Official Game Thread: Hawks at Bulls

[lethalweapon3]

#BlackGirlMagic

 

Please, Hawks, don’t give Resslermania the satisfaction!

I have long theorized that the annual endgame for the stewards of our favorite NBA team is to do jusssssssst enough to qualify for the postseasons (now, with Play-Ins included), then treat whatever postseason home game revenue falls from the heavens as bonus pocket-money manna. It’s really up to the Nets (Tragic Number: 3, with seven BRK games remaining) if they wish to put a monkey wrench in that scheme.

At Play-In seed #10, though, State Farm Arena will be dark on tourney days. And while I surely don’t speak for everyone in the ATL, that is A-OK with me.

We know the Hawks (34-40, 14-22 in away games) still need to prove they can be a viable threat on the road, and that they squandered opportunities for higher seeding by going just 14-13 thus far versus sub-.500 teams (Brooklyn, for example, is 17-11. Current 7-seed Miami is 24-9, while 8-seed Philly is 22-9). In my estimation, these Hawks are unworthy of anything more than a pair of elimination must-win games, both on the road.

Until last night, though, the Bulls were worrying me. Was Chicago about to hand the Ressler clan exactly what they wanted, on a silver platter?

Alarm bells began ringing last Monday, when coach Billy Donovan’s crew couldn’t manage to outpoint the woeful Wizards here at Chicago’s United Center. Crisis averted, or so I thought, once the Bulls waxed Central Division rival Indiana two nights later, the 125-99 victory even-stevening their home record to 19-19. Then the Bulls hit the road, and once they got blasted in Brooklyn, 125-108, on Friday night, I was sure shenanigans were afoot.

A loss in Minnesota last night, I realized, would allow Atlanta the opportunity to pull even in the standings by taking advantage of the Bulls’ SEGABABA and prevailing tonight (8 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, NBC Sports Chicago). But, thanks to Alex Caruso (55.2 3FG% and 5.1 APG over his past ten games) going 7-for-8 on threes and snatching five steals yesterday? Crisis averted. For now.

Why am I constantly at DEFCON W with these Bulls? It is because one of two likely scenarios are about to befall the Hawks.

Nique-willing, Trae Young, with his rehabbed pinkie, will step to the free throw line in a couple weeks in this very arena, doing that high-wire act he relishes so often. He’ll be challenged to go 2-for-2 at the line at some critical juncture of the 9-versus-10 round of the PIT, athwart the familiar jeers and catcalls of over twenty-three thousand fans desperate to see their beloved Bulls reach the first round of the NBA Playoffs, for just the third time in nine seasons, and guarantee at least two games with the almighty Celtics in Chi-town. No biggie for Trae, as opposing-fan bellowing is just like the warmth of an old, itchy sweater.

Alternately, Young will step to the charity stripe in the crunk comforts of Atlanta, where there will be no screeching, squealing supporters of the Bulls (36-39) within earshot of the players at State Farm Arena. Oh. Except for one.

Diar DeRozan is Da Reason the Toronto Raptors slowly imploded a 9-seed roster that, previously, thought they were maybe turning a corner toward contention. The vuvuzela vocals of six-time All-Star DeMar’s daughter, timed with preteen perfection at 16 release points by Raptor free throw shooters, deep-sixed in The Six any hope by the momentarily muted 19,799 Raptor fans of a victorious send-off into 2023’s PIT second-round. Disappointed losers to Trae and the Hawks at home in the 7-versus-8 matchup, Miami was spared the high-pitched wrath of Diar in the PIT losers’ bracket; soon after, the heat would find themselves in the NBA Finals.

To more than a few Hawks fans, understandably, the prospect of implosion holds appeal. And, yes, the notable wins at Miami and Boston last spring, with the positive press that flowed thereafter, probably made it easier for Atlanta’s brass to justify holding serve through the summertime. But I’d argue that I would rather witness a PIT defeat in Chicago, and if not there then at the next stop, as the jump-off point to the pending offseason, than a season-ending one-and-done home defeat, where Hawks Inc. could maybe point to the one-off of one braying Bulls fan as the excuse to run it back once more for 2024-25.

While we wait to be officially PITted against the Bulls, tonight’s game is another day, another opportunity for one Hawk to impress the largest Serbian residential contingent in the United States. Fresh off 38 points and 10 rebounds in Saturday’s valiant yet foul-filled 122-113 home loss to Milwaukee, Bogi Bogdanovic loves himself some Chicagoland, and the immigrant community loves him right back.

“Brate” rather enjoys treating Bulls defenders like Brats (Bratwursts, Little Miss Diar, relax. I’m talking sausages here). Bogi’s career marks of 17.6 PPG and 4.2 RPG are about as high against Chicago as anyone outside of nearby Milwaukee (now up to 18.8 and 4.3, respectively, after this past weekend’s affair in Atlanta).

As Caruso, who missed Chicago’s 136-126 win in Atlanta on February 12 (a Bulls victory that would otherwise have had both teams checking out for the evening at 25-29), tries to sink his teeth into Atlanta's Man of March Dejounte Murray (2.1 March SPG, behind only Caruso's 2.2 in the NBA East; 2nd among East players w/ 9.2 March APG and 3.9 3FGMs/game), Bogdanovic (28 team-high points vs. CHI on Feb. 12, in 27 bench minutes) aims to make amends for his most recent visit to the Windy City.

His ten fourth-quarter points on December 26 made up for a sluggish start (1-for-9 on 3FGs through the first three quarters), but that effort was not singularly enough for the Hawks to keep the Bulls in the pen. The Hawks turned an 11-point deficit into a 12-point lead nearing halftime, but Chicago was able to draw the Reverse Pizzeria UNO card with the aid of Andre Drummond’s steady 24-point, 25-rebound, 3-steal night in place of Nikola Vucevic, seizing the lead for good with 4.5 minutes remaining.

Bogi buckets had the Hawks up 13 on the Bulls in the first quarter of February’s meeting, and 12 in the second, yet those leads were gone when Chicago reached halftime up by a point. With four starters clearing 20 points, including DeRozan and Ayo Dosunmu with 29, the Bulls used a balanced effort to seize the lead midway through the third period, and the head-to-head tiebreaker by the final horn.

The Hawks will need to keep Vucevic and DeRozan off the free throw line, and ensure the guard hydras Donovan deploys (Coby White, 4-for-6 on threes @ MIN, joins Dosunmu and Caruso in the starting five, spelled sporadically by Illinois native Jevon Carter) don’t get easy perimeter looks. Atlanta will also not want to get stuck in a halfcourt offensive rut lacking movement against the Bulls (96.9 Pace, 2^nd-lowest in NBA), who won’t mind taking their time after Billy D played the starters between 33-41 minutes last night.

I like to see this Bulls game as simply a practice-tape builder for Coach Quin Snyder and the Hawks, instead of another desperate chase coveting the 9-seed. Atlanta played generally well in the recent five-game homestand, learning a lot along the way about the back-benchers, with Young and others still sidelined. Nonetheless, no matter the venue, if these Hawks are unable to heal up and gel into unified two-way lineups on the floor, be it versus visitors with losing records, or against anyone in their house, then it will soon be all over but the… shoutin’.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Ahead of last night's game in Minny, Caruso (sprained ankle) and Dosunmu (upper respiratory illness) were game-time decisions before playing around 35-36 minutes. Those two starters are presently listed as Probable for today. Sidelined for the season already are Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine and Patrick Williams. The only non-G-Leaguer out ahead of today's game is Julian "Don't Call Me Bum" Phillips (sprained foot), and the team may have called up the Windy City two-ways for backup SEGABABA support.

The ShamWow dropped while I was typing up the gamethread that Jalen Johnson (sprained ankle) will suit up tonight in his return to the Upper Midwest. Kobe Bufkin remains Questionable as of the 1:30 Boo-Boo Report while Trae, Onyeka and the Predictables remain Out.

~lw3

[Nash]

Bulls pulled out a huge road win last night in Minnesota so now it's a turn for a disappointing loss lol. Let's keep rolling. Welcome back JJ

[JayBirdHawk]

Big game to determine if we get a home play-in game.

[lethalweapon3]

Bulls' GameNotes has Jalen's MIP comp Coby White 5 away from Zach LaVine's record (set last season) for the most made single-season threes in Bulls franchise history.

Back when the Hawks were just healthy enough to bring DeAndre Hunter off the bench with Bogi, their 51 combined bench points in February against the Bulla were the first 50-piece combo by a Hawks duo since T-Lue and Chillz (50 points) back in November '06.

~lw3

[JayBirdHawk]

Reinforcements!!!

 

 

[benhillboy]

I saw a few minutes of the Bulls game last night.  Caruso arguably harassed Ant Man like no one else quite has this year.  DJ’s loose dribble against him will not end well.  Vit spelling Dre guarding DeRozan is gonna be key.  Stay down on the pump fakes young man.

I never thought I’d enjoy Hawks away games more than home but with 22 camera shots of Boosie Ignint Ass a game here we are

Its aways been cool to quiet the great Bulls crowd anyway. 

Edited April 1 by benhillboy

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

JJ off the bench! Minutes restrictions perhaps?

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

Does Kobe get in the game tonight? (not only in a blowout).

[JayBirdHawk]

 Very UGLY first 2 minutes.  Get it together guys!

[Nash]

Embarrassing start by DJM and Dre. 

[JayBirdHawk]

We might need JJ's point forward approach if Caruso is gonna keep picking Dj's pocket.

[kg01]

Good to see us ratchet up the d to get back in it.

D lookin like Sexy Redd out there (ratched). 

[JayBirdHawk]

Dr3

[kg01]

1 minute ago, JayBirdHawk said:

We might need JJ's point forward approach if Caruso is gonna keep picking Dj's pocket.

Ngl, his loose handle gives me major pause in a game like this. 

[kg01]

M dot Bogi!!! 

[kg01]

Guess we letting dudes hit dudes on the elbow on 3s now? 

[hawkman]

37 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Does Kobe get in the game tonight? (not only in a blowout).

Kobe > Forrest.

[kg01]

I'm sick of Nique love affair with Drummond.  

Yeah dude gets some boards but he's a bench guy for several reasons.