Official Game Thread: Raptors at Hawks (6 PM Tip!)

[kg01]

Would you please bow your heads ...

Hawks fans, we are gathered here today...

To exorcize this Canadian demon ...

These dinosaurs been whuppin our collective arses for too long ...

The whuppins stop today ....

Out thee demon ...

Out .... 

[JayBirdHawk]

3 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Would you please bow your heads ...

Hawks fans, we are gathered here today...

To exorcize this Canadian demon ...

These dinosaurs been whuppin our collective arses for too long ...

The whuppins stop today ....

Out thee demon ...

Out .... 

...and The Squawk said 'Amen'

[marco102]

 

[terrell]

(Trae-DJM-AJG-Dre-Capela)  I'd like to see more of this lineup. Dre started playing well when JC fouled out and he moved to the 4.. It gives us more of a off the dribble threat than with JC there...

Edited November 20, 2022 by terrell

[NBASupes]

2 minutes ago, terrell said:

(Trae-DJM-AJG-Dre-Capela)  I'd like to see more of this lineup... Dre started playing better when JC fouled out and he moved to the 4.....

That was because the Raptors are a bunch of big wings

[TheNorthCydeRises]

14 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

That was because the Raptors are a bunch of big wings

Right.  This will only work vs a small ball type team.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[NBASupes]

2 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

While the wins haven't been pretty. We still got the win

[Diesel]

I thought Nate didn't play Rookies?

Listening to CC talk, I think there's a great difference between AJ's approach to the game and JJ's approach to the game and that's why AJ is finishing games.

Credit Nate for getting AJ in the game when JC fouled out...

Credit Nate for teaching that final play. 

 

[Final_quest]

43 minutes ago, Diesel said:

I thought Nate didn't play Rookies?

Listening to CC talk, I think there's a great difference between AJ's approach to the game and JJ's approach to the game and that's why AJ is finishing games.

 

Credit to Diesel for not going with the crowd last year that believed Nate refused to play rookies.  Looking at AJ and Jalen this year there’s a clear reason why one of them deserves to play as a rookie.

Guys literally wanted Nate fired for not playing Jalen and Cooper.  Nate is showing wisdom.  Jalen’s minutes are going down while AJ’s are going up.

[Diesel]

33 minutes ago, Final_quest said:

Credit to Diesel for not going with the crowd last year that believed Nate refused to play rookies.  Looking at AJ and Jalen this year there’s a clear reason why one of them deserves to play as a rookie.

Guys literally wanted Nate fired for not playing Jalen and Cooper.  Nate is showing wisdom.  Jalen’s minutes are going down while AJ’s are going up.

The problem is JJ is so green and has all the other attributes.  Others wanted him playing because he had all the attributes.  Aside from his time being injured,  he was so green and we were in the middle of a playoff race.   Now, if AJ were on last years team, I think Nate would have played him.  In fact, AJ seems to have garnered the respect of Nate and his teammates... something I don't think JJ has yet. 

JJ is like Marvin Williams.   Attributes but missing some basic stuff.

 

[gurpilo]

AJ Griffin showing he should receive more than 20 mpg nightly, this is fantastic news, an athletic wing that shots well the 3 pt and has a real good midrange game. Defense is work in progress but is not bad.  A fantastic addition. 

Trae finding his rhythm and Hunter and Collins showing some consistency from game to game, still not at the level we would like, but they do not hide and show effort. 
Okongwu needs to find his place on this team.

Looking at Raptors you can see how a roster is well built, several players on injuries, Trent, Siakam, Boucher, Porter, Achiuwa, Banton.  And they still came to play with athletic wings and Forwards, Thaddeus Young, Juancho, Koloko, Flynn….

Let’s imagine we have injuries on Bogi, Capela, Okongwu, Hunter, JJ, J Holiday… who comes to play? Teams have a deep bench with real athletic and strong players that can fill a gap. Of course quality drops but they still can hold his own against NBA players.

We are 1-2 injuries away of entering a losing record, an injury to Capela, Collins or Hunter and we are done. We need to find an athletic Forward and a backup C and fire Kaminsky honestly.

[Diesel]

The mitten made an appearance last night. 

Near the end, Trae looked like he had forced a turnover off OG... refs didn't give it to him.   But I saw... The MITTEN!!

[MarylandHawk]

13 hours ago, terrell said:

Does anybody think this Hawks team as currently constructed can win a Championship?

Serious question..

A simple yes or no is all I need...

Yes

[MarylandHawk]

6 hours ago, NBASupes said:

While the wins haven't been pretty. We still got the win

All the wins are pretty. 

[NBASupes]

53 minutes ago, MarylandHawk said:

Yes

I agree. We got a championship level core. I just don't see championship level fit. We remind me of the Sixers with Simmons and Embiid. 

JC is the toughest fit right now because his touches went down and Capela and Murray eats from his hot spots. That said, it doesn't make him replaceable either. Especially on defense.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[Spud2nique]

11 hours ago, marco102 said:

Like you, I didn't think we had a shot in hell in drafting him at 16.  Glad he fell to us!

Yup. I had him going 11-15 just out of our reach. I thought maybe Charlotte would grab him because they had a couple picks, worried the Cavs would have as well.

If you remember, we got screwed out of Giannis in 2013 by 2 picks. We had 17,18 he went 15, DAMN U LARRY DREW.

In 2009, a lot of us want Ty Lawson (at the time) fell by a pick and we got Teague (blessing in disguise there).

But in 2022, we got lucky, he was still there.

 

[RedDawg#8]

4 hours ago, gurpilo said:

Okongwu needs to find his place on this team.

He has, it’s parked behind Clint on the 2nd unit. At least until he can magically morph in to stretch big.

Kind of ironic actually how many were convinced OO was going to be a PF this year, and now we are looking at JC like he is a bad fit because he plays defense and can’t shoot anymore.

It’s almost like we tried to warn people about spacing and the fact OO barely attempts jumpshots.

Boy oh boy opinions sure change fast.

At least we are winning lol

 

[NBASupes]

43 minutes ago, RedDawg#8 said:

He has, it’s parked behind Clint on the 2nd unit. At least until he can magically morph in to stretch big.

Kind of ironic actually how many were convinced OO was going to be a PF this year, and now we are looking at JC like he is a bad fit because he plays defense and can’t shoot anymore.

It’s almost like we tried to warn people about spacing and the fact OO barely attempts jumpshots.

Boy oh boy opinions sure change fast.

At least we are winning lol

 

The issue with OO at the 4 with Capela is spacing is a critical issue now, with those two together, LOL. Not even worth trying. Capela lack a range is why Houston moved him regardless of his high end impact. He makes you have to have a lot of spacers on the court with him and you add Murray, it's like you gotta double in that department. 

OO is like young Al defensively to a degree. He's a 4 to the point where he can guard some 5s but not all. Like Al, he's playing next to an undersized forward in JJ. 

Edited November 20, 2022 by NBASupes