Game Thread: Hawks v Thunder -- 12/22

Post #1 » by **Jamaaliver** » Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:42 pm

Bad news for Hawks: OKC's Westbrook heating up

For the first time since beating Milwaukee on Halloween, Oklahoma City is over .500.

The Thunder will carry a 16-15 record into a Friday night matchup against Atlanta, a team that's far below that mark at 7-24 - good for the worst record in the NBA.

It will mark the Hawks' only trip to Oklahoma City this season. The Hawks are getting outscored by 5.3 points per game, the fourth-largest per game deficit in the NBA.

Though Atlanta dropped Wednesday night's game to the Pacers, the team managed to squeak past the Heat earlier in the week for its second win in the month of December.

The Hawks might enter Friday night's game a little short-handed with starting point guard Dennis Schroder listed as questionable with an unspecified injury to his left ankle.

While Schroder's status is up in the air, the Hawks figure to get a boost from rookie John Collins, who was recently ranked as the fifth-best rookie by ESPN. Against the Pacers, Collins scored 18 points off the bench. He's averaging 11.4 points per game in 23 minutes on the court.

NBA.com

ATLANTA HAWKS at OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

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^Special Thanks to our friends from the OKC Board for the graphic.

Spud2nique · Post #2 » by **Spud2nique** » Fri Dec 22, 2017 4:50 pm

With Dennis listed as questionable and our overall recent play...this one isn't looking good ..for a win anyways..lol..for the draft it's great.

Thunder 121
Hawks 103

Okc
PG13 drops 32 points

ATL
Collins 22 and 10 career best game tonight...if not tonight one of these nights ..you see it comin.

DirtybirdGA · Post #3 » by **DirtybirdGA** » Fri Dec 22, 2017 4:53 pm

Maybe it won't be as awful as what they did to Utah.

Post #4 » by **ATL Boy** » Fri Dec 22, 2017 4:56 pm

Westbrook is about to get that triple double tonight. Road game so I'm completely fine with him eviscerating us and OKC handing us the L. I will say though, I can't wait to start winning and making games like tonight more exciting and less conflicting for fans.

graymule · Post #5 » by **graymule** » Fri Dec 22, 2017 10:18 pm

Usually, but not always, the Atlanta Hawks play the first quarter as the team that they are and what we all
hope that they become. Regardless of the opponent, the score at the end of that 1st quarter looks good.

The Hawks have always been known to play up or down with regard to the talent of our opponent. If they
are very good, so are we. If they are not very good, so are we.

Finally, I believe that it has soaked into the last of us hard heads that we, the Hawks, are in a full tank mode.
We are working to train our young, keeper, players and showcasing our older, veteran players. We're hoping
someone will really want and need these veterans and will offer us draft picks and \ or young, underused NBA
players we can develop.

Our future strength depends, as of this season, entirely on the front office's

graymule · Post #6 » by **graymule** » Fri Dec 22, 2017 10:20 pm

Computer froze. ----Front office's ability to draft...

ducler · Post #7 » by **ducler** » Sat Dec 23, 2017 12:01 am

graymule · Post #8 » by **graymule** » Sat Dec 23, 2017 1:06 am

Dennis out. Bazemore Starts at PG..

DirtybirdGA · Post #9 » by **DirtybirdGA** » Sat Dec 23, 2017 1:17 am

I'd be going at baze pretty good.

graymule · Post #10 » by **graymule** » Sat Dec 23, 2017 1:37 am

Game tied - - 28-28 - - at the end of 1st quarter.
We're as good as they are - - - for one quarter!!

DirtybirdGA · Post #11 » by **DirtybirdGA** » Sat Dec 23, 2017 1:47 am

Hawks now come back to earth.

Post #12 » by **ATL Boy** » Sat Dec 23, 2017 2:09 am

I would love at least a protected first for Belli. Not so protected that it becomes 2nd rounders, but something along the lines of what we got for Korver.

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graymule · Post #13 » by **graymule** » Sat Dec 23, 2017 2:53 am

End of three........ Hawks down one - - 1 - - point. Thunder gained 1 point from the end of 1 to the end of 3 !!

Post #14 » by **ATL Boy** » Sat Dec 23, 2017 3:36 am

Hard fightback, Bellineli looked great for potential suitors, John Collins killed it, and we took the road L for the tank.

Normally I'd say it was the ideal night but man, I wish it hadn't ended like that. Our boys did not deserve to have their hearts ripped out by Westbrook at the last second. A regular loss would suffice, not something as demoralizing as a buzzer beater after fighting back from 24 down.

graymule · Post #15 » by **graymule** » Sat Dec 23, 2017 3:37 am

Tied with 11.1 seconds left! With 1 second left, Thunder hit from downtown.

Thunder, one of the toughest defenses in the NBA, average of under 100 points given up by them. About 98
I believe. Poor, last place, tanking Hawk team put up 117 for the night.

Dedmon still out. Moose in G league, to rehab. Dennis, our top scorer and starting PG, out.

Still, a loss is a loss is a loss. What a way to tank! One of the most exciting games of the year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL !!