Official Game Thread: Hawks at Trail Blazers

[lethalweapon3]

“Ahead of today’s Trail Blazers game in Oregon, here is your @EmoryHealthcare report.”

 

The DARP is fully underway!

The World Bank’s International Finance Corporation uses the acronym for what it calls its Distressed Asset Recovery Program.  I can’t confidently say that folks in Portland perceive Deandre Ayton to be a distressed asset. Yet I do imagine the IFC won’t mind the Trail Blazers sharing the abbreviation, for the NBA team’s Deandre Ayton Reclamation Project.

I am being a bit unfair, as usual, to 2018’s top overall draft choice. The man can certainly rebound the ball, if not much more, having averaged double-digit retrievals in each of the seven-footer’s first six pro seasons. Much like teams that feature players capable of compiling double-digit assists with ease, their fans recognize that such singularly prolific skill used to go a long way, back in the day.

Nonetheless, there has been what the cool kids these days refer to as a “low vibrational” quality to Ayton’s game, whenever he is deemed healthy enough to contribute to the on-court proceedings. Deandre will sink into the shadows of games when allowed, an easier feat when accomplished teammates the caliber of Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and/or Kevin Durant command so much attention.

After observing Ayton’s shrinky-dinks in playoff rounds, versus draftmate Luka Doncic, and even further when directly opposite league MVP Nikola Jokic in last season’s semifinal ouster, his hometown Suns elected to cut bait on their asset before this season could begin, getting in on the Damian Lillard-Jrue Holiday multi-team deal this past September. The good news for Ayton is he landed in an NBA town that has grown used to top picks either not panning out, or at best being flashes in the pan before injuries took their toll.

Klay’s dad and Ayton’s fellow Bahamian Mychal Thompson, 1978’s first-overall, went five picks before the Celtics gambled on an Indiana State underclassman in Larry Bird. Before going on to win titles with the Lakers, Thompson at least doubled the playing time of 1974’s top pick, 1977 champion center Bill Walton, over the course of seven solid if unspectacular seasons in Portland. Each worked out better than 1972’s first-overall, LaRue Martin, ever could.

Thank goodness for (H)Akeem the Dream in Houston, since Sam Bowie getting taken first-overall, instead of second, could have looked a lot worse for Portland. Remember The Great Durant-Greg Oden Debates in the run-up to the 2007 Draft? Mm-hmm.

Based on the franchise’s history, you could understand the wariness around Portland about potentially ruining Wemby with lottery “luck” last summer, and the relief when they had to settle for G-Leaguer Scoot Henderson at #3. The Blazers just seem to fare better when prospects fall to them, like Lillard, Tyrus Thomas (turned LaMarcus Aldridge) and Clyde Drexler, than when they’re tasked with not spoiling the cream of the crop.

The pressure is off Ayton in Portland. Or maybe not. Particularly now that he finally seems to be in decent health, the Blazers brass is using the balance of this season, thrown off-kilter from the beginning with the season-ending injury to Robert Williams and the early-season unavailability of mainstay guard Anfernee Simons, to have coach Chauncey Billups take Deandre and get a fire burning under his… asset. There’s no need to become an eye-to-eye rival of Jokic or Doncic anytime soon. But… solid, with occasional hints of spectacular? That’s the end-of-season aim, for Ayton.

He missed five games, recently, with a sprained hand. But the recent returns, amid Portland’s six-game homestand that continues with the Atlanta Hawks in town (10 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, ROOT Sports in PDX) have been encouraging. Ayton amassed a season-high of 30 points with the aid of 25 shots from the field, in last Saturday’s win over the Raptors, and his 19 rebounds tied for the most since he grabbed 23 in Toronto way back on Halloween Eve.

Billups’ challenge is to encourage his biggest big to perform closer to the basket (per bball-ref, Deandre’s average shot-distance of 8.0 has widened from 7.7 last season in PHX, 7.0 and 5.5 the seasons before) and to use his physicality, such that it is, to draw fouls rather than being averse to getting whistled for them in the paint. Ayton technically is hitting freebies at a career-best 83.0 FT%, but the paltry 1.3 attempts per game makes the sample size too small to matter.

Nine of his 19 FGAs, on Monday with the mighty Celtics in town, were from 10 feet or beyond, and opponents are happy to live with him taking those shots, make-or-miss. He went 11-for-19 on those shots, but if I tell you he finished with 22 points, you can figure out just how many free throws he made. He took just as many, two fewer than he did versus Toronto. He nabbed 15 rebounds, six offensive, but was otherwise a man on an island as the Celts stiff-armed his Blazers for the 121-99 win.

For all that has ailed them, including injuries to Shaedon Sharpe and Malcolm Brogdon, the Blazers would be halfway decent if they could just play teams like the Hawks from the NBA East. The loss to Boston dropped Portland back to 10-11 against Eastern Conference clubs. Whereas their 8-35 mark within their own conference is the NBA’s worst, San Antonio, Washington and Detroit included. Boston, certainly is a tall order. But probably not an Atlanta team (29-35, 12-9 vs. NBA West) that, like the Blazers, is missing multiple starters, including one more with Saddiq Bey (torn ACL) now out for the season. Games versus and at Atlanta (the latter in two weeks) represent two of the Blazers’ final nine contests versus Eastern opponents.

Coming off a 116-103 trouncing at the hands of the hounding Pelicans, Atlanta’s Dejounte Murray (23 points and 11 assists vs. NOP; 6.1 career APG and 47.6 3FG% vs. POR, most vs. any NBA West foe) is a sure shot to impress during his now-annual visit to the Pacific Northwest.

The Hawks’ De’Andre reclamation, Mr. Hunter is likely to return to the starting unit after finally cooling down during his recent sixth-man scoring tear (12 points in each of last two games; 17.3 PPG over past 14, on 50.6/45.7/83.3 shooting splits). With four of Atlanta’s top-8 minute-loggers sidelined, Hunter (12 more D-Rebs on the season than Trae Young) will need to boost his ability to aid Clint Capela and Bruno Fernando on the defensive glass and keep Portland’s offense Weird (NBA-worsts of 49.3 team 2FG%, 23.0 team APG, and 6.5 shots blocked per game).

More important than victory for Portland, though, is having Ayton learn to play as though he knows he is integral to victory on a nightly basis. Ben Niesen of The Peach Basket concurs, with Yours Truly, in his recent assessment that Deandre remains “Portland’s Most Important Trail Blazer”.

With virtually all key players returning next season (and the veteran Brogdon extension-eligible), the tantalizing premise of two ying-yang centers sharing the court, with Williams eventually learning to spread the floor to create driving lanes for the crafty Henderson and Simons, will have to wait until at least next season before it bears fruit. Until such time, around the not-too-eager Beaver State, it’s all about The World According to DARP.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

First, the big health update that matters most... three cheers to Dave Deckard, longtime writer and managing editor over at SB Nation's Blazers Edge, and his superhero kids! Best wishes to Dave on his recovery.

https://www.blazersedge.com/2024/3/7/24093686/dave-deckard-managing-editor-blazers-edge-health-update-what-happened-to-portland-trail-night

Far less important, Jerami Grant is Questionable on the Boo-Boo Report due to a strained hammy. Rookie Rayan Rupert (sore ankle) is also Questionable, along with a pair of Two-Ways currently on the Rip City Remix (including 2018 Georgia Mr. Basketball Ashton Hagans) . A third Two-Way, Justin Minaya (Illness) is listed as Probable. Jabari Walker (inflamed hip) joins Brogdon (elbow tendinitis) and Sharpe (ab surgery) among the Outs.

Whoever makes it on the floor for the Hawks need to exploit a Portland team that's as cushy in the middle as a Voodoo Doughnut (The Magic is in The Hole!). The Blazers' 58.0 2FG% allowed, like the 49.3 2FG% when they shoot, are both league-worsts. Rookies Toumani Camara (arrived with Ayton in the POR/PHX multi-team deal) and Duop Reath help Ayton create as many extra-chances as possible to keep them in the running.

In a 129-125 losing effort during last season's visit to PDX, Murray scored 40 points and added seven assists with no turnovers plus eight rebounds. Back home, DJ followed that up with 41 points (5-for-5 on threes) as Atlanta prevailed in a wire-to-wire 129-111 win.

The Hawks look to extend their road-victory string to three games as this 11-day, five-game road stretch kicks off. If you count CDMX as a road game instead of a neutral site, Atlanta last won three consecutive away games back in November. Prior to that, the Hawks won four-straight away from the Farm back in January of last season.

 

~lw3

[JayBirdHawk]

Who's planning to stay up late for these next 5 games out west?

[kg01]

21 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Who's planning to stay up late for these next 5 games out west?

I'll do it.  But, to be honest, I'm mainly watching these games to see if I can catch some anti-Trae boxscore watchers claim opposing guards are feasting on Trae.  

Let tha hate flow within you, burd.

But seriously, I'll put it on as I'm winding down.  Who knows how long I'll stay with it.  Check the thread tomorrow for when I start slurring my posts. 

[Spud2nique]

43 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Who's planning to stay up late for these next 5 games out west?

I’ll be eating dinner while watching us get cooked.. I mean COOKEM! 
 

Thanks lw3 you are the man  

[Spud2nique]

4 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Akeem

I’ve always called him that! -H town 80’s resident

4 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Scoot Henderson a

Looking forward to breaking this kid down with @kg01 during the game. One thing is clear. He is good at basketball .

 

4 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Drexler

One of my fav Clyde in game dunks I was a fan of his and looked at his like a west coast Nique. Both were underrated imo. 
 

4 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

ying-yang

 

[Packfill]

According to ESPN:

Atlanta is 5-3 since losing Trae Young to injury mostly thanks to its defense. In that same span, the Hawks have held opponents under 101 points five times, something they only did once in their first 56 games.

[JayBirdHawk]

Bogi has 'something' too?

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[Spud2nique]

We are favored by 4.5 wow on the road.

 

@kg01 your alarm clock go off!  
 

Scoot doesn’t wait for folks folks wait for Scoot. 

[KB21]

Wes and Vit starting

[JayBirdHawk]

Hunter remains off the bench!

 

 

[kg01]

Clint just tried to create offense for himself.  Off the dribble.  That's where we're at folx.  That's why I'm up rn..

[kg01]

Murray just got cooked off the dribble by something called Delano Banton.  Yup. 

[kg01]

My guy Wes just side-step'd into a fadeaway 3 ... airbawl.  I'm on a roll, people. 

Keep in mind, POR sucks even harder so despite these hijinks we're actually leading 11-4.  

[kg01]

Pretty sure Wes just pre-celebrated on a corner 3 that missed.  Oh man, this is why you stay up, people! 

[kg01]

Murray cookin a bit.  But just threw about the worst pass I've seen since the Falcons season ended.  A 457mph fastball directly at Bruneaux's mid-shin.  Turnover.

Edited March 14 by kg01

[JayBirdHawk]

4 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Pretty sure Wes just pre-celebrated on a corner 3 that missed.  Oh man, this is why you stay up, people! 

The whole thread is yours . I'm just here for Cagey hijinx

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Might need 30 and 10 from DJ tonight.

And feed BRUNO

[kg01]

1 minute ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

Might need 30 and 10 from DJ tonight.

And feed BRUNO

Agreed just avoid the mid-shin targets, please.