ML6

We need this W if for no other reason than to not lose to Jim Boylen. The guy is a caricature of all the worst aspects of my high school coaches.

Isaac and getting 3s splashed in his face by Lauri Markkenen... name a more reliable duo.

Denzel Valentine is the worst player I’ve seen this year

Well, not sure how we’re tied. If we ever decide to defend we should win going away.

Gordon’s close out on Dunn’s 3 was particularly eye-catching

Good thing we’ve been so successful recently that we can just go through the motions...

Well, if the Raptors are going to sink in the standings it’s now. Gasol, Siakam, Powell out indefinitely. Yikes.

Yeah he's forcing it. And he needs to stop. He's been around long enough to know the difference between a good & bad shot, in-rhythm vs. out-of-rhythm, on-balance vs. off-balance, etc. He's fully capable of playing within his own strengths & weaknesses, and recently he's choosing not to. It sucks because he had made strides last year in these facets. I'm a big AG guy and about as patient with players as anyone, but yeah, he's gotta turn it around or it'll be time to start taking calls.

That should help, but we'll see. The big is so vital to the coverage. But yeah, Lillard might not shoot as many if he feels he hasn't gotten enough separation from Fultz.

Last season, Lillard went 15/25 from 3 against us (60%). Both Portland wins. Year before that, 8/16 (50%). Both Portland wins. Even with Portland being worse this year, I don't see us winning unless Clifford switches up the coverage. Dropping just doesn't get it done when the opposing PG is one of the best shooters in the world. Can't give a guy like that good looks.

To score one time in a stretch where the opponent scores 31 is disgraceful. Especially after last night’s ending.

How many 31-2 runs have there been in NBA history?

Well I hate to be the guy who said I called it... but: ”The Hawks’ second-best player, forward John Collins, who is set to return next week from a 25-game suspension for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program, is one of the primary factors in the organization remaining patient with Pierce.” https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-hawks-coach-lloyd-pierce-not-currently-on-hot-seat-190450382.html

Yep. Can’t wait for the assertions that they’d have been good had John Collins not been suspended

Remember toward the end of the offseason where a bunch of people were predicting the Hawks to be like a 6-8 seed this year?

There was a stretch in the 3rd quarter where Vooch threw up like 4 absolute bricks in a row and it just killed us

I also don’t understand what we ever did to Bogdanovic

I turned off the game in the 3rd when we stopped playing any defense. A few minutes ago I checked the final score and saw it close. Checked the play by play because surely we narrowed the score in garbage time. I was obviously wrong. Let me get this straight. We went on a 33-8 run to make it 97-90 with like 5 minutes left, then allowed a 19-5 run to lose?

My take on the AG trade situation: Historically, opposing fans and lots of writers have attempted to create unnecessary and often lopsided AG trades to "get him out of Orlando" for some reason. All of those propositions to this point have been premature due to a) the organization needing time to evaluate its various pieces so it can determine who the building blocks are, and b) his role next to Isaac generally working (which outside observers claimed it didn't). With that said, as Isaac and Fultz continue to show progression and almost certainly will receive extensions, the team will soon be at a point where it can't commit to everyone long term. Outside of those two, Gordon is our most valuable trade piece in terms of expected return. There is truth to the idea that he would be the guy we'd look to move to supplement the team with other types of skills/assets. Then you combine all of that theoretical rationale with his regression in decision making and shot selection so far this year, and it no longer seems crazy that the organization would entertain some trade considerations. Mix in the human components -- west coast guy who will have already played 8 seasons across the country when he enters UFA -- and you also have the risk of him walking if you don't trade him beforehand. So all in all, I don't think he gets traded this year but I also don't think he plays out his entire contract here.

Just watched the recording. Nothing much more frustrating than a team that just refuses to miss. That was dumb.

Yeah I'm not sure a Westbrook game is the best one welcome Vooch back with. OKC would always kill us in the 4th quarter because they just told Westbrook to get downhill and he attacked Vooch at the rim over and over again.

Last night I recognized that I haven’t been getting as upset this season with losses, and I think most of it is that it seems we finally have a couple of true building blocks in Isaac and Fultz, after just kind of floating for years. Individual game results don’t bother me as much right now because those guys are showing clear signs of impact and significance.

Glad to hear Cliff specifically mention the “2 post defense mistakes” that cost us 6 points late. We overhelped so often throughout the game that it almost seemed by design, so it was nice to hear him imply that it wasn’t.

So Kemba left and Devonte Graham just became the new Kemba huh?

We scored like 13 less than we usually do in the 1st quarter. Protest the result! Replay the game!