Official Game Thread: Celtics at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“HOW YOU LOSIN’ TO THE CAVS AGAIN? DAYYUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNNN!”

 

“There’s No Chemistry!”, we’re told, when something named Lamar Stevens looks like a dadgum DuPont Factory on wheels strolling down the lane untouched in the clutch. Whatever.

In usual Atlanta Sports years, by the time our Hawks had blown their 10^th fourth-quarter lead of the season (as per 92.9’s Mike Conti), we’d be occupied with United fooling around in the playoffs, fretting over the Dawgs getting stonewalled by Saban, and watching Matty Ice waltz for his life behind a slushy O-Line. More often than not, we’re still washing out dandruff after scratching our heads about how the Bravos collapsed in the postseason. This time, that is.

But nothing is usual in this most unusual sports town. The MLS season is delayed, the Flowery Branch Fail-cons are busy swapping out executive office furniture, Uga XVI or whatever is busy with doggie charm school, and members of the Baseball Club are still driving around the Gulf Coast seeking out directions to North Port. That means our Hawks, their beleaguered head coach, and their collective failures are on the A-Block in A-Town sports radio, and they’re trending for the wrong reasons on local anti-social media.

“There’s No Chemistry!”, we’re told, as our young All-Star-on-the-Low is out here looking like Frank Drebin outside the fireworks factory. Alright, Move On! Nothing To See Here! Move Along! Please Disperse! Another Day! Another Opportunity! 100!

I’m not wasting any energy waiting around to find out if Bogdan Bogdanovic is ever walking through that door. Not today, anyway. Instead, while the Boston Celtics (7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, NBC Sports Boston) pay us a visit, hoping the Hawks will help them lick their own wounds, one night after their two All-Stars (smh) got licked in Lukaland, and help them return once again to .500 ball, I prefer to use this space to praise a local team that can now, finally, legitimately say, “We are a playoff team!” and not induce hearty guffaws.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Bracketologist is here to share the good news. The Yellow Jackets of the Georgia Institute of Gotdang Technology are projected to be bound for Dayton! Wait, what’s that? Oh, okay, Indianapolis, then, fine! Unlike Bawb Rathbun whenever the Hawks are about to shoot free throws, I’m not even halfway jinxing these guys. It’s a Stone Cold Lock ^TM, baby!

No more excuses about those brain-draining nuclear physics professors distracting Tech’s umpteenth-year scholars from standing toe-to-toe with the one-and-doner programs of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Yellow Jacket Men strode up to Blacksburg and jived those turkeys at Va-Tech last night. It’s their fourth victory in a conference-high seven games against an opponent that entered their contest ranked in the Top-25. And the PR director masquerading as the college’s head basketball coach won’t let you forget it.

“There should be ELEVEN teams in the tournament coming out of the ACC!”, he says. Come home, Josh Pastner, you’re drunk. But they are getting eight, and the crew guided by Monstrous Moses Wright, Trae-Lite Jose Alvarado, and Bell Buckets Michael DeVoe are looking every bit like a top-7 ACC program right now. (By the way, the Lady Jackets are going Dancing, too. As a Top-8 seed, at that. Give ‘em hell, Nell!)

At long last, Pastner has cleaned house of all his creepy colleagues from Memphis, and got his postseason ban out of the way at the perfect time. Finesse! Beating the Hokies last night gave the Jackets their first two-game in-conference road winning streak since 2008. When they beat the Fighting John Collinses in Winston-Salem next week, that’ll be three in a row.

Once Pastner comes down from his high, he’ll have his team ready to run Jim Boeheim and student journalist killer Coach K’s clubs right on out the Thrillerdome over the next seven days. That, and a first-round victory in the ACC Tourney will sew up a spot in the 68-team dance for the first time in eleven (miserable!) years. Even a slip-up or two, at this late stage, would simply mean a “first-round” affair with Directional Kentucky or somebody is in the offing.

These Jackets have come a long way from blowing gimmes at McSqueamish Pavilion, to local lessers Georgia State and Mercer during the Thanksgiving break. At that time, hardly any other sports teams were playing, the heat lamp was squarely on the head coach, and the home fans were disgusted, disgruntled and just flat-out dissed, with no confidence their team would even deserve an invite to the CIT, never mind the NIT, once all was said and done on the 2020-21 season.

What they’ve done since that low point – winning almost all their home games on The Flats, beating ranked and favored opponents here and abroad, beating the remaining teams they absolutely had to beat, coming through at closing time – ought to be inspirational to another Basketball Club dribbling aimlessly just down the road, one that actually gets paid for their name, image, likeness, and, we have been led to believe, their competitive spirit.

 

Let’s Go Hawks! Or Not. At This Point, Just Do Whatever! The Checks Gon’ Clear Either Way.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

As of the 1:30 boo-boo report, Johnny Bap's still Questionable (concussion), Cam, like the Hawks, is doubtful (sore Achilles).

As if it matters, Kemba probably will be shelved (injury management). Smart (calf) and Langford (wrist) remain out.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Just for good luck!

~lw3

[benhillboy]

Game threads doubling as full on comedy sketches! Good for GT.  I haven’t watched them boys since Jack and Bynum.  With the maelstrom Pastner was under I thought for sure he was gonna get canned.

Imma need Trae to take advantage of his arch nemesis Smart being out and win this three game set versus the C’s and their pseudo-stars.  5 games head to head, all losses, +23 total for Smart, -85 for Rayford.  Jesus.

Kemba’s impact has always been kinda meh so if he and John are out that’s advantage Cs.

Edited February 24, 2021 by benhillboy

[kg01]

35 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Just for good luck!

~lw3

In under a day, we went from #RevengeTour to #PleaseDon'tBeAPeppaPigNight

[kg01]

49 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Your Friendly Neighborhood Bracketologist is here to share the good news. The Yellow Jackets of the Georgia Institute of Gotdang Technology are projected to be bound for Dayton! Wait, what’s that? Oh, okay, Indianapolis, then, fine! Unlike Bawb Rathbun whenever the Hawks are about to shoot free throws, I’m not even halfway jinxing these guys. It’s a Stone Cold Lock ^TM, baby!

No more excuses about those brain-draining nuclear physics professors distracting Tech’s umpteenth-year scholars from standing toe-to-toe with the one-and-doner programs of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Yellow Jacket Men strode up to Blacksburg and jived those turkeys at Va-Tech last night. It’s their fourth victory in a conference-high seven games against an opponent that entered their contest ranked in the Top-25. And the PR director masquerading as the college’s head basketball coach won’t let you forget it.

“There should be ELEVEN teams in the tournament coming out of the ACC!”, he says. Come home, Josh Pastner, you’re drunk. But they are getting eight, and the crew guided by Monstrous Moses Wright, Trae-Lite Jose Alvarado, and Bell Buckets Michael DeVoe are looking every bit like a top-7 ACC program right now. (By the way, the Lady Jackets are going Dancing, too. As a Top-8 seed, at that. Give ‘em hell, Nell!)

At long last, Pastner has cleaned house of all his creepy colleagues from Memphis, and got his postseason ban out of the way at the perfect time. Finesse! Beating the Hokies last night gave the Jackets their first two-game in-conference road winning streak since 2008. When they beat the Fighting John Collinses in Winston-Salem next week, that’ll be three in a row.

Once Pastner comes down from his high, he’ll have his team ready to run Jim Boeheim and student journalist killer Coach K’s clubs right on out the Thrillerdome over the next seven days. That, and a first-round victory in the ACC Tourney will sew up a spot in the 68-team dance for the first time in eleven (miserable!) years. Even a slip-up or two, at this late stage, would simply mean a “first-round” affair with Directional Kentucky or somebody is in the offing.

These Jackets have come a long way from blowing gimmes at McSqueamish Pavilion, to local lessers Georgia State and Mercer during the Thanksgiving break. At that time, hardly any other sports teams were playing, the heat lamp was squarely on the head coach, and the home fans were disgusted, disgruntled and just flat-out dissed, with no confidence their team would even deserve an invite to the CIT, never mind the NIT, once all was said and done on the 2020-21 season.

What they’ve done since that low point – winning almost all their home games on The Flats, beating ranked and favored opponents here and abroad, beating the remaining teams they absolutely had to beat, coming through at closing time – ought to be inspirational to another Basketball Club dribbling aimlessly just down the road, one that actually gets paid for their name, image, likeness, and, we have been led to believe, their competitive spirit.

 

Let’s Go Hawks! Or Not. At This Point, Just Do Whatever! The Checks Gon’ Clear Either Way.

~lw3

#HoldThePeppa

[kg01]

13 minutes ago, benhillboy said:

Game threads doubling as full on comedy sketches! Good for GT.  I haven’t watched them boys since Jack and Bynum....

Man I'll be glad when the real benhill gets control of the 'light' again.

[Gray Mule]

STARS RUN THINGS.

Do the Hawks have a star?  We thought we did.  He was an all star starter last year.  Didn't even make the squad this time.  

Last season, Hawks were expected to be as bad as they were.  Not so this season.  Playoffs or burst!  Yet, here we go again.  Our star wasn't a star last night.  Did too many things wrong.  Did he just prove, no He's not a star?  Or, was he simply POed about being snubbed?

Lloyd + Trae = lost game.  They both had a lot of things go wrong.  Lloyd tried to think too far ahead.  In the final seconds, if we get fouled, I want a great free throw shooter in the game.  Danilo is a great free throw shooter who plays no defense.  Oops!  

Trae wasn't the star of the game, late in the 4th quarter.  No, he was just the opposite.  Why?  Does he want Lloyd gone so bad he would lose a game?  Something just don't smell right.  Is he our star?  Is he bound to run Lloyd out of town?  Stay tuned as things develop.

[terrell]

54 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

As of the 1:30 boo-boo report, Johnny Bap's still Questionable (concussion), Cam, like the Hawks, is doubtful (sore Achilles).

As if it matters, Kemba probably will be shelved (injury management). Smart (calf) and Langford (wrist) remain out.

~lw3

Cam soft..Always something with that dude.. We're just a soft team in general..smh

[BrazilianHawk]

Here's hoping they'll do better this time. 

[terrell]

5 minutes ago, Gray Mule said:

STARS RUN THINGS.

Do the Hawks have a star?  We thought we did.  He was an all star starter last year.  Didn't even make the squad this time.  

Last season, Hawks were expected to be as bad as they were.  Not so this season.  Playoffs or burst!  Yet, here we go again.  Our star wasn't a star last night.  Did too many things wrong.  Did he just prove, no He's not a star?  Or, was he simply POed about being snubbed?

Lloyd + Trae = lost game.  They both had a lot of things go wrong.  Lloyd tried to think too far ahead.  In the final seconds, if we get fouled, I want a great free throw shooter in the game.  Danilo is a great free throw shooter who plays no defense.  Oops!  

Trae wasn't the star of the game, late in the 4th quarter.  No, he was just the opposite.  Why?  Does he want Lloyd gone so bad he would lose a game?  Something just don't smell right.  Is he our star?  Is he bound to run Lloyd out of town?  Stay tuned as things develop.

I said it a while back..Gonna be hard for Trae to make another AllStar game. Most Coaches and players dont really like Trae's game...Youve got Harden, Kyrie, Tatum, Simmons, etc..Then young players like Lamelo(who the fans love)coming up..Not gonna be easy..Especially if we arent winning...I couldn't care less about AllStar games, but Im sure Trae cares, whether he says it or not...

[REHawksFan]

1 hour ago, terrell said:

I said it a while back..Gonna be hard for Trae to make another AllStar game. Most Coaches and players dont really like Trae's game...Youve got Harden, Kyrie, Tatum, Simmons, etc..Then young players like Lamelo(who the fans love)coming up..Not gonna be easy..Especially if we arent winning...I couldn't care less about AllStar games, but Im sure Trae cares, whether he says it or not...

Winning or taking the league by storm.  One or the other.  Last year he was the "hot" player that was tearing up the NBA with his top 5 in both scoring and assists.  So despite the losing team, he was voted in by fans.  This year the losing combined with the bad P/R of the whole Nash "that's not basketball" foul baiting deal and he's a no go with the fans.  I figured he'd get in by the coaches given their attention to him in games but obviously that says just as much about the rest of the players as it does Trae.  

Once they get into the playoffs and actually win something it'll be easier for him.  But until that happens, you are right, it's going to be very difficult.  Especially now with loaded East guards.  

[JayBirdHawk]

Cam did a stellar job defensively on Jaylen Brown in both games, he will be missed.

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

SO...If Collins isn't available, who starts: Trae, Huerter, Snell, __________, Capela?

Ga-Loo or LOLomon?

[lethalweapon3]

well alrighty then!

~lw3

[bleachkit]

14 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

SO...If Collins isn't available, who starts: Trae, Huerter, Snell, __________, Capela?

Ga-Loo or LOLomon?

Doctors: John, how are you feeling?

John: I'm good, ready to play.

Doctors: Are you sure?

John: Yes

Doctor: I mean, are you absolutely positively sure?

John: Yes beyond a shadow of a doubt

Doctors: Is there even the smallest morsel of doubt?

John: Swear on my life, I'm totally fine

Doctors: Even the vaguest, infinitesimally minute...

John: I'm good, I know my body

Doctors: Could it be theoretically possible, within the cosmic realm of possibility that...

.

It just goes on and on like this for a couple hours.

Edited February 24, 2021 by bleachkit

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

So Trae was the lead story on ESPN.com this afternoon, I see.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30947170/the-nba-savvy-moves-innovators-push-limits-rulebook

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Let's go Hawks fans!!!