Official Game Thread: Jazz at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“Life moves pretty fast, Shareef…”

 

Putting the “tank” in “stank” with lousy perimeter shooting and lousier interior defense against the Bulls on Saturday, our Atlanta Hawks have licked their wounds and will try to return to the winning column tonight versus the Utah Jazz (7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain in SLC), a team where many budding NBA careers have gone to grow stale. But, perhaps, not for much longer?

The steam you see rising out west is coming from California, where the O’Neal household is miffed about Shaquille’s son, Shareef, not making the cut for the heralded McDonald’s All-American High School Boys Team last week. “It hurt, a lot, actually,” Reef told ItsOvertime.com, “because that was a childhood dream for me.”

Various and sundry FOSses (Friends of Shaq) within the NBA universe reached out via the social media stratosphere to express their resentment of the folks beneath the Golden Arches, for snubbing the Arizona commit. Recent retiree Matt Barnes, unsurprisingly, was most vociferous in his e-displeasure, insisting he and his children will stage a boycott of McNuggets, a protest that ought to work out well for his kids in the long run. Do they still use pink foam for that stuff?

Shareef don’t like it. But he should understand that getting named to that select prep squad is not all it’s cracked up to be. If anything, it’s not a bellwether of future pro stardom. All-NBA talents from Steph Curry, Russell Westbrook and Jimmy Butler to Paul George, Draymond Green and Kawhi Leonard are still trying to figure out how their invitations got lost in the mail. And roll back the calendar just nine years ago. Sure, Boogie Cousins made the team, as did Lance Stephenson. But, hey, so did Bud-faves Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly.

Neither is such an honor insurance of lasting fandom. If you ask nicely, Reef, I’ll bet you Derrick Favors will let you borrow his MVP trophy from the 2009 Mickie D’s All-American Game (the 2018 game will be right here at Philips Arena, on March 28). The former South Atlanta High and Georgia Tech phenom can assure you, as he has learned, that winning that award, and even becoming a #3-overall draft pick, doesn’t make you all that and a bag of fries.

Sure, Favors is still starting in the league, so he deserves a break today. But since getting picked third-overall by New Jersey in the summer of 2010, then dealt mere months later to Salt Lake City in the aftermath of the Jerry Sloan-Deron Williams nuke-fest, heightened expectations by Jazzfans of Favors (12.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG) someday blossoming into superstardom have given way to merely being satisfied if he can be anything more than a role player from one night to the next.

The player Utah drafted in 2009 that eventually did turn into something like a phenomenon, Gordon Hayward, departed for Boston last season, turning the heat lamp more squarely in Favors’ direction. On the floor, he’s aided by Ricky Rubio (team-high 4.8 APG), the once-hyped point guard whose jury is no longer just out, they’ve rendered their verdict and gone home to spend time with their families.

Unable to stretch his range or move the rock like many of his positional peers, Favors is finding himself subbed at turns by former Hawks star Joe Johnson (41.6 FG%, lowest since 2002-03), by Jonas Jerebko (team-high 43.4 3FG%), and by Joe Ingles (42.7 3FG%, 4.3 APG), each of whom exceed Favors by several years of global hoops mileage. That’s to say nothing of Thabo Sefolosha, who was getting minutes as a small-ball four before succumbing to a season-ending knee injury.

Since Favors’ arrival, lottery picks and draft-day acquisitions by the Jazz haven’t fared much better. Enes Kanter is despised in SLC more than anywhere on Earth, and that’s saying something. Former All-Rookie 1^st-Teamer Trey Burke is just happy to be getting minutes somewhere. Armed with a ten-million dollar salary from the Jazz, Alec Burks is getting yo-yo’d in and out of the G-League. Dante Exum (shoulder) can’t seem to get back on the NBA hardwood, while Trey Lyles waited until he was dealt to rival Denver to start showing out.

A decade full of dampened dreams are gnawing on Jazzfans’ patience, even though Player Whisperer and head coach Quin Snyder runs the show. One season after being treated to 51 wins (with Hayward) and a Conference Semifinals appearance, fans have grown unnerved as Utah (19-27) subsides. Their frustrations with promising players failing to emerge recently boiled over in a way that could some day harm the team’s chances of keeping their most exciting rookie guard since the days of Dr. Dunkenstein.

Like the legendary Darrell Griffith, Donovan Mitchell (team-high 19.3 PPG) leapt and bounded his way out of Louisville, eager to prove wrong prognosticators that urged passing on the high-flying shooting guard due to his 6-foot-3 height. While Mitchell was getting acclimated to the pro game, and while center Rudy Gobert (minutes-monitored after a recent return from knee soreness) struggled through injuries, fourth-year guard Rodney Hood (career-high 16.7 PPG; career-low 43.7 2FG%) took the mantle and carried the scoring load for the Jazz at the outset of the season.

But Hood’s hot start was unsustainable, and when his jumper tailed off (30.0 3FG% this month), his skeptical home fans serenaded him last week with audible boos. That didn’t sit well with Mitchell, the reigning Rookie of the Month (and, it should be noted, a 2015 McDonald’s “snub”, unlike our old friend Diamond Stone) who replaced Hood in Snyder’s starting lineup back in November. “Can’t believe people were booing Rodney tonight,” the rookie tweeted last Monday, following a 15-point loss to Indiana. “…for people to boo him is insane.”

Further defending Hood (out tonight, due to a sore knee) Mitchell added in all-caps, “WE ARE BETTER THAN THAT!”, his inclusive “WE” referring to those apparently transplanted Eagles fans in the arena stands. Once his rookie deal expires and extensions run out, might Mitchell “Take Note” as to how Utah’s fans sour on young players, like him, once they have seemingly regressed or leveled off? (Former Jazz draft-and-tradee Taurean Prince, consider yourself a lucky man.)

That subset of Jazzmen includes Favors, still just 26 years of age, who has gone out of his way to re-emphasize his personal joy of playing in the Beehive State over the years. The once-grateful sentiments from the fanbase have worn thin for Favors, in the aftermath of Paul Millsap and Hayward leaving. No longer waiting for him to step up, fans are urging Dennis Lindsey and the Utah brass to help Favors step out, before February 8’s trade deadline arrives.

While Mitchell adds dashes of excitement, Utah as a team has been slow at the start of the first (minus-10.2 1^st quarter Net Rating, 28^th in NBA) and second halves (minus-8.3 3^rd quarter Net Rating, 26^th in NBA), but eventually strives to gain traction (2^nd in Net Rating in 2^nd quarters; 6^th in the 4^th quarters). Those rankings are low even with Saturday’s home win, where the Jazz outscored the Clippers 39-29 in the opening frame and held serve in the third along the way to a 125-113 victory.

To help slow opponents’ rolls, Utah will rely heavily on Gobert and Ekpe Udoh (1.9 steals and 2.9 blocks per-36, DNP-CD vs. LAC) to seal off the rim from drive-heavy players like Dennis Schröder (17.6 drives per game, 2^nd in NBA), especially if they can afford to abandon their man while defending in the paint. They also depend a lot on the late-game guile of veterans like Ingles (4 steals vs. LAC), Jerebko and Joe, so as not to overload the trio of Mitchell, Gobert and Rubio in crunch time.

Schröder will have to weather the storm in the halfcourt by relying on a mid-range game that betrayed him at times versus Chicago. But he and the Hawks can get to the rim, unencumbered by their slower and injury-addled opponents, by initiating a fastbreak and transition offense. The Jazz (27^th in pace) have been stout defensively in these categories, but not so much on the road, where their record (5-18) almost mirrors Atlanta’s NBA-low of 4-19.

Dennis has been effective in finding open teammates (20 assists, 1 TO in past two games), but the Hawks will find themselves behind the 8-ball repeatedly if they don’t hit those shots, especially versus strong defensive-rebounding teams like Chicago (81.1 D-Reb%, 3^rd in NBA) and Utah (79.2 D-Reb%, tied-6^th in NBA). Favors has been out of rotations at the ends of Jazz games, but he can be integral to another good start by keeping his fellow ’09 All-American Plumlee off the glass from the start, freeing up Gobert to help with blocks on the defensive end.

Shareef already knows he is likely unable to fill his father’s sizable shoes, but he needs to chart his own unique course into, and through, the pros. To be in a position where he’ll be coveted by the likes of the Jazz and the Hawks in the future, he needs to stray as far away from anything associated with McDonald’s for a while. If he’s unconvinced, he could ask for tapes of Daddy Diesel playing in his thirties.

 

In closing… It’s Tank Karaoke Time! Kick it, Bud!

 

“Para drafta Mo Bamba, para drafta Mo Bamba,

Marvin Bagley, una Luka, Trae, Musa

Una Luka, Trae, Musa, para mi, para ti

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Porter, okay?

Porter, okay! O, DeAndre!”

 

“Tu no pick Marvin Williams

Tu no pick Marvin Williams, ‘kay, Travis-san?

‘kay Travis-san? Draft mi Ayton!”

 

“Mo, Mo, Bamba

Isaac Bonga

Mo, Mo Bamba… Bam!”

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

 

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[TheNorthCydeRises]

The question is . . . will Joe Johnson get into the Basketball Hall of Fame?

 

- No championships, NBA Finals, or Conference Finals appearances.

- 7x All-Star

- One All-NBA team ( 3rd team )

- 20th all time in minutes played ( 43,584 )

- 10th all time in 3 pointers made ( 1955 ) . . . did not know that

- 41st all time in total points ( 20,217 )

 

The last stat is key, because NO ONE in NBA history who has scored that many points, has not been left out of the Hall of Fame.  Only 2 players who have scored at least 20,000 points have been left out.  ( Tom Chambers and Antwan Jamison ).

The recent history of clutch baskets may get him in.  But it may have to be a year in which the inductee class is relatively "weak".

With the Jazz being 4.5 games out of the 8th spot, he may need to be traded to a high caliber playoff team ( Cleveland ), and be a key reserve off the bench, in order to guarantee his spot in the Hall.   If not, I wonder how many seasons he'll continue to play as a fringe player?  If he can get to 21,000 points, that may be enough.  But he'll need 2+ more seasons to do that.

 

 

 

[lethalweapon3]

4 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

The question is . . . will Joe Johnson get into the Basketball Hall of Fame?

He'll be umpteenth-ballot. I suspect Joe Springfield gets ample time to work on his induction speech... which will still be both short and hilarious!

~lw3

[NBASupes]

Joe is a ball of famer. Reggie Miller never been to this many all star games

[lethalweapon3]

ERRATA: I have my Plumlees confused above! Sorry, Miles! You're the true Bud-fave, while Mason was the guy on the McD's All-Star team back in 2009. I had too much Bucks on the brain, too, as I almost called Mason "Marshall"!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

No Hawks starters w/ any assists after one half (Malcolm saving the day with 6!). Worth keeping an eye on that in the next half, as the Jazz have been defending the passes even more aggressively than the shots.

~lw3

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Love how Dedmon and Collins work on the boards.  The Hawks definitely need to keep Dedmon around for a while, just in case we draft the gunner ( Trae ) or White Magic ( Doncic )

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Delaney +14?

I guess another snowstorm is coming this weekend.

[AHF]

We are completely going to screw ourselves.  I am so unhappy with the recent direction of the team.  Short sighted.  Hope the Jazz put together a big run but we are going to find ourselves on the outside looking in for the elite prospects of our recent play becomes a trend over the second half when a bunch of other teams deliberately dial up the injuries and Ls.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

LOL . . I turn away for 5 minutes, and the Hawks are up 23?  WTF?

Haha . . and Delaney is +26?

[TheNorthCydeRises]

4 minutes ago, AHF said:

We are completely going to screw ourselves.  I am so unhappy with the recent direction of the team.  Short sighted.  Hope the Jazz put together a big run but we are going to find ourselves on the outside looking in for the elite prospects of our recent play becomes a trend over the second half when a bunch of other teams deliberately dial up the injuries and Ls.

I truly believe that they're winning for the home crowd, which is a good thing.  They'll be horrible on the road.  And eventually, Dennis will get a "mysterious" injury in March, and will be shut down for the year.  And if anyone else acts like they wanna ball, they'll be shut down too.

[nathan2331]

We are completely going to screw ourselves.  I am so unhappy with the recent direction of the team.  Short sighted.  Hope the Jazz put together a big run but we are going to find ourselves on the outside looking in for the elite prospects of our recent play becomes a trend over the second half when a bunch of other teams deliberately dial up the injuries and Ls.

Gotta hope some deals get done by the deadline. This win was unavoidable considering how bad the Jazz have shot the ball, but this squad is gaining too much momentum right now. I imagine we'll make a deal when Cleveland decides how important that Brooklyn pick is to them.

[Peoriabird]

Hawks will finish with the 4 or 5 worse record

Collins with the 3

[lethalweapon3]

To be fair, if we (and by we, I mean the Hawks players on the court) tried to play worse than the Jazz are looking right now, there would be a Congressional investigation!

At the risk of a jinx, Utah's road record will drop to 5-19 (a half-game above ATL's league-worst 4-19). So it's not like this is unfamiliar territory for them.

Also at the risk of a jinx: The Hawks will officially pass the 04-05 Hawks with their 14th win. No "Atlanta" Hawks team has ever had fewer than 25 (the Milwaukee Hawks had some early clunkers in the 50s, but nobody remembers those).

~lw3

[Peoriabird]

Prince is playing better tonight

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Just now, nathan2331 said:

6 minutes ago, AHF said:

We are completely going to screw ourselves.  I am so unhappy with the recent direction of the team.  Short sighted.  Hope the Jazz put together a big run but we are going to find ourselves on the outside looking in for the elite prospects of our recent play becomes a trend over the second half when a bunch of other teams deliberately dial up the injuries and Ls.

 

Gotta hope some deals get done by the deadline. This win was unavoidable considering how bad the Jazz have shot the ball, but this squad is gaining too much momentum right now. I imagine we'll make a deal when Cleveland decides how important that Brooklyn pick is to them.

I surely hope no one is dealt that could actually be useful next season.  Dedmon should be off limits, if he doesn't opt out.  Dennis definitely shouldn't be dealt, unless you can get a lottery pick ( and replace him with Collin Sexton ).  And Prince is still a work in progress.

The "injury bug" will hit the Hawks soon enough.  No need to panic.

[Lurker]

Malcolm Delaney is doing a good job at simply being a better basketball player than Dennis Schröder.

[lethalweapon3]

...and now it's Isaiah Taylor's turn!

~lw3

[Peoriabird]

Dedmon misses a lot of bunnies

[lethalweapon3]

~citizenlw3