Official Game Thread: Hawks - Bucks

[lethalweapon3]

Sloppy write-up I threw together:

It’ll be the start of the annual road trip for Our Fine Feathered Friends! The Hawks will take off against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center tonight. Holding serve against the Bucks in their next four matchups will go a long way toward firming up another playoff spot for Atlanta.

Since the amicable departure of Scott Skiles in January, Coach Jim Boylan’s Bucks are still holding it down in the 8^th and final spot of the Eastern Conference. They’ve gone 10-11, but have just two wins in their last ten games, one victory (a two-point home win vs. the Sixers) in their last seven. Three of the last four setbacks were by 5 points or less.

Brandon Jennings passed the 30-point plateau on each of Milwaukee’s last two defeats (32.5 PPG, 9 APG). Having been oh-so-close to having his Oak Hill buddy join him in Milwaukee, he’ll be eager to show Josh why he’s missing out by remaining with Atlanta. Milwaukee native Devin Harris was allegedly part of a last-minute deal, and will want to do the same as Jennings.

The Hawks will get another look at three guys they just played ten days ago. The Bucks will be kicking the tires on three newcomers in J.J. Redick, Gustavo Ayón, and Ish Smith. With Jennings and Ellis dominating the ball, it’s hard to see where Redick will fit in for significant minutes. But Redick’s addition will keep Mike Dunleavy at the three spot, and with efficient shooting he’ll allow Milwaukee to better spread the floor.

Having the league’s third-best offensive rebounding team allows them plenty of second- and third-chance points. Orlando’s former top field goal shooter, Ayón, will get more minutes off the bench and will contribute by crashing the boards just like he did in New Orleans, spelling Larry Sanders and Samuel Dalembert.

Also helping with the rebounding is Ersan Ilyasova (8.4 RPG last five games), who has catapulted out of the doldrums of the first two months that freaked out the Bucks’ faithful rewarding him with a major free agent deal last summer.

Al Horford’s mid-range jumper has been falling as of late, resulting in a four-game string averaging 24.5 PPG while shooting almost 75%. If he can draw Dalembert and/or Larry Sanders out of the paint, his teammates can take advantage of the openings.

Go Hawks!

~lw3

[PureGreatness]

Stole this from the bucks messgae board on Realgm

Pull up, CLANK
Bank shot, CLANK
Pin down, CLANK
Post up, CLANK
Pass out, CLANK
Free throw, CLANK
Monta, CLANK
Monte, CLANK

Why you babysittin on two or three shots,
Imma show you how to miss a whole lot
First you find where the lane is-
Never drrriiivve in it
Find where the lane is-
Never drrriiivve in it.

--Kendrick Lamar

[Guest]

Hope u feel better soon lethal..love those game threads. On a side note nbatv just said Deshawn Stephenson is out. So I guess Deshawn Stevenson might play?...smh

[Dnice]

Hawks effin up again in the 1st. Need to get their s toghether. smfh.

[benhillboy]

Zaza giving us exactly what we needed on the offensive glass.

[Cwell]

Stole this from the bucks messgae board on Realgm

Pull up, CLANK

Bank shot, CLANK

Pin down, CLANK

Post up, CLANK

Pass out, CLANK

Free throw, CLANK

Monta, CLANK

Monte, CLANK

Why you babysittin on two or three shots,

Imma show you how to miss a whole lot

First you find where the lane is-

Never drrriiivve in it

Find where the lane is-

Never drrriiivve in it.

--Kendrick Lamar

LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[ViperXX79]

I hope Josh keeps taking those 3's...

[benhillboy]

The Boss muthaf&@ka. Lets Go.

[Guest]

Awesome win on the road ...Hor, Teague, Smoove everybody

[JackB1]

Thank You Al!!!Smith tried to throw the game away with horrible turnovers at the worst possible times. But Al comes to the rescue once again. I don't understand how Drew can watch Smith try to dribble the ball up the court all the time and cause turnovers night after night and not tell him to stop doing that when we have point guards for that?How many more times do we have to listen to Dominique's say "well that's where you give the ball up to your guards"???Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

Edited February 24, 2013 by JackB1

[Gray Mule]

Well, so much for losing six on the road!!

All the guys, including you know who, were hitting those three

point shots tonight.

Great, nail biting, win!

GO HAWKS!!!

Edited February 24, 2013 by Gray Mule

[yungsta]

smoove once again with low IQ plays and almost cost us the game. I WANT HIM GONE. Yes he made that big hero three at the end but just for attempting a shot like that shows that he just doesnt give a f*** about the team.....

Horford manhandled sanders on that last play. I have never seen AL back someone down like that. I cant wait til smoove is gone and he can be our full time PF.

[coachx]

Well, so much for losing six on the road!! All the guys, including you know who, were hitting those threepoint shots tonight. Great, nail biting, win! GO HAWKS!!!

Josh was 2 for 6 on 3's ............he has no business taking 6 in a game to begin with.Still a good win. Great early play from Harris. Josh played well......just wish he would play smarter so the team would be more efficient. I don't get mad at physical limitations......it's the mental errors that drive us nuts.

[Guest]

Well we've seen it before, you piss Horford off and he muscles even more and turns it up even more..after the cut above his eyes he wasn't gonna be denied.

[lethalweapon3]

"Cut Me, Mick!"

~al15

[ryandauwalker]

This does not get enough pub on the Squawk... Larry Drew is absolutely the best in the business at drawing up plays after a timeout.

[BudBall]

Great Game. Would have been awkward if we did trade smoove to them and seeing him play on their team.

[DrReality]

This does not get enough pub on the Squawk... Larry Drew is absolutely the best in the business at drawing up plays after a timeout.

This is a first on HS. LD getting props

[Ruckus]

DVRd the game and just got done watching it. Good way to start the road trip. I think the Bucks are in good shape for the future with their young talent. I think Reddick was a really good acquisition as well. The whole game I was watching Sanders thinking damn that woulda been sweet to land him.

[benhillboy]

This does not get enough pub on the Squawk... Larry Drew is absolutely the best in the business at drawing up plays after a timeout.

I been recognized that a few times. I don't understand the Drew hate and/ or disregard at all. The man is getting signifiganyly better each year like a young player. Don't really understand the criticism of his lineups either. We always have at least one matchup advantage at all times depending on the opponent whether its Zaza and Ivan against softer players, KK against someone who can't chase him, Al and Josh versus a front line that can't run, or two ball handling guards against a backcourt with communication problems. When Jenkins is on on top of all that, the other team has serious problems. Edited February 24, 2013 by benhillboy