Also, American Idol still exists?

This series is far from over but that was a very tough loss.

Also, even though RJ didn’t hit any 3’s, I did really like his energy and aggressiveness going to the rim. I think he needs to attack more like that and try to draw more fouls. I think we got sucked in a little by Atlanta’s energy of running and gunning and we need to grind this series out if we’re going to win. This was very apparent in the third quarter when we were ahead but couldn’t extend the lead. We got caught up in the crowd and tried to push things too much and made some mistakes and turnovers that allowed Atlanta to stay in it.

Here are my thoughts.

I don’t think Atlanta is more talented but I do think its basically dead even and its going to take everything we got to beat them.

I think the moment kind of got to them, especially early. To go from 2,000 to 5,000 fans to a basically packed Garden for the first playoff game and the first one in 8 years, first one for Randle, RJ, etc. I think it kind of messed with them especially in the first quarter. I mean Randle, RJ and Bullock missed all of their 3’s. RJ is much improved but that’s shooting in largely empty gyms all season. I think that jitters and the crowd actually hurt them to start.

The game was really lost for me at the end of the 3rd quarter. They had 2 opportunities to extend it to a double digit lead and turned the ball over, got a charge. That allowed Atlanta to stay in it.

We have to figure out Trae. My solution would be to go after him on defense. Try to get him into foul trouble on that end.

Elf didn’t actively hurt us so I don’t think you can blame this one on him per say. Randle really is the culprit. BUT that being said, Elf also gave us nothing really and those minutes are valuable especially when he’s matched up against Trae. I would start Rose and extend the leash for Quickley. I also don’t think putting Frank in for one play at the very end is smart. If you’re going to do this situational thing with him you gotta do it throughout the game at the end of the quarters so he isn’t totally cold.

I still think we can take this series. Atlanta isn’t going to have a huge home court advantage. If Randle has the jitters out of him, I think we win this.

And Nate is a solid coach, not Thibs, but sort of General Grant to Thibs’ General Lee…

Nate brought his A game. He worked the refs in the media and he devised a plan to stop Randle from dominating them like he did in the reg season. I tip my cap to him. But also think he used his bazooka in game 1 and I wonder if he’s got any more rounds left to shoot. I trust Randle to adjust to what the Hawks threw at him.

Hubert:
I think we ought to be mindful of how challenging it was for our team to go from playing in empty arenas to the loudest arena possible last night. The crowd’s energy seemed like something they struggled to adjust to in the 1st half.

I’m surprised by some of the resignation here. The Hawks played a great game, got all the help in the world from the refs, we played like shit, and it was still a coin flip. This was not a “they’re just better” situation.

Trae Young is hard to stop but there’s no reason to be distraught. There are plenty of adjustments to be made, and I trust Thibs to make them. Last night was not Thibs’ best night but give him a break. People out here acting like it’s easy to just draw up a play that stops trae young or makes Julius Randle not hesitate.

Unless Julius Randle shits the bed 3 more times, I expect things to turn around.

Just to clarify, I’m not distraught at all. It was a very disappointing, even disheartening loss. It just seemed to me that ATL at their best is better than us at our best. We were not at our best last night and you certainly could argue that if we play better or they play worse we will beat them. Obviously some adjustments are necessary. But I am worried that they are simply better offensively and good enough defensively to win 4 out of 7 games in the same manner they won this one. ATL certainly did not play their best game and have lots of upside. And Nate is a solid coach, not Thibs, but sort of General Grant to Thibs’ General Lee…he has a personnel advantage that can overcome any differences in coaching.

But all that said, I think we win game 2 on our way to a long series.

I’m surprised by some of the resignation here. The Hawks played a great game, got all the help in the world from the refs, we played like shit, and it was still a coin flip. This was not a “they’re just better” situation.

Trae Young is hard to stop but there’s no reason to be distraught. There are plenty of adjustments to be made, and I trust Thibs to make them. Last night was not Thibs’ best night but give him a break. People out here acting like it’s easy to just draw up a play that stops trae young or makes Julius Randle not hesitate.

Unless Julius Randle shits the bed 3 more times, I expect things to turn around.