Official Game Thread: Hawks at Raptors

[lethalweapon3]

“IT’S A RAP!”

 

My whiny groveling about the unfairness of the Atlanta Hawks’ recent schedule is sure to come to an end soon. But not today! Atlanta returned home after a five-game-in-eight-days road swing, enjoyed one day “off”, then got pummeled by the Pistons last night, keeping their toothbrushes packed for a red-eye to Toronto in advance of today’s game against the Raptors (7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL; Sportsnet ONE up yonder). They got tenderized at home by the Pelicans one night before starting that wretched road trip, too.

Toronto, meanwhile, has hardly had to move a muscle since returning from Milwaukee on Black Friday. They got two days off before playing the Sixers, a day off before facing the kneecapped Grizzlies, and one more free day ahead of back-to-back games featuring the visiting Lakers and Hawks. Atlanta is the third contest of a six-game homestand in T-Dot. LeBron’s slip-sliding Cavaliers arrive two days from now, and the nice-try T-Wolves three days after that.

A 1-4 dip turned around to a 5-0 surge for the Raptors (13-6). But fortuitous scheduling has just a little bit to do with that. More impactful has been an offense, led by scoring ace DeMar DeRozan (career-bests of 28.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 4.3 APG), that has set a flamethrower to the nets.

How nice would it be to be ranked fourth in the league for 2FG%, third in the league for 3FG%, and second for FT%? On top of that, how nice it is to rarely turn the ball over (12.2 TOs per game, 2^nd-lowest in NBA), the third-best team at taking care of the rock when adjusting for pace? The Raps have the second-best O-Rating in the NBA (113.0, a shade behind Golden State), an efficiency affording Dwane Casey, a typically defensive-minded coach, quite a few luxuries.

For perhaps the first time, DeRozan has established himself as the clear 1-A superstar on the team, allowing point guard Kyle Lowry (20.6 PPG, 41.4 3FG%, 7.3 APG, 1.7 SPG) even more room to roam than in past seasons. With Lowry and Toronto-born backup Cory Joseph running the show, there’s no urgency for second-year guard Delon Wright to return from offseason shoulder surgery.

Their biggest free agent signing, Jared Sullinger, also needs not rush to come back. Toronto has more than gotten by with rookie first-rounder Pascal Siakam in the starting power forward spot, and that should continue today as All-Star Paul Millsap (hip) recuperates back in Atlanta. Seventh-year vet Patrick Patterson (35.9 FG%) has had a horrendous start to the season offensively, but he has been fine with coming off the bench behind Siakam and generally staying the heck out of the way.

Casey doesn’t have to overwork center Jonas Valanciunas (career-high 13.2 PPG and 9.6 RPG), and rookie Jakob Poeltl barely has to leave his seat. That’s because Casey’s finally making judicious use out of former Hawks project Bebe Nogueira (69.2 FG%; 1.8 BPG in just 18.5 minutes/game).

Perhaps most importantly to Casey, he can choose which night of back-to-backs he can rest DeMarre Carroll, the Junk Yard Dog looking more like a Westminster finalist (15.3 PPG, 59.0 FG%, 47.8 3FG%, 1.3 SPG and 1.3 BPG in his last 4 games) in recent days since his last respite.

How do the Raptors decide which game to play Carroll, like when choosing between the Lakers and the Hawks?  “I think it’s more how we’re going to guard, the best guy on the team, whoever the best player is,” Carroll suggested recently to The Athletic. “If we’re playing a team that’s a (more balanced) team, I’m more prone to sit out that game rather than if we’re playing a Kevin Durant or a LeBron or Paul George. I think that’s the biggest factor, I feel.”

Well congratulations, Kent Bazemore, you’re considered higher up on the best-player rung than Luol Deng. Carroll was DNP’d in last night’s game against the Lakers, and Toronto didn’t need his help to drain the Lake Show with a resounding 113-80 win. Playoff hero Norman Powell had been used sparingly, but logged a season-high 32 minutes and contributed 16 points in Carroll’s absence. Now JYD ver. 2.0 will get a chance to sink his teeth into the Hawks. His 3.8 career PPG and 2.2 RPG against Atlanta (nine games, just two starts) are his lowest marks versus any team.

Casey may disagree with Carroll’s assessment, or the notion that Carroll would like to get a healthy go at his previous NBA team (“I don’t care what the player wants to do. It is what is best for the Toronto Raptors to win.”), but DMC is accurate on one aspect. We’re certainly a less “balanced” team than the Lakers right now, in more ways than one.

The Hawks’ offense continues rocketing toward the NBA basement, most recently in last night’s 121-85 abomination at the Lowlight Factory. Best demonstrated during the 2016 Playoffs versus Kevin Love and the Cavs, the Hawks have shown that their confidence and composure fall completely through the floor whenever they struggle to get former sharpshooter Kyle Korver (2-for-8 FGs, 0-for-3 3FGs) going while their opponents have no problems having a field day from the perimeter.

Terrence Ross (42.6 3FG%) will try to help Lowry and Carroll go bombs away against the Hawks again, one night after Detroit posted a demoralizing franchise-record 17 treys (58.6 team 3FG%) on Atlanta, the Pistons’ opponents (6-for-24 3FGs) unable to provide much of a response.

Last night’s game (re-)confirmed that things are likely to get worse for the Hawks (10-10) before they get better. But one sliver of good news for the Hawks is they’ve played well on the back end of back-to-backs this season, posting a 4-1 record (wins over HOU, CHI, MIL, at IND, loss at GSW) while outscoring opponents 106.0-98.8. That last home drubbing by New Orleans was followed by an 11-point road victory in Indiana. So it’s reasonable to expect, even while a little shorthanded, that the Hawks will cobble together a more competitive effort from the jump in Toronto.

Without Millsap around, it’s essential for Dwight Howard to have much more than a casual observer role, as was the case yesterday (1-for-4 FGs, 6 rebounds, 5 personal fouls) against Andre Drummond and Detroit. Howard (1.1 APG and 6.0 Assist%, lowest since his rookie season 12 years ago) must be more active than sitting around the basket waiting for lobs and putbacks.

Getting Dwight more touches and relying upon him to kick the ball back out of the paint when double-teamed should begin to thaw the Atlanta offense, force DeRozan and Lowry to expend more energy than they’d like on defense, and allow the Hawks to stay in contention for much more than one quarter tonight.

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

 

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[Lurker]

Bazemore's confidence is totally shot. DeRozan is going to get all he can eat against him.

[Guest]

Great game thread lw3! The Raps scare the crap outta me. But as I always say...

 

GO HAWKIIIIEEEESSS

[Guest]

One good thing from last night - only 7 turnovers .

[Guest]

The big question for tonight:

Will there be a starting lineup change at the wing position?

Will Bud pull the rip cord?

[Guest]

1. •  
   •  
   •  
2.  

   Chris Vivlamore 

    

   ✔ @CVivlamoreAJC

   Subject to change of course, but updated game notes have Mike Muscala in starting lineup for Hawks in place of Paul Millsap. Stay tuned.

[Alex]

Probably will win somehow tonight

[StephenHawking]

vor 6 Minuten, Alex sagte:

Probably will win somehow tonight

I'd go bananas

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, Alex said:

Probably will win somehow tonight

I wouldn't be surprised. This is something this skitzo team would do.

I thought we'd get blown out in GSW and of cousre they did the opposite.

[Guest]

 

Chris Vivlamore 

 

✔ @CVivlamoreAJC

Mike Muscala will indeed start in place of Paul Millsap for Hawks. No other lineup changes.

 

Sigh.

[Guest]

 

1.  

   Chris Vivlamore 

    

   ✔ @CVivlamoreAJC

   DeAndre Bembry has re-joined Hawks after D-League game. Flew from L.A. to Toronto. Will be active tonight

[Lurker]

7 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

Chris Vivlamore 

 

✔ @CVivlamoreAJC

Mike Muscala will indeed start in place of Paul Millsap for Hawks. No other lineup changes.

 

Sigh.

Square peg in a round hole. The swift downward spiral will continue if Bud continues to play 4 out and 1 in offense with Bazemore's confidence completely shot and Korver trying extremely hard to free himself but failing and allowing even defensive specialists to get easy offense on him easily.

[RedDawg#8]

What is happening to this team? Seriously. Coach Bud, you run this ship from personnel to coaching. The blame falls squarely on your shoulders right now. Make a change. This shit ain't working

[Sarcatic1]

What an ugly game so far

Baze continues to jack up quick shots and miss lay ups

We are giving them as many open shots as they want

Moose has come back down to earth with his play. He missed so many defensive assignments in that second quarter. And the miss shots at the rim

Korver with another non impact game

Dennis has scored but the ball movement is not there

Delaney is terrible

And why in the world did we trade Jeff for a lotto pick if we are not going to play the damn kid (Prince) smdh

[NBASupes]

Al Jefe Horford 

Jeff Touch Me Teague Me

[Lurker]

Let me say it for the 10000th time, playing spacing basketball without the personnel to do it (a shooter that might be slower than me and a hoard of 30-32% three point shooters) and not recognizing that it's a bad idea should be a ticket to your firing.

Change your philosophy or blow it up. I'm honestly leaning to blow it up if it done in a certain way.

[JTB]

Well surly looks like lottery time. Oh well we've been to playoffs nine straight times and we reached our ceiling with the last current group so it was time to take a risk in my opinion.

i admit I was wrong about this team only because the effort and passion isn't there as well as we have guys doing things that don't fit their skill set and now I have lost all faith and really need to focus on other things.

Its tearing me up emotionally watching our hawks get beat down back to back to back. I really can't handle it! I've been watching this team faithfully since 2000 and I haven't seen shit like this since the early 2000s.

Bud is a great coach but he has let us down.

[JTB]

6 minutes ago, Lurker said:

Let me say it for the 10000th time, playing spacing basketball without the personnel to do it (a shooter that might be slower than me and a hoard of 30-32% three point shooters) and not recognizing that it's a bad idea should be a ticket to your firing.

Change your philosophy or blow it up. I'm honestly leaning to blow it up if it done in a certain way.

Yup but I was under the impression that we were going to change the offense after signing Dwight & starting Dennis .....guess not.

Edited December 4, 2016 by JTB

[rd79]

What happened to this team?

[TheNorthCydeRises]

He has no choice but to play the kids.  This has arguably been the worst 2 weeks of basketball the Hawks have played in about 9 years.  Even the 38 - 44 Hawks of 2008 and 2013 were more competitive than these guys.

Korver and Baze . . . 0 - 8 3FG and a combined 6 - 18 FG for 14 points.

Bud, Einstein once said that the definition of INSANITY . .  is to keep doing things over and over again, and expecting a different result.

Listen to Einstein, Bud.  Don't be insane.

Edited December 4, 2016 by TheNorthCydeRises