March Madness (NBA style)!
Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat are stalking the Hawks for the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff chase.
HAWKSVILLE - If you think the college kids are doing it big these days (and they are), check out Dwyane Wade in March.
The Heat superstar has all but ruined the good vibrations from the Hawks’ four-game win-streak, one that can reach five with a win today (provided they can beat back Portland at Philips Arena).
Wade’s not only been the best player in the NBA the past few weeks, he’s been the best player on the planet (sorry LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, but D. Wade’s my pick for MVP and I don’t care what his team’s record is right now).
“I don’t want any part of D. Wade in the playoffs, man,” one of our founding members wrote in an email yesterday. “He’s playing right now the same way he did during the playoffs in 2006. And you know what happened then.”
The Heat won the title that year riding Wade’s cape tails past Dallas in the NBA Finals.
While playing at an otherworldly level in March doesn’t exactly mean your team will get out of the first round of the playoffs in March, Wade’s current tear does pose a clear and present danger to the Hawks.
With the way both the Hawks and Wade (I mean Heat) are playing right now they are setting up a first round matchup in the playoffs. That means the home court advantage fight is going to come down to the final weeks of this season. And the team that gets it almost guarantees itself a win in the series.
That’s why every game the Hawks and Heat play between now and the end of the regular season, including their April 14 tilt at Philips Arena, becomes a battle of epic proportions.
The Hawks already know how important it is to “take care of home” court at all times. They knocked off the eventual NBA champions three times on their home floor during the playoffs last year but couldn’t find a way to even stay close in Boston.
You should expect more of the same in the playoffs this year, with the home teams ruling the roost. The Hawks would best served to be one of those teams. And that means taking care of teams like the Pacers the way they did Friday. Because most of the teams the Hawks will see between now and April 15 are of a much higher caliber.
Slip up against the likes of Sacramento, Minnesota or Indiana – all visitors to Philips between now and the end of the season along with heavyweights like the Celtics, Lakers, Spurs, Mavericks (okay, light heavyweights) and Magic and – and Wade will be kicking the Hawks’ door down for that fourth spot.
Every single Hawks game between now and the end of the season is its own one-and-done tournament.
Did someone say something about March (and a little bit of April) Madness?
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276 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
March 17th, 2009
3:44 am
On another note, apparently the Thrashers won their franchise-record 6th straight game today. i don’t know anything about hockey, but damn, they have been around for 10 years and they have never won 6 in a row until now? That is unbelievable.
doc
March 17th, 2009
7:10 am
najeh i imagine jj gets the defender of artest whether he likes it or not. their decision would be to put their best on him whether he is 2 or 3. it doesnt matter where jj plays if artest is quick enough then he and jj go at it. the only way to stop it is what surrounds him to keep it honest or who woody moves into the game as a chess piece to counter balance that match up.
Clyde
March 17th, 2009
8:00 am
Leave The Weed Alone!!
In America That Is
Sautee
March 17th, 2009
8:21 am
LOL Clyde. So THAT’S why you go to Rio!
Astro Joe
March 17th, 2009
8:52 am
What’s that? Two arrests in two months. Williams and Matt Jones (J’ville Jags) should hang out at the unemployment line together.
Samuel
March 17th, 2009
9:20 am
Doc,
I know you didn’t mean anything by it. You never do.
Hey, maybe we can swap Outlaw for Marvin. Then he(Outlaw) would only have to learn one play.
Hey, your other COY candidate. The almighty Pops got beat by the Thunder last night. You think their bloggers are calling for his head.
Woody=COY
KevinA
March 17th, 2009
9:42 am
If Bibby and JJ had the same amount of shot attempts as Marvin would Marvin look better? I think so. Instead of trashing Marvin I think it would be more productive to trash Bibby and JJ. These fellers need to shoot fewer jump shots and feed the studs down low. We play our best when were banging bodies and taking it to the hole.
When are JJ and Marvin playing their best? Yep, taking it to the hole. Why do we like Acie in the game? Yep, he takes it to the hole.
When do we get the most wide open jump shots? Yep, it usually happens on a drive and kick.
When do we play our best defense? When were banging bodies on offense.
I think there is a theme here.
When does our offense get stagnate? The JJ iso and to many jumpers by Bibby, JJ, and Flip possession after possession after possession. Not staying physical and attacking the rim.
How do we usually get out of this funk? Taking it to the hole.
The improved play of Marvin, Josh, ZAZa and Al makes this style of play possible. Maybe we could not have played this way a year ago but we certainly can now. Our young players games are finally maturing as individuals and as team players.
In a hypothetic world would we trash JJ for scoring 16 a game and Bibby Scoring 14 a game if that meant Al and Josh averaged 18 a game and the result was 1st seed? Sometimes things change and maybe sooner than you think. .
doc
March 17th, 2009
10:08 am
heh heh heh, yeah samuel it would allow outlaw to use his instincts and be the chills our team needs. the kid is good and has stuck with it. do you think jj would say something along the lines of “these young kids need to learn how to do something other than run around or something like that”? it starts at the top.
it was also fun to watch ya boy ellis delivering a bit the other night against phoenix. talk about a track meet. the warriors just didnt have the horses or staying power. they are done and are putting it on display like they did in memphis to showcase the kids for trades or drafts in the upcoming year. their rise and fall was quick.
it is just amazing how quickly things can fall apart in the nba these days. that is why i am enjoying the year and hoping for the best in the playoffs. this could be a one and done or the peak and i expect to revel in it a bit. i like the team as a whole and really enjoy it when they play defense. i said it a long time ago when folks were wondering what is distinctive and the main character of the team; it is defense. really first saw it when they played detroit the first time around. that is their true personality.
as far as pops. he is again without ginobli, without him they dont stand a chance against la if they do at all. great coach with staying power, maybe woody has that too. something folks dont realize is maybe woody and josh really need each other to excel in an odd sort of way. diamonds dont get the shine without some kind of buffing substance.
JOSH = MVP !
has a nice ring to it doesnt it samuel?
Sam from the Swats
March 17th, 2009
10:27 am
Kevin A says, “The improved play of Marvin, Josh, ZAZa and Al makes this style of play possible.” What improved play of Marvin? He added the 3 point shot? Wow, he did that and still averages the same amount of points as he did last year. I’m just trying to see where the improvement is. I don’t see it.
Hms
March 17th, 2009
10:51 am
The idea that Travis Outlaw would only have to learn one play if he were playing for the Hawks is indicative of the severely limited offensive philosophy of Mr. Head Coach Woodson more than anything else. Meanwhile comparisons between this bald fellow and San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Gregg Poppovich continue to be preposterous because no Spur fan in the right mind would want him gone on the face of one loss. No one calls for his dismissal due to the number of NBA Championship rings on his hand which have all been earned as Head Coach. Mr. Woodson has a singel championship ring that he got while riding Mr. Larry Browns coattails as a do nothing but preach defense assistant coach. Mr. Poppovich has his team at the top or near it year after year and has a proven system that works and is competitive at the elite level. Mr. Woodson and his system if it can be identified and called as such has proven no such thing and is actually experiencing his first winning season in five years. There is some serious doubt that Mr. Poppovich or any other credible coach would have taken five years to have a winning season but no doubt supporters of Mr. Woodson will point to anything and everything as being at fault because of course he is a near perfect coach who is constantly victimized by players and general managers alike. It is pure mularky but something willingly swallowed by anyone who chooses to be a fool in the face of fact after fact. Mr. Woodson and Mr. Poppovich belong not in the same sentence or even paragraph when comparison of accomplishments is the subject of convarsation.
fudd21
March 17th, 2009
12:02 pm
Sam, based on your rationale that Marvin hasn’t improved because his stats haven’t gone up, then I guess Josh has digressed since his stats have gone down. I’m just saying.
Also what does being the 4th option and the ability to create your own shot have to do with anything. If you remember our own JJ was the 4th option in Phoenix and I could be wrong but I think he can create his own shot. I’m just saying.
Ariose
March 17th, 2009
12:13 pm
Sam, you have to sacrifice numbers for wins bruh. look at the Celtics, you don’t see Ray Allen averaging 26ppg game like he was a few years ago…..the same goes for Pierce and Garnett as well. Career lows for all of them as far as numbers are concerned(But they WIN all the time and they all have rings now). They find the open man and play team oriented ball no ego involved.
David Lee puts up those numbers on a team 13 games under .500 there is a big difference. Like B-Roy dropping 29 on us the other night but they still lost by 18. Getting your numbers when your team is down by 20 points already doesn’t mean anything. Your opponent isn’t worried about you scoring because they know 1) The game is already over 2) You can’t stop them from coming back and scoring on you 2) If the game was in jeopardy they would shut you down.
That’s why players put up big numbers on scrub squads.
Marvin plays team ball. Joe Averaged 25ppg during the 06-07 season and we were still only fighting for the 8th seed before he went down with that calf injury. He’s not putting that up now but his assists are up and we’re WINNING more. Why do you think players accused of being offensively selfish like Steve Francis, Antione Walker and Stephon Marbury are always being shipped out of whatever team they are on…….usually because their selfish play results in a loosing effort.
Like I said before, it’s a TEAM sport, and Marvin is doing what was asked of him and what is necessary for the success of this team.
Ariose
March 17th, 2009
12:26 pm
……Most of the players’ numbers are down from last season…..but we have already won 2 more games than we did last season and we have like 15 more games to go…….If we can avoid five more losses we will hit the 50 mark.
doc
March 17th, 2009
12:30 pm
i suck
Blast
March 17th, 2009
1:10 pm
Sekou’s report about the chemistry Al has developed with Josh is spot on. Joe Johnson is right. If those two are playing at a high level defending and rebounding, and other teammates play their role, Hawks are hard to beat. As Josh goes to the post more, are we now seeing the results of his workout with Hakeem Olajuwon two years ago? I do believe his post moves have some fake and shake to it, reminiscent of the Dream Shake. Al Horford gets more agressive in the paint, we could start seeing double teams on him and Josh. Imagine, Hawks have the possibility of developing 3 guys that can command the double. Wouldn’t that be something to see?
Mo Evans needs to hang around the offensive glass more. He had two putbacks the last two games that were huge. He needs to stop being to foul prone, though.
Loved to see Joe use the ball fake some more, either to fake his man out and score, or draw the foul.
Almost every shot Portland took in the last game was at the buzzer, with the Hawks able to force them into at least 3 24 second violations. Kudos to the Hawks defence and as posted earlier, defence should be the Hawks identity.
Anybody think Portland regrets choosing Oden over Durant, yet? If Oden turns into a bust, that would be twice a 1st pick big man did not pan out for the Blazers. While Portland has done well in the draft, those two picks could make anything Billy Knight ever did wrong in the draft pale in comparison, assuming Oden turns out to be a bust, which I suspect will be the case because I do not think he will be healthy enough to be able to play an entire season and dominate. Far as I know, Shelden Williams has been the only total bust Billy selected. Say what you will about Marvin Williams, the man is going to have a great future in this league.
Ray, hopefully, the Hawks great play at home will help them out on the road. I know if they play with any kind of intensity close to how they are doing at home, they should be fine.
Break over. Gotta to go back to work. See you guys on the blog later tonight.
We need a new blog, Sekou.
Go Hawks! Beat Sac-Town!
Melvin
March 17th, 2009
2:12 pm
GREAT posts (12:13/12:26) Ariose. Stats doesn’t tell the whole story…
KevinA
March 17th, 2009
2:45 pm
Ariose, your comments support the point I was trying to make. Feed the studs down low and the JJ, Bibby shooting percentage will go up.
Sam, I see his improved driving ability, the three point shot and improved defense. Marvin is rarely asked to be a scorer. But remember the game he had 20 pts from the foul line? Marvin is a great team player and does not look for stats. JJ and Bibby could learn a little from him and defer to the front court.
KevinA
March 17th, 2009
2:51 pm
Nice post.
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/29728683/
Don’t get me wrong JJ and Bibby are ballers, just an oopportunity for a little more balance.
Ken Strickland
March 17th, 2009
3:09 pm
It seems some of you aren’t reacting with your emotions/attotide and not your intellect. WHERE MARVIN, OR ANY PLAYER, WAS DRAFTED IS FAR LESS IMPORTANT THAN WHERE THEY RANK WITHIN THE HIERACHY OF THEIR TEAMS OFF. Marvin might have been the 2nd player drafted, but he’s been the 4th option in Woodson’s OFF, behind JJ, Bibby and Smoove. However, whenever he’s been featured in our OFF, he’s put up the kind of across the board numbers one would expect from even a #1 pick in the draft. Anyone that feels Marvin is that valuable, do a little research and tell me how many players that are 4th options in their teams OFF that have produced at Marvin’s level.
Some of you are too hung up on numbers or stats alone. That focus would eliminate outstanding players that have become Allstars and HOFer’s based in large part on intangibles. Players like Centers Bill Russell, Ben Wallace and Bill Walton, Forwards Dennis Rodman, Paul Silas or Guards TR Dunn and Jason Kidd, just to name a few, wouldn’t be held in such high regard if they were judged based on their scoring alone.
paul revere
March 17th, 2009
3:27 pm
You Atl fans kill me. You gripe back and forth about nothingness. You are holding the 4th spot in the east by the hair on your chinny-chin-chins. Beantown is the big bad wolf and we are going to blow your arses out of the water.
Garnett is scheduled to come back around March 21st, just in time to beat the crap out of you all on March 27th!! I can’t wait to read this blog on March 28th and hear y’all cry about how KG used Horford. LOL!!
Go Celts!!
terrell barron
March 18th, 2009
1:25 pm
Blast, funny thing is, we woulda took Oden if the ping pongs balls had’ve bounced our way. And everybody on this board would have been estatic, except me and a few others. His health has always been a concern of mine. And I never thought he’d develop any offensive skills whatsoever. With that said, I wish him the best. I’d really like to see how he would pan out, if healthy. And btw, THANK GOD FOR HORFORD!!!
terrell barron
March 18th, 2009
1:38 pm
Lol at Paul Revere. Funny how Boston can lose 1 of your key guys and cant beat Milwaukee, Miami, Chicago, Orlando, or Detroit. Hmmm??? You just better hope and pray that KG or Pierce dont go down before the Playoffs. Reason being, the Celtics LAY DOWN when somebody’s out. The Hawks STEP UP. 6 in a row my friend. And you should be worried about catching Cleveland, who’s suddenly 3.5 games ahead Boston. And btw, you wanna talk about hanging on to something. Boston has 1 foot on the #2 seed, and the other one on a banana peeling.
terrell barron
March 18th, 2009
1:40 pm
Paul Revere, make that 4.5 games, not 3.5.
terrell barron
March 18th, 2009
4:52 pm
To everyone saying we are a better team without Marvin: I coldheartedly disagree. However, I do think that we’re a better team without Marvin IN THE STARTING LINEUP. But to say that we are a better team without him on the team is ludicrous. My Hawks Playoff roster: 1st team: Bibby, Evans, JJ, Josh, Horford. 2nd team: Acie, Flip, Marvin, Solo, Zaza Defensive stopper: Mad Mario
Gumby Williams
March 19th, 2009
1:44 pm
If the Hawks manage to win 50 games this year, I wonder if the Hawks will acknowledge the job that Billy Knight did during his tenure with the Hawks. Think about it. The work that Knight did couldnt have been that bad if it produced a 50 win team. On the other hand, should the Hawks fall short of 50 wins and finish in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, that is still an improvement from finishing eighth last year and just getting into the playoffs. Knight was right.
Ariose
March 22nd, 2009
12:10 pm
[Once Again](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWC7RfUbMBg&feature=related)