Official Game Thread: Hawks at Grizzlies

[lethalweapon3]

“You called that a foul, ref? Man… you’re a TRIP!”

 

You all are familiar with the Memphis Grizzlies by now. Hopefully, our Atlanta Hawks know them a bit better, too. At least well enough to stay neck-and-neck with them as this week’s two-game series shifts to FedEx Forum (8:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL and MEM; FWIW, Five Stripes’ home opener will be on 94.1 FM and Fox Sports South).

Monday’s 127-88 drubbing of the Hawks was the largest road win in Memphis’ franchise history, with a team-high nine Blue Bears ringing up double-figure scores. That 25-year franchise record for road victory margin was matched a mere two nights later in Brooklyn. The Grizzlies cut down the Nets on Wednesday, 118-79, likely the game that caused Kenny Atkinson and Sean Marks to decide they should maybe stop seeing each other.

Including the 105-88 win over LeBrongeles in Memphis, making them the first conference opponent this season to beat the Lakers outside of L.A., coach Taylor Jenkins’ club became the first NBA team to hold three consecutive foes below 90 points since yet another Budtree disciple, Quin Snyder, and his Utah Jazz did the deed back in March 2018. It was an impressive feat considering the Grizzlies are still roaming without Jaren Jackson, Brandon Clarke, Justise Winslow and Grayson “Dindu Nuffin” Allen.

That party came to an end last night in Lukaville, but was it just an interruption? As the Hawks (19-45) headed to Graceland after Friday’s too-little, almost-not-too-late loss to the Wizards in D.C., the Grizzlies (31-32) slipped back below .500 with a 121-96 road defeat at the hands of a Mavericks team whose owner took quite an L of his own. Dallas rang up 30 assists while turning over the ball about half as much as Memphis (19 TOs, led by Ja Morant’s six).

Was Jenkins’ crew simply conserving their energies? If the emerging Cam Reddish shows up and shows out, they’ll be glad they did.

Reddish wasn’t available to plug the cracking dam for coach Lloyd Pierce’s club on Monday. But with Trae Young out due to illness last night, Reddish took it upon himself to become a faucet the Wizards would struggle to cut off. 6-for-10 inside the 3-point arc, 5-for-7 beyond it. Coming off the bench, Reddish built his career scoring high with only one free throw attempt (I don’t have a half-million to spare, but c’mon refs), and despite 7 TOs.

The next big step for Cam (probable, back pain) is to outdo himself on the back end of back-to-backs. Last weekend at The Farm, he followed up an efficient 26-point performance (6-for-9 3FGs) in the win over Coach Kenny’s Nets with just 8 points in 24 minutes against the Blazers the next evening. In mid-January, 22 points to expunge the Spurs Hex on a Friday, 7 points on 3-for-10 shooting back home on a Saturday, as the Hawks lost at home to Detroit by 33.

The back-end game before that one, in late December, Reddish tallied two points on one made bucket on five attempts, as the Hawks fell in Chicago by 35. He was a net minus-21 on that day, an improvement over the minus-23 in yet another 30-plus-point back-end loss in Chi-town just 17 days before.

Granted, it shouldn’t all be about The Cam Reddish Show every night, certainly not at this early stage. The Hawks need a multitude of positive contributors at both ends of the floor, more seasoned folks like Kevin Huerter (career-high 11 assists vs. WAS yesterday) and John Collins (26-and-10 plus a pair of blocks vs. WAS; 16 fourth-quarter points), in particular. But the competitive progress Coach Pierce and his staff seeks of his Hawks will reveal itself when arguably(?) their most valuable two-way performer can be counted upon to recover quickly and string very good games together.

Cam wasn’t the singular difference between victory and a 40-point tail-whooping. Yet, the Hawks needed Reddish on Monday the way Mississippi State games need more cowbell. The rookie is one critical defensive body that Pierce can use to help Young (still questionable w/ flu-like symptoms) and/or Jeff Teague thwart the Grizzlies’ ballhandlers, and to switch onto Memphis’ best perimeter-shooting forwards and swingmen.

Reddish, his fellow rookie De’Andre Hunter (team-high 8 D-Rebs vs. WAS) will also be vital in keeping Jonas Valanciunas (7 O-Rebs @ ATL, none last night @ DAL) from getting easy catches on rolls to the rim and from feasting on the offensive boards. Their interior defensive activity, neutralizing the rebounding edge Valanciunas and Gorgui Dieng seek to establish in the halfcourt, will make it tougher for the Grizzlies to scamper away during Atlanta’s predictable offensive lulls.

The Hawks went from a Hunter three-pointer, putting the visitors up 52-48 last night, with five minutes to go before halftime, to a Reddish triple with two minutes left before the end of the third quarter to end a 35-13 Wizards run. No Hawk shots, aside from an 8-foot jumper from Brandon Goodwin were sunk beyond three feet of the rim in that time.

Forcing Valanciunas and the Grizzlie bigs to do more than dig in their heels waiting for caroms will require a more diversified attack, exploiting driving lanes, moving the rock inside, outside and back in, and getting Collins, Bruno Fernando and Dewayne Dedmon more post-up opportunities.

All eyes were on Morant on Monday, but Memphis’ offensive balance came largely from Tyus Jones (9 assists, 1 TO @ ATL, 6-and-0 @ BRK, 7-and-1 @ DAL), now the NBA’s active leader in assist/turnover ratio (5.3 ratio, actually down from 7.0 last season w/ MIN). It is that level of confidence with one’s own personnel, exhibited by Jones in his first season in Memphis, that Atlanta, with or without Trae, will be challenged to match.

Jones’ former protégé with the Timberwolves, Teague made two assists in the opening six minutes of last night’s game, and he wouldn’t make another until Atlanta found themselves down double digits with ten minutes remaining. Young would help minimize those droughts with his passing wizardry and ability to get to the free throw line. But if he remains out tonight, the more balanced offensive approach should begin and end in the hands of Teague and Goodwin.

“I ain’t THAT sick y’all… Relax lol”, tweeted Young prior to last night’s game, certainly a relief for fans to hear these days. Feeling better is Priority One for him, but Atlanta can still do plenty of things to aid what ails them on the court, particularly during back-to-backs and on the road. Trae isn’t THAT sick, but after a spirited comeback attempt in D.C., can Cam and the Hawks play THAT well, throughout tonight’s game?

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[High5]

I would say that it can't go worse than the first meeting did, but it totally can...

[benhillboy]

Wow I didn’t realize the Grizz had that much firepower out.  Winslow should be very good for them if he ever gets healthy.  Waiting patiently for the twitter updates on Trae and Cam being ready to go.  Any minute now...

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, lethalweapon3 said:

The next big step for Cam (probable, back pain) is to outdo himself on the back end of back-to-backs.

Yes indeed! Great work as usual lw3! Definitely the next step for Cam. Kinda expect it won’t come this fast but then again Cam seems like an enigma. He still surprises me with things I’ve rarely seen from anyone before. 

1 hour ago, lethalweapon3 said:

All eyes were on Morant

He reminds me of PAC. If Tupac were alive he’d be a Ja fan I think  

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, lethalweapon3 said:

I ain’t THAT sick y’all… Relax lol”

Gamer. Superstar ️ 

Lets get it.

Grizz -6.5

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

I'm hoping for a much better showing from Trae running the team this game. Need more that 2 assists.

 

 

 

[kg01]

3 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

I'm hoping for a much better showing from Trae running the team this game. Need more that 2 assists.

 

Thinking we torch the grizz tonite. 

[JayBirdHawk]

40 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Thinking we torch the grizz tonite. 

I'd be ok with that 

[Dnice]

3J is playing I think, so we'll get a good matchup  of 3 teams...no damn lulls please.

[NBASupes]

JJJ, Winslow, and Clarke aren't playing 

[Spud2nique]

It’s says jjj out till next week. I need him back for fantasy I stayed patient and didn’t drop his a$$..Hope he does well.

[benhillboy]

Jason Longshore coming with the @lethalweapon3 type numbers on the radio.  Hawks lose by an average of 34(!) on a second leg of a road B2B.  Haven’t lost 3 straight in 2 months though.

[Spud2nique]

Line is down to Memphis -6 o/u 234.5

Public betting on us to cover. I think we might. 
 

Almost game time. Let’s get this!

GOOOOOO HAWWWWWKSSSSSSS!!!!

 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[terrell]

Reddish has earned the right to start imo. When is LP gonna realize TRae/Huerter defense is just too bad?  Oh well......

Edited March 8, 2020 by terrell

[benhillboy]

That boy Taylor been enjoying him some Memphis style BBQ for sure.

[terrell]

Down 8 already. smdh

[Bonkers]

6 minutes ago, terrell said:

Reddish has earned the right to start imo. When is LP gonna realize TRae/Huerter defense is just too bad?  Oh well......

Huerter already ruining this game

 

Turnover then not finding his man

 

Bum ass

[terrell]

 

1 minute ago, Bonkers said:

Huerter already ruining this game

 

Turnover then not finding his man

 

Bum ass

lol