Jose Calderon shook his head in disbelief.
The Hawks’ recently acquired backup point guard just isn’t making baskets. Calderon is coming off an 0-for-5 game, including 0-for-3 from 3-point range, in a 107-92 loss to the Nets on Sunday. Calderon played 21 minutes, a high in his eight games played with the Hawks since being claimed off waivers on March 4.
“When I came here, I was trying to make shots for this team,” Calderon said. “That is not working so I’m trying to do everything I can on the court. … The ball is not falling in the basket. Why? I’m not sure. I’ve never missed so many shots in my life. It happens sometimes.”
As a Hawk, Calderon is 6 of 20 from the field. He is 2 of 10 from 3-point range. He has totaled just 19 points in 102 minutes. That includes four field goals, two 3-pointers and 14 points in a win at the Grizzlies on March 11.
Since his acquisition, the Hawks have mostly rotated the backup point guard spot behind Dennis Schroder with Malcolm Delaney and Calderon. That will likely continue for the immediate future.
In 780 career games over 12 seasons, Calderon is has shot 47.3 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from 3-point range.
“Jose has such a good spirit,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said after Sunday’s game. “He does the right things that may not show up in the boxscore. He makes the right pass. He makes the right screen.”
In the loss to the Nets, the Hawks trailed by as many as 22 points. They eventually cut their deficit to five points in the fourth quarter. Much of the comeback work was done with a two point guard rotation of Schroder and Calderon.
“It’s perfect,” Calderon said. “Both of us can handle the ball. I can open up and give him the space. They still respect my shot. There is space for everybody. It was a good combination.”
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