Official Game Thread: Celtics at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“Braddy’s ALWAYS Happy!”

 

Back on the road (Yours Truly, that is... not the Hawks... Safe travels, everyone!) So let’s keep this one short!

Ahhh, sweet, sweet parity!

The Warriors, losers of four straight, are hobbled and squabbling. The Wizards are at each other’s throats. Teams like the Jazz and Nuggets, who had thought they had finally turned a corner, are now not quite so sure. Teams like the Lakers and Rockets, who thought an 8-seed playoff spot was a worst-case scenario, are having second thoughts.

And then, there’s the lingering post-Thanksgiving heartburn befalling the Boston Celtics (9-9). Celtics fans were supposed to be here at State Farm Arena today (7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, NBC Sports Boston) for an early coronation, celebrating their team as the hands-down class of the Eastern Conference in this brave, new post-LeBron world.

Instead, they’re hoping they’ve found rock bottom with a win over the Atlanta Hawks (3-15), who lately have satisfied themselves with being the momentary salve for just about every struggling NBA outfit.

More news ‘n notes (including the fact you won’t have Al Horford to kick around!) in a bit.

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

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[lethalweapon3]

Grab bag of stuff before I escape these outlet malls out here.

(Hayward comes off the bench... but they'll have rookie Robert Williams in place of Mid-Sized Al tonight)

(no idea what this jive turkey said, but you can judge for yourself if his opinions fell... flat)

(his backup PG is also in See Whut Happened Wuz mode...)

 

(Some Leprechaun Love for Mister 25K)

(Coach BS, after the Celts helped the Knicks end their 6-game losing skid on Wednesday)

http://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401070936

Quote

"We're not playing with the same personality that we did last year, and that's the easy way to describe it, and the 50,000 issues are below that," (Brad) Stevens said. "I just don't know that we're that good. Maybe it's not a wake-up call if you keep getting beat."

 

~lw3

[benhillboy]

The bulk of entertainment I’ve gotten out of this season are Bembry’s blocks, Old Man Vincent, Huerter’s form, and predicting PG +/-.  Trae -10, Kyrie 7, Smart 17, Lin 2, Rozier 0.

[lethalweapon3]

All Quiet on the Southern Front!

(Alex Len's status is still questionable as of earlier this afternoon)

~lw3

[benhillboy]

I have a hunch that Jaylen Brown and Kyrie throws their their chemistry off with general weirdness and counting shots.  Hayward just doesn’t fit, Gobert made him look more serviceable on defense than he really is.  It’s Stevens’ own fault not playing Baynes knowing Al cannot provide any physical edge and Morris has morphed into the dreaded Stretch 4 he and his brother supposedly despised.

[lethalweapon3]

Stats note before I get back on the Interstate.

The Celts offense isn't quite as dreadful as the Hawks', but Boston ranks 29th in FG%, incl. 20th with a 34.3 3FG% despite the third-highest 3-point shooting frequency in the league. If they're not hitting open threes and not getting to the line (next-to-last in NBA for free throw rate), don't be surprised to find the Hawks hanging around late in a low-scoring (low-100's pass for low-scoring these days, lol) affair.

~lw3

[Gray Mule]

Old man Vince Carter.  I must continue to remind myself that, at 41, he's only half as old as I am!

Checked the odds on this game.  ESPN

Boston - - 82.1 % ----------- Hawks - 17.9 %.

Good thing we're at home!  Someone has to break this losing streak.  Could it be the boys from bean town?  Come south and brought this cold weather, they did.

GO ATL HAWKS !!

[lethalweapon3]

OT: When I say be safe on the roads, I mean it! Splash Brothers >>> Crash Brothers!

~lw3

[IheartVolt]

40 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

OT: When I say be safe on the roads, I mean it! Splash Brothers >>> Crash Brothers!

~lw3

No worries,  Steph is just fine and uninjured in the crash

58 minutes ago, Gray Mule said:

Old man Vince Carter.  I must continue to remind myself that, at 41, he's only half as old as I am!

Checked the odds on this game.  ESPN

Boston - - 82.1 % ----------- Hawks - 17.9 %.

Good thing we're at home!  Someone has to break this losing streak.  Could it be the boys from bean town?  Come south and brought this cold weather, they did.

GO ATL HAWKS !!

Still putting it up like a youngin around here. Age is just a number while its the heart that counts ??

[Dnice]

Ready for a change of pace from the football today, it's been rather slow.

[Spud2nique]

Good short and sweet thread lw3! Safe travels to you as well. It’s busy and sneezy and cold out there. Be safe. 3-15 is around where I expected..honestly maybe 5-13ish but it’s all relative to our goals I guess. I do have vision for the future as much as anyone but would anyone mind if we added to the C’s miseries a bit more? I know it’s the holidays buts it’s the C’s! #neverforget88

 

ps @kg01 you are an advocate for obtaining Beal via trade. May I suggest snagging Marietta’s own Jaylen Brown if things start to spiral downward? A bit cheaper than Beal, a bit younger, and I’m thinking a bit more durable. He’s a better version of Prince imo and I’m a Prince fan..well earlier style Prince but I’m sticking with him for now. Trae+Collins+Jaylen 

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Stats note before I get back on the Interstate.

The Celts offense isn't quite as dreadful as the Hawks', but Boston ranks 29th in FG%, incl. 20th with a 34.3 3FG% despite the third-highest 3-point shooting frequency in the league. If they're not hitting open threes and not getting to the line (next-to-last in NBA for free throw rate), don't be surprised to find the Hawks hanging around late in a low-scoring (low-100's pass for low-scoring these days, lol) affair.

~lw3

Agree on a low scoring affair tonight as well. Simulation on 2k came to me taking it in a close one and I’ll go with it.

 

Hawks 103

Celtics 96

Is Prince ? matched up on Jaylen? Physical battle I’m hoping.

[Dnice]

Pay  attention time clock ppl.

[Dnice]

Bench Prince

[Dnice]

Back to football, another lackluster effort by Atlanta.

[NBASupes]

We are going to need Trae to really improve defensively in the offseason. Screens shouldn't clear him as much as it does.

[Vol4ever]

This trainwreck is impossible to watch.  Looks like high schoolers. 

[benhillboy]

Hawks bench 3rd in the NBA in scoring?  That’s amazing seeing how Bembry plays the most minutes off the pine.  Classic Nique when he pauses to think of the proper verb tense and still gets it wrong.

[NBASupes]

Honestly, we just lack far too much talent. 

 

Nice rebound by Kevin

1 minute ago, benhillboy said:

Hawks bench 3rd in the NBA in scoring?  That’s amazing seeing how Bembry plays the most minutes off the pine.  Classic Nique when he pauses to think of the proper verb tense and still gets it wrong.

That's because our bench is as good as our starters

[benhillboy]

That was the most casual 44-point quarter I’ve ever seen yo.

4 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

Honestly, we just lack far too much talent. 

 

Nice rebound by Kevin

That's because our bench is as good as our starters

Damn I never thought of it but you might be right.