lethalweapon3

LOTTERY TREADMILL BY: ORLANDO MAGIC, PRICELESS How much would you pay to go win 30-35 games? That’s an uncomfortable question facing the Orlando Magic, who come into Atlanta on a sudden downturn to face the Hawks (7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, Fox Sports Florida) for the first time in the regular season. One franchise has been an NBA Playoffs participant for nine seasons running; the other is desperate to avoid stretching their string of postseason absences to five years. One team is the closest to being under the salary cap line ($5.1 million over) among the five teams in the Southeast Division. The other team is $7.5 million further over the cap ($12.6 million over) -- highest in the division, third-overall in the East, eighth-overall in the NBA. All the above statements are contradictory. It was June 2012, and both the Hawks and the Magic had caught a case of Spurs Fever. When the 2011-12 season ended, both organizations chased after executives of the Western Conference leaders in San Antonio. Seeking a fresh start, Orlando hired the fresh-faced Spurs’ director of basketball operations Rob Hennigan, at age 30 the youngest GM in the league. Eager to rebuild without a full teardown, Atlanta, in turn, zeroed in on the Spurs’ VP of basketball ops, Danny Ferry, hiring him just days later. Under Ferry, out went Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Josh Smith, the VetMins, and coach Larry Drew. In came Mike Scott, Paul Millsap, Lou Williams, Kyle Korver, DeMarre Carroll, coach Mike Budenholzer, Dennis Schröder, Thabo Sefolosha and Kent Bazemore. Out went Ferry, eventually. But a lot of his low-budget gambles paid off, and the Hawks not only sustained themselves as a postseason mainstay, they reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in their history. While the Johnson deal made Hawks fans pull up a chair to the Ferry feast, it was the alleviation of the incessant Dwightmare in Orlando that made Rob “You Blind” Hennigan the NBA’s hotshot wunderkind. Within two seasons of the four-team deal, the Lakers (Dwight Howard) and the Sixers (Andrew Bynum) were already suffering from Buyer’s Remorse, while the Nuggets (Andre Iguodala) had squandered whatever gains they had made. Hennigan further pilfered the Nuggets in 2014 by giving Arron Afflalo back in exchange for young gunner Evan Fournier. Further, Orlando had lucked their way into obtaining the prize of the Dwight mega-deal, their future stud center: Nikola Vucevic, a double-double machine! And just look at all the lottery picks coming their way! Atlanta hasn’t drawn a lotto pick since 2007; the Magic have had five such picks in the past four seasons. Under Hennigan’s watchful eye, the future seemed so bright! Well, the future is here, and it’s become blinding to Magic fans. Ferry’s 2013 coaching hire has outlasted even his tenure and gained a Coach of the Year nod while picking up where Ferry left off. At the same time, Hennigan’s Magic stalled under the direction of former Spurs acolytes Jacque Vaughn and James Borrego. Taskmaster Scott Skiles dragged the Magic to a 35-47 record last year, but quit after the season, and was so fed up we may need to convene a search party to find him today. In season #5, Hennigan is on coach #4: former Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel, who is adamant about putting a defensive imprint on a roster lacking in that department ever since bidding adieu to Howard. About all those lottery picks. The Magic drafted Victor Oladipo, Aaron Gordon, Euro-stash Dario Saric, Mario Hezonja, and Domantas Sabonis. Saric was swapped on draft day for their point-guard-of-the-future, Elfrid Payton, whose collegiate reputation as a plus-defender (like Bazemore, a former Lefty Driesell Award winner) hasn’t translated to the pros. Oladipo and Sabonis were sent packing (with Ersan Ilyasova) to Oklahoma City, Orlando in turn receiving Serge Ibaka (1300 blocks since 2009-10, most in NBA; Dwight 4th with 1010) in its quest to prove it’s serious about becoming defensive-minded. Oladipo and Sabonis are thriving as starters with the Russellaires, while Ibaka has become more of a three-point bomber (career-high 40.7 3FG% on 3.2 attempts per game) than an on-ball defender. First Gordon (career-low 41.3 FG%), and now Payton and Vucevic have been benched under Vogel, while Hezonja is being bubble-wrapped in search of trade partners. Speaking of trades, December 15 ushers in the availability of many more players on NBA rosters to deals, specifically summertime acquisitions like Bismack Biyombo, Jeff Green, and D.J. Augustin. Ibaka and Biyombo were brought on to show the fanbase the team is serious about spending cash to win, and (after sending Tobias Harris to Detroit for Ilyasova and Brandon Jennings last season’s deadline, a move suspected as having been ordered from on-high, above Hennigan) finally dead-serious about defense, Green and Augustin notwithstanding. But in the process, the duo of Ibaka and Biyombo (plus Green) have managed to crowd Gordon and Vucevic out of meaningful minutes. While the team D-Rating finally began to pick up in recent weeks (103.5, 12th in NBA; 16th last season), the O-Rating has fallen through the floor (98.0, below everyone but Philly’s 96.8). Just weeks ago, the Orlando Sentinel’s Brian Schmitz opined that Hennigan's plans have, “flopped as spectacularly as New Coke, pay toilets and ‘Zoolander 2.’” New Coke… ouch! Atlantans don’t need that reminder. The team that’s third-highest over the salary cap in the East now sits 11th among the conference’s 15 teams, slightly ahead of 12th-seed Washington. This, after having lost three games in a row, including allowing 121 points in a Saturday night home loss to 9-15 Denver. Further, the Magic’s 10-15 record has been puffed up by a weak schedule (league-low 45% winning percentage among played opponents, as per PlayoffStatus.com), so things could get worse soon. These days, Magic fans are straining to recall just what was so bad about Otis Smith. “A big build-up has been replaced by a big letdown,” said Schmitz. Hennigan, who received a Jeff Fisher-lite contract extension in 2015, now stands on the shakiest ground for an NBA GM anywhere outside of New Orleans (although at least Dell Demps has a shield in Ferry now). Hennigan’s desperate to swing some deals, soon; as of this Thursday, every player aside from leading scorer Fournier (re-signed this summer, trade-restricted until January 15; career-low 36.4 3FG%) will be immediately on the block, before CEO Alex Martins considers putting Hennigan’s job on it instead. Atlanta has been working through offensive struggles of its own, as a recent dip slipped them into a momentary tie with the Magic in the standings. Hawks fans and players alike have ample reason to want a widening of the 2.5-game gap between the two teams, for reasons that go well beyond the former Magic franchise star who now suits up at center in Atlanta. Hennigan spent the past two offseasons at the OPM (Other People’s Money) ATM, and at least once, his maneuvering has cost the Hawks. He swung for the fences in 2015 by flying up to Atlanta, ringing All-Star Millsap’s doorbell, and offering him a long-term max-contract. The Hawks’ scramble to counter-offer Millsap cost them precious time once Toronto rolled into town, too, and pried Carroll free. The Magic had no interest in acquiring Sabonis in the 2016 Draft, but they did have an interest in keeping the stretchy big man from falling into Atlanta’s lap. Picking right in front of the spot their division rival had recently traded up into, Orlando snatched up Sabonis and shipped him to OKC for what is shaping up to be a one-year (or less) rental of Ibaka, whose $12.25 million contract expires this summer. As per at least one media report, they were also trying to stick mouse ears on Bazemore, one of many teams coveting the rising swingman in free agency before he chose to stay in the ATL. The first team to call Baze this summer, the Milwaukee Bucks, could only watch on Friday night as their top free agent target was on the sideline, sore knee and all, doing his best Tony Manero impression. That’s because, against all convention, his Hawks were committed to Staying Alive. Bazemore was rooting his Hawks to a 114-110 victory, featuring the improbable erasure of a 20-point Milwaukee lead, the biggest comeback win in the NBA this season. In this pace ‘n space era of NBA hoops, 20-point deficits are becoming the new 10-point deficits. Orlando knows this well: they beat Philadelphia last month after falling behind by 18. Yet the Hawks (12-12) should not grow accustomed to digging such holes for themselves, with the intention of somehow triumphantly crawling out. This win was improbable largely due to the Hawks’ inability, once again, to get the full offense in gear, up until the third quarter. This particular bounceback was made possible by the continually improving play of Schröder (career-high 33 points; 17 in the opening quarter, 8 in the final one), the steady mind of Millsap (23 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks), and the team’s collective recognition that sound ball movement and off-ball player movement are what grant their offense advantages from one game to the next. “The level to which our activity dissipates when we’re not making shots is… you can’t do that in this league,” Coach Bud noted to the AJC and postgame reporters. Another woeful first-half outing (3-for-17 3FGs) was flipped with 8-for-13 3FG shooting in the third-quarter, and 8-for-13 2FG shooting in the pivotal fourth. All eight of Atlanta’s major participants logged at least two assists in Milwaukee, seven of the octet with at least three. Half of Howard’s two dimes turned out to be the most momentous of the game, setting up Tim Hardaway, Jr. with a corner three that finally wiped out the deficit and had Bazemore nearly splitting the inseam of his skinny pants in jubilation. “Bazemore said at halftime, this could be a turnaround for our season,” noted Hardaway to the AJC. “It just shows with the resiliency in this locker room and playing for each other, it’s at an all-time high right now. We need it more than ever after having that tough stretch.” Atlanta (12-12) also could use some consecutive non-game days to recuperate and regroup; they haven’t had any since November 13-14. Three off-days precede tonight’s game with the Magic, and two more follow ahead of a challenging road-home back-to-back with the Raptors and Hornets. The time off may have been enough to have Bazemore, this past weekend’s Ring-of-Honoree up at Old Dominion, out of leisure suits and in uniform for today’s game (currently listed as probable). But the recovery period has given the starting small forward time to study and recalibrate after a struggling start to the season (career-low 35.8 FG%; 29.1 FG%, 3.4 RPG in his past ten games). Sefolosha (41.4 FG%, 18.8 3FG% in last ten games) has been similarly poor in recent weeks on the offensive end and, like point guard Malcolm Delaney, gets caught up in trying to score in isolation when times get tough. But Thabo’s ability to rebound, pick off passes, and defend bigger and taller opponents has made him a more favorable play than Kent alongside Hardaway, whose defensive work is beginning to reap dividends (minus-6.3 opponent differential FG% on defended shots, 7th-best among NBA guards and wings w/ min. 10 games & 5.0 opponent FGAs per game). Sefolosha also avoids turning the ball over, which helps all the more when he’s actively involved (last two starts: 9 assists, 1 TO) in Atlanta’s ball movement schemes. Opponents have gathered a team-high 9.3 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes with Bazemore on the floor (13th-most in NBA, min. 15 games played). When he returns as a starter, Baze’s willingness to apply his wingspan in ways that help Howard and Millsap minimize opponents’ extra chances will enhance his, and the team’s, defensive effectiveness. Bazemore’s shot mechanics may be hampered by the anticipation that he’s going to miss the field goal attempt. Kent has seven offensive rebounds in his last five games (five O-Rebs in the prior 17 games). In four of those recent games, at least one of his offensive rebounds came from following his own shot. Those missed shots ranged from 2 to 24 feet, three of them from 15 feet out, and that says nothing of the second-chances he pursued but didn’t get. Teammates have also gotten into the act of chasing the rebound after an expected Bazemore miss. Adherence to Budball dictates not just taking the open shot created within the flow of the offense, but getting back in defensive position as priority over chasing follows, no matter how inaccurate the shot becomes. Kent’s own confidence in his offense will improve if he’s focused on execution as he was coached, instead of acting in anticipation of poor results. The Magic (33.3 team 3FG%, 71.2 FT%), like the Hawks (32.3 3FG%, 70.7 FT%), have not been sharp shooters from the perimeter, or the charity stripe. But while Atlanta is a much surer shot inside the arc (51.1 2FG%, 5th in NBA), the same cannot be said of Orlando (46.2 2FG%, 29th in NBA). The Magic’s cause could be helped if Vucevic would shoot better than 52.9% within 3 feet of the hoop, and if Vooch, Ibaka, and Gordon would grow less enamored of long 2-point attempts. But Howard and the Hawks will be ready to turn probable rebounds into transition points at the other end. Vucevic is questionable to play due to a back contusion sustained last week, while Biyombo has been hampered by an injured shoulder. Schröder and Delaney will work to thwart drives by Augustin and Payton, the latter’s field goal percentage dropping precipitously away from the rim (63.4 at-rim FG%, 31.2 FG% from 3 feet out). That’s part of what has prompted Vogel to turn instead to Augustin in the starting lineup, but the pairing of Augustin and Fournier in the backcourt has the Magic leaking oil on defense. Neither put much pressure on opposing guards, and their funneling of ballhandlers into the teeth of the Magic’s shot-block-hungry front line (5.6 team BPG, 4th in NBA) tends to leave somebody open. Orlando has allowed at least 109 points in the past four games, putting its offensively inefficient team behind the 8-ball, especially against higher-paced teams. Small forwards have feasted on the Magic in each of their last three losses, a good sign for Atlanta’s struggling shooters. And while Orlando last won in Washington a week ago, they had few answers for the speedy John Wall (52 points on 45 total shot attempts). Atlanta will want no repeat of the prior two regular season meetings with the Magic. The back-to-back defeats in February included a low-percentage buzzer-beating jumpshot by Vucevic in Orlando, and a 117-110 overtime loss the next day in Atlanta. Orlando had not won two straight in over a month before those victories, and while the wins seemed to be a pick-me-up, ending a similar three-game skid, the Magic would not win two in a row again for another 45 days. That second loss had Orlando eroding a 20-point deficit of their own (Hawks up 28-8 in the first quarter, 71-53 midway through the third), and OT was forced by a 29-18 Magic advantage in the fourth quarter. Vucevic, Payton, Fournier, and even Hezonja piled up a combined 26 points in the paint in the rematch, something Howard will seek to minimize in keeping the Magic from evening up their road record (6-7) this season. The Hawks need this win tonight to keep the vibes positive, but also to keep the Magic trending downward. After all, nobody needs Hennigan around next summer drumming up new schemes to stick it to the Hawks again. For once, let’s make Hennigan pay. Let’s Go Hawks! ~lw3 View full record

Krooner Kent! ~lw3

Minor Standings Update: Tonight's Bucks loss in D.C. scooches the Hawks back up to the 8-seed. (tie-breaker w/ Bucks and Pacers) Sorry, Chuck. ~lw3

Oh yeah, Banged-up Bango is always a hot topic! This is pretty much the Eastern Conference right now... ~lw3

Who could've possibly seen this coming?!? http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2016/12/09/putting-fear-deer-jgermeister-contests-bucks-logo/95200594/ "Dennis, if you keep this up, you're gonna drive people to drink!" ~jager

Book 'em, Dano? ~lw3

Semi-related: the Warriors' version of Jerome Jurenovich, Matt Steinmetz stepped into it big-time with Jazz fans last night when he started calling Rudy Gobert overrated (for his extended contract) and not much better per-minute than JaVale McGee. Steinmetz has since apologized, but his Twitter thread from overnight (going well into this morning) about the greatly-diminished value of "intimidator" big men in today's NBA (what he claims was his larger point) is worth checking out, although you do have to swim upstream amid all the Jazz fan angst to get the gist. https://twitter.com/SteinmetzNBA ~lw3

AND IF YOU'RE NOT A SQUARE FROM DELAWARE... SOMEBODY SAY "OH YEAH!" (no word if he's active tonight.) ~lw3

“Gin? Do you see gin? I don’t see any gin!” Top 3 in-conference records in the NBA East? Well, for starters, there’s the Cavaliers at 12-4. Then, there’s the Celtics at 10-4. Right behind them? Your Atlanta Hawks, who come into today’s visit with the Milwaukee Bucks (8:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, Fox Sports Wisconsin) sporting a sound 9-5 mark versus its fellow conference teams. So, why are the Cavs and C’s looking fancy with first- and third-seeds, while your Fine Feathered Friends are peering at the playoff picture from the outside? The conference, after Cleveland and probably Toronto, is shaping up to be a tightly wound pack for the rest of the field, down to the 11th and perhaps even the 12th seed. To distinguish oneself among that subset, it helps tremendously to take care of business on the road, especially versus teams that would (or should) not be favored to win if they were playing in your house (yes, Phoenix, I’m looking at you). Beating Western teams is cool, but an average-or-above road record not only increases the likelihood of a 2-through-4-seed in the East, it does wonders for your team’s first-round confidence if you wind up 5-through-8. The Cavs got tripped up by Atlanta less than a month ago, but reasserted their spot atop the East, thanks to a 6-3 record in away games. Boston is merely 5-4 at home, but they’ve got Tommy Heinsohn on the verge of writing love letters when they leave the Gahden, going 8-5 on the road so far. It’s early, but the four Eastern Conference teams with above-.500 road records rank 1-through-4 in the East, a similar deal for seven teams out West. As for the Hawks? Well, they come into the worst-named NBA stadium (the BMO Harris Bradley Center -- what is that, even?) trying to avoid a slide to 4-9 away from Thank Goodness We’re Not T. Rowe Price Philips Arena. After a nice 3-1 road mark to start the season, Atlanta (11-12) could only come out on top in one of their next eight away games. While those contests were packed in the space of 18 days, with two home games in the mix, the Hawks’ next nine road games are spread out over 33 calendar days, with six interspersing games back home. That allows Mike Budenholzer and the Hawks’ crack coaching staff significantly more time to prepare and adjust as needed. South Wisconsin does it like nobody does! The Bucks’ halftime entertainment on this Flashback Friday features one-hit wonder Montell Jordan (“Let’s Ride”? “Get It On Tonite”? Please, nobody’s trying to hear that). The L.A. dance-floor crooner (now Gwinnett County preacher!) is aware he needs to get his groove on before he goes to get paid. Yet, with all respect due to Montell, there’s just one guy on the floor of this Who’s This Harris Bradley Guy Center consistently showing people How to Do It. If you’re able to say Giannis Antetokounmpo without clicking your tongue, you’re a better person than I am. You could also say Giannis is a certified G, and a bonafide stud, already at the newly tender age of 22. This forward-guard is 6-foot-11, boasting a 12-foot-2-inch vertical, a foot-long hand and a 7-foot-3 wingspan, and while Jason Kidd can’t teach that, he’s certainly giving it his best try. Aside from Antetokounmpo, only centers David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon have averaged over 20 PPG, 8 RPG, two blocks and two steals per game in any season. Giannis, however, is not a center, and he throws in 6.1 APG for good measure, providing Kidd a multifaceted weapon that can be deployed everywhere except beyond the offensive 3-point line (23.9 3FG%). He compiled 15 points, 12 boards and 11 assists (plus four blocks and a pair of steals) in Wednesday’s win over Portland, and his next triple-double game would already tie him with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (8) for the all-time Bucks franchise mark. The nine-time All-Defensive Team member, coach Kidd is crafting a team with a young, defensive imprint, led by Antetokounmpo and the surprisingly nascent center John Henson (2.2 BPG in 11 games since becoming a starter, in place of Miles Plumlee). Even Greg Monroe, relegated to Kidd’s bench, is getting into the act (team-high 2.6 steals per-36, up from 1.1 last season). Buck opponents have shot an NBA-low 42.7 FG%, including 37.6 2FG% in-the-paint (outside the restricted area) and a league-low 31.8 3FG% (29.4% above-the-break). As for offense? Well, it’s not their forte, but even without Khris Middleton around, Milwaukee (50.8 2FG%, 7th in NBA) is showing they have more than enough to fill in the gaps. Slashing power forward Jabari Parker (21.8 PPG) is slowly finding his range (46.5 2FG% from 16 feet out; 32.8 3FG%). Plus, they’ve got ATLien rookie Malcolm Brogdon (41.9 3FG%, team-high 92.0 FT%) and hired guns Mirza Teletovic, Tony Snell, Jason Terry and Michael Beasley (probable, sprained foot). That’s to say nothing of point guard Matthew Dellavedova, who deserves nothing being said of him. In one of their finest quarters of play, the Hawks (led by a bench brigade of Taurean Prince, Tim Haradway, Jr., and Ryan Kelly) rattled off 19 consecutive points in the second quarter along the way to a 31-9 frame against the visiting Bucks on November 16. Milwaukee did their best to scramble back in it during the second half, led by Parker’s 15-point third-quarter, whittling a 24-point Hawk lead down to three late in the final quarter. But the deficit proved just a little too big for the Bucks (39.8 team FG%) to overcome as the Hawks maxed out their record at 9-2. Atlanta’s 48.6 team FG% in their 107-100 win was the highest allowed for any Bucks opponent this season. While the Hawks went on to stumble their way into December, Milwaukee (11-9) has prevailed in six of their past eight games, including five of their last six. That stretch included a sound thumping of the Cavs at home and a close loss to the Spurs after a 13-point halftime lead, plus – wouldn’t you know it – a pair of road wins, at Orlando and in Kidd’s personal catnip of Brooklyn. As Bob Rathbun noted earlier today, Buckshot results in 108.8 PPG and 48.3 FG% at home, compared to 94.7 PPG and 41.4 FG% outside of Milwaukee. Thus, the Hawks need to take the things they do best and put that show on the road, if teams like the Bucks are to be defeated in their own house. The league’s leader at 4.5 offensive rebounds per game, Dwight Howard (7 O-Rebs, 17 total rebounds vs. MIA) should decide if he wants to help produce second-chance points for Atlanta, one of the worst perimeter shooting offenses in the league (32.1 3FG%, 28th in NBA; 30.3% of FGAs from 3-point land, 12th-highest in NBA; 4-for-19 3FGs vs. MIA). Or if, alternatively, Dwight wants to help thwart quick scores by Milwaukee, the East’s top fastbreak-scoring offense (16.5 fastbreak PPG, 5th in NBA). In transition, Antetokounmpo and Parker are likely to have a bead on Thabo Sefolosha and Paul Millsap (4 steals, 3 blocks vs. MIA on Wednesday), respectively. So, it’s probable that Howard will not want to get caught parked beneath the offensive hoop when his teammates loft long-range shots or turn over live balls (Milwaukee’s 18.9 PPG off TOs, 2nd in NBA). Notably, only one of Dwight’s seven O-rebs against the heat on Wednesday followed a teammate’s shot from outside the paint. Instead, expect Howard and the Hawks’ pivot players to be actively involved in high screens to spring Dennis Schröder (last 4 games: 48.3 FG%, 87.5 FT%, 8.0 APG, 1.5 TOs/game), Malcolm Delaney and Tim Hardaway, Jr. (active after banging his knee vs. MIA on Wednesday) free inside. The long arms of Henson and Antetokounmpo converging on Schröder and the Hawks’ driving guards naturally raise the degree of difficulty for shots off penetration. Rather than being stationary and watching the guards force up circus shots, Atlanta’s forwards need to move toward the corners and provide outlets for the guards’ passes. Budball, Activate! When three-point shots go up, there is no time to admire the handiwork; the Hawks’ forwards must get back on defense and account for Giannis and Jabari, who each benefitted from some practice-session tutelage from Kussin’ Kevin Garnett this past week. Granted extra floor time with the momentary absence of Kent Bazemore (knee, mind), look for an active defensive effort from rookie Taurean Prince off the bench, especially if the starters fail to keep up in transition. As demonstrated at the start and the close of the Hawks’ 103-95 win over Miami, Schröder (8-for-15 FGs, 7 assists, 2 TOs) is doing a better job of sensing when, and how, to call his own number. Delaney (last five games: 34.8 eFG%, 18.6 assist%; 41.7 eFG% and 28.4 assist% in prior games) gets caught up in iso-ball and must disabuse himself of the notion that he’s starring for Lokomotiv Kuban. Howard’s primary backup, Mike Muscala, has had a career season on offense, generally boosting the Hawks’ bench production. But his biggest challenge is becoming evident on the opposite end of the floor. Moose has secured the rebound on just 16.7% of contested rebound opportunities, the lowest among 56 at-least-occasional centers averaging at least 15 minutes per game. Granted, a lot of that can be attributed to pairings with Howard, who gets first dibs when they’re in together (Dwight+Moose +14.1 D-Reb% as a 2-man combo). But when Muscala plays the 5-spot alongside Millsap (Sap+Moose -6.5 D-Reb%), he must do a better job of boxing out and securing the board. Defensive rebounding is a task that’s especially pressing for Muscala tonight, given Millsap’s and Sefolosha’s varied defensive efforts to keep the Bucks outside the paint (49.3 PPG in the paint, 2nd in NBA). Just like there’s no 20-point shot that at once erases a double-digit lead, there’s no 3-game victory that instantly vaults Atlanta back into contention in the East. It takes a trend to make yourselves trendy, and these Hawks are charged with getting their confidence back on track. There’s no better place to do that than on the road, where the Hawks have struggled mightily in recent weeks. It’s time to Buck the trend! Let’s Go Hawks! ~lw3 View full record

15 more completed games from now would put us around January 13, so I think @Spud2Nique is onto something. ~lw3

How soon until Tiago's salary gets fully paid by insurance? The cynic in me suspects it'll be sometime after that. hawksfanatic before the Miami game noted... ~lw3

It won't be easy, especially if he struggles out of the gate, Houston has a bunch of 4's masquerading as 3's, and 4's masquerading as 5's. ~lw3

All's well that ends... ~lw3

Accusers be like... Meanwhile: "C'mon Matt, haven't you learned by now... nothing good EVER happens after the Kangz tipoff?" ~lw3

I'm Told Timmy... ~lw3

MOOD. So, we’ve finally reached the floor, right? Right? All the signs are there that a bounce is in the cards for the Atlanta Hawks, as the Miami heat pay a visit to the Flickering Light Factory (7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, Fox Sports Sun in MIA). A little home cooking and practice, a tweak to the starting lineup, some recuperation time for the forwards. And an opponent that’s 7-14 and struggling to string complete nights together with an incomplete roster, arriving in town after a 114-103 loss to New York last night. I’ve already misspelled the heat’s hometown. Right now, it’s M*I*A*M*I. Goran Dragic strained a shoulder last night, shortly after healing his swollen ankle, and will try to give it a go after pacing the heat with 29 points (11-for-17 FGs). Dion Waiters got a tear in an unmentionable, barely-spellable area and is out of action. Josh Richardson is a no-go due to a sprained ankle, and Justise Winslow hasn’t played in nearly a month as he deals with a sprained wrist. James Johnson? Rotator cuff strain. Luke Babbitt? Hip flexor. Wayne Ellington just returned after sitting out the start of the season with a quad contusion, Derrick Williams just getting back up to speed last night after missing time with back spasms. There’s not even time to waste mentioning Chris Bosh anymore. I’m halfway expecting Radar, Hot Lips Houlihan, and Klinger in a muumuu to accompany coach Erik Spoelstra and the heat tonight. The Hawks (10-12), hoping to plug their seven-game losing streak, know that no one in the stands is suffering a case of fan-nesia. Or, at least, that’s what they should know. M*I*A*M*I last came to Philips Arena in February without top-scorer Dwayne Wade (knee), fellow All-Star Bosh (calf), or mega-rebounder Hassan Whiteside (suspended). Yet the Hawks, coming off the All-Star Break, allowed for The Josh McRoberts Variety Hour to air. McBob’s 19 points and 10 assists off the bench (plus Luol Deng’s 30 points) propelled the heat to an 115-111 victory. Atlantans know the heat could put Burnie in the lineup, and an inexcusable L for the Hawks could still not be ruled out. With so many walking wounded, who does Spoelstra turn to in a pinch this time? “He’s got better rookie Win Shares than Malcolm Delaney… MCGRUDER!” The undrafted K-State product in his first NBA season has been pushed front-and-center into the M*I*A*M*I starting lineup. Last season, Rodney helped lead their Sioux Falls affiliate to the D-League title. Currently on a nine-game Threak, McGruder is working in tandem with Ellington (and bench man Tyler Johnson) in hopes of spacing the floor for Dragic drives and Whiteside post maneuvers. They’ll be met tonight by Atlanta’s newly-formulated starting pair at the wing. Thabo Sefolosha filled in capably at small forward in place of Kyle Korver, who seemed to find some footing off the bench during the latest loss to OKC. Thabo will slide to small forward, and will be joined tonight by Tim Hardaway, Jr., who takes over at shooting guard while Kent Bazemore sits out a couple games to be treated for a sore knee. Timmy had 15 bench points, including 5-for-6 2FGs, in the Hawks’ 93-90 win at South Beach on November 15, back when things were going pretty good for his ballclub. He and Thabo combined for 5 of Atlanta’s 14 steals in that game, a tally the Hawks haven’t surpassed since (13 steals at OKC being the high-water mark lately). While the “TNT” duo has benefitted by being part of far more efficient bench rotations, Hardaway-Sefolosha has netted the Hawks +6.2 points per 100 possessions (as per Basketball-Reference). Throw in Paul Millsap (probable, while continuing to nurse a sore hip), and the trio leads the Hawks with +19.6 net points per-100. Today’s matchup of strategies will feature Hack-a-Hawk versus Hack-a-heat. M*I*A*M*I comes into this game as the league’s worst free throw shooting team (66.5 FT%), and the only other NBA squad clanking more than thirty percent of their shots are their hosts tonight, Atlanta shooting 69.9 FT%. After allowing the Knicks to pile up 56 points in the paint last night, versus their own 36, the heat will have little appetite for Millsap (4 missed FTs in Monday’s loss to OKC; 73.2 FT%, lowest in past three seasons) and Dwight Howard (career-low 48.3 FT%) getting easy buckets. Coach Spo will rotate in Udonis Haslem, Willie Reed and Williams (4 personals in 15 minutes vs. NYK), to help keep McRoberts (9 rebounds and 5 assists vs. NYK) and Whiteside (NBA-high 14.9 RPG; career-high 25 rebounds vs. ATL on Nov. 15; 23 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks vs. NYK) out of early foul trouble. M*I*A*M*I hopes the extra whistles will help slow down Mike Budenholzer’s preferred pace (101.5 possessions per-48, 6th in NBA; 102.7 before Nov. 18, 100.3 since) to one that’s more to their weathered 9-man rotation’s liking. The heat has once again called upon a shot doctor to help fix their free throw woes. Rob “The Shooting Guy” Fodor has long been in South Florida helping players with their busted shot mechanics, including the father of Hardaway (63.0 FT%, down from 89.3% last season), who starts tonight and could use a little tutelage as well. Fodor’s advice didn’t pay off at home for the heat against the Knicks (11 missed FTs in the 11-point loss; Whiteside 3-for-9). But Spoelstra is confident his team can turn it around, particularly in away games, where they have managed to shoot just a little better (67.8 road FT%). Dennis Schröder got a front-row view of a maestro in action on Monday, Russell Westbrook’s floor leadership on full-court display especially in crunch time. Still learning on-the-fly, Schröder (last 3 outings: 16.3 PPG, 46.5 FG%, 87.5 FT%, 8.3 APG, 1.3 TOs per game) has the benefit of scouting the league’s starting lead guards and picking up traits that could help his game as well. That includes the more experienced guards of the Southeast Division, like Dragic, who is about as good as can be when it comes to finishing in the paint. It’s easy to see why Schröder struggles at times to finish on drives to the hoop; Howard’s man is usually in the vicinity, rather than chasing pick-and-poppers outside the paint. Dennis makes 49.7% of his attempts within 10 feet of the hoop, with a much-higher proportion of attempts coming beyond 3 feet from the rim than in 2015-16. But the challenge is often the same for the point guard who plays alongside Whiteside. And yet Dragic continues to excel. Goran is a taller, sturdier guard, and while he has struggled mightily at times with two-point jumpers outside the paint, he remains surehanded when he gets inside. While his 57.4 at-rim FG% is the lowest since his rookie season, The Dragon still breathes fire within ten feet of the hoop (53.1 2FG%). Coupled with a career-best 42.1 3FG%, Dragic remains a reliable offensive asset whenever he calls his own number. He’s balancing his best scoring values (17.8 PPG) since his All-NBA 3rd Team and Most Improved Player campaign in 2013-14, with his best assist numbers (6.7 APG, 10th in NBA) since 2012-13. Schröder could find better looks around the rim tonight if he uses his speed to force the issue on the break. Dennis’ 1.4 PPG on fastbreaks is bottom-third among starting guards, and probably not where Budenholzer needs him to be considering the tempo the coach prefers. But Dennis has had to work with an assortment of starting lineup mates lumbering and laboring with lingering leg issues. With Hardaway and Sefolosha running the wings (and Korver waiting-in-the wings off the bench), Schröder’s enhanced activity in transition could be one spark Atlanta’s offense needs (NBA-low 92.3 O-Rating in last 20 days; Dallas and Philly rating 97.5; NBA-low 49.4 TS% since Nov. 18) to shake out of its doldrums. The Hawks should know better than to look down on its opponents, not the least of which because there are many fewer teams in the standings to look down upon. After climbing the Wall last night, Orlando has caught up with Atlanta at 10-12 (no matter the sport, we just can’t shake free of these Central Florida teams). Now, the heat have a chance to shrink their gap with the Hawks down to just 1.5 games. Despite their current record and their myriad injuries, M*I*A*M*I went 2-2 and 2-1 in road trips over the past three weeks, including a squeaker in Utah last Thursday. They would like to get this trek off to a roaring start before playing in a back-to-back at Cleveland and Chicago over the weekend. But a rested, refocused, resolute Hawks team won’t give their division-foe visitors the satisfaction this evening. Right? Right? Honor our past and present service members on this Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day! And Let’s Go Hawks! ~lw3 View full record

I think the craze started in the 80s! ~lw3

You're one step ahead of me. I imagined B.J. Armstrong shoving D-Mo down a flight of stairs. Or two. ~lw3

Otherwise, it looks like a whole other kind of movement... ~lw3

At least one former Net calls "Shenanigans"... ~lw3

~lw3

90 seconds? That's like 4 Iso-Joes! ~lw3

Congrats to Big EB. He's been True To Philly for awhile now. ~lw3

"Well, alrighty then. So... hey, Brooklyn, how 'bout a trade?" Is someone being a little... D-Mot-trative about their feelings? (sorry.) I was wondering about this part... sorry, Brooklyn! ~lw3

I can say it now, but in those closing seconds of the biggest play of his natural life (the ultra-ironic offensive rebound and lay-in, after running in from 20 feet out against the Wizards), I was dead certain Al was gonna blow that putback. Because Atlanta sports. ~lw3