Official Game Thread: Pistons at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“It’s so coLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLd in The D…”

 

“Bey Bey Love! My Bey Bey Love! I need ya, oh, how I need ya!”

Poor Troy Weaver. The man can’t even enjoy a good Motown tune on the radio these days.

((turns the FM dial))

Acknowledged, Weaver and his Detroit Pistons got got, and Landry Fields’ Atlanta Hawks made off like Jason and the Argonauts, with the golden fleece back at last season’s Trade Deadline.

Face it, though. At the end of the day, any time you have a chance to resurrect the still-youthful career of what was once touted as a generational big talent, you never, ever pass up the chance to snag Marvin Bagley.

You do what you must, in order… I’m sorry, what’s that now? Oh!

“Bey Bey, Bey Bey, Bey Bey, where did our love go?”

((turns back to the other station))

“But all you you do is treat me Bad-diq. Break my heart, and leave me Sa--”

((checks out the AM offerings. No Sports Talk, thank you very much))

Few around Detroit are looking at Trey Lyles in Sacramento, even less so Josh Jackson (seriously, don’t look), the prices exacted to give the contract-expiring Bagley a flyer in 2022, and wondering what might have been.

But Deeeeeetroit Basketball has been blowing chunks since the last Barbenheimer costume was snatched off the shelves at Spirit Halloween (2-24, last win vs. CHI on Oct. 28). And there’s reasonable suspicion that Saddiq Bey, in lieu of Kevin Kn… hmm? Oh, sorry… in lieu of James Wiseman, would have been just the guy to help break up the Pistons’ unpalatable 23-game skid into neat, bite-sized chunks.

“Bey Bey, I NEED your lovin’!”

That longtime Troy Weaver stan you’ve heard about? It’s me! Hi! Over here, on the grassy knoll.

Weaver hardly had time to unpack his new front office supplies when the former Utah Jazz lead scout urged new Sonics GM Sam Presti to draft Russell Westbrook with Seattle’s final high-lottery pick. Then it was on to OKC for the both of them, and it wouldn’t be long, after Weaver was promoted and the Thunder struck the Western Conference, that I envisioned Atlanta supplanting every GM, from Sund to Ferry to the overworked Bud, with Presti’s top assistant.

Ed Stefanski, given the grace by Detroit owner Tom Gores to seek out his own replacement, was even more smitten. It took over a decade to pry Weaver loose from OKC. His first official signing, in charge of the Pistons, was to sign a struggling ex-first-rounder and ex-Thunder center, Justin Patton. Then before the season began, Patton, defensive guard Bruce Brown and young gunner Luke Kennard were packaged in a three-team trade. Piston fans weren’t wild about ceding Kennard so soon, but they would eventually be rewarded for their patience with the acquisition of Saddiq Bey, 1^st-Team All-Rookie in 2020-21, as part of the deal.

The next Weaver maneuver, acquiring the Hawks’ Dewayne Dedmon for Tony Snell, only to waive-and-stretch Dedmon away days later, raised eyebrows, too. But subsequent moves, like acquiring eventual lead scorer Jerami Grant for cash, and sign-and-trading Christian Wood to reel in rookie Isaiah Stewart, warmed the fanbase to his long-range plan to evolve out from the eroding Blake Griffin years. Bey winning, not Rookie of the Week, but conference-wide Player of the Week, in mid-season was a bonus feather in Troy’s cap.

Ultimately, Weaver didn’t have someone tugging at him to reach for Tyrese Haliburton, as he once did pressing Presti into taking Westbrook. Detroit’s brain trust instead allowed Killian Hayes (sole 2020 NBA lotto pick presently with negative Win Shares per-48) to fall into their laps with the first lottery pick of the Weaver era.

The next combo guard taken off the draft boards, Haliburton now haunts the Motor City within the Central Division, and Weaver has been spinning his wheels trying to paper over that egregious draft error. When it comes to team teardowns and rebuilds, you only get one chance to make a first impression. One chance, before fans begin wondering if you’re the one in the room that stinks.

Winning the 2021 Draft Lottery, and top pick Cade Cunningham, was supposed to be the salve. But there was only a three-game improvement for the Pistons the next season, and the team leader in minutes played under coach Dwane Casey was not MotorCade, but BeyBlade, Saddiq’s shot struggling to eclipse 40 FG% with all the unanticipated attention.

Weaver thought he pulled off a mid-season Bol-nanza, but a trade deal with Denver for Bol Bol got voided when the lanky forward failed his physical. So he got the Bagley deal done instead. Not wanting to lose him for nothing, Weaver would soon hand Starvin’ Marvin a nice contract extension.

That next offseason, things were looking up. Cunningham would be handed the keys to the offense, rooks Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren showed hints of promise, and swapping out Kelly Olynyk to Bojan Bogdanovic was sure to get the offense revved up. Twelve games in, the shot-struggling Cade blew a tire, sending the Pistons careening once more without him, this time to a 17-65 finish (2-23 to close out 2022-23).

Desperate to show he’s doing something, Weaver decides it’s time, as he did with Kennard, to part ways with his best young shooter (sorry, not you, Isaiah Livers). Hey, everyone, welcome James Wiseman into the fold! Kevin Knox, too!

((switches to the Soul Subway channel on satellite))

“Since I lost my, since I lost my, my, my, my, my Bey Bey!”

((rips the knob off trying to turn it off))

Plans to have Wiseman as a Wemby backup quickly fell through when the Pistons tumbled from 1^st to 5^th in the 2023 Lottery. Casey moved up into Weaver’s front office at season’s end. But Weaver, Stefanski, and the front brass couldn’t reach consensus on a replacement (including Ausar Thompson’s Overtime Elite head honcho Kevin Ollie) with the best polish. Gores calls an audible and picks up ex-Suns reclamation expert Monty Williams on a record coaching contract, up to $100 million over eight years.

Cunningham returned to start this season, but Coach Monty’s droning insistence on a defense-first approach fell on deaf ears, even more so once Duren (out, sprained ankle) began getting sidelined with injuries. Williams’ unwillingness to keep Ivey in the starting lineup, or to field Wiseman until it was time to get thrown under the bus expertly driven by Joel Embiid, has everyone in Motor City honking horns with their foreheads.

Now, with the encouraging 2-1 start dissolved into a 2-24 collapse, the Pistons one defeat away from tying the 4^th-longest losing skid in NBA history, Weaver, along with Stefanski and Casey, are simply watching the tide roll away, wasting time while sitting on the dock of the, um, bay. Monty’s deal serves him as a potential life raft, as it wouldn’t be beyond Gores to make him the interim coach+GM.

But the Pistons players may have a lifeline tonight, too. Welcome to Atlanta, where the football team blows a game to its 1-12 division rival! Toronto FC just lost an MLS-high 20 games, but Atlanta United couldn’t make it 21, or 22.

Kevin Knox knows all about The Atlanta (Di)Spirit. He was starting on the Fizdale Knicks, about to head into the All-Star Break on a 19-game losing streak, threatening to shatter the franchise futility record. Then rookie Trae Young’s Hawks walked out on the State Farm Arena floor and handed his team a Valentine’s Day card: we’re not so sure we love you, but we do love tanking more! A 28-13 deficit could not be overcome by the Hawks in a 106-91 loss to New York, derailing the Knicks' date with destiny. No Zion for You!

Atlanta Sports is just really custom-built for this type of thing. The Hawks (10-15, 2-8 over last ten) relieved the Raptors and the Cavaliers of losing slides just in the past week alone. They nearly let Wemby’s Spurs (and, by extension, the reigning IST champions) off the hook. And one of Detroit’s closest brushes with victory came back on November 14, with the Trae-less Hawks in town for an IST Group Play matchup.

With Duren sidelined mere days before, Wiseman subbed in for Beef Stew and scored on a hearty 5-for-6 FG clip. Among four Pistons bench players, including Alec Hawks Killer Burks (16 points, 4-for-9 3FGs vs. ATL last month; active, bruised forearm), scoring in double-digits versus the Hawks, Wiseman assisted on a dunk by Ausar and dunked off a dish from Ivey to keep Atlanta’s third-quarter lead painfully narrow. Monty would reward Wiseman by letting him watch the entire fourth quarter from the bench.

Knox’s dunk off a pass from Cade gave Detroit a lead with two minutes to spare. Dejounte Murray helped steer the Hawks back in front, and Saddiq (19 bench points @ DET, behind only Murray’s 32 overall), poetically, sealed the outcome with freebies in the closing seconds to seal the 126-120 final score. Perhaps Monty is indeed weaving his way into Troy’s job?

There’s not much to this Must Win for coach Quin Snyder and the Hawks (zero regulation wins in past 7 home games), no matter who suits up on their behalf. Bey cannot be the dud that he was (1-for-9 FGs, 5 points in 36 minutes) in the Hawks’ 127-119 loss on Saturday in Cleveland. Nor can Saddiq be Atlanta’s most reliable defensive rebounder (with five @ CLE; hello, Bruno!) and turnover generator (2 of ATL’s 5 steals).

Off-ball defenders must limit passing lanes for Cunningham (42.2 FG%, 7.0 APG, 4.0 TOs/game) and Hayes (42.5 FG%, 4.4 APG, 1.1 TOs/game), disallowing the ballhandlers from passing up a chance to take a bad shot, then must box out to keep Thompson and Bagley from producing extra-chances and tip-ins.

Defensive turnstile that he is, Bojan Bogdanovic (20.6 PPG in 7 games) is back from injury to keep Detroit’s side of the scoreboard full, and keeping perimeter defense tight on both him and Burks (32.7 2FG%, 35.2 3FG%) early will help Atlanta from making the final moments of today’s game unwatchable. And it will have Weaver digging around for an old-soul CD, one with no Motown hits on it. Only one PBO/GM’s job is secure from another loss tonight, and it’s the one who’s Nick Ressler’s play pal.

“Oooh-oo-ooooh Bey Bey, Bey Bey!”

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[Dnice]

NO you didn't go wayy back.... "it's all in a suckers mind"....

[kg01]

I'm so scared rn ... 

[lethalweapon3]

AJ Griffin (Oh-woah, the Reasons! The Reasons he's not here! The Reasons that we... whoops, sorry, still sangin') remains Out, as of this early-morning Boo-Boo Report, while Bogi (inflamed ankle), Dre (sore knee) and Clint (bruised knee) are all Questionable.

Beef Stew missed out on Detroit getting sandblasted 146-114 by Milwaukee on Saturday, and is listed Out again tonight. Alec Burks (lingering bruised forearm) is listed as Available but chipped in just under 5 minutes against the Bucks. Backup guard Monte Morris (strained quad) has been on the shelf all season while would-be starting center Jalen Duren remains on the mend after spraining his ankle in mid-November.

The Pistons' two-ways are all on duty with coach Jamelle McMillan's Motor City Cruise who, like our Collipark Skyhawks, just clinched their spot in the G-League Winter Showcase. J-Mac did well enough with the Cruise's opening games to earn November's G-League Coach of the Month.

https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2023/12/4/23988448/cruise-jamelle-mcmillan-named-g-league-coach-of-the-month

Having lost five straight road games in Atlanta, and five straight overall to the Hawks head-to-head, Detroit's last win in this arena was in January 2020. Derrick Rose and Andre Drummond led the charge, followed by Svi Mykhailiuk, Markieff Morris and Langston Galloway off the bench.

~lw3

[Chrimturn]

A good opportunity to get CC (if he plays) and OO on the floor together again.  Work Bruno in and out of there too.  It’s the Pistons…maybe not a tell-all barometer, but a good op nontheless.  

[cam1218]

This game worries me. Nothing would be more fitting than the Hawks giving me a loss to the Pistons on my birthday after the Falcons losing to the Panthers the day before. 

[Gray Mule]

CAM1218:

WISHING YOU A

GREAT BIG, BLESSED

HAPPY  BIRTHDAY !!

It's time for the Atlanta Hawks to enter the desperate stage of their season.  It's "go time" and "gotta get this one" time.  Didn't help the Falcons Sunday as they lost, again, on a last second field goal.  Capela was missing and surely missed on the Hawks last game.

Skyhawks having a great season.  We are still missing three youth which we drafted last summer, two with injuries and one is with the Skyhawks.  Also, out for personal reasons, AJ Griffin, another youth.  Future looks bright if the present is kinda bad.

GO ATL HAWKS !!

 

 

[shakes]

If ATL loses this game they should fold the franchise.

[kg01]

2 hours ago, shakes said:

If ATL loses this game they should fold the franchise.

Be honest.  Scale of 1 to gone, how close are you to foldin' up the tent and going back to being a Bulls fan? 

I know you've been eyeing coby White's latest stretch.  It's tempting, huh? 

[Gray Mule]

2/8 IN THE LAST 10 GAMES ----Atlanta.

0/10 IN THE LAST 10 GAMES --Detroit.

Winning only two is nothing to brag about unless you're Detroit.  Carolina had won only one game until they faced the Falcons, in the rain.  They now have two wins.  Please, don't do a repeat.

Hawks are unsure who will even be available tonight.  Too many nagging injuries.  

[Spud2nique]

Thanks lw3! 
 

Go Hawks!

[lethalweapon3]

We've got Clint and Dre upgraded to Available in the last iteration of the Boo-Boo Report. Bogi remains Questionable.

Killian Hayes won't be here to kick us around as he's Out with a non-COVID illness (I want the days of Flu-Like Symptoms back).

~lw3

[JayBirdHawk]

19 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

(I want the days of Flu-Like Symptoms back).

~lw3

I know right.

[HawksNWaffles]

 

 

[shakes]

2 hours ago, kg01 said:

Be honest.  Scale of 1 to gone, how close are you to foldin' up the tent and going back to being a Bulls fan? 

I know you've been eyeing coby White's latest stretch.  It's tempting, huh? 

You’re not far off in your assessments but you’ve got the wrong team.  I’ve been eyeing OKC all year.   Big Chet fan for a few years.   probably watched half their games this year.  Very fun team to watch, especially after watching this drek for the past couple years.

[Jody23]

The Falcons lost to the Panthers, a 1-12 team.  Do the Hawks follow suit tonight against the Pistons?

[cam1218]

13 minutes ago, HawksNWaffles said:

 

 

What is Lloyd Pierce doing in the middle of that second one?

[JayBirdHawk]

Will either get any playing time?

 

 

[hawkman]

38 minutes ago, Jody23 said:

The Falcons lost to the Panthers, a 1-12 team.  Do the Hawks follow suit tonight against the Pistons?

That was absolutely infuriating to watch. The Falcons have had so many opportunities to take sole control of the NFC South and blew every single one. ATL sports has been pretty bad overall this year.

[Marvin24Williams]

Hawks please don't embarrass yourselves today