Hawks - Warriors

[lethalweapon3]

Tonight is Nellie Night! The newly minted Hall-of-Famer Don Nelson will be honored tonight for his coaching exploits as the Golden State Warriors raise his banner into the rafters of Oracle Arena. Performance painter David Garibaldi (star of the Hawks-Heat halftime festivities in honor of Veteran’s Day) must be following the Hawks around, as he’ll throw together a portrait of Nelson during halftime.

Nelson, who surpassed ex-Hawk coach Lenny Wilkens in 2010 for tops in victories among NBA coaches, helmed the Warriors during their only postseason appearance (2007) in the last 19 seasons, as well as all five of their playoff appearances in the last quarter-century. The Hawks might as well deem it And You Think Your Franchise Has Sucked Night.

Will there be boos raining down from the stands this time, like they infamously did on Chris Mullin Night last March? Probably not. Majority owner Joe Lacob has figured out that if he’s going to take center stage, it had better be early in the season, before whatever hopes the fans have get hobbled or traded away.

I had Golden State squeaking into the playoffs this season, under the always-flawed “If Everyone Stays Healthy” theory, a postulation that includes Andrew Bogut’s and Stephen Curry’s ankles encased in Plaster of Paris.

The health bug has already stung the W’s hard enough this season, led by Bogut’s bothersome ankle keeping him out of tonight’s and a couple more contests. Jarrett Jack has been playing through flu-like symptoms over the past week, but unfortunately he may have passed them on to Curry, who missed practice earlier in the week. So there’s a small chance Jack will start as Steph is questionable for tonight. The loss of Brandon Rush (knee) was a severe setback for the Warriors’ playoff contention hopes. The reserve was their most reliable defensive option at the wing and was an efficient offensive player last season.

They’re a rested team, though, having had four days off after their dispiriting double-overtime home loss to Denver on Saturday night. Against the Nuggets, they were the same old Warriors NBA opponents have come to know and love, scrappy but making dumb decisions and missing ample opportunities to keep foes at bay late in the closing minutes. They’d much rather start strong and finish stronger on Nellie Night.

Bogut’s injury has pressed Festus (“For the Restus”) Ezeli into the starting lineup (it’s either him or Andris Biedrins. Yeah, Ezeli.) John Jenkins’ ex-Vandy teammate has long arms but a short leash, only getting 10 minutes of burn in that double-overtime loss as the Warriors fell behind 26-13 in the first quarter. If he gets a bump in floor time today, look for the rookie to bang in the paint more and try to get to the line. In his first start spelling Bogut a couple weeks ago, he took ten free throws in 28 minutes, although he only made four in his short-lived career-high eight-point effort.

The patchwork job G-State is doing at center is forcing “Avi” Lee to play big. Yet despite Lee and Richard Jefferson flailing and Curry routinely outsized in the backcourt, Coach Mark Jackson’s “hand up… man up!” philosophy may be taking hold. Opponents are shooting just 41.7% against the Warriors, presently 5^th-lowest in the league. Their exploits are especially showing up outside the paint, holding opponents to 30.4% on threes and 33.3% on long two-pointers. Apparently, getting Jefferson and young players Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes to step out on defense and use their length to be disruptive have kept opposing shooters on ice. With Lee gobbling up the defensive rebounds (8.0 per night, 8^th in the NBA), the ample volume of missed shots allows him to lead the team in defensive win shares. Will I have to go back to calling him “David” now?

Thompson (1^st in the NBA with 8.7 3FGAs/game) and Curry (2^nd in the NBA with 7.8 3FGAs/game) leave no mystery as to where the lion’s share of their offense comes from (only 21.7% of shots are at the rim, lowest in the league). With Golden State playing at a high pace (4^th in the league), it seems they’re not wasting much of the clock getting their shots off, either. Neither gunner is connecting on more than 40 percent either inside or outside the arc so far, so it helps to have an active menace in Carl Landry cleaning things up and creating second chances (8^th in the NBA for offensive rebounds; 60.0 FG%). With Al Horford fighting off the stomach flu, yeoman’s work from Zaza Pachulia and Ivan Johnson will be crucial to keep Landry from having a field day, like the Blazers’ J.J. Hickson did in the Hawks’ last game.

Devin Harris suffered a hamstring strain in that Portland game, so he’ll stay on the bench tonight. Coach Jackson has resisted any urge to go extra-small in the backcourt so far, but if Curry is not healthy enough to go and the Hawks pair up Jeff Teague and Lou Williams, look for the Warriors to counter by bringing in Charles Jenkins at the 2-spot alongside Jack. A solid mid-range shooter, the second-year Hofstra guard had a solid summer league and preseason and has been angling for a chance to impress. Jack has done a stellar job when entrusted with the ball so far (4.6 assists/game; 0.9 TOs/game). Jackson may also opt for Old Dominion rookie Kent Bazemore, who has played sparingly, if he needs more defense in the backcourt.

Whichever team wastes more time putting the ball on the floor will more likely find themselves at a disadvantage. The Hawks remain a top-five NBA team in opponent turnover rate. The Warriors make the fewest defensive plays (blocks-steals-charges combined) in the league, but Curry (top 20 in steals per game), if healthy, and the rangy Warrior forwards will be looking to swoop in on the ball and create havoc if Atlanta allows.

Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

If regulation ends in a tie... Biedrins versus Smoove, free throw contest. Closest to the goal WINS!

http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXVp6aatWp0

The next night after that shot... you gotta give it up for Warrior fans!

http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQu793xnJpE

Now don't kill off a whole 8 minutes of your life. I just enjoy irony.

http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohqshQ6BZbI

~lw3

[CroHawk]

Hahahaha!

[maljanNBAfan]

Tonight's a really interesting matchup. I'd love to see the Hawks use Smith at power forward. (I wrote more in detail about it here: http://soaringdownsouth.com/2012/11/14/josh-smiths-positional-battle/)

[ATLSmith]

So I can get stomping in my air force one's... Oh wait, not that Nelly.

[AHawks89]

ajchawks Hawks blog posted. Harris out, Horford game-time decision vs. Warriors.bit.ly/T3HpRs#ATLHawks

[DatWerkk]

First half belongs to Mr. Ashton Kutcher.

[Alex]

Korver is the only reason why we are in this game. He is stroking it in the first half. Josh is so frustrating to watch sometimes. I am having a hard time believing Ferry keeps him around much longer.Congrats to one of my favorite Spartans! Draymond Green drains his first basket as a professional.

[JackB1]

Josh chucking up jumpers like crazy tonite :-(

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

Amazing how porous our D is... Warriors getting a lot of hoops from right under the basket. We are forcing a lot of TO's and getting blocks, but they are getting way too many easy hoops. I about flipped my lid on that Jefferson and-1. Dude was 60 ft away from the hoop with 5 secs on the shot clock! Come on Atlanta!

[DatWerkk]

I almost feel like Josh is trying to pull a Vince Carter to get out of Atlanta.

[MrMeltdown]

Disappointing

[cam1218]

I moved out of Atlanta and had to get league pass to see us play. I know I'm not the only one that does this, but it's funny to hear opposing announcers talk about us.Not that it wast obvious that Josh takes bad shots when watching the ATL broadcast. It is just amazing how these other teams announcers feel like it is a defensive win when Josh starts shooting his jumpers. I mean really, how can he just keep throwing it up? We should start adding it to our turnover totals.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

BOX OUT!!!

[Alex]

Warriors should be up 15 right now. We are lucky they keep turning the ball over.

[Alex]

Josh has been one of my favorite players in the league since he's been playing. It's so tough to like him these days. He keeps up this attitude and lack of performance and he is going to be on a new team. Maybe that's what he wants.

[DatWerkk]

Josh is openly pouting. While on the court. On offense!

[DatWerkk]

It's great watching this Warriors broadcast. As far as they're concerned the game has been over since the 2nd quarter. They can't be bothered to call the game.Seems like they're just now figuring out in the middle of the 4th quarter that Ivan Johnson should be a person of interest.

[AnthonyI11]

This is the most frustrating game of basketball I've ever watched in my life.

[Alex]

Harrison Barnes is going to be really good. He will be the best player in that draft class.