The Next 36 - 2nd half of the season starts tomorrow

[JayBirdHawk]

Our current record is 16-20.

(It took us 57 games last season to win 16 games (16-41).

Quote

Atlanta’s projected top eight for the 2020-21 season — Young, Collins, Capela, Bogdanovic, Hunter, Reddish, Huerter and Gallinari in some order — has appeared in only one game (Dec. 30 in Brooklyn) together. While that is jarring enough, that lasted all of three minutes and nine seconds, which represents the amount of court time for Gallinari before he suffered an injury in that one and only contest.

 

The first five games are critical to get us back closer to .500 before heading out on our Western Road trip:  at Raptors, vs Kings, vs Cavs,  at Rockets, vs Thunder.  I'm hoping for 4-1, but will settle for 3-2.

Then the 8 game west coast trip begins March 20th: LAL, LAC, SAC GSW, DEN, PHX, SAS, NOP (I will hold on making a W/L prediction until the first 5 games are over, I want to see how we play and what tweaks Nate has made)

I am predicting April 4th for Hunter's return at home vs the Warriors - that will have been 8 weeks since his surgery.

Cam is expected to be re-evaluated sometime around March 23rd at which time we would have started our western roadie - is he going to play on that trip? I'm guessing no - and surmise he'll return the same day as Hunter, which will give him 2 weeks after his evaluation to get back in game shape.

Dunn, from the previous report is expected to play sometime towards the end of March, so I will guess he makes his return March 26th vs GSW.

Now, the big part - Let's hope the guys who are healthy, stays healthy.  And the injured guys have no setbacks

 

....and GO HAWKS!!! 

 

[macdaddy]

Travis pulling the plug on LP when he did is feeling better and better.   Got a little bump before the break.  Hopefully guys come back energized and Nate has a good plan.    I believe in talent, when healthy.   We'll see how the execution is.  

[Peoriabird]

Expecting to win the next 5.

[JayBirdHawk]

3 hours ago, macdaddy said:

Travis pulling the plug on LP when he did is feeling better and better.   Got a little bump before the break.  Hopefully guys come back energized and Nate has a good plan.    I believe in talent, when healthy.   We'll see how the execution is.  

This will be something to watch.

I want to see timely steals or deflections, clutch shooting and unexpected rebound by the guards, charges taken.

Also the bench has to give us consistent scoring - we can't have games where they give us only 6 points.

[JayBirdHawk]

9 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

Expecting to win the next 5.

Even better.

[JayBirdHawk]

Forgot to add:  The Trade Deadline is 15 days away - Hawks will have played 8 games by then. 

[Peoriabird]

4 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

This will be something to watch.

I wonder see timely steals or deflections, clutch shooting and unexpected rebound by the guards, charges taken.

Also the bench has to give us consistent scoring - we can't have games where they give us only 6 points.

The defense will improve dramatically under McMillan

[Buzzard]

3 hours ago, Peoriabird said:

Expecting to win the next 5.

I am hoping for a great 2nd half start. I think we have a top 10 toughest 2nd half schedule. I think we are ranked 23rd easiest; which is not easy. The Lakers being down AD looks almost winnable. Then with the Clippers you never know if PG13 and/or Leonard will be playing.

One more boring night of movies and then basketball! Go Hawks!!!

[RedDawg#8]

Don't sleep on Toronto out of the gate. They are much better lately and rounding in to form.

A win against them would launch us 3 spots likely. Bulls are playing 76ers and Pacers are playing Lakers. A win combined with losses by Pacers/Bulls and we would be locked in a 3 way tie with Raps and Bulls, with Pacers now on the outside at 11th

Knicks have the Bucks, Hornets have the Pistons. We wont catch either this week.

[REHawksFan]

1 hour ago, Buzzard said:

I am hoping for a great 2nd half start. I think we have a top 10 toughest 2nd half schedule. I think we are ranked 23rd easiest; which is not easy. The Lakers being down AD looks almost winnable. Then with the Clippers you never know if PG13 and/or Leonard will be playing.

One more boring night of movies and then basketball! Go Hawks!!!

You got it mixed up.  The Hawks have the 22nd hardest remaining schedule (9th easiest if you prefer to look at it that way).  Here's the link:

http://www.tankathon.com/remaining_schedule_strength

 

It is imperative that the Hawks get off to a good start.  4-1 or 5-0 would be ideal obviously but the main thing is give themselves a little breathing room for the west coast trip.  Really don't want a situation where they HAVE to 5-3 or something just to stay in the playoff hunt.  If they can survive the road trip around .500, they'll be in REALLY good shape for the home stretch.  

[JayBirdHawk]

47 minutes ago, RedDawg#8 said:

Don't sleep on Toronto out of the gate. They are much better lately and rounding in to form.

A win against them would launch us 3 spots likely. Bulls are playing 76ers and Pacers are playing Lakers. A win combined with losses by Pacers/Bulls and we would be locked in a 3 way tie with Raps and Bulls, with Pacers now on the outside at 11th

Knicks have the Bucks, Hornets have the Pistons. We wont catch either this week.

Is Toronto still dealing with COVID related absences?

[kg01]

1 hour ago, RedDawg#8 said:

Don't sleep on Toronto out of the gate. They are much better lately and rounding in to form.

True but they/we find out today (iiuc) how many of their guys are out (likely have COVID if they're not back by today).

Doesn't mean we win if they're out, just throwing that caveat out there.  I've seen too many full-strength Hawks teams go down to skeleton rosters over the years to count the hawks before they're hatched on any game.

[terrell]

5 hours ago, Peoriabird said:

Expecting to win the next 5.

[terrell]

1 hour ago, RedDawg#8 said:

Don't sleep on Toronto out of the gate. They are much better lately and rounding in to form.

A win against them would launch us 3 spots likely. Bulls are playing 76ers and Pacers are playing Lakers. A win combined with losses by Pacers/Bulls and we would be locked in a 3 way tie with Raps and Bulls, with Pacers now on the outside at 11th

Knicks have the Bucks, Hornets have the Pistons. We wont catch either this week.

Are Embiid and Simmons playing?

[JayBirdHawk]

21 minutes ago, terrell said:

Are Embiid and Simmons playing?

Out until Saturday I think

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[REHawksFan]

27 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

[Peoriabird]

3 hours ago, RedDawg#8 said:

Don't sleep on Toronto out of the gate.

[AHF]

48 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

Um.....we'd best win this one.

[RedDawg#8]

52 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

well there you go.

They will still play hard, but this is sort of a softball to open up the 2nd half of the season. We need to capitalize. There was no reason we should have been down 19 to Orlando the other night. Come out ready to play!