Official Game Thread: Hawks at heat

[lethalweapon3]

“You can’t fire ME, Ross! I don’t even work for you!”

 

Ugh! This team is cheeks! That’s what we fans were thinking as our Atlanta Hawks were getting toasted, by a Miami heat team that didn’t even have the services of the caffeinating Jimmy Butler. To be fair, we didn’t have Cam Reddish at our disposal, and we had to tolerate the noise of way too many happy heat fans in the building.

There our Hawks were standing, six games below .500, playing so poorly that we weren’t sure there was much of an appetite to moonwalk into one of those Play-In games. The next game on the docket, in Miami two nights later, simply felt like another opportunity to lead these soft lambs to slaughter.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the Lottery.

Lloyd Pierce got canned. Much for the listless efforts by the team, particularly an uncommunicative, bottom-ten defense that negated signs of decent if uncreative offensive play, usually led when it was done well by Trae Young. As much for the limited development of the first- and second-year youngsters, like the injured Reddish, Kevin Huerter and Onyeka Okongwu, that had them looking lost in the wilderness during the most crucial moments of many games.

The lone exception, De’Andre Hunter, couldn’t return from injury in time to keep LP’s jerb from being imperiled. Even with Trae’s uncanny ability to move the rock, there were too many nights where his fellow shooters, youth and veteran alike, couldn’t throw a pebble in the ocean, and couldn’t help him much at the other end of the floor. Young’s boxscore-busting nights were being wasted, as were those of jackrabbit John Collins and rebounding savant Clint Capela.

Perhaps a trade or two, with the Deadline approaching, would shake things up and turn fortunes around. But, seriously, after a 4-11 tumble loaded with double-digit defeats and games blown to ostensibly inferior competition, who wants to see THIS team in the NBA Playoffs? We know you didn’t sign up for this, Nate McMillan, but here are the keys. Catch! Simply drive us to the impound lot, where we’ll have a whole summer to figure out what to do next.

It should be noted that the heat, previously down in the dumps at 11-17, trampled the Hawks to get back to .500 on that February evening for the first time since the reigning Eastern Conference champions were 3-3. While they weren’t bound to finish as well as they did in the prior regular season, coach Erik Spoelstra’s club did go on a smooth 29-15 tear to close out 2020-21.

Heading boldly into March, Coach Spo’s club had no reason to expect looking up to find McMillan’s Hawks turning the calendar and the tables, to begin pulling off one of the great play-possum jobs in modern NBA history, confirming, for a wholly different reason, why no one should have wanted to see THIS Atlanta team at postseason time. Like the final standings in May, the heat had no reason to expect looking up, aghast, at the scoreboard so soon in March, either.

It was just two nights later, in Miami, when visiting Atlanta bifurcated what would have otherwise been a 12-game winning streak for the heat. A spark from a why-is-he-starting player whose first name began with a T, a sprinkling of the returning Bogdan Bogdanovic, and stunning seal-tight team defense caught Tyler Herro and the wayward-shooting heat off-guard, along the way to a 94-80 victory, Miami’s lowest scoring output since November 2019. Hmm. Nate’s about to spoil our shot at a decent draft pick like Jalen Johnson, isn’t he?

One big difference between that game, coming off a pivotal loss, and tonight’s affair down in South Beach (8 PM Eastern, why are we playing so late with a game back home tomorrow?, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, BS Sun), is the 2021 Hawks had to suffer through the preceding turmoil from the comfort of downy hotel pillows. This season’s edition had to take its lumps back home, drubbed from the end of the second-quarter on to lose 115-91 and flopping to 0-9 at The Funny Farm following an 8-1 start, before flying the friendly skies on down to Florida.

The shakeup in between heat games, this time around? Cam got traded on his day off. New Yawkers have been quite unpleasant to their not-much-longer-reigning All-Star, largely for his clunky shot-taking and his inert defensive effort. Hopefully, for his sake, Reddish will have the stomach to endure whatever Thibs and the Bing Bongers plan to spew in his direction when he struggles. If Reddish’s ankle heals up, we may get to see him pester Trae and company as soon as tomorrow, when the Knicks return to town to keep the ATL home skid they kickstarted back on November 27 rolling.

Last season’s about-face under McMillan, beginning on this rechristened FTX Arena floor, had Hawks fans suddenly giddy about trade prospects. Yet we were left scratching our heads a bit as the Hawks and Clippers swapped a pair of washed veteran guards at the Deadline. A net pair of down-the-road second-rounders? Is that all there is?

With the possible, if momentary, suiting up of Kevin Knox, it is helpful to remember, as was the case with 2021’s acquisition of Lou Williams, that Atlanta head-honcho Travis Schlenk’s mysterious, muddling maneuvers don’t always wind up looking so funny in the light. Reddish may have been pleading Schlenk and company, behind the scenes, for a Hawk-xit, but I suspect it’s not just players who may soon be on the outs.

I turn the dial to NBATV, usually on nights when Hawk lowlights aren’t possible to regurgitate, and I get a bit worried. Some nights, there’s My Main Man, Sam Mitchell. Others, it’s NC State’s Finest, Vinny Del Negro, or General Jim Boylen, or Stan The Man Van. Aside from maybe Smitch, I don’t think Atlanta’s Turner Sports studios, playing along at 11 PM Eastern time and reacting to the dunks and crossovers of the night and such, are where these folks imagined riding out their professional careers.

This isn’t to suggest that we may wake up to find creepy Isiah Thomas sitting in Nate’s chair. Rather, I look down the bench, at Sonny Mac, at Nick The Quick, at holdovers like Matt Hill and Chris Jent, and I don’t have a grasp on exactly what they’re responsible for doing, to help Nate get these Hawks in gear on a nightly basis.

I can only hope the players do. But when I hear it’s Bogi playing the swami for Clint Capela’s free throw shooting, my Spidey senses get all tingly. Maybe it’s just the Selsun Blue in my itchy scalp, I dunno. At least I had some semblance of what The Chairman, Melvin Hunt, was up to while he was here, during and post-LP. Might we awaken, soon, to find Candace Parker part-timing it in what was once Jamelle’s comfy seat?

No matter who suits up for the heat (26-15), you get five guys on the court with a clue, versus teams like the Hawks that obviously do not. Miami packs the paint on D, forms a bleeping wall around the rim (NBA-low 44.4 opponent 2FGAs/game), and dares its foes (39.1 opponent 3FGAs/game) to out-snipe Duncan Robinson, Herro (NBA-high 20.7 bench PPG), Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and Hawk-killer P.J. Tucker.

Taking a combined two three-point shots per game, absent starters Butler and Bam Adebayo aren’t even part of that offensive equation. With or without them, Kyle Lowry can grind the tempo to a snail’s pace, confident he can get the ball out to shooters who are confident as to where on the floor they want to be to get the shots they want up.

It's a confidence game, and Miami knows who the fish are at the table. When you exude confidence, as Spoelstra (10 games behind Phil Jackson with 728 regular+postseason career wins) infuses throughout his team, you can afford to plug-and-play an undrafted rookie like Omer Yurtseven (team-high +19 plus-minus vs. ATL, 13 rebounds, six assists) ahead of Dewayne Dedmon, or one of those Martin twins, in the starting unit and still expect favorable results.

Robinson may go 3-for-10 on triples, as he did on Wednesday evening in Atlanta, and Herro 1-for-6, yet still look like a whitecapped version of the Splash Bros. That’s particularly when they’re juxtaposed by a Hawks offense (37.8 FG% vs. MIA, incl. 28.9 3FG%; 7 missed FTs on 23 attempts) whose players aren’t sure they want the ball in their hands, much less whether they should have it, or what precisely to do with it, or what to do without it, or what to do when they lose it, or...

Last year’s victory in Miami ignited an unanticipated 8-game win streak for the Hawks. Getting Bogi reacclimated, Huerter (14 straight double-digit-scoring starts, shooting 52.4 FG% and averaging 1.4 SPG to close out 2020-21; questionable for today, bruised foot) enlivened, and eventually supplanting That T Guy’s minutes made a huge difference. Assertive and confident wings and backups, protecting the perimeter while sinking open shots, to complement Young, Collins and Capela made all the difference in Atlanta’s 2021 ascension.

If there is to be another one in 2022, Hunter, Huerter, Bogi, and hopefully (Nathaniel...) the rookies, will all have a prominent say in the story of how the Hawks finally gelled. Whatever our current Mr. T can do to help pass the time is appreciated for now, but he’s not part of La Solution long-term.

We’re at the mid-point of the season, we hope, after this game concludes, and a 27-11-style sprint to the finish line, however unlikely, remains possible. Much like the situation heading into Miami last year, there’s no good reason for the turnaround not to start tonight.

I’m still mired in the middle of my MLK Day draft thread-post, so I hope you’ll excuse the brevity of tomorrow’s icebreaker, as local-yokel Knick fans follow up their heat cousins in packing The Farm in hopes of going 3-0 against Atlanta. I also hope that the Hawks remaining on this roster don’t half-azz their on-court play, over the next few days, as much as I intend to do with Saturday’s thread-opener, and the close to this one.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

It is nice not to see anything close to H&SP in the injury report for either team. Jimmy is again listed as questionable for the Floridians, while Batman fight-sounds Bam (thumb) and Keef (post-You Know What and post-Jokic Smackdown reconditioning) are out.

 

~lw3

[Spud2nique]

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

noise of way too many happy heat fans in the building.

Honestly I was glad it was the Heat fans, when I first heard that I thought ATL turned on the Hawks and went bandy. Phew

 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

savant

I just love the word lol. I like to use it with Trae, he’s a passing savant if you will.

 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

bifurcated

On a Friday, you’re hittin me wit bifurcated. Ok.

 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

New Yawkers

You shoulda heard my fake accent when I went there. Lol.

 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Some nights, there’s My Main Man, Sam Mitchell.

Love dude, his voice alone motivates.

 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Chris Jent,

I found his Ohio state trading card last week lol. Worth $.5 … going up 

 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

I’m still mired in the middle of my MLK Day draft thread-post,

Oh man, something is brewing. I think MLK games are my fav of the season. 
 

Awesome thread lw3 @lethalweapon3
 

Post Cam era..

 

I lost by 10 to the Heat. Hope we beatem.

Vegas has Heat -4.5

GO HAWKS!!!

ps PLEASE CONTAIN HERRO EVEN THOUGH HE’S ON MY FANTASY TEAM!  

Edited January 14, 2022 by Spud2nique

[Spud2nique]

17 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Keef

Sorry I had to rub my eyes I had a 30 year flashback and saw Adam Keefe. Keefe..Koncak.. I kan’t. 

[High5]

So this team just embarrassed us and our locker room got a big shakeup. If our team is ever going to show an ounce of fight it should be tonight.

[Spud2nique]

Shout out to these fan art 🖼 folks. Man, y’all got talent. Nice work I love the OO pic! 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[Dnice]

Spud, I clicked on the guy's IG page, his Trae pic looks good.

[lethalweapon3]

"crack!", says the ice.

~lw3

[JeffS17]

2 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

Honestly I was glad it was the Heat fans, when I first heard that I thought ATL turned on the Hawks and went bandy. Phew

 

I just love the word lol. I like to use it with Trae, he’s a passing savant if you will.

 

On a Friday, you’re hittin me wit bifurcated. Ok.

 

You shoulda heard my fake accent when I went there. Lol.

 

Love dude, his voice alone motivates.

 

I found his Ohio state trading card last week lol. Worth $.5 … going up 

 

Oh man, something is brewing. I think MLK games are my fav of the season. 
 

Awesome thread lw3 @lethalweapon3
 

Post Cam era..

 

I lost by 10 to the Heat. Hope we beatem.

Vegas has Heat -4.5

GO HAWKS!!!

ps PLEASE CONTAIN HERRO EVEN THOUGH HE’S ON MY FANTASY TEAM!  

smh @Spud2nique always posting proof he read the essay and making us all look bad

[JeffS17]

5 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

One big difference between that game, coming off a pivotal loss, and tonight’s affair down in South Beach (8 PM Eastern, why are we playing so late with a game back home tomorrow?

This annoyed me so much!!  It's only a 30 minute different but <24 hour apart start times should be a no-go.  

[Spud2nique]

2 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

I was gonna say, no literally thanks but that sounded mean so.. Welcome aboard! 

[Spud2nique]

38 minutes ago, JeffS17 said:

smh @Spud2nique always posting proof he read the essay and making us all look bad

Totally didn’t have that intention. Plus, if somebody isn’t reading it or skimming through I urge you it’s more than a great read every time. Clever and consistent.

Ill try and contain myself but it’s like with alcohol , I couldn’t handle my liquor and it showed (in retrospect talking trash to Patrick Willis isn’t the best idea..) and containing my remarks for a good read can’t be held back either. I’ll try and keep it in my pants next time but i tell ya, it’s some to   stuff. Hard to hide.

[JeffS17]

1 minute ago, Spud2nique said:

Plus, if somebody isn’t reading it or skimming through I urge you it’s more than a great read every time. Clever and consistent.

Oh I know!  When I first started lurking here @lethalweapon3s game posts always brought me back

[Spud2nique]

38 minutes ago, JeffS17 said:

This annoyed me so much!!  It's only a 30 minute different but <24 hour apart start times should be a no-go.  

Definitely specially if one game involves a Miami game. Hit it Gloria!!!!  

 

[JeffS17]

1 minute ago, Spud2nique said:

Definitely specially if one game involves a Miami game. Hit it Gloria!!!!  

 

What decade am i in???  My wife has "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" playing in the next room and im playing this

[Spud2nique]

3 minutes ago, JeffS17 said:

What decade am i in???  My wife has "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" playing in the next room and im playing this

We just trying to take you back to a simpler time is all. 

[Spud2nique]

This is gonna be fun. Cam is #21? Is this 2K or is he really #21? He spiting Nique?  I thought Mitch Rob was 21, no? 
 

Cam vs the Hawks at State Farm. Wow. 
 

ps I’m starting him for the Knicks over Fournier. He’s rated 1 point higher but Cam needs to start for NY. 

[Spud2nique]

Gottem this time. Bogi stepped up.  

 

[terrell]

UPDATE: Coach Spo says #JimmyButler (ankle) is warming up with the intent to play in tonight's game vs the Hawks. 

 

Of course.. He's seen us play defense lately... smh

Edited January 15, 2022 by terrell