Official Game Thread: Wizards at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

LOB! American Style! Truer than the Red, White and Blue.

LOB! American Style! That’s me and you!

 

The race was on late last night! At least I hope so.

As the Atlanta Hawks were wrapping up their loss in Toronto, a bit further to the west, the playoff-hungry Minnesota Timberwolves were early in the third quarter, getting run out of their own gym by the Washington Wizards.

The Hawks, it is hoped, concluded their obligatory interviews and caught the first thing smoking out of Canada before the Wizards-Wolves game reached the final horn. Given the value of the Hawks’ home finale at The Farm (7:30 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL), and Washington’s history of being a late-season spoiler, hopefully the Wiz gave the Wolves everything they had before hopping on their red-eye.

If the Hawks (41-38) look down on the playoff-eliminated Wizards (35-44) for lacking not only Brad Beal but Kyle Kuzma (out, knee tendinitis), then they risk falling into the same mind-trap Minnesota did yesterday. The Wolves still had a faint chance of catching Utah or Denver for the Play-In-averting 6-seed and perhaps the Northwest Division crown by sweeping their three-game homestand. Those hopes were all but squandered as they allowed season-high scoring tallies to both Rui Hachimura (21 points) and Daniel Gafford (24 points, 12 boards).

Relevant to the Hawks’ loss last night, Gafford manned the frontcourt alongside monumental Trade Deadline acquisition Kristaps Porzingis for a significant, tide-turning stretch in the second half, and for the first time this season under head coach Junior Unseld’s watch. It worked out so well that Unseld was able to rest Porzingis for the final quarter, ahead of today’s matchup with Clint Capela, as the Wizards’ sizable rotation of forwards wore down Karl-Anthony Towns and pulled out to a 23-point lead.

Yes, the Wizards were just blasted in Boston by 42 points on Sunday. But in addition to Minnesota, Unseld’s charges over the past couple weeks have screwed with the playoff-seeding hopes of Golden State, the LOLakers, and KP’s former team, Dallas. They’ve shown a propensity for bouncing back lately.

Despite the injuries, they’ve won five of their past eight, and there’s nothing so appetizing about 2022 Draft slots from #7 on down that they have reason to gather up the tents and tank. From Christmas through the week after St. Patty’s, Washington won consecutive games on only one occasion. Victory tonight would make that thrice over the course of the past 13 days, and the first pair of wins on back-to-back nights since Thanksgiving.

Washington did not have the Unicorn at their disposal when they fell to the Hawks, 117-114 on March 4. They did have Georgia native Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who went bonkers from outside (6-for-6 3FGs for 18 of his 28 points) as his Wiz waged a second-half comeback from as many as 14 points down. How did the Hawks prevail, going wire-to-wire, when they were outshot 54.1-41.8 percent from the field, including a 6-for-22 shooting display from Trae Young, and out-assisted 37-18 (incl. 11 dimes by Kuz and seven by Raul Neto)?

Well, for one, the Zards were unable to get to shot-worthy whistles, as Young and De’Andre Hunter (combined 17-for-18 FTAs), alone, doubled their opponents’ free throw attempt total (34 ATL FTAs, to WAS’ nine). They were unable to get Atlanta to cough up the ball, the Hawks committing just four player turnovers for the game. Finally, absent Porzingis, Washington was also unable to contain Capela on the glass, as eight of Clint’s 12 rebounds were cleanups on the wayward Hawks’ offensive end.

That game last month lacked not only John Collins but backup big Onyeka Okongwu, who has had his struggles in recent games versus Brooklyn and Toronto (8 combined rebounds, 1 offensive, over 33.5 minutes) after feasting on the boards on back-to-back nights in OKC and versus Cleveland (25 combined over 53 minutes) last week. Hunter is doing a better job of mixing it up in the paint in recent days, and Atlanta will need him, Jalen Johnson and Bogi Bogdanovic to aid Capela and Okongwu in securing a wide berth for defensive boards, particularly off long caroms when Porzingis (last 4 games: 25.3 PPG, 55.6% on 4.5 3FGAs/game) settles his 7-foot-3 frame along the perimeter.

Porzingis’ arrival gives Beal a little more to chew on as he weighs the value of his $36 million player option for next season. KP has one of his own the following offseason, but the current calculation Beal, back next season after February surgery for a torn wrist ligament, will have to make is whether there is a proper core around him to get back in immediate contention in the NBA East, something this team hasn’t been able to suggest since Beal was paired in the backcourt with a prime John Wall.

Promoted team prez and GM Tommy Sheppard has built up some flexibility to shift if Beal opts out, although acquiring a talented point guard via a thin draft or free agency is a tall order. The more likely scenario is Beal locks himself into the five-year supermax offer, looks at the lay of the land with duplicative forwards Kuzma, Gafford, Hachimura, Corey Kispert and Deni Avdija, and kindly requests of owner Ted Leonsis to be Westbrooked once he becomes eligible for trading.

That move would allow Sheppard to finally kick the rebuilding phase of the Wizards into high gear. The collective likely won’t be good enough, with another year of growth, a healthier Beal, and another lottery pick under Unseld’s command, to make a meaningful surge up the Eastern Conference charts. But what they have, right now, is good enough to knock off the Hawks on a random Wednesday evening, particularly if the hosts aren’t adequately prepared and don’t bring the A-game they presented last week to the Cavs on a home SEGABABA.

If we’re fortunate tonight, lethargy will be clearly on Washington’s side of the floor; traveling East and cross-country while completing a third game in four nights, like Atlanta, but on the road with an hour lost due to the time zone change. It will require a committed effort with respect to rebounding, on-ball defense and motion offense, but hopefully a spirited Hawks team will be halfway toward victory, before the Wizards can even get their shorts on and lace up their shoes.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[kg01]

I predict copious putback dunks then rim-hangs by Harrell ... and copious defensive rotations missed by the same, since he's pretty trash as a player.

Don't @ me @Spud2nique

[lethalweapon3]

Who's gonna tell kg? (Not I! I've got Robin Lopez as a background Wizard in the thread pic, so I'm out!)

Meanwhile, I was crafting a jokey response to the below Wiz reporter's tweet from last night, involving a prominent actor, but I decided I do like having two sides to my face.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

~lw3

[benhillboy]

I didn’t realize Siakam and Barnes had 50 points and 27 boards between them with no turnovers.  Sh*t.

There shouldn’t be anything to fear tonight but this is the Hawks.  Porzingis could’ve been great if not for the Knicks making every mistake possible in his early development.  I am intrigued to watch Corey Kispert:  valuable college experience, great size and excellent eFG for a rookie but apparently a pretty bad defender.  
 

It’s crazy Gonzaga went 13 years without a player in the league from ‘87 to ‘00.  Then it exploded from there.  It’s Stockton, Sabonis, then everyone else.

34 minutes ago, kg01 said:

I predict copious putback dunks then rim-hangs by Harrell ... and copious defensive rotations missed by the same, since he's pretty trash as a player.

Don't @ me @Spud2nique

Harrell is with the Hornets now.

Edited April 6, 2022 by benhillboy

[kg01]

30 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Who's gonna tell kg? (Not I! I've got Robin Lopez as a background Wizard in the thread pic, so I'm out!)

I said Kyle Kuzma, what're you talking about?

5 minutes ago, benhillboy said:

Harrell is on the Hornets now.

[benhillboy]

4 minutes ago, kg01 said:

I said Kyle Kuzma, what're you talking about?

Yes my son let the hate flow through you.

Harrell DNP’d last night in a rout.  Not a good look.

[JayBirdHawk]

I'm at The Farm tonight. They better not dissapoint! 

GO HAWKS!!!

[lethalweapon3]

Lou (you can do it, put your back into it) is out for this one. Sharife got the call-up from CPK after last night's playoff loss to the Go-Gos, so if a Vacation is all he ever wanted, he'll be sorely disappointed. Strategically, Capital City's win keeps any of Washington's G-Leaguers from being Hawk Killers tonight.

Acquired from the Hornets... as we all know... Vernon Carey has been out since mid-February, and is the only other Wiz on the Boo-Boo list besides Brad and Kuz.

~lw3

[kg01]

29 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

I'm at The Farm tonight. They better not dissapoint! 

GO HAWKS!!!

If we have a nude streaker tonite .... well, we know wassup. 

[Spud2nique]

3 hours ago, kg01 said:

I predict copious putback dunks then rim-hangs by Harrell ... and copious defensive rotations missed by the same, since he's pretty trash as a player.

Don't @ me @Spud2nique

ACHOO ! I beg your pardon? 

[Spud2nique]

3 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Onyeka Okongwu,

Everyone chill my boy good.. we good.

 

3 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Capela and Okongwu

Just try playing them together a bit Dieng… I mean Dang! 

 

3 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

lethargy

None from your end. Great as always lw3! More like LETHALNRG! 

Vegas has Hawks -10.5

My PS is getting lonely at home. Still on the road.

 

Go Hawks!

ps @kg01 Who he play fo? Ya, Trez is on the Horcats now. Duuuuuhhh. 

[Spud2nique]

2 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

I'm at The Farm tonight. They better not dissapoint! 

GO HAWKS!!!

Enjoy Bird! This kid got it groovin! Let’s go!!!!!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CcBsmI4j1lz/?utm_medium=copy_link

[JayBirdHawk]

7 hours ago, kg01 said:

If we have a nude streaker tonite .... well, we know wassup. 

Did you see me?  I got tackled by Harry the Hawk.......he's a BIG Bird 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Vince is wrong.

When a certain person on this team gets his numbers, the Hawks win.

The stats they showed for Trae in his last 10 home games were absolutely ridiculous.

 

Get your numbers Trae.

[Dnice]

They  can't handle them so far.

[hawkman]

Mitten sighting.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

SMH Hunter

Completely blew that 3 on 1 fast break.

[JayBirdHawk]

Not gonna lie, this mustard yella looks AWESOME in the Arena, even the matching light ribbon around the arena.

[JayBirdHawk]

7 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

SMH Hunter

Completely blew that 3 on 1 fast break.

It was worse seeing it live, the entire arena was ready to erupt.