I'm sure Flynn is a great guy but I'm yet to see any evidence that he's an NBL quality coach

Bring back Jordair Jett

And where is Boone's finish? It hasn’t come back from overseas! Too soft, too rushed. Even though he is very mobile and great defensively, without a defensive gameplan or identify, he looks like a fish.

Would you believe he played hundreds of nba games?!

Or has the coach de-emphasised defense by playing Ball a lot. Not saying he is overplaying him but defense is an afterthought to him- don't believe me- just watch his activity, anticipation and intensity when defending especially away from the ball on the perimeter

At any other club fans would be calling for Flynn's head by now.

Thankfully of the Hawks fan base. 3 of them don't have internet, 2 of them do but don't know how to work their modem init strings and the last one is still banned for pouring beer on Marcus Thornton.

Froling is looking good. And let's be honest- nba scouts don’t give a shit about defense because they can teach that in a short period of time- so Lamelo is looking good in their eyes. And the kid can play, has great court awareness/ vision/ poise and passing ability for his age which is something only Europeans have usually. So he will get where he wants to go.

But the team- looking pretty ordinary yeah???

How about getting them in superior game shape and playing an attacking defensive style of game. To quote one of the greatest defensive coaches in nba history (u can guess who) what if they had a game plan to score 25% of their points off their defense??

They win many more game surely

Froling as a 19yo rookie looks like there best big. Skilled and good basketball iq.

Grida and naar having 2nd year blues. Ogilvy needs to be cut asap.

LaMelo is trash it's killing the team having to play him so many minutes talk about a deal with the devil.

Haven't been impressed with Brooks and his attitude either and Boone looks shot.

Illawarra looked out of their league trying to compete with New Zealand tonight, and New Zealand weren't even playing that well. It looked like the Hawks were on one of the worst NBLXNBA games and just copping it from every direction.

The Hawks could possibly go winless for the rest of the season at this rate. I can't imagine them beating a top four team in any circumstance. They're going to cop a lot of 30 point smashings because their coach sucks, their line up is a weird mix of too young and too old, and they have built themselves around the LaMelo show.

I don't blame LaMelo for the fortunes of the team, but he isn't a starter level player and he's surrounded by garbage out there.

How many years did they sign Froling for? Would be better off releasing Boone and giving Froling 25 mins a night.

LaMelo is a kid and isn;t ready to contribute at this level, Brookes isn't flash either.....

There O is team based like the old Gordie Mcleod sets but problem is both Brooks & LaMelo want to just stand and pound the rock although Ball is getting alot better at fitting into the team system.

"Interest is huge and crowds will probably be highest average ever, home and away. "

Looked like lots of empty seats against the Sixers

Crazy thing is that they actually had a lot to work with.
But, apart from Ball, their recruiting is just fucked.

Why on earth would you sign a slow ageing limited-range centre, when you already have Ogilvy and Andersen?? Should have just bought back Conklin, or somebody similar.

I'm not necessarily sold on Lamelo as a starting PG in theis league, but if that's what you're running with then get him a decent SG. Slot Blanchfield in at the 3, and you've got a decent starting five.

You'd hope so because watching the replay in the first minute of the Breakers game his shot was blocked followed by a brick causing a +5 point swing. Kid is getting burnt.

I don't understand why people rate him above Hampton.

Part of me thought it may be as a result of their roster (and its sub-quality) rather than from their coaching or lack thereof.

But then I ponder; would Beveridge do as badly with that roster?

Probably not. I couldn't see them being totally being unable to compete (as they are now) with him as their coach;

I would have thought you'd replace Boone with a rebounding PF who is good defensively. They already have Ogilvy, Andersen and Froling as bigs, if the new PF is good on the interior he will fit alongside them.

"I don't understand why people rate him above Hampton."

Because Hampton's dad hasn't been talking shit for the past 5 years

"I don't understand why people rate him above Hampton."

Hampton has always been the higher draft prospect. If by "people" you mean part time basketball followers, then you are correct.

When the Hawks are playing Ball so much, to the detriment of the team, its clear nobody involved cares how bad the Hawks are as long as LK can spruik his facebook views.

Don't be lazy anon, that question deserves it's own thread.

Did anyone actually expect the Hawks to be any good?

Frontcourt including Boone, Ogilvy, Andersen an Froling and a backcourt including Ball, Brooks and Naar

What were they thinking?

Hampton has always been the higher draft prospect. If by "people" you mean part time basketball followers, then you are correct.

Great start to the @NBL season- coverage, talent, public interest. Lots of observations, but one that has generated a lot of public opinion, and I agree- LaMelo Ball is a long way ahead of RJ Hampton, and more tools to stay there

— Chris Anstey (@ChrisAnstey13) October 20, 2019

Did anyone actually expect the Hawks to be any good?

The main problem is balance.

They planned their season expecting to start Boone and Ogilvy together. Naar was the starting 2 man with Brooks off the bench.

They don't have enough wing players, athletic or versatile forwards, or true 2 men. Their roster is stacked with ball dominant guards, and inside or slow big men.

It was nuts from the beginning.

https://www.hoops.com.au/forum/45887-too-early-2019-20-ladder-predictions/#p762097