Official Game Thread: Suns at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“Sorry. It’s in CP3’s contract that Trae can’t steal the show.”

 

For years around town, we’ve seen Young Trae ham it up for the cameras, and he’s PR gold. He’s a natural. Plus, 40-some times a year, he’s splashing a triple from an “e” somewhere on the “State Farm Arena” floor.

State Farm. Why y’all got this man showing off 12-inch hops in Florsheims?

Don’t answer that. We already know why.

Chris Paul handed Trae a script for an insurance ad that featured less subtlety than a cardboard cutout. Twenty-nine seconds of airtime, and the Atlanta Hawks All-Star could only be seen uttering a single half-word… “Wha--?” … that, frankly, sounds to me like a voiceover. So sorry Barry White wasn't available, Farm.

And please don’t tell me that’s the back head of a body double giving dap before Mr. Paul shows off his levitational skills in his crisp little Nikes. “It’s all in the core,” yeah, right. Where was those six-minute abs when Gian—nah, nvm.

At least Sabrina was allowed to look surprised in her ad, for a split second, before she was tipped to the floor. Trae could neither look at the camera or even smile as Jake turns to give his standard plug, nor feign a reaction at CP3’s tricks.

We got more character out of Julius Randle sitting on the hood of somebody’s uncle’s Impala in the driveway. For shame, State Farm, for shame!

If I was responsible for producing that commercial, I… I wouldn’t even press record. Today, it is bound to come on twenty-leven times during the nationally televised broadcast of Trae’s Hawks and Chris’ Phoenix Suns (7:30 PM Eastern, 92.9 FM in ATL, TNT). Twenty-leven times, for at least thirty seconds, I’m flipping the channel until I find that little gecko with the Cockney.

Hm. This is all perhaps a little harsh. I’m afraid, maybe, I’m becoming my parents? I ought to be able to just kick back and enjoy the Hawks playing 48 minutes of spirited, professional basketball, regardless of whether Young (game-time decision, sore shoulder) is a veritable go or not. After all, the Hawks, without Young on Monday, were a blown defensive assignment and a few chippies away from walking down a Raptors club that, while a touch tired, had a starting five that has grown more comfortable playing together for long stretches at both ends of the floor.

No five-man unit has shared the floor together in this league (19.5 MPG in 24 games) than the one coach Monty Williams rolls out with Paul, Mikal Bridges, Devin Booker, Jae Crowder (probable, sore wrist) and DeAndre Ayton (probable, sprained ankle). That volume is impressive given that Ayton has barely played in over half of the Suns’ games. Only the patchwork around Nikola Jokic scores more than this Suns lineup with their 46.0 PPG and 11.1 APG.

Somehow, on a team that bears the league’s best record (41-9, incl 19-4 on the road and 15-2 vs. NBA East teams), entering today on an 11-game win streak that pales in comparison to the 18 straight and a perfect month of November, the most utilized lineup rocks a net plus/minus of positive 1.8. Just for kicks, when Trae has been able to share the court with Bogi Bogdanovic, Kevin Huerter, John Collins and Clint Capela this season (13.1 MPG in 11 games), the Hawks’ plus/minus is a solid +8.6, their 55.4 percent shooting from the field the best among NBA lineups getting 10+ MPG.

The most utilized 5-Man, to date for Nate McMillan’s 24-26 club has De’Andre Hunter in K’Von’s spot (18.0 MPG over 12 games). That quintet shoots the ball more poorly on the inside and at the free throw line, and it turns the ball over more frequently, contributing to a drop to +0.5 in plus/minus.

The difficulty of opposing matchups could certainly be a factor in the disparity, but one way to bridge the gap is to continue to push Hunter (3.5 RPG, 1.3 APG and 54.5 FT% in last 4 games; 7 FGs but 1 assist, 3 TOs and minus-10 vs. TOR, lowest plus/minus since his return to action on Jan. 12 vs. MIA) to make good on areas of improvement -- ballhandling, court awareness, help rebounding and the like.

Getting our De’Andre (probable, ankle discomfort) fully healthy is half the battle. If Atlanta can get more than Marvin Stuck In The Corner out of Hunter, then the Hawks would have more than just a top-six unit that can compare favorably with the Suns’ lauded upper-tier plus Cameron Johnson (last 5 games: 50.0% on 6.8 3FGAs/game). Atlanta would have a squad that is capable of making the charge necessary to reach the Playoffs and, conceivably, come out of the East to see these gents once more.

It sounds far-fetched, and it should. But on very this date last year, no one was warm to the Suns when they got bowled over by Zion Williamson and fell to 11-9 on the season. The past history of such clubs reaching The Finals, especially out of the West? Those aren’t what Jake would call great rates. That team committed to making things click, and in the space of a calendar year they’ve evolved from an 11-9 also-ran to 41-9 and oh-so-good.

They’ve excelled without managerially doing everything right. With James Jones pressed into pursuing him by Coach Monty, Landry Shamet (37.0 FG%) was supposed to be more of a sham-wow as an offseason acquisition, certainly more so than JaVale McGee and Elfrid Payton. Cameron Payne has been at least marginally better than Payton and Shamet, but he continues to sit out with a sprained wrist.

Phoenix’s Big Five has done well together, but largely because they have few other choices. Even with Lou Williams (out, back spasms) catching a worthy breather, the Atlanta reserves must prevail in their matchups when Johnson and McGee get subbed in.

The Hawks had Cam Reddish but didn’t have Onyeka Okongwu available to help slow Phoenix’s fourth-quarter blaze, a 35-19 edge in Arizona to help the Suns escape late with the 121-117 win back on November 6. Okongwu can guard either of McGee or Ayton, in relief of Capela, and can make the TNT crew up the road ponder whether someone got bleached out of the Clorox Rising Stars game. But John Collins and Danilo Gallinari must be ready to secure boards and get out on Crowder when Okongwu is tasked with protecting the rim.

Defensive versatility in the paint will help keep the Hawks in contention tonight. But so will sounder all-around play from Hunter, knowing when to closeout on shooters, secure long rebounds, and switch out to make CP3’s trusty mid-range shots less comfortable. Making the Suns’ top-scorer Booker (32.0 PPG despite 31.9 3FG% over last ten games; 48.0 2FG%, down from 54.3 last season) settle for scores outside the paint would be a plus, too. That would make whatever Trae brings to the table tonight feel like victory insurance.

Attention, agents negotiating media deals: No more roles as an extra for Trae Young. This man is nobody’s cameo. On my boob tube, I want The Real Deal!

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[Spud2nique]

12 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Marvin Stuck In The Corner out of Hunter,

Oooohhhh 

 

13 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

But John Collins and Danilo Gallinari must be ready to secure boards and get out on Crowder when Okongwu is tasked with protecting the rim.

This. I also see big games from Collins and Bogi on offense. Bogi likes killing his former teams and not just sactown. 
 

OO is a thing of beauty. Keep making winning plays baby! 
 

Great stuff as always lw3. 

Sadly, 2K gets caught up in the hype of first place teams each year and makes then nearly impossible to beat. I took an L by 9, hoping our Hawks get the W.

Vegas has the Suns -4.

Let’s make it 8/9 and get back to our winning ways.

 

GO HAWKS! 

[Spud2nique]

@lethalweapon3 in my down time I just saw a commercial of Baron eating some crab or something.. 

Hazy 🌫 dreams 

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by Spud2nique

[lethalweapon3]

Or, chilling up, as the case may be.

~lw3

[marco102]

 

[terrell]

Trae is a go!!

[hylndr11]

Woot and after simmons got in shaqs dm after his getting called out this week, buddy keeps digging 

Edited February 3, 2022 by hylndr11

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[hawkman]

Hawks, please steal this one and put the league on notice. This is a great opportunity to get some good publicity and start another streak. 

[Spud2nique]

2 minutes ago, hawkman said:

steal this one

I BEG YOUR PARDON? Steal? We at home. Ok fine we are playing the best team record wise in the league.

Sorry I need to chill or I’ll be passed out by halftime. 
 

ps @kg01 I’m watching this (on delay) with my girl partner. She said what interests you, interests me. 

buuuuttt. We gonna have to start an hour late .. 
 

ohhhhkay. I just smile.

Oh, we are like 3-7 when she watches but 3-0 in the last 3. Good and bad.

She is started to like Giannis as much as she did Horford. Something about their lips @JayBirdHawk anything there or..? I mean I get it… I mean nevermind.

Go Hawks! 

[Atlantaholic]

YAAAAS, let's beat the Suns boys. 

7 minutes ago, hawkman said:

Hawks, please steal this one and put the league on notice. This is a great opportunity to get some good publicity and start another streak. 

If we play like we were before Trae went down it won't be no steal.

[kg01]

1 minute ago, Spud2nique said:

I BEG YOUR PARDON? Steal? We at home. Ok fine we are playing the best team record wise in the league.

Sorry I need to chill or I’ll be passed out by halftime. 
 

ps @kg01 I’m watching this (on delay) with my girl partner. She said what interests you, interests me. 

buuuuttt. We gonna have to start an hour late .. 
 

ohhhhkay. I just smile.

Oh, we are like 3-7 when she watches but 3-0 in the last 3. Good and bad.

She is started to like Giannis as much as she did Horford. Something about their lips @JayBirdHawk anything there or..? I mean I get it… I mean nevermind.

Go Hawks! 

Oh you mean your wife? 

Ask her what she thinks about the Hornets gettin shut outta the ASG.  Haha, suckas! 

[Spud2nique]

1 minute ago, kg01 said:

Oh you mean your wife? 

Ask her what she thinks about the Hornets gettin shut outta the ASG.  Haha, suckas! 

I was playing basketball (at a 2nd park) just got back, I got a BR tweet I saw Harden and Booker but don’t remember the other until you mentioned Winston’s rugrat.

[Spud2nique]

She doesn’t really like the Hornets she grew up in southern Cali so for her (she’s not into basketball but her friends) were Lakers.

Now she likes the Hawks. 
 

Players:

Horford and now Giannis. I don’t really look like either, I look like an excited Ty Lue. 

Hey, she’s no Katie Perry either, who btw, I love. She’s not the finest but she’s so real like the girl next door.  

[kg01]

1 minute ago, Spud2nique said:

She doesn’t really like the Hornets she grew up in southern Cali so for her (she’s not into basketball but her friends) were Lakers.

Now she likes the Hawks. 
 

Players:

Horford and now Giannis. I don’t really look like either, I look like an excited Ty Lue. 

My prediction for the Suns.  Paul gets hurt, they fizzle out again.

[Spud2nique]

6 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Oh you mean your wife? 

[Spud2nique]

1 minute ago, kg01 said:

Paul gets hurt,

No! Why! I mean I’m not a Suns guy or a CP guy but he’s kind of earned it. Plus, it’s one more team to keep the Warriors down. Lol. Fine it’s a personal agenda. 

[kg01]

1 minute ago, Spud2nique said:

Don't worry, we're still ignoring that scandal.

Just now, Spud2nique said:

No! Why! I mean I’m not a Suns guy or a CP guy but he’s kind of earned it. Plus, it’s one more team to keep the Warriors down. Lol. Fine it’s a personal agenda. 

Screw him.

[hawkman]

C'mon Trae. Value these early possessions. No early holes to dig out of in the 2nd half.

[Carmine]

I hate the way this game feels already