Official Game Thread: Bulls at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“We beat a road ‘dog by the skin of our teeth AGAIN! Hawks fans, make some noise!”

Ressler:

 

First thing first… In Travis Tony Trusts! Best wishes going forward to Schlenk, and thanks for the memories!

Second thing second… First Place Hawks! Back on top in the Dirty South Division, baby! Way to go, Atlanta. I never doubted y’all for a minute…

I am sure that Nate McMillan gave the same quizzical look, around this time last month, that I gave to the divisional standings this morning.

Head coaches earn extensions from their NBA teams all the time, and few know that more intimately than Coach Mac. You know the story up in Indiana. He took a banged-up Pacers team into the 2020 Bubble, wowed their way to a 4-seed, and the Pacers owner went over his water skis to lock a reluctant McMillan down to an extension.

A couple weeks later, the even-more banged-up Pacers got swept by the heat, and McMillan was promptly presented the door, rendering him a free agent prime for the plucking by Lloyd Pierce’s Hawks.

So Nate knows his way around extensions, and torn-up interim deals, knowing how people in charge rush to hand coaches a pen and paper after just a brief spell of overachievement. But the offer Nate got from Indy was of the one-more-year variety, kicking his final walk season down the road another 365 days.

Conventionally, multi-year extensions are to be reserved for coaches who exceed expectations not just throughout the regular season, but for at least a playoff series. When McMillan walked outside with his coffee to grab the morning sports page from his driveway, it’s likely he had to pinch himself to ensure he wasn’t dreaming. What was Billy Donovan doing in Chicago to earn a multi-year extension from the Bulls? “What in the Dellavedova is this?”

The Athletic spilled the beans in November, a few months after-the-fact, and the Bulls oh-yeah-by-the-way acknowledged the news. The restocked Bulls stormed out of the gates last season, and did finish with a 46-36 record, one that would undoubtedly be better if Billy D had fuller seasons from Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and then-rookie Patrick Williams.

Without them, Chicago limped to an 8-15 post-Break finish, then got gentleman’s-swept by the division-rival Bucks. Donovan had this season and 2023-2024 locked down, but the Karnisoversley managerial regime thought it best to reward him for at least a couple more season guarantees.

Perhaps, the move was pre-emptive, ensuring the big-time schools from the NCAA ranks, or Billy D’s hometown Knicks, don’t come calling for the two-time collegiate coaching champ. Perhaps Donovan’s record at OKC, the Thunder escaping the first playoff round once in five years, still sounds aspirational to Chicago’s once-proud franchise (three playoff-game wins over the prior 7 NBA seasons). Perhaps even an underperforming Donovan sounds better than a reversion to the Hoiberg and Boylen days of yore.

Whatever the rationales, the mid-season news of the pre-season extension would have landed better if Chicago (12-18) wasn’t struggling to get back above .500, looking like a wallflower far from the punch bowl in the Eastern Conference’s parity pity party.

There is no mistaking that Atlanta (16-15; 3-0 in OT, 4-1 in one-possession games) is a 12-18 team, like Chicago, benefitting from a few late-game breaks. McMillan’s Hawks kept the helter-skelter vibes rolling with another “Hawks Win, but D@mn!” white-knuckle ride on Monday versus upstart Orlando. It was the second-straight time, the follow-up to AJ Griffin’s miracle bucket to salvage a 123-122 overtime victory here at the Highlight Farm on December 11, that a visitor arrived in Atlanta after playing the night before and had the Hawks at the end of their rope.

Each of the first three games against the Hawks, including tonight’s (7:30 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, NBC Sports Chicago) is a schedule loss on paper for the Bulls. Atlanta likely benefitted from the Bulls’ arrival the prior Monday morning from Chicago, as they did when the Magic made it down from Boston and wound up a day late and a point short.

Curdling the cream in his latte machine, former Bully-Bull Jimmy Butler came down with a case of bubble guts before last night’s affair in Miami. Chicago exploited his and Kyle Lowry’s absences, and Butler’s Haywood Highsmith replacement in the heat’s starting lineup, to secure a 113-103 victory and end a four-game skid that began with that OT defeat in Atlanta.

The next time Atlanta and Chicago meet, it won’t be the second game of a back-to-back for the Bulls (it will be the first game of one). But they will be shaking off Orly-to-O’Hare jet lag, having played the Pistons in Nique’s hometown of Paris.

McMillan can take comfort in knowing his team is healing up by the day, with Clint Capela (out, strained calf) soon to return, and that he knows the status of his everyday starting point guard. Further, Nate and the coaching staff will have more time over the holidays to ensure the “3 Cs” he preaches don’t descend into Consternation! Confrontation! Chaos! For Billy D, not so much.

Right before the Donovan extension news dropped, Zach LaVine was seething after his Bulls blew their late home lead to the Magic, victimized by a Jalen Suggs three-pointer in the closing seconds after the usually trusty Nikola Vucevic blew a pair of game-sealing free throws. LaVine watched the whole thing from the sidelines, Donovan benching his ace scorer with several minutes remaining when Zach went 1-for-14 from the field.

LaVine, like Trae Young, is a Klutch Klient, their agency serving as both a dogged star athlete representative and a tireless source of whisper campaigns through the NBA media. Not long after the playoffs concluded, rumors swirled (thanks to the Klutch mill) that Chitown wasn’t big enough for both of Lavine and DeMar DeRozan, in LaVine’s private estimation, sending Bulls, Inc. into PR wagon-circling mode.

They patched things up with their free agent, conveniently, just in time for the ink to dry on Zach’s $215 million max-money deal on the first day of July. But as the lurch toward playoff contention toughens, the Klutch whisper machine is revving up again.

The latest Sham-Wow from The Athletic claims there’s “growing skepticism” about Billy D, that LaVine and Donovan aren’t “seeing eye-to-eye”, that fussy demands by LaVine and DeRozan have been the subject of “multiple team meetings.” Lead scorers giving their head coaches the deaf-ear and the side-eye? Where they do that at?

Donovan got along great with his NBA coach, earning his NBA cup of tea playing 44 games as a Knick under his college coach, Providence’s Rick Pitino. That was around the same time as Nate McMillan’s NBA journey was just taking off, playing for Bernie Bickerstaff. They were among a bunch of young hoopers bobbing heads to the hot new hit on the airwaves, “Parents Just Don’t Understand.”

35 years later, the Fresh Prince has become a rotten curmudgeon, and coaches like Donovan and McMillan have become the Parents. The Old School. The literal Old Guard. They’re tasked with raising up tempestuous twerps who have all the answers (and quite a bit of the house budget) and would rather not be within ten yards of the people their senior, lest they sense embarrassment by seeming remotely affiliated. No, Coach, why don’t YOU bring the ball up? Why don’t YOU get back on D? Why don’t YOU take out the garbage? (You just know Jamelle tried it.)

Nate and Billy are literally from the age where you put on your slippers and grabbed your mug and hoofed it out to the driveway for that daily paper, if you wanted the sports news of the day and, if you’re lucky, a hint of what the kids you just chased from your lawn are going on about. “They call them Hacky Sacks? Huh…”

“I’m coaching in a different generation of players that I played with, and really, kind of coached,” McMillan remarked yesterday to 92.9’s Caleb Johnson and media after practice. “It’s different, the way you communicate, the way the game is played, and how they see the game. They see the game different than when I played it, and when I started coaching.” Yup.

These coaches are, roughly, from the same generation as the Tony Resslers, from the “Go New York Go New York Go!” ex-rappers who now only wear their baseball caps sideways for the irony of it. Those are the guys, unlike the players, who appreciate what these coaches were, and are. It’s the reason the Old Guard is still running the show for over half the league.

From the last generation that learned not to critique their peer’s pockets, Nate isn’t jealous of Billy D’s latest windfall. What I suspect he does, though, is look longingly down the Bulls bench at Maurice Cheeks. Nate’s heart is in his job for as long as he’s employed, even if the leaders on the floor he’s held responsible for tune him out and just do whatever comes to mind. But, gosh, would he rather be in Mo’s chair right now. In Jamelle’s. Shoot, in Travis’ cubby-hole office, getting paid for his expertise and doling out advice when solicited.

Nate fended off the Simons in Indy for as long as he could for just that reason. He was ready to latch on to LP in hopes he’d be one of the New School tacticians under whom he could ride out his long and occasionally illustrious career, as an assistant. He emerged as the cool uncle who good-copped his way into players hearts, and heads, while Pierce was losing the locker room. Now he’s stuck with daddy duties, trying to keep the house standing up and its inhabitants happy.

Just when Old School coaches think they are out, their billionaire cohorts pull them back in. McMillan was satisfied becoming a Top-25 all-time winningest coach, and he didn’t see any meaningful gain in chasing fellow Old Schooler Rick Carlisle up the chain into the Top-15. Now three victories shy of 750, Nate has an outside shot of finishing his head coaching career in Top-15 territory, even sticking around for awhile if Erik Spoelstra hangs up the suit soon. But he will only get there if Trae Young allows him the opportunity.

Seeing perhaps a withering Dejounte Murray, and fellow returnee-to-action John Collins on the sideline near Nate, and a house full of adoring Hawks fans, Young took matters into his own hands late on Monday night, in rogue fashion. Burrowing his way into multiple defenders, repeatedly, in hopes of a friendly whistle, probably was not The Move, nor was it likely The Call from McMillan.

Those plays plus a needless technical foul by Young and mindless defense from everyone gave Orlando the oxygen to wipe out a 13-point lead in the closing seven minutes of action. Luckily, the Magic left a few seconds on the clock, and a friendly whistle did arrive as Paolo Banchero bulldozed his fellow Seattleite, Murray converting on the eventual winning freebies.

But the Hawks need a sustained defensive team effort today, for 48 minutes, in the paint and around the boards, to fend off Vucevic, DeRozan (13 boards with his 34 points @ ATL back on Dec. 11), Williams and Derrick Jones. Collins and Murray will be in better shape to make their mark on this outcome.

Ultimately, McMillan needs to be able to strategize and adjust in games without just hoping the players figure out his expectations via osmosis. And Young and Murray are responsible for establishing the nexus between the staff and the rotations, however questionable, that McMillan rolls with.

They all actively have to choose to be responsible, though, if Atlanta has designs on being anything more than a late Play-In entry or an early Playoff exit, one that treats its fans to a fancy highlight play from time to time. Fans shouldn’t be leaving State Farm Arena, especially after Hawk wins, with quizzical looks on their faces.

 

Landry Fields Forever! Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[Spud2nique]

Thanks LW3!

-Hawks fan 

[macdaddy]

3 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Thanks LW3!

-Hawks fan 

@Spud2nique how'd we lose to the Bulls?   Did you get Forrest in the game?  He's the secret weapon i think. (wish he could shoot).

[lethalweapon3]

Bulls haven't released their Boo-Boo Report just yet, but Javonte Green (sore knee) was the sole scratch yesterday (discounting Lonzo and the Windy City G-Leaguers). Last night's win in Miami mercifully snapped a 13-game losing streak for Chicagoland Sports (B'hawks, Bulls, Bears). Joe Cowley is still alive and Cowleying.

~lw3

[macdaddy]

19 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Bulls haven't released their Boo-Boo Report just yet, but Javonte Green (sore knee) was the sole scratch yesterday (discounting Lonzo and the Windy City G-Leaguers). Last night's win in Miami mercifully snapped a 13-game losing streak for Chicagoland Sports (B'hawks, Bulls, Bears). Joe Cowley is still alive and Cowleying.

~lw3

Feel like he could have done better than luke warms.  Plus it shouldn't be plural. 

Like Miami Tepid

[Gray Mule]

Thank you Bulls.  Your victory last night put our Hawk team back into 1st place.  

Just don't expect us to roll over and play dead tonight because of what you did.

Now we all wonder what our GM is going to do.  I'm still hoping!  

[kg01]

I got no idea how this one's gonna go.  Both teams played 'I don't want it, you take it' with the W last week with CHI finally snatchin' the L from our clutches in spectacular fashion.

Who gets caught when the music stops tonite? 

[Final_quest]

Will be interested to see if the TS demotion/departure impacts our energy.  

[lethalweapon3]

Bulls update on the Boo-Boo Report now has starting guard Alex Caruso questionable (sprained elbow), Goran Dragic out (sore ankle), Derrick Jones out (sprained ankle) and Javonte Green upgraded to doubtful (sore knee). I figure Coby White would fill in (Ayo Dosunmu's been pretty bad) on the top line if Caruso's a no-go. Rookie Dalen Terry and Tony Bradley may find themselves getting dusted off mid-game.

~lw3

[macdaddy]

You know the NBA has basically become the 1) handful of teams that are truly elite, 2)ones with good records because they take advantage of short handed opponents, 3) truly inconsistent teams.    I want to be in group 1 but we're struggling to get from 3 to 2. 

[lethalweapon3]

~lw3

[JayBirdHawk]

OO with the start tonight.

 

 

[Diesel]

How did JC get in foul trouble already. 

 

[LucastheThird]

We have no offensive system

[terrell]

TRae needs spacing that DJM DRe and JC dont provide..

[Diesel]

OO has to get better at the PNR.

 

There was steam coming off of that Bogi Three. 

 

[Diesel]

Coach D'Antoni is going to do a lot of work on these guys. 

[Jody23]

This offense is hideous.  Almost all iso.

[terrell]

The Good

Trae feeling better about his 3 pt shot...

Good to see OO hitting the boards...

 

The Bad

JC in foul trouble already

Dre being Dre just out there running around

Murray still looks meh. 

Never know what we gonna get from Bogi..He's either on or off..

Offense is my turn your turn..

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by terrell

[TheNorthCydeRises]

2 hours ago, macdaddy said:

You know the NBA has basically become the 1) handful of teams that are truly elite, 2)ones with good records because they take advantage of short handed opponents, 3) truly inconsistent teams.    I want to be in group 1 but we're struggling to get from 3 to 2. 

 

Hawks are like . . . "We love being (3)!!!"

2nd unit putting us in a deeper hole now . . . down 14.