Player To Watch: Dennis Schroder
Dennis Schroder is certainly an X-factor. Schroder is still pretty unpredictable, which must give Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer a real headache at times. Sometimes Schroder is unbelievable–he’s scored 30 or more points four times this season.
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Other times, Schroder is not so great. He’s scored ten or less points nine times this season, despite playing at least 20 minutes in all of those games. The Hawks are married to Schroder’s unpredictability this season, and probably going forward as well.
Atlanta is 3-6 in his quiet games this season, and 3-1 when he drops 30 or more points. The same sort of variance can be seen in Schroder’s assist numbers, too. When he dishes at least ten dimes, Atlanta is 7-3 this season.
In the 14 games where Schroder has racked up three or less assists this year, the Hawks are 6-8. They likely survive in those games because Atlanta doesn’t always rely on their point guard to get assists, but three assists is low for a point guard in any scheme.
This game might ride on which Schroder shows up on Friday night. If 30-point Schroder arrives, the Hawks will have a much better chance of pulling out a win than they will if he drops eight points. Millsap being out makes the German point guard’s role that much more important.