The Atlanta Massacre: A "Bird" vs. "Bear" Situation That Got Ugly
If you tuned into Monday night’s game expecting a grit-and-grind battle between the Hawks and the Grizzlies, I hope you kept the receipt for your cable subscription. This wasn't a basketball game; it was a 48-minute demonstration of what happens when one team shows up with a full roster and the other shows up with a list of "reasons why we can't play today."
The Hawks soared to a 146-107 victory, which is a polite way of saying they treated the Memphis defense like a buffet line with no sneezing guard.
The "Everyone Gets a Trophy" Offense
Atlanta was feeling so charitable that they decided eight different players should score in double figures. It was like a neighborhood potluck where everyone brought a 3-pointer.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the charge with 26 points, looking like he was playing against cardboard cutouts.
Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga chipped in 16 apiece, probably because they got bored of scoring and wanted to give Jock Landale a turn to hit 11.
The team shot a blistering 46% from deep. At one point, I’m fairly certain the Hawks’ mascot, Harry the Hawk, checked in and banked one off the glass.
The Memphis "Who Are These Guys?" Grizzlies
Bless their hearts, the Grizzlies are currently missing more stars than a cloudy night in Seattle. With Ja Morant, Zach Edey, and seemingly half the city of Memphis on the injury report, the roster is starting to look like a witness protection program.
GG Jackson tried his best with 26 points, and Tyler Burton added 20, but when you’re down by 41 points going into the fourth quarter, you’re not looking for a comeback—you’re looking for the bus keys.
To be fair, Memphis "won" the fourth quarter 32-30. If we were playing by golf rules or pity points, they’d be in great shape.
By The Numbers: A Statistical Ouchie
Category Atlanta Hawks Memphis Grizzlies
Final Score 146 107
3-Pointers Made 25 14
Mood Euphoric Investigating early retirement
What’s Next?
The Hawks (40-32) are currently chasing Toronto like a hungry pigeon chasing a breadcrumb in the Eastern Conference standings. They head to Detroit on Wednesday to see if they can break the scoreboard there, too.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies crawl back home to host the Spurs. Hopefully, by Wednesday, they can find at least five healthy people at a local YMCA to fill out the bench.
