Official Game Thread: Hawks at 76ers -- GAME 1

[lethalweapon3]

“You’ve got the Brawn. I’ve got the Brains!” “LET’S MAKE LOTS OF…”

 

Ah, yes, there he is! The Greatest** Atlanta Hawks Point Guard of All-Time.

** I hear you, advocates for He Who Can No Longer Be Named. Atlanta’s point god of the 90’s was a one-time All-Star, too. Plus, a two-time steals champ, an All-Defensive First Teamer, arguably the first Hawks starter who, for better or worse, embraced the dawning age of the three-point line. Sadly, there were just too many poor playoff exits, too many bad shooting nights. More sadly, he got reckless in causing a fatal wreck after his career ended. And let’s not stress out over what could have been with Pistol Pete. Going forward, “MB10” refers to Mike Bibby, and Doc Rivers is The Greatest. For Now.

The Hawk franchise’s all-time Assist king, Doc Rivers has likely been making the Confused face long before it became an indelible, viral meme. Begin with the first time he glanced up at the State Farm Arena rafters and saw #21 up there, representing the Hawks’ coming-of-age era of the 80’s, by its lonesome. Then, when his eyes revert downward, and sees Erick Dampier, Thabo, or Alex Len hoofing it up and down the court wearing #25.

How, he must wonder, did everyone think The Human Highlight Film, deemed the league’s 51^st greatest player at the time of its golden anniversary, get so many highlights? Somebody set that man up for the near-entirety of his first nine professional seasons. Dominique Wilkins didn’t get to Springfield on the strength of Dunk Contest trophies alone.

Rivers was the prime caddie for many thousands of Nique’s 23,000 points, during their Atlanta tenure together. Yet maybe the best show of appreciation that Doc (“Glenn,” here in Philadelphia, because yeah) has received were golf claps, after the sporadic grainy montage of his peak years in town airs during timeouts on the Jumbotron. “Thanks, Doc.”

Rivers will join Wilkins in Springfield. But solely as a head coach, and, oh, what a strange, twisty-turny journey it has been. He’ll never go down as the greatest taskmaster in NBA history, but he has got to be top-three in terms of coaching careers that are the most Doc-umentariable.

But for his buddy, the retiring Danny Ainge, he’d likely never have gotten the chance to be head coach in Boston, not after stumbling to a 1-10 start with Tracy McGrady and Ty Lue in 2003, his fifth season in Orlando (high schooler Dwight Howard’s probably not landing in O-Town the next summer, either). Despite several mediocre seasons, he was allowed to hang around long enough for The Three Amigos, Banner #17, the Rondo Wonder Years, and his “trade” to the Clippers, when Ainge signaled the time had come for a rebuild.

He was in L.A. for the continued rise of spry Blake Griffin, the commissioner-engineered gift of the gifted Chris Paul, the Sterling 4 Lyfe fiasco handing him the keys to run the show, the e-Clips of the Lakers as Tinseltown’s top draw, Saving Private DeAndre, the big breakup, and the arrivals of Cali Kawhi and Playoff P. Out-classing the Warriors proved to be too much of a task over the years, but Rivers’ star-studded teams checked out of regular seasons in either 1^st or 2^nd place within the Pacific Division.

In 2020, after a dreary playoff showing by his Clippers, Doc was granted permission to move on. He’s back East, this time with the #1 seeded Philadelphia 76ers. A guy who began this NBA season moving into 10^th-place all time in regular-season coaching victories will find, at the opposite end of the sideline today (1 PM Eastern, ABC, 92.9 FM in ATL; Postgame Show on Bally Sports Southeast), a fellow who had no expectations of moving into the Top-20 list anytime soon when the season began.

Shocked! Dismayed! Disappointed! Such were the sentiments of Rivers over the March canning of colleague and former Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce. “You’re in the middle of the rebuild, and then, you blame the coach for the losses that you had no chance to win,” Doc groused, perhaps unaware that defeats versus Cleveland, Charlotte, San Antonio, and Indiana, then at Cleveland and Oklahoma City, didn’t quite fall into such an impossible category for a Hawks team nearing the Break at 14-20 and leaking oil.

One might be able to excuse the commentary the winningest active African-American coach in the NBA (Rivers’ 992 wins behind Lenny Wilkens’ 1332) reserved when the second-winningest, McMillan, was handed his walking papers back in August. After all, at the time of Nate’s eye-opening ouster, Doc was in the midst of saving his own bacon, with the second-seeded Clippers, while fending off a wunderkind named Luka Doncic in the first playoff round. He wouldn’t know for sure, but open critiques of teams with whom Rivers might have to apply could have been problematic.

Stuffed like a baked potato with oodles of class and armed with a single-season of guaranteed cash as a parting gift from Indy, McMillan wasn’t looking for broadsides directed at his former employer. The interim Hawks coach also won’t look back critically at members of his head coaching frat for not going out of their way to publicly back him at the time of his firing.

“Doc has been respected,” McMillan told The Undefeated in December, as Philly’s Rivers moved into 10^th place in wins all-time, with Nate having no idea he would add to his own tally in 2021, “and he gets the respect from everyone because he not only has won games, but a title,” referring to fading memories of Doc’s time in Beantown. “And that’s the thing for us, as Black coaches, is to win titles to put us on the level so people will look at us as some of the good coaches in this league.”

Nate gets it. Having Black coaches, like Lue, able to demonstrate their caliber of coaching as championship-contender quality, not limited to nurturing subpar talent until the figment of some hotshot ebonistically-challenged upgrade arrives, is vital to building a coaching fraternity that more closely mirrors that of the NBA talent being coached, analyzed, and developed.

“What I love about Nate,” Rivers told The Undefeated in kind, “is that he’s his own man. Nate keeps quiet and wants to do his own thing, is a family man that just wants to do his job and go home. He ain’t out there calling reporters, working GMs. That’s not who Nate is. Nate believes, and I agree with Nate, ‘Do your job, and your work will speak for itself.’”

The Hawkward part of this? Doc already has his ring, having lasted long enough in the league to win it all and build his own brand off of that experience. In this series, Rivers’ club has a strong chance to come out of the NBA East for the first time since Allen Iverson reigned supreme in 2001. But McMillan and his Hawks find themselves in no mood to be deferential.

Back in May of 1988, Rivers’ 22 assists helped the Hawks tie up their second-round series with the mighty Celtics at the Omni, giving Atlanta hope that their turn at the top of the Eastern table had finally arrived. These were the third-most assists by any NBA player in a playoff win at the time (two behind Magic’s 24 back in 1984; Johnson logged 23 in a 1985 playoff victory, too), perhaps inspiring Utah’s John Stockton to try one-upping Doc’s total the very next day (24, in a loss to Magic’s Lakers). A year before that, McMillan made a little history of his own.

The unheralded second-rounder from NC State hung 25 Sonic assists in a regular-season game on Larry Drew’s lowly Clippers. At that time, that tally tied for the fourth-most all-time, in any NBA game. To this day, it’s tied with Ernie DiGregorio for the most ever dished out by a rookie in this league.

Neither coach earned an NBA title as a player, but they’ve endured many a bitter playoff battle, and they each know the value of a capable court conductor in determining the outcomes.

Philadelphia has arrived on the strength of Ben Simmons (14.2 PPG, 6.9 APG, 7.2 RPG, 1.6 SPG regular-season). Whatever his flaws, be it free throw shooting or limited shot selection, the 24-year-old uses his size, length, and guile to stymie opposing point guards at both ends of the court, setting the stage for, among other things, the MVP candidacy of center Joel Embiid (28.5 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 1.4 BPG, 37.7 3FG%).

Simmons averaging 14.8 PPG, 9.2 APG, 10.2 RPG and 1.2 SPG in the first round was enough to help the 76ers fend off Washington in five games, despite losing Embiid in Game 4 (“small” meniscus tear). His Wizards counterpart, Russell Westbrook averaged his obligatory triple-double but was pressed into inefficient shooting from the field (35.9 2FG%, 25.0 3FG% vs. PHI), as was Bradley Beal (21.9 3FG% vs. PHI).

Despite being hamstrung by COVID, in January, and by injuries at inopportune times throughout the season, Philly (49-23) had reason to expect being here, hosting Games 1 and 2 of an Eastern Conference semifinal game. After being swept in the opening round by Boston in 2020’s Bubble, leading to LP’s former boss’ ouster, the Sixers brass and its hard-to-please fans would have expected nothing less.

To the surprise of many, particularly those in the mid-Atlantic states, Atlanta has arrived to this second-round stage, and they did so on the strength of Trae Young (25.3 PPG, 9.4 APG). From deep, down the lane, and on the line, Young is persistent in producing offense for himself and inducing high-percentage offense for his teammates. He demonstrated in the Hawks’ first-round media upset of New York that his flair for showmanship can withstand the heat created by opposing thugs, fans, and political opportunists.

Doc has a couple aces up his sleeve, that is, ace coaching assistants. While building his new coaching bench, he got two of McMillan’s longtime top assistants from Indiana, Dan Burke and Popeye “Hockey Dad” Jones. Rivers will be as much picking their brains about McMillan’s strategies, particularly Burke about the Hawks on the defensive end, as he will be game-planning the players on the floor.

Doc will soak up as much advice as he can get, as he gets to see a lot of The Future Greatest Atlanta Hawks Point Guard of All-Time wearing #11 in this series. No asterisks required. The truncated regular seasons of 2020 and 2021 are the only reasons Trae isn’t already halfway to Doc’s career assist mark with the Hawks. Health-permitting, Young will be the team’s all-time Dime King while it’s still early in his Maximum Contract Extension phase. If all continues to proceed well, once Trae’s done with #11, there’ll be no Esteban Batistas or Tiago Splitters as a follow-up act.

The differences between the East’s 4-seed and its top-seed will be evident by the diversity of defensive options thrown Trae’s way. For Philadelphia (NBA-high 9.2 team SPG), Simmons, Danny Green, Matisse Thybulle and George Hill offer a stronger mix of skill and experience for guarding Young. The best postseason performer thus far for the Sixers, bouncing back from last year’s bomb in the Bubble and the 2019 series with Toronto, Tobias Harris will have a better clue than Julius Randle on what to do (or not) when Young leaks into the paint, and at least he’ll know better than to poke the cub.

Embiid, on less than two functional legs, and former Hawks center Dwight Howard should be a defensive upgrade over the committee that manned the middle as best they could for the Knicks. Drop coverage by Philly (0.87 opponent points-per-possession on P&R ball handler plays, best among East’s remaining teams) will be susceptible to Young’s floating giant-killers, but his on-ball defenders can recover over screens enough to up the degrees of difficulty.

The elevated heat on Ice Trae, and former Sixer legend Lou Williams, means the shooters on the floor for Atlanta, notably Bogdan Bogdanovic (33.3 3FG% vs. NYK) and sixth-man Danilo Gallinari (32.0 3FG% in first round), have to be ready to catch and convert when the ball finds its way out to them. There wasn’t much to glean from the regular season head-to-heads, due to so many key players DNP’d, but the Hawks produced just 33.3 field goals per game, the lowest by any Sixers opponent, a Sixers season-high 9.3 of Atlanta’s attempts rejected. Establishing the perimeter threat will get the interior for the Hawks uncongested.

The Hawks’ forwards and centers also have to be in position, via rolls, cuts, lobs and putbacks, for buckets at the basket. Masterful in guarding what was supposed to be an unstoppable Randle in the prior round, John Collins’ offensive production will need to be raised by a degree to fully offset what a more confident opponent in Harris (25.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.8 APG, 38.1 3FG% vs. WAS) can bring to the table.

Be it by defensive rebounds or live-ball turnovers, the Sixers want to get Simmons downhill after securing stops, with shooters dashing to the corners (Green 45.2 corner 3FG%, 45.6 percent of all his 3FGAs) and trailing (Seth Curry 45.0 3FG%), to exert maximum pressure on the opposing backcourt. Philadelphia’s 17.9 points per-48 off turnovers ranked 5^th in the NBA, their 15.0 fastbreak points per-48 ranked 3^rd.

Atlanta (NBA-best 10.0 opponent points per-48 off TOs and 0.86 opponent points per transition possession in Playoffs) had an easier time getting back against the Knicks, and will rely heavily on Bogi, Philly native De’Andre Hunter (questionable for Game 1, sore knee), and Kevin Huerter to keep the Sixers from building up heads of steam. Alleviated from protecting the interior on the break, Young’s ability to hustle and fluster shooters, without fouling, has to shine through. Hawk bigs must put pressure on the rim on offense, but they have to also create the advantage of beating their assignments down the floor.

Marginalized as an offensive option during his postseasons in Houston, then dispatched from a title contender to a developmental team at 2020’s Trade Deadline, Clint Capela (NBA-high 14.3 RPG in 2020-21, 2.0 BPG) will have the opportunity to show Daryl Morey, beneficiary of the gains of The Process, what the new Sixers executive left behind Door #2 when he made the pivotal deal with Atlanta. Capela largely avoided foul trouble versus New York, and it’s essential that he stays on the floor while handling Embiid adroitly on post-ups (Philly’s 9.2% frequency and 1.29 points per post-up possession are Playoff-highs) and boxing Joel or Dwight out.

The Hawks’ five-game series win over the Knicks got McMillan (36.2 playoff winning percentage) past not only former Hawks coach Mike Fratello (32.3%), but the guy who supplanted Nate in Portland, the now-former Blazer coach Terry Stotts (34.3%), among the least playoff-successful coaches with 500 or more regular-season wins. Coach Nate doesn’t have a radar for this, but if he did, he’d find within his sights Gene Shue (39.0%), who peaked with The Original Doc by taking Philly to The Finals in 1977. A successful Hawks series that goes no more than six games would allow Nate to shoo off Shue.

Head-honcho jobs are opening up across the league, making it of some comfort for Hawks, Inc., that McMillan keeps his eyes only on the prize of the next opportunity to win a playoff game. “You have to be loyal to whoever you are working for,” he shared with The Undefeated while still assisting LP. “I always have taken the approach that the organization that I am working for is where all my attention is.”

“I don’t really look back… I am not doing things for my next job… If you commit to that organization and that team, things will work out for you.” Word, Nate Dogg!

Philadelphia’s five-game series victory over the Wizards pushed Rivers a little further past the .500 postseason line (95-90), but Doc has commandeered many a disappointing conclusion to seasons with talented teams, notably a Clipper club that still awaits its franchise’s first Conference Finals. He’s desperate to change that narrative, too, but he’ll have to reach the Eastern Finals with a hobbling Embiid leading a core (with Simmons and Harris, throw in Mike Scott if you wish) that has only one more series win under their belts than the current Hawks collective.

The invectives thrown and spewed Young’s way have already reached a scale that Rivers, who could hide a little behind guys named Nique and Tree, rarely had to experience by himself during his tenure in the Pac-Man jerseys. Trae’s aware of the Sixer-fan hijinks already sprinkled upon former league MVP Westbrook in recent weeks, a player Young has watched and learned from since his youthful years in The Sooner State.

Trae also knows that, unlike fans from a town to Philly’s north cheesing for clout on behalf of their longtime unlovable losers, the fans in the City of Brotherly Shove are quick to turn their vitriol and Cheez Wiz onto their own teams, when things aren’t going their way, and as opponents are bending games to their will.

The lesson to be gained, Philly sports fans? The Future Greatest Atlanta Hawks Point Guard is in town. Get your popcorn ready.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

"BOO! Relax, Doc, I'm just an apparition!"

~lw3

 

[hawkzlova123]

23 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

"BOO! Relax, Doc, I'm just an apparition!"

~lw3

 

I hope so. Go Hawks! 

[kg01]

Let's talk about Glenn Rivers.

As a coach, guy owns the longest losing streaks for TWO franchises.

Losing a series where you owned a 3-1 edge is supposed to be rare.  Dude has done it for two different franchises.

Before the sketchy Garnett trade, dude was well on his way to being fired.  Their big3 team won one title then disappointed every other year.  Yet folks speak of them as if they were a dynasty.

I get that his feats of longevity have earned him a stellar reputation and all that but all the eggsperts loved on Thibs too.  How'd it turn out once the spotlight turned on?

All the pressure's residing in Pennsylvania.  Years of purposeful losing culminates in this moment for them.  Take a game off them early and watch what pressure does to that pipe.

[benhillboy]

I’ll be watching the three point volume closely.  Last series we shot around 36 per game (big drop off after the one loss), I believe the regular season average  under Nate was around 40.  Getting up good threes and converting at the line are two areas the Hawks excel in while the Sixers struggle.

I hear Sixers fans lament the type of fouls Thybulle commits at times.  He doesn’t sound like the type of guy you want on Ice Trae The Game.

[kg01]

4 minutes ago, benhillboy said:

I hear Sixers fans lament the type of fouls Thybulle commits at times.  He doesn’t sound like the type of guy you want on Ice Trae The Game.

Please say this again for the people in the back.

Also agree on 3pt shooting.  We can't fail to take advantage of the fact that they trot out multiple guys who can't or won't shoot 3's.

[benhillboy]

11 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Let's talk about Glenn Rivers.

As a coach, guy owns the longest losing streaks for TWO franchises.

Losing a series where you owned a 3-1 edge is supposed to be rare.  Dude has done it for two different franchises.

Before the sketchy Garnett trade, dude was well on his way to being fired.  Their big3 team won one title then disappointed every other year.  Yet folks speak of them as if they were a dynasty.

I get that his feats of longevity have earned him a stellar reputation and all that but all the eggsperts loved on Thibs too.  How'd it turn out once the spotlight turned on?

All the pressure's residing in Pennsylvania.  Years of purposeful losing culminates in this moment for them.  Take a game off them early and watch what pressure does to that pipe.

That Celtics roster was one of my favorites though. I’m an irrational KG, Ray Allen, and Eddie House guy.  

Thibs did far more to affect that team than Doc who’s so overrated even he agrees.  He has nothing to hang his hat on.  All he had to do in LA was realize CP3 needed another ball handler, couldn’t do that.  And what great developmental chops he’s shown in Philly when your starting PG is terrified of going to the stripe.

[bleachkit]

We are going to have to play better on offense than we did against New York. 

[lethalweapon3]

Another ex-Hawks point guard and NBA champion coach is having an interesting day, too.

~lw3

[dalamchops]

bogi and dre need to play some bully ball midrange/inside if curry is guarding either of them

[kg01]

8 minutes ago, benhillboy said:

That Celtics roster was one of my favorites though. I’m an irrational KG, Ray Allen, and Eddie House guy.  

Thibs did far more to affect that team than Doc who’s so overrated even he agrees.  He has nothing to hang his hat on.  All he had to do in LA was realize CP3 needed another ball handler, couldn’t do that.  And what great developmental chops he’s shown in Philly when your starting PG is terrified of going to the stripe.

Glenn is known as a relationship manager type coach.  I guess someone will have to explain why each of his teams have imploded due to interpersonal issues.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

10 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Glenn is known as a relationship manager type coach.  I guess someone will have to explain why each of his teams have imploded due to interpersonal issues.

He's good at keeping guys happy, but when they aren't he can't fix it.

[benhillboy]

24 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

We are going to have to play better on offense than we did against New York. 

Philly isn’t quite a juggernaut on offense but I agree.  I would’ve sworn we scored more than 104 per game against NY but that was even more than necessary because Thibs just ain’t interested in scoring.  I’m aligned with Nate’s old school style of “first to 100 points wins” much more so than the D’Antoni “7 seconds or less” out the gate that betrays you late.  When the game grinds down Nate has shown to have a clear edge in strategy and calm over most of his counterparts, Doc certainly is no exception.

[lethalweapon3]

Clips and Mavs will have to suffer through Scott Foster for their Game 7. For us, James Capers runs the show with refs Ben Taylor and Tom Washington.

~lw3

[benhillboy]

34 minutes ago, dalamchops said:

bogi and dre need to play some bully ball midrange/inside if curry is guarding either of them

Good point, I’m quite sure they will.  

[marco102]

As tradition in the Hawks playoff wins, I'm feeling nervous. How about you?

I'm confident the Hawks won't sh*t the bed against Philly with or without Embiid.

[JayBirdHawk]

13 minutes ago, marco102 said:

As tradition in the Hawks playoff wins, I'm feeling nervous. How about you?

I'm confident the Hawks won't sh*t the bed against Philly with or without Embiid.

I'm calmer than I was for the series against the Knicks.

My nerves were frayed against the Knicks, lol.

[marco102]

10 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

I'm calmer than I was for the series against the Knicks.

My nerves were frayed against the Knicks, lol.

Me too. Is it a calm confidence in our team?

Side note: When did Ben Simmons become 7 ft or 6'11 as some media have been saying lately? I remember a game JC destroyed him.when both were playing center and Ben was about the same height as John.

[JTB]

A lot of fans in general believe Simmons will be guarding Trae. 
I personally believe that’s a terrible assignment for 76ers being that Green and Curry cannot handle Hunter! Tobias isn’t really a defender to slow down Hunter either but I expect him to be assigned to Collins...Knicks tried it with Rose on Hunter and Hunter took great advantage of it as he should have.

I fully expect Simmons to guard Hunter and Doc to roll with Green guarding Trae. Tobias will guard Collins.....Either way it’s going to be a win in Traes favor no matter who’s matching up on the other side of him....Trae, Hunter, Collins all have a good opportunity to make meaningful impact overall in this series.

In my opinion Hawks favor more wins vs these matchups against Philly than what I expected vs the matchups with the Knicks coming into the rd1. Which is odd since Philly is the 1 seed vs a 4th seeded Knicks but  even then that doesn’t mean the Ws will come easier.

 

Trae vs Seth Curry- Seth  is a good player but Trae has a lot more talent to work with and can be more impactful so Trae easily wins the PG battle 

Bogi vs Green - At this point in their careers I believe most would say Bogi is the better player however I respect Greens accomplishments throughout his career and he has been a key role player for the championship Spurs and Raptors. Bogi is better no doubt but don’t expect Green to not make his presence felt. Bogi should win the SG battle.

Hunter vs Simmons - Simmons is the more recognized player between him and Hunter so nationally Simmons will be the winner just because of that but honestly overall when healthy I believe baby Leonard aka Hunter is the better overall. I will give Simmons the slight edge I guess but I really believe Hunters scoring ability outweighs Simmons playmaking ability in this series due to Trae. Defensively Hunter should be assigned to Tobias but for the 76ers Simmons should be guarding Hunter if they’re smart .

Collins vs Tobias- Tobias may win this matchup simply due to being a better scorer and both players primarily offensive talents. Then again Collins has the size to dominate Tobias and he should if he wants to prove he’s a max player. I don’t see Simmons guarding Collins due to a Hunter vs Tobias matchup would be absolutely horrible for Tobias in my book. I would say this matchup could go either way so for now I will say draw  bug with slight advantage to JC due to his size advantage.

 

Capela vs Healthy Embiid- Embiid wins the matchup enough said.

Capela vs 60% Embiid- Capela wins the matchup. Not going to say by how much or how little.

Capela vs Howard - Capela wins the matchup. Howard is terrible for this era and he will get eaten up by Traes floater and oop game to Capela.