2014 NBA Summer League: Hawks Player Grades – Game #2 vs. D-League Select

Nov 5, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Atlanta Hawks point guard Dennis Schroder (17) controls the ball against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

During the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, we will be giving out grades to the players based on their game performance. Just remember folks, this is Summer League and not the NBA Finals.

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The Hawks played much better in their second game of Summer League against the D-League Select Team, but the result was the same as the first game. During that first game, there were some things that the team could build on, and they did a great job executing those in the second game.

They put out a much better performance, and guys showed that what they are working on is being implemented in the gameplan. They shot much better as a team, and some guys really stood out.

Let’s grade some of the performances of the big contributors during Sunday’s loss to the D-League Select Team:

POSTGAME GRADES:

DENNIS SCHRÖDER: A-

Dennis Schröder played well in the first game, but he didn’t shoot well. His pace was much improved from last season, and he was running the offense well. If he could just hit his shots, he would have the chance to make a bigger impact on the game. Well, in game two, he hit his shot. Schröder finished 9 of 14 from the field, ending with 30 points. He also shot 3 of 4 from three-point range, and went 9 of 10 from the free throw line.

Although he finished with 4 assists and 4 rebounds, Schröder’s grade has the minus attached to it because he made some poor decisions. He finished with 8 turnovers and 6 fouls on the game. If Dennis can cut those mistakes down, he could really show Mike Budenholzer that he’s ready for a rotation spot in the regular season.

LAMAR PATTERSON: C+

Lamar Patterson has really shown some nice scoring abilities in this Summer League, and that continued on Sunday. He helped stretch the defense out with his shooting from the outside. Patterson shot 3 of 7 from beyond the arc, and put up 11 points. Outside of those three-pointers, there wasn’t a lot to be proud of for Patterson. He missed all five of his two-point shots, and he will have to start hitting some of those to keep the defense honest. His shooting helped the offense move along though, and he did have five rebounds to add to his stat-line.

ADREIAN PAYNE: C

Adreian Payne has now scored in double-digits in both Summer League games, but he has not shot well in doing so. He finished just 4 of 12 from the field, and 1 of 4 from beyond the arc. He seems to still be pressing and playing recklessly, which is to be expected. Payne did finish with 7 rebounds and 2 blocks, showing that his activity was good on both ends. If he can slow it down and allow the offense to come to him, Payne will improve his numbers.

MIKE MUSCALA: A

Mike Muscala is showing real improvement in this year’s Summer League. After an impressive first game that saw some good passing and decisions, Muscala backed that performance up with an even better one. He finished with 15 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 assists, continuing his dominant play. He was all over the court on both ends, and even added a block to his stat-line. His passing was great again, and if Muscala continues this type of play, he could earn himself a roster spot this season.

WALTER (EDY) TAVARES: B

Edy Tavares showed some flashes of potential in Saturday’s loss to the Wizards in just 11 minutes of play. He got over 18 minutes in Sunday’s loss, and his play was even more impressive. Tavares finished with 9 points and 5 rebounds, and looked good on both ends. He cut the fouls down from four in 11 minutes of play to three in 18. If he can continue to use his length to defend in smarter ways, he should get some more playing time. He also showed some really nice moves in the post, and the future looks bright for the 7’2 rookie.

You can check out all of our Summer League coverage here.

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