Official Game Thread: Bulls at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“Thanks for the compliment about my new look! But, seriously, no, I’m not Kelly Oubre.”

 

We’ve got a half-hearted team coached up to give half-behinded effort with half-hurt stars playing a half-hour early, as our Atlanta Hawks host the Chicago Bulls (7 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, NBC Sports Chicago) on the uphill climb toward .500 basketball.

Trae Young (questionable, sprained ankle) will try to give it a go, likely joined by Lou Williams (upgraded to probable, hip discomfort) and, if Nate McMillan elects, second-round rookie Sharife Cooper to undergird the Hawks’ backcourt offense. Conversely, John Collins (doubtful, strained foot) will probably join Onyeka Okongwu (out, concussion protocol) among sidelined Hawks, putting more stress on Atlanta’s defense to hold up for 48 minutes (hopefully, not one minute more) against Chicago frontcourt stars DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic.

Activity from Gorgui Dieng, Kevin Knox and, if Coach Nate elects, first-round rookie Jalen Johnson will need to be ramped up in Johnny Bap’s and Gwu Tang’s absences. Whoever is feeding Atlanta’s post players will need to ensure Clint Capela (2-for-4 FGs, 1-for-4 FTs @ BOS) gets significantly more paint shots than free throws.

Starting ahead of Bogdan Bogdanovic (22.3 PPG, 54.7 FG% and 42.4 3FG% in past four games), Kevin Huerter has to be more consistent (0-for-4 FGs and 5 fouls in second half @ BOS). Sprinkle in however De’Andre Hunter (0-for-4 FGs  w/ 1 rebound in 13 minutes @ CHI, 0-for-8 FGs w/ 3 rebounds and 1 assist in 37 minutes @ BOS) chooses to grace everyone with his presence on the floor, and tonight’s outcome might not be half-bad!

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[Spud2nique]

2 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Starting ahead of Bogdan Bogdanovic (22.3 PPG, 54.7 FG% and 42.4 3FG% in past four games), Kevin Huerter has to be more consistent (0-for-4 FGs and 5 fouls in second half @ BOS).

Agreed, let’s go Kev.

Nice write up lw3! Let’s get back in the win column.

Go Hawks!

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

 

 

[lethalweapon3]

Same guys out for Chicago from the prior matchup (Lonzo, Caruso, Patrick Williams). They're just 15-14 away from home, and whether Trae or JC (update: JC downgraded to Out) plays or not, the Bulls won't want to Hawks this game on the road.

~lw3

[Gray Mule]

@lethalweapon3:  Do you really believe that our 2 rookies will get any meaningful minutes?

Seems that we have watched this movie before and we always see the same ending.  Rookies may get the final 2 or 3 minutes if the game is out of reach by then.  

Nate, shock me!  Play them in the 1st half!!  If Trae don't play, Skyler and Sharife should both get minutes behind Wright and JJ should play a lot with the starters.

[terrell]

1 hour ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

 

 

You cant duck Ayo Trae....Bulls fans are already talking...  lol

[terrell]

59 minutes ago, Gray Mule said:

@lethalweapon3:  Do you really believe that our 2 rookies will get any meaningful minutes?

Seems that we have watched this movie before and we always see the same ending.  Rookies may get the final 2 or 3 minutes if the game is out of reach by then.  

Nate, shock me!  Play them in the 1st half!!  If Trae don't play, Skyler and Sharife should both get minutes behind Wright and JJ should play a lot with the starters.

You know good and well he'll start Delon.. Instead of keeping the bench(whatever is left of it) in tact..smh

Delon, Hunter, and CC on the court together.. Yikes.....Who's goona score? lol

Edited March 3, 2022 by terrell

[shakes]

16 minutes ago, terrell said:

You cant duck Ayo Trae....Bulls fans are already talking...  lol

If he's not 100% he should.     They're gonna lose anyway.

 

Kind of BS that the NBA makes up play 2 games in a row vs teams that try hard.  That's not fair!

[JayBirdHawk]

26 minutes ago, shakes said:

If he's not 100% he should.     They're gonna lose anyway.

 

Kind of BS that the NBA makes up play 2 games in a row vs teams that try hard.  That's not fair!

This game is the rescheduled Bulls games from one of their COVID postponed games...which gives the Hawks a back-to-back today and tomorrow. Smh.

[terrell]

38 minutes ago, shakes said:

If he's not 100% he should.     They're gonna lose anyway.

 

Kind of BS that the NBA makes up play 2 games in a row vs teams that try hard.  That's not fair!

The fact that he missed shootaround today and is a game time decision is all the more evidence that he shouldn’t have been allowed to return to the Celtics game, especially considering that the second unit extended the lead without him in the first half. Credit to him for gutting it out, but he wasn’t his usual self in terms of explosiveness, it’s the main reason the team couldn’t score in the second half, and the team should have stepped in and done the right thing.

[macdaddy]

12 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

This game is the rescheduled Bulls games from one of their COVID postponed games...which gives the Hawks a back-to-back today and tomorrow. Smh.

We're not a priority for the league.  Bulls are.  

[AHF]

3 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Sprinkle in however De’Andre Hunter (0-for-4 FGs  w/ 1 rebound in 13 minutes @ CHI, 0-for-8 FGs w/ 3 rebounds and 1 assist in 37 minutes @ BOS) chooses to grace everyone with his presence on the floor, and tonight’s outcome might not be half-bad!

 

This feels like a set-up to a "it might not be half-bad, it might be all-bad!" joke.

[Spud2nique]

16 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

We're not a priority for the league.  Bulls are.  

Why we have Trae? 

[macdaddy]

Vuc going to punk us again i'm afraid. 

[Spud2nique]

First thing is first. Nate may not tinker but it’s my sim. Bogi IN … Kevin OUT (starting lineup). 
 

I almost thought about going..

Trae/Bogi/Huert/Gallo/Cap 

Just because Hunter has been horrible but I need him to D up DD.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[kg01]

Oh hey, 'member how the Bulls basically sucked on offense except for one guy ... the guy we chose not to guard?  Good times, good times.

Listen, I'm not gonna say I'm totally checked out on this season.  I'm just gonna say the bus is runnin' outside and a good percentage of my input is gonna be rage postin' from now on.

"But thas all your posting is anyway, kg.  What's the change?" - Rando squawker

Ahhhh ...

[JayBirdHawk]

13 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Oh hey, 'member how the Bulls basically sucked on offense except for one guy ... the guy we chose not to guard?  Good times, good times.

Listen, I'm not gonna say I'm totally checked out on this season.  I'm just gonna say the bus is runnin' outside and a good percentage of my input is gonna be rage postin' from now on.

"But thas all your posting is anyway, kg.  What's the change?" - Rando squawker

Ahhhh ...

I'm thinking about giving up the Hawks for Lent!

 

[terrell]

36 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

First thing is first. Nate may not tinker but it’s my sim. Bogi IN … Kevin OUT (starting lineup). 
 

I almost thought about going..

Trae/Bogi/Huert/Gallo/Cap 

Just because Hunter has been horrible but I need him to D up DD.

No JC and OO. It's going to be tough to win unless Kevin and Dre can get their shit together. Nate needs to give JJ some playing time if they're stinking up the joint again..... Give Wright some time on Derozan...

[JayBirdHawk]

 

No surprise, lol.