South Beach or Cheesesteaks?
Will it be South Beach for the Hawks in the first round of the playoffs ...
PHILADELPHIA - No one could argue against Miami as a destination location for a first round playoff series.
There’s South Beach, an endless supply of Cafe con Leche and the chance to see Dwyane Wade face off against your Hawks in what would be a fantastic matchup.
But if the 76ers somehow nip the Heat at the tape for the fifth spot and a date with the Hawks, I could deal with a few days and nights in this gritty city, where you’re nothing without one of these Freeway beards, some Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and a cheesesteak or cheese steak (since no one here can agree on whether it’s one or two words or the best place to get one) close by.
I can’t imagine there being a more exciting first round series in terms of the individual matchups or the preferred style of play (up-tempo if the 76ers had their way). I also can’t think of a better place to see two of the league’s most athletic, high-flying teams in the first round.
... or cheese steaks?
That’s what makes tonight’s matchup between the Hawks and Sixers at Wachovia center even more interesting. Both teams will be in the mood to send a message, just in case they see each other down the road. Late season games like these always serve as playoff mood setters.
And now that the NCAA Tournament is winding down, the focus for hoops heads like us can shift officially to the NBA playoffs.undefined
That being said, my eyes have been opened to a few things in the past couple of weeks of watching the college kids go at it.
Five things I’ve learned along the way:
1. Blake Griffin is the No. 1 pick in the draft and no one else need apply. Griffin is the closest thing to a man among boys in the college game right now (sort of like Mike Beasley, Kevin Durant, Al Horford and Greg Oden before him). There’s no one else to even consider for that top spot. NO ONE!
2. Hasheem Thabeet should be the poster child (albeit a 7-foot-3 version) for players teetering on the brink of entering the draft before it’s time. Thabeet has been discussed as a high lottery pick from the minute he set foot on campus at UConn. Somehow he resisted the urge. Now he has the grand stage at the Final Four to make his case for top three status.
Does the term Man Among Boys mean anything to you Blake Griffin?
3. Ty Lawson has made his case for a lottery slot as well, proving that he and not that other Ty(lyer Hansbrough) for North Carolina is the Tar Heels’ true most valuable player. I actually had someone argue me down about his earlier this season. But there’s no debate these days. A game-changing point guard trumps a big man in the college game.
4. There isn’t a single player on Villanova’s roster that appears to be a sure-fire NBA player, but they are the one team in the Final Four I can see myself rooting for. Michigan State is out for obvious reasons. And big dogs like Carolina and UConn don’t need any more help. Nova, however, is just the kind of underdog (and bracket buster) that keeps folks tuned in when their teams have already disappeared.
5. I know his team was bounced by those hated Spartans, but Louisville’s Terrence Williams is my draft sleeper this year. I’ve only seen him mentioned as a late first round pick, so apparently not everyone thinks as highly of him as I do. I just don’t know what more a team would want from a small forward. The guy plays hard, passes well, can score in a variety of ways, is physical and appears to be arguably the most unselfish player in the country. I’m thinking he’s going to be like Danny Granger was in the 2005 draft, in terms of being a value pick outside of the draft lottery.
ONE LAST THING OF NOTE …
I know all the studies show that people don’t have the time or desire to read long stories anymore, but if you don’t make time for anything else in the next few days you have to read this riveting story from Pablo S. Torre of Sports Illustrated.
It’s a detailed look at how professional athletes go broke in this age of jaw-dropping salaries, something that nickle and dime hustlers like us figure should be an impossibility with all the zeros on cats’ salaries. I wouldn’t have believed half the stuff in the story if I didn’t know a few former players mentioned in the story and hadn’t already heard, first hand, some their horror stories.
This story took over the conversation at my barbershop last weekend, and I know if it got everybody talking in there it needed to be shared here. Enjoy and (aspiring pro athletes) take notes!
Don’t forget Hawks-Sixers tonight. We’ll chop it up here all day and throughout the game.
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353 comments Add your comment
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
7:37 pm
Josh has 10 of the Hawks 16pts 1st qtr points…
Sekou K. Smith
March 31st, 2009
7:38 pm
Sorry Joe, I’m a Po-Boy guy anyway. This cheesesteak thing is uncharted territory for me. And the grease is the one thing I can’t get with on these cheeseteaks. I don’t need any more help expanding the waist line partner.
I think my previous post got lost in translation Elijah in regards to Speedy Claxton’s insurance implications you keep asking about. If the Hawks were pursuing a medical retirement there would be some (a la LaFrentz in Portland). Since they are not “technically” in that mode right now, there’s nothing officially going on with any insurance. That said, I don’t think it’s hard to figure that the reason he isn’t playing right now has something to do with the Hawks’ future plans for him. And that’s too bad, because with Acie Law IV out for the sixth straight game with that lower back injury, the Hawks could use another quick guard against the 76ers (who are cleaning the Hawks’ clock right now 28-16 after one quarter).
ajw
March 31st, 2009
7:42 pm
Its a Royal with cheese sighting!
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
7:43 pm
Man, these refs aint giving us any respect….
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
7:46 pm
Sekou, I think the 1st qtr has answer your question. Bring on MiamT. These Hawks don’t want any part of Philly. Get your Cheesesteaks and get out of there…
ajw
March 31st, 2009
7:49 pm
WOW!
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
7:49 pm
Flip Murray serves up a Marv Albert FACIAL on Louis Williams… My Gosh
bigdave
March 31st, 2009
7:51 pm
Lou didnt learn from Kirk Hinrich…?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdFSzr9Tgaw
doc
March 31st, 2009
7:52 pm
ariose needs to make sure that “poster” stays around for you tube posterity. man that was huge. let’s make something of it hawks.
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
7:58 pm
Bibby and Joe ain’t doing nothing….
Sekou K. Smith
March 31st, 2009
7:59 pm
So what is it the Hawks do when Joe Johnson isn’t making shot? They go to him incessantly on the offensive end and it makes no sense when he’s not making shots. The 76ers couldn’t be happier with that approach. After chewing into that lead the Hawks have stalled again, going to ISO JOE repeatedly over the last two minutes. Craziness.
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
8:02 pm
Bibby and Joe 0-9….
eman
March 31st, 2009
8:05 pm
It’s a real good thing for this team that they MIGHT open the playoffs at home. They open on the road and they’re not going to the 2nd round.
bigdave
March 31st, 2009
8:08 pm
WHY ARE OUR BIGS ALWAYS ON THE PERIMETER AND THE GUARDS DOWN LOW…!?!?!?
niremetal
March 31st, 2009
8:10 pm
You nailed it Sekou. When Joe is cold, we should feed it inside first. Heck, we should feed it inside early even if Joe is feeling it just to keep the defenders from doubling him at every opportunity in the 4th.
bigdave
March 31st, 2009
8:10 pm
We have to push the tempo more and Joe is going to have to roll a big number 2nd half for us to win tonight…
JohnGTFan
March 31st, 2009
8:10 pm
Gotta get my eyes checked again..I swear I thought I saw Atlanta only has only 37 points at halftime
niremetal
March 31st, 2009
8:12 pm
And yes – the turnovers notwithstanding, Smoove had an outstanding first half.
Again, though, games like this make us realize how much we miss Marvin on both ends of the floor.
Sautee
March 31st, 2009
8:25 pm
Matt, you’re right about Marvin. I just told Ray the same thing.
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
8:27 pm
Finally, starting guard hits a shot for the Hawks.
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
8:30 pm
How many offensive foul calls do the Hawks have.
Ken Strickland
March 31st, 2009
8:34 pm
FUDD21-I’m from Etowah county in NE Alabama. I’m currently in Dothan, AL, but I’m in the process of negotiating to buy a house in Stone Mountain. I can’t wait to get out of this cultural and intellectual time warp and back to the ATL.
JohnGTFan
March 31st, 2009
8:36 pm
This games a nailbiter
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
8:38 pm
Joe and Bibby are cold and Woody still going to play them 40+ mins tonight and run the offense thru them…
amazin
March 31st, 2009
8:40 pm
People wonder why Smith doesn’t respect Woodson. This gam is a perfect reason why. He is on fire and Woodson keeps trying to post Joe up. Smith has Evans on him. The only one playing well and he is standing at the 3pt line watching Joe do nothing.
JohnGTFan
March 31st, 2009
8:41 pm
ANOTHER one of those good nights to rest JJ, Bibby and Smoove and play the bench to get them time. The bench players need some game-time minutes before the playoffs actually start.
trint
March 31st, 2009
8:45 pm
Why is everyone so stuck on the Hawks having the fourth spot. Truth be told they can and have shown to lose at home and we all see that they can not and will not win on the road, so what makes it such a big thing for them to have the 4th spot. I have never in my life witnessed a team that can’t do anything right on the road. The Hawks will not get out of the first round of the playoffs. Mark it I said it here
ajw
March 31st, 2009
8:50 pm
WAM!
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
8:51 pm
Josh ends the qtr with a Montser Jam over Dalembert. Josh has made 11 shots in a row…. Where are all his haters now….. Louder, we can’t hear you…
freshd
March 31st, 2009
8:52 pm
the hawks don”t want no part of philly. these guys match up well against them and they have the hawks number. this year and last year. the hawks better pray for sun and wade.
freshd
March 31st, 2009
8:55 pm
he might throw up ten bricks and four air balls in the 4th.
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
8:55 pm
Yes sir. Here they come. Hawks down by 2….
Big Ray
March 31st, 2009
8:55 pm
Niremetal,
No doubts whatsoever that we miss Marvin. Especially against this squad. And thanks for calling Smith’s performance what it is: not perfect, but certainly productive. Nice to know SOME people can be balanced like that.
I still want more boards from him tonight, but can’t argue with his shooting stroke…on the road, no less.
Man, can we re-sign Flip NOW?
Is it just me, or is ‘Nique going to drive Bob Rathbun to drink with his witt-less-icisms? I swear, would he know the difference if the headphones were fake? So what if they say “Fisher Price” ‘Nique…they still work, honestly. Heh heh heh…
Astro Joe
March 31st, 2009
8:57 pm
Melvin, here I am. Smith sounds like he’s having a heckuva game. Just got in and checked the box score. Let’s go Hawks!
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
8:57 pm
These Refs are killing us…. Bail the 76ers out.
amazin
March 31st, 2009
8:58 pm
“the hawks better pray for sun and wade.” The Hawks better pray for a coach who knows how to run plays for the hot hand. I wonder if he is getting kickbacks if Joe avg. 25ppg. 11 straight shots usually means your team keeps giving you the ball until you miss? Not Woody he will run iso Joe the whole 4th quarter.
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
8:58 pm
Astro, box scores ain’t going to tell you the story tonite…
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
8:59 pm
Make that 12 shots in a row…. My Gosh..
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
9:00 pm
Make that 13 shots in a row…
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
9:01 pm
Did Doc say something about Josh being an efficient score earlier today…
JohnGTFan
March 31st, 2009
9:01 pm
We all love Josh Melvin…but the thing is…these games are only once every 8 – 10 games
Big Ray
March 31st, 2009
9:01 pm
You know what? Joe sure runs the clock down A LOT. Lucky for him, this does not count on the “turnover” stat ratio. If it did, his turnover-to-assist ratio would be uncomfortably close to 1-to-1.
By the way, does it look to you like Josh is carrying this team…on the road? Haters, try not to grind your teeth so hard…it’s only one game.
And yes, I know…it would be better if he could play like this all the time. But then, what would you have to complain about (besides Woody)?
Sekou K. Smith
March 31st, 2009
9:03 pm
Josh Smith is in the zone right now. But I fear he won’t have enough help to finish this comeback off.
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
9:04 pm
JohnGTFan, your right. The shooting touch wont be there every nite but his effort and impact on the game is alway there….
Big Ray
March 31st, 2009
9:05 pm
Not to take away from our victory against the Lakers, but I see they are once again losing to an inferior eastern conference team (Bobcats) due to awful shooting…. looks like Sautee had a point about our victory against them…
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
9:07 pm
Hawks made their run while Bibby was on the bench. Let’s see what he does in the last 6mins…. He misses a 3 as I type this… dang.
Astro Joe
March 31st, 2009
9:07 pm
Yeah, Ray, all of Josh’s haters have always declared that he never has game and that he is useless. Funny how he is scoring all of these 4th quarter points while Amazin says no one will pass him the ball. Amazin how he passes to himself on those alley-oops.
Big Ray
March 31st, 2009
9:07 pm
Sekou,
This is why the playoffs bother me. Where’s the help? It’s not like we don’t have effective weapons! We keep going to the same busted-a$$ plays that aren’t working. Something about that doesn’t make me feel too good about that healthier-than-he-looks fat guy.
Astro Joe
March 31st, 2009
9:08 pm
See how Theo is playing… that’s what WE need. A situational low post defender.
Melvin
March 31st, 2009
9:08 pm
Hawks look like they are running out of gas.