Official Game Thread: Hawks at Nuggets

[lethalweapon3]

“Send me your tired, your… On second thought, just send me with Kyrie. I’m tired, too!”

 

Tidbits Mode!

Third Eye Ky for Jamal Murray? Who Says No? (Sorry. Blame it on the Colorado kush.)

I had an inkling the ever-swerving Irving was going to pull some mess, but I thought it’d be during ASG weekend in SLC, as millions of fans voted in hopes of watching him find some way to make a Eeyore of himself in front of the cameras and microphones.

Now, does K.I. even plan on showing up? Is he popping up with some Free Andrew Tate beanie on to punish his bazillionaire Brooklyn oppressors with half-hearted, nonsensical Aaron Rodgers-style distractions yet again?

Whatever. I’m burning some sage for poor Jacque Vaughn. If anybody asks, yes, it’s sage.

I’m puff-puff-passing on a semi-serious gamethread, for this back-to-back for our Hawks in Denver (9 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL), since You Know Who has once again sucked all the oxygen out of the NBA Twitter room, and the bandwidth from my brain.

Trae Young misses one (1) game out of a hissyfit at practice with his club. Alas, he doesn’t have the benefit of having shot one (1) Finals-winning jumper to secure LeBron his long-sought ring in his success-starved NBA hometown. As penance, Trae will spend ASG weekend catching up on The Last of Us. Meanwhile wishy-washy-whiny Kyrie, skipping out on weeks of games for a purported title contender over a couple seasons based on basura entirely of his own making… starts… for Team Bron Bron? I guess? What did I do with those munchies?

You won’t be shocked to hear the Nuggets (36-16) had time to watch last night’s affair, the Hawks blitzing an NBA West rival for the second-straight game before hanging on for the 115-108 win in Utah, after thumping the Klay-less and Dray-less Dubs in the second half on Thursday. Concluding their three-game  homestand at Ball Arena, Denver wants backsies after losing in December, 117-109 to a Hawks team that was starting AJ Griffin, Jarrett Culver, and Jalen Johnson for Trae (let’s not delve into why again), John Collins, and last night's hero, De’Andre Hunter.

Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic’s triply-doubly ways were reasonably contained on that December day (24 points, 10 boards, 8 dimes), held to 4, 4, and 2, respectively, thanks to a valiant effort from Clint Capela, as the Hawks enjoyed a 60-46 first-half lead. The Joker (questionable for tonight, tight hammy) heated up in the second half, yet he was aced by Dejounte Murray (20 of his 34 in the second-half) matching him point-for-point, while the rookie Griffin showed off his interior scoring chops, keeping Denver off-kilter just long enough to secure a relieving home victory.

Denver didn’t have Michael Porter on that day. While Porter is back and scoring decently (last 19 games: 16.0 PPG, 49.1 FG%, 40.9 3FG%), the Nuggets might be without Aaron Gordon, who missed the Warriors game while nursing a sprained ankle. If Gordon (career-best 38.8 3FG%) is a scratch again, coach Mike Malone will likely plug in Vlatko Cancar (47.1 3FG%), helping the league’s most accurate three-point shooters (NBA-high 39.8 team 3FG%) open up the floor for Murray and Jokic. While the Hawks' adherence to perimeter defensive principles has improved markedly during the past few days of this road trip, the Nugget shooters are the biggest boss that they've seen thus far.

So, Stephen A., your thoughts? No, not about the weed, sir. About a Nuggets-Nets blockbuster, one probably not seen since the ABA days! On such a winter’s day, forget all that California Dreamin’ over in Purple-and-Gold Land. Would Kyrie’s acquisition go over as a ball-handling backcourt upgrade in the Purple Mountain Majesties? Is there a Purple State with an NBA owner willing to fork over years of guaranteed cash for a shot at Irving making a difference at playoff time, a team whose fans would welcome the not-so-droll dribbling machine with open arms?

I dunno if Calvin Booth’s Nuggs have the chutzpah to risk cleaving off a key component of their team, and tinker with team chemistry, as they’re already heading into the All-Star Break atop their conference with as good a chance as anyone to finally, at long last, reach The Finals. As one Bally Sports color analyst knows quite well, it wouldn’t be the first time a team like that took such a leap, leaving fans to wonder whether someone in the front office is Mile-high.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Thankfully it still feels a couple months premature to speculate on Nate's post-Head Coaching destinations. But Calvin Booth's peak (using the term very loosely) seasons as an NBA vet came while playing under Coach Nate with the Sonics. Might a spot on Michael Malone's front bench be in Nate's future? He'd probably want assurances that Malone is safe through next season. Mike's...excuse me, Michael's... dad Brendan was a consultant in Seattle when Nate was playing there in the mid-1990s.

~lw3

[Spud2nique]

22 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Tidbits Mode!

I’ll take anything I can get I drool for your ish lw3! 

 

23 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Third Eye Ky for Jamal Murray? Who Says No? (Sorry. Blame it on the Colorado kush.)

The Nuggs GM immediately fired. Although Kyme and Joker would be really a fun skilled duo but it might result in Joker crushing the lil ego at some point. DONT DO IT!!!!

 

24 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

but I thought it’d be during ASG weekend in SLC, as millions of fans voted in hopes of watching him find some way to make a Eeyore of himself in front of the cameras and microphones.

 

It’s his pregame show. You know, wet the appetite… 

 

25 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

If anybody asks, yes, it’s sage.

 What would you do for a Klondike bar? @lethalweapon3 

 

27 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

I’m puff-puff-passing

@kg01 needs some! Lol.

 

30 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

What did I do with those munchies?

Have you had the chocolate bottom crusted rice crispies treat? It has to be a hardened bottom. Omg I drooled ..

33 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Cancar

This kid balls!

[lethalweapon3]

A seven nation army couldn't get Jack White ready for tonight's game. As we await the Hawks' contributions to the Boo-Boo Report, the Australian Dookie two-way swingman for the Nuggets has a strained adductor. Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon are each still listed as Questionable, while Bones Hyland (non-You Know What illness) is listed as Probable.

~lw3

[Spud2nique]

34 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

No, not about the weed, sir.

 

35 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

chutzpah

 

36 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Mile-high.

@lethalweapon3 if you were here I’d make you a mile high sandwich thin slices of delicious meats! 


Thanks for the thread sir! 
 

Vegas has Nuggs -6

#freebones  
 

 

[lethalweapon3]

I blame Bones for passing it on, but Trae's up to Questionable on the non-You Know What illness tip.

~lw3

[Sothron]

Trae is OUT for the game. Going to be very hard to win this game now.

[sturt]

 

Trade coming???

[JayBirdHawk]

4 minutes ago, Sothron said:

Trae is OUT for the game. Going to be very hard to win this game now.

We did beat them at The Farm earlier in the season without Trae, Hunter and Collins.

[sturt]

6 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

We did beat them at The Farm earlier in the season without Trae, Hunter and Collins.

Not holding my breath, but Jokic has sat out 3 of their last 7 games.

 

[JayBirdHawk]

1 minute ago, sturt said:

Not holding my breath, but Jokic has sat out 3 of their last 7 games.

 

 

 

[sturt]

1 minute ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

 

 

[Spud2nique]

We still gonna win, fck a Bugatti.

Hawks!

[JayBirdHawk]

Who get the start in place of Trae? AHol?

 

[kg01]

Isn't Kyrie also sitting out pending trade?

Hmmmmmmm .... 

[h4wkfan]

Start AJ! 
 

Line jumped quickly with Trae out … the wrong way. 
 

Hawks by 7. 

[terrell]

19 minutes ago, h4wkfan said:

Start AJ! 
 

Line jumped quickly with Trae out … the wrong way. 
 

Hawks by 7. 

He's starting..

[hawkman]

Loving AJ's activity out there. Make them work on defense.

[Guest]

Like watching pinball tonight!

[JTB]

Sorry but I hate OO being on Jokic and Jokic has even done anything yet in terms of scoring.