Official Game Thread: Hawks at Cavaliers

[benhillboy]

I thought Wes brought some stability to the perimeter defense and his +/- says so.  He helped get Mitchell off the ball and scrambled to their shooters who had been having a field day.  He had a team high +8 followed by Bruno’s +7, everyone else in the minus.

Edited December 17, 2023 by benhillboy

[Chrimturn]

3 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

20 useless minutes of Wes for 2 points and  rebounds....Bruno 16 minutes 13 pts and 8 rebounds. .

I am so confused . 

I don’t know why he’s even out there.  Between the 2nd TOR game driving in and bricking 3 or 4 layups to his continued lack of offense tonight, I’m clueless too.  His offensive #’s over the last 5-6 games are not good.  3-19 inside the arc and 1-13 beyond.  I know they are banged up and short handed but how does that equate to minutes?

[Atlantaholic]

18 minutes ago, TheBigETrain said:

Team needs to trade him. He won’t ever be an NBA calibre center. He really should of surpassed Capela by now but he just isn’t good enough.

No way, we don't need to trade him, just play him at his position at PF. 

[Jody23]

It was a poor decision not to play Lundy tonight.  Not saying he changes the games' outcome, but he competes on both ends and he gives you shooting that Matthews just doesn't anymore.  This roster is not worth abandoning a big picture approach.  You have got to develop players, Quin.

[benhillboy]

Don Mitchell does all the things outside the stat sheet that effect winning that DJ doesn’t.  It’s clear to see why his impact metrics with the Hawks have been bench player level.

[JayBirdHawk]

2 minutes ago, Jody23 said:

It was a poor decision not to play Lundy tonight.  Not saying he changes the games' outcome, but he competes on both ends and he gives you shooting that Matthews just doesn't anymore.  This roster is not worth abandoning a big picture approach.  You have got to develop players, Quin.

......and especially with Bey and DJ struggling from 3. 1-7 and 0-5 respectively and no Bogi.

[AHF]

I don’t mind not playing Lundy that much.  We all love a nice unknown young player but most of those second rounders flop when given the chance.  I would hope the coaches are watching him and can assess whether he is ready for some minutes.  While I might like to see him get play over Mathews, I’m not going to sweat that.

But removing Bruno was an obvious mistake.  He demonstrably impacted the game in an important way and was playing well tonight.  How do you go away from that down the stretch when your alternative lineups have been getting not just beat but brutalized all night?

[theheroatl]

37 minutes ago, Chrimturn said:

As many points as they can score, if they could just play good D for a fraction of each quarter they wouldn’t have to fight and claw as much to get back in these games.  Too many ole’s and not enough want to.

They only rely on outscoring. There is no defense. We should expect to lose a bunch of games.

[theheroatl]

We lose another game in the 120’s… what’s it going to take to gut this roster and inject some defense around Trae

[AHF]

Sucks to waste a 35/10 game from Trae where he had a great shooting night.  I will say he should never lead the team in blocks like tonight and should not equal the average rebounds from our starting front court (12 rebounds total from OO, Bey and Hunter).  There were an abundance of defensive rebounds to be had.

Good offensive nights from Trae and Hunter and decent to solid nights from several others.  But you can’t give up offensive rebounds on nearly 40% of opportunities and expect to win.  (28 Hawks defensive rebounds vs 18 Cavs offensive rebounds.)  When you work to get a missed shot, it is demoralizing to give the ball right back for another chance and doing it 18 times is just being kicked in the nuts and having your lunch money taken.

[Dnice]

Looks like Quin doesn't have a  clue either. 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

 

[Diesel]

I hope the monsters in Quin's head tell him...  CC/OO big line up and Bruno off the bench. 

 

[Marvin24Williams]

For the love of f***ing god stop playing Hunter and Bey at the 4. Get a clue Quin

[Sothron]

Missed the game going to local minor league hockey tonight. I knew a back to back on the road would be tough but thought with Cleveland's injuries we could steal one. Sad to see I was wrong.

[BrazilianHawk]

Another boring game. Get 20 down and struggle to lose by single digits. Props to Trae and Bruno, though. Bruno needs more minutes. 

 

And I hope this ends the 'OO over CC' movement. He's not a center. Allen just schooled O whenever they both were on the court.

[Gray Mule]

That didn't last long, did it.  That great feeling after a victory.  

Squawk posters have determined a change in their thinking.  Big 00 should be a PF and not a center.  Bruno should be our #2 center.  We sure did miss Capela as Cleveland grabbed so many rebounds and flushed them.

Only one Hawk had the - Did not play - Coaches decision - and he was our rookie who is shooting 100% from the floor.  It was said that almost all 2nd round picks fail in the NBA when given the opportunity.  Apparently Quin believes this.

Get well to all those missing Hawk players.

[Spud2nique]

Just finished it. That start was absolutely brutal. They come out with no Garland or Mobley and we are letting D Wade just drain on us. It’s hard to climb back.. played catch-up nearly the entire game. 
 

We looked a step slow, tired, going through motions.. these men are young right? Like they don’t have jacked up old hips or anything right? Could have fooled me.

The sense of urgency isn’t there. 
 

Gumball- Bruno. Hats off to Bruno he did almost EVERYTHING right. More minutes. Right now.. Bruno is playing better than OO, or at least in this game he did. 
 

Regroup… get the next opponent. 
 

Go Hawks!!!

Just now, Gray Mule said:

Bruno should be our #2 center. 

He did well gramps, I mean he was positioned right and fought, the fight is making me love him.

[Spud2nique]

6 hours ago, Sothron said:

Missed the game going to local minor league hockey tonight. I knew a back to back on the road would be tough but thought with Cleveland's injuries we could steal one. Sad to see I was wrong.

Don’t watch it. Literally there weren’t many highlights for us, as a unit we played catch up all night, just a bad bad night.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

 

I've told ya'll about Bruno for YEARS.

 

The most impressive play in this clip, comes at the 10 second mark.  After setting a top of the arc screen for Trae, he rolls to the basket and Trae finds him with a lob pass that Bruno catches under the basket.  As he gathers himself to go up, 2 Cavs defenders surround him. 

Instead of forcing the shot up, Bruno whips a pass out to Bey for a corner 3 that he knocks down.

That's a play that neither OO or Capela makes ( or can make ).

Bruno's passing ability has always been the secret weapon that hasn't been unlocked by a team.  Yes, he's a strong dude that can rebound and block shots.  But he can also pass the basketball.  And his touch around the basket has vastly improved.

I said in a post yesterday when talking about Collins, that Trae is a "king maker" when it comes to big men.  Trae passes the ball so well, that he can make any big man with some skill, look very good.  Some easy, but nice dimes from Trae to Bruno last night.