Official Game Thread: Hawks at Wizards

[lethalweapon3]

“Miss Me Yet?”

 

Our Atlanta Hawks veer into Verizon Center for a final regular-season tilt with the Washington Wizards (8:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL; ESPN everywhere else). They’ll fall behind by 15 early. Then, they’ll pretend to make a comeback, get the deficit down to single digits, then fall behind by 20, abandoning sound shot mechanics, turning the ball over and giving up copious three-point buckets, as the ESPN crew fills the time debating Dwight Howard’s Hall of Fame prospects.

Let’s Go Hawks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What? You’re still here?

You really need to hear about these Wizards (42-28) seeking to reduce their magic number, to five, for their first NBA division title since 1979? How they need this victory to secure the head-to-head series, in the unlikely event of a tiebreaker? About how they, like Atlanta, have managed to lose four of their last five games? Most recently, shooting 22.9 percent on threes, and dominated on the defensive boards, in a home loss to Al Horford’s Celtics?

Do you need to know that as easily a time as Hawks opponents have had from the perimeter (36.5 opponent 3FG%, 9^th-highest in NBA) this season, foes of the Wizards (36.4 opponent 3FG%) and Cavs (36.5 opponent 3FG%) have had it just as easy? That it will help for Dennis Schröder to be in pass-first mode from the jump, finding ready-and-willing shooters among an Atlanta corps that’s likely to include Junior Dunleavy (ankle) for the first time in a while?

Must it be stated that we’re likely to see a slopfest pitting the two teams that induce the most turnovers (15.5 opponent TOs per-48) in the East? That the Hawks can only get the upper hand tonight if they can keep John Wall (2.0 SPG and 5.8 fastbreak PPG, tops in East) from gaining a head of steam toward the basket with the ball in transition?

Need anyone note that the Wizards’ top scorer is not Wall (22.9 PPG), but Bradley Beal (23.1 PPG)? Or, that Otto Porter (5-for-7 3FGs in Washington’s crossroads 112-86 win @ ATL on Jan. 27; 44.5 3FG%, now down to 2^nd in NBA, behind KYLE FREAKING KORVER) shoots the triple just as well these days? That sealing off these shooters, plus hired gun Bojan Bogdanovic (42.9 3FG% w/ WAS) off the bench, could render Wall (31.4 3FG%, same as Paul Millsap) a high-volume but benign halfcourt circus shot-taker around the paint?

Is it that important to know that Washington’s fast-food-incentivized fans have helped keep opponents’ free throws off-kilter (NBA-low 74.8 opponent FT%; 74.0% at home)? That, with Washington as heavy-handed as they are (21.3 personal fouls per-48, 3^rd-most in East), every Hawk not surnamed Howard (non-Dwights 3-for-8 FTs @ CHA on Monday) needs to focus when they’re sent to the line, and not leave precious points on the table?

Is it essential to be aware that the frontcourt tandem of Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat (11 combined O-Rebs @ ATL Jan. 27) are chomping at the bit to give Howard (minus-53 plus/minus in last 3 games) a hard time tonight, especially without Millsap around? That Atlanta (37-33) will have more than a puncher’s chance tonight, so long as Taurean Prince and the bench corps come off the bench with a focus on defensive rebounding and ball movement, to help take some weight off Howard and the starting five?

Well, fat chance! No way am I wasting my time getting into all that… oh, wait…

~lw3

 

View full record

 

[BrazilianHawk]

[benhillboy]

I take individual +/- with a grain of salt but -53?!?!  Godd@mn Dwight!  Why they keep setting us up for failure on Nat TV.

 

[lethalweapon3]

((Insert banana-in-tailpipe joke here))

~lw3

[Guest]

Lemme see ...

- National TV game?  check

- Hawks comin' off a layoff?  check

- Wall got catastrophically "hurt" last game?  check

Yerp, Hawk blowout loss comin' up!

[Peoriabird]

15 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

((Insert banana-in-tailpipe joke here))

~lw3

As long as the players are Delaney, Kelly, and Muscala along with Bud, were cool for tonight!

[Guest]

Haha love the lw3 you still here...I'll scroll to the ends of the earth for your game threads sir!

 

I think we are in for a nationally televised Greco Roman a$$ beating though...I usually don't donthis but...

 

Wiz 117

Hawks 63

(jinx reverse jinx)

[Guest]

49 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

((Insert banana-in-tailpipe joke here))

~lw3

mmmmm.....I wonder if Bud will  bench himself like he did Thabo for getting stuck in traffic

[Guest]

 

 

 

The Hawks visited Washington, D.C. in November. However Vincent was still recovering from an act of violence that has left him paralyzed. He couldn’t make the short trip from his hometown of Baltimore to see Malcolm live out his basketball dream.

[Guest]

 

[Bankingitbig]

Bud just played a lineup of Delaney, Dunleavy, Prince, Muscala and Humphries.... like that was a legitimate lineup used in the NBA just now...

[TheNorthCydeRises]

10 minutes ago, Bankingitbig said:

Bud just played a lineup of Delaney, Dunleavy, Prince, Muscala and Humphries.... like that was a legitimate lineup used in the NBA just now...

And the lead evaporates as soon as he goes to it.

I refuse to believe that Bembry can't do exactly what Delaney is doing right now . . . which is nothing.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Hardaway Jr balling at this point.  Hawks starters have looked excellent.

Bud CAN'T throw that garbage bench lineup out on the floor anymore, without a scorer.  If he's going to play Delaney, I'd much rather he put him in the game early with the starters, and let Dennis play with some of the bench guys.

LOL @ Dwight and Dennis in those last 3 possessions.  Come on guys.  Get your head out of your asses.

[JTB]

18 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

Hardaway Jr balling at this point.  Hawks starters have looked excellent.

Bud CAN'T throw that garbage bench lineup out on the floor anymore, without a scorer.  If he's going to play Delaney, I'd much rather he put him in the game early with the starters, and let Dennis play with some of the bench guys.

LOL @ Dwight and Dennis in those last 3 possessions.  Come on guys.  Get your head out of your asses.

Starters look ok tonight. I think Hardaway can drop 20 plus in buds system and seriously need to be resigned even if he is benefiting from the system. They said the same thing about Leonard his first or second season 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Ilyasova only played 11 minutes in that 1st half, so expect big minutes for him in the 2nd half, if this game stays tight . . . . . I guess.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Hawks perimeter guys are so weak fighting around those screens.  Too many guys open for 3s.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Glad to see the Hawks getting Dwight some touches on the inside.   You have to keep the defense honest with inside play, when your jumpers aren't falling.

And Dwight with 2 for 2 on that FT trip.  10 pts - 8 rebs  . . +12 for the game so far

[TheNorthCydeRises]

This game will be won or lost by the bench.   They have to hold the fort when Dwight and Dennis goes out.   And Bud can't let the game get out of hand.

Another near turnover by Dennis.  Just trying to do too dang much.  Meanwhile, Hardaway can't even get a shot.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Just a weak fight through by Dennis, that led to that offensive rebound.  Wizards now have the lead.  Not good, going into the end of this quarter, and the bench about to hit the floor.

[JTB]

22 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

Hawks perimeter guys are so weak fighting around those screens.  Too many guys open for 3s.

Oh no iits Howard's fault according to other members on our board....lol