Official Game Thread: Hawks at Suns

[lethalweapon3]

“Okay. I see…” **scribbles** “…and, are the black Hawks shorts in the room with us right now, Austin?”

 

“Carnegiea gigantea.” No need to square up, I didn’t just disparage you.

That’s the scientific genus of the Saguaro cactus plant, the USA’s largest. It was named, somehow, in honor of industrialist-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. I suppose that’s since Dale hadn’t done his thing yet.

Saguaros are stem succulents, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. They hold massive amounts of H₂O, and bloom springtime flowers for a variety of winged pollinator species, all vital to the arid Sonoran Desert habitat in southwestern Arizona.

Here’s the deal. On February 10, 2027, on or around 9 PM Mountain Standard Time, I’mma need Jalen Tyrese Johnson, of the Atlanta Hawks, inside Phoenix’s Footprint Center, hurdling one of these Carnegie cacti. Anything short of that spectacular spectacle unfolding, NBA and Hawks HQ, and you all and I are gonna have problems.

Look, there is ample time to work on the particulars. No need for the plant to be real, there’s no reason to get Jalen in hot water with my fellow tree-huggers. A live Saguaro sprouts on average to around 5-6 feet tall by the time it reaches Jalen’s 2027 age. Assuming Arizona still has water by then, make it into some sustainability-themed costume thingamajig, with AEW standard-issue tacks where the spines are supposed to be. Oh, and a zipper allowing Spud Webb to let himself out for the big reveal. Or KJ Johnson, to appease that ASG Weekend’s home crowd. Like I said, there’s time to sort it all out.

Whichever other Dunk Contests in upcoming western US locales that’ll have Jalen as an invitee, and what hurdle props he might use (Rice-a-Roni trolley? Chris Rock slapping-back Will Smith?) to win it, are matters for another day. In the interim, I need Ressler Spirit Group to do whatever they need to ensure me, by that Saturday night in 2027, Jalen (out for tonight, re-sprained ankle) is well within his contract extension, and that he possesses a functioning pair of ankles.

Around those Marietta Street offices, sombeody’s first-born has a fresh, intact pair of heel joints to donate, I’m just saying. That Keke dude and the Kiwi lady that saved Steph’s ankles, and the NBA 2010s in the process? Send somebody out to San Diego and New Zealand, Ressler clan, and don’t let them return to Georgia without those ex-employees getting their keycards back.

There’s time, this summer, to have Johnson pound out the Bowflex and return next season with some Giannis-style shoulders, bulking up a sturdy frame more suitable for a leading-man tasked with power forward duties. Keep hammering away on his conditioning and, in time, Johnson will learn to convert his Dunk of the Decade candidates during the blouse-winning ends of meaningful games, as John Collins knows painfully well (no T-shirts on sale this time, sorry). Not merely in the opening seconds of games, in the just-going-through-the-aerial-motions phase of washed seasons, where impressing family and Klutch agents already on-board in attendance are, like the 10-foot-high rims, among the few attainable goals.

Ends of games, for example, are the reason we are presently unable to take the lissome Kevin Durant, now 8^th all-time among NBA scorers after passing Suns legend Fat Shaq, and his Phoenix Suns with any measure of seriousness. The Hawks’ regular season has melted into pure play-by-play entertainment and amusement, in part, due to its woeful full-game defensive impact. It’s true at all times of games, yet particularly at closing time. I know who I wouldn’t want to take me home, though. I ain’t trippin’ when I tell you it’s any of Grayson Allen’s Suns.

Phoenix possesses a worse 4^th-quarter D-Rating (down to 118.5, 28^th in NBA, after last night’s win over PHI) as De’Andre Hunter’s Hawks (up to 118.1, 25^th in NBA), going on 70 games into the season, plus an atrocious efficiency (NBA-low 103.7 4^th-quarter O-Rating) at the offensive end. That adds up to what is, by far, the league’s worst final-frame Net Rating (minus-14.9; Jimmy Buckets’ Culture Club tumbles in at next-worst, with minus-6.0; last season’s pre-Wemby Spurs checked out at minus-15.3).

Nobody sets in the evenings quite like the Suns (4-19 when trailing after three quarters), who are top-5 in salary load, top-5 in average roster age, and top-3 in preseason hype, after PBO/GM James Jones finagled deals for KD and Bradley Beal, then retrieved Allen and Jusuf Nurkic in the Deandre Ayton-Lillard multi-team deal. It’s the kind of lingering issue that could get coaches like Monty Williams canned. Still, some of the Suns’ late-game burnouts are explanatory, if not excusable.

Enough of the wins have Phoenix ahead by double digits late, allowing Monty’s replacement Frank Vogel to turn the court over to the serviceable scrubs, at the rear of the Suns’ thin roster, and just hang on. Such was the case with the Embiid-less Sixers in town last night, after Allen and sixth-man Royce “Don’t call me Alexander” O’Neale did the heavy lifting at the perimeter (combined 45 points, 12-for-19 3FGs) so the Suns’ Biggish 3 wouldn’t have to (combined 43 points for Book/KD/Brad, 4-for-15 3FGs). Suns up 24 through three quarters; Suns up 11 by the final horn. In actuality, though, there haven’t been any more such games, winning by double-digits, than that for Phoenix’s Western Conference so-called championship rivals.

What they have logged, to this point, and will be able to pad tonight (10:30 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, 3TV in PHX, NBATV), are the most games played by an NBA West team versus sub-.500 opponents. The Suns will spend the next few days in Wembyland for a pair of contests after hosting the Hawks (30-38) tonight. After that, though, the schedule gets arduous. Nine of the final ten Suns games will be versus teams at-or-above them in the Western standings, including the Pelicans, Timberwolves and Clippers twice each. Few of these teams will be in a position to take those games off.

Even if Phoenix (40-29, lost last 2 SEGABABAs) survives all of that to claim one of the two Not-Play-In spots legitimately up for grabs, I can’t say that I’d trust a team, even with its handsomely paid stars in reasonable health, that holds the same in-conference record as Jalen Green’s red-hot Rockets, to outlast and advance versus anyone in the Playoffs’ opening round. Particularly if Vogel relies on his by-default point guard Devin Booker (30.3 3FG% and team-high 1.3 APG in 4^th quarters) and Beal (33.3 3FG% and minus-2.3 +/- in 4ths) to come through in the clutch with timely shots, plays, and stops.

Durant’s effortless scoring skill (16 fourth-quarter points, but minus-4 vs. ATL on Feb. 2) was not enough to help his Suns close the three-quarter gap versus a Hawks team in Atlanta that, with the exception of Hunter, had its complement of rotation regulars at full strength back in February. Even without the contributions of Trae Young, Saddiq Bey, and now Johnson, coach Quin Snyder’s remnant Hawks don’t need to wait until ‘Round Midnight (my time) to get a jump on the Suns.

Perimeter shooting can only get better than the 22.0 team 3FG% display (incl. Jalen going 2-for-11 on threes) that sunk the Hawks’ battleship early in the 136-105 SEGABABA loss late Monday night to the shell-shocked Austin Reaves’ Lakers. But Dejounte Murray and backup Trent Forrest (combined 16 assists, 2 TOs @ LAL) can push the pace beyond the Suns’ taste, while persistent paint penetration off screen-rolls can keep Phoenix’s dancing bear Nurkic on his toes.

Atlanta guards, and decisive drives from Hunter, can open up the paint for Clint Capela’s 50/50-ball layups and putbacks, while granting Bogi Bogdanovic, One-T Mathews and Vit Krejci better catch-and-shoot looks. Onyeka Okongwu’s return will aid Clint and Bruno Fernando, along with Murray (game-high 8 D-Rebs vs. PHX on Groundhog Day) in sopping up the defensive boards.

February’s Hawks also held Phoenix to 12 free throws, the Suns sharing 14 just attempts. Transitioning into and maintaining halfcourt defensive position, plus avoiding bailouts for the Suns’ scoring threats by reaching aimlessly for not-loose balls, could have the Hawks more than just hanging around after three quarters. Perhaps long enough, that Vogel may have to turn to his ten-day contractor, returning Suns legend Isaiah Thomas, to Ball Outta Control in the fourth quarter, in hopes of keeping Phoenix’s worrying trend from happening yet again.

Sunrise, Sunset. Sunrise, Sunset. Say, maybe Jalen can perform a contest-dunk themed around Fiddler on the… naw, let’s all just stick to the Big Cactus plan. Johnson-Saguaro ’27. Much like this here gamethread post, my vote’s in early. Hawks Inc., and the league’s powers-that-be, don’t y’all leave me out here feeling prickly!

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Oh My Nique I gotta get these Brackets locked in.

Quickfastinahurry, Josh Okogie has been Out since sustaining a hip injury and ab strain earlier this month. He's close to returning, although the Suns may save his energies for the upcoming road trip. Also a hopeful end-of-season returnee is Brother-in-Law Hall-of-Famer Damion Lee. The former Hawks rookie has been Out all season following preseason meniscus surgery.

It only feels like the day before yesterday when Isaiah Thomas was the belle of Boston's ball, after prying him free of Phoenix, and Dennis Schröder and Arizona-native Mike Budenholzer's Hawks were merely standing in the way of greatness for Team Green. While IT scrambles to prove his worth once more on an NBA stage, Vogel notes that his short-term trial is due to a two-way player nearing Trent Forrest Decision Day/Week/Month. "Again, I don’t know how much he’ll play for us," Vogel told PHNX Sports. He’s really here from a depth standpoint because Saben Lee only has four games left."

The bug that always goes around during road trips has passed on from Bogi to Two Ts Matthews, as Wesley is listed as Questionable on the way-too-early Boo-Boo Report. The Marquette Golden Eagles star whose status I need to know about, and soon, is Tyler Kolek.

 

~lw3

[Spud2nique]

38 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

my fellow tree-huggers.

Yo just cuz I live in Cali broh… 

 

39 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Oh, and a zipper allowing Spud

To…..? Yo I’ll do a lotta stuff but this zipper thing.. reminds me of when we were 7 in your basement lw3… I digress..

 

41 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

no T-shirts on sale this time, sorry).

 

 

44 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Jalen going 2-for-11 on threes

Wont happen again, young Pipp is too clean.

 

45 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Suns legend Isaiah Thomas,

the words “legend” “cute” get thrown around too much… oh and “beast”  

 

You da man @lethalweapon3 thanks for the early morning edition! 
 

Go Hawks!!!

[Spud2nique]

12 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Oh My Nique I gotta get these Brackets locked in.

Quickfastinahurry, Josh Okogie has been Out since sustaining a hip injury and ab strain earlier this month. He's close to returning, although the Suns may save his energies for the upcoming road trip. Also a hopeful end-of-season returnee is Brother-in-Law Hall-of-Famer Damion Lee. The former Hawks rookie has been Out all season following preseason meniscus surgery.

It only feels like the day before yesterday when Isaiah Thomas was the belle of Boston's ball, after prying him free of Phoenix, and Dennis Schröder and Arizona-native Mike Budenholzer's Hawks were merely standing in the way of greatness for Team Green. While IT scrambles to prove his worth once more on an NBA stage, Vogel notes that his short-term trial is due to a two-way player nearing Trent Forrest Decision Day/Week/Month. "Again, I don’t know how much he’ll play for us," Vogel told PHNX Sports. He’s really here from a depth standpoint because Saben Lee only has four games left."

The bug that always goes around during road trips has passed on from Bogi to Two Ts Matthews, as Wesley is listed as Questionable on the way-too-early Boo-Boo Report. The Marquette Golden Eagles star whose status I need to know about, and soon, is Tyler Kolek.

 

~lw3

I miss the squawk bracket we used to do. I always used to come in around last . Next time I do it I’m doing it purely based on the colors and design of the school’s jersey’s!  

[AHF]

I do like that we are coming in on several days rest while Phoenix played last night.  

[JayBirdHawk]

No JJ and maybe no Wes.

 

 

[lethalweapon3]

We're likely to get a little help from those wascally Wizards today in keeping Sacramento on the other side of the Play-In line.

As for the Suns, Royce O'Neale is working through a bruised shoulder (not as tender as a braised shoulder, or so I've been told), and he's listed as Questionable on the Sunny side of the Boo-Boo Report.

I'm slightly amazed that Devin Booker's still working toward his first career triple-double. His haul against the Sixers yesterday (18 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds) came close.

The Suns seek to snap a four-game head-to-head skid versus the Hawks. While they can't seem to stop their slide at The Farm (10 straight Ls, what are we, the Spurs?), their record at home (49-19) remains better than ours against the Suns in Atlanta (42-26).

Suns Notes cites the Hawks as one of 4 NBA clubs (ATL, DAL, LAL, PHX) that has 3 different players having scored 40+ in a game this season, former Suns draft pick Bogi being Hawk #3.

Grayson Allen's league-best 48.3 3FG% is wedged between two ex-Hawks, Joe Johnson (2004-05 w/ PHX, 47.8 3FG%, I'd get sued trying to get him, too) and Kyle Korver (2014-15 w/ ATL, 49.2 3FG%) for the best in-season 3FG% of all-time (min. 150 attempts).

~lw3

[TheNorthCydeRises]

If OO starts at the 4, don't be surprised if this game stays very close.

If he doesn't, the Suns may run away with this.

 

Quin needs to start Clint and OO, and put Bruno in as the backup 5.  Don't play small.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

3 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

We're likely to get a little help from those wascally Wizards today in keeping Sacramento on the other side of the Play-In line.

As for the Suns, Royce O'Neale is working through a bruised shoulder (not as tender as a braised shoulder, or so I've been told), and he's listed as Questionable on the Sunny side of the Boo-Boo Report.

I'm slightly amazed that Devin Booker's still working toward his first career triple-double. His haul against the Sixers yesterday (18 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds) came close.

The Suns seek to snap a four-game head-to-head skid versus the Hawks. While they can't seem to stop their slide at The Farm (10 straight Ls, what are we, the Spurs?), their record at home (49-19) remains better than ours against the Suns in Atlanta (42-26).

Suns Notes cites the Hawks as one of 4 NBA clubs (ATL, DAL, LAL, PHX) that has 3 different players having scored 40+ in a game this season, former Suns draft pick Bogi being Hawk #3.

Grayson Allen's league-best 48.3 3FG% is wedged between two ex-Hawks, Joe Johnson (2004-05 w/ PHX, 47.8 3FG%, I'd get sued trying to get him, too) and Kyle Korver (2014-15 w/ ATL, 49.2 3FG%) for the best in-season 3FG% of all-time (min. 150 attempts).

~lw3

 

Washington said . . . "What the hell did you just say?"

 

 

 

[terrell]

Suffocating Defense from the Hawks....

It probably wont last all game, but loving it... lol

[NBASupes]

I like how we are playing so far

[lethalweapon3]

Literally, look over your shoulder, Gordo!

~lw3

[Spud2nique]

Vit started hot and we started hot with the 3 ball but have cooled a bit. 7 min left not a bad start at all. We got energy!

[willthepureshooter]

I just expect the opposing team to go on a 20,000 point run when Garrison Matthews enters the game. 

[Spud2nique]

Just now, willthepureshooter said:

20,000 point

[Spud2nique]

KD resembles President Lincoln. 

[Diesel]

 Where my OO Fans at???

[TheNorthCydeRises]

7 minutes ago, Diesel said:

 Where my OO Fans at???

I'm going up against you in fantasy, and started OO over Brook Lopez . . . thinking that Quin might start him.  Meanwhile, he did nada in that 1st half.

Give me something OO!

[terrell]

6 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

I'm going up against you in fantasy, and started OO over Brook Lopez . . . thinking that Quin might start him.  Meanwhile, he did nada in that 1st half.

Give me something OO!

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Hawks have a shot to win this.  But I think they need to build a little lead. 

If this game stays tight, Phoenix has the two best offensive players on the floor.