Official Playoff Game Thread: Celtics at Hawks -- GAME 4

[lethalweapon3]

“FIXED!”

 

I arrived in Atlanta just in time to see the whole town as upset as they had been when New Coke first came on the scene.

TEN numbers to dial? Ten? Won’t anyone think of all the poor folks with rotary phones? And might Morris Day and The Time, and Tommy Tutone, have to remake their hit songs?

Trusty radio ad jingles needed a hasty re-write. And business signs and awnings all over town, untouched for generations, were coming down. They were all being redesigned and re-erected. This time, with a parenthetical addendum to the old, tried-and-true 555-1212.

Georgia, in particular its largest metropolises, have long been growing. The entire state of Georgia, and its 3.5 million citizens, was designated an area code of 404, under the North American Numbering Plan of 1947. In just seven years, Macon and points south needed a separate code, 912, as Atlanta’s bustling airport-driven growth had the state already running low on landline numbers.

Southern Bell’s White Pages were bursting at the seams by 1992. The landlines had to compete with standalone fax machines, routers, pagers, and those bulky cell phones with antennae sticking into the sky. It was all part-and-parcel of the modernizing business climate of the burgeoning Olympic city.

The big plan was to wait until the end of the 1990s to introduce a new area code, for North Georgia and middle West Georgia outside of The ATL. Them the Census updates came out, and that plan had to be expedited. Metro Atlanta’s population now exceeded that of its host state back in 1950. Welcome, the rest of the state, to 706.

As the Peach State population grew ever larger, the 404 zone grew smaller, until it was inclusive of just the City of Atlanta, its inner-ring suburbs and, after some protesting, what was then the far-flung exurbs. The latter was only able to stick around in 404 Country until 1995, when 770 was foisted upon the city’s surrounding burbs. 404 became roughly coincidental with Interstate 285.

The prospect of remembering middle-digit area codes that weren’t either a 0 or a 1 was unnerving enough. It also took a lot of corporate assurances to comfort locals expecting they’d soon have to pay a toll just to call their kooky cousin in Kennesaw. Through all the changes, the rule remained that you needed only to dial seven digits, if you were connecting to a number within the same area code. That was the same everywhere across the country. Until ’95.

That was when Atlanta, not New York, not Chicago, not Los Angeles, became the first U.S. metro area to require dialers to use ten digits, area code included, to reach out and touch someone. Was this the devil-dealing price for letting the city finally end its major sports championship hex?

During the Baby Bell mergers of the early 1990s, Atlanta became the HQ for the newly reconstituted BellSouth. Also by the mid-1990s, the forward-looking metro possessed the world’s largest fiber optic bundle, five times the size of the bundle in the NYC metropolis. That made Atlanta the ideal test-case for mandatory ten-digit dialing.

Suddenly, for anyone in and around town that had to remember what numbers to dial (remember dials?), they had no choice but to recall the first three digits of somebody’s phone number, the area code, in addition to the traditional seven that followed. Page Not Found errors on the World Wide Web, to perhaps help jog Georgians’ memories, were still years away.

The clean split between “ITP” and “OTP” created measures of pride, for reasons good and bad. Those who benefit from the economic warmth of the central city without needing to feel burned by its urban social challenges grew to enjoy living in 770 and 706 areas, the “Notlanta” parts of Georgia. Notlanta bedroom communities would learn to self-sustain with their Notlanta office parks, Notlanta malls, Notlanta dining enclaves and Notlanta town centers. (Coming soon, to a development probably not all that near you: a Notlanta NHL franchise!)

Conversely, 404 gave in-towners, particularly the “Grady Baby” generations that stayed True To Atlanta through the decades of centrifugal forces, a handy numeric shorthand. Rap and R&B artists inside and outside The Perimeter, and well beyond, from Bow Wow and Ciara, to Outkast and Jeezy, to De La Soul, Three 6 Mafia and Trick Daddy, would reference the Four-Oh-Four in rhymes to impart varying degrees of its regional and national significance. Being genuinely 404 brought with it a hip cachet.

Throughout this time, Notlanta, Atlanta, and the State of Georgia shared an effusive love for its pro sporting franchises. Specific ones, anyway: Bravos, Falcons, and the football Dawgs (don’t dare try to convince anyone they’re not all pros-in-training). The franchises that came online during the outset of urban flight, like the NBA Hawks? Atlanta, they’re all yours. If you can keep them around.

For, say, the Suns in Arizona, the Hornets in the Carolinas, the Nuggets in Colorado, and certainly the Celtics of Massachusetts, even the Grizzlies in Tennessee, you don’t have to zero-in on the central city just to find vast concentrations of outward support. They’re embraced, rather warmly, throughout the states in which they uniquely reside.

Downstate Illinois wasn’t exactly rampaging about the Bulls back in the days when Reggie Theus was the biggest thing they had going, but they’re all on board now. Georgia is an even bigger, fatter state. Here, you’d long be hard pressed to discover Hawks fans, by the multitude, in local taverns, or their gear, their team flags flying, or the car stickers and specialty plates, out in Valdosta, or Statesboro, or Helen.

But Atlanta’s inner-city population drain eventually turned around after the Olympics, and with the gentrifying growth emerged the desire to attach cultural relevancy to economic endeavors, be it by musical artists or mega-developers. The Ressler clan falls in the latter category, and they made the conscious decision upon acquiring the struggling NBA franchise to lean in on 404 Pride.

Ricky Raw falls in the former. The EDM music producer sought to showcase local musicians with a “404 Day” at the infamous Clermont Lounge in 2012 (sorry, I cannot promise you that no beer cans were harmed in the process.) The wild success of Ricky Raw’s production, then bringing along local artists, creatives and restaurateurs of many stripes at subsequent festivals, made “404 Day” (on April 4, or “4/04”) the event to show up and show out in the post-Freaknik age. Now the April date is embraced with an array of activities, not just parties, sponsored throughout the city.

For the Resslers, embracing communities, celebrities and initiatives that signify intown pride year-round has them printing money these days in ways prior Atlanta Hawks ownership regimes never could. The team announced that an unprecedented 38 of their 41 home games this season (yes, THIS, of all seasons) were sold out. Among hoop fans in far-flung reaches of the country, and the state, voluntarily sporting Trae Young jerseys is no longer a novelty.

To many a prognosticator, Game 4 of this Eastern Conference quarterfinal series (7 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, NBC Sports Boston, TNT) was lining up to be the game where the visiting Celtics slam down the receiver (remember receivers?) and the uneven Hawks season reaches its final dial tone. But… hold the phone.

Some intrepid Boston fans may arrive late to State Farm Arena today, as they’ve spent part of this weekend seeking returns for their handheld broom purchases at our local hardware outlets. That is thanks to a Game 3 performance from the Hawks, re-enlivened by their home-friendly crowd, that featured better offensive balance and defensive hustle. Hawks fans, they can hear you now.

The one thing better than two home playoff games, in any round for a 7-seed, is three home playoff games. If coach Quin Snyder can fine-tune the defensive coverage in anticipation of Joe Mazzulla’s well-designed high ball screens, Hawk players continue to execute their open shots swiftly instead of hunting in vain for contact and foul calls, and if Young and Dejounte Murray lead lineups where everyone commits to securing rebounds and chipping in, at both ends of the floor?

404 Country? Please, stay on the line.

 

#Together404. Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[Guest]

Freaknik and the Raft Race... brothers from different mothers.  Joyous chaos uniquely Atlantan.  Long ago days.

[lethalweapon3]

Postseason-only three-point specialist extraordinaire Marcus Smart remains Questionable on the Boo-Boo Report, after bruising his heinie during Game 3's fourth-quarter pratfall while trying to propel himself off Clint Capela's shoulder for a rebound.

False To Atlanta guard and John Havlicek Trophy winner Malcolm Brogdon, and perhaps Payton Pritchard, would pick up more minutes in Smart's absence, although my hunch is Marcus will give it a go to start the game just to see if it Smarts too much.

Jaylen Brown is listed as Available only for his masked face, which suggests his lacerated plant-watering hand should be less of an issue for him today. No Hawks are listed as of this morning.

~lw3

[Spud2nique]

36 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

New Coke

85 aka puss water but I digress…

 

36 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Tommy Tutone

Wasn’t he tall? Oh wait no that’s Tommy tune. 

 

38 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

404

@kg01 got that a lot on his dial up in 95. I remember we were roomies back then and he kept getting it I naturally thought it was from watching porn.

 

39 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Together404. Let’s Go Hawks!

Yes sir! Thanks as always!!! Must win let’s get it!

GO HAWKS!!!

2k to come!

25 minutes ago, LongTimeFan said:

Long ago days.

From longtimefan, I get it, full ️ 

[Spud2nique]

9 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

if it Smarts too much.

[Spud2nique]

9 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Jaylen Brown is listed as Available only for his masked face,

He’s a bad man. 
 

Outside of the Hawks I got 2 guys, Giannis and Jaylen, game changers for real.

Please contain him.

[JayBirdHawk]

...Boo louder, it's the playoffs.

 

 

[Dnice]

You said what you said,  malcolm 

Get the h on.

[JayBirdHawk]

21 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

All about 'The Others' and what they can contribute to help Trae and DJ.

 

 

DejounTrae is averaging 25 ppg each - c'mon front court starters - join the party!

I'm gonna need:

1. Dre to hit those open 3s and continue playing defense on Tatum...be the 3 and D guy we need. 

2. Mix it up, toughen up and again - HIT YOUR OPEN SHOTS!

3. CC - defend and rebound, stop trying to tip in the ball on offense. GRAB THE BALL.

 

From the bench:

4. Need another Hot Bogi from 3.

5. Bey and JJ - bring the hustle, toughness and speed.

6. OO - I need a break out game.

 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[Spud2nique]

2 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

puss

I’m sorry this was a typo I meant PISS. I must be cursing waaaay too much for auto correct to assume I meant pu$$y as my default. 

[Dnice]

I saw that as Zebra Ford.. I guess he was meant to do this. 

[Spud2nique]

Where is @BrazilianHawk with the CAPS? Where is @Gray Mule and the corn dog train ? @LongTimeFan 2k complete but weird game, Trae fouled out late 3rd but Murray had it going on and 31 boards from Cap, OO and JC (25 from CC and OO). DJ 39 big one in a 6 point win.

GO HAWKS!!!

 @lethalweapon3 no appearance by Ralph Lawler cuz nobody got to   99-93 good guys!!! BIIIIIINNNNGGGOOOO  

 

I don’t think the defense will be as stout in a non elimination game but we gotta protect our house folks! This is a big game, coke in focused and ready for 48 minutes! 

[shakes]

PSA:  tonight’s game is on TNT.  There’s a playoff hockey game on TNT which is supposed to end a half hour before the Hawks game tip off.   NHL playoff games go to OT quite often.  I’ve noticed that if there is a game supposed to start and a game goes into OT TNT moves the start of the later game to TruTV.

 

So if you are recording the game make sure to also record TruTV just in case.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

1 hour ago, Spud2nique said:

Where is @BrazilianHawk with the CAPS? Where is @Gray Mule and the corn dog train ? @LongTimeFan 2k complete but weird game, Trae fouled out late 3rd but Murray had it going on and 31 boards from Cap, OO and JC (25 from CC and OO). DJ 39 big one in a 6 point win.

GO HAWKS!!!

 @lethalweapon3 no appearance by Ralph Lawler cuz nobody got to   99-93 good guys!!! BIIIIIINNNNGGGOOOO  

 

I don’t think the defense will be as stout in a non elimination game but we gotta protect our house folks! This is a big game, coke in focused and ready for 48 minutes! 

 

Why don't the Hawks ever shoot 3s in your simulations?

[lethalweapon3]

The only person allowed to die on a screen is Logan R(too soon?)

~lw3

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Spread was Hawks ( +5.5 ) for Game 3.

Today the Hawks are ( +7 ) underdogs for Game 4.

LOL . . now it just jumped to ( +7.5 )

 

This means that the money is going HEAVY on Boston.  Yep, that's what is happening.  So with the point spread, they try to get even bets on both sides.  And the +7.5 number seems to be the level they've settled on.

 

 

[HawksNWaffles]

Waffle outta nowhere.....

Let's get this dub!!!

 

 

 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Whoa . . . is Bogi playing tonight?  He's not listed in the FanDuel player section right now.

I don't see him on an injury report.  But maybe they know something we don't.

[JayBirdHawk]

42 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

Whoa . . . is Bogi playing tonight?  He's not listed in the FanDuel player section right now.

I don't see him on an injury report.  But maybe they know something we don't.

I haven't seen anything from the usual spots.