Official Game Thread: Hornets at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“Nah, it’s cool not being a Mav anymore! Besides, I’ve still got a shot at winning Mr. Congeniality this year… What?”

 

There’ll be plenty of time next week for me to hop on my soapbox about the biggest Schedule Screwjob of the NBA season, when Al Horford’s Celtics get an all-expense-paid workweek enjoying all the sights and smells of The ATL. Among many screwjob candidates somehow all involving Atlanta Hawks opponents, here’s a runner-up.

The next Charlotte Hornets loss, and/or Atlanta Hawks victory, sends the Hornets formally into Lotteryland for the eighth consecutive year. And yet, the Bugs have been chillin’ like villains for the better part of the week.

Don’t bother to count their last game, back on Tuesday coming off two days’ rest, when they looked more like the Charlottesville Hornets by cobbling together 32 first-half points, falling behind by 35 through two quarters in Orlando before completely mailing it in. The Hornets were rewarded with three more off-days, ahead of tonight’s game at The Khakis Kholiseum (7:30 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast, 92.9 FM in ATL).

The Hawks’ Game Notes begins with, “Fresh off a season-long, 11-day, five-game road trip…” Fresh, eh? Daisies don’t get any fresher than freshmen starters Brandon Miller (ejected before halftime vs. PHI last Saturday, after Flagrant-2 elbowing Tyrese Maxey) and Vasilije Micic’s Hornets have been, what with three games “played,” including two back in Carolina, over the preceding nine days.

Hornet players have had time to hang out at amusement parks for fun and frolic to pass the time (although folks headed to Six Flags get warnings from the State Department these days), while Steve Clifford and his Hornets staff have had time to at least pretend they care enough to prepare for an opponent they just beat handily, 122-99 in Charlotte, last month.

There really isn’t much left for Coach Cliff to do with this evaporated 17-52 outfit. Cody Martin and Seth Curry, each out since early March with ankle injuries, are getting ample time to heal up and return to the fold, if necessary. There’s no pressing need to grant Mr. Williams starters’ minutes, not simply because they traded off P.J. Washington to get him and Seth. The other Mr. Williams, Mark, is in mothballs due to a lingering back injury.

The To-Do list is, basically, offer the one remaining upright point guard (if you count Bryce McGowens, he’s out after spraining his knee last week) a Tre Mann-dous opportunity to see if he can serve as LaMelo Ball’s trusty backup next season (if not, the 30-year-old rookie Vasa Micic will suffice), burn through the final frequent flyer Miles on Mr. Bridges’ loyalty program, and give Miller (35.2 FG%, incl. 31.4 3FG% last 5 games) the freedom to take any shot on the floor he so desires to sew up his All-Rookie spot.

There’s one other item to check off. Pull off just enough wins in the closing 13-game slate, and two should do fine, to avoid making 2023-24 the worst 82-game season (in Charlotte, one must qualify these things) in Horcats/Bobnets history.

They’ll always have 7-59, of course. But Primoz Brezec’s 2004-05 squad checked out at 18-64, putting the new-car-smell seasons of 20-62 (1988-89) and 19-63 (1989-90) in the rear-view mirror. This year’s unit could maybe catch Gerald Henderson’s follow-up to 7-59, when Charlotte tripled their pleasure and went 21-61 in 2012-13. But 4-9, for a team that just ended Washington’s 16-game losing skid, is pushing it.

Most everyone understands, so much as thinking about contention, even competency, this season hinged upon the health of Ball (All-Star in 2021-22, his only season appearing in over 55 games; 58 appearances combined the past two seasons). Clifford remains a lame duck, though, and he can only get daffy about Wabbit Season if he can show his new majority owners, ex-Hawks scout-turned-Hornets GM Jeff Peterson, and ex-Hawks player personnel VP-turned-Peterson’s assistant GM Dotun Akinwale, that he overachieved in some measure, no matter how small. Being 19-63, or better, ought to do the trick.

If #18 doesn’t come today against the Hawks, no biggee! After all, the Hornets will get another crack at Atlanta in this building on April 10. Conveniently, it’ll be one day after the Hawks host the heat, amid the second of two straight 3-games-in-4-days sets. Thank goodness for Atlanta, as Charlotte’s remaining strength-o’-schedule, the league’s toughest by win percentage, would only be tougher. The Hawks’ remaining slate, comparatively, is *only* the third-toughest in the East. Thanks, league offices!

I could get into Xs and Os that the Hawks (30-39) will need to get back on some semblance of a track, but I’ve frankly ticked myself off about the scheduling enough to know I need to save my gamethread energies ahead of the Celts’ arrival from Chicago tomorrow.

Sure hope all these NBA teams have enjoyed their stays in the A. Don’t nobody tell poor Al about Mary Mac’s Tea Room while he’s here, though. He’ll be crushed.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Let's all check in on the Hornets at shootaround, shall we?

Among the bike of Hornets on the Boo-Boo Report (LaMelo, Seth, Cody, Bryce, MarkWill), the only one who's on the fence is JT Thor (Probable, inflamed shoulder). OO's biggest little piggy is flaring up again, so he's Doubtful to be kicking around for the Hawks on the court today.

I think I speak for Jesse Itzler when I say, "Go New York Go New York Go!" Go on ahead and beat those crosstown rivals this afternoon at MSG, Knicks (Nets Tragic Number at 9; Brooklyn's doing their part by losing five straight, let's make it a half-dozen!).

~lw3

[Gray Mule]

Hornets have our number.  Remember how bad the last score was.  

[kg01]

Can we just chalk this one up as an 'L' and move on?  We got nothin for CHA ever since week 1.  The losses to this moribund team set the tone for our season.

[Spud2nique]

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

grant Mr. Williams starters’ minutes,

 

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Tre Mann-dous

Ju wanna! Isn’t there a Man on the Clippers. Maaaaan.. (n).

 

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Bobnets

 

 

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Primoz Brezec’s

Haha hadn’t heard that name in a minute. I just remember Matt Carroll busting our butts and Felton trying..  

 

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

but I’ve frankly ticked myself off about the scheduling

And took me and others with you  

 

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

save my gamethread energies

@kg01 you wanna get the man some tea ? He’s busted his butt for us! Thanks @lethalweapon3 you da one! 
 

Go Hawks!!!

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, kg01 said:

Can we just chalk this one up as an 'L' and move on?  We got nothin for CHA ever since week 1.  The losses to this moribund team set the tone for our season.

Does that mean you won’t be serving the tea ? 

[Spud2nique]

51 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Does that mean you won’t be serving the tea ? 

Don’t gimme that sad face the tea is for all of us! Who you think doin the dishes from the tea?.. that’s right, Burd! 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[kg01]

*sigh*

Let's just put the gleague team out there tonight. 

 "Shiiiii, we kinda are, kg."

[Spud2nique]

47 minutes ago, kg01 said:

*sigh*

Let's just put the gleague team out there tonight. 

 "Shiiiii, we kinda are, kg."

Where is Gueye damnit? I wanna see that dude ball !!!

[NBASupes]

32 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Where is Gueye damnit? I wanna see that dude ball !!!

Look at the injury list. 

[JayBirdHawk]

Just started watching - Bruno leading the scoring with 13. ...nice

[JayBirdHawk]

Clint. Stealing the inbound and heaving a 3. Lolololol.

[NBASupes]

Bruno having the offensive game of his life. 

[JayBirdHawk]

1 hour ago, Spud2nique said:

Where is Gueye damnit? I wanna see that dude ball !!!

7 of our 9 drafted players are out injured.

[JayBirdHawk]

8 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Clint. Stealing the inbound and heaving a 3. Lolololol.

I would say no.  

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

Oh-oh.

Here comes the HorCats!

[terrell]

Bogi had a wide open layup but passes out to Vit for a 3? smh

lol 3rd qtr Hawks..

[kg01]

MVitP activated. 

[JayBirdHawk]

Order has been restored..