Kent Bazemore wears his heart on his sleeve. So, at times, it’s easy to see the frustration as he struggles to find his shooting touch early this season.
The Hawks guard is working on both — to remain a positive teammate with a defensive presence and to regain his scoring progress.
“That’s one of the main reasons they brought me back, my tenacity and my love and passion for the game,” Bazemore said. “At times I’ve gotten a little down on myself. I’m human. It’s good that I can finally recognize that there is a time and place for everything and the middle of a game is not the time to get down on yourself.
“Go get stops on defense, be a great teammate, guard the best player, shoot when you are open, give support to others. All the things you are supposed to do.”
Bazemore has made only 13 of 47 field-goal attempts through five games, a .277 percentage. The numbers are disconcerting from 3-point range, as he has connected on only 3 of 20 from that distance, a percentage of .150.
In Friday night’s 95-92 loss to the Wizards, Bazemore was held scoreless as he missed all seven shots, including three from 3-point range. The Hawks host the Rockets on Saturday night.
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said recently that he has had several conversations with Bazemore about staying positive.
“He is so competitive and he wants to do well so badly,” Budenholzer said. “Is that getting down on yourself? Is that getting (ticked) off that you didn’t make a shot or help your team? I don’t know exactly the right word. I wouldn’t say he’s down on himself.
“He is competitive and emotional and we need him to be a positive influence on us. I just think he is so competitive that when it doesn’t go his way then he can get a little bit off kilter. We have those conversations, and I’ve very happy with the way he is working and understanding that mental side of it.”
There is attention focused on Bazemore. He signed a four-year, $70 million deal to remain with the Hawks as their starting small forward. Through five games, he is averaging 7.4 points, 3.0 assists, 2.4 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 27.2 minutes. All, except the assists, are down from the career marks set last season.
Bazemore and Budenholzer said they are pleased with where and when the shots are coming from in the flow of the offense. They both are confident that those shots will fall. Sometimes it just takes one. Budenholzer also credited Bazemore with continued quality defense.
Bazemore made big strides in his shooting last season. He had a .441 field-goal percentage and a .357 3-point percentage in his first full season as a starter. The numbers declined over the second half of the campaign, and Bazemore worked in the offseason to regain his success.
Bazemore said there is an element of his continued player development in working through the issue.
“Playing better defense,” Bazemore said of his mindset during the slump. “If I can’t score, my guy won’t either. That’s been my life for the last couple games. Nothing changes in me. I haven’t stopped shooting. I still believe the work I put in, this summer working on my shot. I’m still getting used to using different parts of your body during a shot.
“I’m in the weight room trying to get stronger because expending so much energy on defense takes a lot from your legs. You need your legs in your shot so I think over time, as I get more into game shape, get into better rhythm with the team, those same shots will start falling.”
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