lethalweapon3

Since we've had more discussion about Terrence Ross than Terrence Jones in the past few days, I'm locking this drain-circling bad boy. For more scintillating discussion on Mr. Jones and other players not named Paul Millsap, please go to "Around the Association." ~lw3

“We always hang in a Buffalo Stance…” No beads for you, Bud! Well, it’s not set-in-stone quite yet. But Atlanta Hawks’ Mike Budenholzer and his coaching staff probably won’t be heading to The Big Easy for any pre-Mardi Gras action, at least not without buying a ticket. At the minimum, the Hawks must win three straight games, beginning with a road win tonight versus the Miami heat (7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, Fox Sports Sun in MIA), and then hope for some divine intervention. Nonetheless, it’s probably for the best that someone other than the Hawks’ coaching crew is wasting time fake-game-planning for Paul Millsap and the Eastern Conference All-Stars. A couple weeks of rest, re-assessment, and re-calibration should prove beneficial for a staff and roster that endured some humbling defeats during the first half of the season, but also pulled a few plums out of the pie. 28 victories at this point of the season (11-4 since Christmas Day, 2nd in the East; 14-10 at home and on the road) is above most outsider expectations, given the sea-changes at several positions. But the Hawks’ positioning in the NBA standings also reflects how much more they could have accomplished by now, with a little tightening-up and strategic adjustments on both ends of the floor. Despite the departure of Kyle Korver, the Hawks have improved their perimeter shooting significantly (39.4 January 3FG%, 6th in NBA; 32.6% and 29th in NBA before last month). The rise is good enough that, apparently, the memo has been passed on to Dwight Howard: Budball is back in season. We’ve had many chuckles at Al Horford’s expense over the Hawks’ rise to modest respectability in the defensive rebounding department. But in the past month, Atlanta’s 74.0 D-Reb% was not a laughing matter, in a virtual tie with Milwaukee as the worst in the league. The NBA’s leading cherry-picker (4.3 O-Rebs per game), Howard is indeed curbing his appetite for second-chance opportunities (3.4 O-Rebs per game in January, down from 5.4 in December). But his deep positioning for post-up and lob plays diminishes Atlanta’s defensive cohesion, whenever opponents get live-ball stops and move in transition. The thin bench options behind Howard and Millsap only exacerbate the defensive rebounding issues, and the rush by teammates to help compensate inside are part of the reason the Hawks slack on opponents attacking from the corners. Atlanta is one of just four teams, and the only team in the East (Dallas, Phoenix, Sacramento), allowing foes to hit on over 40 percent of threes from both the left and right corners. Beyond getting back in position for rebounds, Dwight also finds himself increasingly out of position to help with blocks (2+ swats just once in his last 20 games; 12 times in his first 20 games). Rectifying defensive positioning and activity can enhance the Hawks’ already solid defensive rating (6th in the NBA since January 1), allowing them to sustain competitive ball even when they’re amidst the occasional offensive swoon. Howard has to entrust his teammates, as they execute their first-shot plays, and abandon the offensive paint quicker. That’s particularly if he is to help the Hawks get over their first-quarter malaise (minus-5.7 1st quarter net rating, 2nd-worst in East, slightly worse than Miami’s minus-5.3). It’s apropos that the heat are the hottest team in the East right now, albeit a tad startling. When last we left Erik Spoelstra’s club, Miami, losers at Philips Arena by a 103-95 score on December 7, were shorthanded and in the middle of a rough slide. Through January 13, they had won just once in 11 games, just twice in 15 games, just four times in 22 games. They’re still shorthanded even today. Josh McRoberts (foot stress fracture) and Justise Winslow (labrum tear) are both probably out for the season. Josh Richardson (sprained foot) hasn’t played for weeks, Luke Babbitt remains questionable with an injured ankle, and James Johnson (probable) suffered a shoulder stinger in his last game. But just as things started looking bleak, the heat came out of nowhere like a Royal Rumble-winning signature move. “It’s the East,” Dion Waiters reasoned to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, “You can win five games, and be right back in the playoff hunt.” The heat went on to prove his assertion by rattling off eight consecutive victories, a streak highlighted by Waiters serving up back-to-back game-winning threes to topple the Warriors and Nets last week. Dion himself missed a chunk of time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day due to a groin tear, and the never gun-shy gunner has enlivened Miami’s offense (27th in NBA for O-Rating, but 13th since Jan. 15) by simply picking up where he left off. “I’d rather go 0-for-30 than 0-for-9,” Waiters (21.8 PPG, 48.9 3FG%, 4.8 APG during the win streak), the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, postulated yesterday, “because, you go, 0-for-9, that means you stopped shooting. That means you lost confidence.” One wonders if the Philly native followed that plagiarized quip with, “I don’t want to be the next Michael Jordan. I only want to be Kobe Bryant.” Now, despite being a half-game in front of the 15-seed, the heat (19-30) find themselves within four games of the 8-seed. Seeing badly-struggling teams in the 8-through-11 spots, Miami is starting to catch a case of playoff fever. “Same goal we had at the beginning: make the playoffs,” insisted forward James Johnson on Monday. It ain’t no (re)building year for us.” That we’ve gotten this far without mentioning Miami’s two leading scorers is telling. Hassan Whiteside’s double-doubles haven’t been as impactful (11.6 PPG and 10.7 RPG during streak, down from 16.6 and 13.7, respectively) as he continues to struggle staying on the floor and out of foul trouble. Count Blockula is adequately sealing off the rim, but he can’t quite sink his teeth into opposing ballhandlers beyond the restricted area, certainly not without some steady help. Despite his imposing presence, Miami allows an NBA-high 6.7 field goals per game in this interior zone (in-the-paint, non-restricted area). A sprained ankle was bothering Whiteside as he slogged through last week’s game in Brooklyn. Coach Spo sat him in favor of Willie Reed, who defensively keyed the heat’s fourth-quarter comeback from 18 points down, then put up 20 points on 9-for-11 shooting to help the heat win in Chicago two nights later. Reed (73.5 FG% during streak) has not been the only surprise coming off the bench in Miami’s depleted frontcourt. Okaro White is not your Superman. He’s not the kind of guy that you can leave open, and think that everything is okay (61.5 FG%, 55.6 3FG% in last 4 games). On Miami’s roster thanks to a roster exemption, the 6-foot-8 stretch-four has done quite a bit during his two 10-day-contract periods, making key plays during the winning streak to remain in Coach Spo’s late-game rotations. Okaro has been White-hot, enough so that the team is reportedly looking to give one of the other heatles the heave-ho before White’s contract expires on Sunday. Disappointing free agent pick-up Derrick Williams (48 seconds of play in the past two weeks) is the most likely suspect. Tonight’s game may represent a last-chance for Williams or Babbitt to prove their worth and, maybe, keep Pat Riley from cutting bait. Don’t expect any ring-chasing trade-deadline demands from Goran Dragic. Averaging 21.6 PPG (51.0 FG%, 42.3 3FG%) and 6.0 APG this month, the Dragon is quite satisfied with the direction of the team, especially compared to his situation in Phoenix where he was surrounded by redundancy. “I feel like I’m in the right spot,” he told the Palm Beach Post recently. “The city is awesome, the fans are great, the organization is the top organization in the league.” Waiters’ emergence as an extra-passer and a quick-fire shooter has relieved the point guards, helping Dragic (career-high 26.6 Usage%) and Tyler Johnson (27 points, 13 in 4th-quarter, 4-for-5 3FGs off-bench @ ATL on Dec. 7) cut down on the ballhandling turnovers. Improved shooting from Rodney McGruder (47.4 3FG% during streak; 30.7% before) and Wayne Ellington (4-for-9 3FGs @ ATL on Dec. 7) has further elevated the heat’s efficacy on offense. Tempering the heat tonight involves the Hawks’ defenders shooing Miami’s jump-shooters out of those pesky corners. Two days removed from a 68-minute war of attrition with the Knicks, it will really help Atlanta’s marathon men if a rehabbed Thabo Sefolosha (groin strain) can contribute on the floor. After helping Kent Bazemore chase Carmelo Anthony all over the court, Millsap should find more room to roam at both ends versus Miami’s limited stock of forwards. Reinforcements in the backcourt should include Lamar Patterson, who returns on a 10-day contract after a decent run in the D-League. Coach Bud likes Patterson’s passing and versatility, and may turn to him in mid-game situations if the lead is close, and to rookies DeAndre’ Bembry or Taurean Prince if the lead is huge in either direction. As one might imagine, Dennis Schroder has been a plus/minus negative, or a net-zero, in every game the Hawks have lost by double-digits. He caught somewhat of a defensive break without Derrick Rose on the floor Sunday, but he’ll need to make great reads to keep Dragic from feasting off screen plays and drives to the hoop. The Hawks remain ahead of only Cleveland (ha.) in allowing 0.90 points per possession and 50.5 eFG% on P&R ballhandler plays. Miami ranks second in the league with 34.8 drives per game, and pass out of them an NBA-high 38.1% of the time, but score only 44.3 FG% on shot attempts from those drives (27th in NBA; Atlanta’s 44.2% ranks 28th). Just a quick diversion from Millsap or Howard should be enough to produce wayward shots. While Atlanta’s swingmen need to anticipate Miami’s kickouts off penetration, their bigs must shield Whiteside and the heat from tip-ins and second-chance rebounds. Also, knowing the halfcourt habits of frontcourt personnel like Whiteside is key. The heat pass only 16.6% of the time (last in NBA, tied with Detroit) off of touches in the paint. When Whiteside brings the ball down below his shoulders, it could be ripe for the picking if the Hawks act quickly. Howard (five straight double-doubles) was sloppy during his last visit to Miami (5 TOs in 24 minutes, during a 93-90 Hawks win on Nov. 15). But he was downright masterful the last time the two teams met in December (9-for-11 from the field, 5-for-6 from the free throw line, 17 rebounds, four assists, one turnover), thoroughly flummoxing Whiteside for three quarters. The Hawks don’t need to engage in another 48-plus-minute dogfight, certainly not with James Harden and the Rockets lying in wait tomorrow in Dwight’s former stomping grounds. If Howard and the Hawks handle their transition and defensive tasks well, especially from the outset, they’ll find themselves in an ideal late-game situation tonight, one where Waiters’ hero-ball tactics won’t matter. As for Coach Bud? Heck, he can laissez les bon temps rouler just as well from home. Let’s Go Hawks! ~lw3 View full record

Welcome Back! Coach Bud’s Beignet Watch: The Pistons couldn’t quite help out the Hawks during the Celtics’ homestand last night. Thus, Boston enters Wednesday’s affairs up 2.0 games on Atlanta, plus the tiebreaker. A win by the C’s versus Toronto removes Mike Budenholzer from the running, and a subsequent victory this weekend versus either L.A. team seals the deal for Brad Stevens. Before heading to Beantown, the Raptors (lost 6 of last 7 games) get a visit from the Pelicans tonight. Toronto’s travels continue by playing in Orlando on Friday and Brooklyn on Sunday. For Coach Bud and the Hawks' staff to get to New Orleans, beyond Atlanta winning out for the next 3 games, and Boston losing out, they’ll need the Raps to slip up against two of the non-Celtics teams. Hopefully, the Pels will be one of the two, because a disastrous weekend for Toronto against the Magic AND Nets is unlikely. BOS (+2.0): vs. TOR (Wed. -L), vs. LAL (Fri. -L), vs. LAC (Sun. -L) [30-21] TOR (+1.0): vs. NOP (Tues. -L), at BOS (Wed. -W), at ORL (Fri. -W/L), at BKN (Sun. -L/W) [31-21] ATL (-): at MIA (Wed. -W), at HOU (Thur. -W), at ORL (Sat. -W) [31-20] ~lw3

Sidenote: Brushing up on my reality TV characters, since I can't keep seem to keep them straight: While "Tami" Roman (Kenny's ex) is on Basketball Wives LA, "Tammy" McCall-Browning of Real Housewives of Atlanta was formerly attached to another former Hawk: Stacey Augmon. Stacey and "Tammy" have a hip-hop-artist son, the Drop-dancing Freedom "Freco" Augmon. ~lw3

I love Dwight in this article. ~lw3

"Schro and Melo, Schro and Melo, Schro and Melo, Schro and Melo..." ~lw3

Head-of-the-Pin Watch: Since last check, OKC replaces Cleveland as the third team clinging to the edge of the Pin. ATL and G-State are the only teams in the Top 12 of both categories. Top 15 teams (upper half of the NBA) for Pace: Nets, WARRIORS, Suns, Rockets, Nuggets, THUNDER, Pelicans, Lakers, Sixers, Blazers, Pacers, HAWKS, Knicks, Cavs, Wizards Top 15 teams for Opponent Scoring per 48: Jazz, Grizzlies, Spurs, Mavericks, Pistons, Bulls, heat, HAWKS, Hornets, Clippers, Bucks, WARRIORS, Raptors, Timberwolves, THUNDER (Cavs down to 16th) (3 teams on opposite end of the Pin: Boston, Orlando, Sacramento) ~lw3

I once traded Paul Simon's Graceland for what I thought would be the next great Terence Trent D'Arby album. Wouldn't recommend it. But I digress. (TL; DR version of the data below) So far, Hawks across-the-board have pretty much elevated their perimeter accuracy and volume in the weeks since Kylezilla was shipped off to Northeast Ohio. At the same time, most Cavs, particularly the Big 3, have slumped, although Kyle has been Kyle in this area. *Sample-size and apples-and-oranges warnings apply Select 3FG%s since "K-Day" (January 5th), min. 2.0 3FG attempts per game: [pre-K-Day values in brackets, Hawks in bold] Iman Shumpert: 48.2% (4.7 3FGAs per game) [37.6%, 3.1] Mike Dunleavy, Jr.: 48.1% (2.7 3FGAs per game) [35.1%, 2.5 in CLE] Kent Bazemore: 41.4% (4.5 3FGAs per game) [29.6%, 3.5] Kyle Korver: 40.4% (5.2 3FGAs per game) [40.9%, 5.0 in ATL] Dennis Schröder: 40.0% (3.5 3FGAs per game) [35.2%, 3.6] Kyrie Irving: 39.0% (6.8 3FGAs per game) [42.0%, 5.6] Malcolm Delaney: 38.5% (2.0 3FGAs per game) [18.4%, 1.4] Paul Millsap: 36.2% (3.9 3FGAs per game) [32.5%, 3.6] Tim Hardaway, Jr.: 36.1%** (5.5 3FGAs per game) [32.9%, 4.6] Kevin Love: 31.6% (6.9 3FGAs per game) [39.7%, 6.8] Channing Frye: 30.4% (3.8 3FGAs per game) [46.5%, 4.8] LeBron James: 30.2% (3.6 3FGAs per game) [37.5%, 4.9] J.R. Smith: Injured on Dec. 20 [36.2%, 6.6] **Junior was up around 39.3% before going Bagel-for-9 yesterday. ~lw3

I couldn't make it out, what the chant was, but here it goes... Also, I'm calling Family Services in the morning. Way too many tykes jumping around in orange-and-blue today. ~lw3 ~lw3

I'm still too hazy after that 4OT, but by my count Paul is 7-0 as a Hawk (3-0 this season) when he scores 30+ in the regular season. Atlanta is oddly 0-3 when he scores exactly 29. ~lw3

Coach Bud's Beignet Watch lives on... The Raps are losing late in the 3rd for some reason, at home, to Orlando. If that holds the Hawks move within a game of Toronto. The Wiz had the Pelicans beat for most of the game but a late 3rd-quarter run has NOLA closing in on them in the final quarter. Hopefully the Knicks' fouled-out stars will be refreshed ahead of Tuesday's visit to D.C. Go get 'em, Melo! Celtics get a home game tomorrow on TNT against the Pistons. Then on Wednesday, while the Hawks are in Miami, the Raps and Celts get a chance to knock each other off. ~lw3

~lw3

tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick... Also: Sap put in 52 minutes for the Jazz in the (ironically) Joe Johnson 4 OT Classic back in 2012. http://www.nba.com/games/20120325/UTAATL/gameinfo.html ~lw3

"Phew" To Atlanta! I need a nap. ~lw

“I’ve had my Phil.” “Orange N Blue Flock Gotta Show Up In ATL Tonight. Turn Phillips Into Madison Square Garden South.” Remember back when Atlanta native and Morehouse Man Spike Lee used to care, really care, about his New York Knicks, like he did with this 2013 tweet? He Had Ta Have It: a Knicks team that strode into the Highlight Factory looking for ten wins in a row, rolling toward the playoffs with Mike Woodson coaching and minty-fresh superstar Carmelo Anthony running the show. Roll the calendar ahead nearly four years, and you can’t get Spike to give a tweet, much less find a seat. The closest we’ve seen to Spike recently is a dude in Houston dressed as his look-alike, when the Knicks visited the Rockets a few weeks ago. Down 29 last month against the Cavs, Spike pulled a Lethal, and bailed before the game’s end. He’s a busy man these days, I’m sure. It’s not likely he’ll be hyping up his Knicks as they waltz into Philips Arena this afternoon, outwardly hoping for the Atlanta Hawks (3:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast, 92.9 FM in ATL, MSG Network in NYC) give his favorite team the same breaks Atlanta endowed upon the Wizards on Friday night, the Clippers earlier in the week, and the Bulls last weekend in the fourth quarter. Maybe the Hawks will lay down and allow Melo to pump up his trade value. Or, maybe the Hawks will bother to show up, and stop New York (21-27, 2.0 games behind the 8-seed) from winning two in a row for the first time since December 22. Either way, Knicks fans, go ahead and fill up Philips, and do those insipid chants you do… or not. Either way, Spike no longer seems to care. Truth be told, Melo isn’t all that thrilled himself these days. Anthony was booed mercilessly on Wednesday as he struggled through an 8-for-26 shooting night, by a Madison Square Garden crowd that didn’t seem to know how to react when he plopped a nine-foot shot that sealed the 110-107 victory for the hometown Knicks against Charlotte. Carmelo’s reaction toward the fans at the final horn was equally bewildering. The numbness is all part of the subterfuge crafted by Phil Jackson and the Knicks’ management, to poison-pill Anthony’s tenure in hopes he’ll begrudgingly accept a trade-clause waiver. For Jackson, this appears to be the last arrow in his quiver; he knows must ride-or-die with Kristaps Porzingis going forward if he is to salvage his tenure as a Knicks executive. Thus, just about every team is getting a phone call from the Zen Master. He’d trade Anthony crosstown to the Harlem Globetrotters, without taking back Meadowlark Lemon or Curly Neal, if he could get away with it. Porzingis continues to produce (last 10 games: 14.5 PPG, 44.8 FG%) as he has worked through Achilles issues. Yet he looks lost as far as understanding his role on either end of the floor. And Jackson realizes he cannot build a team around the Unicorn until Anthony is lofting 20-30 shots per game for somebody, anybody, else. Who else might not be feeling their team right now? How about the entire Hawks’ graphics department? Some poor souls spend endless hours on pixels and 3-D rotating characters for players who shot a collective 36.1 FG% at home on a Friday night, including All-Star Paul Millsap’s 1-for-7 atrocity as Atlanta flopped 112-86. Reverting to MS Paint intros would be perfectly understandable at this point. After making social media headlines on Wednesday night, the Hawks (27-20) forgot to bring The D to the proceedings. Dwight Howard and Millsap allowing counterparts Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat (11 combined offensive rebounds) to feast on the glass. No one bothered to read the scouting report on Otto Porter, Jr. (5-for-7 3FGs), either. Uncontested shots were available all over the floor for the Wizards (41.9 team 3FG%, 18-10 on fast break points, 40-30 on paint points), who extended Atlanta’s miserable run to ten first-quarter deficits/ties in their last 11 home games, the Hawks spotting Washington 37-25 in the opening frame and losing every quarter thereafter. The Wizards’ tape will be encouraging for Knickstape producer Jeff Hornacek, who has given up on The Ron Baker Experiment and returned Courtney Lee (16 points and 3 steals vs. CHA on Wednesday) to his place in New York’s starting lineup. Lee’s backcourt mate, Derrick Rose, hopes to exact a measure of revenge after coming up short late in Atlanta’s 108-107 escape from the Garden two weeks ago. Porzingis (8-for-11 FGs vs. CHA) did not play in that January 16 game, and hopes Atlanta will be as gracious as the Hornets in helping him shake off the rust. Tricking Millsap and Howard into a halfcourt tempo would allow Melo and KP to pick their offensive spots while not having to pay for loafing on the other end. Unleash the rookies! Be it either DeAndre’ Bembry or Taurean Prince, Atlanta needs to find some fresh legs to relieve Thabo Sefolosha (out with a groin strain), who presently seems too worn down to defend at the level he is capable of acheiving. Whoever the swingmen are, Coach Mike Budenholzer has to find a starting unit (alongside Howard, Millsap, and Dennis Schröder), and an early bench rotation, that is active with deflections, winning loose balls, and committing to perimeter closeouts. This afternoon, there is no excuse for summoning the ghost of Spike Lee. Let’s Go Hawks! ~lw3 View full record

Fare thee well, Gary Neal! ~lw3

Shoot, I ain't even stay for Yachty! lol I'm compensating tonight by binge-watching The New Edition Story... No, Bobby, no! ~lw3

Hey, I've still got a dash of Eagles-fandom in my blood. If only I could get Snyder to accept my Taterskins idea! ~lw3

"Look, guys, just don't break my legs, 'kay?" ~mb22

Y'all remember Ric Bucher, right? http://bjandbucher.com/making-case-tim-hardaway-jr/ ~lw3

Coach Bud's Beignet Watch: The Hawks are a half-game behind the Celts and a full-game behind the Raptors. But, the East's Top 3 at the moment have must-win games against less challenging opponents than Atlanta/Washington tonight. Brooklyn is in Cleveland, while the Magic is in Boston and Milwaukee is visiting Toronto. Those Bucks fly home to host the Celtics tomorrow. Whichever among Toronto/Boston/Atlanta/Washington has the best record after the ends of games on February 5 sends their coaching staffs to N'awlins. ~lw3

@willthepuregm ~lw3

I'm probably gonna need an MRI on my knee after slapping it so hard! :) ~lw3

#InBrotherhood heat, heat, heat, Magic, Magic, Magic, heat, heat, heat, heat, Hawks, heat. The NBA’s Southeast Division banner has escaped the Sunshine State just one time since its 2004 inception. But meeting tonight, both the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards (8:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, CSN Mid-Atlantic in DC) are eager to double that number of instances. That’s especially true of the visitors to the Highlight Factory. As you’ve read here plenty of times before, Washington (25-20) has gone the longest of any NBA franchise without being able to say they’ve ended their regular season at the tippy-top of their division. Their last team banner of any kind was raised after the 1978-79 season, when the then-Bullets, defending league champs, were shot from the Central to the Atlantic Division and went 54-28. Somewhere along the way, having been treated to Moses Malone, Bernard King, Chris Webber, Rod Strickland, Michael Jordan, Gil Arenas and, now, four-time All-Star John Wall, Wizards fans would like to at least have something rafter-worthy to put on display. Things weren’t looking too hot in The District when this season started. The Hawks and Wizards each gained their first wins of the season from one another, Atlanta prevailing 114-99 at home in the season opener, Washington eight days later coming out on top in a wayward-shooting 95-92 affair at the Verizon Center. But the Wizards, under the watchful eye of new head coach Scott Brooks, could only win two of their first ten games. Wall was limited by a minutes restriction after off-season double knee surgery, while Beal missed a few November games, causing fans to question the sagacity of giving Wall’s oft-injured sidekick a five-year max deal last summer. “The Wizards are Dead, and Ernie Grunfeld Has Killed Them,” screeched the pall-bearing Deadspin back in December, when Wall’s career-high 52 points were not enough to keep his team from losing at home to Orlando and dropping to 7-13 on the year (12th in the East). Yet both stars returned and are, to hear them tell it, in a good condition as ever. They also got a long-awaited boost from fourth-year forward Otto Porter, whose career breakout comes complete with an NBA-best 45.6 3FG%. These days, not much more is asked of Porter when he gets the ball on offense, besides shoot it through the net. Otto’s 6.2 TO% ranks sixth-lowest in the league, his 58.6 2FG% ranks 9th, and his 64.2 true shooting percentage ranks second in the East, behind Bebe Nogueira’s 69.9% and just ahead of dunk-master Dwight Howard’s 63.6% (4th in NBA). After years of failed development by Wizard draft picks and prospects, Porter has all of D.C. feeling like the cherry blossoms are out early. By most accounts, Wall (career-highs of 23.1 PPG, 82.4 FT%, 49.8 2FG%; NBA-high 2.2 SPG) is enjoying a career year. So, for that matter, is Beal (career-highs of 21.9 PPG, 2.7 3FGs per game, 3.6 APG, 81.6 FT%), shaking out of a recent shooting slump with 31 points to help beat the Celtics on Tuesday. Fellow starters Markieff Morris (January: 4 double-doubles, 16.6 PPG, 48.8 FG%, 37.0 3FG%) and Marcin Gortat (8 double-doubles in last 15 games; 11.4 RPG, 9th in NBA) have been rejuvenated. Now the Wizards sit just 1.5 games behind Atlanta, and would love to overtake the Hawks (27-19) in the division and conference standings before the All-Star Break arrives. “The opera ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings.” That was the rallying cry for the middle-of-the-pack Bullets during their 1978 run to the NBA Championship, granting the District their first pro sports title in 36 years. It could just as well have been articulated by Bob Rathbun in the minutes before Atlanta’s improbable 119-114 comeback win in the Windysfunctional City. The closing moments of Wednesday’s contest was much like the climaxing tropes of action flicks, where miraculously triumphant heroes coolly drift away from the scene, unflinching as the carnage left behind explodes into the sky. Jimmy Butler said, quite reductively, “When you win, there’s no problem,” in the aftermath of the nuclear Bulls’ team meeting today. By contrast, credit should go out to Brooks and Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer, and both of their teams’ veteran players, for finding ways to hold steady through the downturns in the season, even after the occasional disappointing performances and finishes pop up. At least in the Hawks’ case, any misgivings uttered to the media, social or otherwise, about players have been thoroughly aired out in the locker room and are understood to be applied collectively and inclusively. There is plenty of “we”, and not much “they”, when things aren’t going as planned. While the Wizards had to collapse and tank for a couple seasons just to get their hands on a four-time All-Star, the Hawks simply needed a general manager willing to find Paul Millsap’s doorbell. Atlanta’s stalwart power forward brings not only the production on the floor (career-best 18.0 PPG and 3.8 APG), but the ideal demeanor and candor off it. Want to know his personal gripes about Dwight, or Al Horford, or Kent Bazemore, or Dennis Schröder? You’ll never find them on Snapchat. “He’s still Paul,” Budenholzer told the AJC pregame when asked about his leadership, “It’s all relative. But I would say he’s significantly more vocal.” Wall and Beal, meanwhile, have patched up their behind-the-scenes beefs, and are even back to crowing about Best Backcourts in the East again. With their starting unit rock-solid, all the Wizards need, now, is some sense of a pulse from the reserves. Washington’s bench remains the second-worst in the league (-6.9 Net Rating), ahead only of Bitterdelphia’s. Wizard reserves turn the ball over a ton (15.6 TO%, 3rd-highest in NBA), while they struggle on the glass (74.7 D-Reb%, 24th in NBA, improving only as Brooks uses Morris at the 5-spot in the second unit) and from outside (33.3 3FG%, 25th in NBA). While Atlanta has just two starters averaging over 30 minutes per game (Schröder barely over that line at 30.7 MPG), the Wizards rely on all five starters (Morris the lowest, with 31.9 MPG), to long-haul it every night. That includes 32-year-old Gortat at 34.8 MPG, the second-highest per-game stint among non-All-Stars above age 30 (Dwight’s 29.4 minutes rank 14th). Brooks would love to rely more upon Marcus Thornton and Jason Smith, but they’re unsteady, or on youngsters Kelly Oubre (5-for-9 3FGs in past two games) and Tomas Satoransky, but they’re not quite ready. Hawks fans rightfully grumble about the perpetual unavailability of Tiago Splitter, or the under-utility of Mike Scott and the rookie wings. Yet you, reading this, have logged only 14 fewer NBA minutes than Ian Mahinmi, Washington’s four-year, $64 million free agent prize. Mahinmi got into one game back in November before going back on the shelf with knee soreness. (Double-checks… yes, Grunfeld is still punching in). Despite all of that, there is one backup guard from last season the Wizards are likely to never ask back. “I Was The Leading Scorer of The Bench (40) Games and The Best 3PT Shooter On The Washington Wizards And The Contracts My Fellow 2nd Unit Members Received…” Such began the Facebook post of one Gary Neal this past July, as he and other free agents were scoping out new deals with NBA teams, before rattling off annual-value offers he felt he deserved, too. Neal (9.8 PPG, 41 3FG% in WAS) seemed to have built up an adversarial relationship with several Wizards, past and present. CSN Mid-Atlantic cited “selfish” accusations directed his way, from players and coaches alike, for allegedly stat-padding at the expense of the team. One unnamed Wizard felt, “I should have punched him out,” after feeling shown up by Neal during the season, while another responded, when asked about the Facebook post: “Terrible teammate. All about himself.” Neal, coincidentally, is on day #10 of his 10-day contract with a Hawks team (62.5 assist%, 6th in NBA) that is very rarely all about themselves. It’s tough to glean from 18 minutes of action (0-for-7 FGs, 4-for-4 FTs in two games) whether he’ll gain another 10-day stay, or if the Hawks will look another way (Lamar Patterson, anyone?). Perhaps Neal has improved his teammate persona, or maybe the Hawks just want to deny Cleveland access to another “playmaker” for a couple more weeks. In any case, Neal’s presence tonight is likely to engender some animosity. Along the Wizard sideline, the reception could get cold like Minnesota. Perhaps inspired by tonight’s halftime performer, Hawks wings Thabo Sefolosha and Kent Bazemore will hope to help Dennis Schröder (team-high 24 points and 9 dimes @ CHI on Wednesday) get Wall repeatedly stuck in a bubblegum trap. Neutralizing Wall’s impact not only involves forcing the ball to other Wizards to make plays, but keeping maybe the speediest All-Star baller alive from piling up points in transition (5.8 fastbreak PPG, 5th in NBA). Whether it’s in transition or in the halfcourt, Atlanta defenders cannot afford to get stagnant. Without proper rotations while double-teamng the ballhandler, outlets to Beal, Morris, and Porter could have the Hawks playing from behind once again, as was the case here versus the Clippers and in Chicago. If the Hawks’ starting guards and wings prove up to the task, and if Howard and Millsap can give Morris and Gortat fits around the rim, then it will be up to Atlanta’s deeper bench to be the difference-maker in tonight’s game. Junior Hardaway kicked off his 2016-17 campaign with 21 points to topple the Wizards back on October 27, and it would be good to get him going early and often, after recent subpar offensive performances at Philips (last 4 home games: 7.5 PPG, combined 13-for-37 FGs, 3-for-17 on 3FGs). An early spark could be critical for a Hawks team that has enjoyed a first-quarter lead just once in its last ten home games (before last Saturday versus Chicago, go back to December 7 versus Miami). Hardaway want 6-for-11 in Chicago, subbing for Sefolosha and making key plays during the Hawks’ 41-point fourth-quarter flourish. Offensively, the Hawks could use more than Wednesday’s combined 3-for-11 shooting from reserves Malcolm Delaney, Kris Humphries and Junior Dunleavy. Even against Washington’s shaky subs, Coach Bud is unlikely to deploy Scott or the rooks unless he has a decent lead, so Kris and the Force MD’s will need to hold serve if they want to help keep the starters rested. Mike Muscala (ankle) remains questionable. Atlanta’s 13-9 home record is the worst among the Top 7 teams in the Eastern Conference; Washington’s 6-14 away-game mark is the worst among the East’s Top 14. Whichever of these two teams turn those records around, starting tonight and continuing through the balance of the season, is likely to be the standard-bearer in the Southeast Division moving forward. Sorry, Florida. I know you want this title for life… Let’s Go Hawks! ~lw3 View full record

CAUTION: Watch for falling wolves! ~lw3