The Play-In

[hylndr11]

18 minutes ago, kg01 said:

There's literally one team in the east that should scare the Hawks (MIL).  Being in the lottery doesn't ensure we'll land a difference maker (via trade of the pick or selection), so what would be the point?

These non-top 5 lotto picks don't carry as much value as people seem to think.  Every draft some teams goes in with 2+ 1sts and ends up just taking random guys because they can't package them to move up.  And can't package them for a difference maker.  Chasing these picks is a fool's errand imho (not calling you a 'fool', just using that phrase to illustrate my point).

Yes, it works out sometimes.  But far more often than not, it just ends up forcing a team to keep chasing more picks.

Agreed totally, but my opinion is that we are flawed and I just would like to get as much leverage as possible that's all, I'm not arguing with anyone or trying to make some point , there isn't a point.  But I do think there's some unrealistic expectations here regarding us going out and just getting another star , it's not going to be that easy, Trae not the easiest player to build around among other issues it is what it is I just went us to be in the best position possible to improve the team when we make those moves, and more than likely that will have to be this off-season 

[kg01]

5 minutes ago, hylndr11 said:

Agreed totally, but my opinion is that we are flawed and I just would like to get as much leverage as possible that's all, I'm not arguing with anyone or trying to make some point , there isn't a point.  But I do think there's some unrealistic expectations here regarding us going out and just getting another star , it's not going to be that easy, Trae not the easiest player to build around among other issues it is what it is I just went us to be in the best position possible to improve the team when we make those moves, and more than likely that will have to be this off-season 

I hear you and I don't think we're that far off in our opinions.

I always struggle to find realistic difference maker additions.  If I'm WAS, I'm looking to trade the heyul out of Beal.  But I don't actually like him as a player so that doesn't excite me.

I could see Derozen or Lavine being available in some capacity - considering how precipitous their slide was, how can they justify running it back next year?

PHX could balk at Ayton's price.  Simmons could be on the move again.  Randle will likely be dealt from NYK (another I don't like).  Zion or Mitchell/Gobert (UTA) could force their way out

We could use upgrades, just can't think of how we'd do it.

[sturt]

13 hours ago, swanlee said:

Nothing will shock me this year. We could get blown out Wed. and go home or win a title.

I suspect we do not make it out of the play in games though.

In games that matter, it's been typical that we've performed well, and rare that we laid an egg, so based on that, I'll be hugely disappointed to lose to Charlotte... "shocked," no, they're a good team... but "shocked," yes, if we don't compete.

 

I suspect we beat Charlotte... and that, barring an upset to Brooklyn, we will beat Cleveland.

I do not suspect we have much of a chance against Miami, and mainly because JC is out... while Gallo is a legitimate replacement, we have no legitimate replacement for Gallo on the 2nd unit (ie, as far as we can know, though there are rumors we drafted someone who could have been).

 

In a world where we have JC?

We outperform the 2020-21 team in post-season.

 

 

[hylndr11]

Do we think Collins will play ? were at 4 weeks i believe, hadnt heard hardly anything.  can only imagine having john back while we started playing better towards the end, not that it would have mattered a ton but prolly a game or two, which is big.  

[Gray Mule]

Speaking of the draft, would it be possible for the Hawks to trade all their draft picks and rookies for one senior veteran that Nate would actually let play?

If so, who would you suggest?

[Diesel]

4 minutes ago, Gray Mule said:

Speaking of the draft, would it be possible for the Hawks to trade all their draft picks and rookies for one senior veteran that Nate would actually let play?

If so, who would you suggest?

I would suggest Bogi/Collins/3 1st round picks for KD. 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

10 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

Yup. If they reshuffled they seeds we are a top 4 east team going in right now. At least based on our recent play on the floor.

Ps Speaking of the Bucks, did you all see Holiday check in for 8 seconds and get a 300k bonus for getting in the game (based on his contract). 
 

300k in 7 seconds….. wow. 

This actually a classy move by the Bucks considering their already large Luxury tax bill.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

Quote

How do you think you guys can make as much noise in the postseason as you did last season? The path is clearly much harder this season. 

There’s no easy way in anything. We just have to understand where we’re at and understand our position. We’re still fighting for the playoffs. The season is not over. Even if we make the playoffs, it means nothing. It’s not success. We shouldn’t be satisifed to just make the playoffs. We need to understand where we’re at. I don’t look at the standings anymore. I stopped looking a few weeks ago. I saw the comment KD (Kevin Durant) made after our game where he said, ‘Just tip the ball up.’ I was sick of it two weeks before he said it. I don’t care where we’re at, who we might play, none of it. I stopped looking at the results. I’m ready to play anyone because whoever we play is going to be hard. You have to win the games. It doesn’t matter.

 

[kg01]

Pretty interesting interview of James Borrego this morning.  He sounds pretty confident that his team has the 'formula' for stopping Trae.

Said they held him to his lowest scoring output of the season in the last matchup vs Atlanta.

Said he won't 'give away the plan' or stte but said they'll 'throw bodies' at him, multiple looks.

It was a weird combination of proper respect while being a bit smug(ish) as if 'they got this'.

Was something going on at that time or are the Horcats really the 'Trae-stoppahs'?

[hylndr11]

we get bounced by Cha in the first game, it will do no favors for our big offseason plans.

[marco102]

24 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Pretty interesting interview of James Borrego this morning.  He sounds pretty confident that his team has the 'formula' for stopping Trae.

Said they held him to his lowest scoring output of the season in the last matchup vs Atlanta.

Said he won't 'give away the plan' or stte but said they'll 'throw bodies' at him, multiple looks.

It was a weird combination of proper respect while being a bit smug(ish) as if 'they got this'.

Was something going on at that time or are the Horcats really the 'Trae-stoppahs'?

I was listening to the Dunkerspot podcast and they gave a great breakdown.  The Hornets throw more looks at Trae than any team.  Trae makes the right play, but the other guys are a little hesitant which causes our offense to get out of rhythm from time to time.  They boiled it down to Charlotte is willing to let anyone, but Trae beat them.  Huerter, Bogi, Gallo and Clint will have to step up tomorrow for us to win. 

If Trae is shooting the three well, there junk defenses won't work though. 

 

[AHF]

27 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Pretty interesting interview of James Borrego this morning.  He sounds pretty confident that his team has the 'formula' for stopping Trae.

Said they held him to his lowest scoring output of the season in the last matchup vs Atlanta.

Said he won't 'give away the plan' or stte but said they'll 'throw bodies' at him, multiple looks.

It was a weird combination of proper respect while being a bit smug(ish) as if 'they got this'.

Was something going on at that time or are the Horcats really the 'Trae-stoppahs'?

We were 2-2 against Charlotte and in those 4 games we scored:

115

127

113

106

 

So I'm going to say they haven't cracked some magic defense that shuts us down.  

[marco102]

On 4/11/2022 at 10:33 AM, kg01 said:

I hear you and I don't think we're that far off in our opinions.

I always struggle to find realistic difference maker additions.  If I'm WAS, I'm looking to trade the heyul out of Beal.  But I don't actually like him as a player so that doesn't excite me.

I could see Derozen or Lavine being available in some capacity - considering how precipitous their slide was, how can they justify running it back next year?

PHX could balk at Ayton's price.  Simmons could be on the move again.  Randle will likely be dealt from NYK (another I don't like).  Zion or Mitchell/Gobert (UTA) could force their way out

We could use upgrades, just can't think of how we'd do it.

I'd be happy to have Ayton and Lavine. 

That's enough with Trae to make us real contenders.  What we give up for that is another story. 

I was listening to a Bulls podcast, they were discussing the Hawks, and they believed that Lavine was overall better than Dorozan during the season.  It's just that Derozan hit big 4th quarter shots and got the accolades.  

That's debatable to me.  I've always liked Lavine and thought he got a bad wrap for being an, puke emoji, empty stats player.

7 minutes ago, AHF said:

We were 2-2 against Charlotte and in those 4 games we scored:

115

127

113

106

 

So I'm going to say they haven't cracked some magic defense that shuts us down.  

Trae's average points and EDIT: field goal percentages are down against Charlotte mainly because of that last game we played against them were I think he was till recovering from that hammy.

Edited April 12, 2022 by marco102

[Sothron]

Trying to remember what the pick protection of the Hornets means for the play in. If we beat them do they get to keep their pick this year?

[marco102]

4 minutes ago, Sothron said:

Trying to remember what the pick protection of the Hornets means for the play in. If we beat them do they get to keep their pick this year?

The pick won't convey this year regardless of the playin results. 

@Sothron

Edited April 12, 2022 by marco102

[kg01]

43 minutes ago, AHF said:

We were 2-2 against Charlotte and in those 4 games we scored:

115

127

113

106

 

So I'm going to say they haven't cracked some magic defense that shuts us down.  

It's as @marco102 illustrated, they do seem to try more stuff than most.  But, as you illustrated, it's not necessarily "stopping" us.  It's forcing us to go to our plan B which, based on personnel, shouldn't be a terrible thing for us.

And I vaguely remembered, as marco points out, Trae was playing hurt in that last game.  I think, overall, Borrego's overrating their defensive tactics a bit.  He really made it sound like they had 'the blueprint'.

[AHF]

3 minutes ago, kg01 said:

It's as @marco102 illustrated, they do seem to try more stuff than most.  But, as you illustrated, it's not necessarily "stopping" us.  It's forcing us to go to our plan B which, based on personnel, shouldn't be a terrible thing for us.

And I vaguely remembered, as marco points out, Trae was playing hurt in that last game.  I think, overall, Borrego's overrating their defensive tactics a bit.  He really made it sound like they had 'the blueprint'.

If Trae is anything like last season, they also haven't ever seen "Playoff Trae."  I'm looking forward to this game even though the Hawks are inconsistent enough this season that I don't know what to expect.  A single game is difficult enough to predict anyway but with this team even moreso.

[marco102]

26 minutes ago, AHF said:

If Trae is anything like last season, they also haven't ever seen "Playoff Trae."  I'm looking forward to this game even though the Hawks are inconsistent enough this season that I don't know what to expect.  A single game is difficult enough to predict anyway but with this team even moreso.

Yeah, the Hawks wouldn't surprise me if they lost to the Hornets or won it all. 

They've been that inconsistent with their play this season. 

[Spud2nique]

6 hours ago, kg01 said:

Pretty interesting interview of James Borrego this morning.  He sounds pretty confident that his team has the 'formula' for stopping Trae.

Said they held him to his lowest scoring output of the season in the last matchup vs Atlanta.

Said he won't 'give away the plan' or stte but said they'll 'throw bodies' at him, multiple looks.

It was a weird combination of proper respect while being a bit smug(ish) as if 'they got this'.

Was something going on at that time or are the Horcats really the 'Trae-stoppahs'?

[Spud2nique]

6 hours ago, marco102 said:

They boiled it down to Charlotte is willing to let anyone, but Trae beat them.  Huerter, Bogi, Gallo and Clint will have to step up tomorrow for us to win. 

I got OO stepping up and keeping balls alive as well as Capela. I think Lamelo will warn his teammates about OO but it’s not gonna help. Again, with Onyeka, I will never look at his stats, he just goes hard and I love that. Breakout big man break out!