Hawks @ Warriors: The Return of the Millsap

Post #1 » by **Jamaaliver** » Fri Mar 7, 2014 11:38 pm

Paul Millsap will return to the Atlanta Hawks’ lineup Friday night at Golden State after missing the previous five games with a right knee contusion.

The All-Star power forward is expected to rejoin the starting lineup immediately alongside Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver, DeMarre Carroll and Elton Brand. Millsap is averaging 17.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks per game for the season. His return could not have come sooner for the reeling Hawks.

Atlanta (26-33) is in the middle of a six-game trip that's been a nightmare to this point. They've allowed 115.3 points per game thus far, with Wednesday's 102-78 defeat in Portland their four straight and 12th in the last 13.

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Post #2 » by **Jamaaliver** » Fri Mar 7, 2014 11:48 pm

With Millsap, Antic and Muscala back in the fold our front court is actually healthy enough to put up a fight.

And after the debacle of yet another nationally televised meltdown on Wednesday, I expect us come out swinging against GSW. These are the types of games where you really see what your team is made up of.

Post #3 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 3:55 am

Teague's got his floater going early. GSW is turning defense into fastbreak opportunities left and right.

Post #4 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 3:58 am

Pick and Pop with JT0 and Brand looks awful good.

Hawks can NOT get a stop, though.

Post #5 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 4:02 am

MAN, our defense is just atrocious. Now that the streak is over, I'd be okay with considering a move to the bench for Korver. On second thought, do we even have a worhty backup SG?

Post #6 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 4:07 am

32-31 after the 1st quarter. Our defense is terrible. But we're shooting 62% after one quarter and our offense is keeping us in it.

GSW has 4 steals early. But we're getting good shots otherwise.

Rip2137 · Post #7 » by **Rip2137** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 4:27 am

Really need to pull Dennis right now and get Teague back in. A Blake/Curry backcourt can't guard him.

Post #8 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 4:30 am

Rip2137 wrote:Really need to pull Dennis right now and get Teague back in. A Blake/Curry backcourt can't guard him.

I literally was seconds away from writing that I'm impressed Dennis is getting so much time, even though his production is pretty much 0 at this point. Look like DS has absorbed some of Teague and Macks minutes at PG and Mack picked up some of Lou Will's minutes?

Rip2137 · Post #9 » by **Rip2137** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 4:37 am

Lou hasn't played at all actually.

I'm fine with Dennis getting minutes but when they had such a bad defensive backcourt, I feel like we should have taken advantage with our best offensive guard. But when the switch was actually made, they made the switch too so the advantage was gone.

Post #10 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 4:41 am

66-52 at the half. Brand and miIllsap putting in work in the paint. but we're being outrebounded pretty heavily.
we've already put up 17 3-pt attempts in only one half of play...and we've only connected on 4.

Post #11 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 4:42 am

Rip2137 wrote:Lou hasn't played at all actually.

I'm fine with Dennis getting minutes...

Rip2137 wrote:But when the switch was actually made, they made the switch too so the advantage was gone.

Mark Jackson's no fool.

Post #12 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 4:49 am

off topic: Houston looks really good. They're peaking just before the stretch run of the season. Howard indeed made the right choice in which team to sign with. They're beating the snot out of the Pacers after beating Miami earlier.

Post #13 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 5:06 am

Antic vs Bogut is quite possibly the most entertaining thing I've seen all season.

Post #14 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 5:17 am

Dennis doesn't make a huge impact. But given time, he does seem to play looser than in previous games. His 'D' on Curry has been passable. He's at least quick enough to run through screens after him.

Post #15 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 5:23 am

Our defense has been so much stronger in the second half. After giving up 66 first half points, we held GSW to 19 points in the 3rd.

Post #16 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 5:36 am

GSW has outscored us 12-0 halfway through the 4th quarter. This team...needs...some work.

Post #17 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 6:00 am

Looking for silver linings in yet another loss:

Dennis looked way more comfortable out there in the second half. Played solid D. Had 4 assists and 0 turnovers.

In an otherwise underwhelming night, this much makes me happy.

On a side note, we shot waaaaay to many threes as a team. And Mike Scott took way too many individually.

Post #18 » by **ATL Boy** » Sat Mar 8, 2014 5:07 pm

I gotta feel for those guys: they give it their all every night but they just can't seem to solidify that W. It really affects your mentality when you keep losing so many games. We might need to win a game just to show ourselves that we're capable of it.