It’s show and tell time Hawks
CHARLOTTE – Hawks coach Mike Woodson tried to send one to his team early Friday morning.
He warned them that the time for resting on what got them to 34-27 is officially over.
It should have been over weeks ago.
But now that the Hawks have put themselves in a position to either finish what they started or wilt under the pressure of trying to hold on to the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff chase, we’re going to find out what they’re made of.
Charlotte and Detroit are going to provide just the right amount of pressure on these Hawks in the next 48 hours, enough to make them bend and break or stand up and fight for what they’ve been saying for weeks is theirs (home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs).
There’s no reason to do anything other than let them prove it on the floor the next two nights. I’m tired of hearing tough talk about what’s going to happen. They need to show me, and you and everybody else that they’re serious. Shoot, they need to show themselves that they believe all their tough talk.
Because they’re no longer “right where they need to be” and in “a position to handle our business at home” and all those other cliches that have been offered up to explain away their uneven play of the past two months.
It’s show and tell time for the Hawks.
Show us you’re for real and then tell us about it later!
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233 comments Add your comment
rms
March 6th, 2009
10:25 pm
I am sure if they win tommorrow everyone will be praising how good coach is and good the players are. I still say fire the coach and make the necessary roster changes if we want a competitive, consistent team that can take us deep into the playoffs and not just dream about how we took Boston to 7 games the year before. We lost, they won! Thats what matters….
Tris
March 6th, 2009
10:27 pm
the thing about the hawks that i just don’t get, is that billy knight saw that woodson was the reason why this team has taken so long to get to this point. last year he finaaly realized that woody doesn’t have the smarts to be a good coach.and here is the reason:
1) he doesn’t use his bench.
2) he always take the player with the hot hand out at the wrong time.
3) he plays his best players to many minutes. i.e. look at jj, its crunch time and jj doesn’t have the legs to finish games at the end because of all the minutes he’s played thus far in the season.
4) you sign r. morris as the big guy we needed and he only get on the floor walking to the bench or during timeouts!
5) chills doesn’t want to play here because woody coaching style sucks!!
its time for asg to make move that’s long over do woody has to go. its time for larry drew to take over this team. woody need to bench his own A@% this time. he is a joke as a coach.
TskOoOo
March 6th, 2009
10:27 pm
Don’t worry ya’ll. We took Boston to 7 games last year. We can hang with anybody!
CB
March 6th, 2009
10:28 pm
Dan what season have you been watching? How can you say that he has rarely blocked/dunked this season? The man has problems in his game but those aren’t them. How bout consider his turnovers/ball handling problems before those. I agree that he hasn’t played out to his contract but the man was having a pretty good first half before that excuse we have as a coach yanked him
TskOoOo
March 6th, 2009
10:31 pm
Is Joe ever going to score 30 points in a game again? This guy is allegedly an All-Star
Tris
March 6th, 2009
10:34 pm
how the hell can you bench your second leading scorer at the half?
Joe
March 6th, 2009
10:36 pm
The Hawks suck they should have fired Mike Woodson during the off season and hired either Avery Johnson or Flip Saunders. Second they should have tried to trade Josh Smith to New Orleans for Tyson Chandler.
Atlanta Hawks = Bad team owned by Bad Ownership.
JM
March 6th, 2009
10:43 pm
I’m so tired of reading all these post blaming Josh for this teams problems. Please tell me how Josh blew this game. I watch/go to the games and Josh is not the main problem.
Mike is back
March 6th, 2009
10:44 pm
How do you blame a guy, that didn’t play the second half for loosing the game is beyond me. Nobody is making excuses for Josh, but to overlook an offense that is design for perimeter play is laughable. Is it Josh fault that 80% of plays are design for two guys, give me a break.
When you see all the motion, screeners and back cutters for the Bobcats, and the Hawks fighting and clawing for every basket, BTW, you blame that on Josh too.
Joe
March 6th, 2009
10:47 pm
We are lucky that Josh didnt do like J-Chill and leave ATL. Everyone know he doesnt care for Woody coaching style and Bibby will leave next year. I have no idea why the GM and ownership keep him around! We have a roster full of talent now just get a coach to coach them!!! Look at what happen in Phoenix when they changed coaches. Larry Drew would bring more excitment and a faster pace of ball like in the Rocky Mountain league. Let him coach…FIRE WOODY!! GONE!!!!
Joe
March 6th, 2009
10:48 pm
I blame Josh because he is sensitive when the coach tries to tell him to do something he always be frowning when they show him and he plays like a high school player that hasn’t developed yet.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 6th, 2009
10:48 pm
I didn’t see tonight’s game until the 4th quarter. I am as big a Josh Smith defender as anyone, and I believe he would be much more consistent and productive in an offensive scheme that involved the forwards. But I am not going to defend him tonight. He is playing the worst basketball of his career right now. I didn’t see him in the first half (apparently his stats were pretty nice) but he has not played well recently, and if there’s anyone on the team who needs to shut up and play, it’s him.
TskOoOo
March 6th, 2009
10:50 pm
Josh Smith and Bibby suck. Plain and simple
Harry Hawk
March 6th, 2009
10:50 pm
We don’t know what Josh said to Woody. If he told Woody to blank his blank because he’s a motherblanking blankity-blank that blanks blank blankers and blanks blanking blank, maybe that’s why Woody sat him.
Otherwise, if Josh said a kid could draw better plays on an Etch-A-Sketch, Josh should have been allowed to find a kid and have him named head coach for the night.
Robert
March 6th, 2009
10:52 pm
I like Josh Smith but he’s an attitude problem. Has no respect for authority of his coach and needs to go elsewhere. This type of thing happens too much with him. Enough is enough.
otrhawksfan
March 6th, 2009
10:55 pm
hawks fans let your voices heard!!get to the game early and boo the hawks when they take the floor. We want better play!! Is that hard to ask?? Its time the hawks fans make a statement.
Robert
March 6th, 2009
10:56 pm
And think it’s time for a coaching change also. Don’t think Woodson can get anymore out of these guys. Time for some serious changes with this team, starting with the coaching staff.
JM
March 6th, 2009
10:57 pm
Tell me why there isn’t any chatter on this blog about Joe Johnson playing the worst basketball of his career right now? Or is it something about Josh that gets a few posters panties in a bunch.
TskOoOo
March 6th, 2009
10:58 pm
Woodson: “This isn’t about this coaching staff or ownership or anybody else. This is about 15 guys and the commitment they made to each other to come out this year”
He’s right. When we lose, it’s never his fault.
kirkinga
March 6th, 2009
11:05 pm
Another tough loss tonight. The Hawks are in the midst of another 5-in-7 stretch with the typical results.
I do believe they will rebound. With the exception of the Pistons, the teams chasing the Hawks have losing road records. The Pistons are only a game over, so they hardly a force on the road..The Hawks have 6 road games remaining. The Heat have 11 road games remaining; the Pistons have 11 and the Sixers have 13 road games remaining.
That fellow fans is a huge advantage for the Hawks the remainder of the season.This is their last 5-in-7 of the season so I expect the Hawks to be able to recharge and take care of business, though it will not be smooth or easy. Things will remain tight with fluctuations in the playoff positioning, but the Hawks will prevail not in March, but in April when they have the most friendly schedule.
The Hawks are not going to fall apart as some suggest. They will catch their wind and persevere into the 4th spot. They will secure the spots sometime in the second week of April.We are just at the time of season when schedule matters and the Hawks hold a big advantage.
It’s going to be an adventure, but it’ll be ok in the end.
Go Hawks!!
DunwoodyHawk
March 6th, 2009
11:05 pm
Josh scored 13 before the half, BUT GAVE UP 25 on the defensive end. His head wasn’t in it, and he never provided help defense when Felton drove the lane. He never fights for rebounds.
Josh’s problem is that he was never coached before he went league. He never spent 2-3 years in college getting screamed at by a coach, and having nowhere to hide or pout. So Woody yells at him for not playing D and he can’t cope. He pouts.
Compare Josh to Marvin. Marvin worked his tail off in the off-season–developing a 3-point shot, working on his defense, passing and rebounding. He’s now our best on-ball defender, a good passer, one of the best free-throw shooters, and an improving rebounder.
Josh isn’t improving year to year–which shows he has no dedication to the game. He’s a liability at the free throw line, dribbles the ball off his foot every time he goes coast-to-coast. I really think the guy’s IQ isn’t even 100. He just isn’t smart, folks.
Dribble
March 6th, 2009
11:08 pm
How much does Joe Johnson dribble the ball?
People say he is underrated, I don’t think that’s the case, he’s just an above average player.
Smoove
March 6th, 2009
11:10 pm
Sit him again!
How long will it take for him to realize he cannot shoot?
Mike is back
March 6th, 2009
11:13 pm
Najeh, evidently you missed Woody pulling Moe and Flip out after they got us back in the game, plus they brought some much needed energy off the bench. The second both JJ and Bibby came back in the game the Bobcats put the game away.
How many times have you seen Woody go away from something that’s working just to get JJ or Bibby back in the games? I thought the goal was to win games.
Oh and BTW, you can blame that on Josh too. Not you in particular Najeh, but all the bloggers that is willing to overlook Woody inept offensive scheme. What did Woody gain by bringing JJ and Bibby back in? Another loss.
Don’t look now, but has anyone been noticing Flip The Script expression when Woody takes him out the game going down the stretch. He is starting to show some sign of frustration with Woody too. Yup, it’s all Josh fault.
While you’re at it go ahead and blame Josh for Solo DNPs.
rms
March 6th, 2009
11:14 pm
yeah right, and when that happens pigs will start flying and hell will not only freeze over, but thaw out in one night
Harry Hawk
March 6th, 2009
11:14 pm
It may very well be that Josh doesn’t like Woody’s style of coaching, but why the **** can’t Woody get through to anyone else?
That’s my problem with Woodson. He can’t get this team to do the right things on a consistent basis. At some point, the coach has to be held responsible for the sins of his players. That’s how 99% of head coaches get fired.
Schedule
March 6th, 2009
11:23 pm
We have 20 games left. I predit wins against: Sacramento, Minnesota and Indiana (we will split with them). After that, I’m not sure we can win any of these games left. Scratch all the road games, we’re not playing too well right now.
Optimistically, we are playing our worst ball at the right time.
old mikey
March 6th, 2009
11:26 pm
consider smith is a hothead and not very smart. the rest of the team seems to be on message.
DunwoodyHawk
March 6th, 2009
11:27 pm
FWIW, I’ve noticed a few times at games when Joe passes it to Joe and Joe does something boneheaded, Josh runs down the court mouthing “my fault” in Joe’s direction.
Joe won’t even look at Josh. He’s as disgusted as Woody is.
DecDawg
March 6th, 2009
11:30 pm
Harry Hawk,
Now that was the best joke of the night…
DecDawg
March 6th, 2009
11:34 pm
Dunwoody,
JJ’s behavior towards Josh is not personal. JJ doesn’t talk to anyone on the court…never has and never will. JJ’s probably just upset because they had to go back down the court before he got to dribble outside the paint for 10+ seconds.
rms
March 6th, 2009
11:37 pm
hary hawk, knowing ASG they would let coach woodson be that 1% that dont get fired!! What a joke….I mean ownership and the coach.
kirkinga
March 6th, 2009
11:37 pm
“Schedule”, sorry the Hawks aren’t going to go 3-17.
The handwrining always reaches it’s max as the Hawks flop through another 5-in-7, but this has been the case all season long and they have recovered every time.
“We’re playing bad” is not a good enough reason to predict 3-17, one would have to ignore how the Hawks have performed all season long.
“We’re playing bad” is not a good explanation as to how the teams below are going to suddenly become good road teams because that is what is going to have to happen if they are going to overtake and hold off the Hawks.
How the other teams are playing, as well as their schedules all matters and has to be factored in when considering how the rest of the season will go. The Hawks have not been a 3-17 team all season and they aren’t going to become one now.
Go Hawks!!
Heat Check
March 6th, 2009
11:42 pm
However the Hawks end up backing into the playoffs (those of you expecting a 4 seed are deranged), and as big a fan of them as I am, I’ll be rooting for the opposition. We don’t take Boston to 7 last year and Woodson is more than likely booted last summer. The better the Hawks perform in April-May, the easier it’ll be for DASG to justify keeping Woody for the last yr of his contract (or ,God forbid, re-signing him). It’s like resetting a broken arm….it’s gonna hurt like hell, but it’s completely necessary. This team is broken and playoff thrashing is needed. Keep Woody and the gangrene spreads.
cp
March 6th, 2009
11:59 pm
I’m just not buying the reason he sat Josh was for his lack of defense. The whole starting 5 got scorched in the first half. Some of those guys continued to get scorched in the second half and Josh didn’t see one minute that second half. Pachulia, Bibby, Marvin, hell everybody sucked on defense tonight. Woodson for some reason has not realized that the constant switching on defense has been recognized by every team in the league. They are using us switching to their advantage to get mismatches. And once again we went away from what got us back in the game because Woodson just has to have Bibby and Joe in the game. Joe took some bad shots tonight and dribbled the ball too much as always yet he wasn’t getting yelled at. I saw Woodson light up Marvin for not coming over to help but he never says anything to our vets for lack luster play.
Hawks Fan 88
March 7th, 2009
12:07 am
I cannot see how any real fan could justify wanting his team to lose. As wierd as what kirkinga just wrote, I’ll be damned if someone didn’t top it by saying he was a “big fan” but wanted the Hawks to lose. That must be some 21st Century fan thinking going on.Good Lord.
kgbsfinst
March 7th, 2009
12:36 am
I don’t live in Atlanta but am a fan none the less. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON’T START TALKING ABOUT BOOING THE PLAYERS! Atlanta is NOT Philly! Do you really want that reputation? If you want to boo someone, boo that piece of $h!t coach! If you want to boo the players, at least wait till they stink it up! If you start booing as soon as they come on the court, you guys wont deserve to have ANY pro team! Do I really have to remind you that they are in 4th place with a pretty good record?
encil
March 7th, 2009
12:53 am
Mr. Smith, It would be interesting to know the GM’s take on Woody and Josh’s “feud”.
kgbsfinst
March 7th, 2009
12:55 am
By the way…..How many times do you see Joe smiling on the court? I am shocked that more people blame Josh Smith for this teams struggles than anyone else. I would hate to break it to all the Josh haters out there, but we do have 11 other players on this team(of course, don’t tell that to Woody!)
Heat Check
March 7th, 2009
1:07 am
Hey 88, reading comprehension. Love the Hawks, hate hate hate Woody. The only obvious means to cutting bait and giving this team an eventual legitimate shot is a national whuppin. Bring it on. The real fans can handle it. We’ve gotten used to them over the years.
mykhalc
March 7th, 2009
1:11 am
this team’s identity will ALWAYS = INCONSISTENT until WOODSON is replaced…PERIOD!!! it really is a tiring act to follow, game-in game-out. i’m po’ed i paid for NBALP this year!!!! and i didn’t even watch tonite’s game ’cause i KNOW what the story line will likely be. same ole $hit!!!!
Clyde
March 7th, 2009
1:22 am
FIRE WOODY
I’m still waiting on the blogger of the year, **Ken Srtickland”, to address the situation.
FIRE WOODY
Heat Check
March 7th, 2009
1:22 am
One more clarification…..I want Woody to get embarassed in the playoffs. I want Barkley ripping his iso Joe. I want Bill Walton scoffing at the bench development. I’d even like to see Stephen A Smith on tv if it’s only to laugh at Woodson for the “plays” he’s drawn up (like the 14sec, 3rd qtr-ending Flip halfcourt dribble to 30ft heave tonight….wtf? really?). That’s what real Hawks fans deserve. I’d love it if they ran all the way to the finals. But it’s not happening. I’m going to want them to lose the way they’ve been losing, on Woody’s mismanagement. Give the ASG no angle but replace him. It’s our only hope for a brighter future, barring a complete drop out of the playoff race.
uga-brave
March 7th, 2009
2:05 am
woodson is the one thing that is holding this thing together.
JOSH SMITH IS A COACH KILLER. he as no desire to anything when he does not have the ball in his hand.
no offensive rebounnds, no denying his man in the post, no off the ball defense. though he DOES LIKE TO GIVE HIS MAN THE BALL AND TRY TO BLOCK SHOTS.
JOSH SMITH IS A LOSER.
yo josh take a note from marvin and horford, but then again josh, forgot you cant read.
we signed the wrong josh. childress left here half because he hated J SMOOVE.
i really feel sorry for woody. just iso j smoove for about five minutes and it is obvious, plays on his heals .
L_Money
March 7th, 2009
2:22 am
Stop blaming Josh for all the things that go wrong with the Hawks. Its not his fault the defense has been so poor lately, and its not his fault for the way the offense is played. All I know is that is he would have played in the second half we would have won. Mike Woodson shouldn’t let a disagreement cost the team a game or a season for that matter. Just look at all the time the starters spend on the floor compared to the time the bench is. What happened to Mario, Solo, and Acie’s minutes? Let Joe rest for a few minutes he shouldn’t have to play 40 minutes a night.
smartguy
March 7th, 2009
2:26 am
Woody is totally inept.
MAC-TOWN
March 7th, 2009
2:50 am
Enter your comments here
MAC-TOWN
March 7th, 2009
2:53 am
The truth about Josh Smith.
NO he’s ABSOLUTELY not all that is wrong with this team, but he’s CERTAINLY not as good as alot of people here make him out to be.
He can dunk and block shots, besides that he really isnt good at anything else. He should be in a Golden State Warriors or Knicks uniform, not in one for a team that lives and dies on jump shots. It’s what would be best for him and the hawks if both parted ways.
Harry Hawk
March 7th, 2009
3:08 am
uga-brave is wrong. Josh whines too much and doesn’t always play as hard as he should. We know this. However, Woodson can’t coach his way out of a paper bag. It’s up to Woodson to place his players in the best position to succeed. He hasn’t done that. Woody goes first, then Josh. That’s the way it has to be.
(Wouldn’t it be great if players could buy out their coaches’ contracts? I was thinking about that tonight. How much money do you think some guys would be willing to pay to get rid of a coach? I bet the Hawks players wouldn’t have a hard time taking up a collection.)
darrell starks
March 7th, 2009
3:44 am
Nice blog sekou. GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!