Atlanta Hawks: Can Mike Scott Make An Impact Off The Bench?

(NBA.com photo)

Entering the season with a new look young core, the Atlanta Hawks are surrounded by a lot of unknowns. How quickly will the new faces fit in? Is Mike Budenholzer up to the challenge of being head coach? Will Josh Smith be missed? And who, if anyone, can step off the bench to offer significant scoring in the second unit? Although the answers to these questions will only be fully answered in time, there is every chance that in forward Mike Scott, the Hawks have an answer to that last one.

Rookie Season

Scott, a second-round draft pick from the University of Virginia, is about to enter his second season in the NBA with all signs pointing to him having made massive strides forward. For his rookie year in Atlanta, Scott averaged a modest 4.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 9.4 minutes a night, but this doesn’t tell the full story. Scott spent most of last season with very limited opportunities, yet when he played substantial minutes, he always impressed.

For the five games in which the 25-year-old played 20 minutes or more, Scott averaged 17.4 points and 8.4 rebounds, shooting 48.5 percent from the field. Interestingly, three of those five games were on the road in some of the most prestigious arenas in the league. Scott scored 19 against Boston in the TD Garden, 22 against the Spurs in the AT&T Center and 23 against the Knicks in the world-famous Madison Square Garden. That ability to step up against the big teams, albeit based on a small sample size, is something that the Hawks will hope to see plenty more of going forward.

Offseason Development

Since the final couple of regular season games of the 2012-13 season where he was the standout performer, much of the talk coming out of the Hawks camp has been of how hard Scott has been working on his game. During the offseason, the West Virginia man spent most of his summer in Atlanta working out. Scott focused on shedding a few pounds, developing his 3-point game and becoming a stronger finisher inside. Between a stellar display at the Las Vegas Summer League and his play in the early preseason games, it appears that Scott has achieved his goals.

Fifteen pounds lighter, Scott looks like a different player and one with an undoubtedly higher perceived ceiling now.  During his five appearances in summer league this year, Scott averaged 18.6 points and 6.2 rebounds a night. While in the three preseason games the Hawks have played so far, Scott has 11.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Scott’s mid- to long-range jumper has become reliable and smooth. In preseason, he has averaged 60 percent from deep and perhaps most importantly, looks comfortable and confident standing behind the arc. On top of his accurate 3-point shooting, Scott has been incredibly efficient from the field generally, shooting 65.2 percent.

Aside from his improved jump shooting, there have been signs of Scott’s interior finishing having improved also. Against both the Heat and the Bobcats, Scott was more than willing to attack the rim and finish. Even when faced with strong defense, Scott was able to adjust and use the backboard acrobatically. He also displayed his dunking ability against Miami with an aggressive finish to help rally the Hawks late in the game.

Rotational Role

Scott’s impressive play of late could not have come at a much better time. As a second-round pick, Scott entered into his second season with a non-guaranteed contract, meaning there was a genuine danger of him getting cut. Having made an impact early in preseason, this no longer seems an issue. Instead, Scott is now fighting for increased minutes in the Atlanta rotation and there’s no reason why he won’t get them. Drafted as predominantly a power forward, his improved 3-point shooting touch has allowed Scott to become more versatile.

At 6″8, he is a dynamic frontcourt option capable of playing either the 3 or the 4 position. With the Hawks well covered on the bigger end of the roster, the real opportunities of playing time lie at the small forward spot. At the moment, it appears that Scott will be first in line as back up to newcomer DeMarre Carroll, but if he can take his preseason form into the regular season, Scott’s role will grow and grow. With his teammates confidence in him growing, along with his own, Scott will continue to get better and at the very least will be an excellent role player in the league for years to come.

[slider_pro id=”1″]