Official Game Thread: 76ers at Hawks -- GAME 4

[lethalweapon3]

“Where It Started…”

 

The Whole World is Watching! The Whole World is Watching!

Okay, fine. Maybe not the entire planet spins on the NBA’s axis. But this league, more than ever, is a Global game. Observe, just from this season, its Serbian MVP, taking honors previously bestowed upon a Greek, and its Cameroonian runner-up. Behold, its French DPOY, its Filipino Sixth Man of the Year, and their respective Australian runners-up.

American players can These Colors Don’t Run to their hearts’ content. But in this day and age, when the pressure’s on and you find yourself under siege, it is good to know you’ve got a Bogdanovic in the corner with you, on your side.

It’s not just people from the Delaware Valley and North Georgia with a keen interest in the outcome of the Philadelphia 76ers – Atlanta Hawks playoff series, Game 4 of which continues this evening (7:30 PM Eastern, TNT, 92.9 FM in ATL, Postgame analysis on Bally Sports Southeast). Travel across the Atlantic, and perhaps the Adriatic, and you’ll find folks in fancy suits sweating bullets.

As it pertained to hoops, “The Global Game” used to refer to the Games of the Whatevereth Olympiad, a quadrennial affair that was becoming quite the Soviet bloc party until USA Basketball firmly put their foot down shortly after the demise of the Berlin Wall. Tokyo was back on the block to host in the summer of 2020, before a global pandemic decided to play games with these Games.

As of this writing, there is still not 100 percent certainty that the Olympics, delayed from last summer to kick off in late July, will go on as planned. Organizers are hoping to implement something as successful as the 2020 NBA Bubble, writ large, with stringent protocols designed to keeps athletes of all sports safe.

But what can no longer wait are the myriad Olympic Qualifying Tournaments. Teams like Ben Simmons’ Australia, and LP and Derrick White’s United States ((cough)), have already locked down bids via 2019’s FIBA World Cup. After including Olympic host Japan, that leaves four spots open for each winner of FIBA’s six-team “OQTs.”

The qualifying tourneys kick off in just over two weeks from today. Depending on which of the Sixers or Hawks come away with the short end of the Eastern Conference Semifinals stick, one of those fancy-dressed folks is going to reach out and touch someone, with the quickness, upon the sound of the NBA playoff round’s final buzzer.

Atlanta’s Bogdan Bogdanovic, and his agent, is most certainly on speed-dial. His native city, Belgrade, hosts the Serbian national team and five others in their OQT. The top scorer in 2019’s FIBA World Cup, Bogi likely has a vested interest in helping 2016’s Rio silver medalists wage a return to the medal stand in Japan. That is, if both he and Nikola Jokic are, uh, available. As of today, one certainly is.

If he “makes it,” Bogi may find a partner, and an OQT adversary, in his traveling party. Group A in Serbia’s OQT has Jordan Clarkson’s Philippines and Al Horford and Karl-Anthony Towns’ Dominican Republic. The other side of the bracket, Group B includes the Italian national team, where Danilo Gallinari could be eager to make amends.

In an obvious case of, “quando mantenerlo reale va storto,” Gallo hauled off on the face of a Dutch player during a kerfuffle at the free throw line, amid a meaningless exhibition match, and cracked his own thumb. Losing Danilo short-circuited Italy’s best chance at challenging Bogi’s Team Serbia in the Eurobasket 2017 quarterfinals. The Serbians made it all the way to the finals, where they fell to an undefeated Slovenian squad that has this really good player named Goran Dragic, among others.

There are some bigwigs that would love to talk Turkey with the Sixers’ Furkan Korkmaz (you’ve all met Furkan in Game 3), along with former Hawk and current Jazzman Ersan Ilyasova, about joining their national team at Canada’s OQT. Adding those veterans with 2021 likely NBA lotto-rookie Alperen Sengun, and former Hawks draft pick Shane Larkin, could make the Turkish team much more formidable as a medal finisher.

Even over in Kaunas, Lithuania, Angola’s got something to say. Paired up in Group B with heavy favorite Slovenia, Team Angola would greatly appreciate having the Hawks’ Bruno Fernando to join in the fun. After all, somebody is going to have to deal with Slovenian greats like Goran’s brother, Zoran, and, now that he’s “freed up,” the Nuggets’ Vlatko Cancar.

National team executives find themselves in the twisted position of hoping their compatriots stay healthy and perform well in NBA play, while wishing with wringed hands that their teams lose the playoff series. And quickly, s’il vous plait.

How eager Bogi (19 points but 4 TOs in Game 3) and Gallo (9-for-9 FTs but 0-for-4 3FGs in Game 3) are to pack their bags for a land far, far, away will be reflected in their performances in the remaining games of this Eastern Conference semifinal, where the 76ers have seized back the upper hand while Cameroon’s Joel Embiid is serving up a lower foot to the backsides of the Hawks’ frontline. The Indomitable Lions narrowly missed out of the running for Olympic Qualifying back in 2019, so Embiid (35.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 4.7 APG, 2.3 BPG) has no one to distract him carrying Philadelphia as far as he can.

Down Under, the powerful Boomers’ qualification as an Oceania representative is pretty much a routine layup, even with the continent having to lump their qualifying in with Asian nations. That’s good news for Ben Simmons and for a Sixers’ teammate, Matisse Thybulle, who could make the team even though he only spent early childhood years in Australia. With their Olympic bid in hand, should they choose to attend, they can maintain their focus on putting the screws to Atlanta’s Trae Young as best they can.

Of course, Trae (1^st in NBA history with 20+ points and 7+ assists in 1^st 8 games of playoff debut) might be getting that Love Tap from Team USA soon, too. Every American-born baller wants a bite of authentic Olympic gold, and all the trappings beyond Wheaties boxes that it could bring. But you’ve got star guards who are now all but certain to be playing NBA hoops well into the end of this month, at least. Then, there’s a van fleet of guards who recently received their first few weeks of legitimate, recuperative time off since maybe 2019, and are beginning to like it.

Even some guards may be too banged up from the close of their NBA seasons to be in a position to consider. Impose daily IOC protocols and limited maneuverability around some constrained Olympic Village, and there’s bound to be a number of “Thanks! But, no thanks!”, and all Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo can do is stomp and stammer about it. Then, call guys like Trae.

That assumes, naturally, if Young makes himself available for an LP Reunion Special and, before that, if his Hawks make him “available” by concluding this series over the next several days. Improving the likelihood of “availability” in the near term would entail Nate McMillan failing, once more, to adjust the starting unit (Solomon “el Cuchillo” springs to mind) or rotations to address the dexterity advantages brought forth by Philadelphia’s Embiid (12-for-16 FTs in Game 3; 8 assists, 1 TO) and Tobias Harris (22 points on a team-high 16 FGAs in Game 3; 5 assists, 1 TO).

The Hawks’ defense found themselves victims of death by 1,000 Sixer cuts to the basket on Friday, particularly in the third quarter as the visitors pulled away for the 127-111 win. Addressing this extends beyond simply staying in front of assignments, not getting cowed by the allure of aiding Clint Capela and John Collins (two blocks each in past 3 games) with double-teams outside the paint. (Capela's Team Swiss didn't even bother to try qualifying this go-round. Neutral bunch, those guys).

Communication to disrupt inbound passes is key, particularly by Hawk players guarding the ballhandlers, so players like Bogdanovic (5.2 deflections per game in NYK series; 3.3 versus PHI) and Young (team-high 1.7 SPG) can thrive as roving defenders. Atlanta won the turnover-production edge in their one victory thus far (19-17 in Game 1; 9-18 in Game 2, 11-even in Game 3), and they’ll need that to be the case again going forward if they are to prevail in meetings going forward.

Hawk guards on the floor cannot afford to stray from Seth Curry (60.0 3FG% this series), but they’ll have to know which player is assigned to stay on Seth’s hip and which can afford to help the forwards disrupt Philadelphia’s drive and cut lanes. Kevin Huerter struggled to make an impact over 23 minutes in Game 3, but he can get the Hawks rolling again if he can force stops and give the Sixers a taste of their own transition medicine.

Unlike Gallinari, Lou Williams, Tony Snell, Huerter and many of the Hawks’ reserves won’t be going far, not on someone else’ dime, if the successful-on-balance season concludes this week. They might as well go all-in on behalf of a raucous State Farm Arena crowd, exploiting matchups, making open shots when attention is drawn on the starters, and giving the Hawks a decisive bench scoring edge. If all goes well tonight, Atlanta will be rewarded with a third home playoff game in this series. As for the Italian Basketball Federation? Well, you folks will just have to sit and wait.

For many nations, the chance to earnestly Go For The Silver hangs in the balance. But that "sense of urgency" should not be anybody in The ATL’s problem. I’m sorry, but, frankly? “1-2-3, Belgrade!”, has a terrible ring to it.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

"Furkan' K!"

(Side Note: we gonna get a HawksWire from USAToday one day, or nah? "Tis gotta work out better than LonzoWire did.)

~lw3

[bleachkit]

 

[cam1218]

3 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

 

All of that rehab to be able to shoot jumpers by the free throw line and not play lol. Glad he is at least out there doing something though.

[bleachkit]

1 minute ago, cam1218 said:

All of that rehab to be able to shoot jumpers by the free throw line and not play lol. Glad he is at least out there doing something though.

At least his practice jumpers are going on. Much harder in a game of course.

[lethalweapon3]

~lw3

[hawkman]

21 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

~lw3

Good. Surprise us Nate. If Philly can pull those "Embiid is a game time decision" shenanigans, we might as well play the game too.

[Spud2nique]

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Furkan Korkmaz

I swear in all these games in the series I keep yelling DON’T LEAVE TURKOGLU I MEAN HEDO I MEAN FURKAN  

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Turkish team much more formidable as a medal finisher.

They still have Cenk on the squad?

 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Goran’s brother, Zoran,

The euro Steph and Seth 

 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Down Under,

No Delly reference? 

 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Neutral bunch, those guys).

I’m thinking about vacationing there due to a Roger Fed online commercial with Bob Dinero. 

 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

I’m sorry, but, frankly? “1-2-3, Belgrade!”, has a terrible ring to it.

Lw3, the best  Seriously, slayin us.

 

This isn’t a must win … but… it would sure be timely and clutch, Trae is a young player, pun intended but he’s loved the big stage and might again tonight. Let’s get a win! MLK jersey’s for life! 
 

GO HAWKS! 

[Spud2nique]

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

"Furkan' K!"

(Side Note: we gonna get a HawksWire from USAToday one day, or nah? "Tis gotta work out better than LonzoWire did.)

~lw3

Now when I stub my toe… FUUUUUUURRRRKKKKAAAAANNNNN!!!! 
 

I told my lady friend the other day..”you’re being a real Zubac you know that.”

Her: 

[Spud2nique]

@Gray Mule Gramps I couldn’t get my paws on any corn dogs today but just had some Chick Fil A. ATL’s finest.

 

Go Hawks!!!! 
 

From Cali

ps If I was there, prolly Varsity burger see if that gets us woke as a team…. And my taste buds lol.

[JTB]

I actually think Bogi should guard Harris. Bogi would likely do a better job than Snell or Hill.

Wonder if Nate is going to change the lineup since this is a must win game.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[BrazilianHawk]

LET'S GO HAWKS!!!

and LET'S GO @Spud2nique!!! 

[bleachkit]

11 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

I hope Gallo and Lou have the hot hand tonight, need something from the bench.

[Spud2nique]

14 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

This is what I ran in 2K and we won. It’s a ton of shooting but obviously it goes without saying but we need to hit outside and overall shots to succeed with this lineup.

[AHF]

Love the starting lineup.  Let’s bring it!

[bleachkit]

Kevin was basically playing starter's minutes anyway. 

[AHF]

1 minute ago, bleachkit said:

Kevin was basically playing starter's minutes anyway. 

Our first quarters have dug us a hole.  We need to start strong so I like the shift in cadence even if the minutes aren’t hugely different.

[NBASupes]

No Capela for Defensive teams? 

Edited June 14, 2021 by NBASupes

[JayBirdHawk]

6 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

No Capela for Defensive teams? 

 

C'Mon Clint...put the defensive clamps on Embbid tonight and show these fools (I can hope can't I)