Official Game Thread: Hawks at Mavericks

[lethalweapon3]

 “S.O.S.! Save Our Slovenian!”

 

Help me jog my memory, but did the Dallas Mavericks not have an office employee making the rounds who was known for years around the cubicles as “Pants DJ”?

No, not you, DeAndre Jordan. This was the ticket sales guy. You wear shorts to work, anyway.

The Mavs almost lost their longtime owner, in small part, because of it. Also, for keeping a team president and Creep Executive Officer around that had enough sexually-harassed staffers under his watch to fill a cheerleader squad. And for having one dude in charge of all things HR to keep the unseemly stuff under wraps for as long as he could.

Mark Cuban, the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-meddling owner, was able to skate by convincing investigators, and the NBA league office, that he knew nothing, saw nothing, and meddled in nothing untoward as part of his custodial duties.

Wait. Didn’t Mark have a poker player and sports bettor as his right-hand man and shadow GM for years before, and after, that? The guy who referred to the Mavs’ front office, on his way out the door once things got too hot under the collar for him, as “high school drama?” A gossipy “sewing circle”? Wasn’t the guy who was fronted as the real team GM, Donnie Nelson, shown the door just months before? I mean, gag me with a spoon!

Didn’t Rick Carlisle take a hard look around what was going on behind the wunderkind, Luka Doncic, and high-tail it for greener pastures? In Indiana? Didn’t Luka’s personally-closest assistant coach, ironically defensive coordinator Jamahl Mosley, catch the first train smoking to Orlando rather than see things through? Wasn’t Cuban’s gambling man the thread that unraveled much of that? Am I just making this up in my head?

There was a time when the Atlanta Hawks’ executive, administrative and coaching staff wasn’t under the heat lamp and the microscope of the basketball intelligentsia. But the last time they were, the players took a few months to gel, then went on to trick off 60 wins, and produce a bunch of All-Stars, and earn their coach season-ending honors, and reach the Conference Finals for the first time in their history in this city. Go ask Kyle Korver and Jeff Teague, they’ll tell you all about it.

This is a time when the scrutiny of Cuban’s Dallas Mavericks, who host the lukewarm Atlanta Hawks this evening (7:30 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, BS Southwest in DFWA, ESPN), is not centered on the people he hires toiling behind the scenes. Although, so long as he is holding the keys, there’s a reasonable chance that time may come around again.

No, right now the onus is on Jason Kidd, the Mavs head coach who might be Dallas’ best hope, on the court, to stop somebody.

Who is giving up 276 points, in consecutive days, to Chauncy Billups’ mighty Trail Blazers? Granted, Doncic was DNP’d on the SEGABABA in Portlandia, a 140-123 loss, one night after throwing up a clunker (0-for-5 3FGs, 1-for-6 FTs) in the Mavs’ 136-119 defeat. That latest loss, the Mavs’ fourth in their past five and fifth in the last seven, dropped Dallas to 24-21 on the season, 2.5 games out of 3^rd in the NBA West, but also 2.5 games out of a dogfight for the 10^th seed and final Play-In spot.

Yes, Dallas did go on a seven-win tear over the recent holidays. But four of those victories came over their Longhorn State mates, the Rockets and Spurs. Further, an overtime home win over the Knicks required a 60-point opus and some classic cunning from Doncic to complete a 12-point comeback at the close of regulation. The subsequent road trip began with a 124-95 thrashing in Boston, and the sole victory from the trip featured Luka playing a career-high 53 minutes (35 points, 14 boards, 13 dimes) to eclipse LeBron and Friends by just four points.

The Mavericks sitting at 24-21, not 21-24, is a good reason why people aren’t glaring at the 33.8 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 8.8 APG, 1.6 SPG supernova and demanding more from him, questioning his All-Star worthiness and his relationship to his teammates.

As it stands, this is a snail’s-pace team that’s subpar rebounding the ball, or thwarting dribble penetration, but gets heralded anyway and is above-.500 because Doncic can go on a heater and bend games to his will when he suits up, more times than not (21-6 when Luka scores 32+ points, 3-10 when he scores less, 0-5 when he’s absent).

As Trae Young’s Hawks (22-22, seeking a fourth-straight road win after hanging on to beat MIA on MLK Day), the heat, Clippers and Wizards swing through American Airlines Center over the next seven nights, Kidd needs reinforcements. According to Woj, Dorian Finney-Smith (upgraded to probable, strained adductor) is getting ushered back after missing the past 14 games, a defensive keystone in Kidd’s lineups, as is third-year guard Josh Green (sprained elbow, missed DAL’s last 20 games).

Junior Hardaway (sprained ankle) and Maxi Kleber (torn hammy) remain out, although neither would resolve the defensive lag (121.4 January D-Rating, 28^th in NBA). With the ball in hand, players aside from Luka (probable, sore ankle) have to generate more offense for one another (16.8 January assists per 100 possessions, 27^th in NBA), and I’m not sure how much Timmy and Maxi’s pending returns would aid in that department either.

If the malaise extends for Dallas through this homestand, external pressure will elevate on their GM, Nico Harrison, the Nike outsider who Cuban hired out of the blue, to “Help” Luka before the Trade Deadline comes. Cuban is already going as far as getting a freshly painted “Help Luka!” mural in The Big D a hasty makeover. But the writing is on the wall, for Harrison and his friend Kidd, and even for Cuban (who cited Brooklyn’s hiring of Steve Nash as the inspiration for bringing in Kidd with Harrison), if the Maverick slide continues with woeful defense and unimaginative offense.

No one knows how quickly the worm can turn for a head coach, after reaching a Conference Finals, better than Atlanta’s Nate McMillan. There have been signs lately, though, that McMillan’s imperfections with mid-game lineup decisions can be managed while the Hawks prevail in the games where they should be favored.

Clint Capela’s full return to a roster that was ravaged on the boards in his absence (NBA-low 67.2 January D-Reb%; 112.3 January D-Rating, 6^th in NBA) ought to be a boon for a team, Young included, that has been doing a better job getting halfcourt stops (51.1 January opponent eFG%, 5^th-best in NBA). Atlanta must exploit its relative health advantages, versus Dallas and moving forward. McMillan has to avoid listening to Peyton Manning’s advice on halftime adjustments, deploying matchups that allow Atlanta to adequately counter their foes, stem opponent momentum, and control the pace of games to their liking for the better part of 48 minutes.

Young will cut down on the turnovers (10 vs. MIA in Monday’s 121-113 win), but he is demonstrating a willingness to defy perspectives that his long-term pairing with Dejounte Murray (28 points, incl. 12 in the fourth quarter to put Miami to bed) is doomed to failure. Doing a better job of anticipating the ball coming his way when Murray is applying defensive pressure, Young collected a season-high four steals. Trae (last 4 games: 51.9 3FG%, 92.1 FT%, 27.3 PPG, 9.0 APG) also found new ways to connect with Dejounte and others on the break off turnovers.

When Kyle and Jeff’s Hawks were waylaid by 33 points, by the Cavs’ Big 3 in Cleveland back in November 2014, they fell to 5-4, doubts of their seaworthiness were aplenty. Their GM was walking the plank, the ownership turmoil still shadowed overhead, and the NBA contenders’ trade sharks were circling.

Atlanta began to turn things around, lifting sails as the league’s Trade window opened. But the looming first-half of January 2015, with tough road trips, would be the telltale sign to fans of whether we had a Good Ship Lollipop or a warship on our hands. Turned out it was the Titanic, eventually, thanks to an iceberg named LeBron. But for a decent stretch that winter, the All-Star starting backcourt of Jeff and Kyle were kings of the world.

The rocked boat that is the Hawks’ current front office may still be tossing and turning from some stormy weather, and plugging leaks as they go along. But the players on the court need to continue playing True to Atlanta and true to one another, not as though they’ve been distracted by a haboob. Or by a Haralabos, if you prefer.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Good question, sir! Somebody close to Mark should give him a call and gather his thoughts.

~lw3

[JayBirdHawk]

 refs for tonight

 

[macdaddy]

let's do this.   Miami was the first statement game of the season.  This is #2.   Let's make sure the Mavs look like it. 

[hawkman]

7 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

let's do this.   Miami was the first statement game of the season.  This is #2.   Let's make sure the Mavs look like it. 

I feel like this is a must win game even though it's not really a must win game. This winning streak has been one of the few things to be encouraged about with all of the dysfunction surrounding the Hawks lately. No reason to come out unprepared tonight. Curb stomp these guys in their own arena and let the media and rest of the league know the Hawks are formidable regardless of the turmoil within the organization. Winning this game in convincing fashion on BSPN would be sweet.

[benhillboy]

Is an American ever gonna win the MVP again?

Tatum been playing virtually flawless ball, Luka and Jokic still distinguishing themselves from the pack.

[AHF]

43 minutes ago, benhillboy said:

Is an American ever gonna win the MVP again?

Tatum been playing virtually flawless ball, Luka and Jokic still distinguishing themselves from the pack.

Safe to say that will happen again.  Americans won it 11 years in a row before Giannis and Jokic.  

[benhillboy]

29 minutes ago, AHF said:

Safe to say that will happen again.  Americans won it 11 years in a row before Giannis and Jokic.  

That has no bearing on the future.  A shift has clearly happened.  
 

Luka got 10-12 more years of dominant play, Jokic about 5.   I know nothing of Wembadaya or whatever but most think he’s gonna be transcendent.  
 

Isaiah Thomas detailed it pretty well in an NBA segment called “Let It Be Known”.  American players are coming in as AAU pay-for-play brats.  The best international players are enetering the league as pros having played against seasoned 30 year olds .  They’ve nullified the usual athleticism disadvantage with considerably more advanced BBIQ.  American players are just now realizing trying to copy Steph isn’t prudent as if it ever was.

Edited January 18, 2023 by benhillboy

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[lethalweapon3]

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

"Now I didn't say anything about implied..."

~mark³n

[lethalweapon3]

"Hi, Pannek. Yeah, it's me. Shark-man wasn't happy, so let's work something else out!"

~lukathad0n

[lethalweapon3]

 "Gimme that Timmy poster!"

~bawb

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[terrell]

All things considered, the Mavs are just 1 game ahead of us in the loss column. .... granted it took us a mini win streak to get here, but here we are....You won't see this mentioned on ESPN though.  Just how bad and dysfuntional the Hawks are...... That segment on Luka/Trae trade was HORRIBLE look for us. They didnt even mention our trip to ECF until the very end....Smh

We're completely healthy now for once(albeit CC on a min restriction).. Tonight is a great chance to change the narrative for a while....... 

I hope Trae and Murray go off BIG time..ESPECIALLY Trae...

I hope Dre locks up Luka...

I hope the Hawks win in a rout...

The end........

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by terrell

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

 

Let's go lets go lets go!

 

 

[terrell]

If JJ gets another DNP Nate should be charged criminally..

Let him run the point instead of AH for 4 minutes at the very least.. smh

Edited January 19, 2023 by terrell

[Wretch]

We're totally gonna win this game. I believe in the Hawks! 

[Wretch]

I'm predicting a BIG, FAT, (W) tonight BTW...! 

LETS GO HAWKS!

I'M ALWAYS TRUE TO ATLANTA! 

[Spud2nique]

Thanks lw3.

Vegas has Mavs -3

2k has Hawks -10

Hawks backcourt combines for 93. 
 

4 in a row. Trae is seething …
 

Go Hawks!