)

TIP-OFF: 5pm (EST)

TELEVISION
: SportSouth

RADIO: Hawks Radio Network, Audio League Pass

GAME NOTES: Hawks/Nets

ATLANTA INJURY REPORT: Joe Smith is out.

NEW JERSEY INJURY REPORT
: Eduardo Najera, Jarvis Hayes, and Yi Jianlian are out. Tony Battie, Keyon Dooling, and Bobby Simmons are questionable. Chris Douglas-Roberts and Devin Harris are probable.

RATIO OF PLAYERS MENTIONED IN NETS' INJURY REPORT TO PLAYERS NOT MENTIONED IN NETS' INJURY REPORT: 8:7

BY THE NUMBERS

Team Poss Off Eff eFG% FT Rate OR% TO%
NJ (off)
91.7
0.966
43.2 23.1
25.2 17.4
ATL (def)
90.5 1.066 49.6
26.5
26.8
15.9

Team Poss Off Eff eFG% FT Rate OR% TO%
NJ (def)
91.7
1.077
50.5 33.0
28.2 17.7
ATL (off)
90.5 1.149 50.9
21.6
29.6
13.1

FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY: Atlanta -12.5, 195 o/u

OTHER PERSPECTIVES
: Nets Are Scorching

PREVIOUSLY, THE NEW JERSEY NETS...are not exactly responding positively to their recent (relatively) hot stretch wherein they've won two of five games. Terrence Williams got suspended for two games and, upon his return, professed a desire for the media not to speak to him anymore. Rafer Alston finds certain of his teammates actions "hurtful." Devin Harris has declared the team "divided."

Even for a team that lost its first 19 games, getting blown out by Golden State and Indiana in quick succession is traumatic. It's imperative the Hawks win this game over a poor, dysfunctional team even though I suspect the size of the home crowd in Atlanta will make the Nets feel like they're playing at home.

The Hawks seem the farthest thing from a team divided but I suspect, should there by an absence of energy from the starters, both Mo Evans and Jeff Teague will implore them to get working and turn their two-game roll into a three-game streak. Evans has increased his scoring rate by 13.8% and his eFG% by 74 percentage points over the last two games. Teague's scoring rate is up 7.9%, his assist rate is up by 21.3%, and he's added 46 percentage points to his eFG% while increasing his percentage of minutes played from 16.6% to 19.1% during the blowout wins over Chicago and Toronto.

Consider this an open thread for all pre-game, in-game, and post-game (but pre-recap) thoughts.

2 comments:

thirdfalcon said...

Drew, do you know where I can find the Defensive four factor stats? Opponents FT rate, TO rate and such? I've been looking for it for a fanpost I want to do, but haven't been able to find it. I figured you would know where it is if it's out there.

Bret LaGree said...

Even though I caught you trying to post at Peachtree Hoops, I'll point you to Knickerblogger's stats page and the season summary page at Basketball-Reference.