Official Game Thread: Hawks at Nets

[lethalweapon3]

“Brooklyn, Brooklyn… Take Me Out.”

 

I have grown exhausted chasing all year after that dadgum Earl Lloyd Trophy. Stop being such a tease, Miami. Go ahead, it’s all yours! You can keep it. Enjoy.

ICYMI, the NBA decided last year to let the homie from the Hennessy commercials chisel up some trophies for its six division winners. No guaranteed Top-4 or Top-6 spot for you, no. But here’s some crystal and gold on a sphere for your owner’s trophy case. Huzzah! Drink responsibly.

With all respect due to the great Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, I would humbly request that the Commissioner’s Office rename one of those trophies after the man most responsible for the happenings in the Atlantic Division.

The best part is, Trae Young didn’t have to do much more than stand around to earn that trophy’s namesake.

He’s minding his own business early last season, at State Farm Arena, when Kevin Durant approaches the Atlanta Hawks point guard’s backside as the latter awaits the ball and hugs Trae like he’s some product of those Mod tormentors at My Little Pony, Inc. “Can I take this one home with me? Please? I just can’t with Patty Mills anymore. And Kooky Kyrie is breaking my brain. I’ll clean my room, I promise!”

Mere months later, KD and Kyrie Irving realize they just can’t with Brooklyn Nets co-star James Harden, either. Or perhaps Harden decided he just can’t with either of those two. Who can tell anymore?

Whatever the case, that guy who had a possible series-sealing lay-in, with a defender, if you will, in Trae just standing there beside the basket, and decided to get extra cute with it? Yeah, KD and Nets GM Sean Marks decided: “We can rebuild him!”

Peeved at coach Doc Rivers declining to resort to postgame coachspeak, then fully torpedoing the Sixers’ long-held dreams of a successful Process, Ben Simmons gets shipped from Broad Street to Off-Broadway. As his old team’s final remnant of the Process spends the ensuing seasons MVP-hunting, Simmons goes on to watch in style, in literal Parisian runway fashion, as his new employer’s team gets unceremoniously swept in the first round by the eventual Eastern Conference champs from archrival Boston.

The summer hits, and KD is conniving to give the self-appointed connoisseur of what is, and is not, basketball the heave-ho. Before Kyrie could go all Ebert at the Movies with his cinematographic review of Birth of a Nation (1915), Steve Nash snatches up his Playbill and jets, leaving his assistant coach Jacque Vaughn holding the greasy bag mere weeks into the start of this season.

Vaughn, the former Hawks point guard from days gone by, accords himself well in the head role, and Simmons makes some nice cameos in December. He chipped in with 10 points and 5 rebounds to help KD, Kyrie and the visiting Nets outlast an Atlanta team, 108-107, that was without the services of Young, Clint Capela or De’Andre Hunter. Alas, the fun wouldn’t last.

Tired of being jerked around by The Man, or The Men who run The Media, who can tell anymore, Kyrie demands out of NYC proper. He gets his wish. And then Durant, looking around at Ben and what’s left, seeks to hit the skids, too. KD is now helping Devin Booker’s Suns surge to the middle of the playoff pack in the Western Conference, Surly Kyrie helping Angry Luka’s Mavs surge to the middle of the whole pack.

As the fog of trade war clears, Vaughn inherits as many as four new Net starters. The headliner, Mikal Bridges, is a young ironman touted for providing Booker with top-notch defensive balance. Problem is, on this roster he gets to be Booker, too (26.8 PPG, 42.3 3FG%, 0.9 SPG w/ BRK), and that elevated usage has caused his All-Defensive tenacity to wane.

Especially when he can get his three-ball to fall, forward Cameron Johnson (team-highs of 6.9 3FGAs/game and 1.4 SPG) is shooting like a man who knows he can sign a tough-to-swallow offer sheet this summer. Dorian Finney-Smith and returning Net Spencer Dinwiddie aren’t chopped liver, either. But none are the filet mignon bites Brooklyn fans had grown accustomed to noshing while spending much of the past half-decade sticking their tongue out at Knicks fans across the river.

As for Simmons? Well, you’ll be shocked to hear he has an impinged back. As yours would be, too, if you’ve transitioned from couch potato to bench potato in the space of two full NBA seasons. Victimized by Trae’s Hawks, too, in 2021, Julius Randle finally decided he’s not going out with a whimper like Simmons. His Knicks grab a guard that can keep up, Randle goes All-NBA level, and New York fans are thrilled with third place in the Atlantic, even more with sneering down at Brooklyn for once.

Let’s not leave out the Raptors. Toronto, needing anything close to resembling Trae’s bucket-creating output at this stage, had been chasing Fred Van Vleet with extension offers since last summer. The money ain’t right, said Fred.

Van Vleet shoots sub-.400 from the field almost all year long, and the Raptors swiftly slide from relevance in the Atlantic. Masai Ujiri, rather than blow up the team, settles for window dressing at the Trade Deadline. Van Vleet responds by absolutely going off – on some referees.

His intended short-term rental of a backcourt partner, Gary Trent, has only been modestly better than FVV as a shooter, and not much improved at virtually anything else. He’s been relegated to the bench for the past month, coach Nick Nurse deciding that a single wild-shooting guard in his starting unit is enough.

The Raptors are looking Play-In ready of late, but they face a tricky road trip and a home game against the Bucks to close things out. Van Vleet and Trent can opt-out this summer, and the fear around T-Town for next season, at this point, is that both might opt in.

The Celtics for the past year-plus are just, “Okay! Moving right along…” Still, it must be noted, Marcus Smart isn’t suplexing himself in desperate attempts to get under the skin of Spencer Dinwiddie (8.4 APG, 30.3 3FG%). The only scoring point guard threat he respects, outside of Jrue Holiday, is scheduled to face Dinwiddie and the Nets tonight in Brooklyn (7:30 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, YES Network in The BK).

Given his druthers, Smart is hoping for enough half-baked efforts by Young’s half-hearted Hawks (38-38) in their final half-dozen games, whereby he isn’t wearing himself out chasing him and/or Dejounte Murray over the course of a theoretical first-round playoff series. The hardwood floors would appreciate a break from Smart, too.

Smart would much rather draw a team like the Nets (44.9 post-All-Star team FG%, 29^th in NBA; 50.2 FG% pre-All-Star was 2^nd in NBA) that is reconstituting on the fly. Holdover center Nic Claxton and former Quin Snyder pupil Royce O’Neale (career-worst 39.0 FG%, incl. 37.5% on twos) can only do so much to clean up the glass for Brooklyn (24.7 post-All-Star O-Reb%, tied-27^th in NBA; 69.0 post-All-Star D-Reb%, 27^th in NBA) with so much wayward shooting and paint abdication about.

Last Saturday’s blowout win in Miami (thanks, I guess?) was the sole victory by the Nets in a 1-6 stretch. They were pants’d in Orlando the very next day. Even granted a couple off-days, they needed all that rest just to catch up to the Rockets here at Barclays Center on Wednesday, turning around a 100-92 fourth-quarter deficit with a blitz over the final two minutes to prevail 123-114.

In addition to keeping turnovers low, Brooklyn keeps themselves in the running by gaining the edge at the free throw line. Despite their shooting woes, Vaughn’s troopers have beaten Boston, Minnesota, Denver, and Miami this month, all on the road, by drawing shooting fouls and pumping in more freebies (21.1 made FTs/game in wins, 6^th in NBA).

If the Hawks’ bigs can commit to staying out of foul trouble, Atlanta can continue to overwhelm opponents like the Nets inside, at both ends. Per Elias Sports, barring a huge setback from Onyeka Okongwu (career-high 21 points vs. CLE off-bench), he and Clint Capela will finish this evening as the NBA’s first pair of qualifying teammates to shoot at a 70-percent clip or higher in a full calendar month.

AJ Griffin will be a vital contributor this evening, especially if Snyder is unable to turn to either of forwards De’Andre Hunter (questionable, swollen knee) or Jalen Johnson (strained hammy and groin, upgraded to questionable). Pastor Griff can bless the Hawks with balance off the bench, along with Bogi Bogdanovic (15-for-21 on 3FGs and season-high 22.3 PPG vs. BRK). Tonight’s victor, though, will be the one who does not let infatuation with off-shooting stretches override their fullcourt defensive focus.

Looking through the crystal ball, the Southeast Division is still up for grabs, but only until the heat figures a way to score 110 points in a basketball game. Meanwhile, congrats to the Atlantic Division’s Boston Celtics, winners once again of… The Trae Young Award? Hmm. The Traephy! Even better.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[Spud2nique]

7 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

who can tell anymore,

The theme as well it should be… I’m thoroughly confused every which way.

 

9 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Problem is, on this roster he gets to be Booker, too (26.8 PPG, 42.3 3FG%, 0.9 SPG w/ BRK), and that elevated usage has caused his All-Defensive tenacity to wane.

Dude is underrated as they come. I’m really surprised at his offense as a Net. He is stepping up. Ultimate team dude.

 

10 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

sign a tough-to-swallow offer sheet this summer.

Seek advice from anyone but Dennis shrew.

 

12 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Van Vleet responds by absolutely going off – on some referees.

 Ya he did. Way too real Fred.

 

13 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

theoretical first-round playoff series.

I desire an confrontation with the Celts.  I want them. 

 

14 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

They were pants’d in Orlando the very next day.

Atomic wedgie ?

 

15 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Onyeka Okongwu (career-high 21 points vs. CLE off-bench),

Give my boi more burn ..

 

16 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

The Traephy!

  ( lw3 wants one of these by Sunday evening). #fantasylove

Thanks @lethalweapon3 you da man! 
 

Vegas got Hawks -1.5

2K got Hawks by 16.

Another chance to go over .500 today! Game #77 let’s goooo!

GO HAWKS!!!!

ps Nice win yesterday Braves 1-0. 

[macdaddy]

1 hour ago, Spud2nique said:

The theme as well it should be… I’m thoroughly confused every which way.

 

Dude is underrated as they come. I’m really surprised at his offense as a Net. He is stepping up. Ultimate team dude.

 

Seek advice from anyone but Dennis shrew.

 

 Ya he did. Way too real Fred.

 

I desire an confrontation with the Celts.  I want them. 

 

Atomic wedgie ?

 

Give my boi more burn ..

 

  ( lw3 wants one of these by Sunday evening). #fantasylove

Thanks @lethalweapon3 you da man! 
 

Vegas got Hawks -1.5

2K got Hawks by 16.

Another chance to go over .500 today! Game #77 let’s goooo!

GO HAWKS!!!!

ps Nice win yesterday Braves 1-0. 

zero 3s?  

[Guest]

Won't be able to watch this one tonight.  My brother is in town from NYC so I'll be visiting.
So, if we win or lose it's not on me (or is it?).  

[Spud2nique]

33 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

zero 3s?  

I can’t shoot in this game. I’ve played it for 20 years or so never had a problem always been a good 3 point shooter but something is off this year and I never adapted.  Otherwise I’d shoot about 25 a game.

[Spud2nique]

19 minutes ago, LongTimeFan said:

not on me

 

19 minutes ago, LongTimeFan said:

My brother

… pin it on him. He’s from NY huh? Tell him Spud and Trae say hi    I kid of course, have fun guy!

[warcore]

30 minutes ago, LongTimeFan said:

Won't be able to watch this one tonight.  My brother is in town from NYC so I'll be visiting.
So, if we win or lose it's not on me (or is it?).  

Well my brother visited the night of the Cavs game.... hopefully visits from brothers are good luck???

[JayBirdHawk]

56 minutes ago, LongTimeFan said:

Won't be able to watch this one tonight.  My brother is in town from NYC so I'll be visiting.
So, if we win or lose it's not on me (or is it?).  

 

25 minutes ago, warcore said:

Well my brother visited the night of the Cavs game.... hopefully visits from brothers are good luck???

I missed the Cavs game and will miss tonight's game...so hopefully good fortunes vs Nets.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

Who starts in place of Hunter? Bogi, Bey or AJ?

[lethalweapon3]

The only Net on the fence is backup big Day'Ron Sharpe, who is listed as Probable despite a sprained ankle.

We were holding out for a hero when last these teams played, and Trae did not disappoint.

~lw3

[warcore]

3 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

Is it bad that I'm more excited about Dre being out than Jalen coming back?

[sturt]

52 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Who starts in place of Hunter? Bogi, Bey or AJ?

 

Hey hey hey... remember me?

[Gray Mule]

Does it really matter whether the Hawks win or lose tonight?  Either way it goes, we stay within one game of that magical .500 mark!

Not this game but the next one.  If we win tonight, we must lose the next one and if we lose this one we must win the next one.  

[macdaddy]

1 hour ago, Gray Mule said:

Does it really matter whether the Hawks win or lose tonight?  Either way it goes, we stay within one game of that magical .500 mark!

Not this game but the next one.  If we win tonight, we must lose the next one and if we lose this one we must win the next one.  

[benhillboy]

On paper the Hawks’ 2nd Unit should annihilate theirs.  This game does come after a win though so there’s that…

[akay]

3 hours ago, warcore said:

Is it bad that I'm more excited about Dre being out than Jalen coming back?

Prolly, our defense noticeably dips whenever he's out. We're 3-8 with Hunter

[JayBirdHawk]

JC enjoys playing vs Brooklyn.

 

 

[Wurider05]

I honestly don't expect us to win this game.

[terrell]

12 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

JC enjoys playing vs Brooklyn.

 

 

I cant tell...