UVA Basketball alum De’Andre Hunter, the fourth pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, is putting up career-best numbers in his sixth season with the Atlanta Hawks, and it’s coming after he was moved from the starting lineup to the second unit.
Hunter is averaging 19.2 points per game, shooting 49.4 percent from the floor, 43.6 percent from three and 89.7 percent from the free throw line, all career-highs.
Hunter’s 19.2 points per game leads the NBA among bench guys.
Over his past six games, since the first game of a back-to-back sweep of the NBA’s best team this season, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Hunter is averaging 22.5 points on 55.6 percent shooting from the floor and 51.6 percent shooting from three.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder, a Duke alum, said Hunter has been able to find “great balance” in his game in his new role.
“He’s been aggressive shooting the ball when he’s open,” Snyder said. “I think sometimes it takes guys a little while to realize, I mean, his case because of his size, sometimes he’s been open when it maybe doesn’t feel like he’s open. I think he’s also made good reads in those situations where he’s been able to get to the rim, and then he’s been really opportunistic in his ability to create shots for us.”
Updates
- Ty Jerome (11.4 ppg, 3.5 assists/g, 56.8% FG, 49.3% 3FG) is 17th in the NBA in PER (Player Efficiency Rating), and second among bench players, at 23.00.
- Malcolm Brogdon made his season debut for the Washington Wizards on Nov. 17, and in nine games, Brogdon is averaging 13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 23.8 minutes per game. The Wizards, as usual, are terrible (2-18), and hoping that Brogdon can get and stay healthy so they can flip him for a draft pick at the trade deadline.
- Trey Murphy made his season debut for the New Orleans Pelicans on Nov. 11, and in 10 games, TM3 is averaging 17.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. The Pels are 5-18, because 2019 #1 overall pick Zion Williamson has played just six games. As usual, Williamson, the Duke one-and-done, is injured.
- Sam Hauser, a bench player for the defending NBA champs, the Boston Celtics, is averaging 8.9 points per game off the bench for the C’s. In his last three, Hauser has put up big numbers – averaging 16.3 points on 18-of-30 shooting (12-of-24 from three).
- Jay Huff continues to put up good numbers off the bench for the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 9.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 15.2 minutes per game, shooting 52.5 percent from the floor and 42.2 percent from three.
- Down in the G League, Reece Beekman is averaging 18.0 points and 7.6 assists per game for the Santa Cruz Warriors, the G League affiliate of the Golden State Warriors. Beekman is on a two-way contract with the Dubs. … Mamadi Diakite is averaging 15.4 points and 7.9 rebounds for the Valley Suns, the G League affiliate of the Phoenix Suns. … Braxton Key is averaging 12.8 points and 8.4 rebounds for the San Diego Clippers, the G League affiliate of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Share
Chris Graham
