Atlanta Hawks: Season Review: Erick Dampier
Season reviews presented in alphabetical order . . .
When I think back to Erick Dampier’s 2012 season with the Hawks, three memories stand out.
The first is from his introduction at Hawks practice on Feb. 9. Somebody asked Dampier if he thought his career might be finished before he got the call because, well, he was 36-years old.
“I didn’t really think that,” he said flatly. “With all of the injuries at some point some team would need my service.”
You won’t hear many 6-5 guys say that. This was the latest example of how cool it must feel to be 7-feet tall, motor coordinated and skilled at basketball.
Dampier also was asked if he’d been working out back home in Jackson, Miss., during his idle time: “I’ve been working out but I wouldn’t say it’s basketball shape.”
You had to be there to really appreciate it. The “working out” needed air quotes.
The second thing I will always remember about Dampier is that he ended up on the injury report in April in spite of not playing a game since March 18. At least the Hawks didn’t count him as missing games like they did with Pape Sy (never forget).
And my final, most relevant memory of Dampier is from Game 3 at Boston. As he headed to the scorer’s table to check in, a wise guy Celtics hack turned to me and asked: “Dampier?” I shrugged, unable to explain it . . . and then Dampier had his best game of the season. “Dang near spry” is how I described him in my blog post.
That was shocking enough, but Dampier validated that skin with another solid outing in Game 4. Yeah it was a blowout loss, but, still.
Here’s what I wrote about Dampier back when the Hawks signed him:
The biggest red flags for Dampier last season were drastic declines in his scoring and rebounding rates. The two are related because Dampier didn’t grab as many offensive boards and so didn’t have as many putbacks. But Dampier still was effective when he managed to collect misses: His 1.1 points scored per possession on offensive rebounds (on 31 possessions) ranked 84th in the league last season, according to Synergy Sports Technology.
And Dampier may still have some value as a defender. His opponent PER of 14.3 last season was solid. Dampier’s Synergy defensive numbers were good: .83 points per possession allowed, 83rd-best in the league. Plus, let’s face it: At this point the Hawks just need a big body to plug in the middle so bigs can’t bull their way to the basket at will and smalls at least have an obstacle to navigate on their way to the basket.
I guess Dampier filled that role effectively, but it’s hard to say for sure because he played just 83 regular-season minutes. Offered with the usual Small Sample Size Disclaimer are Dampier’s target=”new”strong opponent PER and .84 points per possession allowed. His rebounding rate bounced back even as his already-anemic scoring rate plummeted to rank near the bottom of the league.
The Hawks, flush with guards and wings on the roster, needed a big after Al Horford and Jason Collins went down. A center-starved league had snapped up nearly every quality big by then. The Hawks turned to Dampier, whose salary ended up pushing them further over the luxury-tax line.
(Dampier and Jerry Stackhouse are the answers to a future Hawks trivia question: Which players’ contracts contributed to the team paying the luxury tax for the first time in the franchise’s history?)
Dampier eventually worked himself into reasonable shape and showed he can be an effective defender in short stints even as he offers next-to-nothing offensively. Dampier provided some decent minutes in the playoffs in spite of essentially being on the shelf for more than six weeks.
In this league, that might be enough for Dampier to get another call when some team needs his service next season.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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213 comments Add your comment
cp
June 7th, 2012
9:09 pm
Wroten looked terrible in the shooting drills. He has to have great individual workouts or he could slip into the second round. I think Quincy Miller looked bad in the shooting drills too.
Astro Joe
June 7th, 2012
9:26 pm
Boston may need to have Bill Russell guard Lebron tonight.
High-sider
June 7th, 2012
9:29 pm
Buddy Grizzard
June 7th, 2012
8:40 pm
High-sider, so was playing Pargo in the 4th quarter in Game 3 the correct call?
———————————————————————–
Man, I don’t even know why you would ask me that question. The “correct call” would’ve been [for Sund] to re-sign Jamal Crawford for “clutch” games, situations and circumstances that we are discussing right now.
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
9:31 pm
Lebron going for 60?
doc
June 7th, 2012
9:36 pm
he better and win as well slimj. hate that thought though.
Buddy Grizzard
June 7th, 2012
9:37 pm
I’m literally LOL here, thanks for the laugh High-sider.
High-sider
June 7th, 2012
9:42 pm
@Sautee
Sautee
June 7th, 2012
7:55 pm
“Can we get blogs on players who actually are crucial to this team?” – Jeje
Michael said in the heading that he’s going by alphabetical order. Reading is fundamental.
Just kidding, GG.
————————————————————–
On the cool, I thought he [Michael Cunningham] was going from “worst to first” [or worst player to best player]. After Dampier, I thought the next blog was going to be on VladRad.
Astro Joe
June 7th, 2012
9:43 pm
I hate copy-cats (like the way we stole the stand up until the Hawks score their first basket thing from the Thunder). I hope that I NEVER see a Hawk do the stupid knuckle push-up thing. Leave that nonsense in Boston with the beans and cream pie.
High-sider
June 7th, 2012
9:43 pm
LBJ is straight ballin’ and is getting no help from his weak ass teammates – that includes D-Wade and Bosh.
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
9:46 pm
Paul has been riding the bench for a while doc….Getting his azz demolished tonight? hehehehehehe
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
9:48 pm
Wilt Jr tonight man-o-man….
O'Brien
June 7th, 2012
9:49 pm
Najeh,
Why are you concerned about who guards Dwight? Dude averaged 27 pts, 16 rebs and 2 blocks against us a couple years ago in the playoffs…and his team lost.
It’s not about one player. It’s about team.
And if it is blown up, do you trust the ASG to get it right?
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
9:49 pm
Hey doc he caught that ball at the 12 foot mark for the put back! Huh?
Astro Joe
June 7th, 2012
9:52 pm
Doc Rivers just texted his former teammate, Cliff Levingston, to see if he can come to the arena and foul Lebron 6 times to start the 3rd quarter.
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
9:52 pm
HS, when you play with a special player like that and he is in a zone, you’ll stand around and watch something wonderful happening before your very eyes! LOL..
Sautee
June 7th, 2012
9:52 pm
LOL @ High-sider running away from Buddy’s question. Hey Buddy, I’ll answer it:
OF COURSE Hinrich should have played at least some of Pargo’s minutes in Game 3. But the Kirk haters will never admit that he even played well. Where is Clarification when we need him?
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
9:53 pm
Labron aint cooling off! Feed him and Fan him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
9:54 pm
[Lebron]= Le machine…..
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
9:55 pm
[Lebron]^^^^^
Melvin
June 7th, 2012
9:57 pm
Lebron always put up good number. Lets see what he does if this game is close in crunchtime.
Sautee
June 7th, 2012
9:58 pm
If Boston can get to the last 5 minutes within 6 or so, I think the pressure will start getting to the heat.
O'Brien
June 7th, 2012
9:59 pm
Doc,
As much as it pains me to say it…the queen is looking might good in the first half.
Melvin,
As bad as the Celtics look, will they be able to make it close? I hope so.
High-sider
June 7th, 2012
10:00 pm
LeBron James has 30 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in the first half plus he [LBJ] has missed four free throws. Next Heat scoring leaders for Game 6 at halftime have 6 points ['Rio and D-Wade]. That’s what I call getting “no help.” The Heat need[s] Jamal Crawford for “instant offense” off the bench. Hey ‘Mal, if you’re reading this post, tell your agent to look into a possibility of signing with the Heat this upcoming regular season; you might can get that “coveted ring” with “The King.” [LOL]
Jamal, go ahead and be down with “The King” and get that “ring.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clhg5PYsVpc
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
10:00 pm
30 pts in 24 mins is absurd…… Those 5 defenders look more like 5 fans?
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
10:03 pm
The “King” trying to take back his Throne?
Hawkeye
June 7th, 2012
10:05 pm
your kidding right. An article about a player that didn’t play. Times must be hard when you have to fill up space with crap like this.GOODNIGHT.
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
10:07 pm
Le Machine is playing H-O-R-S-E? Huh?
O'Brien
June 7th, 2012
10:13 pm
From hoopshype;
Bill Ingram: Rumor also has it the 76ers are considering using amnesty to unload Elton Brand’s final year @ 18mill. Looking to be players in free agency.. Twitter.
More from hoopshype;
Bill Ingram:League source confirms #2 pick for sale, but Bobcats asking for the world and will look to include Diop or Tyrus Thomas…. Twitter
O'Brien
June 7th, 2012
10:15 pm
Dampier played well in his limited minutes, and there where times when Collins was giving us nothing, but LD still wouldnt play Dampier.
I am ok with Damp as our 4th center.
Any interest in taking the best available Center at 23 (Fab Melo for example)? Zaza is a free agent next offseason, so who knows what will happen there.
Astro Joe
June 7th, 2012
10:15 pm
Bron has been taking some awful shots that have been going in… at some point you wonder if they will stop falling. Mr. Gabrielle Union better start getting his ish together or the Celtics will steal this game (and win the series).
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
10:17 pm
Wade playing like iso..Brutal…
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
10:19 pm
34-4=30.. Hay Paul wheres the D????????????
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
10:21 pm
Hey^^^^^^
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
10:23 pm
No answers for Le Machine doc.
Just give him the ball and let him get 75!
Najeh Davenpoop
June 7th, 2012
10:24 pm
“Why are you concerned about who guards Dwight? Dude averaged 27 pts, 16 rebs and 2 blocks against us a couple years ago in the playoffs…and his team lost.”
I say “Dwight” sometimes as a placeholder for any competent center. I very easily could have said Bynum, Hibbert, or Bogut too.
“And if it is blown up, do you trust the ASG to get it right?”
I wouldn’t trust the DASG to tie my shoes. That doesn’t mean they should make lateral moves and not even try to get it right.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 7th, 2012
10:26 pm
Since there appears to be some conclusion, for the record, no, “Najeh Davenpoop” is not the name my momma gave me. It is a reference to my favorite hamper sh-tting ex-Packers and Steelers running back.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 7th, 2012
10:27 pm
Confusion, not conclusion. DUI would have loved that one.
Buddy Grizzard
June 7th, 2012
10:29 pm
“Any interest in taking the best available Center at 23 (Fab Melo for example)? Zaza is a free agent next offseason, so who knows what will happen there.”
Grandad was saying that from his observation of Melo, he doesn’t change ends well (is frequently behind the action). Dude is a project and might not contribute for years. We don’t need that. We need to fill our most obvious position of need, which is backup point guard. We’ve got Al, Zaza and Ivan who can all play center. Both forward positions are covered. We need a backup 2 as well, but backup point is more important. Marquis Teague has to be the pick if he’s still there at 23. Wroten will not make an NBA roster.
Dept. Of Unintended Irony
June 7th, 2012
10:30 pm
Najeh – As Maxwell Smart would say: “Missed it by that much”.
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
10:32 pm
60-41=19…..
Almost doc! Wow!
Buddy Grizzard
June 7th, 2012
10:34 pm
They talk about how Wroten can make the spectacular pass, and yet he’s turnover prone. If he can’t take care of the ball, he can’t play point against NBA defense. And, as Chad Fort said, he can’t shot AT ALL, so he can’t be an NBA two guard. Tony Wroten does not have an NBA position because he does not have NBA talent. Marquis Teague started at point for an NCAA championship team so loaded with talent that it’s easy to overlook him. Think Eric Bledsoe the year John Wall was the first overall pick. I said at the time that Bledsoe was going to be a steal late in the first round because you just don’t get to see his talent when it’s overshadowed by higher picks on the same team.
Astro Joe
June 7th, 2012
10:35 pm
Buddy, back-up PGs are a dime a dozen. And finding a rookie PG worthy of 15 minutes/game will be tough to find at #23. Oops, that’s right, every PG drafted in the 1st round should get 12+ minutes/game. Never mind.
Buddy Grizzard
June 7th, 2012
10:35 pm
Tony Wroten shoots as well as I type.
Buddy Grizzard
June 7th, 2012
10:36 pm
So who do you think we should take, AJ?
doc
June 7th, 2012
10:38 pm
queen is finally focused running to his own drum beat. maybe the durant queen match up can be seen after all.
very funny comments slimj and boston is sucking tonight.
high sider i too thought mc was going least to best. muy vote for the next worst would go to stackhouse though. he was “healthy” the whole year.
doc
June 7th, 2012
10:40 pm
tony wroten plays as well as i type, too!
doc
June 7th, 2012
10:42 pm
lbj still playing horse there it seems.
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
10:43 pm
‘terrible’ call ref, Le Machine got that shot clean!
Clinic?
Slimjr
June 7th, 2012
10:44 pm
” “^^^^^
doc
June 7th, 2012
10:44 pm
when is lbj going to take the half courter he did against the hawks to end a half then slowed to take it again as the third quarter ended?