Official Game Thread: Hawks at Nuggets

[lethalweapon3]

Need one of these joints, but with “1050” on it. And a Kennesaw Mountain profile.

 

I always get this factoid not-completely right, but I’ll give it another go.

Situated at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Atlanta’s mean elevation of 1,050 feet above sea level is the highest of any major city East of the Mississippi River. Pushing this further, Atlanta’s *average* elevation is supposedly the highest of any major American city east of… Denver. Down here, you’d need state legislative approval to get any higher.

Being the One-Fifth-Mile-High City grants Atlanta the claim as the thinnest, if not exactly cleanest, atmosphere among markets within the NBA’s Eastern Conference, to say nothing of a few out West. Generally, it also affords the Hawks the opportunity, among traveling fellow Eastern clubs, to be the better-conditioned team in many arenas where the competitive strategy involves pushing the pace. How effective Atlanta gets on a nightly basis in exploiting their natural advantage is, well, up in the air.

This final turn to the regular season’s finish line could not be working out much better for The Association. The Playoffs are approaching, and nobody knows who is going to play against anybody. Boston has had the top-seed on lock in the East for a minute. But who is likely to shake out of the Play-Ins at #8 to face them -- Hawks included -- is a crapshoot.

1-through-3 in the NBA West is up-for-grabs, and the defending NBA champs could not have envisioned vying for the #1 seed, exclusively, with Oklahoma City and Minnesota. Having started 2023’s championship postseason odyssey by dispatching the Timberwolves in five games, Denver’s Nuggets also could not have fathomed that surviving this year’s opening round might require dispatching a Curry, a Bronny Sr., or an MVP-caliber Luka, by beating them four times over the space of a week or two.

Early April NBA basketball used to involve resting stars and/or vets, letting young backups get some starter-level burn, and coaching and scouting staff drilling down on just one or two possible postseason partners. Now, everyone, 1-through-10 in both conferences, must remain on their toes, playing their level best, with no matchups likely to be set in stone until the final couple games of the regular season. Advantage, fans.

The only virtual certainty is the 9-vs.-10 in the East, Atlanta and Chicago, with just the home venue TBD. Heading into this evening’s game in Denver (9 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, Altitude Sports in DEN), the continued challenge for coach Quin Snyder’s Hawks, with the stakes so low, is to dismiss the urge to kick back and relax.

21 Hawk player turnovers (3^rd-most this season, most since Jan. 17 vs. ORL) in Dallas on Thursday night, matching the assist tally (2-11 record when registering under 22 assists), and another sluggish second half two nights before when Malachi Flynn went full Tony Delk in Atlanta, are conduct unbecoming for a squad that ought to be ramping up for the elimination game(s) to come.

While much attention has been placed on the team’s slightly enhanced defensive aptitude, the Hawks, on the court, have been ramping down, rather than up. Prior to Trae Young’s All-Star weekend, the Hawks’ 102.4 possessions-per-48 were behind just, appropriately, the Pacers, and the headless-chicken Wizards. In the 22 games that followed, 21 of them without Young’s availability, Atlanta’s end-to-end tempo has slowed to 97.0, slightly below average for the league. When it comes to pace, the Nuggets are meeting the Hawks in the middle (3^rd-lowest Pace pre-All-Star; 14^th-highest post-Break).

If Denver (53-24, 2^nd in West w/ tiebreaker to MIN, 1.0 game ahead of OKC) again reigns as the NBA West’s top-seed, it will be because there has been no slippage versus sub-.500 teams in quite some time (last such loss in Utah, versus the pre-implosion 19-20 Jazz on Jan. 10; 25-1 versus NBA teams with losing records).

With the T’wolves pivotal game at Ball Arena being the last winning-record team left on Denver’s schedule, and the lowest-seeded playoff teams the Nuggets could possibly face attaining winning records amid hot streaks, coach Michael Malone knows his team could use some sharpening iron in their diet. Given Rocky Mountain Oysters can only go but so far, he’ll expect the Hawks (36-41), best of the teams still on Denver’s docket with a losing mark, to do their part to relieve Denver of any iron deficiency.

Atlanta, particularly when they don’t get themselves bogged down, can be a good source of opposing offense. Despite their low output in Dallas, the Hawks’ 120.4 PPG versus NBA West clubs is the 2^nd highest of any NBA East team, behind Boston’s 122.3 and tied with Indiana. In the Celtics’ case, the scoring is attributable to a commitment to low turnovers; for the Pacers, it’s pace-and-space assist generation, particularly in the paint.

For Clint Capela’s Hawks, it’s second-chance creation, although not necessarily putbacks (NBA-high 8.1 putback possessions; 52.7 eFG%, 3^rd-lowest in NBA). Atlanta’s 16.0 second-chance points per-48 ranks third-highest in the league because they’re more effective when retrieving the rock and kicking it out.

Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets are not the strongest defensive-rebounding unit (22^nd in D-Reb%), allowing opportunities for the Hawks to mine for buckets and free-throw trips when Dejounte Murray’s sure-as-rain mid-rangers aren’t falling. The leading defensive rebounder in Denver’s 129-122 victory in Atlanta, back in December, was neither of Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter, or Jokic. It was Jamal Murray, the scoring guard who has missed the past seven games (inflamed knee) and is listed as questionable to play today.

While the Hawks remain shorthanded themselves, reserves Bruno Fernando, Kobe Bufkin, Vit Krejci and The Mat(t)hewses can make hay opposite a Nuggets bench unit, occasionally featuring periodic Hawk Justin Holiday, that went scoreless in the first half, taking just four shots as Denver’s lead on Thursday in LA versus the Clippers swiftly evaporated. Even an MVP-quality performance from Jokic (36 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists @ LAC), and stout defense (LAC shot just 37.8 FG%, incl. 7-for-33 on 3FGs vs. DEN in their 102-100 win), won’t suffice if the offensive output by the supporting starters and backups is anemic.

Jokic’s game is fascinatingly nuanced, and that has aided a club that desires to yet again dare Western opponents to conquer them at least once, at this high Colorado elevation, if those foes have any hope to reach The Finals. Yet for the Hawks to lower Denver’s record versus subpar teams to 25-2, the overriding tasks are simple: balanced scoring, across the box score and around the halfcourt floor, pace pushing, and assertive team rebounding. For the team that emanates from the Deep South, it really ain’t that deep.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

This is the time of the season when it's ideal for contenders to rest up their stars, but with playoff seeding on the line, it's all hands, and knees and ankles, on deck. Malone declared that Murray (swollen knee and sprained ankle) is "closer and closer" but "not there yet," prior to Thursday's Clippers game. He held out Zeke Nnaji, but the backup big was activated ahead of the game in LA, available for the first time since March 17.

Listed as probable along with Aaron Gordon (strained foot) due to an inflamed hip, Jokic is having none of this pre-Playoff rest business. "My goal is to play every game, and that's my mindset," The Joker told the Denver Post, after his season-high 42 points plus 16 rebounds were needed to fend off The Fighting Wembanyamas on Tuesday. He has also been playing through inflammation in his wrist. "I don't know if rest can help me... it is an injury I can play with," he said on Sunday as reported by Eurohoops, his 26 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists in a win over the Cavs being the proof in Cleveland's pudding.

Georgia native and Teammate of the Year finalist Kentavious Caldwell-Pope desperately wants to be in the All-Defensive honors conversation, and he wants a strong close as his $15.4 million Player Option decision nears. KCP will do what he can today to make bringing the ball across halfcourt a chore for Dejounte and company.

Rick Adelman's son, David, is among the top candidates ID'd for Steve Clifford's head coaching slot in Charlotte.

Trae's pinkie status is merely the difference between souring fans' hopes at the United Center and a frustrated Torrey Craig tossing his mouthpiece into the State Farm Arena stands. Trae remains On Ice along with Onyeka (sprained toe) and AJ (sprained ankle). But, say, is that a crack in the injury iceberg? Don't look now, but rookie Mo Gueye (sprained UCL) has been upgraded to Questionable. Scary times!

 

~lw3

[Gray Mule]

LethalWeapon3:  If you didn't know, here are some facts.

High Places in Georgia.  I live in Clay County, N.C.  Clay County joins Towns County, Ga.  The highest peak in the entire state of Georgia is the Brasstown Ball, which is in Towns County.  My late wife was born and raised in Towns County. 

Also, Towns County is the home of the Georgia Mountain Fair and half of the TVA lake, Chatuge.  The other half of the lake is in Clay County, N.C. 

 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Hawks are a whopping ( +11.5 ) underdogs in this game, with a low o/u of 221.5

Vegas doesn't think the Hawks will break 105 points.

 

[Gray Mule]

31 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

Hawks are a whopping ( +11.5 ) underdogs in this game, with a low o/u of 221.5

Vegas doesn't think the Hawks will break 105 points.

 

Do not despair!  ESPN says that we have a 26.5% chance of winning tonight!

[AHF]

1 hour ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

Hawks are a whopping ( +11.5 ) underdogs in this game, with a low o/u of 221.5

Vegas doesn't think the Hawks will break 105 points.

 

That seems excessive with Murray out.  I’m not someone who bets on games but that might be action I’d think hard about.

[lethalweapon3]

Previously listed as Probable, Aaron Gordon (strained foot, maybe related to that late slip-and-fall he had @ LAC) has been downgraded to Questionable as of the 2:30 PM update. Also added to the Questionables is Reggie Jackson (illness).

~lw3

[HawksNWaffles]

It's time for a dub....

 

 

 

[lethalweapon3]

All ankles on deck!
 

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Okay, maybe not ALL...

Jokic is a full go, though. The Hawks realized that, sometimes, you just have to fight fire with fire...

~lw3

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

 

 

[Nash]

This missed layup is a proof that Bruno will never survive in this league. What a scrub jc

[Nash]

Only one shot for Bogi against the team that has no player that can guard him jc. Bruno took 5 shots and Bogi only 1. This shows that Quin has no clue what to do

[REHawksFan]

3 minutes ago, Nash said:

This missed layup is a proof that Bruno will never survive in this league. What a scrub jc

Jokic also missed a couple of bunnies. What a scrub. 

[Nash]

Jalen with 4 TO trying to be facilitator. Man get rid of the ball sooner. We're just beating ourselves 

[Nash]

11 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

Jokic also missed a couple of bunnies. What a scrub. 

Yeah one is -13 in 9 minutes and the other one is +7. Unfortunately our player is a pure scrub and the other is mvp

Edited April 7 by Nash

[kg01]

Just tuned in and saw like 3-4 unacceptable plays from my Hawks.  Smh 

[Nash]

Jokic and Murray scored only 20 points and we allowed 50 points to like no name Nuggets players. Unbelievable. We're trying to double Jokic who is sleep waking and leaving wide open Kcp. Wow

[JayBirdHawk]

13 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Just tuned in and saw like 3-4 unacceptable plays from my Hawks.  Smh 

Walking back on defense 

[kg01]

10 minutes ago, Nash said:

Jokic and Murray scored only 20 points and we allowed 50 points to like no name Nuggets players. Unbelievable. We're trying to double Jokic who is sleep waking and leaving wide open Kcp. Wow

They're definitely sleep walking and not taking us seriously.  Kinda embarrassing.  Ah well, may as well get our collective shish together and surprise them. 

Edited April 7 by kg01