Official Game Preview: Thunder at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“Chill, Harry! This ain’t yo’ cousin!”

 

The only Trapping going on tonight will be on defense. But coming off a letdown in San Antonio, will the Atlanta Hawks regroup, and Put On for their city against the high-rising Oklahoma City Thunder (8:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast, Fox Sports Oklahoma)?

Tonight’s homegrown halftime and postgame performer, the no-longer-young Jeezy, should fill a few extra seats in the stands. But by and large, this crowd won’t be here just for Tha Snowman: you know these fans came to see KD and Russell ball. After some floundering while working through some kinks under new coach Billy Donovan and enduring Kevin Durant’s hamstring injury, OKC (11-6) comes into the Highlight Factory at full-strength.

Lately, they’re rolling Thunder: winners of four straight and the last three by double-digits. In those past three games, Durant has been stepping up, the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week averaging 30.3 PPG while shooting an MVP-runner-up-quality 58.5 percent on his shots. Oklahoma City enjoyed two days of rest after Friday’s 103-87 home win over Detroit, one in which KD hit four of his nine threes and still found time to hit all ten of his free throw attempts and collect 12 defensive rebounds. It’s the kind of elevated, all-around performance the Thunder have come to expect out of the #2 pick from the 2007 draft. As for the #3 pick, well…

Hopefully, Al Horford won’t think he’s Ballin’ ‘cause he got a block. The Hawks (11-8) need more full court intensity from Donovan’s collegiate star pupil, certainly more than the paltry four rebounds Al amassed over 21 minutes on Saturday while watching the esteemed Tim Duncan pile up 18 rebounds with ease. Like Durant, Horford’s out to Get That Broccoli this summer, but only one of these two future free agents is playing like they want much of it.

If you lookin’ for Al, will he be on the block? On offense, Horford can continue to draw Steven Adams out of the paint with jumpshots, but he must call for the ball and produce around the rim, particularly when OKC shifts to the defensively non-resistant Enes Kanter. OKC’s opponents take a league-high 32.0 shots per game around the restricted area. Shotblocking help by Ibaka (2.5 BPG, 4^th in NBA) and Adams (1.7 BPG) represent the Thunder’s usual last-lines of defense.

Contracting the Thunder centers toward the hoop and enticing help from Ibaka and Durant will make life around the perimeter simpler for Paul Millsap and the Hawks’ wing shooters. If Al isn’t gonna Church Off on these Courts, he’ll leave the Hawks behind the proverbial 8-ball.

There’s got to be some Love in this (Basketball) Club for boxing out, particularly tonight when Durant and centers Adams and Kanter (57.5 FG%, 6^th in NBA) cherry-pick for caroms off missed shots by Thunder guards.

Westbrook (27.2 PPG, 4^th in NBA; 9.9 APG, 2^nd in NBA; 31.5 3FG%) had himself a subpar game versus Detroit: 14 points on 5-for-14 shooting, plus a whopping 11 turnovers before fouling out. But Russell’s 6-3 tall like he ten-feet tall, and after a shot of Mountain Dew Kickstart or two, he will be committed to charging (literally) to the hoop, in hopes of favorable buckets and whistles. When Russell misses shots, he knows the league’s leader in offensive rebounding (30.4%, only team above 30% in the NBA) has his back.

Among Thunder guards D.J. Augustin (44.7 3FG%, 13^th in NBA), Dion Waiters and Anthony Morrow, the best defense is a lot of offense. Andre Roberson will keep himself busy all night occupying Kyle Korver. But one of Korver, Thabo Sefolosha and Kent Bazemore will find open shots, or draw attention from Durant and Ibaka away from Millsap. So long as they, and the ball, keep moving on halfcourt sets, Atlanta’s many catch-and-shooters will find the Thunder tend to Leave You Alone.

Trap all day, play all night: after vanishing in San Antonio (2-for-10 FGs, 4 TOs), Jeff Teague has got to be a Go Getta. Not only must he impede Westbrook without fouling and quarterback his own halfcourt offense, but he must be the key to the Hawks’ transition scoring game, which rivaled their football cousin’s red zone offense in futility against the Spurs.

Thunder opponents get nearly ten steals per game (2^nd-most in NBA), accounting for OKC’s 17.1 turnovers per game -- only Philly (19.0) commits more. The Hawks remain second in the league with 20.9 PPG off turnovers, and are the only NBA team with a net average of five or more points off TOs (+5.8 PPG). Teague can reignite the Atlanta offense by displaying some Hustlerz Ambition, getting out on the break and converting at the rim. Layups are nice, but fans will Luv It if Jeff finishes a dunk or two.

Bazemore (11 points, 7 rebounds, one technical foul @ SAS) found himself flailing away at the ball, and the air, displaying constant frustration with referee calls in the second quarter on Saturday, as the wily Spurs mounted their decisive run to put the game on ice early. Baze came off the bench on Saturday night, and that will continue tonight as Sefolosha plies his trade against his old buddy KD.

Composure was key in San Antonio, and it will remain so tonight. Granted plenty of chances, Durant and Westbrook will get their fortuitous plays, but that is no reason for anyone to Lose their Mind.

Let’s Get It!

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

 

View full record

 

[Dnice]

Trapping? Maybe add some trap music in the background, lol

[lethalweapon3]

Expect an extra-moody KD tonight, trying to change the subject back to his stellar play on the floor, after searing the media with critique this afternoon over their Kobe Koverage.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14261276/kevin-durant-oklahoma-city-thunder-discusses-idolizing-treatment-retiring-kobe-bryant-los-angeles-lakers

Hopefully, he won't be "Mr. Unreliable" mad.

~lw3

[Gray Mule]

Oh, no!   Please !!  Don't let the Hawks offense tonight resemble their football cousin's

red zone offense!  Let our beloved Hawks hit a few "inside" shots!!

[DJlaysitup]

Great stuff as usual lw3 !!

I always worry about D.J. Augustin...crafty little F-er.

GO HAWKS !!!!!!!!!

[Dnice]

Paul: "that's how you finish a nice move"/

[Dnice]

What a meltdown.

[Guest]

Jekyll and Hyde Teague tonight. 6 Turnovers at half  and looking scared against Westbrook. Wake up son!

[benhillboy]

Hats off to The Group.  That was a gut-check.

[Dnice]

Good win, with a double double by the hawk mediums.

[AHF]

Thabo wanted this one.  Had to be his season high in minutes.

[JETSET]

Hell of a finish by Teague after being up and down all night. 

[benhillboy]

1 minute ago, AHF said:

Thabo wanted this one.  Had to be his season high in minutes.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure he won't hit 39 anytime soon.  We needed our Core 4 to all show up and they did.  This should surely jumpstart our second quarter.

[Sarcatic1]

Great win. We really needed that one

Sap has been beasting all year

Al finally played the way we are accustomed to seeing

Jeff was a beast that second half. Dude make clutch shot after clutch shot when it looked like we might blow the game

[Sarcatic1]

And I don't like blaming the refs but man we are getting hosed night in and night out. Time for someone in the Hawks organization to call these guys out. Just eat the fine because its ridiculous how many no calls we get and late calls the opposing team gets. Its beyond frustrating to watch

[Guest]

12-8 to end 1st Quarter of season.

 

Teague finally woke up.

Al and Millsap both with double doubles. Haven't had both with double doubles in a long time. Do-it-all-Paul, what a stat line. 

Won the rebounding battle.

After 10 turnovers in first half,  only 2 in 2nd. 

Thabo did yeomans work defensively on KD, 8rebs, 6 assists and 4 steals. I gotta call him out on his missed layups, hilarious, very DMC-esque, lol.

 

[benhillboy]

Whatdayaknow?  We out rebound the top rebounding team in the league with 2 MVP-types.  We don't suck.

[capstone21]

That was a hard fought win ... Fun To watch 

Came out attacking ... al was on a mission in first to get us up.

passing game was on and was happy to see us attacking boards

due to black out had to watch thunder broadcast... Their announcers were very complimentry of our passing game

 

[capstone21]

Getting very tired of Dennis slowing down and holding the ball and then trying to drive ... Keep the ball moving ... Take better shots

[Guest]

Moose was good.

I'm liking Thabo starting. Baze helps the bench as another ball handler, driving n slashing to help Dennis.