Official Game Thread: Hornets at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“NOW, ONCE UPON A TIME, A HAWK AND A HORNET LOVED EACH OTHER VERY MUCH…”

 

We already know the dealio with those Charlotte Hornets, the host Atlanta Hawks’ opponent tonight (7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast in ATL, Fox Sports Carolinas in CLT) for the second time in a week. So in lieu of scintillating pseudo-analysis, I’m going to take a rare moment (yeah, right) to hop on the soapbox and Squawk about… proper pronoun usage.

“We” are Tankamaniacs, for all intents and purposes. This season, “we” are resigned to desiring the team we root for to play hard, but fall short, more often than not, much like last Friday’s nice-try defeat in Charlotte. Our Hawks hung with the Hornets for the better part of four quarters and even seized a one-point lead with under three minutes to play. Our Hawks dared those Hornets to save the day and avert another momentous collapse in front of their home fans. And Charlotte obliged, rattling off 12 unanswered points, with Dwight Howard making crucial stops without (getting caught) fouling, to happily close the proceedings at the Cable Box.

Our team’s nightly foes, unfortunately, are not KITT. Opponents aren’t equipped with some Turbo Boost button whenever the occasion calls for it. Sometimes, a somewhat-sucky Dennis Schröder will get trumped by an epically suckier Jeff Teague. Other times, his wayward shooting proves no match for a totally off-kilter Donovan Mitchell. Our team can leave perimeter shooters open all night long, as was the case in the three losses prior to Monday’s win over Minnesota, but they are not obligated to place the ball in the basket for them.

“We” know, deep down, that this team, on its worst day, is not the worst NBA team ever designed by man. It is not, structurally, the least-competitive collection of players in the Association, with its Not-Worst coaching and player-development staff guiding the way. We’ve known these things since October. Yet “we” feign surprise and disappointment as we stray further away from 0-82 with each occasional victory, perhaps only because rivals like Orlando seem to be Competitanking harder, keeping their lead players on ice while pushing MVP candidates to post 60-point triple-doubles just to beat them.

“We” are Hawks fans, now and into the future. “We” are not the Atlanta Hawks themselves. “They,” the 15-plus-man roster, hear all this “we”, and as far as “they” are concerned, “We” is a Nintendo game console. When “we” talk about how “we” need to lose every game, every night, “we” might as well be speaking French. Oui-oui!

“They” are responsible for suiting up and preparing to square up with Warriors of the Golden State variety, not placating us Warriors of the Keyboard variety. “They” are True to Atlanta for as long as they’re here. But there’s that old adage about ensuring you give yourself oxygen, first, before passing the mask on to your neighbors.

Individually, to a man, “they” are employed by the NBA, and would like to maximize their value to their future teams, be it the Hawks or somebody else. “They” are being watched and scrutinized by 29 other clubs on a nightly basis, and they don’t benefit from scouting reports that say, “Hey, this fella is a pure Tank Commander. It truly takes effort to suck as bad as him. He’ll be perfect for throwing games and getting our team to 20-62!”

“They” would prefer to be around to support next season’s Hawks rookie star, to demonstrate that, together, they could be instrumental in swiftly turning around this intentional recession. “They” want to play right alongside 2018-19’s rook, perhaps come off the bench to give him a breather, to help him properly acclimate to Budball and the pro lifestyle, to fill his Kia up with popcorn and send him on daily Krispy Kreme runs. What “they” don’t want is to be summarily supplanted on the team, or in this league altogether, by him, whoever he becomes, however we acquire his services.

“We” need to give Coach Bud and company a break. By most statistical measures, this should be the fifth-or-sixth-worst team right now. But as things stand, the Hawks (15-35) enter today with:

• The most in-conference losses (24) of any NBA team, including three more than Orlando, who have now gone over a month without their leading rebounder and longest-tenured veteran.
• The worst road record (4-20) in The Association, two full games worse than the Magicians, who nearly made it three last night.
• The most losses (14) versus NBA teams currently carrying losing records. That includes Charlotte (20-29), who had no intention of being one, yet would be 13-games below-.500 if not for two rope-releases courtesy of the Hawks so far this season.
• Despite their we-try-hard motif, 21 losses by margins of ten points or more, only one fewer than Phoenix and Sacramento, and three more than anyone in the East (Orlando, having played just one fewer game than Atlanta, has only 18).
• According to Playoff Status, the third-worst remaining schedule of opponents (behind only the Wizards and Knicks, neither of whom are pretending they’re not “Tanking”), based on winning percentage.

Instead of balling out in the G-League, or overseas, random, unheralded guys named Delaney and Cavanaugh are granted 15-to-20 minutes a night, cutting their teeth no matter the quality of competition. Meanwhile, the team’s best three-point threat from the wing has been DNP-CD’d 15 times already.

Everyone from Dennis Schröder, Kent Bazemore and Taurean Prince, to Malcolm Delaney and Isaiah Taylor are given ample opportunities to dig their way out of their own funk on the live floor, catching the hooks only when they mentally stray too far from Bud’s gameplan. The most obvious potentially-productive frontcourt tandem, including a would-be Rookie of the Year candidate, gets minutes off the bench, because Miles. Plumlee. Is. Starting. NBA. Basketball. Games.

This season has been a master-class, conducted by Atlanta’s coaching staff, in how to underwhelm without making it blatantly obvious. They are fostering potential first-or-second-units of worthy NBA talent for the future that can occasionally win games right now, especially when opponents play down to, or below, their level. When opponents get low, we don’t just fight to get lower. That’s commendable, not excoriable.

To reach the objective “we” Tankamaniacs ardently demand, the Hawks could have done simply offered some vet-min contracts to “me,” “you,” and “Harry.” It’s not like home attendance would get much worse, anyway. Maybe dish out some ten-days to 2Chainz, Migos and Hot Sauce when they’re in town to liven up a homestand or two. Let Nique draw up some plays where we move the ball from side-to-side, as he’s wont to suggest. And then, just sit back, and hope for the best… or, the opposite.

But the Hawks aren’t interested in disposable contributors that can only seem to master the dark art of blowing chunks harder than everybody else. Yes, the degree of difficulty in overachieving will be raised, depending on what Travis Schlenk and “Hawks, Inc.” have up their sleeves in the coming week. But while players like Bazemore improve under our auspices, figuring out how to come through consistently (not comically) in the clutch on both ends of the floor, he raises either his value to current team, or the value of the return from any NBA team that covets his services.

All of “them” provide a day-round utility to the Hawks organization that’s greater than the banality of “us” tracking final scores in hopes of the once-in-a-lifetime chance of maybe getting Nerlens Noel, Markelle Fultz, or the upstart SportsCenter wow-maker of the moment. None of “them” should be ruing the days they failed to “Chokafor for Okafor,” or “Yield for Hield”. That task is left for “us”.

“We” are free to say, “We needed to lose this game!”, every night. That’s fine, so long as everyone uttering that understands who “we” does, and does not, include.

Bidding “adieu” to all the “we” talk until after the game. That’s enough speaking French for today. Because… it is time, once more, for Tank Karaoke!

It’s that Ol’ Skool Hip-Hop Edition, baby! Yo, you know how we do out here in The A.

We got our Soul Brother #2, DJ Special Ad Wes Wilcox on the Ones and Twos. We got our Dookie-roped virtuoso G-Hill tickling the ivories as only he can. And, as always, Buddie Down Productions on the mic, bringing the bars, and the heat, straight from the street.

You head-bobbers all know when to chime in. One. Two. Three. Kick it!

Take Ilyasova. Take Ilyasova!

**BELLY, BYE-BYE!**

Here’s Ilyasova. Grab Ilyasova!

**HEY! HEY!**

Here’s Ilyasova. Get Ilyasova!

**BELLY, BYE-BYE!**

Here’s Ilyasova. Take Ilyasova!

((Dip to Verse 2!))

Di-phy-si-cal-i-ty-di-di-di-dah-di-day

**AIY!**

All you sucka GMs, won’t you offer up some trades?

**‘CAUSE?**

Here go some “credit” from BUD-One

**BO!**

Come get your “credit” from BUD-One…

To get a great draft pick, I need my team to stink

So step up and get fleeced by WHO?

**GM TRAVIS SCHLENK!** That’s him!

He knows your barely-playoff squad is out here desperate for some

**SAVIORS**

Our cricket tacos come in Spicy Cajun

**FLAVOR**

That’s why we got no need for bland Derrick

**FAVORS**

Stretch out your slop and then we put them all on

**WAIVERS**

Twenty minutes nightly go to Isaiah

**TAYLOR**

Don’t need Howard back; that dude is soft as Teddy

**RUXPIN**

Nicolas Batum? He’s only good for steady

**CHUCKIN’**

Danny Ainge and Daryl Morey need to quit they

**BLUFFIN’**

Take Muskie in the morning, Cho; we’ll throw you in a

**MUFFIN**

My Team Prez woo you so hard, you’d think it was

**SEDUCTION**

Relieve me of Babbitt, come get Dewayne Dedmon

Me second-half rotations you just con’t understond

Ty Dorsey over **here**, DeAndre’ Bembry over **there**

Clear out the lane, and watch my rook, Collins, get some

**AIR! AIR! AIR! AIR!**

**Ooooooooooooooooooo-oooh**

What’s the matter with you, GM SVG?

Don’t you know, you’re desperate, much?

What’s the matter with you, GM Presti?

Sam, swing a 3-way with Milwaukee Bucks!

No, Fournier can’t help you out; don’t be a reacher

You’re better off with Baze and his wack UA sneaker

That Plumlee gonna get shopped, ‘n Schröder’s hookah bar flopped

It’s all blowin’ smoke to meeeee

Everybody’s talking ‘bout Delaney’s box score

But he’s still playing fine to meeeee 

 

 

RIP Rasual! and Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

 

View full record

 

[Sothron]

"They" need to trade Ilyasova, Belly and Bazemore and Dennis needs to develop some lingering hamstring injury. Then "we" can go rest comfortably as the tank lumbers into the lottery.

[Dnice]

Doing something else tonight, so I won't get tempted to watch and have them pull it out.

[lethalweapon3]

True to Tri-Cities!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Having webbed feet can carry you an awfully long way. No Marv tonight, as he recuperates from his first-ever ankle-sprain injury.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nba/charlotte-hornets/article197467169.html

Quote

 

Williams’ experience with ankle sprains is. ...

“Zero,” Williams said. “Everybody is surprised. I tweaked my ankle a little bit a couple of years ago in the San Antonio game, my right ankle. And that’s been my only real experience with an ankle sprain. This is my first real ankle sprain.

“I’m blessed: no ankles, no knees. I’ve had an Achilles (tendon rupture in 2013) and a back (injury).”

Williams said he has no idea how long he will be out, but his history suggests optimism.

“In the past, I have healed fairly quickly, and I do as much as I possibly can to speed that process. I’ll just continue to get as much treatment as I possibly can, and I’ll do as much as I can to stay conditioned. We’ll just see as we go.”

Wednesday against the Hawks will be the first game (and start) Williams will miss this season. That means the first start of the season for [Frank... what's his nickname, again???] Kaminsky, who is averaging 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 23 minutes this season.

Hornets coach Steve Clifford said the backup minutes at power forward will be shared by Johnny O’Bryant and Treveon Graham. Graham is the more experienced player of those two, but he’s smaller than O’Bryant (6-foot-5 versus O’Bryant at 6-9). Clifford said the mix of minutes between Graham and O’Bryant will fluctuate game-to-game, relative to the matchup against opposing teams’ power forwards.

 

~lw3

[Dnice]

1 hour ago, lethalweapon3 said:

True to Tri-Cities!

~lw3

Home of Xscape and Monica.

[lethalweapon3]

3 minutes ago, Dnice said:

Home of Xscape and Monica.

Big Boi and Dre as well! So much musical talent coming outta that school.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

~lw3

[nathan2331]

Y'all sleeping on Lethal and those ad-libs. Someone get him in a booth

[nathan2331]

And why does Stinger laugh at his jokes like they weren't funny? Even when he makes a good one.

[benhillboy]

Is Baze trying to get traded?  Damn.

[django2341]

Lets just keep Bazemore 

[benhillboy]

Why does Kemba always roast us?

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Taurean Prince quickly becoming a poor man's Marvin Williams.

[Lurker]

Dennis has been Rondo-level awful on shooting for a while.

And seriously, Bud, change your defensive scheme. Don't give a darn about who's on the team, it's been awful on allowing open shots for nearly 3 years now.

[lethalweapon3]

Since I'm in such a KRS mood tonight... Postgame Thread Music!

"Orlando Magic, they're down with us!"

~lw3

[Lurker]

Miles Plumlee being in during garbage time is laughable. When is this Miles Plumlee-starting lineup thang going to end? I mean hot diggity dog.

[lethalweapon3]

36 minutes ago, Lurker said:

Miles Plumlee being in during garbage time is laughable. When is this Miles Plumlee-starting lineup thang going to end? I mean hot diggity dog.

 "He'll do just fine, until DeAndre Ayton gets here... oop, did I say too much? Pretend I said DeAndre Jordan!"

~budthetankdoctor

[Vol4ever]

1 minute ago, lethalweapon3 said:

 "He'll do just fine, until DeAndre Ayton gets here... oop, did I say too much? Pretend I said DeAndre Jordan!"

~budthetankdoctor

Question is will Bud try to make him a 2G when he gets here.

[benhillboy]

How we only get 29 boards?  Dwight kept to his word and has been killing us all season.  Kemba done killed us his whole career seems like.

Baze seems to be auditioning for a good team to scoop him up and has clearly handed the keys to the Tank to Taurean.  I wish I could check Elias Sports Bureau to see how many frontcourt players have logged 0 points and 1 rebound in 25 minutes.  

I foolishly thought Taylor would be a factor after his mini-breakout.  No.

Bud’s defensive scheme is tired but players on the wings with bad on-ball techniques don’t help none.  He’s had a couple high ranking defenses with better personnel.  That’s not a strength now.

How Bellinelli is still here I don’t know.

Edited February 1, 2018 by benhillboy