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lethalweapon3

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  1. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Magic

    By lethalweapon3,

    “I pop bottles, but I don’t pour.”



    We now return to the scenes of the crimes.

    Losers of three straight for the first time in forever, our Atlanta Hawks have fallen flat against some of the best of the West, something that could be problematic if they’re fortunate enough to be playing in June but fail to adjust defensively. The good news is just one of their final 12 contests will be against a Western Conference opponent.

    Even better? The Hawks built up much of their gaudy 53-17 record on their own Southeast Division. Two lucky buzzer-beating, victory-stealing shots are just about all that have separated the Hawks from running the table (9-2) against their Southeast foes.

    This week, Atlanta gets an opportunity to avenge those two road defeats, beginning with tonight’s game in Orlando where they’ll face Tobias Harris’ Magic (7:00 PM Eastern, SportSouth, FoxSports Florida). This weekend, they’ll get a chance to pay back Dancin' Lance Stephenson and the playoff-hungry Hornets in Charlotte. To get back on the good foot, though, Atlanta needs its All-Star starting lineup to cease playing like All-eged-Stars.

    The Magic (22-50) are begrudgingly coming around to accept their lot in the NBA standings. Injuries have piled up on James Borrego’s crew over the past month. That includes Harris (17.9 PPG, 39.5 3FG%, 81.5 FT% pre-injury this month), who injured his ankle last week and has missed the last three games. He’s probable to return to the floor this evening, but backup center Dewayne Dedmon (ankle) remains questionable. Evan Fournier missed the last meeting in Atlanta and remains out indefinitely with soreness in his hip.

    Channing Frye caught a bug and missed Orlando’s last game, a blowout home loss to Denver, and remains questionable for tonight. Harris, Frye, and Fournier represent over 53% of Orlando’s three-point shot volume this season. Their absences would leave Victor Oladipo, Ben Gordon, and ex-Hawk Willie Green to carry the floor-spreading freight.

    From the start of the season through the trade deadline, Magic GM Rob Hennigan made zero moves to acquire veteran leadership that could shore up a team loaded with young first-round talent. The inaction was particularly curious considering a playoff 8-seed was still in sight, despite all the losing in January, while center Nikola Vucevic was rebounding out of his mind. Hennigan (a yung'un himself) chose instead to rely on organic growth under Borrego, a Budenholzer disciple, for the rest of the year, hoping the addition of another lottery pick to the mix might do the trick next season.

    Borrego brought that new-car smell to the team in the aftermath of Jacque Vaughn’s ouster, and the team responded by buying-in to a defense-oriented philosophy. It’s an uphill climb anytime your main veterans (Luke Ridnour, Ben Gordon, Green, Frye) lack defensive aptitude, and Borrego has had to turn to capable but generally unseasoned players (Oladipo, Payton, Aaron Gordon, Kyle O’Quinn, Dedmon) to consistently make stops.

    The Magic’s defensive efficiency soared from 105.7 points per 100 possessions through January (25th in NBA) to 97.2 under Borrego in February (3rd in NBA). Alas, after it soared, it soured, dropping to a league-worst 110.2 this month. Accordingly, they’ve dropped seven of their last eight games, the exception being a home win last week against a listing Portland squad. With the Magic still shorthanded last Sunday, Denver’s Danilo Gallinari went off for a career-high 40 points, while Jameer Nelson showed Magic fans he’s still got it (15 points in 17 minutes, 3-for-6 3FGs off the bench).

    Still, homecourt is where the Magic happens, at least lately. Going back to mid-January, all of Orlando’s last eight wins have come at Amway Center. That’s a flip from the season’s start, when Harris’ buzzer-beating jumper against Atlanta in December earned the Magic just their third home win and first in nearly a month.

    The Hawks know a little bit about letting your defense collapse after losing a few players due to injury. Their own defensive rating has slipped from 97.4 in January (3rd in NBA) to 101.0 in February (15th in NBA) to a sieve-like 106.0 in March (23rd in NBA, just ahead of the Knicks). Defensive rebounding was a modest 75.2% (15th in NBA) that magical month of January. Since then, it’s collapsed to an NBA-low 69.7%.

    Lately, Atlanta’s approach to defending shooters and the rim has been a lot like hoping that hearing Otis Redding in an ad, for the 50,000th time in a week, will finally entice you to run to a particular restaurant hungry for some “select,” “premium,” chicken tenders.

    Opponents have been turning over the ball plenty in the rush to beat Atlanta to the hoop (17.0 opponent TOs per 100 possessions since February 1, 2nd in NBA). The problem is the Hawks have become a gambling “Steal or Bust” defense (49.8 opponent eFG% since Feb. 1, 11th-highest in NBA). Not much different than Orlando, whose 20.5 PPGs off TOs this month eclipses only Atlanta’s 20.3, despite being the league’s most defensively-inefficient team in March.

    Whether it’s failing to box out or thwart dribble penetration, or improper rotations leaving shooters way too open, doing the same flawed things over and over again don’t eventually begin to work.

    And one cannot paper over all the defensive lapses with occasional bursts of offense. The Hawks shot 50.0% on threes against San Antonio, and eight of their top nine players in minutes played stole the ball at least once. Yet they could not stop the top-seven Spurs (in minutes played) from hitting on nearly 60% of their shots from the floor, over 63% on two-pointers, while getting nearly three times as many free throw attempts.

    All-eged-Star center Al Horford (4-for-11 FGs vs. SAS) had five assists and no turnovers, but just two defensive rebounds in over 28 minutes of action. He may not remember what to do at the free throw line (career-low 2.0 FTAs per game) once he finally gets back there. The last one he took was back on March 15 against the Lakers. Al needs to be more aggressive with positioning for boards and finishing at the rim, and will have another tough head-to-head matchup inside with Vucevic (19.5 PPG, 13.0 RPG, 65.5 FG%). When it comes to fighting for that ball around the basket, Al has got to squeeze it, don’t tease it, never leave it…

    Another All-eged-Star, point guard Jeff Teague (last three games against Curry, Westbrook, and Parker: 10.3 PPG, 3.7 APG, 4.0 TO/G, 40.7 FG%) has not been trumping opposing point guard starters the way he did, consistently, during the salad days prior to his All-Star berth. Jeff must find ways to feed Horford in the post and not rely solely on his pick-and-pops to get the job done. He’ll have his hands full with the rookie Payton, a reigning conference player-of-the-week nominee after providing back-to-back triple-doubles in recent games against Dallas (15 points, 12 assists, 10 boards) and Portland (10-for-13 FGs, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 TO). Teague must keep Payton from loitering in the paint at both ends.

    Similar to what transpired in November before a 35-3 Atlanta sprint up the standings, Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer was not trying a little tenderness with his players, during the critical film session that followed their latest ugly loss to the Spurs on Sunday afternoon. Sparking some fire after getting Joey Crawforded and ejected on Sunday, he and his players have indeed acknowledged a need for defensive adjustments, or at least a reversion to things they were doing that gave them success in the earlier half of the season.

    “We are going to need different defensive coverages going into the playoffs. You can’t stick with one,” noted DeMarre Carroll to the AJC. “We’ve been sticking to one ever since the All-Star break has been over. Now, we want to throw out a couple of different schemes. It will be good for us.”

    “I think we have (lost a bit of edge),” All-eged-Star forward Paul Millsap opined, one day after getting beaten up and down the Philips Arena court by the likes of Boris Diaw, of all people. “We were on such a hot streak that a lot of things were overshadowed, things that we weren’t good at but we were still finding ways to win games. Now, it’s coming back to haunt us. We’ve got to get back to what we do. Numbers-wise, we played good through that stretch. Numbers-wise since the All-Star break we haven’t been that great.”

    Cooling the repeated floor burns of late will be the return of swingman Thabo Sefolosha, whose defensive rebounding and tight man defense grew to be crucial components of Atlanta’s January Jaunt. He will be under a minutes restriction, however, leaving it incumbent on the also newly-returned All-eged-Star guard Kyle Korver (5 TOs in 29 minutes vs. SAS) and Kent Bazemore (17 invisible minutes vs. SAS) to defend and rebound with renewed vigor.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  2. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Spurs

    By lethalweapon3,

    “One day soon… all of this will be yours…”



    Along the way to the best mark in the Eastern Conference, and their first Division title in 21 years, Mike Budenholzer’s Atlanta Hawks have defeated… at least once… every single team in the NBA.

    Except for one.

    Coach Bud’s former employer pays him a visit, as Gregg Popovich’s defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs roll into the Highlight Factory (3:00 PM Eastern, SportSouth, FoxSports Southwest). While the Hawks are licking their wounds from a bruising road trip and seeking to avoid losing three-straight for the first time in nearly a calendar year, the Spurs have a little bit more to be concerned about.

    At just 43-25, San Antonio is looking down at the kerfuffle among New Orleans, Phoenix, and Oklahoma City (4.5 games behind) and know they want no part of that fray for the final playoff spot. Not since Toni Kukoc’s 1999 Bulls (and the 1970 Celtics before that) has the host of the Larry O’Brien Trophy failed to reach the playoffs the following season. Whatever you do, Spurs, don’t look down! Doing that causes people to lose to teams like the Knicks, something the Spurs managed to do this past Tuesday before righting the mothership against floundering Milwaukee.

    Instead, San Antonio is looking up, winners of three of their past four (Knicks? What Knicks?). They’ve struggled all season long to barge into the Western Conference’s Top-4 for first-round homecourt advantage. But now with Portland (one game ahead) banged up and sliding, the Spurs know now the iron is hot, and they are primed to strike.

    The Spurs have a competitive week ahead, with OKC and Memphis plus a home-and-home with Dallas looming. But while Coach Pop is notorious for resting players no matter how “big” the game seems in importance to the fans, know that he will do only so much as necessary to keep from losing the upper hand on his protégé.

    After two consecutive early season losses in the Alamo City and a 105-79 shorthanded loss in Atlanta last season, Bud sits at 0-3 in his coaching career against Pop. While it’s something Budenholzer would never admit, he’d like to experience the bliss of notching his first coaching victory over his mentor, while he’s young.

    To do that, Bud will need to put out a team that’s committed to playing his brand of Hawks basketball, featuring gritty defense and a balanced, precise offense, and not trying to outwit opponents at their own games.

    Two nights after getting roasted in Golden State, the defensive effort in Oklahoma City on Friday (129.4 opponent points per 100 possessions, 3rd worst of the season) was the Hawks’ worst showing since November. Atlanta’s problem was not so much do-it-all Russell Westbrook, who shot just 33 FG% on 24 shots but took 17 more free throws (17-for-17 FTs) than Al Horford, but the failure to contain Dion Waiters (11-for-18 FGs), Steven Adams (5-for-9 FGs), Nick Collison (6-for-9 FGs) and Anthony Morrow (6-for-10 3FGs).
    Three of this season’s five top opponent shooting performances from the floor, based on opponent effective field goal percentages, occurred during the Hawks’ recent two-week-long road trip, including when Atlanta got snowed under by Denver.

    With all due respect to the injured Kyle Korver and Mike Scott, their absences are not the explanatory factors for Atlanta’s defensive sag. It will be nice once Thabo Sefolosha gets his sea legs back, but the Hawks need the healthy starters, particularly Jeff Teague, DeMarre Carroll, and Al Horford, to recalibrate their on-court defensive strategy.

    They certainly cannot blame the bench corps who came to play in Oklahoma City, especially not Pero Antić (career-high 22 points), Shelvin Mack, and Dennis Schröder, who helped keep OKC at bay for the first three quarters. Today’s matchup will feature two speed demons off the bench in Schröder and San Antonio’s Patty Mills. The Australian missed the season’s first 30 games due while recovering from surgery on his shooting shoulder, but the Spurs are 20-5 since Mills’ return when he gets more than 15 minutes of floor time.

    With Mills back to support Tony Parker (18.5 points per-36, lowest since 2004-05; career-high 44.9 3FG%, most 3FG attempts per game since 2004-05), the Spurs are only recently playing at a pace (97.4 possessions per 16th-highest in NBA, but 8th this month) that Pop would prefer.

    Spurs leading-scorer Kawhi Leonard (15.9 PPG; 20.0 PPG in last ten games) continues to gradually take over the leadership mantle after winning Finals MVP in 2014. His defensive activity (2.9 SPG, 1.2 BPG) has helped Tim Duncan (now the 2nd-oldest player on an NBA roster) and Tiago Splitter clamp down on the interior (57.6 opponent restricted-area FG%, 6th-lowest in NBA).

    San Antonio’s defensive contractions have left themselves exposed in spots along the perimeter (35.9 above-the-break opponent 3FG%, 2nd most in NBA), although Danny Green does what he can to shoo long-range shooters away for San Antonio (13.6 3FGAs above-the-break per game, fewest in NBA). While Kyle Korver probably won’t have Spurs asking who that masked man was today, Kent Bazemore and DeMarre Carroll need to utilize off-ball screens that allow them to be open for drive-and-kick assists from the Hawks’ lead guards.

    Part-time bat exterminator Manu Ginobili will be out-of-action today with a sprained ankle, likely springing Marco Belinelli (6-for-9 FGs in his last visit to Atlanta) loose off the bench. The Spurs’ guards and wings will take threes when drives to the hoop aren’t available, but only Green (40.2 3FG%) and Belinelli (38.3 3FG%) are efficient from that range. When only one of that duo is in, Bazemore and Carroll must recognize the need to help Horford and Paul Millsap (3 boards in 37 minutes @ OKC) secure rebounds and kickstart the transition offense.

    Aside from perhaps Carroll, every Hawks starter should be capable of outpacing their opposing Spur in transition down the floor. The Hawks are 23-5 when Millsap gets to the free throw line five or more times in a game, 33-4 when Horford (five total FTAs in his last seven games) simply earns at least two foul shots. Having Duncan, Splitter and Boris Diaw finding themselves chasing the Hawks’ starting bigs from behind is one way to get Bud his first win over Pop.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  3. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Thunder

    By lethalweapon3,

    “SOON…”



    Today, the surprising Georgia State Panthers go head-to-head with the Oklahoma State… sorry, I’ve got March Madness on the brain!

    The Atlanta Hawks are licking their wounds after flopping on Wednesday night against Golden State, but hope to wrap up their West Coast road swing with a victory against Russell Westbrook, Russell Westbrook, and the Oklahoma City Thunder (8:00 PM Eastern, SportSouth, FoxSports Oklahoma) at Chesepeake Energy Arena. No, that’s not a misprint.

    Reigning MVP Kevin Durant has missed a month after undergoing a procedure for his sore foot, and now he has been “removed from basketball activities” entirely, putting the balance of his NBA season into question. Meanwhile, reigning All-Defensive First-Team forward Serge Ibaka is out for the next 4-6 weeks following arthroscopic surgery on his knee.

    OKC (38-30) has dealt with the loss of their star forwards by upgrading the minutes for trade-deadline-day acquisition Enes Kanter (20.2 PPG, 12.2 RPG last six games). But Kanter sprained his ankle during Wednesday’s win against Boston, and his status for today’s game is questionable. All of these injuries add up to “full-speed-ahead” for MVP candidate Westbrook.

    Russ has done it all for this team, averaging 32.7 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 10.5 APG and 2.2 SPG since the All-Star Break. Those numbers haven’t flinched (33.9 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 10.1 APG, 2.9 SPG) since he suffered a dent in his cheekbone less than three weeks ago, missing just one game.

    Every ounce of Westbrook’s production has been necessary, to this point, to fend off New Orleans (1.0 games behind OKC) and Phoenix (2.5 games back) for the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs. His rebounds have kept the league’s #1-rebounding team afloat despite the losses of KD and Ibaka. His assists have been vital on a team with few (okay, no… sorry, D.J. Augustin) other pass-oriented guard options.

    One season removed from the Western Conference Finals, Thunder coach Scott Brooks’ job ought to be safe, especially considering the spate of injuries his team has sustained. But he knows to cement his position for next season, he’ll want to make sure OKC reaches the postseason for the sixth-consecutive season. Westbrook would love to garner as many MVP votes as he can away from Stephen Curry and James Harden, but to do that he must lug this team into the playoffs.

    As for GM Sam Presti? Thunder management didn’t make a bunch of shakeup moves just to watch the playoffs from home. His Big Three are under contract together for just one more season, so as long as there’s a chance to make some noise with two or three of them healthy at some point, OKC will go for it.

    But Presti also wants to pump the brakes just a little bit. In the deal that brought Dion Waiters to town in January was a 2015 first-round pick that’s Top-18 protected. After a little pinballing before the trade deadline, that pick wound its way into Philadelphia’s greedy hands. As it stands, the Thunder sits right at the sweet-spot at #18 in the 2015 draft order. While catching the top Western Conference teams is probably unlikely at this stage, Presti wants OKC to fend off Phoenix and New Orleans.

    But going on a tear would zip the Thunder past some of the Eastern teams in the overall standings, giving up a first-rounder he could use to help rebuild the team if necessary in a couple years. So, it makes sense that he has zero desire to rush Ibaka or Durant back ahead of the postseason. He’s pulling for Thunder wins. But don’t get too crazy, guys.

    Can Westbrook keep this club on his back and do enough to ensure they’ll be playing in the 2015 NBA Playoffs, and not just on NBA 2K15? Part of getting it done is continuing to come up big in home games, and OKC’s record at The Peake since Christmas (17-2) is tied for the best in the league.

    One issue is cutting down on turnovers, as Westbrook has been threatening to earn the undesirable quadruple-double by averaging 7.5 turnovers in his last seven games. And another issue is to find someone on the team with the willpower to make stops. In the past 11 games, OKC’s opponents are averaging 110.8 PPG, turning over the ball just 12.8 times per game. The Thunder had won seven-straight before that stretch, and they’re just 6-5 since. Among the healthy options, Andre Roberson is about all Brooks has as far as defensive stoppers go, and that’s either with or without Kanter available.

    Despite Westbrook’s best efforts against Boston on Wednesday (36 points, 10 assists, 5 steals), the Thunder defense made opposing point guard Marcus Smart (25 points, 7-for-12 3FGs, 9 rebounds) look like a Rookie of the Year candidate. The visiting Celtics’ thinned-out frontline (26-for-41 shooting among Brandon Bass, Kelly Olynyk, Tyler Zeller and Jae Crowder) had no problem finding desirable shots.

    The lax defense compelled Westbrook (7 TOs, 1-for-6 3FGs) to force the action, 19 of his 36 points coming from 22 attempts at the charity stripe. The Hawks can neutralize Westbrook’s production by avoiding chippy fouls and keeping him off the free throw line.

    Westbrook is going to do all he can to be the best guy on the floor wearing uniform number 0. Jeff Teague was largely disappointing (12 points, 2 assists, 6 turnovers) in his last game, trying to out-do Stephen Curry at his own game rather than playing to his own strengths while running the Hawks offense. Teague will do himself no favors trying to go tit-for-tat with Westbrook tonight.

    Westbrook filled up the boxscore nicely (22 points, 11 assists) during the December 30 matchup in Atlanta, but it wasn’t enough to keep OKC in contention beyond the first quarter, where Russ had 13-and-4, as the Hawks effectively clamped down on his teammates.

    Teague, Dennis Schröder (1-for-12 FGs), and Kent Bazemore (1-for-6 FGs) played to Golden State’s strengths on Wednesday, driving the ball right into the teeth of their collapsing interior defense and forcing shots instead of finding open shooters. Schröder and Bazemore continued to fall for the goading by Warrior opponents all night.

    They’ll find the confines of the paint much more comfy without Ibaka and Durant around. But as Steven “The Stache” Adams and Nick Collison close off the lanes, the Hawk guards need to look for shooters who will be much more open around the perimeter. That should include Paul Millsap (team-high 16 points and 12 rebounds @ GSW on Wednesday) and DeMarre Carroll, who combined for 5-for-8 3FGs during both the Warriors’ blowout win and the Hawks’ win over the Thunder in December.

    The guy who needed to bang away inside against the Warriors was Al Horford, the mea culpa center who walked off the Golden State floor without a single foul shot in over 31 minutes, his 4-for-18 FG performance looking better in the boxscores than it actually was. When his mid-range shots aren’t falling early, Horford (14 points and 12 boards vs. OKC in December) needs to go find other arrows in his quiver, calling for lobs and demanding his ballhandlers find him around the low block.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  4. lethalweapon3
    “Silence! Si-lence! It’s ON!”


    Hey, Golden State Warriors! First to 60!

    For some NBA teams, such challenges are associated with points in a game. For the Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks, the race is on to break the 60-wins barrier, a place neither franchise has boldly gone before. They meet tonight at Oracle Arena (10:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth in ATL, CSN Bay Area in SFO, ESPN), each team trying to get a leg up on homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs as the NBA season nears the home stretch.

    The Warriors (53-13) have a tougher sled to pull. Their magic number to secure homecourt advantage through the Western Conference playoffs is down to nine, while the number to clinch the East is down to three for the Hawks (53-14). Meanwhile, 13 of Golden State’s remaining 16 games are against current Top-8 teams from either conference, compared to six of Atlanta’s remaining 15.

    On the positive side for the Dubs, nine of their remaining games are here at Oracle, where the Warriors are 30-2 and haven’t lost a game in nearly two months. However, their visitors this evening have an NBA-best 23-10 road record (one less loss than the Warriors), already a franchise record with a month of basketball still to go. A road win in Oakland could also give the Hawks the edge in a tiebreaker scenario, should it become necessary. Warriors coach Steve Kerr does not wish to deal with “Does Mike Budenholzer have your number?” media questions for the next several months, so victory tonight will be of utmost importance to him.

    Both teams come into this contest absent at least one key cog for their title aspirations. Klay Thompson sprained his ankle during Monday night’s nip-and-tuck victory over the Lakers, stepping on Tarik Black’s foot. While Klay played through it, the injury will have him sidelined for another week to ten days. Thompson scored a team-high 29 points in a losing effort against the Hawks in Atlanta on February 6. He also led the way against L.A., holding the fort with 12 first-quarter points until Stephen Curry’s shot got spicy (two points in the first half; 17 in the second). Curry also tweaked a wrist in the Lakers game, but is good-to-go.

    Just one night before taking out Splash Brother Number Two, the Lakers’ Not-So-World Class Wrecking Crew tried to turn off the lights of the Hawks’ Kyle Korver, Jordan Hill doing his best to leave Korver’s beak looking more like Toucan Sam’s. Besides lethal sharpshooting from Thompson and Korver (3rd and 1st in NBA for catch-and-shoot PPG, respectively), both players log a lot of floor mileage (about 2.4 miles per game) trying to keep their respective offenses humming.

    Klay’s injury is likely to bring sixth-man Andre Iguodala (6 assists off the bench vs. LAL on Monday) to the top line. Dre will be re-assessing who he can hone in on with his rugged defensive play, now that he won’t be chasing Korver (5-for-9 3FGs vs. GSW on Feb 6) through multiple screens. He will likely set his sights on Atlanta’s point guards, Jeff Teague and Dennis Schröder, who had little trouble executing the Hawks’ offense (14 combined assists, 3 turnovers) during their last meeting with the Warriors.

    Golden State’s starters all rank in the NBA’s top-ten for defensive rating. If Iguodala can head off the Hawks’ point guards at the pass, or at least funnel them into defensive wizards Draymond Green (1.7 SPG, 1.3 BPG; 5 steals vs. LAL on Monday) and Andrew Bogut (NBA-best 94.2 defensive rating, min. 20 minutes/game), he’ll take pressure off of Curry (league-high 2.2 SPG) and Harrison Barnes expending their energies trying to play pick-your-poison with ex-Warrior Kent Bazemore (46.1 catch-and-shoot 3FG%) and DeMarre Carroll (1.6 catch-and-shoot threes per game, 41.4 3FG%).

    Atlanta also remains without Mike Scott (17 points, 5-for-7 FGs vs. GSW on Feb. 6), whose broken toe has him out-of-action for the foreseeable future. Bench guys like Shelvin Mack (last two games: 16.0 PPG, 52.2 FG%, 42.9 3FG%) and John Jenkins must continue to keep moving and cutting in Atlanta’s halfcourt offense to get themselves open for decent shots.

    Green (career-high 20 rebounds at ATL on Feb. 6) provides activity, arm-length, and awareness, allowing the Warriors to cover the whole floor defensively. Kerr even trusts the 6-foot-7 forward to play meaningful minutes at the pivot. However, Green can get excessively touchy, both on-the-court (3.3 personal fouls per game, tied-3rd among active players; 11 technicals, tied-4th in NBA) and off of it, as demonstrated recently by former Hawk and professional fly-in-ointment Dahntay Jones. Having Kerr preserve Green due to extracurricular activity can benefit the Hawks. Warrior opponents’ offensive rating soars from 98.2 to 105.1 when he is off the court.

    Paul Millsap (21.0 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 58.1 FG% last two games), Pero Antić, and the game-rested Al Horford will try to open up the paint for their guards with a variety of screens and pick-and-pop shots. They need to be prepared to cut to the basket when Green and/or Bogut step away from the post, also to drive and collect foul shots when the Warrior bigs are drawn out to contest the Hawks’ jumpers.

    On defense, the hawk-eyes of Horford (5 steals @ LAL last Saturday) and Millsap (15-game string snapped with at least one steal on Monday @ SAC) can make it hard for opponents to get anything established inside.

    Despite his All-Star hardware, Curry (career-low 42.1 3FG%) has not been the most efficient long-range in-game shooter, even though he’s been much better after the All-Star Break (50.5 3FG%). When Atlanta is successful at boxing him in and getting him to settle for circus shots, the Hawks’ bigs must box out and keep his teammates from padding their stats with offensive rebounds (season-high 19 @ ATL on Feb. 6, 10 by Green) and extra-chance possessions. Those Warrior big men include Barnes, Marreese Speights and David Lee. Lee’s minutes continue to dwindle under Kerr’s watch, but he may see elongated stretches if he shows off his board-crashing acumen.

    While the Warriors do many things exceptionally well, much like another G-State’s coach, they’re essentially down to one Achilles’ heel. While Golden State doesn’t turn the ball over a ton (14.6 TOs per 100 possessions, 16th in NBA), when they do, they’re usually the result of steals (8.4 per game, 5th in NBA), often at the hands of Curry. 13 of Golden State’s 14 turnovers in Atlanta were steals by the Hawks. Eleven of the Warriors’ 14 turnovers on Monday came by way of theft, including four of Curry’s six turnovers. Golden State raised its record to a pedestrian 4-3 whenever Steph commits six or more turnovers in a game.

    Kerr has made possession-control a point of emphasis for his superstar point guard. Those errors-of-commission are not only costly for the Warriors but also for Curry (3.1 TOs per game, down from 3.9 last season), personally. His mother fines him 100 bucks, per turnover, each time he goes over three TOs in a game, giving back the same amount when he finishes under that tally.

    Atlanta demonstrated in the February matchup that they could play at Golden State’s elevated pace (highest in NBA) and still beat them, the Hawks’ 59.1 effective field-goal percentage the highest the Warriors have allowed in a game all season. It was the last time Golden State played at above 100 possessions per-48 (100.8 @ ATL) and lost. Kerr seems to have slowed things down considerably since then. The Warriors exceeded that pace on thirteen occasions (out of 47) before the Hawks game; they’ve done so just twice in the 18 games that followed.

    Teague (23 points @ SAC on Monday) and the Hawks’ point guard corps must strive to out-produce Curry for fastbreak buckets. While the MVP candidate Curry (6th in NBA for PPG and APG, 5th in true shooting percentage) does many things well, he is at his least dangerous when he is playing on his heels without the ball.

    Steph’s 6.2 fastbreak PPG (2nd in NBA) pushes the Warriors to the second in the league (20.9 PPG) in that category, but the Hawks have not been far behind lately (17.6 March fastbreak PPG, most in East). Horford, Carroll and Millsap can also assist the guards by beating their men down the floor and helping disrupt Curry’s paths toward the rim. They must avoid bailing out Curry (NBA-high 90.7 FT%) with trips to the foul line, and make him either a wild shooter, a tricky dribbler, or a wild passer.

    The Warriors lead the NBA with 20.0 PPG off of turnovers, and the Hawks, again, aren’t far behind (18.3 PPG, 6th in NBA). Whichever team executes better while pushing the pace is likely to have the upper hand in the contest. If both teams win all of their subsequent home games... after this one... the winner of this game is likely to be the host for the NBA Finals.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  5. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Kings

    By lethalweapon3,

    “Okay, Google. What I gotta do to get traded out of here this summer?”



    The Sacramento Kings have grown tired of getting nickeled and dimed… especially dimed. The Atlanta Hawks dropped an NBA-high 42 assists on them last week, sinking 20 three-pointers along the way to a 130-105 trouncing in Atlanta. The Kings will do all they can to avoid an encore performance tonight at Sleep Train Arena (10:00 PM Eastern, SportSouth, CSN California). But will that be enough to keep the Hawks from a franchise-record and NBA-best 23rd road win?

    If either team is stinking up the joint tonight, at least Kyle Korver won’t be able to tell. Sacramento got a little bit of assistance when the Lakers’ Ed Davis gave Korver the cold shoulder in the first half of Atlanta’s win at Staples Center last night. Korver was left behind in L.A. to treat his busted schnoz, although Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer was planning to rest both him and Al Horford tonight anyway.

    The Kings (22-43) return to their castle following an arduous, and mostly fruitless, two-week long road trip where they went 2-6, including last week’s 25-point defeat in Atlanta. Their sole road wins included a blowout win in New York and in Charlotte, a game where minutes-restricted Kemba Walker came off the bench following injury while Al Jefferson joined Cody Zeller on the Hornets sideline with an injury of his own.

    The good news was the Kings averaged 106.8 PPG during that road trip, a number that should curl new coach George Karl’s lips upward. The downside? They gave up at least 110 points in each of their six losses. Sacramento’s 111.8 defensive rating this month is the league’s worst.

    The Sixers fell behind by 18 in the third quarter last Friday before throwing the tank in reverse, backing it up Suge-style over the Kings with a 47-16 run in the space of less than one quarter. The next night in D.C., the Wizards spotted Sacramento a 64-46 second-quarter lead. Then, “poof!” Washington goes on a 65-28 run to conclude the proceedings in their favor.

    If there is a way to render a 39-point, 24-rebound game and a 30-point, 5-assist game on back-to-back nights negligible, Sacramento is showing All-Star DeMarcus Cousins how to get it done. He’s averaged 24.1 PPG (49.2 FG%; 10.9 FT attempts and 80.5 FT%) and 12.5 RPG this month. But the rumor mill suggests the grumbling by the sad-Sac center about George Karl’s coaching scheme has already begun. One would think that Cousins would be thrilled with the news that Horford (9-for-13 FGs and 3 blocks vs. SAC on Mar. 9) will be sitting this one out, leaving Pero Antić and Elton Brand at his mercy around the rim. But Boogie Nights like he’s had lately should not end with such buzz-killing defeats.

    Karl will look to Cousins early and often, and he’ll hope Derrick Williams can provide some punch since offensive black-hole Rudy Gay cannot go. Gay (team-high 23 points on 10-for-15 FGs) suffered a knee strain during the loss in Philly and will not play tonight. The burning question is which member of the Kings’ court will commit to stubbing opponents’ offensive momentum, especially in the second half when Karl’s pace (4th in NBA) begins to wear down his own team. Carl Landry and Jason Thompson will have their work cut out for them to keep a refreshed Paul Millsap (5-for-7 FGs, 3-for-4 3FGs vs. SAC on Mar. 9) from having a big night.

    Korver and the injured Mike Scott (toe) made up just under a third of Atlanta’s shot volume beyond the 3-point arc. Their indefinite absences will likely mean more three-point looks for rested forwards Millsap (35.3 March 3FG%) and DeMarre Carroll (36.8 3FG%) are forthcoming. Ben McLemore and Derrick Williams will need to keep Atlanta’s forwards in front of them and force them to settle for defended jumpers.

    Kings point guards Andre Miller and Ray McCallum are likely to lose their man around the perimeter, so Sunday night’s hero Dennis Schröder (36.8 March 3FG%; career-high 24 points, 9-for-11 FTs, and 10 assists @ LAL), Shelvin Mack (52.9 March 3FG%, 8th in NBA), and rested starter Jeff Teague (38.5 March 3FG%) may find open shots off screens when they’re not charging into the paint at Cousins and company.

    Sacramento gives up threes from the right-corner at an NBA-high 45.8% clip, while their opponents shoot 64.9 FG% around the restricted area (2nd-highest in NBA). Those woeful percentages can result in bountiful evenings for the Hawks’ point guards. But they must avoid leveling the playing field by getting called for offensive fouls on their drives, something Cousins and Miller are apt to try drawing.

    A Trail Blazers’ victory in Washington earlier in the evening would grant the Hawks a chance to secure second-round homecourt advantage in the Eastern Conference playoffs, if they prevail tonight in Sactown. A victory would also earn the Hawks a division title banner that fans, hopefully, won’t spend the next 21 years pretending not to care about.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  6. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Lakers

    By lethalweapon3,

    “You know what… maybe I shouldn’t have left you guys after all…”


    How much more truth can Jack Nicholson handle?

    Under-manned, overwhelmed, low on fundamentals, highlights few and far between… the Los Angeles Lakers have even their most iconic fan looking around for somebody willing to separate him from his obligatory Staples Center seats.

    It’s a nice Sunday evening, so you can expect Jack in the building today. But he may be inclined to watch the visiting Atlanta Hawks (9:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, TimeWarnerCable SportsNet) if he intends to make the most of his entertainment dollars. Don’t be surprised to catch him spending more time filling out his brackets than watching the game.

    The Lake Show was already barely afloat at the season’s start, relying way too heavily on franchise icon Kobe Bryant to do the heavy lifting on offense for a team with few defensive stoppers. Things only got worse as their most likely playmakers started checking out: first Steve Nash (pre-season back injury), then lotto rookie Julius Randle (pre-season broken tibia), then Kobe (rotator cuff tear in January) and, for the past few weeks, Nick Young (lingering knee soreness) and Ronnie Price (elbow bone chips).

    With Swaggy P (13.4 PPG) sidelined, there is no active Laker averaging over 13 points per game on the season. Atlanta native Jordan Hill (career-high 12.5 PPG and 7.9 RPG), who returned to La-La-Land on a two-year, $18 million deal this past summer, is the only Laker starter who’s been scoring in double figures. Head coach Byron Scott has turned the starter’s minutes over to Hill, rookie second-rounder Jordan Clarkson, journeyman guard Wayne Ellington (35.9 3FG%), fifth-year forward Wesley Johnson (36.1 3FG%), and rookie waiver-wire pickup Tarik Black.

    Those moves leaves several players (Carlos Boozer, Jeremy Lin, Ed Davis) feeling like they’ve seen better days. Lin and Price battled for a half-season to gain Coach Scott’s favor, and the winner appears to be Clarkson, who moved into a starting spot right after Kobe’s exit and hasn’t relinquished it. Scott, whose facial expression has been stuck on “Who passed gas around here?” since the 1990s, is trying to balance Lin’s superiority in running pick-and-rolls with Clarkson’s relative superior ability to get to the rim and make things happen. How long Clarkson avoids the hook will depend on how much he gets his teammates involved in the offense, rather than dribble out possessions in search of his Inner Westbrook.

    Not even Phil Jackson could lead these Lakers into playoff contention. What he could do is field a bunch of guys in Knicks jerseys to topple the Lakers at Staples, as occurred on Thursday night. During the Lakers’ sixth loss of their last seven games, New York’s Tim Hardaway and Langston Galloway (combined 13-for-21 FGs) had no problem getting the shots they wanted. Atlanta guards Kyle Korver and Kent Bazemore should find similar success tonight.

    With another back-to-back looming, it will be Jeff Teague’s turn for some rest. Al Horford could probably use some extra time off tonight, too, in advance of tomorrow night’s rematch in Sacramento with DeMarcus Cousins. Coach Bud may split minutes evenly between Dennis Schröder and Shelvin Mack, as they’ll be expected to force lots of turnovers out of Clarkson and Lin. The Kings are thinner but the Lakers have less experience starting at the one, so a rested Teague should be able to feast tomorrow.

    DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap will sit tonight as well. That should give Horford plenty of time to showcase himself at the power forward position. His two-way game should give Boozer (20 and 10 at Atlanta on Nov. 18) and Hill (18 and 10 at Atlanta) nightmares, so long as he defends aggressively and avoids foul issues. New acquisition Austin Daye may get some time to show what he can do, but Coach Bud may again turn to the Not-So-Grumpy Old Men frontcourt pairing of Elton Brand and Pero Antić, who were able to slow Phoenix’s roll in the second half of Friday’s victory.

    Coach Scott’s mantra to L.A.’s lead guards is to feed the big men inside and let them eat, and his orders to the bigs are to crash the glass with reckless abandon. Three Lakers (Hill, Black, and Ed Davis) each piled up ten rebounds in Thursday’s loss to the Knicks. Antić, Brand and/or Mike Muscala will have their hands full fighting for defensive boards and keying the Hawks’ transition offense.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  7. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Suns

    By lethalweapon3,

    “Hi. I’m Markieff Morris, and I have DirecTV!”



    On Wednesday, the Atlanta Hawks found themselves getting oven-toasted like a Quizno’s sub in Denver. To avoid getting refried like beans in Phoenix, the Hawks have to play with purpose from the jump tonight against the Suns (10:00 PM Eastern, SportSouth, FoxSports Arizona), the second game of a six-game West Coast road swing.

    The Hawks (50-14; 18-5 versus the Western Conference) looked like a team that got caught reading press clippings rather than the scouting reports while prepping for the Nuggets. Rather than the customary adherence to fundamentals, Hawks starters were at turns careless with the basketball, getting beaten off the dribble, slow on rotations, neglecting to box out their man, and thinking more about Denver shooters’ season-long percentages rather than closing out on them.

    It’s not as though the Hawks don’t know how to get up after occasionally falling down, however. Atlanta is 4-1 on the season in the following game after they’ve been defeated by double-digit margins. By tightening the screws on defense, they’ve won their last four such contests, holding opponents in the bounceback games to 89.5 PPG on 41.8 FG% and 31.4 3FG%.

    Phoenix (34-32) is the final NBA opponent the Hawks have yet to play this season and, like Denver, Atlanta probably could have picked a more ideal time to visit. The Suns are merely hovering around the bottom of the Western Conference postseason race. They’re winning just enough games to pounce in case both New Orleans (2.5 games ahead in the standings) and Oklahoma City (2 games ahead) falter down the stretch.

    Jeff Hornacek’s crew has notched as many victories against the East (17-10) as they have against the West (17-22), although they haven’t defeated an Eastern team with a winning record since January 30. The two games they have remaining against the Hawks, and one on Sunday at home against the Knicks, are Phoenix’s last chances to feast on the East.

    The dust has settled since the publicly-aired kerfuffle that sent franchise face Goran Dragic packing for Miami. The Dragon chose to publicly declare he was All for One, seeking to break up the Musketeer backcourt outfit that was crimping his ball-dominant playmaking style. Dragic and fellow point guards Isaiah Thomas and Tyler Ennis, plus backup big man Miles Plumlee, were all shipped out at the February trading deadline.

    In their places came Brandon Knight, the Milwaukee guard who performed on the periphery of the All-Star Game under Jason Kidd, former Brooklyn guard Marcus Thornton, Miami veteran Danny Granger, and three future first-rounders beginning in 2016. Thornton logged 14 points and four boards in his best game in a Suns jersey as the Suns beat visiting Minnesota on Wednesday night.

    Phoenix now has some more flexibility going into the summer, and one of the biggest price tags coming off the books belongs to former Hawk Josh Childress, who got amnestied years ago. Several players, including Thornton, don’t mind playing to earn a spot on the roster here next season. A restricted free agent this summer, Knight is doing all he can to boost his value, but sprained his ankle during Monday’s home loss to Stephen Curry and the Warriors and won’t dress for tonight’s action.

    With Point Guard Survivor winner Eric Bledsoe (16.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 6.5 APG, 48.2 FG%) the sole experienced playmaker on the roster, Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer may be more inclined to rest Dennis Schröder, who has been upgraded to probable following a sprained ankle suffered during the drubbing in Denver. To help with depth at the 1-spot, Phoenix nabbed Steph’s little brother, D-League warrior Seth Curry, who’s averaged 22.8 PPG in Erie (48.2 3FG%) but has not been reliable this season as a passer (3.8 APG, 2.9 TOs/game).

    The probability of ballhandling goofs remains high for the Suns (16.8 TOs per 100 possessions in March, 3rd most in NBA). Jeff Teague (29 points on 14-for-21 FGs, 9 assists and 2 steals @ PHX last season) and the Hawks’ bigs need to spring traps on Bledsoe, rotating and recovering quickly when the ploys don’t result in turnovers.

    Even if Shelvin Mack gets the lion’s share of Schröder’s floortime, Atlanta (league-high 19.6 assists per 100 possessions in March) should display a more cohesive passing offense than Phoenix (14.9 assists per-100 in March, 3rd fewest in NBA). Atlanta followed up an NBA-season-high 42 assists versus Sacramento with just 18 at Denver on Wednesday, bench players helping the Hawks avoid a season-low tally late in the game. The Hawks have lost the last five games when they failed to amass more than 20 assists.

    Knight’s assonant teammate, center Brandan Wright (team-high 108.2 offensive rating; 67.7 TS%, 3rd in NBA), was acquired in January from Boston for a first-round pick that is top-12 protected both this year and next. While Phoenix sits at #13 in the lottery standings, because of the dour situation in the East, the Suns fully expect to part with that pick this June, whether they make the playoffs or not. It’s been a little disconcerting that the former Mavs sixth-man and offense-heavy big man hasn’t done enough to earn a spot in the starting lineup. But the future draft picks obtained in February should more than offset any disappointment with what was sacrificed for Wright.

    One other part of the passive approach to Phoenix’s postseason push involves the Sword of Damocles that hovers above twin forwards Markieff and Marcus Morris, each of whom surprisingly received four-year contract extensions in the offseason. The pair remains persons of interest in an investigation into an assault outside a Phoenix gym back in January, and there’s little desire from the Suns to risk bad news hitting them in the middle of a playoff series. In the meantime, it’s been the Morrii who have been doing the accusing in the Valley of the Sun.

    Last month, both Keef and Mook chastised the Suns fans for being dispassionate at home games. “No, they don’t boo,” said Markieff (I think), native of the town where Santa Claus has to bring it just to avoid getting pelted with batteries. “They (Suns fans) don’t care that much neither. I don’t think that’s fair to us, putting our heart and soul out there trying to get in the playoffs for this organization and this city, to try and bring this city back to where it was, to get this type of treatment.”

    “We didn’t have no energy, building wasn’t energetic,” assessed brother Marcus (I think), following the team’s listless home loss to San Antonio, seemingly more preoccupied with the action off the court. “I saw more Spurs jerseys than Suns jerseys… We can’t blame them for the loss, but if they can help out a little bit.”

    Fans of the winningest franchise without an NBA title have taken a mostly Vandrossian approach to the criticism. Enduring a possible fifth consecutive season out of the playoffs after the Suns reached the 2010 Conference Finals, fans are insisting the Suns, the Morris Boys in particular, give them the reason to love them now, not waiting to be prompted when the players come out flat.

    Markieff has started every game, but his total shooting (52.2 TS%) has been the worst of any Suns regular, including guards like hit-or-miss Gerald Green (34.3 FG% post-All-Star-Break). Aside from occasional highlight-worthy plays, Keef hasn’t rebounded, passed, or defended enough to justify wild cheering from the stands.

    Marcus’ boiling temper toward referees, and coach Hornacek, when things haven’t gone his way has been the most notable aspect of his 2014-15 campaign. Hornacek had to institute an automatic benching rule just to curb the technical fouls his players had been compiling earlier in the season. Both brothers, forward P.J. Tucker, and Bledsoe are among the league’s top-12 recipients of technicals this season.

    The Morris twins and Tucker will be pressured to boost their on-floor efficiency now that it appears rookie T.J. Warren is coming on. The NC State alum has made 70.8 percent of shots in his past three games and enjoyed a season-high 17 points in 19 minutes on Monday against the Wolves.

    A final deterrent for a Phoenix playoff run is a roster that doesn’t seem familiar with what to do if they did have to face Golden State or any Western top-seed in the first round. Granger serves as the sole veteran with significant playoff experience coming off the bench for the Suns. Seeking to make Phoenix his final NBA pit stop, Granger, who has a player option to return in 2016, likens his Suns tenure with that of Grant Hill, apropos considering the latter NBA star’s tortuous injury history. The Suns staff’s reputation as miracle workers makes this a good fit, but Granger is not expected to play much for the remainder of the regular season.

    Too avoid the Hawks’ third-straight road defeat, it is incumbent upon All-Star Al Horford and Paul Millsap to bring out the whooping stick at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Horford (3-for-10 FGs @ DEN, three rebounds in 23 minutes) must dominate his head-to-head matchup with second-year center Alex Len (6.4 PPG, 6.5 RPG; 5.5 blocks per 100 possesions, 4th in NBA; 3.1 personal fouls, 7th among active NBA players). Earl “Viscount” Barron has been brought in full-time to bolster the Suns’ frontcourt depth.

    As Mike Scott sits with a toe injury, Millsap (5-for-12 FGs and team-high 5 rebounds @ DEN) will have to avoid falling into unnecessary foul trouble. Kyle Korver needs to play a fullcourt game, rebounding while helping to keep Green from heating up. Green scored 33 points as the shorthanded Hawks gave up a season-high 129 points in Phoenix last March.

    Effective man defense has been the name of the game (40.5 opponent FG%, 30.1 3FG%) in Phoenix’s five wins since the All-Star Break. Still, the Suns surely won’t have the same effectiveness they enjoyed against Minnesota on Wednesday, when they held the Wolves to 1-for-13 shooting from 3-point range. Even with Tucker hounding Korver (5-for-7 3FGs @ DEN) and Scott out-of-action, there should be Hawks open for shots around the horn, particularly Kent Bazemore and DeMarre Carroll.

    With far better execution on both ends of the floor, the Hawks’ starters can prove that their Friday the 13th performance transpired two days early.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  8. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Nuggets

    By lethalweapon3,

    “Uh, no, Kenneth… we have a better way to axe Coach Shaw…”



    Road Trip! Following a little R&R in the aftermath of sacking the Sac Kings, the Atlanta Hawks are off on their annual West Coast winter trek. They’re not preoccupied with getting to 60 wins, or tying their franchise-record of 57. They simply want to get to 51, and hope to do that tonight in Denver against the Nuggets (9:00 PM Eastern, SportSouth, Altitude Sports). Denver knows a thing or two about the fleeting joy of a 57-win season.

    Under George Karl’s watch in 2013, Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried looked like The Future, as did Kosta Koufos. Andre Iguodala brought defense to the party, Andre Miller was near his last-hurrah as a savvy sixth man, and forwards Corey Brewer and Wilson Chandler showed promise. In the afterglow of parting ways with superstar Carmelo Anthony just two seasons before, the Nuggets pulled off the most victories in their NBA tenure, leading the league in scoring and offensive rebounds while winning 38 of 41 games in their high-altitude Pepsi Center home.

    Unfortunately, a late season injury for Danilo Gallinari, then the team’s second-leading scorer with a career-high 16.2 PPG, was too much for the 3rd-seeded Nuggets to overcome against Steph Curry, Andrew Bogut and the upstart Golden State Warriors in the first-round.

    Then, Josh Kroenke got cute. Unsatisfied with nine straight playoff appearances and just one Conference Finals to show for it, the owner’s son and team president canned Karl, hardly a month after the latter was named the NBA Coach of the Year. Suddenly, the league’s Executive of the Year, Masai Ujiri, found the grass was greener in Toronto; his GM-in-waiting also bailed for Sacramento. Iguodala was all set to sign a coveted long-term deal with the Nuggets, but applied the If-You-Can’t-Beat-Em principle to Golden State once Karl was fired, accepting a sign-and-trade multi-team deal that brought Randy Foye to Denver.

    The Nuggets’ GM hire, a fresh-faced Tim Connelly, sought out a coach that would change the scenery from the happy-Buddha Karl. Bringing in the Hibbert-whispering coach Brian Shaw from Indiana was supposed to usher out the many eras of fast-paced hoops and devil-may-care defense folks in the Rocky Mountains grew accustomed to.

    But Shaw never really got to clean house, as four members of Karl’s Kore (Lawson, Faried, Chandler, Gallinari) are still rocking baby-blue-and-gold. Meanwhile, many of the initial players Connelly brought in (Foye, J.J. Hickson, Nate Robinson) seemed to be antitheses for what Shaw was hired to do.

    The moves took all the fizz out of the Pepsi Center. Following a 36-win season, Denver’s worst in 11 years, Connelly tried to get it together, conducting a draft-day trade with Chicago for rookies Jusuf Nurkic (playing behind an emerging Timofey Mozgov) and Gary Harris, plus acquiring Arron Afflalo in the offseason.

    Unfortunately, Shaw’s grumpy-cat demeanor wore down the core Nuggets quickly, especially Faried and Lawson. The Nuggets stumbled out of the 2014 gate with a 1-6 record while dealing with another early exit by Gallinari, who is only now playing steady hoops after going down back in 2013. After trading Mozgov to Cleveland, a three-game winning streak in early January was followed by a dispiriting 2-19 stretch. Shaw’s goose was cooked as it was obvious his team had tuned out. “Six Weeks!” became the battle cry of a battle-weary team. Former Hawks lead assistant Lester Conner got the axe as well.

    Nugget players’ ears have pricked up a bit lately, under promoted assistant Melvin Hunt. Hawks fans may be familiar with the former Cavaliers assistant as one of the handful of persons-o’-color willing to cape for Danny Ferry amid Oops-Did-I-Say-That-gate back in September. “Not only did [Ferry] know the importance of variety and diversity,” Hunt said of his former boss, “he looked for it… I am confident that Danny is anything but driven by a person’s color and ethnic background. I believe Danny made a mistake that he should not be characterized by.”

    Any chances of a mad dash for the playoffs are over, but Hunt isn’t here to sit back and watch the Nuggets tank into oblivion. Melvin is on the Hunt for his next coaching gig, and wouldn’t mind one bit if it’s a permanent job in Denver, or wherever Ferry lands next.

    As was the case when Hunt and ninja-turtle Mike Brown lightened up the mood in Cleveland following the ouster of Paul Silas, Hunt’s jovial disposition has brightened the spirits of the Denver players on the floor and the sideline. He also has his team playing as loose as a retired linebacker’s neckwear. While the Nuggets’ pace ranked 5th in the league over the course of the season under Shaw, largely due to crashing the glass after shots rushed early in the clock, it has risen from 98.4 to 99.9 possessions per-48 (3rd in NBA) during Hunt’s term. Assists per 100 possessions have risen 16.1 (24th in NBA) to 17.6 (12th in NBA) under Shaw.

    Things are not quite back to the Good Ol’ Days experienced under Hunt, a Karl disciple, but the Nuggets have pulled off three wins in his five games at the helm. Those victories came at the hands of the shook-up Bucks, T’wolves, and Knicks. Still, Denver has scored in triple-digits in all five games, including 111 in a regulation loss to the Spurs (5th in defensive rating) and 100 in the loss to the Rockets (3rd in defensive rating) in Denver’s highest-paced game of the season. Hunt is also trying to win without Nurkic, the burgeoning behemoth who sprained his ankle last month and remains out of action for tonight.

    On bad-shooting nights, opponents will see the Nuggets pounce. Similar to Sacramento, Denver is just 1-26 when opponents shoot 46 FG% or higher (the sole win coming against the Kings), 3-33 when foes shoot above 44%. But they’re 14-1 when opponents can’t shoot better than 41%, including those three wins this month.

    The iron was unkind to both the Hawks (41.4 FG%) and the Nuggets (36.6 FG%) back on December 7. But with Faried out, there was no offense from Hickson to offset Paul Millsap (team-high 23 points).Jeff Teague’s tough shooting day (4-for-13 FGs) paled in comparison to Lawson’s 1-for-10. The Hawks held the Nuggets without a field goal for nearly five minutes during the second and early third quarters. A furious scramble from Chandler (29 points, 10 rebounds, 8-for-10 2FGs, 4-for-12 3FGs) and the now-departed Alonzo Gee (gone in the Afflalo trade with Portland) was too little, too late.

    Gallinari went 0-for-6 off the bench against Atlanta in December, and remains hot-and-mostly-cold despite a recent return to the starting lineup (10.1 PPG; career-low 36.4 FG%; 14.8 PPG and 37.9 FG% as a starter). Denver couldn’t find the long-range firepower (17.1 3FG%, including 0-for-4 from Millsap wannabe Darrell Arthur) to keep up with Kyle Korver and Millsap (7-for-12 combined 3FGs) in December.

    Hunt will look to new arrival Will Barton (acquired in the Portland trade, 15+ points in six of his last nine games) and Chandler to keep up with Korver, Millsap and former Nugget DeMarre Carroll (combined 13-for-21 FGs). Only Lawson (35.6 3FG%) shoots above 34 percent from deep. Chandler struggled with a sore knee midway through the Knicks game on Monday, but is probable to play, as is Arthur (calf).

    Faried (15.0 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 1.6 BPG, 1.2 SPG under Hunt) has a new lease on life now that he’s out from under the constant side-eye on Shaw. Minimalizing the Manimal (3.0 O-Rebs per game) and forcing him to get his offense away from the rim (35.1 FG% beyond 3-feet) will neutralize his offensive output. There may be chances to strip the ball away from Faried as he gathers the ball in the paint for hook shots (40.5 FG% on hooks).

    The Nuggets were well-criticized for being so top-heavy in the passing game, Lawson (9.8 APG; 10 assists @ ATL on Dec. 7) the only Nugget exceeding 2.5 APG. Connelly swapped Robinson to Boston in January, bringing in Jameer Nelson (4.0 APG in Denver). While he’s a clear upgrade for the bench, his defensive deficiencies make him ill-suited to pair up in a dual-point-guard scenario with Lawson, the way Teague and Dennis Schröder work together (+6.3 points per 100 possessions, as a two-man combo).

    The Hawks possess the depth and the energy to keep up with Lawson and Denver’s renewed pace for a full 48 minutes. They need to keep Lawson (13.1 team PPG from Lawson drives, 2nd in NBA) from creating havoc with drives into the lane, seal off Nugget bigs from the offensive glass (26.1 O-Reb%, 10th in NBA), get back to thwart Denver fastbreaks (15.1 fastbreak PPG, 6th in NBA), and compel Denver to settle for rushed and well-contested jumpers.

    When games get start to get away from the Nuggets, they start hacking (NBA-high 22.9 personal fouls per game and 26.7 opponent FTAs/game), hoping the altitude and physical play will knock opposing teams out of focus. The Hawks (77.6 FT%, 4th in NBA) have missed exactly three free throws in seven of their last eight games (five missed FTs in a two-point win at Miami), and must continue to avoid leaving critical points on the table, especially on the road (77.2 road FT%, 9th in NBA).

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  9. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Kings

    By lethalweapon3,

    “So happy togetherrrrr…”



    Mike Budenholzer looks over the throngs of cheering fans at Centennial Olympic Park, on a sunny June afternoon that was tailor-made for an NBA championship parade. A glistening trophy at his back, the triumphant Atlanta Hawks coach grabs the microphone, and queries the crowd:

    “Say, any of you remember back in March, when we lost a game to the Sixers?... No?... Good. Me neither!”

    The Hawks have put their Phlop in Philadelphia on Saturday in the rear view mirror, and immediately began preparing for the final home game for nearly two weeks, tonight’s affair with the Sacramento Kings (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, CSN California).

    The failure to execute the offense in Philly (84 points, 20 assists, 19 turnovers) without three starters was merely One to Grow On for the Hawk reserves that got extra floor time, particularly Kent Bazemore, John Jenkins, and Mike Muscala (combined 6-for-18 FGs). Jeff Teague and Dennis Schröder (ten combined TOs) will find less of a need to force the action with wings Kyle Korver and DeMarre Carroll back on the floor against Sacramento.

    Up by 10.5 games on the entire Eastern Conference field with just 20 games to play, a loss to the Sixers while deliberately shorthanded is hardly a reason to panic. Panicking is what Sacramento Kings owner and former fourth-grade girls’ hoops coach Vivek Ranadive does, less than two months into the NBA season.

    Mike Malone guided this long-dormant team to a 5-1 start and its first winning record (8-7) during a calendar month in eons, the fiery coach keeping a nice co-dependency thing going with volcanic center DeMarcus Cousins. The team began sagging first with injuries to Rudy Gay and Darren Collison, but Ranadive pulled the rug out from under Malone, the Kings sliding out of Western Conference contention while Boogie sat for a few weeks amid a bout with viral meningitis. Kings fans howled in disapproval, but the response from up top has essentially been, “You think you can find another dedicated owner around here?”

    With his symbiosis with Malone severed, Cousins floundered at times upon his return. He has renewed struggles with his composure around the referees, but remains as dominant as any NBA pivot (37 double-doubles, 2nd in NBA, 23.6 PPG, 6th in NBA), earning his first All-Star trip as an injury replacement. While Rudy Gay (career-highs 20.5 PPG, 3.8 APG, 84.9 FT%, 27.0% of shots between 10-16 feet) still gets his obligatory buckets, the rest of the Sactown roster can’t seem to figure out whether they’re coming or going.

    The Kings (21-40) have won fewer games in 37 contests (10-27) than they did during Malone’s short-circuited tenure (11-13). Ranadive turned to the hapless Ty Corbin to move up from his assistant spot to run the show, but Ty’s lack of preparation for this particular gig showed up nightly. Ranadive then found the guy who is more than happy to play the game the Vivek way.

    After getting screwjobbed by the Nuggets, 2013 NBA Coach of the Year George Karl has been running around with a flashlight in the daytime in search of somebody, anybody, willing to get him back in the NBA coaching ranks. He didn’t have to look too hard before finding Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro, who worked with him as an assistant GM in Denver.

    Now that Karl’s here, his job isn’t necessarily to turn anything around quickly. He has to build the trust of an understandably grumbling Kings fanbase, as Ranadive spends the next eight months rebuilding the roster in his preferred image. That means IDGAF’ing about defensive strategy (105.9 opponent points per 100 possessions through 9 games under Karl, 4th worst in NBA) while fine-tuning offensive execution and maximizing chances by rebounding like madmen (52.6 Rebound percentage under Karl, 1st in NBA).

    Ranadive wants Grinnell System hoops to be translated into winning NBA basketball. To that end, he’s running the D-League affiliate Reno Bighorns as his own personal (non-Geoff) Petrie dish, turning to the son of Grinnell legend David Arsenault to get this minor league team ballin’ outta control. With jitterbug guards like Brady Heslip and David Stockton having led the charge, Reno (16-24) is putting up a ridiculous 133.8 points per game in the D-League... while allowing an equally absurd 134.6 points on the other end.

    Karl is notorious for fielding run-and-gun teams, and while Corbin tried to follow directions and push the tempo (5th in NBA for pace during Corbin-era), he didn’t know how to convert that energy into winning basketball (7-21). Karl (3-6) is essentially scouting to see who on the Kings roster will be capable of sustaining an elevated pace of play over the course of a full season… if anybody.

    Cousins fouled out with under two minutes to go in overtime with the Kings up by a point in Miami on Saturday, a game the Kings went on to lose by five after blowing a 16-point second-half lead. Can Cuz, who played despite spraining his ankle Saturday but is likely to suit up tonight, perform at an optimal level with an elevated tempo? Or will he foul himself out of games just trying to slow things down?

    Might Gay thrive in a system that isn’t defense-centric? Or would his efficiency take another tumble as the Kings do away with halfcourt sets? Even with virtually all of the Kings’ top players returning next season under guaranteed contracts, few appear to be equipped to play Grinnell-style basketball (Reggie Evans? C’mon.) This suggests a fire-sale is forthcoming this summer, even for Cousins and Gay, and hardly anyone on the current roster would be opposed to that.

    With Collison likely sidelined for the season with a hip flexor, Karl has turned the point guard duties over to Ray McCallum, the Summer League MVP who is averaging 8.6 PPG, 4.1 APG, 1.8 TOs per game in nine games as a starter. Desiring a better veteran presence to handle the rock, Karl and D’Alessandro sent Ramon Sessions packing and brought in Andre Miller, the former Nugget who can’t feel too bad about leaving playoff-“contender” Washington right now. While he’s expressed a comfort level playing under Karl, Miller is likely in Sactown to get groomed for a post-retirement coaching gig.

    Points from the field have been hard to come by for the Kings. After Cousins, Gay, and Rudy Gay Lite (guard Ben McLemore, 35.7 3FG%), Sacramento’s top active scorers consist of Carl Landry, Omri Casspi, and Derrick Williams, each around seven PPG. Rebounding starter Jason Thompson, who recently became Sacramento’s longest-tenured player (games played) of all time, contributes less than six points per game. Rookie Nik Stauskas gets occasional green-lights, but has been clearly stuck in neutral and has seen his floortime diminish once again under Karl.

    Still, the bull-in-china-shop nature of Cousins’ game (12.2 PPG in-the-paint, 2nd in NBA; league-high 9.7 FG attempts within five feet) grants Sacramento the most drawn fouls (24.3 personal fouls drawn per game; NBA-high 8.6 per game by Cousins), leading to the most free throws in the league by far (29.6 FTAs per game, 15% more than second-place Minnesota). Al Horford and Elton Brand will need to rely on their defensive guile to keep Cousins out of deep post position without fouling. If Cousins (also league-high 4.2 personal fouls per game) isn’t getting the whistles he believes he rightfully deserves, the unraveling for Sacramento will begin early.

    The Kings remain in contention only when opponents have poor shooting nights. Sacramento is 18-5 when opponents shoot below 43 percent from the field, 1-27 (the sole win coming in overtime, at home, against the Knicks) when their foes shoot 47 percent or higher. Teague and Schröder must show patience both bringing the ball up the floor (avoiding turnovers when Ranadive’s Kings press full-court) and finding the open man on drives.

    Horford had an offensive off-night in Philadelphia (6-for-16 FGs). While Cousins is nimble enough to come out of the paint and defend Al’s mid-range jumper, Horford (NBA-high 71.4 FG% on drives, min. 50 drives) may be able to exploit the Kings defense by working around Cousins on shot fakes to get to the hoop. Carroll, Paul Millsap, and Horford need to get their Grinnell on against the Kings frontcourt, as each are capable of beating their man down the floor in transition.

    The Kings do defend the three-ball well (33.7 opponent 3FG%, 7th-lowest in NBA, just behind Atlanta’s 33.3%). Ben McLemore has been effective guarding shooters around the three-point line, opponents shooting just 31.2 3FG% on the left corner and above-the-break with McLemore on the floor. Atlanta will want to pass up contested perimeter shots, swinging the ball around the horn and cross-court for better catch-and-shoot opportunities.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  10. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - 76ers

    By lethalweapon3,

    "You up for cheesesteaks afterwards?"



    Alright, Philadelphia 76ers. You’re still not doing this right.

    If Philly does not intend to hand their division-rival Knicks the league’s top lottery odds, if they are indeed trying to out-tank the world, then they’re doing a pretty rotten job of showing it on the floor lately. The Sixers (13-49) are expected to keep tonight’s affair with the visiting and NBA-leading Atlanta Hawks (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, CSN Philly) from becoming a “trap game.” A few players may not have received the memo.

    Philadelphia is merely decimal points “behind” New York in the race to the bottom of the league. But both before and after the trade deadline, Brett Brown’s charges are participating in way too many close shaves. Absent DeMarre Carroll, Thabo Sefolosha, and Pero Antić, the Hawks hung on back on January 31 for a 91-85 home win, the last of a historic 19-game win streak, that felt nowhere near as fun as the 105-87 romp Atlanta enjoyed in Philly just three weeks before. Since then, the Sixers beat three floundering teams (Denver, Charlotte, and Washington). And while they’ve dropped eleven games in that span, eight of those involved margins of eleven points or less.

    On Wednesday night, Russell Westbrook walked on his home floor donning a mask, and put up 49 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. And playoff-hungry Oklahoma City needed every last one of those triple-double items just to fend off a visiting Philadelphia team by five points in overtime, a Sixer team that was already missing a “starter” in Robert Covington (elbow contusion).

    Part of the mistake the Thunder made was that they, like the rest of the free world, did not realize that “Jason Richardson, competent basketball player” was still a thing. Acquired back in the summer of 2012 when Philly thought they traded their way into title contention, J-Rich played in just his 39th game in a Sixer uniform, the sixth in the past two seasons, on Wednesday. The 34-year-old scored 29 points (4-for-9 3FGs, 9-for-9 FTs) and added six rebounds against the Thunder.

    Brown has praised Richardson’s stick-to-it-iveness over the past two seasons, never demanding a lifeline out of town while dealing with knee/foot/conditioning issues. Now that J-Rich is finally healthy, Brown is rewarding him with as much garbage floor time as his heart desires.

    Michael Carter-Williams was the face of the franchise, the signal to the Brotherly Love fanbase that good times are just a few more draft picks around the corner. Until he wasn’t. MCW got traded at the deadline to Milwaukee for a top-5-protected 2015 pick (controlled by the Lakers). No worries, Philly fans. LeSean McCoy and the Philadelphia Eagles’ season is right around the corner.

    Slam-dunking second-round steal K.J. McDaniels was sent packing as well, off to Houston for a fifth second-round pick this year. Oh, and Isaiah Canaan, who lit up the Thunder with 31 points on 8-for-13 3FGs (“Canaan-ball!”), plus seven rebounds and six assists. Brown has given Canaan and Richardson carte blanche to make lemonade out of Philadelphia’s NBA-worst offense (92.1 points per 100 possessions; no other NBA team’s rating falls below 98).

    Last night, Philly hosted Utah and held Quin Snyder’s up-and-coming team to 89 points on 38 percent shooting. They forced 18 turnovers that included 13 Sixer steals, 10 combined from Nerlens Noel and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. J-Rich’s tank-a-rific 0-for-10 shooting night and elbow-hampered Covington’s 1-for-8 performance off the bench were the only things that “saved” Philadelphia from victory, the Jazz prevailing by just six points.

    The Sixers may not be helping themselves against the Knicks, but GM Sam Hinkie may have done the Hawks’ brass a solid by screwjobbing another division rival -- blasphemously, if you asked Thomas Robinson.

    After getting traded out of Finals-contending Portland and securing a buyout from down-in-the-dumps Denver, Robinson was praising his maker for securing a new deal with Billy King’s Brooklyn Nets (“All Thanks to GOD! Thank you Brooklyn”). The Deal from the Heavens assumed T-Rob was going to clear waivers, and it was assumed his addition would help the Nets lock down one of the East’s final two playoff spots. But you know what they say about what happens when you assume. Lo and behold, Hinkie swooped in like a thief in… well, Philly at night… and used Robinson’s salary to scooch the Sixers above the NBA’s salary-minimum floor.

    His new teammates were probably less than thrilled to see him arrive, and not for competitive reasons. Whatever the Sixers didn’t pay in minimum salary was all set to go to them. Now that roughly $3 million in bonus dough goes away. Yeah… welcome, Thomas!

    Robinson now gets to spend the balance of the season in Proving People Wrong mode. Yeah, that always ends well. “I’m tired of being treated like a rag doll. I just want to prove that I belong here. I’m tired of being treated like I’ve been treated in this league… Nobody’s given me a chance,” pleaded the 5th overall pick of the 2012 NBA draft.

    T-Rob has been PPW’ing from the bench so far, but perhaps not for much longer. Robinson joined the double-double club with Noel last night, providing 11 points and a team-high 12 rebounds in just 15 bench minutes. He will likely form a fronctourt tandem with LRMAM and Noel as the Sixers continue trying to put on a good face.

    Beyond that, when it comes to offense, the Sixers don’t have Ish. Whoa, check that… they do have Jeff Teague’s former collegiate backcourt mate, Ish Smith, coming off the bench. Smith contributed 14 points and 7 assists (one turnover) in 22 bench minutes last night. He was picked up off waivers after the Pelicans released him two weeks ago. Smith makes it four key players on the Sixers roster who were not around the last time the Hawks and Sixers met just over a month ago.

    Noel understands that, with MCW’s departure, he is now the face of the Sixers… until he’s not. The highest-salaried returnee next season is next year’s rookie and perennial Rihanna stalker Joel Embiid. Only Noel, Embiid, the injured Tony Wroten, Covington, and Jerami Grant have guaranteed contracts for 2015-16. Everyone understands that when they put on the Sixers jersey, they’re not playing for Hinkie’s 76ers so much as they are for their next NBA employer. So each player will give it their letter-best for every game, including tonight’s against the league’s best team.

    “Un” fortunately for the 76ers, their “go-for-yours” style of offense won’t lead to much production unless they’re getting runouts in transition (17.4 PPG off TOs, 8th in NBA; Atlanta’s 17.9 PPG ranks 7th). Only Smith, through seven games as a Sixer reserve, exceeds five assists per night. And Hawks’ opponents average an NBA-low 11.0 PPG off fastbreaks.

    Rest and recovery remain important for Mike Budenholzer’s Hawks, especially when dealing with contests on back-to-back nights. 21 teams have at least one player logging more minutes per night than Paul Millsap and Kyle Korver’s 33 MPG. On the hunt for win #50, Atlanta (49-12) will rely on the depth of the roster to hold serve during the Sixers’ biggest runs, preserving the starters ahead of a six-game road trip that begins on Wednesday.

    Mike Scott (7-for-9 FGs), Dennis Schröder (8 assists, 1 TO) had huge offensive roles during the Hawks’ flustering of the Cavaliers last night. Former Sixer Elton Brand and Kent Bazemore also made crucial stops and made things simpler for Al Horford, Jeff Teague and the LeBron-containing Carroll to reserve their energy for the decisive final quarter. These reserves, plus Mike Muscala and John Jenkins, will be useful to keep the Spirit of the 76ers under wraps.

    As was the case last night (10 Hawks steals, just ten TOs), possession control and execution will be crucial, limiting Philadelphia’s chances of staying within a Canaan-ball or two from victory. Atlanta is 23-4 when they limit their turnovers to 12 or fewer. Philly desperately needs the Hawks to help them do tanking right.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  11. lethalweapon3
    So, if Kid ‘n Play had a love child…



    Hello there, Cleveland Cavaliers. Welcome to Believeland!

    It’s quite abstruse ((cough)) to glance at current Vegas lines and pundit prognostications suggesting the Cavaliers, from a town that hasn’t enjoyed a pro sports title since the first LBJ administration, is the odds-on favorite to win the NBA championship.

    Particularly galling are the notions they’ll accomplish that feat against any of the entire field in the West. Never mind the host Atlanta Hawks, who lead the Cavs by 10.5 games in the East, ahead of tonight’s contest at The Highlight Factory (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, Fox Sports Ohio). Those calling Cleveland “Believeland,” rather than “The Land of Make Believe,” strain the bounds of credulity.

    But that’s what having a so-called Big Three grants you when you’re up against a Fun-Sized Five, especially when one of your Big Ones is home-metro savior LeBron James. All that was needed was a big turnaround in fortunes to get Euclid Avenue’s armchair parade-planners from around the world back in business.

    From January 15 on, only Cleveland (20-4) has enjoyed a better run of success than Atlanta (17-4). For those viewing through wine-and-gold-tinted glasses, tonight’s outcome will either affirm the Cavaliers as the odds-on team to beat in the East, or serve as just another regular season game to dismiss along the yellow brick road to the conference finals.

    Yet Atlanta (48-12), bearers once again of the league’s longest winning streak (five games), continues to be at its best when others, especially opponents, have prematurely counted them out. The Hawks don’t need millions of people around the globe to believe in what they can achieve. They need buy-in from just five guys on the floor at any given time, propelled by the league’s likely Coach of the Year.

    The last six Eastern Conference Players of the Month share the floor tonight, and one of those gentlemen is LeBron. His February 2015 award was his 28th such monthly honor, the most since the NBA began bestowing such hardware, but the first for James (24.4 PPG, 7.3 APG, 6.6 RPG in February) in a calendar year.

    James (27.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG in 11.5 NBA seasons) has been a Human Highlight Film for the current NBA generation, and he’ll be on-hand as the retired NBA player who had the term invented for him gets honored with a statue before a capacity crowd of appreciative fans.

    For unfortunate reasons, Dominique Wilkins (26.5 PPG and 6.9 RPG during 11.5 seasons in Atlanta) wasn’t around the last time the Hawks clinched a division title. Thus, it’s fitting that his likeness has been bronzed (not just cemented), and his legacy immortalized, during the season Atlanta zeroes in on its first-ever Southeast Division crown.

    The Cavaliers (39-24) have reconfigured themselves since getting outpaced by the Hawks during their last visit to Philips, a 109-101 victory on December 30 that was on the front end of a 1-9 losing stretch. James coached that game from the sideline with a sore knee, but the Hawks were missing All-Star center Al Horford as well, a last-minute scratch due to illness.

    Because somebody had to score for Cleveland, Kyrie Irving (37.2 minutes/game, 2nd in NBA; 21.7 PPG, 10th in NBA) poured in 35 points on 34 total shots against the Hawks, nearing the unwanted triple-double by adding nine assists and eight turnovers. Tristan Thompson’s 18-and-13 offset a tainted Love (1-for-8 FGs), who sat out the fourth quarter with back tightness.

    Still, all The King’s horses could do nothing with Jeff Teague, who put up 23 points and 11 assists for the Hawks and had little problem getting into the lane (5-for-6 FGs in the paint) and to the line (6-for-10 FTs). And all The King’s men had no answer for Kyle Korver (5-for-8 3FGs) or Paul Millsap, who poured on ten of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to fend off Irving’s late charge and put the victory on ice. The Cavs were still suffering from Fear of a Mack Planet after what Shelvin did to them just two weeks prior. But he wasn’t needed on this night, as Teague, Korver, and Dennis Schröder shot a combined 20-for-31 from the field.

    Cavs General Manager David Griffin is in his first full season running the show, and all indications suggest he would like to have a second one. So to stem Cleveland’s slide, he pulled off interconnected deals with OKC/New York and Denver to pry loose swingmen Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith, along with center Timofey Mozgov. With those additions, the Cavs turned frowns upside down by winning 14 of their next 15 games.

    Cleveland’s defense has noticeably improved since Shumpert joined Mozgov on the Cavs’ roster. Before Shump’s Cavs debut, opponents registered an NBA-high 26.2 assists per 100 possessions. With Shump on board after missing time with a dislocated shoulder, that opponent assist value dropped to 23.2, still above the league average, but down to 11th-most in the NBA. They’re not inducing more turnovers, but clamping down with better man defense (46.2 opponent eFG% with Shumpert, 2nd-lowest in NBA).

    It’s not all Shumpert, although Cleveland’s defensive efficiency went from 106.4 opponent points per 100 possessions (5th worst in NBA) to 99.1 (7th best in NBA) after Iman joined the group. It’s taken awhile for Blatt’s defensive schemes and James’ accompanying tutelage to begin sinking in with the rest of the Cleveland roster, particularly Matthew Dellavedova and Irving in the backcourt and Kevin Love up front. Smith is still a gambler, but leads the Cavs with 1.8 steals per game while starting alongside Irving.

    Mozgov (career-highs 10.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.6 BPG, 58.9 FG% in Cleveland) has adequately replaced the season-sidelined Anderson Varejao. While Mozgov starts, the Cavs now turn to Thompson (8.2 RPG, career-high 54.2 FG%), who Blatt considers a Sixth-Man Award candidate, as a spark off the bench to help the Cavs close games out.

    James Jones (last 4 games: 22.0 minutes/game, 9.8 PPG, 50.0 3FG%) has transitioned from a pure long-range gunner to a stretch-four that can give Love and LeBron a breather. Recently-acquired Kendrick Perkins is an upgrade over Brendan Haywood and steels the Cavalier frontcourt a bit while Shawn Marion recovers from a strained hip.

    All those front-line moves allow James, now the league’s all-time leader in assists among forwards, to place less emphasis on defensive rebounding and more on picking opposing defenses apart, one full-bore drive to the hoop at a time. James is on a mission to re-stake his claim as the league’s Most Valuable Player, a tall order given the otherworldly performances being turned in by Stephen Curry, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. Having an MVP Whisperer in Perkins in his ear motivates him all the more. Although his True Shooting (57.9 TS%) is at a seven-year low, his per-36 scoring (26.1) and assists (7.3) are marginally higher than any of the seasons during his title runs in Miami.

    Opponents are doing all they can do (or, all they can get away with) to stop The Return of The King to the MVP throne. Cleveland’s past two games have turned James into an expert witness as to what qualifies, and what doesn’t, as a “basketball play”. In the past week, he was the victim of flagrant fouls by Harden and Toronto’s Jonas Valanciunas, the latter corralling James for a two-point takedown before he could spring loose in the paint for an easy score on Wednesday night.

    Aside from a career-high 4.2 turnovers per game, one major chink in James’ MVP armor has been free throw shooting, as highlighted by his 37-point (off a season-high 35 FGAs and 12 3FGAs) but 3-for-11 FT performance in Sunday’s two-point loss in Houston. We’re not in Hack-a-Bron territory yet, but LeBron’s 71.5 FT% is the lowest since he was a 23-year-old back in 2008. As his free throw accuracy diminishes, the will to stop his paths to the basket by any means necessary rises.

    Atlanta does all it can to avoid excessive fouling (16.6 personals per game, lowest in NBA), so it’s unlikely the Hawks’ defenders will get too chippy trying to keep LeBron in front of them. But he and his teammates are already playing with frayed nerves and are primed to take umbrage with any perceived hard foul. If Perkins plays at all, it won’t be because of his mid-range jumper.

    Both the Raptors and Hawks stormed back from double-digit second-half deficits before rabid home crowds in their most recent games. While Harden-less Houston could only resort to the likes of Josh Smith to try plugging the dam in Atlanta on Tuesday, the Cavs turned to LeBron in Toronto on Wednesday, and he delivered. By either scoring (15 points) or assisting in the fourth quarter, James was responsible for 21 of Cleveland’s last 26 points as the Cavs pulled away.

    Just one Maurice Podoloff Trophy separates LeBron (33.8 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 7.0 APG, 2.3 SPG, 1.3 BPG last four games) from Bill Russell and Michael Jordan, just two away from Kareem Adbul-Jabbar. He wants to ensure the MVP voters, and the smattering of NBA legends in the stands tonight, that his campaign this season, lugging a playoff-inexperienced roster toward the top of the East, should not be overlooked.

    James, though, understands that any chance of running through the tape in the MVP race hinges on how close his Cavs can get to the runaway Hawks. This will be Cleveland’s final chance to narrow the gap in the regular season standings and, while it probably won’t matter, avoid handing the Hawks a tiebreaker. The Cavaliers want one of the top-two seeds. Truth be told, while there’s plenty of time for the Cavs to secure it, Atlanta wants Cleveland in that 2-or-3-slot as well.

    Despite a rough shooting night against the Rockets on Tuesday, Millsap has shaken off a downturn in production from mid-February to help carry the Hawks during the past five games (19.2 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 3.2 APG, 48.1 FG%, 42.1 3FG%), particularly coming through for Atlanta in the fourth quarter. Following a tough shooting stretch recently, Horford has had similar success with clutch buckets in his last two games (17.5 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 69.6 FG%).

    The Hawks' backcourt starters will want to avoid yet another sluggish first half at home, so their All-Star frontcourt teammates won’t have to play Herculean hoops at the close of this game. Teague and Schröder should be able to get wherever they want on the way into the paint, and drawing help from James and Shumpert can open things up for Carroll (39.7 3FG%, 18th in NBA; 46.2 3FG% in last three games) and Korver. This weekend’s back-to-back games could be just the opportunities Korver (49.2 FG%, NBA-high 49.6 3FG%) needs to float back above the 50-percent menisci.

    Cleveland will want to do whatever they can to get one of Millsap or DeMarre Carroll in foul trouble. That could open the door for Mike Scott (14.3 3FG% last six games), who hasn’t blocked a shot since Thanksgiving and exceeded three defensive boards just once in the past month, to try and hold things down.

    Instead, Mike Budenholzer may pair Al Horford with Pero Antić to keep up the defensive intensity when Millsap or DMC need to sit. Bud may also deploy Mike Muscala, who swatted four shots in Miami last Saturday and had a season-high 13 points and four blocks during garbage minutes in Cleveland back in November.

    Danny Ferry has had an awfully hard time satisfying people. As the Cavs’ GM, jumping through one hoop after another, making player moves on behalf of LeBron and his meddling associates, was insufficient to keep Northeast Ohio’s favorite son from setting sail for greener pastures. Ferry wisely jumped before he could be pushed into Lake Erie.

    As the Hawks’ GM, Danny’s table-setting for the team’s unparalleled future success was not enough for at least one current owner to cut him some slack. The squabbling among ownership factions over a statue finally being unveiled tonight set the stage for the power-playing tempest Ferry unwittingly walked into, while some intel he read aloud before these owners, likely from a former Cavs manager, set wheels in motion for his double-secret probation.

    While the statue has been erected, and as Atlanta sits happily atop the NBA standings, Ferry’s job status remains in flux. However, Atlanta’s next victory would ensure the Hawks an opportunity to get more out of Ferry’s iconic 2012 Joe Johnson trade than a 2017 second-rounder and gobs of cap space. The mirth emanating from the Ferry compound would be much greater if that victory comes at the expense of his former bosses, namely LeBron James and Cleveland’s Dan Gilbert.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  12. lethalweapon3
    “What? But I was only trying to squash a fly!”



    Ow! That’s gotta hurt!

    The Houston Rockets suddenly have to face the top team in the NBA, the Atlanta Hawks, tonight at the Highlight Factory (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, NBATV) without the services of MVP candidate and NBA-leading scorer James Harden for the first time all season.

    That’s all because The Bearded One, while struggling for possession of a basketball, got just a little teste.

    Specifically, Harden took a jab at the royal huckleberries of That Other King James, during Sunday’s two-point victory over visiting Cleveland. Any attempt to go Roshambo, especially against one of the league’s sacred cows, is usually enough to earn an NBA baller at least a one-game suspension. Harden got no clemency from the fine folks up in Secaucus.

    Houston (41-18, 3rd in the Western Conference) will try to soldier on without either Harden (season-high 14 assists, but 5-for-16 FGs vs. ATL on Dec. 20) or Dwight Howard, who has missed over a month following a bone marrow procedure for his achy knee but should be returning soon. Winning big games without their star players ought to Harden the resolve of this shorthanded bunch, as they continue fighting for first-round homecourt advantage in the West.

    The Rockets swept all five games during their Toyota Center homestand. But they get somewhat Mr. Hyde-y once they hit the road, where they lost their last two (at the Clippers before the All-Star Break, in Dallas after the Break). Opponents have averaged just 95.9 PPG in Clutch City (42.9 opponent FG%, NBA-low 28.3 opponent 3FG%, NBA-high 18.0 opponent TOs per game), but 103.9 PPG when the Rockets have to hit the road. Worse, Houston has allowed 110+ points in seven of their last nine road games, including each of their last four.

    With mid-season newcomers Corey Brewer, Josh Smith (thought you were done seeing him, eh?), and K.J. McDaniels joining the defensively-improved Harden, scrappy point guard Patrick Beverley, Trevor Ariza and Dwight Howard, Houston (99.7 defensive rating, 3rd in NBA, just ahead of Atlanta’s 99.8) has enough tools at full strength to shut anyone down. But the lax effort in away games has to be disconcerting for head coach Kevin McHale. Without Harden, will there be enough offensive Rocket-power to keep up for 48 minutes against a well-rested Hawks squad? If not, what can McHale do to keep his team locked in all night on the defensive end?

    The top-two scorers for Houston entering tonight’s contest are Ariza (12.6 PPG, 38.3 FG%) and Brewer (12.0 PPG, 42.7 FG%). Neither are great shooters, nor are Smith (44.2 FG%; 32.3 3FG%), Beverley (37.9 FG%, 36.0 3FG%), Jason Terry (41.2 FG%, 38.4 3FG%), rookie Kostas Papanikolaou (35.4 FG%, 29.8 3FG%), or newcomer Pablo Prigioni (40.9 season FG%).

    The magnetic effects of Harden’s offense and Howard’s rebounding usually keeps the other Rockets’ offensive flaws from being laid bare. With that duo sapping most of the usage out of the ball, Josh is in almost a perfect predicament, coming off the bench like Terry with very little pressure. Will Smoove (44.3 FT% in Houston) try to put the team on his shoulders and single-handedly carry them to victory with his offense? If he tries to go full Smoove, Houston will have problems.

    Houston’s offensive strength is the ability to avoid settling for inefficient mid-range jumpers. They’re the only NBA team that takes less than ten mid-range shots (8.7) per game, just a little over half of the Hawks’ 17.1 attempts (although, on an NBA-high 43.3 FG%, thanks to Al Horford) which rank 4th-fewest in the league. Instead, Houston lives at the three-point line, taking an NBA-high 6.2 shots from the left corner and a league-high 5.2 shots from the right, while only Golden State takes more shots beyond the arc (22.2 per game).

    Still, their inefficiency in striking nylon can be a problem (22nd in 3FG% above-the-arc) when they’re not able to get enough extra chances. During a 104-97 loss to the Hawks in Houston this past December, the Rockets shot just 15-for-43 from three-point range, on 17 more shots than Atlanta, and did not fare much better inside the arc. Every Rocket aside from Dwight shot 12-for-33 on two-pointers, including 4-for-16 in the paint beyond three feet from the rim. Getting eleven more offensive rebounds than the Hawks’ four didn’t make much difference.

    As the Rockets’ bombs are bursting in air, Kyle Korver, DeMarre Carroll, and Kent Bazemore must balance patrolling the corners with helping the Hawks’ bigs seal the Rockets off of the offensive glass, particularly Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas. After missing nearly three months to deal with nerve issues in his leg, Jones has worn off the rust and has his starting gig back, averaging 18.5 PPG (60.4 FG%), 10.5 RPG (4.8 offensive), and 2.0 BPG in his last four games. Motiejunas gained the trust of McHale and has moved from the starting power forward to center after Howard’s injury. He has decent post moves (including a nice hook shot) but also likes to stretch the floor, averaging 15.0 PPG while shooting 52.8 FG% and 60.0 3FG% in his last three starts.

    Hawks head coach Mike Budenohlzer’s gambit paid off on Saturday, allowing Horford (17 points and 13 rebounds vs. ORL last Friday) some stay-at-home time while giving Jeff Teague, Carroll and Pero Antić time to rest their minor injuries. That gave Dennis Schröder (16 points, ten assists), Bazemore (15 points, 3 steals), and John Jenkins (12 points, 7 rebounds) time to shine as Atlanta kept Miami at arm’s length right through the final buzzer.

    Collectively, the guard trio sunk 6-of-8 three-pointers, and was more than enough to offset Dwyane Wade, a hampered Goran Dragic and an erratic Mario Chalmers. The gap could have been bigger if Shelvin Mack (0-for-7 FGs) had played within the rhythm of the offense. Perhaps most impressive was the way the shorthanded Hawks unit forced a season-high 23 turnovers out of Miami.

    Teague (last six games, 40.0 FG%, 11.8 PPG and 5.5 APG) will seek out a measure of revenge against NBA All-Defensive Second-Teamer Beverley, who came from way behind to oust Teague with a three-pointer during the All-Star Weekend’s Skills Challenge. Teague crawled out of his post-All-Star offensive funk with a strong second-half performance (17 points) to finish off the Magic on Friday. Atlanta will want “Teague Time” to start on-time in the first quarter and, unlike the Skills Challenge, to last all the way to the end. He’ll need to make sound decisions coming off of screens from the equally-rested Horford and Antić.

    Atlanta often comes out looking like they could use a SnickersTM when they get at least a couple of rest days. Dallas galloped to a 34-22 first-quarter lead on the Hawks (two days rest) last Wednesday, before Atlanta turned on the jets. Coming out of the All-Star Break, Toronto blew out the Hawks before seeming to fall off a cliff in the games that followed. Back in January, before the Hawks (two days rest) beat the breaks off Brooklyn, the Nets started out with an early 21-13 lead. The Hawks were running in mud against Milwaukee after the Christmas break, allowing 58 first-half points. And the Lakers rang up 67 first-half points on the Hawks (two days rest) in November.

    Like tonight’s contest, all of those games were at home. The three starters that benefited from sitting out the Orlando game are the ones who can set the tone early against Houston by controlling the pace and the ball (forcing more turnovers), and by taking saner shots, the latter of which shouldn’t be hard to do against Houston without Harden around.

    In Houston on Dec. 20, Korver (4-for-8 3FGs) and Carroll (3-for-5 3FGs), and even Antić (2-for-3 3FGs) had little problem getting shots off. Schröder (3-for-9 FGs while filling in for the injured Jeff Teague) and Mack (nine points and four assists) were able to drive and keep the defense honest enough that Beverley could not diverge to provide help with Hawks spread around the perimeter. A similarly-focused game with Teague back in tow would help swing the outcome once again in Atlanta’s favor.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  13. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - heat

    By lethalweapon3,

    “Believe it or not, I’m walkin’ on air!”



    For a moment, it was looking like the Atlanta Hawks’ hosts tonight, the Miami heat (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, SUN Sports) may have produced The Big 3, ver. 2.0, right on time for a playoff run.

    The reigning all-NBA third-teamer and Most Improved Player, Goran Dragic (16.2 PPG, 4.1 APG) finally tired of doing Little Jack Horner impressions in the corners, watching his summertime free agent value recede while getting crowded out of Phoenix’s multi-point-guard offense. He moped his way right out of the Valley of the Sun and into the Sunshine State, bringing his consonant brother Zoran along with him.

    For the price of Norris Cole, Danny Granger, Justin Hamilton, Shawne Williams, and a pair of future first-rounders, The Dragon now gets to do what Mario Chalmers, Cole, Shabazz Napier, Tyler Johnson, Shannon Brown, and Andre Dawkins could not conceivably do for Pat Riley all season – provide a legit backcourt mate that allows Dwyane Wade to be Dwyane Wade. Throw in the Hassanity that arrived with the stunning emergence of Hassan Whiteside, and Riley’s crew was looking like a surefire contender no one would want to wrangle with in an Eastern Conference playoff series.

    Suddenly, the heat’s postseason prospects took quite the liver punch.

    Miami’s All-Star leading scorer Chris Bosh (21.1 PPG and 2.2 APG, highest of his Miami career; 7.0 RPG, career-high 1.4 3FGs per game) had been struggling with discomfort through the All-Star Break. Once it was checked out, he was found to have dangerous blood clots in his lungs. Thankfully, it appears he’ll recover after surgery, but his 2014-15 hoops campaign is over.

    That untimely news put the ki-Bosh on visions of a poetic NBA Finals dancing in heat fans’ heads. But they shouldn’t necessarily run out of American Airlines Arena prematurely.

    Goran should be able to offset Bosh’s team-high scoring, while his passing skills will allow Wade and Luol Deng to shift more into supplemental rebounding roles. He’s not the strongest distance-shooter (35.0 3FG%), but has an uncanny ability for a guard to get into the paint and finish. This season, Dragic is shooting 55.8% on two-pointers (6th among NBA players -- all of them) on the strength of getting over 40% of his shots within 3 feet of the rim (70.3 at-rim FG%, almost all layups).

    Dragic may be capable of doubling Miami’s 8.8 fastbreak PPG (3rd fewest in NBA) on his own. Jeff Teague, who came alive offensively in the second half (14 points) against Orlando last night, and Dennis Schröder will have their hands full trying to get The Dragon to give up the rock along the way to the hoop.

    Bosh’s departure ushers Mr. Miami, Udonis Haslem, up to the top line. The 34-year-old came into the season behind Bosh and sidelined free agent Josh McRoberts on the depth chart, and could not have anticipated being in such high demand at this point of the season. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra will also need steadier production from 36-year-old walking mural Chris Andersen off the bench.

    Deng (9-1 when he scores 20+ points) played nearly 40 minutes Friday night in Miami’s close-shave loss in New Orleans, but is still dealing with a sore neck suffered on Wednesday night. D-Wade played but continues dealing with a sore body that belongs to D-Wade.

    “I’ll make some shots soon,” Wade apologized to fans via Twitter after going just 4-for-16 last night and helping fumble away a late lead against the Pelicans. He admitted he was “still trying to find my rhythm since coming back” from his third hiatus this season to deal with soreness and strains in both hamstrings. On the second night of a back-to-back Spoelstra may turn to two rookies, the undrafted “Funky Music” Johnson and 2013 Hawks second-round draftee James Ennis, to give Wade and Deng a longer spell.

    Wade is still a steady defensive player, but he is not going to be chasing Kyle Korver back and forth across the court. Deng will be occupied between helping Wade with Korver and Haslem with Millsap (11 first-quarter points vs. ORL yesterday), likely freeing up DeMarre Carroll (15 points, 3-for-6 3FGs vs. ORL) for open shots all across the court.

    All of the banged-up bodies and unfamiliar faces work together fine on a Miami team that relies on the most plodding pace in the league (92.3 possessions per 48, 30th in NBA). For Goran, the biggest adjustment will be slowing the tempo after years of hooping for Phoenix (99.4 pace, 2nd in NBA). But he will also serve to counteract teams like the Hawks that want to run the heat out of the gym. Building a strong rapport on pick-and-rolls with Whiteside (last 13 games: 14.7 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 3.0 BPG, 59.6 FG%) will be key to keeping Miami competitive going forward.

    Monday is the deadline for active players to nail down spots on playoff rosters, and two former K-Staters on 10-day contracts are doing all they can to hang on. Michael Beasley is having his third cup of tea with Miami, and he averaged 7.9 PPG last season while shooting a career-high 7.9 PPG. Spending the interim period with the Shanghai Sharks, Beasley went full Westbrook at the CBA All-Star Game, going for a SuperCool 59 points (albeit mostly on wide-open dunks). If nothing else, he’ll keep his longtime bud-dy Chalmers in good spirits.

    Perennial D-League swingman Henry (nee Bill) Walker has been out of the Association since 2012, and it’s clear he’s still trying to transition his game from high-jumper to high-volume-jump-shooter. On Wednesday night, Walker went 0-for-7 on threes for the first 95% of the game in Orlando, but his two treys within the final 22 seconds negated a five-point Magic lead and forced a successful overtime.

    While Walker missed two more threes, his steal and rebound in the closing seconds sealed the deal for the heat. Last night, his 16 points on 4-for-9 3FG shooting kept Miami in front up until the very end.

    While the Hawks (46-12) continue to look tantalizingly at one particular team’s status in the standings, the heat (25-32) find themselves in a predicament relating to own their place in the standings.

    When Miami acquired LeBron James for the Not Three, Not Four title run, they handed a first-round draft pick to Cleveland as compensation. James returned home last summer and, to supplement his title run there, the Cavs tossed the first-rounder to pick-hoarding Philly, in the multiplayer deal that sprang Kevin Love from Minnesota. That draft pick could come due this summer for the Sixers… but it’s Top 10 protected.

    That puts Miami in a precarious position where they need to make the playoffs and hand Philly a mid-tier pick or, alternatively fall short of the postseason but finish with a Bottom 10 record, earning themselves a top-notch rookie for 2015-16. Where they don’t want to be is on the outside looking in on both the playoffs and the lottery. The current difference between their current 7-seed and the 10th worst NBA team... is merely 1.5 games, seven NBA teams jockeying for position.

    Dragic’s addition certainly signaled a strong run for a playoff spot for the heat. But the loss of Bosh suggests Miami won’t have commanding control over that outcome. A losing streak or two could very well encourage Miami to put Wade in hibernation and shift into a full-swing tank job.

    None of that, of course, is Atlanta’s issue. They simply need to take care of business and use their relative cohesiveness and high-paced defensive intensity to keep the heat at arm’s length tonight. Wade, Deng, and/or Dragic may go off, and Whiteside may be beasting with blocks and boards. But with a lack of reliable depth, it’s hard to see Miami finding sufficient offense to keep up on the second night of a back-to-back. The heat have been a tepid 5-8 this season when playing on zero days rest, averaging just 91.5 PPG (next-to-last in NBA).

    Miami does get sloppy (15.9 TOs per 100 possessions and 1.38 assist/turnover ratio, 6th-worst in NBA) in the process of trying to play scrappy. Wade is not the chasedown artist he once was, and the heat don’t get back down the court as effectively as the reconstituted Magic did yesterday. Hawks players must make their free throws (80.5 FT% on zero days rest, 2nd in NBA), and also beat their opponents down the floor and finish in transition (17.7 points off TOs, 2nd in East) to secure the edge.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  14. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Magic

    By lethalweapon3,

    There’s no “I” in… well, yeah.



    Atlanta Hawks fans look forward to a dry, fully-functional Friday night at the Highlight Factory, as the home team squares off with the Orlando Magic (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, FoxSports Florida) on the first night of a Floridian-flavored back-to-back series this weekend. If things aren’t exactly “dry” in the arena tonight, that’s only because it’s the Hawks’ annual “Hoops ‘n Hops Night,” a cavalcade of local craft brews on display for thirsty adult fans.

    Orlando (19-40) arrives tonight having won three of their last four games. They were just 45 seconds away from a frothy four-game streak (their first since 2012) on Wednesday before they squandered an eight-point lead. The Magic were foiled in the closing seconds by a game-tying triple from Miami’s Henry “Don’t Call Me Bill” Walker, before falling short in overtime.

    It often seems to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til you ditch Vaughn. Amid his third season in The City Beautiful, Frère Jacque struggled to keep his sleepy Magic team above water. While expectations of postseason glory were still reasonably tempered coming into this season, there was a lingering sense that several young prospects were not contributing and/or not developing quickly enough under Vaughn’s guidance.

    A 2012 first-rounder, Andrew Nicholson’s playing time and confidence has dwindled from one season to the next. Former D-League star Dewayne Dedmon showed promise in Golden State and Philly, but his playing status was Dedmon Walking on most nights in Orlando. 2012 second-rounder Kyle O’Quinn, a floor stretching forward with defensive aptitude, has been getting yo-yoed in and out of the starting lineup as Vaughn favored the veteran Channing Frye. Vaughn couldn’t be more heartless to Mo Harkless, cutting the former starter’s playing time nearly in half after he fell out of favor.

    The Magic turned to another acorn off the Spurs’ family tree, Orlando assistant James Borrego, who huddled with Mike Budenholzer for seven years in San Antonio. In 2010, Gregg Popovich replaced Borrego with the recently-retired Vaughn after the former left to join another Spurs alum, Monty Williams, in New Orleans. Then, Borrego jumped to Central Florida to assist Vaughn, after the latter took the helm with the Magic in 2012.

    Like most NBA coaches these days, Borrego preaches that only players who commit to playing sound team defense will get to consistently see the floor. But unlike most teams, the Magicians are indeed practicing what he’s preaching. Orlando gave up 100+ points to opponents to 14 consecutive opponents, including a ten-game losing stretch, until Vaughn got canned. Conversely, the Magic have yet to yield triple-digits to any opponents in the seven games since Borrego took over.

    While they haven’t faced a Murderer’s Row, two of those Magic opponents were the Bulls and Wizards, while two games in this latest stretch included overtime. Only the Raptors (96.3 opponent points per 100 possessions) have posted a better defensive efficiency rating than the Magic (96.5) since Borrego took over.

    Borrego has also slowed things down for his mostly young charges, simplifying the halfcourt execution on offense, demanding greater pressure on ballhandlers and swifter transition on defense. The reduced pace (NBA-low 92.5 possessions per-48 since February 6) has allowed the Magic to raise their competitiveness level. So far, they’ve averaged 1.2 more points per game than their opponents under Barrego, the net scoring at minus-6.4 PPG under his predecessor this season. Orlando’s 9.8 opponent fastbreak PPG this month is an NBA-low.

    Magic fans and management look on enviously at the strides being made by mid-tier NBA draftees like the Hawks’ Dennis Schröder, who had another productive night (17 points, 3-for-5 3FGs, four assists and one turnover) in a win over Dallas on Wednesday. Still, it hasn’t exactly been the old-fogies (Frye, Willie Green, Ben Gordon, Luke Ridnour) running the show in O-Town, especially lately.

    Aside from DeMarcus Cousins, fourth-year center Nikola Vucevic is the top talent among NBA teams certain to be watching the playoffs from home. His monstrous play (34 double-doubles, tied-2nd in NBA with Cousins; 16th in NBA scoring, 7th in NBA rebounding) had him on the periphery of an All-Star nod, especially before the mid-January losing skid commenced. Vooch’s 18 points and 11 rebounds made a huge difference between the Magic’s wild last-second victory over the Hawks on December 13 and a six-point loss in Atlanta when he sat out with back spasms the night before.

    He’s no shot blocker like Dedmon or O’Quinn, but Vucevic is doing a better job of altering shots in the paint. With help from his fellow big men, Orlando is doing a better job of enforcing the interior lately, opponents scoring just 33.3 PPG this month in-the-paint (the Magic outscoring foes by 14.0 PPG) and a measly 8.7 PPG (2nd-lowest in NBA) on second-chances. Al Horford, Paul Millsap, and Mike Scott’s shooting from mid- to long-range will be needed to soften up the Magic defense tonight. The trio shot 7-for-12 against shorthanded Dallas outside the paint on Wednesday.

    The second-overall draft pick from 2013, Victor Oladipo (16.6 PPG) hasn’t found his range (32.4 FG% on jumpers, 19.6 3FG% in his last 15 games), a crucial component of his game if he is to become a long term backcourt mate alongside rookie Elfrid Payton. But he remains an effective slasher and cutter, and a crowd-pleasing highlight film on the break. He also grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds against the Bosh-less heat on Wednesday.

    While Orlando is keeping games close-to-the-vest, that’s not entirely good news for lotto rookie point guard Elfrid Payton (5.8 APG, leads all rookies). Opponents are resorting to the Hack-a-Elf strategy against Payton (53.4 FT%, 48.4% on the road) in the fourth quarters. However, Borrego has been unwavering on keeping Payton (27 total assists, four TOs in his past three games) in, to control the ball and keep it out of the opponents’ hands.

    When it comes to the passing game, there isn’t much more choice. Just 54.5% of the Magic’s field goals this season have been assisted (27th in NBA), a proportion that’s dropped to 51.9% (29th in NBA) under Borrego. In the halfcourt offense, Borrego is soaking up the shot clock and turning to Payton to pick the preferential play: either Vucevic’s post-ups, Frye’s perimeter pops, or Oladipo’s and Tobias Harris’ slashes toward the hoop. On broken plays where Payton can’t get the ball back, the ball finds its way to Oladipo (7 assists, 6 TOs vs. ATL on Dec. 13) or Evan Fournier, often with wildly variable results.

    Oladipo’s athletic exploits may cause DeMarre Carroll to latch onto him instead of Harris, whose 15-foot buzzer-beater eclipsed Kyle Korver’s would-be game-winner in December’s payback match. Harris (17.0 PPG; 20 points, 5 assists, 3 blocks vs. ATL on Dec. 13) has reached a comfort zone playing with his elder cousin Frye, and would be a steady offensive threat, but has been in-and-out of the lineup while dealing with a host of calf/ankle/knee injuries.

    Harris is probable to play tonight despite continued knee soreness. Lotto rookie Aaron Gordon also has been saddled with foot/ankle injuries. He sprained his other ankle on Wednesday, sometime after his sneaker flew off during a drive into the paint, and will sit tonight’s game out.

    Jeff Teague (24 points, 8 assists @ ORL on Dec. 13) and Schröder will be directed by Coach Bud to push the pace on the Magic, but in the Borregoball era, they will find the lanes far more clogged than in previous meetings. When they drive into the paint, their teammates have to keep moving and keep the passing lanes open.

    Floaters and giant-killer shots over Vucevic and the Magic bigs may prove more effective than trying to bore through the thickets in search of layups and trips to the free throw line. Orlando does hack (NBA-high 4.3 additional personal fouls per game this month), but the Hawks’ guards must avoid drawing offensive charging fouls and taking wild shots before the whistles blow.

    Korver is nowhere near as obsessed with “50/50/90” as Hawks fans watching his three-point shooting take a downturn (37.9 3FG% and 40.7 FG% this month). He sits squarely at 50% from the floor, and he’d need to go 0-for-7 from downtown for his three-point percentage to dip into the 40s. But the greatest long-term threat to 50/50/90 fame is at the charity stripe.

    Kyle has not been there in the past two games and only twice in the past seven, bringing his free throw attempt output below the “Qualifying” threshhold. His teammates should look more for Korver, often freely cutting under the basket ahead of chasing defenders, for layups and and-1 opportunities. Opponents are more likely to lose Korver around the basket in the opening (52.7 FG%, 49.4 3FG%) and closing quarters (57.3 FG%, 61.5 3FG%), the times he is usually at his most dangerous beyond the arc.

    If all ten men run down the court after a missed Magic shot and forget to rebound the ball, don’t blame the craft beers. Orlando (21.3 O-Reb%) is the only other NBA team that abdicates offensive rebounding as much as Atlanta (21.1 O-Reb%), although Millsap has gone on a little glass-crashing tear of late (5.3 offensive RPG post-All-Star Break, 1.7 pre-Break). The edge for much of this game will go to whichever defense effectively coaxes the opposition into settling for shots outside of their comfort zone. Usually, that’s been the Hawks (47.2 February opponent eFG%, 7th lowest in NBA).

    Golden State tapped out in Cleveland on Thursday, and lumbers into Toronto tonight. If the Warriors slip up again, the most slept-on team in the East will have a chance to re-take the NBA’s top record with a win over Orlando tonight. If the Warriors prevail, then the Hawks (45-12) have an opportunity today to widen its gap over the Eastern Conference to nine games, ahead of a quick trip to South Beach tomorrow.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  15. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Mavericks

    By lethalweapon3,

    “Look, I’ve had it with all your Beyoncé crap, Rick! For the last time… Beck deserved to win Album of the Year, and that’s the bottom line!”


    After Toronto trounced the Hawks in Atlanta last Friday, more than a few Hawk Littles were ready to make way for the Raptors to retake their place atop the Eastern Conference. Not even a week later, and Toronto finds itself even further back than they were coming into that contest. The Hawks can thank tonight’s visitors to the Highlight Factory, the Dallas Mavericks (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, Fox Sports Southwest), for extending the Raptors’ losing skid to three last night. They can certainly thank some of them, at least.

    The Mavs (39-20, 4th best record in Western Conference, 3rd in the Southwest Division) recently bolstered their bench with the acquisition of the Manischewitz-bathing Amar’e Stoudemire. They are also riding a three-game winning streak. While that should be cause for optimism, coach Rick Carlisle has been busily bickering at turns with Rajon Rondo and the postgame media. The perpetually petulant point guard exchanged bon mots with his head coach after either failing to notice, or outright declining, Carlisle’s attempts to call a time out.

    Rondo is adjusting from running plays at-will for most of his career to having to look over his shoulder for the play calls to arrive from the sideline. When he doesn’t bother to do so, it only adds to the tension between him and Carlisle. After a brief squabble during the timeout, Carlisle stapled Rondo to the bench for the remainder of the second half.

    It’s the second time this has happened in roughly a month. In January, while Jimmy Butler and the remains of Derrick Rose were running roughshod over the Mavs’ defense, Carlisle elected to give Rondo the final five minutes off during a close game with Chicago, in favor of the butter-churning Devin Harris. Yesterday, the quick hook arrived in the middle of the third quarter, and Dallas’ reserves led the turnaround of a 62-53 deficit into a 99-92 victory.

    Rondo is certainly the top playmaking talent that Dallas has, and his 19-assist game against the Hawks in November may have encouraged the reportedly cynical Carlisle to go along with management’s plans to acquire him. But Harris and J.J. Barea (combined 27 bench points and 8 assists) and Raymond Felton are still together on the Dallas Ballers Club for a reason.

    Rajon notched double-digit assist tallies in 12 of 22 games while laboring in Celtic green this season. Under Carlisle’s watch, Rondo has done so just twice in 25 games for the Mavs, and that includes 11 assists against Atlanta back when he first arrived in December.

    Dallas boasted the league’s highest offensive efficiency (113.6 points per 100 possessions) before acquiring Rondo (30.9 jumper FG%; 40.8 FG%, 28.0 FT% in Dallas), but it ranks just 11th in the league since then. He seems to struggle at times finding the optimal offensive floor balance alongside Monta Ellis (2nd in NBA for field goals made and attempted), and opposing teams sag off of him to help shield the Mavs’ more potent offensive threats.

    Both players soak up much of Dallas’ shot clock while handling the ball, although that’s not a huge problem when all Dirk Nowitzki (6.5 TO%, 4th lowest in NBA) needs are his stepback jumpers, and all Tyson Chandler (70.7% True Shooting, 2nd in NBA behind Atlanta’s Kyle Korver) is looking for are lobs and putbacks.

    Where Rondo has made a positive difference is with the team defense. Dallas’ defensive efficiency rating has been 5th best in the league (99.7 opponent points per-100, just ahead of Atlanta’s 99.9) from the time Rondo arrived; it was 20th ranked before Rondo’s first game with in The Big D. When he’s on, he keeps pressure on opposing lead guards, allowing Ellis (2.0 SPG, 5th in NBA) to gamble more and relieving Chandler and the Mavs’ past-their-prime frontcourt rotation of the duty to thwart every drive from the perimeter.

    Tonight, Rondo will be needed to curtail the relentless drives from the Hawks’ Jeff Teague and Dennis Schröder. The latter filled in for an injured Teague in December and led the way for red-hot Atlanta, scoring a game-high 22 points against his childhood idols Rondo and Nowitzki.

    Schröder leads the NBA with 12.0 points per-48 on drives to the hoop (Teague ranks 4th with 10.1). Well-placed screens of Rondo from Al Horford and Pero Antić can help spring the Hawks guards loose, either for dimes from the paint or open perimeter shots. Without Rondo on the floor, all the remaining Mav guards can do is try to outpoint their foes.

    Despite nine assists from Dennis, both he and Jeff (combined 10 of Atlanta’s 20 turnovers) got sloppy in Milwaukee on Sunday as the Bucks clawed their way back into the game in the second half. The pair cannot afford poor execution against a Dallas team that ranks fifth in opponent turnover ratio (16.5% of opponent possessions, just ahead of the Hawks’ 16.3%), fifth in points off turnovers (18.9 PPG, just ahead of Atlanta’s 18.4), and fifth in fastbreak points (16.4 PPG).

    Hawks players exceeded 20 turnovers in each of their past two games after doing so just once (also against Milwaukee) in their previous 54. Kent Bazemore, Korver, and DeMarre Carroll will all have critical roles getting back on defense in transition.

    In New York, Stoudemire proved he’s capable of breaking glass in case of emergency. Will he be there to crash the glass for Dallas come playoff time? While Hawks fans clamor for better defensive rebounding, MFFLs know the Mavs rank dead last in the league for defensive rebounding percentage (71.8 D-Reb%). They’re the only team that’s been worse in that department than Milwaukee (72.0 D-Reb%), against whom Paul Millsap (23 points; season-high 16 rebounds, 8 offensive) had a field day on Sunday.

    Coach Mike Budenholzer has expressed willingness for the Hawks to abandon offensive rebound chances in exchange for more stout transition defense. But it may be part of the back-half-of-the-season strategy to have Millsap and Horford (8 rebounds, 4 offensive) exploit teams that are even weaker than they are (Atlanta’s 22nd in D-Reb%) when it comes to boxing out.

    Against Toronto (24th in D-Reb%) last Friday, five of Sap’s 8 boards came on the offensive end, as did four of Al’s 12. Horford has averaged 11.0 RPG (3.1 O-Rebs per game) in the past nine games, 6.8 RPG (1.5 offensive) in the prior 45 appearances. Millsap also contributed a game-high seven assists during the December 22 victory in Dallas.

    Carlisle is turning more toward Al-Farouq Aminu to help Tyson Chandler and company out on the boards. The Atlanta native and hipster-eyewear salesman snagged 12 rebounds last night, matching his season-high from four nights before. Aminu and the king of old-man-hops, starter Richard Jefferson (10 points and 10 rebounds vs. Charlotte on Sunday), are filling in admirably for Chandler Parsons, who remains out after spraining his ankle against the Rockets last week. While the Maverick starters struggled against the Hawks in December, it was Charlie Villanueva (4-for-6 3FGs) and Jefferson who keyed a big second-half comeback that fell short.

    Al likes it when you call him “Poppa Grande!” The newest dad on the Hawks’ roster and his Miss World-class missus would appreciate any extra time they can get together this spring at home with their bouncing bundle of joy. The new arrival, and all that comes with him, won’t become an in-season distraction for Horford on the court. To the contrary, we may see an uptick in his performance as the Hawks push toward multiple season-clinching scenarios -- including homecourt advantage in the East.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  16. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Bucks

    By lethalweapon3,

    “Hold up, where’s Brandon? And when did we go get Bruno Mars?”



    Things weren’t looking too hot for the Atlanta Hawks.

    Their opponents were running them out of the gym. Their big shots weren’t falling, and neither were the free throws and layups. The transition defense seemed stuck in mud, and the fans were left sitting on their hands, awaiting a run that never came. After having their feel-good run stopped dead in its tracks, there was a clear sense of uncertainty about how things would unfold going forward for Atlanta.

    Then, the Hawks went to Milwaukee.

    They kicked things off with a 21-10 first quarter, and thwarted a comeback attempt in the second half for a 90-85 win over the same team that stole their lunch money one night before. It was the first victory of a winning streak that stretched through the end of December, and through the entirety of January, earning multiple Hawks players monthly hardware and All-Star adulation.

    After having their tailfeathers kicked on Friday, this time at Toronto’s hands, the Hawks come into Milwaukee once again hoping the host Bucks (3:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, FoxSports Wisconsin) still have some of that elixir lying around. Bucks coach Jason Kidd will do all he can to hide it.

    While the Hawks used that December 27 bounce-back win to propel themselves to the top of the roost in the East, the Bucks didn’t exactly go quietly into the night. The loss dropped Milwaukee to 15-16, but since that game they’ve gone a spiffy 16-7, topping Cleveland and Toronto (both on the road) and Portland along the way. They’re not Kidd-ing around -- the Bucks intend to continue their trek up the standings by winning their fifth-straight game this afternoon, currently boasting the longest streak in the East.

    Illustrating how crazy-competitive this so-called inexperienced bunch has been, 6th-seeded Milwaukee hasn’t lost a game by double-digits since December 9. They’re clearly ensconced among the upper-crust of the Eastern Conference (three games behind Central Division-leading Chicago, eight games in front of 7th-seeded Miami). That’s all the more impressive considering their top-flight rookies (Jabari Parker and second-rounder Damien Inglis) are out for the season, backup guard Kendall Marshall suffered a season-ending injury in London, and former franchise face Larry Sanders got bought out so he could go deal with his moody blues.

    As a testament to the impressive job Kidd is doing, the Bucks’ defense (99.0 opponent points per 100 possessions) ranks 2nd in the NBA. The spindly limbs of Giannis Antetokounmpo, John Henson (5.1 blocks per 100 possessions, 6th in NBA), and Khris Middleton are disrupting opponents’ passing schemes and putting ample pressure on ballhandlers (9.5 SPG, 3rd in NBA). Only two Bucks average less than one steal per-36. The Bucks’ athleticism allows them to get hoof it down the floor quickly. Only the Bucks allow fewer fastbreak points per game (10.6 opponent PPG) than the Hawks (10.9).

    Kidd’s emphasis on using what Dominique Wilkins refers to as “linth” to his competitive advantage led him to pull the lever on perhaps the most eyebrow-raising deal of Trade Deadline Day. In the space of a week, Brandon Knight went from the biggest Eastern All-Star snub to the brightest new point-guard face out West. And by the time Knight and Marshall got to Phoenix, Michael Carter-Williams arrived in Milwaukee from the salvage yard otherwise known as the Philadelphia 76ers.

    Carter-Williams went from being mired in a long-term developmental project to being handed the keys to a surprising playoff contender. To eventually turn this town into MCWaukee, he’ll have to show the same improvement under Kidd that Knight displayed in terms of defensive effort and shooting range. He’ll also have to cut down the unforced errors. The Bucks are right behind the Keystone-Kop Sixers in terms of turnover ratio (17.1 TOs per 100 possessions), and tied with Philly for opponent turnover ratio as well (17.4 opponent TOs per 100 possessions).

    MCW was dealing with a toe issue before the All-Star break, and he is considered doubtful to make his Bucks debut today. Jerryd Bayless filled in admirably without either Knight or Carter-Williams available, leading the Bucks against Denver on Friday with 8 assists and just one turnover. Bayless will likely be looked upon to carry the load once again today, but he’ll get some relief from rookie Tyler Ennis, who arrived from Phoenix with center Miles Plumlee in the three-team deal.

    Turnovers made a difference in the December back-to-back series. Atlanta committed 22 TOs on the 26th, but just 11 one night later on the road. The Hawks escaped Milwaukee with the W despite shooting worse overall from the floor (36.7 FG%) than they did the night before (40.8 FG%). A commitment to stronger team defense (38.8 Bucks FG% on the 27th, 50.6% the prior game) also leveled the floor in the Hawks’ favor. It’s a lesson Atlanta should reflect upon after shooting a season-low 33.0 FG% on Friday against the Raptors, the first loss on the season for the Hawks (3-1) in which they shot WORSE than 40% on the floor.

    Atlanta and Milwaukee are each tied for 6th in the league with 77.4 FT%, but the Hawks haven’t helped themselves in their past two losses (65.2 FT% at Boston, 66.7% vs. Toronto) leaving easy points off the board. Facing a physical point guard in Bayless, Teague (86.8 FT%) will want to beat Bayless off the dribble and draw fouls, building up offense at the free throw line while testing Milwaukee’s depth by getting Bayless in early foul trouble.

    Atlanta’s defensive rebounders and stoppers must find their point guards to key the break against the stingy Bucks in transition. Milwaukee will resort to fouls (22.3 per game, 3rd most in NBA) if they cannot strip the ball or disrupt runs to the other end of the floor. The Hawks must play to the whistle and not the contact, finishing plays around the hoop, and striving to retain possession of the ball when they get hacked, rather than standing around in hopes the referee bailouts are coming.

    Knight’s departure will cause the Bucks to turn more toward Jared Dudley (he of the perfect 10-for-10 shooting night in Atlanta on Dec. 26) and Middleton (8-for-15 FGs, 5-for-8 3FGs vs. ATL on Dec. 27) to keep up with a Hawks team that expects the Law of Averages (21.1 3FG% vs. Toronto on Friday) to work in their favor today. Hawksquawk fan-favorite O.J. Mayo and Ersan Ilyasova are likely to contribute today after nursing a hamstring strain and illness, respectively.

    Paul Millsap has struggled of late (8-for-26 FGs last two games), but should be able to use his relative girth to his advantage when facing off against either of the Greek Freak or Middleton in the post. DeMarre Carroll, Millsap, and the driving point guard duo of Teague and Dennis Schröder (1-for-12 FGs vs. Milwaukee) can keep Antetokounmpo and Henson busy around the rim, while Zaza Pachulia and Plumlee will be occupied with scouting Al Horford’s mid-range game.

    Horford should get ample touches in space for both in-the-paint dishes and mid-range swishes. That plus an increased number of plays run for Carroll in the paint should be enough to free up Kyle Korver (3-for-13 3FGs vs. Milwaukee; 2-for-11 against Toronto on Friday) for a better array of catch-and-shoot opportunities around the perimeter.

    Atlanta hasn’t dropped three consecutive games since the end of March last year. A win tonight isn’t likely to precede another month-long winning streak, but it should help right the ship and re-establish some confidence for the top-seeded Hawks going forward.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  17. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Raptors

    By lethalweapon3,

    “Looks Like We Made It!”



    Welcome to The New Normal, Atlanta Hawks!

    It’s that time of the season when every victory becomes an opportunity for nitpicking, and every defeat serves as an indictment. It comes with the territory of a 43-11 record that has taken the NBA world by storm, though, and this All-Star-laden team is happy to accept the accompanying criticism.

    The Hawks had their first real double-digit second-half collapse of the season in Boston before hitting the All-Star Break, done in well before Evan Turner’s buzzer-beater by their own lackadaisical play on both ends of the court.

    Still, the 6.5-game lead they hold over the Eastern Conference’s top spot -- ahead of tonight’s opponent, the Toronto Raptors (7:30, SportSouth in ATL, Sportsnet SN1 in Canada) -- is greater than the difference between Toronto’s 2-seed and the current 6-seed, the Milwaukee Bucks that the Hawks will visit on Sunday afternoon. Tonight’s game at Philips Arena, where the Hawks have won 13 straight, gives the home team a chance to add to their buffer for postseason homecourt advantage.

    Both teams have boldly gone where none of their predecessors have gone before. While Toronto (36-17) will be eager to eventually catch the Hawks, by being atop the wretched Atlantic Division (14.5 games in front of Brooklyn), they are likely to clinch their division and a playoff berth faster than Atlanta (10 games ahead of Washington with 28 games left).

    Facing a four-game road swing featuring two back-to-backs (including tomorrow’s game in Houston) followed by next Friday’s home game against Golden State, the Raptors hope to get the back end of this season started much like the first half began -- with a big victory over the Hawks. They’re the only team that has beaten Atlanta twice this season, although those victories came back in November before Atlanta made their sprint to the top. Toronto would love to secure a tiebreaker now, should it come down to that in April.

    The East’s top two teams come into tonight’s game after essentially standing pat, sitting out the madness that ensued on Trade Deadline Day. The Hawks felt confident enough in their rotation that they dealt their 2014 first-rounder a week ago for a future pick. Neither Toronto’s 2014 pick (the D-Leagued Bruno Caboclo) nor the 2013 first-rounder that Atlanta shipped to Toronto last summer (Bebe Nogueira) have sniffed much of the maple hardwood this season.

    Despite perceived flaws and imperfections, Atlanta and Toronto appear willing to ride-or-die with their current roster options, although each have some flexibility to pick up a veteran or a 10-day tryout with an open roster spot if they wish.

    The rap on the Raps is their defense had been slip-sliding away all season. Defensive efficiency declined from 102.0 (10th in NBA) through November, to 106.0 (20th in NBA) in the month of December, to 105.9 (26th in NBA) in January. Opponent effective field goal percentages in January rose to 51.1% (4th worst in NBA) during the month of January.

    Head Coach Dwane Casey did his best Anne Robinson impersonation, determining that swingman Terrence Ross was the weakest link, and banished him from the starting lineup, replacing him first with Greivis Vasquez, and then with James Johnson in the past two games. Toronto won seven of eight with Gravy at the other guard spot. Despite going 3-2 this month, the Raptors won their last three games before the break, and the defensive efficiency versus February foes (47.5 eFG%, 9th best in NBA) seems to be back to normal (101.9, 13th in NBA).

    Going forward, the Chase for First Place will be a referendum on whether the 21-game absence of DeMar DeRozan (18.3 PPG, 7.3 FT attempts per game) made the difference between Toronto sitting comfortably atop the East and looking up at Atlanta. He tore an adductor midway through Toronto’s November 30 loss versus Dallas, and from that game until his return the Raptors went 12-10, while the Hawks went on a magical 23-2 carpet ride.

    Normally inefficient (career-low 39.4 FG%; no 40+ FG% shooting in his past six games, 19.2 3FG% since his return), in the game before his injury, DeRozan put up 27 points on 25 shots (incl. 9-for-9 FTs) during his last trip to Atlanta, a 126-115 win where seven Raptors scored in double figures.
    Newly recuperated, DeRozan shot 11-for-18 on the way to 25 points against the Hawks on January 16, but got little help from his teammates (37.5 team FG% w/o DeMar), as Atlanta routed the Raptors 110-89 in Toronto to win their eleventh-straight.

    The Hawks’ gameplan seems to allow DeRozan to rely on his jumper (34.7 jumpshot FG%; lowest overall FG% among league Top 50 active scorers) to save the day, while scuttling his teammates defensively. Toronto will need to get Ross’ offense going, after he was all but shut out (1-for-10 combined FGs) of the last three games and shot just 1-for-8 in the last game versus Atlanta.

    On the way to winning every quarter, the Hawks scored 24 points on 19 Raptor turnovers in the January win. DeRozan has committed at least four TOs in each of the three meetings with Atlanta, compared to just once in any of his other 27 games. Atlanta has had the luxury of hounding DeRozan with DeMarre Carroll and/or Thabo Sefolosha. But with the latter out due to injury, it’s incumbent on DeRozan to try and get touches in the paint and force Carroll into some foul trouble.

    The Dinos are a scintillating 19-3 when DeRozan gets at least six free throw attempts in a game, and 4-5 otherwise. DMC was whistled for four personals in Atlanta’s two losses to the Raptors, and just two during the Hawks’ most recent victory in Toronto.

    In this latest battle of All-Star point guards, Kyle Lowry must apply better defensive pressure on Jeff Teague. The Hawks’ steady-hand produced 20 assists but also 11 turnovers in the first two Toronto victories, but in the last head-to-head Teague nickel-and-dimed the Raptors with 9 assists and just a single turnover. The game was a bit of a flip for Lowry, who had just 5 assists after racking up 23 (with just one turnover) in the prior two matchups.

    Teague also shot a very comfortable 55.2 FG% in those three games combined, compared to Lowry’s 30.5 FG% (2-for-15 on three-pointers). The introduction of James Johnson, who has also been an offensive spark lately (85.7 FG% in his last three games; 7-for-11 FGs vs. ATL on Jan. 16), into the starting lineup allows Lowry to commit to his man and not wander off to help with blown assignments by Ross, Vasquez, and super-sub Lou Williams.

    The recent shout-out of Williams and south Gwinnett County, by Toronto’s rapping mascot Drake, may have been just the boost the former Hawks guard needed. On the final game of a five-game homestand before the break, LouWill shook himself out of a recent funk (16.2 FG% in his previous 4 games), boomin’ out with a game-high 27 points to help Toronto fend off the Wizards.

    Still well in the running for Sixth Man of the Year, Lou will be looking to school former protégé Dennis Schröder, who struggled to produce second-unit offense or make stops against the Celtics’ surprisingly tenacious D last week. Properly defending the screens will be critical -- if either player is reading the back of the other’s jersey, as Drake might put it, it’s too late.

    Al Horford (22 points, 11-for-15 FGs, 12 rebounds at Boston on Feb. 11) looks forward to some similar schooling against young big man Jonas Valanciunas, who looked like JV opposition during their last contest. Horford’s outside-in game had the Raptors’ bigs turned inside-out, shooting a perfect 8-for-8 from the field and even going 6-for-7 in a rarely high number of visits to the free throw line. He also added five dimes and zero turnovers.

    Horford’s steak-and-egg offense and his point guards’ effective penetration were the body shots that effectively opened things up around the perimeter for Kyle Korver and Carroll (6-for-11 3FGs on Jan. 16), and helped un-tether Amir Johnson and Tyler Hansbrough from Paul Millsap (6-for-9 FGs).

    Korver’s third-quarter bombs made up for five turnovers early in the first half. Toronto may have to turn to their forwards, Amir Johnson (44.8 3FG%) and Patrick Patterson (40.6 3FG%), to keep up if Atlanta gets hot from outside. Toronto’s top three scorers (Lowry, DeRozan, Williams) shoot a combined 32.5 percent from downtown.

    Even without Sefolosha, Atlanta’s first-shot defense has been solid (46.6 opponent eFG% in February, 5th best in NBA). So much so, that Atlanta’s devil-may-care attitude toward defensive rebounding is forcing many teams to scrap their game plans and simply get up the best shots they can conceive while crashing the offensive boards like madmen.

    Toronto ranks 10th in the league in offensive rebounding percentage, but they may need to avoid playing at their moderately low pace and chewing up so much clock trying to settle into the plays they want. As Boston, who already plays a frenetic pace, figured out, the Raptors may need time for extra possessions later on in the game.

    The Hawks can subvert any big Toronto runs by sealing off Raptor bigs from the glass, avoiding desperate fouls, and winning the battles for loose balls whenever the Raptors find themselves running broken plays.

    As shown by the continued salivation over Cleveland and Chicago, Pundit World remains alligator-armed over embracing tonight’s game between the current top-two seeds as an Eastern Conference Finals preview. Atlanta last reached a conference (then, the Western Division) finals in 1970, while Toronto has never been there. But a strong, victorious effort by either club tonight can go a long way toward making the case.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  18. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Celtics

    By lethalweapon3,

    Miley Cyrus Karaoke, Jared? Don’t Sully your reputation!



    Some All-Star “Break” this is!

    About one-third of the Atlanta Hawks will join their head coach this coming weekend in chilly New York City. They’ll be giving scores of interviews, pleaded for selfies by various and sundry B-list celebrities and self-important people, participating in multiple games and skill events, and offering millions of skeptical fans a glimpse of what makes this team the current standard-bearer in the NBA East.

    Yet before they can look ahead to any of that, they have to mush through Boston’s Snowpile of the Millennia to meet the Celtics (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, CSN New England) at Boston Garden. With a win the Hawks (43-10) can secure a double-digit lead over second-place Washington in the Southeast Division, and over every team aside from Atlantic Division-feeding Toronto in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta has won their last 13 Eastern Conference games, a franchise record, including seven straight on the road.

    The good news is the All-Star Break has been elongated, so there’s no rushing back after The Big Show to play another official game in the middle of the following week. The other good news? The annual Ringling Bros. takeover of Philips Arena starts today and coincides with the break. So unlike the situation in many past seasons, Atlanta won’t have to go from the break to an exhaustive circus trip, its big West Coast road swing not coming until mid-March.

    The last time the Celtics hosted the Hawks, a 105-91 Atlanta win about a month ago, coach Mike Budenholzer rested Al Horford and Kyle Korver. One night after getting rest in the Philadelphia game, Paul Millsap, DeMarre Carroll, and Jeff Teague combined for 62 points while shooting 57.1% from the floor. Boston has had three days off to get ready for the rematch.

    The Hawks benefitted from a day of rest after their win in Minnesota on Monday, so it’s not likely their starters will completely sit this one out. The Four All-Stars Plus One are very likely to have their minutes constrained, granting Dennis Schröder, Shelvin Mack, Mike Scott, Kent Bazemore and Pero Antić (who sat out the Minnesota game) ample time to wear out the parquet floor. Mack (nine points in 14 minutes on January 14) has not played since returning last week from a calf strain. He could be useful once again going head-to-head with his former college coach Brad Stevens’ gaggle of Celtic guards.

    When they last hosted Atlanta, Boston was weeks removed from shipping out star playmaker Rajon Rondo, and just days before they traded away leading scorer Jeff Green, veteran acquisition Tayshaun Prince in player purgatory at the time. The Celts now have no one averaging 15 or more points, and the team’s third-leading scorer (Kelly Olynyk, the second-year backup center… yikes…) has been out for several weeks with a sprained ankle. Their top passer for the moment, Evan Turner, averages 5.8 APG since he was moved into the starting lineup full-time.

    Despite all of that, were it not for some late heroics from Brandon Knight in Milwaukee this past Saturday, Boston could have come into tonight’s game riding a four-game winning streak. Keyed by Avery Bradley, Boston’s perimeter defense has been pretty good (last ten games, 31.7 opponent 3FG%). A team that had been nonchalant about defense all season (102.6 opponent PPG, most in East) has given up just 97.8 points per game in their last ten.

    While Boston (19-31, just 2.5 games out of 7th place) has given up triple digits to the opposition just once (exactly 100 points, to Denver) in its last six games, Thabo-less Atlanta has allowed 100+ points in three of its last five, opponents averaging 105.8 PPG. The Hawks’ 65.5 D-Reb% this month is by far a league-low. The backup bigs have to show greater proficiency in the defensive rebounding department. Atlanta is 5-0 when Antić notches more than three defensive rebounds in a game; they’re 7-2 (both losses in the three games of the season) when Scott does the same.

    Even with Rondo a faded memory, the Celtics are still distributing well as a team (24.2 February APG, 6th in NBA), and are doing a decent job with play execution (12.8 TOs/game in last ten games). Stevens has inserted lotto rookie Marcus Smart into the starting lineup, shifting Turner to shooting guard and Avery Bradley into the small forward spot.

    The double-barreled passing attack of Smart and Turner is opening things up right on time for the not-always-right-on-time Jared Sullinger (16.4 PPG, 2.4 O-Rebs per game, 4.0 APG in February) and Tyler Zeller (13.2 PPG, 2.6 O-Rebs per game this month) in and around the paint, as well as Bradley (17.6 PPG, 41.7 3FG% this month) and Marcus Thornton (44.4 February 3FG%) around the horn. The Celtics could spread opposing defenses out even more effectively if Turner (25.0 FG%, 10.0 3FG% in February) or Smart (31.4 FG%, 25.0 3FG% this month) were more of a threat to score themselves.

    It would also help Boston’s cause if their backcourt could disrupt the execution of opposing playmakers. While the Sixers were a minimal threat in the Celtics’ last home game, they had Smokin’ Tim Frazier come in fresh from the D-League (Boston’s Maine affiliate, no less) and put up 11 assists off the bench in his NBA debut, as Philly narrowed an 18-point halftime deficit to three.

    While Stevens would prefer to stick Bradley onto Teague and Schröder, the small Boston lineup would get exploited by Korver (4-for-9 3FGs at Minnesota on Monday) and Carroll (career-high 26 points at Minnesota). So he’ll rely on Smart (team-high 1.2 SPG) and D-League yo-yo Phil Pressey (2.0 steals per-36) to put pressure on Atlanta’s ballhandlers.

    The Hawks left 2014 first-rounder and Amway ambassador Adreian Payne behind in Minnesota. Might they have Brandon Bass joining them on the next flight out of Logan? The 6-foot-8 YouTube rapper with a $7 million expiring contract was mysteriously inserted into Boston’s starting lineup at power forward three weeks ago, averaging 6.5 RPG while shooting 46.6 FG% as the trade deadline lies around the corner.

    Bass (15.6 D-Reb%) is not a significantly better defensive rebounder than Scott (13.8 D-Reb%), particularly over the course of his career. But he has been better at blocking shots and man defense (101.3 defensive rating, tops among Boston’s major players). While he remains hopelessly in love with shooting long twos (45.9 2FG% beyond 15 feet), recently Bass has been experimenting with the corner shots (3-for-6 3FGs in the past month; 2-for-21 in his past nine seasons). It’s as if he suspects someone that values that sort of thing might have their eyes on him. Coincidentally, at the end of December Bass cited the Hawks’ second-place position as proof that the East was “wide open”.

    Celtics GM Danny Ainge has Bass, Thornton, and Prince (combined $23 million expiring contracts) on the trading block. Ainge is of course hoarding draft picks, but he’ll have to throw in some of his younger talent if he’s looking to grab another first-rounder. Tayshaun is the most coveted, but most teams prefer to wait for a Boston buyout rather than cough up a Prince-ly sum to get him.

    That season-long winning streak the Hawks had when they get up by more than ten points? Still going. Conversely, Boston has taken 29-straight L’s when they fall behind by more than 12 points. As was the case in the last two meetings, the Celtics will give the Hawks everything they’ve got in the first half, and it will be incumbent upon the Hawks’ reserves to pull away when Boston runs out of fuel. Only then can thoughts turn to what high jinks Kevin Hart might pull this weekend.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  19. lethalweapon3
    “Yeah, you just try getting a rebound NOW, Horford!”


    Will the Hawks be hungry… like the Wolves?

    Despite falling short late in Memphis on Sunday, the Atlanta Hawks head toward the All-Star Break in fairly good shape, sporting an East-leading 42-10 record with just two games remaining against likely lottery-bound teams. Still, there may never be a worse time to run into an NBA club with an 11-40 record.

    The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Hawks (8:00 PM Eastern, SportSouth, Fox Sports North) while gunning for their fourth-straight victory. They’re a far cry from the team that was dispatched in Atlanta, 112-100, just two weeks ago. Two nights before defeating the Hawks, the Grizzlies were vanquished on Minnesota’s floor. It’s much easier to sell Wolf Tickets now.

    Franchise playmaker Ricky Rubio has finally returned, after surgery to repair an ankle injury sidelined him for most of the season. By all accounts after three games, he appears to be back to his no-look-passing self (11.7 PPG, 6.0 APG this month; 8.5 APG on the season), and has shot the ball above his woeful career averages (45.8 FG% this month, 43.7% this season). The Spaniard rung up nine assists in a win last Wednesday against the heat, and followed that up by hitting 3-of-4 triples on the way to 17 points against the Grizzlies, in each case helping Minnesota win by one point.

    Jeff Teague (22 points and 6 assists @ Memphis) tweaked his ankle late in yesterday’s contest but appears to be ready to go tonight. Dennis Schröder (11 points, 3 assists and 1 turnover in 15 minutes yesterday) has been solidifying himself as a reliable sixth-man, and should get ample time to go head-to-head with Rubio for stretches tonight.

    T’wolves Coach Flip Saunders rested Rubio on the road against the Pistons yesterday, and the hunch that he wouldn’t need him was correct, as Minnesota pounced on Detroit early and would not let up. The bucket-filling Kevin Martin has also returned, after missing extended time to recuperate from a fractured shooting wrist. He couldn’t make any of his six three-point attempts, and that was good news for Detroit, who still could not stop Martin from getting 24 points, plus nine rebounds and three steals. Simply put for the Hawks, tonight will be no Laugh-In, not with Rubio and Martin healthy and starting together in Minnesota’s backcourt.

    The Pistons’ frontline also had no answers for Nikola Pekovic (career-low 45.0 FG%, career-high 85.7 FT%), who got 15 of his game-high 29 points (11-for-12 FTs) in the fourth quarter. Pek had only recently returned from injury himself when he scored 15 points, including seven free throws, in Atlanta on January 25. Keeping the gargantuan center off of the free throw line will be critical for the Hawks, and part of that effort entails cutting off the supply lines from Rubio to Pek on the low block.

    The vastly-improved sophomore shooting guard Shabazz Muhammad (last 11 starts: 16.7 PPG, 46.3 FG%, 45.2 3FG%, 5.0 RPG) is also probable to play tonight following a month off to heal an oblique strain. His return is right on time to spell Martin after the latter logged 42 minutes last night in Detroit.

    All of these reinforcements now surround likely Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins. His production regressed slightly (14.0 PPG, 40.0 FG% this month) as he adjusts to all the once-missing components in the Timberwolves’ offense. But he regained some balance with Rubio out last night, contributing eight rebounds and five assists to go with 18 points.

    Despite being dwellers of the Western Conference’s cellar, now that virtually everyone is back, this is not a team that intends to tank -- they have enough unfulfilled lottery talent as it is. This latest run suggests Saunders intends to have Minnesota competing hard and soaring up the standings in the back half of the season. Or does he?

    The trade deadline is only ten days away, and Coach Flip is donning his GM hat as well. It is well within the realm of possibility that he is showcasing Mo Williams (11 points, 9 assists @ Detroit on Sunday), Martin, Pekovic, and Thaddeus Young (40 minutes, 6-for-7 FGs @ Detroit) to see what the market of playoff contenders will bear. With Martin, Muhammad, and Rubio back, and with Zach LaVine getting more time, nobody needs Williams to drop 52 on anybody just to contend, so his expiring contract is the easiest item to dangle. The other vets have much more salary weight, so expect a lot of plays run for them, against the Hawks and over the course of the next week-and-a-half.

    So far this month, the Timberwolves’ 22.3 free throws per game, and 85.6 FT%, lead the NBA. The Grizzlies helped their own cause by nearly doubling their free-throw output from the previous month against the Hawks last night, sinking 19 of their 21 shots, 15 of those attempts in the second half. Minnesota made 20 of their 25 against the Hawks on January 25, and that was without Martin (86.3 FT%), a notorious foul magnet. Defensive positioning for Kyle Korver and DeMarre Carroll will be important to avoid foul trouble and keep Martin and Wiggins from fattening their stats with free throw attempts.

    Al Horford and Paul Millsap (combined 4-for-21 shooting, 10 points, 3 assists, 6 turnovers vs. Memphis) largely took the “sunshine-on-a-dog” view of their mutual inability to keep up with the Grizzlies’ beefy frontline yesterday. The Wolves seemed most competent in the January 25 matchup when they resorted to a big lineup that placed Thaddeus Young (26 points, 11-for-17 FGs, 7 assists @ Atlanta) in the small forward spot and played Gorgui Dieng alongside Pekovic.

    Saunders would be crazy not to go big again, especially if it allows Martin some rest with Wiggins back at the 2-spot. But Young and Pek are not remotely as defensively proficient as Z-Bo and Marc Gasol were against the Hawks’ All-Star frontline (combined 16-for-21 FGs and ten assists on January 25).

    Four separate Grizzlies (none of them being Gasol) were able to grab at least three offensive rebounds yesterday, Mike Scott’s back literally getting climbed like a tree for one of Tony Allen’s three rebounds and putbacks. Carroll, Korver, and Kent Bazemore must do a better job tonight helping Horford and Millsap secure the basketball and set up the transition offense.

    The ongoing Budenhustle is that on most nights, the Kanye approach to defensive rebounding (“I’mma let you finish!”) will be more than offset by the Hawks’ combination of sharper passing for layups and open shots, transition buckets off of steals, and an inability for opponents to slow the game down with foul shots. Precious little of those things transpired last night, while the Grizzlies opened up a 22-6 advantage in second-chance points.

    Atlanta’s 17 assists at the Grindhouse tied a season-low, and neither that amount nor their six steals outperformed Memphis’s tallies of 18 and eight, respectively. Better execution from the Hawks’ backcourt, specifically finishing in the paint and forcing turnovers, will make life easier for Horford and Millsap to rebound, literally and figuratively, after a tough night in Tennessee.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  20. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Grizzlies

    By lethalweapon3,

    Well, whaddya know? White Owners CAN Jump.


    Along the way to the top record in the NBA, the Atlanta Hawks have continued to pull the chair on one self-styled championship contender after another. Even if they wanted to (and they didn’t), the Hawks could not afford to look ahead to today’s game in Memphis against the West’s second-seeded Grizzlies (6:00 PM Eastern, SportSouth in ATL, Fox Sports South in MEM), its Friday night tilt against the Warriors too enormous to avert any focus away. But the hosts today may have been suffering from a case of Hawks On The Brain that day.

    They allowed a rejuvenated Timberwolves roster to take over the game during the final two minutes in Minnesota. The Timberwolves shot just 5-for-17 on three-pointers, and yet that was still better than the notoriously light-perimeter-shooting Grizzlies (5.4 3FGs per game, 28th in NBA; 2-for-12 3FGs on Friday).

    Power forward Zach Randolph (21.1 rebounds per 100 possesions, 5th in NBA) blamed himself for the loss, his six points a season-low. The basketball he held was swiped away by Ricky Rubio as the Wolves seized the lead in the closing minute. Despite 10 defensive boards, he and All-Star center Marc Gasol could not out-rebound Minnesota, who held the Grizzlies to two offensive rebounds.

    Green usually means winning. Even with their slip-up in Minneapolis on Friday, Memphis (37-13; like Atlanta’s 42-9, the best start in franchise history) has gone 12-2 since adding Jeff Green to the roster. Green hasn’t been terribly remarkable (12.6 PPG, 41.1 FG%, 30.2 3FG%, 3.8 RPG), but he does add size at the small forward spot and alleviated the need for Vince Carter (out indefinitely with a torn foot tendon), Courtney Lee and Tony Allen from having to log major minutes at that position.

    The Grizz are also seeking to beef up the bench spot behind Randolph, its long experiment with Jon Leuer (5.3 PPG, 44.9 FG%) failing to bear any fruit. Randolph missed Memphis’ January 7 victory in Atlanta, the Grizzlies resorting at the time to teammate-punching Jarnell Stokes, who is back to toiling in the D-League, and Tayshaun Prince, who is now in Boston due to the Green trade. They gave Tyrus Thomas a 10-day test spin before turning to D-League All-Star JaMychal Green, who provided an offensive spark on Friday with eight points in just nine minutes.

    Only the Pelicans and Pistons take more shots in the paint than the Grizzlies (44.2 FGAs per game), and only the Pelicans make more of them (23.7 FGs per game, 53.5 FG%). The Hawks’ guards will need to keep Mike Conley and Beno Udrih from stirring things up in the paint, while Carroll must render Jeff Green a tepid mid-range jumpshooter. That would leave Randolph and Gasol, both sound mid-range shooters and elbow passers, to try and beat All-Stars Paul Millsap and Al Horford (2.78 A/TO ratio, 3rd among non-guards, 6 assists vs. Golden State on Friday) at their own games.

    The Hawks’ frontcourt duo shot just 7-for-24 against the Grizz on January 7, but each posted four of Atlanta’s 21 assists. No Grizzlie seemed equipped to deal with the holy terror known as Pero Antić, who sunk three of his four three-point attempts on his way to 13 points off the bench.

    Especially after Atlanta shot 15-for-27 from downtown on Friday, teams have become accustomed to the threat of every Hawks player on the floor capable of being a three-point threat. But they may overlook Atlanta’s propensity to get steals (8.8 SPG, 5th in NBA) without excessively fouling (18.1 PFs per game, lowest in NBA).

    The last time Atlanta visited Memphis one year ago today, the Grizzlies made history by earning exactly one free throw, a shot-clock era record. On Friday, the seven Hawks with the most minutes stole a ball from the Warriors. In last month win over the Grizzlies, nine of Atlanta’s ten participants compiled a season-high 17 steals, the second time this season they had more steals than personal fouls. That tally included Dennis Schröder’s three steals in under 14 minutes.

    At the Grindhouse, Allen (95.6 defensive rating, 4th in NBA) and Lee will work tirelessly to keep Kyle Korver (NBA-high 53.3 3FG%) and DeMarre Carroll from burying Memphis under a deluge of three-pointers. If they cannot, Memphis will either have to pick up their slow pace of play (94.1 possessions per-48, 27th in NBA), look to Lee (46.3 3FG%, 2nd in NBA behind Korver) and Conley (41.2 3FG%) to help them keep up, or lean on their big men to pound away inside and draw shooting fouls, hoping the Hawks won’t pull the chair on them again.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  21. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Warriors

    By lethalweapon3,

    “Does FIRST PLACE make my butt look big? Be honest...”



    A capacity crowd will be on hand tonight at the Highlight Factory for the NBA’s two conference leaders, the Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks (7:30 PM, SportSouth Thank Goodness, CSN Bay Area). These two teams will be not only schooling each other, but a lot of people, in the stands and watching from home, that are only now coming around to figure out what all the fuss is about.

    Tonight’s game is a clinic for generations of people who grew up thinking height, speed, and hops are the quintessentially integral measures needed to create championship-quality basketball. Their religions built upon NBA 2K, Come Fly With Me videos, and fantasy hoops, or faded memories of Jurassic-era battles among behemoths beneath the hoop, they can’t quite wrap their heads around what the Hawks (41-9), the Warriors (39-8), or even the Bucks have been up to lately.

    To the critics, what classic-tweener Draymond Green is doing defensively Does Not Compute. Names like Jeff Teague in discussions of All-Star Games and DeMarre Carroll for Players of the Month Does Not Compute. Al Horford (21 points and 13 rebounds vs. Washington on Wednesday) routinely dominating frontcourt matchups without having to average much more than seven rebounds per game Does Not Compute. Andrew Bogut’s presence gives skeptics some solace, but whenever he goes down or leaves a game with foul trouble, the Warriors continuing to thrive without him Does Not Compute.

    “They’re jump-shooting teams,” they’ll suggest dismissively of Golden State (NBA-high 111.4 PPG) and Atlanta (103.4 PPG, second in the East), “and that stuff looks cute in February, but won’t fly once the playoffs get here.” The deniers are blinded by the considerable exploits of The Splash Brothers (Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, natch) and Kyle Korver.

    Korver is the NBA’s reigning catch-and-shoot king (9.2 catch-and-shoot PPG and 52.7 FG%) with Thompson (7.7 catch-and-shoot PPG, 43.8 FG%) not far behind. With three of the league’s top four three-point shot-makers sharing the floor tonight, it’s easy to neglect Harrison Barnes (43.8 3FG%, 6th in NBA), or Carroll’s career-high 40.0% shooting beyond the arc. Long-range accuracy is great (GSW’s 38.9 3FG% and ATL’s 38.8 3FG% top the league), but neither team is dependent purely on that element of their game to excel.

    What naysayers have yet to discover is the new “in” measurement isn’t height, or end-to-end speed, or vertical leap, or girth. It’s all about wingspan, all about length. It’s the ability to disrupt opponents’ flow and produce defensive stops without constantly having to leave one’s feet, to win 50/50 balls, to get barely-open shots off with relative ease, to advance the ball by swinging and tossing it over and around one’s opponents, to create offense without the ball excessively touching the floor.

    With apologies to ZZ Top, these two teams have length, and they know how to use it. They’re stretching not merely the floor, but people’s imaginations of what’s possible when one seeks to build an NBA championship contender.

    The Hawks and Warriors rank one-and-two in assist percentage (at least 19.7% of possessions end in an assist) and are both top-five for assist-turnover ratio (1.83). Golden State and Atlanta each lead the league with 59.6% of TWO-pointers being assisted.

    The first pair of teammates to drop 50 points in games during the same season since 1994-95 (Philly’s Dana Barros and Willie Burton, of course), Curry (23.6 PPG, 8th in NBA; 51 points vs. Dallas on Wednesday; NBA-high 4.2 pull-up 3FG attempts per game) and Thompson (22.4 PPG, 10th in NBA; 52 vs. Sacramento two weeks ago) can certainly get hot. But while both are just fine spotting up when needed, the MVP-contending Curry’s 40.4 3FG% is a career-low.

    While both teams get 28 percent of their points from three-point shots, the Warriors are 3rd in the league in points-in-the-paint, while the Hawks get 2.1 more PPG in the paint than their opponents. G-State’s 19.5 PPG off of turnovers lead the league; Atlanta’s 18.0 PPG has them only behind the Bucks in the East. Each rely on exactly 17.5% (7th in NBA) of their offense to come in transition from turnovers. Anyone watching just to witness a sneak-preview of next week’s Three-Point Shootout is going to be somewhat disappointed. These are good jump-shooting teams, but by the time opponents figure out that’s not all they are, it’s usually too late.

    Whenever you need to turn the crowd in your favor, it may not be the best idea to trot out Rick Barry. It’s March 2012, and the Warriors are five years removed from the magical “WE BELIEVE” playoff run, the franchise’s only postseason appearance in 18 years. They have just traded their franchise face, Monta Ellis, to Milwaukee for what seemed to be a bag of brittle bones. That was one day after losing Curry for the season, the point guard’s tender ankles raising concerns about his longevity.

    Warrior fans were an understandably ornery bunch. Fed up, they were letting new owner Joe Lacob have it, right in the middle of Chris Mullin’s retirement ceremony. Mullin couldn’t calm the crowd, so Barry, who could just as well be at WWE RAW, grabbed the mic: “Come on, people!... Show a little bit of class!” Barry then demanded the audience give Lacob the “respect he deserves.” So much for that.

    Nary could an oracle be found at Oracle Arena on that pivotal winter day. What no one could fathom at the time was that the aforementioned bag of bones, Bogut, would become the skeleton key that transformed Golden State to a defensive-focused team, one not seen since Wilt ruled the roost in San Francisco a half-century ago. It began to turn around under the auspices of the street-preaching Mark Jackson, and it continued under new coach Steve Kerr -- more specifically, with the guidance of Ron Adams, the sage assistant who accompanied Kerr.

    Bogut’s addition allowed several things to transpire. It allowed Jackson to proselytize defense as the key to playing above-.500 ball, rather than hoping the Warriors could simply out-snipe teams on a nightly basis. It encouraged Andre Iguodala (2013-14 All-Defensive first-teamer) to pass up a longer-term free-agent deal and hop over from Denver in 2013, the Warriors using cap space created by finally dumping the static Andris Biedrins. The new focus on physicality turned third-year forward Green (1.8 SPG, 1.4 BPG, #1 in defensive win shares), a nice utility player, into an indispensible starter.

    Having missed the end of last season with a fractured rib, Bogut still misses time on occasion (14 games so far) due to a bothersome knee. But when he’s available the Aussie is holding opponents down under 41.9 FG% around the rim (4th among NBA bigs), his 93.5 defensive rating comfortably the best mark in the NBA. His interior presence is allowing Iguodala and Green to clamp down on forwards outside the paint. It’s also allowing Curry (2.1 SPG, 2nd in NBA), Thompson (0.9 BPG, 2nd among NBA guards), Shaun Livingston and Justin Holiday to gamble around the perimeter.

    Adams’ switching schemes would make Mike Woodson proud, but the Warriors have the length and talent where opponents cannot create advantages merely from pick-and-rolls.

    When Bogut has to sit, the relatively shorter Marreese Speights and David Lee do just fine at the pivot. With lengthy options at the power forward position, Bogut can step out to defend mid-range shooters, like Atlanta’s Al Horford, knowing he doesn’t have to scramble back into the paint to recover. Green can similarly come out to frustrate three-point shooters. For players not previously well-regarded for their defensive prowess (Curry, Lee, Thompson in particular), the defensive will has become infectious. Much like Teague (1.7 SPG, just behind Millsap for 4th in the East), Curry has become savvy at picking opposing guards’ pockets and forcing turnovers. It should also be noted that Steph hasn’t missed an NBA game since his injury in 2012.

    Golden State has not produced a defensive rating (97.3 opponent points per 100 possessions) this good since the introduction of the three-point line. Opponents shoot a league-low 42.1 FG%, including just 32.3% from three-point range (3rd-lowest in NBA).

    There is one more person from 2012 that was instrumental to putting Warrior fans in a far more golden state. Kent Bazemore arrived in Oakland during that summer out of Old Dominion as an undrafted free agent. In-between D-League assignments and the 2013 Summer League championship, his energizer attitude on and off the court caught on fast with Curry and his Warrior teammates, and especially with long-miserable Warrior fans: “Bazemoring” became the Tebowing move of the day. Bazemore is the guy who helped Curry DunkCam his coach (I’m sorry, Coach Jackson), the rookie whose car was gleefully filled to the sunroof with popcorn. He helped lighten up a once-moody sideline, and his departure for the Lakers last February was a downer all-around.

    One year later, Bazemore (47.9 FG% and 40.0 3FG% in the past month) suits up with the Hawks, his well-concocted sideline antics making the highlight reels once again. He’ll be needed on the floor, however, to help secure rebounds and loose balls, hitting timely threes, and helping the Hawks win the turnover battle against the team that put him on the map. In the absence of Thabo Sefolosha, Bazemore’s wing defense (in collaboration with Korver and Carroll) and transition offense could make him an X-Factor tonight. He and the Hawks guards will need help against Curry (8.1 APG, 5th in NBA) so that they’re not exploited in isolation.

    Needless to say, Horford and Paul Millsap will have their work cut out for them, not only by working to get around the Warriors’ assertive post players. As they draw their opponents outside the paint, they’ll need to make timely and accurate passes and handoffs to cutting guards and wings. As the Warriors’ defense collapses, Al and Paul’s teammates must look to score quickly and be smart about drawing contact, while their teammates, in turn, must get open when lanes close and kickouts are needed.

    Those lanes will close much more quickly than Teague (7.5 APG, 6th in NBA) and Dennis Schröder, both excellent drivers, are used to. Schröder has produced double-digit scoring in six of his last seven games, shooting 45.6 FG% and 85.7 FT%. He has also done a better job handling the ball recently (4.5 APG, 1.2 TOs per game in his last 11). If ball control or tempo becomes an issue, Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer may turn to Shelvin Mack (team-high 3.0 assist-turnover ratio), who is probable to return after missing nine games with a strained calf.

    Precise, and not rushed, offensive execution will help Atlanta keep up with Golden State’s dizzying pace (101.3 possessions per-48, 1st in NBA by a mile). Against the top-12 NBA teams for pace, the Hawks are 12-1, the sole loss coming at the hands of Kobe’s Lakers back in November.

    If there is one person who will do anything to stop Korver’s quest for 50/50/90, it’s Steve Kerr. The 5-time NBA champion has the sole 50+ FG%/50+ 3FG%/90+ FT% season in NBA history, but his 1995-96 season (50.6 FG%, 51.5 3FG%, 92.9 FT%) comes with an asterisk, because the reserve on that 72-10 Bulls team did not shoot enough free throws to qualify. You can best believe he’s tired of hearing that.

    Kerr will throw every defender capable of chasing Korver (1-for-6 3FGs vs. Washington) through multiple screens. He’ll also want to do his part to try and stick an asterisk on Korver’s 92.0 FT% (2nd in NBA, ahead of Curry’s 90.9%) by keeping him from drawing trips to the line. But the Warriors’ withholding of physical play on Kyle might work to his, and the Hawks’, advantage. Atlanta is 30-6 when Korver (51.7 FG%, 53.2 3FG%) gets two or fewer free throw attempts in a game, 10-3 when he takes more than two shots.

    High cross-court and down-court passes, generally effective against the Wizards on Wednesday, could turn into up-for-grab balls that work against Atlanta tonight versus the far more active and athletic Warrior D. Perimeter shooters will have to remain dynamic throughout possessions, understanding that both the catch-part and shoot-part of the Hawks’ signature offense will be heavily contested.

    As much as the Hawks get panned for their lack of defensive rebounding (74.5 D-Reb%, 17th in NBA), Bogut and the Warriors come out even worse (73.3 D-Reb%, 24th in NBA). A platoon of Elton Brand and Pero Antić will be useful in creating second-chance opportunities for Atlanta to score. Hawk forwards Millsap, Carroll, and Mike Scott will need to get back on transition defense to temper the league’s top fastbreak offense in Golden State (21.4 fastbreak PPG).

    Like the Hawks (NBA-low 18.0 personal fouls per game), the Warriors don’t foul much (19.8 per game). But when they do, they’re usually of the shooting variety, allowing opponents to take 24.8 free throw attempts per game (5th in NBA). Atlanta (77.0 team FT%, 9th in NBA) cannot afford to be unfocused at the charity stripe. They’ve shot below their current season percentage in eight of the last ten games, leaving nine points on the table against Washington on Wednesday.

    Tonight will be the first time two NBA teams enter into a game this late into the season with single-digit losses in six years. Seeking their 12th consecutive home win and 1st place overall in the NBA standings, the Hawks intend to have both teams exiting the game that same way.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  22. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Wizards

    By lethalweapon3,

    Welp… you can’t win ‘em all. But you can still win a lot.



    Yes, we know we cannot call them the HaWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWks anymore.

    But when was the last time we could call the team AtLLanta?

    Winning streaks of any size coming to an end can be a bit of a bummer, and Monday’s streak-busting loss by the Atlanta Hawks in New Orleans was no exception. But there’s at least one little run the Hawks extended simply by showing up for tip-off against the Pelicans.

    Beginning with a November 21 home win over Detroit, the Hawks have not lost two consecutive games. That’s a stretch of 39 NBA games, the longest string without a losing “streak” of two or more games in franchise history, eclipsing the 1996-1997 Hawks’ run of 38 games. Only two other editions of the Atlanta Hawks (1985-86 with 34, 1987-88 with 30) ever went that long without dropping two in a row.

    Atlanta can stretch their run to 40 games (and counting) with a win tonight at the Highlight Factory against the Washington Wizards (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, CSN Washington). Win or lose, tonight’s 50th game will allow the 2014-15 Hawks (40-9) to approach the 1996-97 team’s run of 64 games without a three-game losing streak.

    Speaking of three-game losing streaks, the Wizards (31-18) have lost three straight and five of their last seven games, the sole wins coming against the reeling Nuggets (in overtime) and Lakers. They lost twice at home in overtime to the Thunder and the Raptors, then lost at home to the Kemba-less Hornets in regulation.

    Second in the Southeast Division, Washington needs a victory tonight in Atlanta just to avoid losing the season series and falling to ten games behind the Hawks (with 32 left to play) and a mediocre 5-5 in the division. It wasn’t supposed to work this way.

    The way it was supposed to work, LeBron James’ departure from South Beach and Paul Pierce’s arrival from Uprock Country was supposed to make the Wizards, after reaching the playoffs with 44 wins for just the first time in six seasons, the clear class of the Southeast Division. Unless, of course, Lance Stephenson and the Hornets had anything to say about it.

    The way it was supposed to work, John Wall (NBA-leading 10.2 APG; probable for tonight despite migraines and a sore foot) was going to secure his place in the upper pantheon of MVP candidates. Then, Bradley Beal (career-high 44.6 3FG%) would come back from wrist surgery and join with Wall to form The Greatest Starting Backcourt in the East, without peer.

    Then, Martell Webster would return from back surgery hitting shots from the parking lot, his resurgence and Otto Porter’s naturally improved play allowing Paul Pierce to get some quality rest ahead of the postseason. Similar deal with Kevin Seraphin’s emergence allowing Nene to take some pressure off of his foot. Fresh from inking a five-year, $60 million contract, the mohawked soon-to-be-31-year-old Marcin Gortat would be a steady and reliable presence in the middle. Bada-boom, bada-bing, come May the Wizards would be wrangling with the Bulls and the Cavaliers to come out of the Eastern Conference for The Finals.

    An All-Star for the second-straight year, Wall has been unable to expand his range (30.1 3FG%, down from 35.1% last season, despite a career-high 49.3 2FG%), but otherwise has held up his end of the bargain, particularly as a perimeter defender. Opponents’ effective field-goal percentage drops to 47.6%, from 51.0%, when Wall steps on the floor.

    As for his teammates? Beal has struggled to keep talented opponents from turning drives into layup drills. 37-year-old Pierce is playing despite a notoriously stubborn toe injury, and while his 17.2 points per-36 is a career-low for him, it ranks second on his team and just a shade behind Wall’s 17.5. Nene has been a defensive stalwart (95.6 opponent points per 100 possessions, 2nd among NBA big men), but his mobility continues to be a concern due to recurring foot issues. His 11.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 0.4 BPG are at/near his lowest averages in seven seasons.

    Gortat could probably use a Snickers, for he hasn’t been himself in awhile. He has shaved off his mohawk, trying anything he can think of to halt a hair-razing downturn in his performance. Gortat is struggling at both ends of the floor, unable to contain on pick-and-rolls and unable to be a factor on offense either. He’s combined for 2-for-9 FGs, six points and nine boards in his last two games.

    Defensive collapses from Gortat and Beal were evident when Atlanta put up 120 points in regulation (on 34 assists; no Washington opponent has had 30) during the Wizards’ last visit to Philips Arena on January 15, eight different Hawks scoring in double-figures followed by the injured Thabo Sefolosha’s nine points. And they’ve continued lately, the Wizards’ defensive rating during their past six games rising from 99.9 to 103.2.

    Throw in the Polish Hammer’s 47.4 FT% in January, and it’s reached a point where Wizards coach Randy Wittman is reaching in the tool box for soon-to-be-30-year-old Kris Humphries (12.6 PPG, 11.8 RPG in his last five games; zero blocks in his last ten) to come through in the fourth quarters. For Wall to remain in the MVP discussion by season’s end, he must figure out a way to make teammates like Gortat and Nene better.

    At the onset of Free Agency 2013, while the Hawks were knocking on Paul Millsap’s door, Wiz GM Ernie Grunfeld was begging Webster not to skip town. Unfortunately, Webster (24.1 FG%, 20.0 3FG%) has struggled with injuries since his stellar 2012-2013 season and looks like a guy who’s ready to retire sooner than even he originally planned. Rasual Butler was a pleasant surprise pickup at the start of the season, but since the January 11 game in Atlanta he’s regressed to being, well, Rasual Butler (last 13 games: 4.9 PPG, 36.1 FG%, 23.5 3FG%). Those developments plus Pierce’s tenuous health have made it impossible to continue stashing Otto Porter (last four games: 9.8 PPG, 53.8 FG%, 62.5 3FG%). Porter has shot the ball well but must continue to show defensive improvements.

    As for the other reserves? Hopefully Andre Miller isn’t peeved, but the backup veteran point guard logged his first DNP of the season on Monday. He’ll be rested and ready to go after a pair of ineffective games versus Atlanta this season. Garrett Temple provides a defensive change-of-pace from Beal, earning himself a recent uptick in playing time, but he’s been a Temple of Doom for Washington on the other end of the floor.

    Wittman may not even know veteran forwards Drew Gooden and DeJuan Blair are on the roster. Kevin Seraphin continues to struggle on defense, but the big man at least still has his masterful jump hook (70.7 FG% on hook shots, 42.0 FG% on jumpshots and layups). All-in-all, the backup players (aside from Humphries) haven’t found ways to fit in either amongst each other or with the starters, and it’s exacerbated Washington’s problems.

    Wall (2.0 SPG, 5th in NBA) is just about the only Wizard forcing turnovers from opponents. Since January 1, Washington’s 12.3 opponent turnovers per 100 possessions ranked second-lowest in the league, ahead of only the Pelicans. Their 12.7 PPG off turnovers since January 1 are 3rd-lowest, behind New Orleans and Brooklyn.

    Wall enjoys absorbing charge calls, but his fans are clamoring that all the associated contact (with the opponent and the floor) is probably contributing to his headache issues. Plus, generating those types of turnovers don’t allow Wall to do what he does best: running the floor in transition. The Wizards’ 15.8 PPG on fastbreaks are second-most in the East since January 1. But Wall needs some of his floor mates to step up.

    The Hawks have enough defensive issues of their own to work through. The Pelicans were just the third opponent in Atlanta’s past 26 games to shoot .500 or above (exactly .500, in New Orleans’ case) from the floor. The Pelicans also produced the most assists by a Hawks opponent (30) in two months while getting nearly a third of their 52 rebounds on the offensive end.

    Sefolosha was vital off the bench for not only forcing turnovers and tough shots out of the opposition but also beating teams down the floor for buckets at the other end. DeMarre Carroll (four steals vs. WAS on both Nov. 25 and Jan. 11) expects to play a full game, particularly useful against Pierce, but the health of his Achilles will be fully monitored.

    Kent Bazemore and Kyle Korver must continue to use active hands to pry the ball free from Washington, then force them to run the full court as Jeff Teague (3.8 points per-36 off TOs, 3rd most in the East), Paul Millsap (3.6 points per-36 off TOs, 5th in East), Dennis Schröder, and Bazemore finish on the other end of the floor.

    The Hawks only coughed up the ball six times against New Orleans on Monday, but failed to finish around the rim (19-for-41 FGs within five feet) or around the perimeter (31.8 3FG%). They helped the Pelicans’ cause by getting away from their trademark ball-sharing ways after the first-quarter, where they shot just 33.3 FG%. The percentage of assisted Hawks baskets dwindled from 62.5% in the first quarter to 41.7% in the final quarter. The ball-control-friendly Shelvin Mack (ankle sprain) won’t be available again tonight, so it’s on Teague and Schröder to make sure the ball keeps moving.

    If the Hawks play tonight like it’s the most important game of the week, they should be capable of keeping the losing streak at one.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  23. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - Pelicans

    By lethalweapon3,

    “Laissez les bon temps… uhhhhh… Security!?!?”


    As much fun as a perfect 8-0 homestand has been for Atlanta Hawks fans, Jeff Teague is relieved that it’s all in the rearview mirror. In his postgame commentary after the Hawks won their 19th straight game, a nail-biter against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, Teague suggested it’s good for him and his team to get back out on the road after a couple of weeks lying around at home. And who could blame him? He’s endured a rough shooting stretch over Atlanta’s last eight games (13.6 PPG, 38.0 FG%, 23.1 3FG%, two FTs in last 3 games). Plus, the newly-minted All-Star has had to put up with a lot of glad-handing around town from people who in years past didn’t want much to do with him.

    The road has been where the heart is for Teague, who has shot better from long-range in away games (18.2 PPG, 50.3 2FG%, 38.2 3FG%) than at the Highlight Factory (15.7 PPG, 50.6 2FG%, 29.8 3FG%). So a quick road trip to pre-Mardi Gras New Orleans might be just the elixir.

    Atlanta will aim for multiple milestones with a victory tonight against the host New Orleans Pelicans (8:00 PM Eastern, SportSouth in ATL, NBATV). The Hawks could become the first NBA team to guarantee a .500 record on the season. They could extend their streak against the Western Conference to 13 (a run that begin with a home win over the Pelicans in November), and stretch their road winning string to 13 games (17 of their past 18). On top of that, they could become the fifth team ever to achieve 20 consecutive NBA victories, three of the prior four teams (’71 Bucks, ’72 Lakers, ’13 heat) winning an NBA title in the same season.

    Of course, being the intentionally poor historians that they are, coach Mike Budenholzer’s club would admit to tracking none of that. They simply want to sweep the season series with New Orleans. They may not even remember beating them once already. Behind Teague’s 26 points, Atlanta surpassed New Orleans in the overall standings with a 100-91 win on November 28 at Philips Arena, raising their record to 8-6 at the time. They have not looked back since, and they don’t look ahead, either.

    While the Hawks have been sprinting away from the Eastern Conference pack, the Pelicans (25-22) have played keep-away from the wannabe-contending Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference. After quite a bit of uneven play this season, the ninth-seeded Pelicans have received quite the Pure Recharge Enhancer lately at Smoothie King Center. Playing without All-Star Anthony Davis (hip soreness, strained groin) on Friday, N’Awlins got a balanced effort from Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon (season-high 28 points), and reserves Alexis Ajinca and recent returnee Quincy Pondexter to upend a healthy third-seeded L.A. Clippers team.

    It was the seventh win in ten games for the Pelicans, and also the eighth victory in ten home games at SKC. Things have clearly gone smoother in front of the home crowd: without Davis and starting point guard Jrue Holiday, this is essentially the same team that lost games in recent weeks at New York, Philadelphia and Boston. Last week, they avenged that loss to the Sixers with a sound 25-point home victory, and also got five steals and some late free throws from Davis to eke out a win over division-rival Dallas.

    Consistent results are what the team is seeking from coach Williams, now in his fifth season and trying to avoid a fourth-straight year out of the playoffs. Sandwiched between the big wins over the Mavs and Clips was a loss to a Denver team that had lost seven in a row. Davis injured his groin early in that game, and the Pelicans struggled both early and late. But all brows will be on-deck tonight as Davis (24.5 PPG, 4th in NBA; 10.4 RPG, 9th in NBA; 6.2 TO%, 3rd lowest in NBA) is listed as probable to return to action.

    Holiday’s absence has allowed Tyreke Evans (17.7 PPG and 7.3 APG in ten games since Jrue went down) to show off his passing chops. His 5.7 APG on the season is just a tick below Reke’s average from his mercurial Rookie-of-the-Year 2009-10 season. He’s registered 12 assists in three of the past four Pelican games, all wins. But as another example of his team’s inconsistency, in the loss to Denver he managed just a pair of assists; against the Knicks he compiled only three.

    Pelicans GM Dell Demps is not looking to rock the boat, but if the right deal for a steadier small forward comes along (one that can play ahead of current starter Dante Cunningham, Pondexter, and Luke Babbitt) he may be departing with one of Holiday (7.1 APG) or Evans (10th in NBA for 2FG attempts per game, 13th in TOs per game) before the trade deadline. Like many fellow players on the second 10-day contract, former Buck guard Nate Wolters hopes to impress enough to stick around.

    With Davis (NBA-high 2.9 BPG) and Omer Asik (29.0 D-Reb%, 4th in NBA), one would think it would be easier to get through a carwash unscrubbed than to get balls through the hoop against the Pelicans’ interior D. But New Orleans’ opponents still get 45.2 points-in-the-paint per game, 3rd most in the league.

    Neither Davis nor Asik foul terribly much, as they’re more likely to allow one to contest the shot while the other goes after the rebound. So not stopping the ball may attribute to the high number of shots allowed (30.6 opponent restricted-area FG attempts per game, most in NBA). Perhaps more attributable is the lack of defensive intensity from the rest of the Pelicans’ starting cast, as well as the quality of their backups when the duo needs rest. Reserve seven-footer Alexis Ajinca had has a Whiteside-Lite breakout of late (since Jan. 18: 9.3 PPG and 7.5 RPG; 3.3 blocks per-36, 4th in NBA), but too much of his energy gets expended on the offensive end of the floor.

    Unlike some sports, it's always a good idea to pass for scores, and the Hawks (NBA-high 68.5% of FGs assisted) still do it as well as anybody. Asik and Davis will have a rough go of things if Louisiana native Paul Millsap and Al Horford’s mid-to-long-range games (combined 38 points; 14-for-25 2FGs vs. PHI on Saturday) get going. The Pellies will be unable to camp themselves inside and will have to scramble to stop backdoor cuts to the hoop. The Hawks must catch-and-shoot in the paint as quickly as they do outside of it, disallowing Asik and a potentially hobbled Davis from closing in for the blocks.

    Not only must the starting frontcourt players get things cooking to open things up inside for their driving guards, but so must Mike Scott and Pero Antić. The latter rested against Philadelphia on Saturday, while Scott was cold outside the arc (0-for-4 3FGs). The Hawks’ bigs must also make an effort to keep the pace of the game high and beat the Pelicans (94.1 possessions per-48, 4th lowest in NBA) down the floor.

    Backup forward Anderson may be coming out of his long-distance shooting slumber (career-low 35.3 3FG%; 39.5% in January). In his past four games, Ryno has averaged 18.0 PPG while shooting 94.4 FT%, and nailed half of his three-point shots. Spelling Davis in the starting lineup, he shot 5-for-11 on threes against the Clippers in what clearly was his best start of the season. After missing the middle of the season with a torn shoulder muscle, Gordon (career-low 12.6 PPG) also came alive against his former team, shooting 10-for-20 from the field (5-for-7 3FGs) against L.A. while tacking on 7 assists with his season-high 28 points.

    The Hawks are hoping opponents like New Orleans will cool off a bit from three-point range. Without DeMarre Carroll and Thabo Sefolosha for most of the past two games, Atlanta’s foes have jacked up 32.5 three-point attempts (well above their NBA-high 26.1 per game on the season) and made 38.5% of them (7th highest in NBA). While it is a small sample size, that percentage is up from 33.4% (5th lowest in NBA) in the games leading up to Carroll’s departure. The Hawks have missed Carroll’s ability to rove the perimeter, and without either of DMC or Sefolosha they’ll need a more concerted effort from Kent Bazemore, Kyle Korver, Mike Scott and Dennis Schröder to contest shots, while the Hawks’ big men must do all they can to keep Asik away from the offensive glass.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  24. lethalweapon3

    Hawks - 76ers

    By lethalweapon3,

    “So, where we going next? I wanna find out where they hid the crack in the Liberty Bell!”



    “Help me… help you.”

    There ought to be a lot of quid pro quo going on tonight at the Highlight Factory. On the second night of a back-to-back for both teams, the Atlanta Hawks will seek their third win of the season over the Philadelphia 76ers (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth in ATL, The Comcast Network in PHI). The Sixers know the Hawks want to pad their NBA-leading 39-8 record, while the Hawks know the Sixers want to… umm… work up a good sweat and get out of town. Both teams want these events to transpire as swiftly and painlessly as possible.

    Make no mistake: this week is already a win for the Sixers. On Wednesday, they took advantage of a Jennings-less Detroit Pistons team and stuck it to Stan Van Gundy, who lambasted the franchise as “embarrassing” back when he was under-employed last year. “If you’re putting that roster on the floor,” the Master of Panic surmised, “you’re doing everything you can possibly do to try to lose.”

    And, indeed, the 76ers are. But a person who plans to return to the NBA’s coaching ranks need not call them out on it in public. So once the Pistons rolled into town, Brett Brown’s charges did everything they could possibly do to try to beat the warmup pants off of Van Gundy’s team. Philadelphia prevailed 89-69 as they held everyone aside from Greg Monroe and Jonas Jerebko to 11-for-54 shooting.

    With Philly (10-37, one game “ahead” of the Knicks) playing against a team that had a virtual vacuum at the point (D.J. Augustin, who sucked better than most vacuums by shooting 0-for-7 with four assists), head coach Brett Brown couldn’t be any more pleased with how Michael Carter-Williams (14 points, 10 assists, five TOs) performed against Detroit. “Michael was a point guard tonight,” crowed Brown, who could reasonably have gotten away with definite-article usage if he wanted. “His presence on the court and the size, when he gets a small guard in his pocket, that’s a special quality for a young point guard.”

    Last night, the Sixers reached triple digits for the first time in 23 games, topping the worst NBA team (for the moment, at least), the Minnesota Timberwolves, at home 103-94. The win ensured the Sixers would not finish with a record as bad as the infamous 9-73ers of 1972-73. Again playing a team without its top point guard, Carter-Williams contributed a triple-double (17 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) to the victory, tying Rajon Rondo in that department with three on the season.

    Led by Nerlens Noel (7-for-8 FGs, six blocks, four steals), the Sixers’ better-than-you-think defense (102.6 D-Rating, 13th in NBA; #1 in SPG, #3 in BPG) clamped down on the Wolves after giving up 59 points in the opening half.

    20 points against the Hawks on 8-for-13 FGs and four assists (five TOs), as MCW produced on January 13, doesn’t look too bad in a vacuum, until one realizes (a) somebody has to score, and (b) Jeff Teague got the night off. Teague, Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll cheered from the bench as Dennis Schröder (13 points, 6 assists) held his own and Shelvin Mack (12 points, 10 assists) helped with the tag team of Carter-Williams. Meanwhile, Al Horford collected the first triple-double (21 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) of his NBA career, as there was no Sixer (rookie Nerlens Noel included) able to match up with Al’s unique skill set.

    The Sixers (89.7 PPG) are still the lowest-scoring team in the Association, and their leading scorer, Tony Wroten tore an ACL against the Hawks on January 13. After Carter-Williams and November pickup Robert Covington (4-for-11 3FGs last night, team-high 19 points vs. Detroit), the Sixers’ third-leading active scorer is Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (career-high 9.7 PPG and 28.3 minutes per game).

    In a move that would soothe Billy Knight, undrafted 6-foot-9 rookie forward JaKarr Sampson is getting a boost in minutes in the starting shooting guard role to replace Wroten. Brown is bringing the plyometric K.J. McDaniels off the bench in hopes it will produce better defensive balance.

    Small forward Jerami Grant is an occasional firecracker off the bench. He scored nine fourth-quarter points against the Hawks to keep the January meeting from becoming a laugher. The son of ex-NBA baller Harvey Grant, it was Jerami, not Noel, who blocked eight shots in a strategic home loss to the Knicks last week.

    No one understands it’s a game of runs better than Larry Drew II, the point guard currently interning with the Sixers on a 10-day contract. While he’ll remain a reserve, Drew (3.6 APG) got his first NBA start against the Pelicans this past Monday and is hoping to play well enough to stick around.

    As a key to “entertanking,” the Sixers scramble to create turnovers (17.8 opponent TO ratio, 3rd in NBA), so much so that they leave the barn door open (71.6 D-Reb%, lowest in NBA). While the Hawks are used to seeking the optimal shot, they’ll do just fine seeking the first good shot and relying on Millsap (21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals vs. POR) to crash the offensive boards. The high-paced Sixers thrive on points off turnovers (15.0 PPG, 6th in NBA) and fastbreak points (17.7 PPG, 8th in NBA), so Atlanta will want to keep halfcourt plays simple and get back on defense to minimize Philly’s runouts.

    During the 18-game streak, the Hawks average 27.1 APG (2nd only to Golden State’s 30.2), and Philadelphia is 1-30 (the sole win against the Wolves last night) when their opponent gets 24 assists or more. Nine field goals per quarter will suffice for Atlanta, who’s averaging 38.8 per game during the winning streak. The Sixers are 0-30 when they allow more than 35 field goals in a game.

    Kent Bazemore (17 points, 7-for-14 FGs, 3-for-6 3FGs, 5 defensive rebounds at PHI on Jan. 13) ran out from the tunnel after a quick bathroom break to fill in for Thabo Sefolosha, who in turn was filling in for Carroll before quickly straining a calf muscle. Bazed God provided a crucial 40 minutes (12 points, 5-for-6 FGs, two steals one block, and boundless energy) of productive basketball last night to help push the Hawks ahead of Portland for good, and it may be too much to ask for him to replicate his earlier performance against the Sixers tonight.

    To relieve Bazemore, Mike Scott (4-for-5 3FGs in 14 minutes vs. POR Friday) and Pero Antić (present) need to get their offense going early and often for the Hawks to deep-six the Sixers early, and Dennis Schröder (7 assists in 24 minutes on Friday) must make smart drives to the hoop, and minimize turnovers and iso-ball. In the second half, it may be one of Mike Muscala, John Jenkins, or rookie Adreian Payne who helps to wrap this game up.

    The 76ers will certainly understand if the Hawks try to build up a nice cushion early, and rely heavily on reserves late. After all, we’re doing this for their own good.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
  25. lethalweapon3
    “LaMarcus, I am serious… and DON'T call me Shirley!”



    The Brooklyn Nets weren’t the only team that caught a little break this week with a game deferred by a winter storm. The Portland Trail Blazers were scheduled to face the Nets on Monday, and after taking on mini-streaking Cleveland on Wednesday, they’ve flown south to face the Atlanta Hawks tonight (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, CSN Northwest). The Hawks will be on the hunt not only for their unprecedented 18th straight victory but their 12th straight win over a Western Conference opponent.

    It’s the first of a scheduled back-to-back for both teams: tomorrow, Atlanta awaits the 76ers’ arrival from Philadelphia, while the Blazers’ trail leads back north to visit Terry Stotts’ other former employer, the Milwaukee Bucks.

    The Blazers have looked more like the Flickerers lately. After a tremendous start to the season, Portland (32-14) has lost six of their past eight and now sits in a three-way tie for the third seed in the Western Conference. That extra day of rest and the absence of LeBron James did not save the Blazers from an unstoppable Kyrie Irving on Wednesday. The Cavs guard topped off an NBA-season-high 55-point night with a go-ahead three-pointer and free throws to bid Portland adieu.

    The Trail Blazers have been hampered by a rash of frontcourt injuries. Starting center Robin Lopez fractured a bone in his right hand in mid-December and remains out of action. Then, backup pivot Joel Freeland suffered a shoulder strain three weeks ago; he’s out indefinitely. Although he played on Wednesday in Cleveland, Nicolas Batum has had recurring problems all season with bruised knees and a sprained wrist.

    Yet the biggest scare for the Blazers clearly came from now-four-time-All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge (23.6 PPG, 7th in NBA; 87.6 FT%, 10th in NBA), the franchise pillar who looked into problems with his bothersome non-shooting hand and discovered a torn ligament in his thumb. The power forward will be a power player as possibly the biggest unrestricted free agent name this summer. So from a self-preservation perspective, it made sense to shut things down for 6-to-8 weeks, allowing his hand to properly heal.

    But from a team perspective, losing LMA at this critical juncture could put a team that’s been trading the 2-seed and 3-seed spots with Memphis since December at risk of losing homecourt advantage, if not falling completely out of the postseason in a muddled Western Conference that has Northwest Division rival Oklahoma City still trying to barge its way in.

    During this recent downturn, the Blazers lost at home without Aldridge to a bad Boston squad in the closing seconds. So, Aldridge saw that, practiced dribbling and shooting, and made the choice to try and stick it out – not sticking out his thumb, mind you, just playing despite the pain and the risk of aggravation. He’s played great in his last two games back: 26 points and 9 rebounds in a home win against Washington, 38 and 11 against the Cavs. Still, it’s a decision Portland, and Aldridge, hope won’t come back to bite them by season’s end.

    One of Aldridge’s teammates appears interested in flexing a wholly different finger on his hand. Suffice to say, Damian Lillard (21.7 PPG; career-high 48.4 2FG% and 4.6 RPG) is not the happiest camper. Tonight, while the Hawks and their fans fete their three latest Eastern Conference invitees to the All-Star Game, the 2014 All-Star guard will be on the sideline wondering what exactly he’d have to do to ever crack a Western point guard rotation that includes a healthy Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, and Chris Paul.

    “I’m looking forward to being in another All-Star Game,” Lillard noted before the selections were announced yesterday, adding, “If I don’t, I’m going to be p*ssed off.” His reaction after the snub was revealed: “Not unfamiliar territory,” a possible reference to being among the first cuts off the Team USA roster last August, never mind his high school recruiting memories. Later: "I said I’d be p*ssed off about it. And I am. I just felt disrespected." Hell hath no fury like a 24-year-old petulant point guard scorned. Will Lillard get back to torching opponents, or just flame out?

    As the voting deadline for reserves looms, you can either shake your fist at the coaches, or play strong enough to make it difficult for them to ignore you. What you can’t do is what Lillard did: go through the worst shooting funk of your short career, while your team’s performance ebbs, then threaten that you’ll curse the darkness if you’re not selected. In his last six games, Lillard shot just 31.1 FG%, 28.0 3FG%. While it didn’t matter to the coaches since voting was over by then, Dame was unable to score a single point in the fourth quarter on Wednesday as his opposing point guard, Irving, was enjoying a game for the ages.

    Lillard (7.3 3FGAs per game, 2nd in NBA; career-low 36.7 3FG%) vows to play with a bitter edge going forward. But whether that calculates into making an example out of Jeff Teague and the All-Star-steeped Hawks tonight remains to be seen. Despite promises of great vengeance and furious anger after the Team USA cut, when the NBA season began it took Lillard three games of funky shooting (26.8 FG%, 13.7 PPG) before he could right the ship and help Portland sail through an impressive November.

    He may want to look up to a fellow 2014 first-timer and Team USA cut victim, Paul Millsap, who was quite gracious and pragmatic after not sticking with Team USA after a late invite. Displaying a demeanor much like another famous Paul, Millsap (27 points at Portland on Jan. 3; 23.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 58.3 3FG% last 3 games) Cool Hand Luked his way right back into the midseason exhibition this year.

    Or, Lillard should recognize that he still remains a good candidate for an injury replacement. Even though the Commissioner went with center DeMarcus Cousins to replace the Black Mamba, anything can happen in the next two weeks, and a spot could open up for Lillard if he turns his game and attitude around. Kyle Korver may share a similar fate as Cousins on the Eastern side, replacing Dwyane Wade. But Lillard ought to note Korver (last ten games: 59.7 FG%, 61.7 3FG%) isn’t so obsessed with what would be the first such honor of his 12-year career that he’d let the decision, one way or another, impact his play on the court.

    In any event, Lillard is going to have to stop getting shown up in the backcourt by the likes of Irving, et al. During this recent 8-game swoon: CP3 got his obligatory 23 and 10; Tony Parker shot 8-for-17; Beno Udrih filled in for Mike Conley and made all seven of his shots; Eric Bledsoe filled up the stat sheet with 33 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals; Evan Turner managed 8 assists and was left wide open for the game-winner; John Wall got his 25 and 9; and then Kyrie Irving happened. Aspiring and returning All-Stars don’t get outshined so frequently.

    Wesley Matthews (career-high 7.7 3FGAs per game; 39.7 3FG%) is hopefully not preoccupied with the Bovada betting lines, which have him ranked last among the six contestants for the Three-Point Shooting contest on All-Star weekend (Korver’s odds are second to the Babyfaced Assassin, Steph Curry). On defense, Matthews and Batum certainly hope for a repeat of last winter, where they conspired to end Korver’s history-making Threak at 127 games. Korver has sunk at least one triple in each of his last 33 games. After going 5-for-8 against the Nets on Wednesday, Kyle (53.4 3FG%) is once again threatening another all-time NBA-mark -- his record for 3FG% in a single season (53.6% with Utah in 2009-10).

    Teague (22 points, 8-for-14 2FGs) and Korver (4-for-9 3FGs) had little trouble springing free against Portland’s defense back on January 8. Coach Stotts used to rely heavily on his bigs to hard hedge on pick-and-rolls and keep opposing ballhandlers from strolling from the perimeter all the way to the cup. But Stotts has switched things up. Now, the screener’s defender almost exclusively drops back: according to recent analysis by Vantage Sports, as much as anyone in the league, by far.

    When that defender was Lopez, the Blazers were able to sink their teeth into opposing offenses. But without Lopez, and especially without Freeland, Portland’s once-lauded defense has been falling off. As noted by The Oregonian (Portland’s AJC), their defensive efficiency was 99.5 opponent points per-100 possessions until Lopez’ injury. That rating actually improved once he was replaced in the starting lineup by Freeland (97.8), but has fallen off significantly in the 11 games since he joined Lopez on the sideline (101.4). The Oregonian also notes Lopez allowed the Blazers (January 47.5 Reb%, 3rd worst in NBA) to hold a rebounding edge in roughly half of their contests, but only 5 of the 21 games since he departed the floor last month.

    Aldridge (1.2 BPG), Chris Kaman, Meyers Leonard and Thomas Robinson will try their best to thwart Teague and the Hawks’ rolls off the screens, but none are known for their individual defensive prowess. Batum has struggled so badly on offense (career-low 38.8 FG%, 27.6 3FG%, and 2.2 O-Reb%) that he is in games essentially for defense, having switched roles with Lillard to try (in vain) to cool off Irving in the fourth quarter on Wednesday. Yet his nagging injuries limit his on-ball effectiveness as well.

    That leaves Lillard and Steve Blake susceptible to a variety of high screens from Al Horford, Millsap, and Pero Antić, allowing Teague (11 assists vs. Brooklyn) and Dennis Schröder (13 points in 17 minutes vs. Brooklyn) numerous forays into the paint. Korver’s continuous movement and DeMarre Carroll’s recent efficiency from downtown (52.6 3FG% in his last four games) will make it challenging for any defender to sag off of Atlanta’s wings.

    Lillard and Matthews will try to jack up threes to offset Atlanta’s offense, supplementing Aldridge’s deadly mid-range shots (11.6 mid-range FGAs per game, 1st in NBA; 40.0 mid-range FG%). But those efforts can be muted by Atlanta if Korver and Thabo Sefolosha (combined 18 defensive rebounds on Jan. 8 at Portland) continue to help keep the Blazers off the offensive glass.

    A final point of order: Robin Lopez, you keep your filthy, broken hands off of Harry the Hawk. You got a problem with Harry, you got a problem with me.

    Let’s Go Hawks!

    ~lw3
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