Official Game Thread: Grizzlies at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

Not THIS week, Ronald, please! Read the room, will ya?

 

I’ve got little to share ahead of this Friday night home game for our Atlanta Hawks at The Farm (7:30 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 in ATL & MEM), one that hopefully, given its superstars of questionable status, will be worth attendees’ while. Only an acknowledgement that I’ve been choking on Taylor Jenkins and the Memphis Grizzlies’ dust for months on end.

And, my words, too. Here was Yours Truly, with my whole chest out, talkin’ spicy about the hot seat I suspected Pop-and-Bud disciple Jenkins was occupying, ahead of the red-hot Hawks’ post-Thanksgiving visit to Memphis.

Coming off a 38-34 season in 2020-21 and a tidy first-round exit versus Utah in last year’s playoffs, Jenkins is challenged to demonstrate growth and a stronger, more playoff-competitive roster. If the defensive lapses continue and young players’ development continues to stall on his watch, Memphis’ coach won’t find himself challenged for much longer.

Imagine, an Atlanta Hawks fan, concernstipated about defensive lapses and young players’ development on some other NBA team. It’s a hard ask, I concur, but go on and try.

And then Nate McMillan’s crew, with no De’Andre Hunter and no Onyeka Okongwu, strolled into FedEx Forum and blew the doors off the Griz, 132-100, although the skids got greased quick once Memphis’ Ja Morant (questionable for today, missed their 33-point win over Indy with a sore back) went down midway through the first quarter with a knee injury. Oh noes, Memphis, now you’re a game below .500 and, geez, in LeBron’s NBA West that might not be enough to ensure a Play-In. And it’s already November! What will you do?

It turns out the Beale Street Bears just went into hibernation early. There was too much offensive emphasis on a recently returning Dillon Brooks, who was too inefficient with his selected shots (Still is.) Perimeter defense was, as I said then, was as soft as Grits-and-Butter, and the offseason acquisition of Jarrett Culver to aid in that endeavor was looking funny in the light. (Still is.) Inside, center Steven Adams seemed to be lost as to his role alongside Jaren Jackson, Jr. (Not so much these days.)

It wouldn’t be long before they all got out of their cave. So much of the team’s faults were addressed by the coaching staff as the season went along, and now, Memphis (48-24, now 2^nd in the NBA West, a game ahead of the Steph-less Dubs) has become the veritable embodiment of Hustle & Flow. Clearly, Coach Jenkins is in charge, and he’s saying it like he means it.

The Grizzlies join the Suns and Culver’s prior team, the Timberwolves (???) as the only clubs sitting Top-10 in both O-Rating (5^th) and D-Rating (7^th), along with Pace (8^th). Jenkins’ joint ranks number-one in the league in O-Reb% (34.2), second-chance points per-48 (18.5), fastbreak points per-48 (17.5), paint points per-48 (57.9), steals per game (9.9), blocks per game (6.5) and loose-ball recoveries per-48 (3.4).

They’re fourth in opponent TO% (14.9) and second in Deflections per-48 (8.6). Third in opponent points allowed per-48 off TOs (14.3). Right behind Atlanta (2.05, 5^th in NBA) in assist-turnover ratio (1.95). And they’ve got a highlight-reel headliner in Morant (27.5 PPG, 9^th in NBA, 49.3 FG% highest among Top-20 scoring guards) giving people buckets. While Trae Young and the Hawks (34-35, Play-In Magic Number: 9) have proven to be an acquired taste, Morant in his third season has firmed up the Grizzlies as a must watch.

Memphis, even with Morant, shoot poorly overall due to threes (34.5 team 3FG%, 3^rd-lowest in NBA), although they don’t shoot many unless Desmond Bane (41.8 3FG%) is open, and free throws (73.1 team FT%, 3^rd-lowest), despite getting sent to the line more than all but three clubs. Hacking to disrupt Memphis’ flow is not McMillan’s style. But whoever pushes the ball for the Hawks will have to press the Grizzlies quickly in transition, not allowing Memphis (12.9 opponent fastbreak-points per-48, 10^th-most in NBA) to dig their defensive bear claws into the halfcourt.

That assumes the Hawks will have the frontcourt bodies to adequately contest and box out the paint-heavy Grizzlies bigs Jackson and Adams for defensive boards. They’ll have one more at their disposal as Jalen Johnson has arrived from College Park to at least cheer from the sidelines while Danilo Gallinari (questionable after leaving midway through the loss in Charlotte with a bruised bicep) and John Collins (out indefinitely, sprained foot and swole finger) rehab.

Just because Jenkins and the Griz seem to have the bacon, lettuce and tomato doesn’t mean McMillan and the Hawks are obligated to provide the toast. If the Hawks allow Memphis’ bigs to control the glass, and the opposing guards to dictate the tempo in both directions, then Atlanta will find itself choking on their fumes, and a gamethread scribbler gagging on more of their dust.

Anybody got a Swiffer handy?

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[macdaddy]

This is going to be a hard one to watch i think. 

[lethalweapon3]

Where was the lie?

No updates yet on Ja's or Trae's status.

~lw3

[kg01]

8 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

This is going to be a hard one to watch i think. 

macd, I'll be looking for hugs around mid 1st quarter I think.

[macdaddy]

32 minutes ago, kg01 said:

macd, I'll be looking for hugs around mid 1st quarter I think.

I'm there for ya brother

[lethalweapon3]

No Trae Dae!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Meanwhile, if you came to the game tonight to see Killian Tillie, I have bad news to share with you both.

~lw3

[hawkman]

Back to 2 games under .500 we go. Maybe they surprise us and play inspired basketball due to all of the adversity. Not a very encouraging 24 hours for the Hawks.

[Wurider05]

Nate has no reason not to give Jalen and maybe even Sharife some minutes tonight. What the hell we go to lose?

[JayBirdHawk]

We just cannot catch ANY breaks! 

So who steps up tonight? 

Why can't we have a 'scrub' go nuts against another team?

[Diesel]

It's time for Bogi to step up and be the man...

 

[Diesel]

Let's get some Mays tonight too!!!

Clint and OO need to be rebounders tonight. 

[Diesel]

Where has that been Clint???

[Diesel]

Taylor Jenkins looks like he ought to be running a Lumber Jack  camp in Ontario... serving Pancakes with Maple Syrup.   OR He should be teaching HS calculus...

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Delon with 2 threes.

Gallo with 2 assist.

 

This is how you make up for Trae's absence.

[Diesel]

4 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

That was a foul!!!

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Delon with ANOTHER 3.

9 pts - 2 asst - 2 stls . . in the first 6 minutes.

[JayBirdHawk]

Delon doing his best Trae impression with 3 3s??? 

[terrell]

4 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

Delon with 2 threes.

Gallo with 2 assist.

 

This is how you make up for Trae's absence.

And how about the wings? Theyre gonna have to give us some scoring.. smh

Edited March 18, 2022 by terrell