lethalweapon3

I'm getting a sugar high from all the sound, balanced, thoughtful commentary in this here thread. Keep it up! ~lw3

“How Ya Like Me Now?” Gird your loins! One night after getting molly-whopped by a random NBA foe for the third time in the past four games, the Atlanta Hawks pick their beaks up off the floor to find the Golden State Warriors (10:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, CSN Bay Area in SFO) awaiting their arrival. Tonight, Atlanta is confronting the most talented, most exciting, most formidable basketball player known to mankind. We’re talking, of course, about Zaza Pachulia. Sure, we could spend time waxing poetic about the possibility that Draymond Green (team-highs of 9.0 RPG, 6.9 APG, 2.2 SPG, 1.6 BPG) may not be available to play, having twisted the ankle on his non-kicking leg while trying to avoid teammate Ian Clark’s Adam’s apple under the rim last Friday night at the Staples Center. After all, but for Green’s late-game heroics, the Hawks might have pulled off an upset over the Curry-less Warriors last season at Oracle Arena. Both Clark and Green sat out on Saturday, but the Dubs still held Minnesota at bay, 115-102, for their 11th straight victory. The only L in their past 15 games came against the same foes that vanquished Atlanta last night -- the Lakers, back on November 4 -- and they’ve beaten L.A. twice since. Green feels “pretty confident” he’ll suit up and play today. But there is no need to dwell on who is suiting up at forward for the Hawks’ opponent-du-jour, especially given the past two games have seen Atlanta (10-7) fall flat against a Utah team that was missing Derrick Favors, and a Lakers team that was absent Julius Randle. All-Star and leading scorer Paul Millsap’s inability to exploit mismatches versus inferior competition, whether by his own lethargic shortcomings (4-for-11 FGs and 5 rebounds in each of his past two games) or his teammates’ inability to keep the ball moving in his direction, has fueled the Hawks’ offensive swoon. You can toss in the early departure of Anthony Davis in last week’s flop versus the Pelicans for good measure, Millsap just 4-for-9 on field goals in 23 ineffective and short-leashed minutes. Atlanta is 9-0 when Paul posts a positive plus-minus. You can either feed the Anchorman, and reap the benefits of his production early and often, or just sit back and accept that the Hawks’ ship be sinking. We could focus on the Warriors’ impressive on-court efficiencies, ranked 1st in the NBA for offensive rating, field goal percentage, true shooting percentage, assist/turnover ratio, and assist percentage (franchise-record streak of 30+ assists ended vs. MIN on Saturday; franchise-record 47 assists vs. LAL last Wednesday), plus 2nd over the past week in defensive rating after experiencing some struggles out of the gate. A low-cost free agent acquisition, Pachulia swapping starting lineups with Andrew Bogut has contributed to Golden State ranking near the league’s basement (tied-27th) in D-Reb%, a factor the increasingly trolled Dwight Howard could use to his advantage if he’s got the energy to run the full floor. Alas, after making the Lakers (28th in D-Rating) look like defensive juggernauts in both the second and fourth quarters of play yesterday, and after allowing the low-scoring Jazz to look like the ’82 Nuggets in those same quarters, any further detail would be a waste of time. Over-reliant on Howard’s ability to protect the rim, the Hawks have relaxed on opposing ball handlers. Atlanta collected at least ten steals in each of their first six games, and in eight of their first ten contests. They’ve had just one double-digit tally in the last seven games, the exception being 11 steals in the win at Indiana. After failing to force double-digit turnovers in just six games in 2015-16, this season’s Hawks are already halfway there before the close of November, this following blowout losses to New Orleans and the Lakers (9 opposing-player TOs apiece). Worries about Stephen Curry swishing highlight-reel jumpers from Sausalito are pointless if Atlanta remains passive, failing to contest shots, drives, catches and passes from the perimeter. Kyle Korver looks like he could use a road map once he’s screened out of an opponent’s offensive play, while Kent Bazemore finds himself getting mouse-in-the-housed too often in isolation. That spells trouble when the Warriors space the floor out for Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, the latter the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week. The lack of quarterbacking from Dwight Howard and Dennis Schröder must be rectified for the Hawks’ starting unit to fix their defensive flaws. The Warriors (15-2) already look like the world-beaters they were designed to be. But Atlanta’s greatest challenge on the floor won’t be named Steph, or Kevin, or Kevon (Looney) or Klay, or Zaza. As of this moment, the Hawks’ greatest impediments to success are in their own heads. Some trepidation in the face of adversity can be expected from a roster with under-experienced components playing key roles, as is the case for Atlanta at the point. But it’s unacceptable as a lasting hallmark for an NBA team featuring three over-30 starters with significant playoff experience, under the direction of a lauded coach that should know by now how to make adjustments that stop opponent runs and keep games under control. Beating the Warriors tonight is secondary to a larger objective: the Hawks have to quit beating themselves. Let’s Go Hawks! ~lw3 View full record

welp! (Swaggy starts as well). ~lw3

(best heard in Charlie Brown's teacher voice) ~lw3

Lake Show updates... Deng and Ingram at forward should still work fine, but maybe they play more Tarik Black alongside Mozzy. I can't envision T-Rob or Metta starting. ~lw3

“Just Keep Truckin’ On!” Coach Mike Budenholzer found himself thoroughly outcoached on Friday night, at the hands of his former lead assistant. Quin Snyder’s visiting opponents played right into the strengths of his Utah Jazz team along the way to a 95-68 rout, an Atlanta output that was offensive in only one sense of the word. Coach Bud and his Atlanta Hawks will seek to bounce back today, but they’ll have to do it against the reigning Coach of the Year’s former lead assistant: Luke Walton, formerly of Steve Kerr’s Golden State Warriors, now head honcho for the Los Angeles Lakers (9:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL), who already has one W against Atlanta under his belt. Oh, and Kerr’s Warriors await these Hawks for a game tomorrow night as well. Keep those replacement whiteboards handy! Both teams come in having dropped four of their last five, but the circumstances are a bit different in the case of Los Angeles (8-9). This remains a season of nurture for Walton’s Lakers, whose sole victory in the past week was a two-point win at Staples Center versus OKC. They embark on another high-mileage four-game road trip after tonight’s game. “I want the basketball to be fun for our players and for our fans, something that’s fun and exciting to watch,” Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told USA Today recently. “And I want the team to get better as the year progresses. I don’t know what that means in terms of wins and losses, but if we’re a better team a month from now, or three months from now, or five months from now, than we are today, and we’re fun to watch, I think our fans, our partners, will be on board, and I think we’d have something to build on.” L.A.’s recent losses were at home to the Spurs and Bulls, then during a home-and-home series against the Warriors, the Western Conference champs winning games by margins of 149-106 and 109-85. Amid that 5-game stretch, D’Angelo Russell (team-high 4.8 APG) was shelved for a few weeks, having received a PRP injection for his sore left knee. Julius Randle (team-high 8.1 RPG; 3.9 APG, second on team) missed the series with the Dubs due to a hip pointer. Larry Nance, Jr. remains questionable after spraining a thumb against Golden State. This season remains about bringing along these younger Lakers (including rookies Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac, the latter on D-League assignment, plus guard Jordan Clarkson), allowing them to cut their teeth and build up their confidence while slowly mastering Walton’s gameplans. With the injuries piling up, plus Nick Young (sprained toe, returning tonight) sitting out the last game, Walton has turned to Jose Calderon to man the point, and shifted Luol Deng to power forward while granting Ingram the first starts of his career against Golden State. Ingram scored 16 points in Oakland during the bigger blowout loss, and was harassed into 3-for-18 shooting but contributed 9 rebounds in the rematch at Staples. Another schedule inversion is in the works for the Hawks, shifting from a plodding Utah team (last in pace) that prides itself on defense (second to Atlanta in D-Rating) to a high-tempo Laker team (4th in pace) that isn’t totally sure how that defensive side of the floor works (next-to-last in D-Rating). Since scratching out an impressive 6-4 start to the year, the Lakers have allowed at least 109 points in each of the past seven games (2-5). They’ve needed to score at least that many points in all but one of their eight victories, including the 123-116 win at Philips Arena on November 2, when they outscored the Hawks 72-56 in the second half to overtake the lead. It’s been tougher to keep up the pace (and get stops) with Russell on the mend and Calderon (six assists in each game vs. GSW) pushing the ball. While player development remains the theme, at the ends of games Walton will incorporate his veterans to help the Lakers close out close contests. Their leading scorer is sixth-man extraordinaire Lou Williams (16.4 PPG, 41.0 3FG%, team-high 4.2 FTAs per game), who made himself right at home by spraying the Hawks with 16 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter of L.A.’s win at the Highlight Factory. Much like the Lakers with Russell, Atlanta’s coaching staff and veteran teammates are responsible for ensuring their young starting point guard doesn’t suffer from a crisis of confidence. Dennis Schröder’s 43.8 2FG%, 76.5 FT%, 29.5 assist percentage, 1.1 steal percentage, and 5.9 rebound percentage are the lowest marks since his short-leashed rookie year. Dennis has led the team in assists just three times during the Hawks’ last nine games. His hot start versus Utah (12 first-quarter points) was not rewarded in kind by his teammates stepping up their play (31.3 team FG%, lowest since January 2013 @ CHI, third-lowest by NBA team this season), and his production wilted (6-for-19 FGs, two assists, two TOs in 29 minutes) trying in vain to carry the team. Unlike past seasons with Al Horford (16.7 assists percentage last season, highest among non-point guard Hawks) at center, Schröder’s passes into Dwight Howard (6.3 assist percentage, lowest since 2007-08) are usually one-way propositions. Howard registered zero assists against the Lakers in Atlanta, the loss spoiling his 31-point, 11-rebound effort versus his old club. The Hawks (10-6) are 1-4 when Howard comes away with no assists, a record inclusive of each of the Hawks’ last three defeats. Do-it-all Paul Millsap (career-best 18.2 assist%) and fellow starters Kyle Korver and Kent Bazemore have elevated their assist rates from last season to help out. But Atlanta’s slip-sliding offense (21st in O-Rating) will get a boost if Howard and Schröder go beyond mere lob-hunting to improve their 2-man game. Allowing league-highs of 26.1 assists per game and 50.0 paint PPG, the Lakers serve as an ideal palate for Atlanta’s starting center and point guard to hone their mutual skillsets. Howard can “assist” by doing more than just passing the ball out of the post when the double-team comes. The Hawks’ 9.1 screen assists rank just 18th in the league, and their 0.84 points per possession on off-screen plays rank 26th. Versus Utah, Atlanta’s wing players failed to beat their assignments down the floor in transition, allowing the Jazz to set the tone with their brand of basketball. The Lakers don’t provide the same scale of effort, and it’s on the Hawks to produce on the fastbreak. This includes not only Bazemore, Thabo Sefolosha, and Taurean Prince, but also Kyle Korver hustling down to the corner-3 spots. L.A. allows 16.8 fastbreak points per game, third-most in the league. The Lakers are one of just five teams that have opponents hitting 40.0 3FG% or better from each corner; Utah is among that quintet, but Atlanta (2-for-5 corner 3s on Friday) failed to exploit that. The Hawks’ are shooting just 31.8 3FG% above-the-break (26th in NBA), so until their mechanics improve, the closer corner shots are where it’s at. The Hawks have the talent, experience and skills to beat the Lake Show at their own high-tempo game. The trick is doing it early and sustaining it long enough (well beyond the opening half) that the Lakers’ top stat-padders can’t impact the outcome as the contest draws to a close. Breaking the Lakers’ will with the fervor that Kris Humphries uses to break backboards would take away the bad taste of Utah and turn momentum upward as the scene quickly shifts to Oakland tomorrow night. Let’s Go Hawks! ~lw3 View full record

~lw3

~lw3

(Not a Throwback Friday) ~lw3

“AYYY!” I’d imagine the Black Friday lines in Salt Lake City’s retail establishments are more cordial, serene, and sensible than any place you’d find in the ATL. After a Thanksgiving Day gathering that was probably highly sober and decaffeinated, the Atlanta Hawks won’t be leaving Utah with any crazy deals on flatscreens. But before hitting the road for Hollywood, the Hawks would like to come away with a W over Quin Snyder’s Utah Jazz (8:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, ROOT Sports Utah in SLC) at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Jazz (8-8) have had several critical players on the shelf since the start of preseason games. George Hill (20.4 PPG, 5.0 APG, 1.1 TOs per game) was looking like the star of this summer’s three-team deal between Atlanta and Indiana before spraining a thumb several weeks ago. Before returning on Wednesday to drop 22 in a solid home win over the rival Nuggets, Hill was joined by Atlanta-raised big man Derrick Favors (bruised knee) on the IR, a list which already included guard Alec Burks (ankle, knee). Even with wing scorer Gordon Hayward (19.7 PPG, 40.5 FG%) having returned after missing the start of the season, that’s a lot of offensive punch for a team (96.8 team PPG, 27th in NBA) often lacking in that area. 11 different Jazzmen have been featured in Snyder’s starting units this season. Fortunately for the Jazz, Snyder keeps a slow and steady pace (93.4 possessions per-48, lowest in NBA), allowing players on the floor to stay fresh and put the screws to opponents defensively (league-low 94.4 PPG allowed) behind center Rudy Gobert (top-ten in NBA with 10.6 RPG and 2.3 BPG) and reserve Jeff Withey. Denver could only shoot 33.3% from three-point range, 31.1% from even closer, and 58.1% on free throws on Wednesday, as the Jazz skated to a 108-83 rout at The Viv. Utah is also fortunate to have three former Hawks on the roster. Many Hawks, past and present, have made their poor mothers weep by announcing their next career destination. Joe Johnson has been the best of the ex-Hawks bunch currently in the Beehive State, matching Hill with 44.2% on three-pointers while continuing to exploit post-up matchups wherever they arise. Shelvin Mack earned his stripes with the Jazz during last season’s run that fell just short of the playoffs. While he has struggled lately (20.0 FG% last four games), he has served as a utilitarian option while Dante Exum continues to learn the ropes. Boris Diaw is being brought along slowly after missing time with a leg contusion, but is more of a veteran locker-room leader at this stage of his career. (We won’t count lightly-used guard Raul Neto, who the Hawks traded away on Draft Day in 2013). Such that there is one, the Jazz offensive gameplan does not include many fastbreaks (9.0 PPG per-100 possessions, 28th in NBA) or rushing to score off opponent’s turnovers (13.5 PPG per-100 possessions, 29th in NBA), the latter probably good news for Atlanta (17.4 TOs per 100 possessions, tied with Philly for most in NBA; 17 assists, 21 TOs during 96-85 win @ IND on Wednesday). Instead, Utah’s goal is to set up the halfcourt play and use continual player movement until they find the ideal mismatch. It could be Hayward finding avenues to the hoop off cuts, or Johnson backing down a lighter opponent, or Gobert with deep post position, or youngsters taking advantage of their relative athleticism, be it forward Trey Lyles (49 FG% last five games), Exum, or the continuously emerging third-year guard Rodney Hood (16.9 PPG, 45.1 FG%, 37.8 3FG%). If no advantages are discovered then, late in the shot clock, the ball works it way back to Hayward, Hood, or Hill, something Kent Bazemore (4 steals @ IND) and the Hawks will need to anticipate and disrupt. Gobert will set screens (6.1 screen assists per game, 2nd in NBA), and Diaw will dish from the paint, to allow their top scoring trio more daylight. The Jazz rely on ballhandlers not feeling pressured to do something outside of their comfort zones. Unlike four of Atlanta’s five starters (excepting Kyle Korver’s 1.8), just one Jazz player (Hayward, 2.3) averages two or more turnovers per game. Much like league-leading Charlotte, Utah (13.5 TOs per 100 possessions, 10th in NBA), will dare teams to play them “straight up”, entrusting their senior players to make fewer crucial mistakes in the clutch than their adversaries. The Hawks (10-5) will want to find opportunities to beat the Jazz down the floor in transition, and to get shots early in the clock with sound ball movement, particularly when Jazz defenders are double-teaming and failing to close out on individual shooters quickly. Controlling the pace from the jump will involve better planning and preparation from Dennis Schröder, swifter mechanics from Kyle Korver, and enough post touches for Dwight Howard (23 points on 10-for-12 FGs, 20 rebounds, 9 offensive @ IND) and Paul Millsap (8-for-14 2FGs, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks @ IND) to force Gobert and Withey into foul trouble. With Korver (DNP-CD @ IND) returning, Atlanta’s starters must do better than the 1-for-12 shooting display they turned in from three-point range on Wednesday. Atlanta’s reserves will need to box out for defensive rebounds and, keyed by Malcolm Delaney (6-for-6 FTs, 1 assist, 1 TO in 22 minutes @ IND), push the ball down court to wing scoring options like Thabo Sefolosha, Tim Hardaway and Taurean Prince (8 points and 4 rebounds in 15 minutes @ IND). The Hawks should avoid wasting precious seconds gathering, pump-faking, and pounding the ball through the hardwood floor – that is, if they intend to have parents with dry eyes by game’s end. Let’s Go Hawks! ~lw3 View full record

Pacer gameday updates... ~lw3

"HAWKFAN. (Or, the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" ~lw3

Bud was just being respectful, Instead of, "I traded you away. Sorry, not sorry!" ~lw3

“For Thanksgiving? I’m having beans, greens, potatoes, tomatoes, lamb, rams, Hawks, dogs, chicken, turkeys, rabbit – YOU NAME IT!” [DISCLAIMER: I’m on the road today! So I’m gonna make like my Hawks and half-*ss this one, mailing it in using the preview draft as I left it hours before last night’s tailfeather-whooping at the hands of the Pelicans. Bolded items were not verified following last night's drubbing. Feel free to correct any errors or provide updates on injury statuses. Cheers!] The past meets the future tonight! Dennis Schröder visits former Atlanta Hawk Jeff Teague and his hometown Indiana Pacers (7:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, Fox Sports Indiana) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, to see which point god rules the present. Onto the tidbits! Trading places! While Schröder struggles with his all-around efficiency (-2.3 Box Plus/Minus, as per Basketball-Reference, 4th-lowest among regularly starting NBA PGs), Teague is doing his best to crawl out of the muck after a disappointing start out of the blocks. Jeff was passing well, but had a hard time finding the basket in his first ten games (37.1 FG%, 24.3 3FG%, 14.2 PPG, 6.4 APG). He bounced back in his next four (55.3 FG%, 46.2 3FG%, 20.5 PPG, 7.3 APG), keeping pace with the likes of Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook head-to-head as Indiana (7-8) stayed above the Eastern Conference’s playoff meniscus. Teague peaked with a season-high 30 points and 9 assists, plus a career-high 6 steals, as Indy outlasted the Russellaires in OKC in an overtime thriller this past Sunday. His reward? A rested Stephen Curry awaiting him back home the very next night. The Pacers had to go into Monday’s Warriors game without not only superstar Paul George (ankle) or backup swingman C.J. Miles (knee), but budding big man Myles Turner (15.0 PPG; NBA-best 7.0 Block%). A blowout was a foregone conclusion, and that was well before Teague’s hockey-stick leg suffered another ankle sprain midway through the third-quarter. He was benched for the rest of the contest while G-State was up by 29, but should be taped up and raring to go against his old club. Outside of Deutschland, nobody’s chomping at the bit to stuff All-Star ballots for Schröder in his first full season as an NBA starter. But it’s probably best to chart Dennis’ progress as a Hawk not relative to Jeff Teague 2015 (All-Star season), 2016, or 2017, but Teague 2012, Jeff’s first season as a starter following a postseason breakout in 2011. In the first 14 starts of that strike-shortened 2011-12 season, a 23-year-old Teague averaged 12.4 PPG, 5.9 APG, and 2.4 TOs per game, while shooting 45.1 FG%, 62.9 FT%, and 46.4 3FG% on 2.0 attempts per game. Atlanta’s record in that stretch? 10-4, including three wins in a row after losing Al Horford for the season on Indiana’s floor. While Teague 2012’s perimeter shooting would eventually fall back to Earth (34.2 3FG% in 2011-12), his season-long free throw accuracy (75.7 FT%) elevated to where Dennis is as of today. Today, the 23-year-old Schröder is more aggressive than Teague in driving inside, drawing more contact and foul calls (75.6 FT%) but turning over the ball far more (14.5 PPG, 5.8 APG and 3.3 TOs per game). Even with Horford out of the picture, Teague 2012 was relatively more reticent as a lead guard (career-low 19.1 usage%), deferential to not only Josh and the Johnsons (Joe and Ivan), but guys named Jerry and Jannero. Dennis’ 24.9 usage% currently leads the team, and he could certainly afford to have another ballhandler alongside him on the floor, something that Teague 2012 (Captain Kirk Hinrich) was afforded. Team exec Larry Bird is getting what he wanted from coach Nate McMillan, their Pacers currently ranking 10th in the league for pace (3rd in the East), their 100.6 possessions per-48 up slightly from 99 under Frank Vogel in 2015-16. Guards Monta Ellis, Aaron Brooks and Rodney Stuckey are always around to get shots up quickly for the Pacers offense. But the wear-and-tear is already showing on the interior for Indiana. The Pacers’ 73.8 D-Reb% ranks close to the bottom of the league. While George goes for strips, Turner aims for help blocks, and newcomer Thaddeus Young (team-high 1.8 O-Rebs per game) chases putbacks, there are few Pacers around to snare the defensive boards. Backup bigs Al Jefferson, Lavoy Allen, and Kevin Seraphin are too slow-of-foot to fit into McMillan’s higher-tempo rotations. Perhaps reflective of their struggles to sustain defensive cohesion over the course of halves, Indiana’s first quarter defensive efficiency (93.5, 3rd-best in NBA) plummets to 115.6 (2nd-worst in NBA) before halftime, and their third-quarter D-Rating of 104.7 slips to 110.7 (4th-worst in NBA) during the final quarters of games. Look for D-League recall Rakeem Christmas to get more play on the Pacers’ front line tonight, particularly if Turner is a no-go. While they may be a bit lead-legged after last night’s game versus New Orleans, today’s contest could work in Atlanta’s favor early if Dwight Howard, Paul Millsap and Mike Muscala are able to run the full court, and if Schröder can get around the injury-slowed Teague to set up the bigs for shots in and around the restricted area. Indy is the fifth consecutive opponent to face Atlanta with at least one day off (same deal for the Hawks’ next five foes), and the Pacers could sure use it. But a superior show of energy on the floor would be enough to give the Hawks a (turkey?) leg up on the opposition tonight. Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Let’s Go Hawks! ~lw3 View full record

I just realized Ipecac syrup isn't legal anymore! Ah, well, last night's replays will have to do. If you get a chance at all, please listen to the radio play-by-play featuring Holman and Conti covering The Proposal! Radio gold. Before I hit the road, just four words... Kooninball. Still. CRUSHING. It. ~lw3

Speaking of which (courtesy of our good buddy hawksfanatic): ~lw3

I'm suspicious that it's the Moose Effect. Muscala's play from the outset of the season allowed the Hawks the convenience of not pushing the timetable for either Scottie or Tiago. And it's not like they've got any media pushing them for regular updates on the duo's progress. Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of Splitter's hip injury, which he struggled playing through for months afterward. The surgery last February had him ready in time for training camp, but the in-practice hamstring injury on the same leg was supposed to sideline him for "at least four weeks" more (we're moving past six weeks now). The team remains pretty cautious (Splitter is participating in non-contact practice drills, as per C-Viv), and their release of Edy Tavares for Ryan Kelly reinforces the confidence the team has in Muskie at the 5-spot. Kelly serves as Scott Insurance, as our offseason hopes were dashed that Money Mike (sore knee) would have his legal issues resolved, one way or another, by now. His "at least four weeks" diagnosis came about three weeks after Tiago's, so we're probably looking at a few more weeks before we see Scott available to take the floor. ~lw3

“Just stop it, Omer! Stop it! You’re making me laugh!” It’s Gucci Time! Cut the lights on at the Highlight Factory. The 1st Year Out Da Feds is going swimmingly well for Gucci Mane, the East Atlanta rapper providing the musical interlude as the Atlanta Hawks host the New Orleans Pelicans. (7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, Fox Sports NOLA). Tidbits follow. Get Ur Weight Off, Patna! -- Winners of two straight home games, the visiting Pelicans are struggling to shed perceptions that they’re overly dependent on one tremendously good player. Losers of two straight on the road, the Hawks (9-4) are trying to shed presumptions that they’ll fold like a cheap suit once a little adversity hits during a game. For some inspiration, both teams can look to The Artist Briefly Known as Guwop, who shed a metric ton of pounds while doing time for his crime! The East Atlanta Santa is shaped more like a candy cane now and is darn-near unrecognizable, the telltale ice cream cheek tattoo notwithstanding. The ex-con committed to dumping the Lemonade (more specifically, the stuff he used to mix in it, and I don’t mean sugar) from his post-penitentiary diet. The League vs. Anthony Davis -- Unibrow remains more than worthy of the Spotlight, even though his nightly production often winds up getting Wasted. The reigning Western Conference Player of the Week leads the NBA in scoring (31.7 PPG) and blocks, not just the Spider-Solitaire-at-work variety (3.0 BPG), while putting up career-best averages in rebounds (11.5 RPG, 6th in NBA) and steals (1.9 SPG, 7th in NBA). His improved maneuvering is earning him better looks in the paint (55.5 FG% betw. 3-16 feet; 40.7% last season) and drawing more trips to the line (career-high 11.1 FTAs per game, 81.3 FT%). His 38-and-16 helped New Orleans fumigate the Hornets in OT on Saturday, one night after Charlotte pulled a fast one on the Hawks. After “containing” Kristaps Porzingis to a single offensive rebound on Sunday, Atlanta will try to use boxscore-filling Paul Millsap to keep Davis out of the paint, and more reliant on his long-range jumper (32.6 FG% from 16 feet out). I Think I Love Her -- USWNT soccer star Lauren Holiday successfully delivered a baby boy, one month before successfully removing a brain tumor. As new mothers are apt to do eventually, Lauren ordered her caretaker husband to get the heck out the house, and that’s been of great benefit to the Pelicans. Jrue Holiday has wasted little time getting acclimated off the bench, averaging 21.5 PPG and 8.0 APG in two games. His return has helped the Pelicans (4-10) double their win total while alleviating the lightly-experienced but steady third-year player Tim Frazier (7.6 APG, 2.4 TOs/game). Holiday (44.4 3FG%) and Langston Galloway (season-high 23 points, 6-for-11 3FGs vs. CHA; “Jrue is a maestro out there. He’s finding everybody,” he told Pelicans.com) are shooting perimeter shots well, allowing coach Alvin Gentry to rely less on starter E’Twuan Moore (30.8 3FG%) and rookie Buddy Hield (24.6 FG%). The Appeal: Germany’s Most Wanted -- Goodbye, Manhattan! Dennis Schröder should be coming into today’s action with clearer eyes and a fuller heart, after putting up a clunker (0-for-8 FGs, 3 assists, 3 TOs in 21 minutes) against the Knicks during a Sunday matinee. Backup Malcolm Delaney wasn’t any better (1-for-4 FGs, 4 assists, 4 TOs in 21 minutes), and the point guard power outage (plus a bunch of flubbed shots around the rim) contributed mightily to Atlanta’s biggest deficit in a loss this season. The Hawks are 6-0 this season when Schröder’s plus/minus is zero or higher, and they’ll need Dennis and Delaney to get back on the positive side versus Holiday and Frazier. 6-for-17 Brick Squad -- Decent perimeter shooting helps the Hawks neatly mask their shortcomings. The team is 7-0 when shooting above 35 percent on threes, but the Views From Zone 3 are not as pretty (2-4) when Atlanta falls short of that mark. They’ve been especially “BURR!” of late, not coming close to 35 percent in their last three games (28.4 3FG%) and they barely cleared the 35% bar in Miami (35.3 3FG%) last Tuesday. To hear more “Bingo!” tonight, their teammates must get in better position for catch-and-shoot opportunities when the point guards are coming off screens and driving. Pelican opponents have hit 8.4 above-the-break 3FGAs per game, 3rd most in the league. Speed Bumps -- Dwight Howard will try to make amends from the jump, after granting Knicks backup center Kyle O’Quinn carte blanche (4 O-Rebs, 7 total, plus 6 points in 1st quarter) on Sunday. Howard (18-and-18 @ NYK) should have little trouble neutralizing Pelicans center Omer Asik, if he can make Asik pay for abandoning him to help Pelican defenders. Backup Alexis Ajinca is returning to action after missing the past two games with a shoulder injury, while Terrence Jones (illness) may sit this one out. The Return of Mr. Perfect -- Thabo Sefolosha (67.5 2FG%) is likely to return from his mild knee sprain, helping put various Pelican ballhandlers in the Trap House while replenishing the depth of what has been the league’s premier bench unit. He and Kent Bazemore should Go Head and exploit any advantages they can find against New Orleans, who have struggled mightily to find a steady contributor at small forward. Dante Cunningham supplanted free agent pickup Solomon Hill in the Pels’ starting lineup, but the Pelicans are eagerly anticipating a December return from Tyreke Evans (knee, blood clots) to fill the gap. Gone are inefficient ballers Lance Stephenson and Archie Goodwin, and incoming is swingman Anthony Brown, a former Laker rookie and the top overall pick of this year’s D-League Draft. Back on Road -- Gucci will be performing only at halftime, but Hawks players have no time to hang out for a postgame concert, anyway. After tonight’s game, the team immediately takes to the air to resume their road trek. Tomorrow’s pit stop in Indiana will be followed by games in Utah, Staples Center (Lakers), Oakland (Warriors), and Phoenix to round out the month. While the road trip is a bit daunting, the Hawks can’t afford to get caught tonight looking ahead. It’s best to work out the kinks and fix your flaws in November... when you don’t have Everybody Looking. Let’s Go Hawks! ~lw3 View full record

Here's hoping D8's wayward elbows don't become this year's Draymond Rockette kicks. ~lw3

"Hey, the Zen Master's Vow of Silence worked!" ~lw3

The scorekeepers don't give us any breaks, either! lol ~lw3

Today's biggest culprit, clearly, we can all agree... was the mix-and-match outfits! ~lw3

Ooooh... FASHION! I believe the Knicks are going straight-up white jerseys today, so no candy-corn action like last years' game at MSG. ~lw3

~lw3