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Official Game Thread: Clippers at Hawks

lethalweapon3

By lethalweapon3
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lethalweapon3 Grand Master

lethalweapon3

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14df3-16663991336376-1920.jpg

“The trash gets picked up at my alma mater. Aye, I’m just saying!”

 

Right this moment, whatever it is that passes for Atlanta United FC is pooting the round football ‘round the grassy pitch in Chattanooga, in its first preseason scrimmage. In a couple days, women’s hoop free agents will be signing contracts in earnest, including hopefully a couple good ones to join forces with Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard and the Dream.

Next week, ATL-area coaches of oblong football, representing the Falcons, will be coaching up collegiate All-Star teams in Mobile and Las Vegas, with the home team’s scouts paying rapt attention to the draft prospects. As for a similarly-sized ball, Rugby ATL unveiled new colors and branding that they look to roll out as the Major League Rugby preseason snaps off next Saturday in DeKalb County.

In a couple more weeks, pitchers and catchers for the perpetual National League East champions will soon be reporting for training down in Southwest Florida. The Dawgs? They’re busy getting bottle service, while retrieving parade confetti from their hair. Prepping for midterms, too, to be sure.

While I say this every year, it bears repeating that ‘tis the season when Atlanta’s sports glare is directed exclusively toward the one major pro team in town currently playing as it counts. Some seasons, our Atlanta Hawks are steeled by the warmth, while in other years, they wilt under the heat lamp. Fans assembling at State Farm Arena today will get a rare upfront glimpse of how this team is faring in their quest to form a More Perfect Basketball Club, absent any sudden new additions.

The Clippers are in town (7:30 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, BS SoCal in LAX) on the front end of a road back-to-back set that continues tomorrow in Cleveland. Paul George might play. Kawhi Leonard might play. Or not. In any case, Ty Lue’s and Larry Drew’s team has regained its footing of late. LA (27-24) wants not only to make amends for the 112-108 home loss to the Hawks back on January 8, their sixth-straight, that dropped them to .500, but also the past two back-to-back sweeps they suffered in their schedule this month (at DEN – at MIN, vs. PHI – at UTA, all double-digit losses).

Leonard (29 points vs. ATL on Jan. 8, but just 9-for-23 FGs) sat on the back half of each of those losing pairs.  Same with George, although his early hamstring injury and exit during the 31-point loss to Denver was the reason he was inactive against the T’Wolves and versus Atlanta as well. It stands to reason Kawhi and PG are likely to be available to try extending the Clips’ current win streak to five games, which will be great news for any fans that traveled 4,400 miles to see either of them in person.

Since the last back-to-back Ls, LA got better with friendly wins over the Spurs and defenseless Mavs, while outlasting LeBron’s 46 points by throttling his Laker mates in a “road” win over the cross-court rivals. With both stars sharing the stage, the Clippers (NBA-low 92.9 Pace, NBA-bests of 138.5 O-Rating, 66.8 eFG% and +20.5 Net Rating over last four games) have been meticulously exploiting their invisible sixth-man on the court – Lue’s five-out schemes – to bewilder opponents with sag-heavy bigs and improve what had been woeful offensive output.

Leaning more on Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington (out, personal reasons) and, when healthy, Marcus Morris (questionable, bruised rib, missed Thursday’s 38-point win @ SAS) has helped grant center Ivica Zubac (17 points and 18 rebounds vs. ATL, in a month-high 38 minutes) a needed breather. When Zubac is off the floor, Atlanta will need foul-free minutes from Onyeka Okongwu and John Collins to meet the stretchy bigs, as well as stout backcourt and wing defense to keep Reggie Jackson (now a bench scorer, in favor of starting guard Terance Mann), George and Leonard from collapsing the Hawks with their pernicious dribble-drives.

Having De’Andre Hunter (active, DNP past 2 games, asthma) back just to breathe on LA’s star wings will go a long way toward helping Nate McMillan field competitive lineups. Productive defensive outings from young forwards Jalen Johnson and AJ Griffin will be needed to slow Clipper rolls and cuts to the basket, and limit the exploitation of Trae Young and Bogi Bogdanovic, who should each be mindful there will be ample Clipper outlet and swing passes worthy of deflection coming their way.

The Hawks won’t be in town much longer, after the final buzzer today. As this game is the first of LA’s six-game Eastern Conference excursion (Thursday’s win vs. SAS the sole home game in a run of 11 games for LAC), Atlanta (25-24) extends their stretch of nine-straight NBA West opponents by returning to the road for the next five games, including the seemingly annual Utah-Denver back-to-back.

As of now, competing for the Atlanta sports-fan attendee’s dollar are the Hawks, who fumbled away their last home game against Charlotte, and the “pro” teams up in Gwinnett. Specifically, the winless Georgia Swarm of the National Lacrosse League, and the Atlanta Gladiators, the latter presently fighting to keep pace with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in the East Coast Hockey League.

Please, Hawks. Don’t make Atlanta fans have to choose.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

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Sothron
Sothron

It won't let me quote @JayBirdHawk but Brad Rowland has the best podcast on the Hawks, period. Check it out if you don't already. it is Locked On Hawks part of the Locked On (put in team name) network

JayBirdHawk
JayBirdHawk
Sothron
Sothron

In the modern NBA you simply cannot get outshot behind the three point line like this. Every night the Hawks are always outshot from three.  There was what 12 more three pointers made by the Clip

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lethalweapon3 Grand Master

lethalweapon3

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Out West, the true road Warriors play for LA.

This will be the 27th away game for the Clips. The only NBA team that has played more road games so far is the last team that won here at The Farm, Charlotte (28). Atlanta has 26 under its belt already, before heading out for five more.

~lw3

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benhillboy Grand Master

benhillboy

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46 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Because you can't spell DEPILATED without ATL!

~lw3

This kid maturing by the day.  I’m too old to quarrel about the importance of grooming and appearance so yall please don’t lol.

Hawks with a clean injury report again.  Let’s hope it lasts until the final whistle smh.  Dre need to tote around an oxygen tank with his octogenarian ass.

Edited by benhillboy
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kg01 Grand Master

kg01

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43 minutes ago, Diesel said:

The Clipps will be a hard mountain to climb.  I purused their last two games.  Damn.   They look like worldbeaters.   BUt I believe we can pull it up to restart the streak!!!

This will be a very different team than the one we beat a while ago.

My prediction?  Well let's just say 'if rap was a game, I'd be MVP.  Most valuable poet on tha m.i.c.'

10 pts if you get the reference.  I'm expecting @MaceCase to know this one or I'm pullin' his 90's NY hip hop membership card. 

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