Tag: Nate McMillan

Nate McMillan wasn’t the problem for the Atlanta Hawks — the vibes were

The Hawks didn’t have a Nate McMillan problem. They had a vibes problem.

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Nate McMillan was unceremoniously relieved from his duties by the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.

By no means did he do a perfect job. The Hawks had high expectations for this team they poured everything into. But…they’re just a play-in team. And that’s not good enough. So, sure, it’s fair to lay some blame at his feet. But the problems in Atlanta are bigger than just Nate McMillan.

So much bigger.

We’ve seen this story before, folks. McMillan was removed from the Hawks’ job the same way that he got it. Nearly two years ago to the day on March 1, the Hawks tapped McMillan as their interim head coach after they fired Lloyd Pierce.

Pierce’s problem was his reportedly “strained” relationship with Trae Young toward the end of his tenure. By then, multiple players on the roster were OK with the Hawks moving on.

Essentially the same exact thing is happening with McMillan. Yes, there are things you can point to in Atlanta’s performance that say change is necessary. They’re a play-in team with an average offense and one of the worst defenses in the NBA. None of that is good.

But the real reason McMillan’s gone is — you guessed it! — he can’t get along with Trae Young.

Their beef has been well documented this season. The two even had a heated exchange that ultimately led to Young not playing in a game against Denver early in the season after he reportedly refused to participate in a team shootaround.

Things got so bad after the incident that McMillan actually considered leaving in the middle of the season, per The Athletic. Ultimately, instead of waiting around for McMillan to make that decision, the Hawks just made it for him.

Here’s the kicker. Hawks’ GM Landy Fields is looking for a coach that will improve “player development and accountability,” according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. They want someone who will help in “defining what a Hawks player will be” — whatever that means.

Now, maybe I’m tripping. But isn’t that…exactly what it seemed like McMillan was doing?

He holds the team’s very best player accountable and asks him to do a thing with the team. It blows up in his face and boom — a few months later he’s out. None of this adds up to me.

I don’t think the Hawks had a Nate McMillan problem. Was he the solution? Maybe not. But their vibes are off. And they’ve been off for a while.

Maybe it’s Trae Young. Maybe it’s the fact John Collins basically lives on the trade block these days. Maybe it’s the pressure of giving everything up for Dejounte Murray. I don’t know.

But the Hawks need to figure it out. And they don’t have a coach to blame anymore.

Quick hits: Our latest NFL mock draft, Micah Parson’s load management take and more

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Everything we know about the reported beef between Trae Young and Hawks coach Nate McMillan

Trae Young had a strained relationship with his ex-head coach Lloyd Pierce.

Atlanta’s Trae Young missed Friday’s game against the Nuggets, and it was potentially a much bigger deal than people may have initially realized.

One of the goals during training camp for the Hawks was to improve the communication and the connection between Young and head coach Nate McMillan. During the offseason, Young insisted that he had a “great” (and not rocky) relationship with McMillan.

If you’ll recall, Young reportedly had a “strained relationship” with former Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce and wanted him fired. A few months after Pierce was fired, Young appeared to take a shot at his former coach following Team USA’s loss to Australia.

McMillan replaced Pierce less than one year ago and perhaps his main duty as head coach was to properly solve the question of how to use Young.

Based on a recent report from The Athletic, however, it seems that trouble may be brewing once again between Young and his head coach. Here is what we know thus far:

‘Garry Bird is back’: Rockets reap benefits as Garrison Mathews breaks out

Jalen Green to @BigSargeSportz on Garrison Mathews: “Garry Bird is back! I told him, ‘Welcome back.’ We missed him for a while. … Every time he comes in, he is going to be gritty.”

HOUSTON — Life in the NBA can be the equivalent of being on a roller coaster. One minute you ascend to the top, and the next, you descend at full speed. That process repeats throughout the player’s career until he leaves the game.

For Rockets reserve shooting guard Garrison Mathews, he must feel like he is on the Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California.

Last season, the fans nicknamed Mathews “Garry Bird” — yes, after former Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird — because of his volume 3-point shooting. He was a wild card for the Rockets, averaging 26.3 minutes per game, and had a toughness about him that made him a rotation constant for head coach Stephen Silas.

One could imagine that the rise to the top of the rollercoaster ride for Mathews in 2021 put a smile on his face. But everyone knows that what goes up must come down, and maybe the third-year veteran was not prepared for the descending of that ride.

Mathews has seen his playing time decrease tremendously this season, averaging 12.8 minutes in the first 18 games. He did not see the court for three games, as Silas Silas decided to spread his minutes out to other role players.

Yet, Mathews has stayed positive throughout the process, and when he was called upon on Friday versus the Hawks, he was ready. With Eric Gordon out to rest on the front end of a back-to-back, Mathews was effective in the 22-plus minutes he played, scoring 20 points in the Rockets’ 128-122 victory over Atlanta. He hit 3-of-5 from 3-point range (60.0%) and made all nine of his free-throw attempts.

“It’s not easy,” Mathews replied when asked about staying mentally prepared during a lack of playing time. “The coaches do a great job of trying to keep you ready by getting shots and playing on the side. It is not easy, but I was just fortunate to play well tonight.”

Houston looked lethargic in the second and third quarters and trailed Atlanta by as much as 16 points with just under seven minutes left in the third quarter. At the time, it looked like it would stay that way, as both teams had multiple players receive technical fouls.

Making matters worse for the Rockets, Jalen Green picked up his fifth personal foul and had to sit down for the remainder of the quarter as the Hawks took a 10-point lead heading into the final period.

Atlanta head coach Nate McMillan had to feel comfortable with the Green on the bench and a comfortable double-digit lead. He could never have imagined what was about to happen next, which is why he had a perplexed look on his face as Mathews took over in the fourth quarter — scoring 11 of Houston’s 34 points to secure the win.

“Garry Bird is back,” Green told reporters postgame. “I told him ‘Welcome back,’ and we missed him for a while. That is all a part of the game. He is still the same player. I think it is really great that he kept his mind and was mentally in the game. He just came out and performed. That is something that he does every game. Every time he comes in, he is going to be gritty.”

Mathews’ performance against the Hawks could signify that the roller coaster may be on the ascent, once again.

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In NBA debut for rookies, Stephen Silas impressed by Rockets’ fight

Stephen Silas on Houston’s regular-season opener: “This is our fifth game together, so we were disjointed a little bit, but I love our fight and our competitiveness.”

ATLANTA — The Houston Rockets (0-1) dropped their 2022-23 NBA regular-season opener to the Atlanta Hawks (1-0), 117-107. They looked much more proficient than in their opening game in Minnesota a year ago and were competitive to the end. 

Houston looked uncertain at times while trying to get the right combinations on the floor. That uncertainty led to 16 turnovers and 28 fast-break points for the Hawks. As the season continues, head coach Stephen Silas believes the continuity will improve as players find each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

“Multiple times I sat down and told my assistants that we are so young,” Silas said. “We made some uncharacteristic turnovers that led to 28 points for them. Also, this is our fifth game together, so we were disjointed a little bit, but I love our fight and our competitiveness.”

Silas wasn’t the only one impressed by how the young Rockets team played on Wednesday night. Hawks head coach Nate McMillan commended Houston for never giving in, even though they were down on numerous occasions by double digits.

“Houston was a serious challenge, and we knew they would be,” McMillian said. “Their ability to put four guards out on the court and they can attack and create their own offense. If you are collapsing too much, they can burn you with the 3-pointers. We knew that this would be a tough game.”

ROOKIE REVIEW

Jabari Smith Jr. gave the Rockets a glimpse of what he could do, finishing with 17 points and 7 rebounds in 33 minutes. Although he went 3-for-11 from the 3-point line (27.3%), Smith gained excellent looks at the basket when guards Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green drove the lane and kicked the ball back to him. 

Smith, 19, looked very comfortable during the second quarter when he was on the court with second-year center Alperen Sengun.

“He is very unselfish and great at what he does,” Smith said of Sengun.

Forward Tari Eason also made his regular-season debut. It went according to expectations, based on what the coaches and fans have seen from Eason since he played in his first summer league game in Las Vegas. 

The former SEC Sixth Man of the Year out of LSU collected 8 points and 7 rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench. He split time with KJ Martin and Garrison Matthews, since forward Jae’Sean Tate remains out with an ankle injury.

Fellow rookie TyTy Washington, a guard out of Kentucky, remains out indefinitely with a left knee sprain.

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Nate McMillan safe?

For those thinking the Hawks might make a change to their leadership, Ressler quieted the noise when I asked about his confidence in both McMillan and Schlenk being the right leaders for the organization. “The simple answer is I think they are the …

For those thinking the Hawks might make a change to their leadership, Ressler quieted the noise when I asked about his confidence in both McMillan and Schlenk being the right leaders for the organization. “The simple answer is I think they are the right guys to lead this team going forward,” Ressler said. “I have enormous confidence in both Travis and Nate. I think I, as owner, Travis, the president of basketball operations, Nate, as head coach, all underperformed this year. I think if you asked any one of us — hopefully all of us — we would all agree that we all underperformed. We all thought we would be better, and we intend to be better. But if the question is do I have great confidence in their ability, the answer is yes.”

Source: Chris Kirschner @ The Athletic

More on this storyline

“Between Travis, Landry and Nate, we have a hell of a team in our front office and coaching staff,” Ressler said. “I have enormous confidence in all of those folks. We have a really professional sense. As our front office helps the coaching staff set a focus, we have players that need to appreciate that every game matters. I think after this season — I might be wrong — our roster and players were as disappointed as our coaching staff, front office and ownership. It’s not like any of us were completely thrilled with the season. We can give out a list of excuses — we did have injuries, COVID, and didn’t have all of the things you’d expect. This isn’t a business about excuses. I do think with another year, our players will be more mature, our coaching staff and front office will get better, and hopefully our ownership gets better and decision-making, overall, gets better.” -via The Athletic / May 6, 2022
Lloyd Pierce was fired last season because he lost the locker room, and mainly Young. One source was asked after Tuesday’s Game 5 loss if McMillan had support in the locker room this season and if he felt like the players believed in their coach; he just laughed. As of a few days ago, McMillan’s job security was not in question. The manner in which the Hawks lost could change opinions, but that remains unclear right now. -via The Athletic / April 28, 2022
Lloyd Pierce was fired last season because he lost the locker room, and mainly Young. One source was asked after Tuesday’s Game 5 loss if McMillan had support in the locker room this season and if he felt like the players believed in their coach; he just laughed. As of a few days ago, McMillan’s job security was not in question. The manner in which the Hawks lost could change opinions, but that remains unclear right now. This series was another reminder, though, of McMillan’s lack of playoff success. In his 18 seasons, he’s only advanced out of the first round twice: last season and in 2005 with the Seattle SuperSonics. -via The Athletic / April 27, 2022

Trae Young was not involved in the Hawks end of Game 5 huddle

Despite all of Young’s struggles, the Hawks still had a chance to send this game to overtime. With 5.2 seconds left on the clock and their season on the line, the Hawks needed a 3 to tie. McMillan said Young, who finished the game 0-of-5 from 3, was …

Despite all of Young’s struggles, the Hawks still had a chance to send this game to overtime. With 5.2 seconds left on the clock and their season on the line, the Hawks needed a 3 to tie. McMillan said Young, who finished the game 0-of-5 from 3, was the first option on the play he drew up. What makes that interesting is that, while McMillan drew on his dry-erase board, Young wasn’t involved in the huddle. He sat on the bench and stared directly ahead, away from McMillan, as John Collins and Danilo Gallinari blocked his view of the huddle. When they broke as a team, Young was already walking toward the court.

Source: Chris Kirschner @ The Athletic

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Trae Young @TheTraeYoung
Year 4 over & more motivated than ever.! I’m gonna do what I’ve always done & that’s level up some more ! Appreciate the fans that showed this team Love throughout this season !
…Trust we taking this up a notch next year ! Just wait..❄️
#WeMove pic.twitter.com/BE7RCfm0Dl – 3:13 PM

Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
Trae left his drink, and a fair argument might be made for why he’d want to keep it in plain view lol. pic.twitter.com/bwF8vxmiSD – 2:15 PM

Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
Trae Young said a couple of times that he was extra motivated at the moment. Normally takes a month without touching a ball, but he’s relatively healthy and may keep working out and put that off until NBA playoffs are over. pic.twitter.com/Z97APyjHIT – 11:16 AM

CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
How the Heat gave Trae Young a wake-up call, forcing him into his worst habits at the worst time
cbssports.com/nba/news/how-t… – 10:32 AM
Dwight Jaynes @dwightjaynes
Miami held Trae Young to 11 points on 2-12 shooting last night to close the Hawks out. Without Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry. Never won Coach of the Year but Erik Spoelstra was and is the best coach in the NBA. – 10:31 AM
Shandel Richardson @ShandelRich
The Heat’s defense was too much for Trae Young #miamiheat si.com/nba/heat/miami… – 10:24 AM
Tas Melas @TasMelas
Trae Young will get better this offseason. He works too hard and is too dedicated not to. – 10:21 AM
Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
Clint Capela, on his second (active) season playing with Trae:
“He’s really great at figuring out the defense, because every night it’s a different defense that we have to adapt. Obviously, he showed this season that he had even more in him, so that’s pretty exciting.” – 10:11 AM
Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Five Degrees of Heat from Tuesday night’s 97-94 victory over the Haws: sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h…
1. Defense, depth carry the night.
2. Max Strus gone wild.
3. Oladipo steps in for Butler, steps up.
4. Trae Young is tormented to the finish.
5. Markieff idle, but has a hand in it. – 8:27 AM
Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
Jimmy Butler, who had zero points in Game 5 because he didn’t play, still scored 45 more points than Trae Young did in this Heat-Hawks series.
122-77. – 7:18 AM
Chris Sheridan @sheridanhoops
Next season, I want last season’s Trae Young back. – 6:28 AM

More on this storyline

Two weeks into the season, Young told Atlanta reporters how the regular season is “a lot more boring than the playoffs.” It was a stunning quote that reverberated not only inside the organization but outside of it too. Sources around the league mentioned how lackadaisical the Hawks looked to begin the season, and some questioned the maturity of the team. Young later clarified his comments and said what he meant was the team needed to play every game with playoff intensity, but the damage was done by then. -via The Athletic / April 27, 2022
All of the analytics pointed to Reddish’s play actively hurting the Hawks, but he remained in the rotation. There was no mandate from the front office to play Reddish to increase his trade value. McMillan continued playing him, sources say, because he felt like if he didn’t, the team’s chemistry would’ve been negatively impacted. It was a bad read from McMillan. The Hawks were 15-19 when Reddish played this season and 28-20 without him. -via The Athletic / April 27, 2022
That was just one of several mistakes McMillan made this season after taking over for the Hawks midway through last season. McMillan’s declaration in mid-March that Delon Wright was out of the rotation surprised sources. They pointed to how the Hawks were in need of better perimeter defenders and Wright was one of the few who were capable of consistently staying in front of guys, but McMillan instead opted for Williams, who wasn’t the spark plug he was last season. Because of injuries to Williams and Collins shortly after saying Wright was out of the rotation, he was once again back in the lineup. But it was another decision that caught many by surprise. Wright ended up being one of the best Hawks in the Miami series. -via The Athletic / April 27, 2022

Nate McMillan at risk in Atlanta?

Lloyd Pierce was fired last season because he lost the locker room, and mainly Young. One source was asked after Tuesday’s Game 5 loss if McMillan had support in the locker room this season and if he felt like the players believed in their coach; he …

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
Putting the exit interviews up on @ATLand29 momentarily.
An excerpt from Nate McMillan on Jalen Johnson:
“We’re really looking forward to him playing Summer League, getting better, and earning a right to be in that rotation next season.” pic.twitter.com/Ay81zQqerF – 7:24 PM

Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
Nate McMillan said that when he was in Seattle in the years when the team exited the playoffs early, the Sonics players would stay in town and work out until June to get the feel for continuing to play through a deep postseason. pic.twitter.com/7JLYeKLcx1 – 2:00 PM

Chris Kirschner @ChrisKirschner
Nate McMillan when I asked him about his reasoning for not calling a timeout to stop Miami’s run at the end of the first half.
Heat went on a 20-2 run from the 4:56 mark to the 49 second mark. pic.twitter.com/FsthhJz7zG – 11:03 PM

Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
Nate McMillan said Heat “blew up” Atlanta’s final play. “They have a hell of a team”… Gallinari said: “They double teamed the corner and I had no outlets [on final possession]. They played smart defense.”… Spoelstra: “This was a really inspiring team win.” – 10:20 PM
Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
Nate McMillan on the final play:
“We had two options. The first option was Trae, the second option was Gallo … They blew it up. It was good defense by them.” – 10:15 PM
Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
Oladipo, who starts tonight, is starting to look like “Oladipo of old” says Nate McMillan – 6:32 PM
Sarah K. Spencer @sarah_k_spence
Nate McMillan on what the Hawks need to get back to, on offense: “We had zero fast-break points. We’ve got to play faster. And it starts with us getting stops. It’s really difficult to play against a set defense all night long. We’re averaging 98 points a game.” – 5:46 PM
Sarah K. Spencer @sarah_k_spence
Nate McMillan: “We’ve got to find our rhythm. It’s a must-win for us.” – 5:44 PM
Sarah K. Spencer @sarah_k_spence
I asked Nate McMillan what he things will change, with Jimmy Butler out for the Heat:
“… He does a lot for them. But they still have a really good group over there.” pic.twitter.com/wgd8QmUPgr – 5:44 PM

Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
Nate McMillan suspects that Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson will see bigger roles with Butler out.
I asked him about Game 4 and Victor Oladipo, whom he coached for three seasons in Indiana. pic.twitter.com/tRLZYS1JvC – 5:43 PM

Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
Hawks had zero fast break points in Game 4 vs Heat. “We have to play faster,” Nate McMillan said – 5:34 PM
Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Hawks’ Nate McMillan has seen it all before from the Heat, and that’s the problem. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… “It’s a system that has been in place for a while with Miami. And they do a good job of recruiting and finding those guys that fit the system they want to play.” – 11:25 AM
Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Hawks’ Nate McMillan has seen it all before from the Heat, and that’s the problem. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… “The system they have in place defensively, I faced this same defense in Indiana a couple of years ago when I was in Indiana and we got swept in the playoffs.” – 9:01 AM
Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
Nate McMillan is raving about the Heat defense, the system, how they recruit for the system, and their depth. “It’s a system that has been in place for a while with Miami,” he said, adding that it was there when Miami swept him and Indiana two years ago. – 12:06 PM
Chris Vivlamore @CVivlamoreAJC
Nate McMillan said he pulled Bogdanovic last night because he looked like he had tired legs. Would have put him back in if the game got close. – 12:04 PM
Chris Kirschner @ChrisKirschner
Nate McMillan said Trae Young’s foot is fine. Clint Capela is feeling fine. McMillan said he thought Bogdanovic’s legs looked heavy last night. That’s why he only played 21 minutes. He’s getting normal treatment today. – 12:03 PM

More on this storyline

 

Lloyd Pierce was fired last season because he lost the locker room, and mainly Young. One source was asked after Tuesday’s Game 5 loss if McMillan had support in the locker room this season and if he felt like the players believed in their coach; he just laughed. As of a few days ago, McMillan’s job security was not in question. The manner in which the Hawks lost could change opinions, but that remains unclear right now. This series was another reminder, though, of McMillan’s lack of playoff success. In his 18 seasons, he’s only advanced out of the first round twice: last season and in 2005 with the Seattle SuperSonics. -via The Athletic / April 27, 2022

 

Nate McMillan job security not in question

Lloyd Pierce was fired last season because he lost the locker room, and mainly Young. One source was asked after Tuesday’s Game 5 loss if McMillan had support in the locker room this season and if he felt like the players believed in their coach; he …

Lloyd Pierce was fired last season because he lost the locker room, and mainly Young. One source was asked after Tuesday’s Game 5 loss if McMillan had support in the locker room this season and if he felt like the players believed in their coach; he just laughed. As of a few days ago, McMillan’s job security was not in question. The manner in which the Hawks lost could change opinions, but that remains unclear right now. This series was another reminder, though, of McMillan’s lack of playoff success. In his 18 seasons, he’s only advanced out of the first round twice: last season and in 2005 with the Seattle SuperSonics.

Source: Chris Kirschner @ The Athletic

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
Nate McMillan said that when he was in Seattle in the years when the team exited the playoffs early, the Sonics players would stay in town and work out until June to get the feel for continuing to play through a deep postseason. pic.twitter.com/7JLYeKLcx1 – 2:00 PM

Chris Kirschner @ChrisKirschner
Nate McMillan when I asked him about his reasoning for not calling a timeout to stop Miami’s run at the end of the first half.
Heat went on a 20-2 run from the 4:56 mark to the 49 second mark. pic.twitter.com/FsthhJz7zG – 11:03 PM

Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
Nate McMillan said Heat “blew up” Atlanta’s final play. “They have a hell of a team”… Gallinari said: “They double teamed the corner and I had no outlets [on final possession]. They played smart defense.”… Spoelstra: “This was a really inspiring team win.” – 10:20 PM
Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
Nate McMillan on the final play:
“We had two options. The first option was Trae, the second option was Gallo … They blew it up. It was good defense by them.” – 10:15 PM
Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
Oladipo, who starts tonight, is starting to look like “Oladipo of old” says Nate McMillan – 6:32 PM
Sarah K. Spencer @sarah_k_spence
Nate McMillan on what the Hawks need to get back to, on offense: “We had zero fast-break points. We’ve got to play faster. And it starts with us getting stops. It’s really difficult to play against a set defense all night long. We’re averaging 98 points a game.” – 5:46 PM
Sarah K. Spencer @sarah_k_spence
Nate McMillan: “We’ve got to find our rhythm. It’s a must-win for us.” – 5:44 PM
Sarah K. Spencer @sarah_k_spence
I asked Nate McMillan what he things will change, with Jimmy Butler out for the Heat:
“… He does a lot for them. But they still have a really good group over there.” pic.twitter.com/wgd8QmUPgr – 5:44 PM

Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
Nate McMillan suspects that Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson will see bigger roles with Butler out.
I asked him about Game 4 and Victor Oladipo, whom he coached for three seasons in Indiana. pic.twitter.com/tRLZYS1JvC – 5:43 PM

Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
Hawks had zero fast break points in Game 4 vs Heat. “We have to play faster,” Nate McMillan said – 5:34 PM

More on this storyline