Official Game Thread: Bulls at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

Don’t choke, Robin! At least, not today!

 

Kinda busy downtown today, eh? I’m way too immersed in March Madness (Go Georgia State!) and Atlanta United’s home debut to get too deep into this afternoon’s other contest, the Tank War between our Atlanta Hawks and the visiting Chicago Bulls (3:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, WGN in CHI). So, let’s stick to tidbits!

• No more Holidays for Justin! The Commish isn’t big-letter Stern anymore but he issued a small-letter stern warning to Chicago for ostensibly “resting” otherwise healthy guys like Justin Holiday (DNP’d for 4 consecutive games) and Robin Lopez for days on end. So expect to see the former Hawk in the starting lineup. Despite elevated usage the 28-year-old swingman may never see again in his NBA career, Holiday has been a wayward shooter all season long (37.9 FG%). But he did feast on Memphis cooking (5-for-5 FGs) in a Tank War win over the Grizzlies earlier this week.
• The Bulls (22-43) have won their last three versus the Hawks, including both games so far this season. They won handily in their last visit to Atlanta, a 113-97 edge led by Lopez’s 20 points (9-for-13 FGs). In just his first week of NBA action this season, Zach LaVine struggled from the floor but still managed to grab a team-high nine defensive rebounds.
• In that January game, Holiday, Jerian Grant, Ryan Arcidiacono, Denzel Valentine and Bobby Portis shot a combined 12-for-19 on threes, freeing up Lopez and rookie star Lauri Markkanen to do their damage on the interior (17-for-29 2FGs). Contributions off the bench from the soon-departing Nikola Mirotic weren’t really needed. Chicago’s starters combined for just 5 TOs between them, usually a recipe for disaster for the Hawks (20-46).
• Coach Fred Hoiberg’s crew enjoyed a season-high 62 rebounds (incl. 18 O-Rebs) against the Hawks in Chicago way back on October 26, yet still found themselves clinging to a 91-86 victory, thanks to Marco Belinelli finding a fourth-quarter hot-hand. Dewayne Dedmon (10.5 RPG vs. CHI this season) and John Collins together in the starting lineup should make it tougher for Lopez (18.0 PPG vs. ATL this season) and Lauri (16.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG vs. ATL) to get easy buckets and putbacks today.
• The Bulls’ only legit injury was to glue-guy Paul Zipser (foot), who is listed as doubtful for this contest.
• The Bulls have been lousy on the road (7-25), but most of those beatdowns have been out West (1-12). On that note, their next Tank War comes later this week in Memphis. Go Bulls Go!
• We can expect to see plenty more of rookie second-rounder Tyler Dorsey, among the few bright spots for the Hawks during Friday night’s 112-87 loss in Indiana (3-for-8 3FGs). There’s no need to pull a Bulls and DNP leaders like Kent Bazemore, or Dennis Schröder (18.0 PPG and 2.0 SPG vs. CHI this season) all week long, when Coach Bud can simply ramp up the minutes and flatten the learning curve for Dorsey and Isaiah Taylor.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

 

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[lethalweapon3]

A Happy Birthday to Hawksquawk fave Malcolm Delaney, who is a solid +29 today!

As he's healing up from an ankle sprain, he'll get to watch from the sidelines as the Hawks deal with Zach LaVine, who just turned 23 yesterday.

~lw3

[Dnice]

 

[Dnice]

I may see this atlutd opener, don't care for soccer, just the hype.

[Guard]

4 minutes ago, Dnice said:

https://twitter.com/BTRowland/status/972892353018068992?s=20

[capstone21]

Uh ... we are playing too well

[Dnice]

We wised up in the second though.

[hazer]

Playing too well again...

[benhillboy]

I ain’t mad at Taurean lately.  Been making some higher IQ plays and back on his bullsh@t with the three ball.  Always been a solid defender.

I haven’t seen much of Markkanen but damn he’s gonna be a stud.

Competitive loss to a fellow tanker with a career game for Prince’s development: Brilliant!

Edited March 11, 2018 by benhillboy

[Dnice]

Here comes Prince with his cape on.

[Peoriabird]

[capstone21]

Prince doing his best PHX tank buster impression again.  Great game by him

Showing some real signs of being a very solid NBA player.

Excellent and important loss.

 

[lethalweapon3]

LTMFF!

And GO WOLVES!

~lw3

[Peoriabird]

Prince will be an all star if he works on his ball handling and eliminate bonehead plays.  Dude definitely can shoot!  There should be no question about his ability to shoot the ball now!

[hazer]

Excellent loss, and I see you Fresh Printz.

Sidenote: T-Wolves just beat Oakland.

[lethalweapon3]

~lw3

[benhillboy]

13 minutes ago, hazer said:

Excellent loss, and I see you Fresh Printz.

Sidenote: T-Wolves just beat Oakland.

I can’t even watch GS no more.  Their bench is so ass, Livingston can’t only play 21 minutes with Curry out.  Draymond’s limited scoring ability is finally hurting them now as well.  Looking to KD to be an all-purpose leader ain’t gonna get it done and that San Francisco crowd is a library compared to how it used to be in Oakland.  Add the Mike Brown cherry on top and they’re gonna get drug by the Rockets if healthy.

Edited March 11, 2018 by benhillboy

[MaceCase]

Prince banging out them career highs?

 

"Excellent"

[aali34]

 

[benhillboy]

35 minutes ago, aali34 said:

 

I will no longer think of him as a potential bum/bust.  Bums just don’t drop Thuddy-ate.  And Nwaba has a hefty 1.3 DBPM.  Prince gave it to him and Valentine, also a plus defender (barely). 

Edited March 11, 2018 by benhillboy