Guess who’s biz-ack!
Things are looking up for Marvin Williams and the Hawks!
HAWKSVILLE - One and it’s done.
That’s it for the Hawks.
Win one more game (Friday against Indiana at Philips Arena) and the race for the fourth spot and home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs is done.
But believe it or not, the Hawks could have something even more important going on at Philips Arena tomorrow night in the form of Marvin Williams returning to action after a 16-game absence because of a lower back injury.
Williams had what was initially believed to be an injury that would sideline him for the remainder of the season. But he’ll be back, possibly tonight against Indiana and certainly by the playoffs.
I’ve seen all the chatter back and forth around here about Marvin not being missed (back when the Hawks rolled through that March homestand unblemished and without him). Then the tide changed and the Hawks’ struggled and the pro-Marvin crowd resurfaced to campaign for their guy.
I’m rollin’ with the pro-Marvin crowd on this one folks.
Show me a team that doesn’t want to be at full strength and I’ll … well, you can’t. No one in the NBA is that foolish. You think the Celtics would rather play without Kevin Garnett? Or the Lakers would rather play without Andrew Bynum? I don’t care that they’re winning without him. They’d rather have him that not.
Same goes for any team that’s without a starter this time of year.
And one last time, heading into tonight’s games the Hawks’ magic number for that No. 4 spot is one. One more win by the Hawks, or a loss by both Miami and Philadelphia locks that spot up.
On to some other news:
ROAD WINNERS - In the aftermath of the Hawks’ successful two-game road trip to Toronto and Milwaukee a discussion stirred about when was the last time the Hawks won road games on back-to-back days? The Mad VP and his crew took it a step further Thursday with some research that turned up and even crazier nugget than I imagined.
I had just discovered NWA the last time the Hawks won road games on back-to-back nights.
November of 1988 (that’s right, 1988 not 1998) is the last time the Hawks won back-to-back road games while also overcoming halftime deficits. Sometimes, I honestly forget just how deep the pool of futility has been for Hawks fans the last 15 years or so.
Most of us were in junior high or something the last time the Hawks pulled of what they did this week.
It’s stunning when you really think about it.
JOE “CRUNCH TIME” JOHNSON - Much has been made of the Hawks’ (over)reliance on captain and All-Star Joe Johnson on the offensive end of the floor. And I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t like it for all sort of reasons (too much heat on your best player and star, marginalizes the talents of four other guys on the floor, gives defenses an easy scouting report to defend you, etc.).
On the flip side, Johnson does rank among the league’s elite players in fourth quarter scoring (he’s among the top six). The other five guys on the list are Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Brandon Roy. Not bad company. Unfortunately, Johnson also leads the league in minutes this season, too.
PRACTICE SQUAD - You don’t often hear about the work that the guys that don’t play in games do behind the scenes. But when I hit the practice floor for practice Thursday morning, I first noticed Marvin on the floor working out with the seven other guys in an intense half court game. The very next thing that struck me was how hard Mario West and Solomon Jones were going at him, almost like they were testing him for the Indiana game.
And they didn’t let up the entire time. West is a practice demon, a guy that never eases up – which is why I’m never surprised to see him inserted into a game to change the pace. He’s gone after Bryant, James and anyone else Hawks coach Mike Woodson has felt like throwing him at this year.
Tangle with Mario West at your own peril.
Williams was certainly appreciative of their work. “Those cats go so hard,” Williams said. “Rio is like that when he walks into the locker room for practice. He’s always going 100 miles an hour. And Solo has done this all year. Normally, I just watch those guys go at it on practice days like this. Right now, though, I need them to help me get it back. So I’m just glad all these guys are here.”
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a whole lot of West tonight against Indiana.
Williams will probably see limited minutes if he does return. And Mo Evans is not expected to be with the team due to a personal family matter, so West might actually be inserted into the starting lineup if the Hawks decide to stick with their normal set instead of using the big lineup with Zaza Pachulia with Al Horford and Josh Smith across the frontline.
With just one game needed to secure that fourth spot and home court advantage, West might be just the energy boost the Hawks need to help them get past these sluggish first half starts that have plagued them recently.
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244 comments Add your comment
Shaunty
April 9th, 2009
7:41 pm
“Show me a team that doesn’t want to be at full strength ”
The Hawks don’t — that’s why they don’t play Speedy Claxton.
Garnett & Bynum >>>>> Duck
Samuel
April 9th, 2009
8:04 pm
Good work Cuz,
People here always criticize Woody for not playing his bench but there are plenty of ways for players to contribute. A team is usually as good as the competition they face in practice.
I’m glad to see Marvin back. He’s had a good season and hopefully he can get back close to that level for the playoffs.
Cuz, how dare you use the “N Word” on this blog. Man, what a group. I was kicking it in San Bernadino, California when Easy, Dre and Cube came on the scene. Dudes were “Supa Hard”.
On a nother note. I mentioned a sleeper in this year’s draft a few months back. Courtney Fells from NC State by way of Shannon, Mississippi. I’ve seen him play since he was something like the 6th grade. He’s a Front Street (Playground ledgend) in Tupelo. Sidney Lowe’s “jacked up” offense held him back for four years but he will break out in the pro game. Mark it down. Check out nbadraft.net, He’s tearing up the Portsmounth invitational or Go to youtube and serch Courtney Fells.
Our biggest game of the year comming up. We really need to win this and rest our starters the last two games. We don’t even need them to see the floor against Miami. Don’t give them nothing to boost their confidence.
Woody=COY
Astro Joe
April 9th, 2009
8:24 pm
Good stuff, Sekou. Pacers are running a lot of 3-guard sets with TJ and Jack so Mario may be able to get plenty of play Friday evening. Let’s make it happen Hawks. Bring it on home tomorrow and quiet the haters for the next few hours… until the playoffs begin.
Sekou Smith
April 9th, 2009
9:25 pm
Steamboat,
I rode around in the back of an ‘88 Pontiac Bonneville with two of my partners from high school the entire summer to make sure we knew every word on Straight Outta Compton. Changed my life. Ha.
No doubt that if you can lock up the No. 4 spot tomorrow night you give not only JJ but Bibby, Josh and Al a little rest before you dive into the playoffs. Last year, I didn’t advocate a break for the young fellas before the playoffs started. It was their first ride. Not this time around. They need a breather before the series starts. You want them to come into that thing with fresh legs and clear heads.
jpmoney
April 9th, 2009
9:48 pm
Shaunty, Obviously there is something wrong with speedy c. He must not fit with the coach or the team in some way. Chemistry is important in any team sport. Anyone who has ever had success on a team knows the importance of having everyone working together. We don’t need him, we just need to get the next guy on the bench to do his part when he comes in the game. West is my kind of player-unselfish, tenacious, energetic, and the most important team first!
Show me state
April 9th, 2009
10:04 pm
All in all let’s get this one win. Glad to here Marvin might comeback tomorrow and let’s have momentum going into the playoffs! Let’s Go Hawks!!!!!!
Show me state
April 9th, 2009
10:04 pm
I meant glad to hear Marvin might comeback tomorrow.
MannyT
April 9th, 2009
10:17 pm
Great news. Even if Marvin only contributes 15 mins/game in the playoffs, it will help.
I’m not getting into the middle of Woody and the bench tonight. I hope that Sekou is accurate that the heavy minute guys will get a little rest after securing the 4th seed.
BWAF
Melvin
April 9th, 2009
10:21 pm
It was good seeing my boy Al Horford (fellow Dominican), we’re likely joining forces this summer in the DR national team for the FIBA games -Charlie Villanueva.
Hopefully Big AL can recruit him to sign with the Hawks this summer although he’s a restricted Free Agent. However, it was reported that the Bucks are trying to cut payroll…
mississippi
April 9th, 2009
10:23 pm
The only team that seems to play better as a team without a starter is Houston. The Rockets don’t need mcgrady back for the playoffs. I know there’s no way he comes back but even if he could I don’t think they should use him.
Melvin
April 9th, 2009
10:45 pm
Philly lost to the Bulls tonite. They can keep those greasy Cheesesteaks…
Zach
April 9th, 2009
10:50 pm
Sekou,
I’m a big fan of Mario West, I think the energy he brings being out there with the starters motivates them on the defensive end. What do you think about him getting more minutes?
niremetal
April 9th, 2009
10:54 pm
So I’m taking a long enough break from the ol’ law books to parachute down here for a minute (just 4 more weeks, and this’ll all be over…).
Sekou,
Great to hear about Marvin’s return, though I hope everything’s alright with Mo’s family. It’ll be good to see the bench guys get some burn in the last few games, hopefully. If they make a good showing for themselves, maybe Woody will be a bit less afraid to use them in the playoffs. And before you call me crazy, recall that Woody used Solo and Acie for brief stretches in every game against the Celtics. I always figured that was because Solo and Acie made good showings in their brief minutes in the last 3 games of the regular season (which in turn allowed Josh and JJ to be a bit more fresh in the 4th each game). Hopefully past is prologue.
Melvin,
I love Villanueva’s game, but he would be a very poor fit with the Hawks. We need a legit 7 footer, not another PF/SF tweener – even one who is 6′11. He plays relatively soft defense, takes plays off, and doesn’t rebound as well as you’d like from a guy of his height. He’d just be splitting the same minutes that we’re already splitting between Horford, Josh, and Marvin.
Our top priorities this summer should be 1) extending JJ; 2) extending Marvin; and 3) acquiring a legit center. I’ve given Ray my theory on why Item 1 should be priority 1…I won’t bore y’all with all the details but suffice it to say that if we extend JJ, Atlanta will be a VERY attractive free agent destination for the 2010 free agent class because we’ll already have a ready-made Scottie Pippen on hand…
richbrave
April 9th, 2009
10:54 pm
Well, the HAWKS have matched my prediction for the season. Here’s hoping they exceed it.
Eazy E
April 9th, 2009
10:58 pm
Sekou,
You are now about to witness the strength of Hawks knowledge.
-E
Ed
April 9th, 2009
11:17 pm
I’ll tell you who’s back…that would be you Mr. Smith. Where have you been for so many days?
Sekou K. Smith
April 9th, 2009
11:27 pm
Classic line Easy, an all-time classic line. And Ed, the road whipped me. I was lucky to know my name when I woke up this morning.
But we’re back on track now and steaming towards the playoffs. No letting up now.
Melvin
April 9th, 2009
11:30 pm
Niremetal, I think Charlie would be a good 6th man off the bench. He would get extended mins b/c his flexibility to play all 3 frontcourt positions. Keep in mind, we really don’t have a guy who could backup Josh. I agree we could use another big (although I would like to resign ZaZa), acquiring one that could play some 4 would be needed as well. Give me any two out of this group if we don’t resign ZaZa. – (McDyess, Stromile, Bass, Frye, Okur, Millsap).
As for the draft, I say pick BJ Mullens (Ohio State) or Blair (Pitt) if Teague (Wake Forest) or Maynor (VCU) is not available….
JerryWest
April 9th, 2009
11:34 pm
Great news.
I would love to see him play agaisnt Indiana and Memphis.
Since Miami and Memphis are back to back, I think he’d be wise to skip the Miami game. Miami might go rough on him that night.
JerryWest
April 9th, 2009
11:48 pm
Hope Mo’s family is ok.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 10th, 2009
12:36 am
The Hawks acquiring Villanueva would be like when the Braves acquired Albie Lopez in 2003. Just because a guy always plays great against your team doesn’t mean if you acquire him he will play great against everyone else. Villanueva is not that great — he just happens to play great against the Hawks.
kirkinga
April 10th, 2009
2:41 am
Najeh don’t forget the real risk with Albie was his extensive injury history. I don’t think Villanueva’s history is nearly as extensive and also he’s younger than Lopez was when we got him.
As to whether he’s great? Nope. But that doesn’t mean he can’t help us. I could see Woodson being more comfortable playing him than Solo.
For a team that lacks size and bulk up front, he’s worth consideration at least.
Here’s hoping Marvin can give us at least 20-25 minutes/game during the playoffs. I’m not buying that he’s completely healthy, but we’re going to need him to advance I believe.
Go Hawks!!
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
3:19 am
Glad to hear about Marvin possibly coming back tonight. I hope that he doesn’t get overworked during the remainder of the season, or in the playoffs. I wouldn’t want his health risked, even though we really need him.
Lineup for tonight should be interesting, and we’ll probably see a decent dose of West. Hope Acie is available as well, and not having back issues still. We might even see a bit more of Solo, and perhaps a sliver of Hunter or Morris. Maybe Gardner. Who knows. Although any sightings of the last three could bring Astro Joe’s sarcasm to a whole new level….if that’s possible. Just wait for it….
Melvin,
If we don’t sign Zaza, give me any of those guys EXCEPT Stromile Swift. Dude is a dog, and plays like it. Sean Williams gets more burn than him…
Ill-logical,
Don’t know what you’re smokin’ over there, but please don’t pass it. Sounds like a bit more than a pipe dream. Still, nice ideas. But lay off the peyote….;)
Willie Coyote
April 10th, 2009
7:47 am
Yea, the team won some without Marvin but then they started struggling with rebounding at times and they missed him defensively. He plays solid D and he adds one more versitle big body to help with all those perimeter switches they do on D; not to mention he will add another perimeter scoring threat to spread the floor.
dap01
April 10th, 2009
8:02 am
Let’s go Marvin! Speedy is not playing because our ownership is too cheap to give up that insurance money and Woodson is too stubburn to realize that he could possible be of value for a small role.
Woodson does not realize that defense and penetration is needed at the point guard position.
Extend Marvin, extend JJ if the price is right, get a true center (no more tweeners) and get a point guard to help AC (Bibby at a role players salary?)
Khao$
April 10th, 2009
8:29 am
Eazy at the PG, Cube at PF, Ren at SG, Dre at C, and Yella at SF…Sekou you took us back man!
Sekou Smith
April 10th, 2009
9:18 am
Glad I could help Khao$. And Zach, a dude like Mario West would get plenty of minutes for me this time of year. You need an energy boost this time of year from your bench and he always provides it.
JerryWest
April 10th, 2009
9:27 am
[b] someone posted this in http://www.hawksquawk.net. [/b]
For every 3 that Smith takes there will be several times when he is standing behind the line and doesn’t get the ball or gets it and doesn’t take a 3. When he is standing behind the line:
-the defense doesn’t have to guard him, letting them focus on other guys.
-he isn’t getting offensive rebounds, part of the reason why he averages only 7.3 rebounds per game.
-he isn’t moving without the ball to get easy looks inside. Childress used to excel at this.
-when he does get the ball he is farther from the basket, making it tougher to drive.
Do you really think that Smith attempts a 3 every time he sets foot behind the line?
There is nothing good that comes from Smith standing behind the line. When he is standing behind the line he is doing exactly what the other team wants.
Mike is back
April 10th, 2009
9:43 am
Sekou, You’ll making me feel old…we was rocking
with Parliament Funkadelic, Bar-Kays, Rick James, Bootsy Rubber Band…all that
jazz during my high school days.
Sekou, the Hawks may have been much maligned for 15
years, but those statistics are misleading because there were some entertaining
teams to watch during that stretch. You think that’s bad, imagine being a
Hawks fan in the Military in the early 80s…the boys would always ask how many
rings you’ll got Mike…okay than shut the F up…Of course I never did…Heh
heh!!!
I’m still on the record for 48 wins…I didn’t know
that 48 win would lock down the 4th spot going into the season. Glad
I’ll be in the mix for the playoff.
Great to hear that Marvin is on the mend and expected to
play before the playoff…that’s a blessing for the team. I also hope Acie
continues to improve as well. They have an opportunity for redemption…if
memory serves me correct the Hawks was in a similar situation with Indy last
season and laid an egg. They can atone for that and send a message to the 5th.
Seed.
WELCOME BACK MARVIN, FINISH IT TO NITE
HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Daniel
April 10th, 2009
10:06 am
Great news, Marvin coming back, Acie coming back and playing decent. I like the idea of giving Mario more minutes in these last few games. He is definitely a spark plug and always makes plays. Also, gives the other players some rest. Although, I don’t care who we play or what the situation I never need to see Randolph Morris or Craig Claxton play again!!
Big B CH 99
April 10th, 2009
10:41 am
I’d love to see Mario get more minutes. He’s my favorite NBA player, as a Tech fan I loved watching him play in College. It’s so rare to find a D first NBA player.
ant banks
April 10th, 2009
10:54 am
what is goin’ on with postin’ on this blog? i post and don’t see anything.
i was really feelin’ the article by hbando about playin’ philly instead of miami. we really need to play philly, if we want to get out of the 1st round.
we can’t beat dwade and the refs
Marcus
April 10th, 2009
11:37 am
talk about time machine. 1st heard Easy-E down @ FAMU by my roomy, who bought his solo album…WC rap hadn’t hit hard down South yet, so NWAs 1st album wasn’t really flying off the shelves. Dr. Dre was kinda known from World Class Wrecking Krew and I think he had a single around ‘86/”87 (Surgery or something like that). One of my boys from Detroit had the 1st album and was trying to tell us but we weren’t hearing it. Once Gangsta, Gansta dropped, then Straight Outta Compton blew up (with MTVs large help) it was ova……
Hey Sekou,
Since March Madness is over, all SRs have exhausted eligibility, all these underclassmen are declaring for the draft, who would be the best fit for the Hawks?
Last week, I asked you a similar question about positions of need (G or bigs C, PF). Now I am kinda honing in on players. I am kinda feeling’ Scotty Reynolds from Villanova (if he decides to come out early) or VCU’s Eric Maynor…
darrell starks
April 10th, 2009
11:41 am
Welcome back MARVIN we need you. GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
April 10th, 2009
11:50 am
Now i hope woody can go deep in his bench rotation if so this team would be strong with a solid rotation or may be woody continue to be the same old woody with a 3man rotation FLIP, EVANS, ZAZA, this team will fail in the playoff in the 1st round if woody continue to be the same old woody. GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Freshmaker
April 10th, 2009
11:54 am
Agreed Big B. The energy that Mario brings is invaluable in my opinion. The way he we dogged Kobe when the Lakers were in town was great, and the crowd loved it. I’d really like to see him on the court at the start of Q3. The Hawks usually come out of the half flat, and I think having him in would go a long way to correcting that.
ant banks
April 10th, 2009
12:02 pm
some interestin’ battles nba playoff race…
1st-the battle for 7th or 8th seed in the east. which team will give the clev the biggest test? which team is more likely to run clev 6 or 7 games, so that they will be worn out for us?
hopefully-we can beat philly or miami over 5 games and be rested up.
WHICH TEAM DO YOU THINK WILL GIVE CLEV THE BIGGEST FIT, SOFTENING THEM UP FOR THE HAWKS.
ant banks
April 10th, 2009
12:04 pm
2ND-the west is off the chain. seeds 4, 5, and 6 are tied!! utah and dallas are fightin’ like hell to keep from havin’ to play the lakers in the 1st round. this may be the tuffest race to the finish that i have ssen in awhile
terrell barron
April 10th, 2009
12:28 pm
How about a standing O’ for Marvin tonight? And no thanks to BJ Mullens. Nothing more than a career backup. Yeah he’s 7 ft., but he’s no better than Zaza. Probably worse. I thought we were trying to get a starting caliber center?? I see none in this draft after Thabeet, and he cant score. The best case scenario, would be to come out of this draft with a legit pg(Mills, Lawson, Flynn) or a banger pf/center like Dejuan Blair or Craig Brackens. We need some toughness off the bench. Mullens is as soft as tissue and plays very little defense. He’d be in Woody’s doghouse before the 1st practice. And just take the BPA in the 2nd rd.(Danny Green, Jeff Pendegraph, AJ Price, etc…
terrell barron
April 10th, 2009
1:15 pm
Ant Banks, I think the Bulls can steal a game at home vs Boston. That’s about it. Philly will get swept by Orlando without Thaddeous, and Cleveland will sweep Detroit.
GumbyWilliams
April 10th, 2009
1:34 pm
Well I must confess I was one of those guys who doubted Mike Woodson. All Woody did this year was guide the Hawks to a winning season and home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Not a bad accomplishment for someone who was probably seconds from losing his job. Regardless what anyone else thinks, I believe the Hawks have enough talent to win the NBA title this year. The reason why I say that is because they have and get shot blocking, defense, rebounding, assists and scoring, the five ingredients that you have to have to win big in the NBA. The Hawks get these things by committee and dont receive them from any one player. When ALL of the Hawks are playing at top efficiency, the sum of the parts are better than the whole and the Hawks are a dangerous team when they are playing at a high level. Just ask the Lakers about that the last time the Hawks faced them. Absolutely no contest. The Hawks have beaten Orlando and Cleveland this year, and you saw how the Hawks played Boston in last years playoffs. No team in the league scares the Hawks and the one team that I thought was going to win the title, San Antonio, wont win it this year because Manu Ginobli is out for the year and wont return this season. That leaves the door wide open for the Hawks to win their first title in many years. I’m positive that the Hawks will win the championship since they have enough talent to do so. The only team that would have stopped them is the Spurs; and the Spurs are done for the year because they dont have enough firepower without Manu Ginobli. So look for the Hawks to be champions of the basketball world; no disrespect to Cleveland, Orlando, Boston and the Lakers, but quite frankly, those teams are not good enough to keep up with the Hawks. Go Hawks!
Ken Strickland
April 10th, 2009
1:49 pm
MELVIN-while I’m not a follow Dominican, I love the country and the people. In fact, I’m seriously thinking of living there, at least for the winter months. I’m going over in May. I spend most of my time in Barahona when I’m there. What part are you from?
It’s playoff time, and all of the things Woodson did or didn’t do during the regular season is now water over the bridge. He, as well as his players, have to step up, make that extra effort and put everything else behind them. If Marvin can regain his gm by playoff time and Acie, Solo and Mario are given adequate time and opportunity to produce, we can become a force to deal with. The extra time both Flip and Evans received in Marvins absence will be a big bonus.
Tonights gm against Philly is a perfect test for our collective mental attitude. Instead of trying to compete with them by slowing the tempo, shortening the rotation and playing halfcourt ball, we should beat them at their own gm by out running, out jumping, out quicking and out defending them. We should use the remaining gms to show all of the other playoff teams what they’ll have to contend with if they have to play us. GOOD LUCK TONIGHT HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
terrell barron
April 10th, 2009
2:19 pm
Ken, we’re playing Indy, not Philly. Luckily.
Steve
April 10th, 2009
2:39 pm
I like our team, if everybody is healthy, we are a force to be reckoned with. Next season, if we get a legit center and a point guard – given the chemistry we have, and we are still such a young team – we could go to the championship series in the East. I would think it would be tough to go further than that however.
By the way, don’t get me wrong – really like Bibby, he’s just getting to the point in his career he should be shifting into a great backup role at PG.
Melvin
April 10th, 2009
2:56 pm
Ken, I’m not Dominican. I’m from the sweet USA and located in a state that have the 2nd highest umemployment rate and near the bottom in education and where the current Gov. don’t want to accept stimulus monies… My earlier post was a cut and paste quote by Charlie Villanueva… Sorry about the confusion…
Barry
April 10th, 2009
4:44 pm
Hey Y’all:
LETS GO HAWKS! LETS GO HAWKS! LETS GO HAWKS!! LETS GO HAWKS!!!!
LETS GO HAWKS!! LETS GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SEE Y’ALL AT PHILLIPS!
“ATLANTA HAWKS, BOOM-BYE-YEAH!!!”
“SHOCK THE WORLD!!!”
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
This is a SECRET from a HAWK FAN!!! TELL EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
brent
April 10th, 2009
5:05 pm
man i miss the old jerseys
especially the yellow ones
most classic jerseys ever
we should go back for real
DeadManWalking
April 10th, 2009
7:48 pm
“New York Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni was the most expensive hire of the past offseason, and it isn’t lost on league owners and GMs how little of an impact D’Antoni has made with the team. What’s more, D’Antoni is hurting himself internally as his representative relentlessly pushes GM Donnie Walsh to hire an assistant GM with close ties to the coach.
Through interviews with NBA front-office executives, agents and coaches, here’s a look at the possibilities for franchises with interim and vulnerable head coaches.
Sacramento Kings: Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof drove the firing of Rick Adelman and the ill-fated hirings of Eric Mussleman and Reggie Theus. This time, the basketball executives are trying to wrest control back. Multiple sources say the Kings have all but eliminated the possibility of retaining interim coach Kenny Natt and have targeted Eddie Jordan to replace him.
Jordan was the Kings coach for one season in 1997-98 under GM Geoff Petrie, but, ironically, former owner Jim Thomas pushed to fire him once Petrie made the franchise-changing moves for Chris Webber and Vlade Divac.
European coaches – Ettore Messina and David Blatt – also have been mentioned as possibilities, but multiple league sources say the Kings are locked on Jordan.
Washington Wizards: Saunders is the runaway favorite for the Wizards, who are determined to hire a winning, veteran coach for a win-now team. Johnson could be considered, but several sources say that Saunders is all but assured of a swift hiring once the regular season is done.
Toronto Raptors: After the inevitable firing of Sam Mitchell early in the season, the Raptors didn’t start to play consistently under interim Jay Triano until the past couple weeks. GM Bryan Colangelo is planning to keep Triano, with former Memphis Grizzlies coach Marc Iavaroni as his top assistant. After Iavaroni’s firing in Memphis this season, Colangelo invited him to spend time with the Raptors as a consultant.
New Jersey Nets: There’s significant belief inside and outside the organization that Lawrence Frank will be fired, but some reliable sources think Frank’s fate is still unresolved. If a change is made, GM Kiki Vandeweghe is expected to have the autonomy to make his mark on the organization. Several sources suggest that he will push for Messina, who has won two Euroleague titles with CSKA Moscow.
Messina has surfaced in several recent searches, and it seems just a matter of time until he gets an NBA job. Messina replaced D’Antoni as the coach of Benetton Treviso.
“Kiki will try to do something unorthodox,” one peer insisted.
Philadelphia 76ers: All indications are that the Sixers plan to stay with interim coach Tony DiLeo. The bigger issue for them is Elton Brand, who was lost for the season with a shoulder injury. Brand is just one season into an $84 million contract and the Sixers never figured out how to integrate him into a fast, young lineup.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin McHale has enjoyed coaching these young Timberwolves, who remind him of a college team. He hasn’t made up his mind for sure, but most expect that he’ll return for a full season with the future All-Star frontcourt of Al Jefferson and Kevin Love.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Scott Brooks, the interim coach, likely will be brought back with a contract extension. As much as anything, Brooks oversaw the vigorous development of Kevin Durant.
Atlanta Hawks: Some suggest that expectations surrounding the Hawks could make Mike Woodson vulnerable should the team fail to advance a round in the playoffs.”
Now that is strange. This doesnt look like a COY candidates article.
Melvin
April 10th, 2009
7:54 pm
Great Job by Mario to start the game. He was definitely the “Spark Plug” as advertise. He brought plenty of energy and effort to get the Hawks off to a good start.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
7:56 pm
New Hacks blog up…
Shaunty
April 10th, 2009
7:56 pm
I’m telling you: The Hawks are shooting themselves in the foot by not playing Speedy.
Even if we clinch 4th tonight, who plays PG when Bibby (old fart) goes out? Acie is injured and will not be healthy for the rest of the years. Do we have Gardner playing huge mins when Flip plays at SG?
Good job Woody
I repeat: We are NOT GETTING INSURANCE CHECKS FOR NOT PLAYING SPEEDY. LET HIM PLAY, SHOW HE’S HEALTHY, THEN TRADE HIM.
Melvin
April 10th, 2009
8:08 pm
Mario plays so hard until he gives the other team energy…. That facial on Mario was nasty…lol
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
8:08 pm
if you are a shot blocker, you will get dunked on every now and then… i love the boy’s effort…
Melvin
April 10th, 2009
8:12 pm
No knock on Mario effort but it was a nice play for the Pacers that seem to give them some energy….
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
8:16 pm
Mario took a worse facial than a female porn star on that one…..but I love his energy
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
8:17 pm
did Josh just argue himself into an And1
Melvin
April 10th, 2009
8:18 pm
Ok.. How many of you all saw Josh complaining to the Ref and the Ref reverse his call…. Smart kid huh…
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
8:19 pm
Why is the pacers record so bad, they dont seem to have that bad of a roster….
Melvin
April 10th, 2009
8:33 pm
Is Acie hurt? Didn’t he play against the Raps?
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
8:40 pm
C’mon Woody that was a 2 for 1…
Melvin
April 10th, 2009
8:41 pm
Nice fade away by Bibby to give the Hawks the lead into the half…
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
8:57 pm
Is it my imagination or has Josh shortened up his wind up on his jumper. All the substitution. Whats up with that. Starters having a chance to be fresh for the fourth quarter. What a concept. Woody COY
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
9:09 pm
RUN…!!! RUN…!!! RUN…!!!
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
9:15 pm
TENACIOUS D AND WE RUNNING… !!! WOW, WHATS THIS…?? IS WOODY TEASING US AGAIN…
NOT TO MENTION SUBS…
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
9:16 pm
Great game
Melvin
April 10th, 2009
9:18 pm
When the Hawks share the ball like they’re doing in the 3rd qtr they are tough to beat….
Shaunty
April 10th, 2009
9:18 pm
We need to sign a PG or play Speedy.
Acie Law is not coming back
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
9:19 pm
Mario’s nick name needs to be “The Nomad”
he averages more travels than pts.
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
9:19 pm
Good for Mario to work out a few kinks. Wish he had played the whole year.
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
9:20 pm
o sh*t……Thomas Gardner in the game…the next MJ
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
9:21 pm
Al owns the Pacers AND the boards. Surprised anybody can get a rebound with him around.
Nice efforts by Joe, Flip and Josh, too.
Good to see Bibby hit a few shots.
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
9:21 pm
We look so good when we run, I dont get it. We ALWAYS look good when we run. Why not do it more?
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
9:22 pm
Solo playing well. To think of what it may have been. lol
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
9:23 pm
Solo seems to have a nice short jumper to me…seems like he makes alot of those….I wonder how far his range extends to.
DJ
April 10th, 2009
9:23 pm
Danny Granger is going to get 50 the way he is going right now.
Sautee
April 10th, 2009
9:24 pm
I wonder how in the world Josh could make that beautiful touch pass to Horford with NO BASKETBALL I.Q.?
Mush have gotten lucky. Again.
Funny how he gets lucky like that 2.5 times per game.
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
9:26 pm
Woody was mad at Bibby for passing Solo the ball there…
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
9:26 pm
he is going to hit that damn 11 footer all night…
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
9:28 pm
Foster with a simple assault and battery…
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
9:30 pm
Bow….!!
Melvin
April 10th, 2009
9:30 pm
Im still trying to understand why Solomon is not in the regular rotation…
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
9:31 pm
me neither Melvin he definitely has the skill set…
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
9:32 pm
Ah yes, the usual encouragement from MAC TOWN, lol…
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
9:33 pm
Josh Smith does make nice passes, but also takes ill advised jumpers, tries to dribble the ball up the court too much and cross over people too much for a guy with no handles. Also has limited low post moves. Although “tonight” he has played pretty well.
He still has a low bball IQ. Passing well doesnt make up for all the other stuff I just named.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
9:34 pm
Melvin,
Sautee was just saying that to me over the phone….Solo produces, dude…
Melvin
April 10th, 2009
9:37 pm
Yes Ray, and here we are thinking we need to sign another Big man when we may have the answer sitting on the bench… Uh, we better sign another big just in case…:)
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
9:37 pm
How can we question COY. He was making sure they were fresh.
Melvin
April 10th, 2009
9:42 pm
Foster need to be arrested after the game. That dude is trying to commit murder….
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
9:47 pm
You’re right, MAC-TOWN. Josh does do all of those things. And I guess nobody else on the team every does any of them either.
Wow, with all of those ill-advised shots, how is it that he’s shooting such an ugly 49% from the field?
Wow, and all those other “smarter” guys are shooting, ummm….Flip (45%), Mo (42%), JJ (43%), Bibby (43%)….the only regular player shooting a better percentage is Horford.
Amazing. How the devil does such a loser who takes bad shots, can’t dribble, and is such a basketball dummy manage to be second on the team in scoring, second in rebounds, third in assists, and second in field goal percentage (among those who play regularly)?
Must be DUMB LUCK……
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
9:50 pm
Love ya Ray, talk to me.
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
9:51 pm
this reminds me of a games from last year… with contributions from everyone… we would have like 3-4 plyrs with 15…
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
9:51 pm
OOps , lol, he’s not perfect.
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
9:54 pm
Nice balance play. Sharing the ball. Grainger a beast.
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
9:55 pm
Josh learning to take over games.
Rod from College Park
April 10th, 2009
9:56 pm
Good Marvin is back. Now keep him on the bench. That’s the best place for him, coming off the bench. I can’t remember who it was, but someone told me that they thought Marvin would be like Granger if he got the same amount of shots. NOT. Granger is a beast. He is what we thought Marvin could be. Good win by the Hawks, I hope Woodson will rest the starters until the playoffs, and let the bench players like Marvin get some time. A lot of people want to get rid of Josh (LOL). He is the second best player on the team.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
9:57 pm
LOL@ Melvin….yeah, we better. Somethings just don’t change.
Solo produces, but I’d rather get somebody that Woody is going to play. And it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if it was a beefier guy. But it’s obvious that Solo has a positive impact when he’s on the floor, and is involved in the game.
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
10:00 pm
Damn i wanted to hit that ignorant 3…. damn… they didnt have a good angle on the shot but im sure it was from the Hawk wing…
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:00 pm
KevinA,
He is. He really has to bone up on the free throws to become that kind of player, though. But I like where he’s headed. He looks better than he has in some time.
Unlike some people, I don’t have a problem with him having such an impact on offense.
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
10:01 pm
Pacers played great, Hawks took care of business. Fun Game.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:01 pm
Man, Granger is just plain NASTY. Boy can BALL…
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
10:01 pm
Big Ray, are you telling me you would rather have Josh Smith taking deep jump shots than Joe,Bibby,Flip, and Evans?
You can honestly tell me you feel more comfortable with “J-Smmooooov” taking those deep jumpers with his pure stroke than the players I named?
I know I cant.
Josh Smith takes the ugliest shots and when he messes up he messes up big.
I’d rather have all of those other players handling and shooting the ball than Josh Smith.
The man does not dribble or shoot well.
Whenever he’s gone he wont be missed..
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
10:02 pm
look at Woody’s face…
what, was that the, “im actually a credible coach look”? not!!!
Blast
April 10th, 2009
10:02 pm
4th SPOT Babyeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
10:04 pm
Oh and of course he’s not the only one who screws up….but he does it more than anyone else…to me.
Any forward who has a nice jump shot and can play decent defence > “J-Smoooove”
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
10:05 pm
Ray , it might take two more years but Josh All star after that, baring injury, year after year. With luck, next year.
Sam I mean Rod From College Park
April 10th, 2009
10:06 pm
I knew I’d get a chance to bash Marvin’s sorry azz. I love to kick a brotha when he’s down. That’s the only way a fake pimp like me can be. I just love that big ol hump in his but, uh I mean look at that big bodacious butt, UH I mean I can’t stand that big butt fool.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:07 pm
Yeah! What a finish, but we clinched 4th, BABBBYYYYYYY!!!!
RodSamRod from College Park in da Swats
April 10th, 2009
10:09 pm
What he said. I mean what I said. Damn, it’s so confusing trying to bash Marvin while keeping my names straight!!!
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:10 pm
MAC-TOWN,
You can turn it or twist it how you want. I never said I’d rather have Josh taking deep shots over the other guys. I simply said for somebody who is taking such awful shots, he sure is shooting a nice percentage, whereas the guys who insist on taking those shots, sure aren’t hitting such a great percentage.
You can’t argue the stats.
And if you don’t like Josh, just say so. There’s no arguing “I don’t like so and so.” But all that other stuff is emminently debatable.
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
10:11 pm
Who would you guys rather play? Philly or Miami?
I’d rather face Miami because of Philly’s length.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:14 pm
“Oh and of course he’s not the only one who screws up….but he does it more than anyone else…to me.”
And that’s what it all boils down to, really. I just disagree. That’s all.
But I’ll tell you like I tell anyone else: if there’s a trade involving him that makes us better, I’m all for it. I’m a Hawks fan. He might be gone this summer. Or he might not. But if he is, then at least you will be happy that he’s gone…regardless of whether or the team is winning or not…
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
10:14 pm
Miami or Philly can’t match how the Pacers just played – who cares. When we play we can hang with anybody.
Astro Joe
April 10th, 2009
10:14 pm
Woody has an interesting decision to make for the next game. If he plays the undrafted all-satrs that many have clamored for against Miami, it would likely mean that we face Miami in the playoffs. If he plays his regular line-up, it could help the 76ers grab the 5th spot. It’ll be interesting to see how he plays this.
Ken Strickland
April 10th, 2009
10:15 pm
Good win Hawks. We played exactly the way we needed to play to win. We’re going to be in deep trouble if we don’t resign Bibby. Woodson has made Acie the next Salim Staudimire and drafting a PG won’t help if he gives him the same treatment he’s given all of the other young PG’s.
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
10:16 pm
Who would we get for less than 10 mil.
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
10:16 pm
Well Big Ray, I dont like the way Josh Smith plays on the Hawks, I think he would be great on a team that runs and guns all the time, not one that forces him to play into his weaknesses (jump shooting and taking people off the dribble ..trying to do crossovers and such).
I think a forward that has a nice jumper would be a better fit for the hawks’ current style.
Not that I don’t like him but I do not like seeing him take jump shots and trying to do crossovers on people.
RickNole
April 10th, 2009
10:18 pm
WOO HOO 4th seed on lock!!
Older Atliens, can you think of a time when the Hawks, Braves and Falcons are all on the right path?? I cant and boy am I excited!!
niremetal
April 10th, 2009
10:19 pm
Miller always shreds Bibby, and Iggy backs or breaks down Mo and JJ too easily. So if Marvin is back to his old self, give me Philly and have him cover Iggy. If not, give me Miami, because I’d rather run the risk of Wade going crazy than face the certainty of both Miller and Iggy tearing up Bibby and Mo.
In any case, great day to be a Hawks fan. We’ll take on whoever you throw at us!!!
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
10:20 pm
i think Woody needs to make sure he gives Marvin extended mins… so he can have his legs by the time post season begins…
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:20 pm
KevinA, I agree. He can be an all-star in that amount of time. Who knows, maybe sooner.
I’m every bit as impressed with Al Horford, though. None of the Pacer big men could keep up with him as he ran the court. Love to watch that.
Well, I very much doubt that this was the kind of defensive effort Woody likes to see, and I don’t blame him one bit. This won’t get it in the playoffs. But enough of that. We clinched 4th.
I’m celebratin’!
Smoove
April 10th, 2009
10:22 pm
Great game by Josh Smith! MAC-TOWN is a complete idiot!!
Sautee
April 10th, 2009
10:22 pm
I don’t know why Rod from College Park does not like Marvin. I think in a couple of years he will be as good as Jordan.
Melvin
April 10th, 2009
10:22 pm
Yes sir… I will be in the ATL for the 1st playoff game against whomever….
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
10:23 pm
I would HOPE we can handle MIA and PHILLY quickly….but something tells me its gonna be a long, entertaining and toughly faught series…with either team.
I still think we can beat the Cleveland Lebrons
Macaroni Tony
April 10th, 2009
10:23 pm
I don’t understand the Hawks fans, we just clinched the fourth seed in the playoffs with the win tonight. We’re trying to go far in the playoffs and Ray is talking about he wouldn’t mind a trade. That’s damn crazy that’s what I think. I guess if we had the Wizards record then we’re a better team.
I think that we should anyone. Look at the teams that made late trades it’s not like it helped that team.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:24 pm
KevinA,
Exactly, but see, they don’t think that through. People want to bash the guy and say all he does wrong, but they want to trade him for this “perfect fit guy that does everything right.” It doesn’t work that way and never has. If a guy is truly junk, you’re not going to get anything for him but more junk, unless somebody really badly needs to unload a bad contract. But then, there’s a reason why it’s called a “bad contract.” Usually because the person who is getting paid isn’t worth the amount of money….
Ariose
April 10th, 2009
10:24 pm
I agree Sautee. I think he is better than Granger right now.
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
10:25 pm
Kenny the Jet said we had no bench. With Marvin back, Solo and Mario kicking in, Well be just fine. Evans and ZaZa did not play and not much drop off. Just think if Woody subed like this all year. Thats discussion for another day. I’m going to enjoy this one. 4th seed WTG Hawks.
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
10:26 pm
Smoove, I bet you think “J-Smooooove” is only slightly out of the MVP race and that Mike Woodson is coach of the year too.
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
10:28 pm
Marvin Williams and Horford along with a REAL CENTER and PG that can penetrate = the hawks future
bigdave
April 10th, 2009
10:29 pm
is it possible for Chi to slide into that 5th whole…?
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:30 pm
<strong< MACARONI TONY,
Had you read the comments earlier, you would understand the context in which my comments were made. Had nothing to do with this season, or the accomplishments therein. It was a conversation between MAC-TOWN and myself. Get caught up with the conversation, please. Thankyou.
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
10:30 pm
So we can get a jorden or grainger type for less than 10 mil? List me the players. Please.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:32 pm
MAC-TOWN,
I’m not sure anymore which team I’d rather play. Each has some advantages. It’s fun to talk about it, though. Some people think Miami’s supporting cast presents no problems for us, and others think Philly doesn’t have near enough talent to take over a game.
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
10:33 pm
If mario west can score the ball a bit, I believe he can be a real force off the bench for ANYBODY.
Hustle Plays and good D………….throw in the ability to knock down some mid ranged jumpers or so……and get to the hoop a little bit…and he’ll be a nice addition to anybody’s bench
I believe he can become that type of player…
niremetal
April 10th, 2009
10:33 pm
Marvin was back tonight. He was great. His is our only sure first ballot hall of famer.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:33 pm
BigDave,
Not seeing it unless the Bulls win all of their remaining games, while the teams above them lose nearly all of theirs. Then again, stranger things have happened. And while I haven’t done the math on it, I’m not sure it CAN happen…
MAC-TOWN
April 10th, 2009
10:34 pm
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/standings
Sam I mean Rod From College Park
April 10th, 2009
10:35 pm
I am now posting as sautee and doc and niremetal but nobody is fooled by my usual ignorant style.
Macaroni Tony
April 10th, 2009
10:36 pm
I apologize for getting into your conversation(was not caught), but as a Hawk fan we’re not loyal at all. Even when we win the fans (some) that it was a bad game and fire the coach, I guest I’m tired of reading it.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:36 pm
Well we know that last post by Niremetal wasn’t the real Niremetal…
I guess it’s true what they say about imitation being the greatest form of flattery…
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
10:37 pm
Flip, JJ, Evans and Bibby may be matured but the rest of the kids have big upside left. Don’t count them short. Lets gamble and resign them. We got Chills , Speedy and draqft picks to get a big.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:41 pm
Macaroni Tony,
Understandable. It is annoying, and many of us (myself indicted along with others) do find enough flaws. I’m thrilled we got the 4th seed. In fact, that’s about what I made my Hawks Hacks blog topic about.
Now I’m just caught up in thinking about who we will face in the playoffs. Can’t wait to analyze that to death, but first we get to watch the rest of the Eastern Conference duke it out. Should be fun!
Najeh Davenpoop
April 10th, 2009
10:42 pm
I only saw the 2nd half, but that was probably the best half of basketball I’ve seen Josh Smith play all year. I would have liked to see some better defensive rotation — the Hawks did a great job forcing turnovers and mistakes but the Pacers did get a few too many easy looks in the 2nd half.
Great win though. Nice to have that 4 seed locked up.
Ignition
April 10th, 2009
10:43 pm
Let see Josh Smith 30pts 10rb 4asst 2blks …
Man that dudes a cancer.. Matter fact he been a cancer for the last month..
I wish that cat wasn’t here to damage the team through these victories.
kirkinga
April 10th, 2009
10:44 pm
Congrats to the Hawks for securing the 4th position.
Impressive game tonight from Josh, though it was a good effort by all. I hope we see everyone kick their play up a notch now that playoff season is at hand.
Congrats also to Coach Woodson and staff for yet another noteworthy increase in wins as well as the team’s first winning season in a decade.I’m sure all of us are looking forward to having him back next season.
Go Hawks!!
Najeh Davenpoop
April 10th, 2009
10:44 pm
I have a question… does anyone know when the playoff schedule comes out?
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
10:46 pm
Macaroni Tony, I don’t diss players, just style of play and coaching. When we play like we did the last two games. I have no gripes. When we substitute players like tonight I get the Criss Mathewes thing, a thrill up the leg. lol We simply look our best when we share the ball and make sure we include the front court during the entire game.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:49 pm
Is it just me, or is Josh getting to the line more than anybody else these days? Still, I’ll be glad to see that free throw percentage go up. If he hits a few more, then Granger shares the game-high with him.
Look at those combined lines by Al and Josh: 18-31 FGs, 16-23 FTs, 52 points, 25 rebounds, 9 assists, 5 steals, 3 blocks.
You’re looking at the future…
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
10:51 pm
LOL @ Kirk…
There was a time when I didn’t think you had a sense of humor, but I know better these days. Give ‘em hell over there on DOB.
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
11:01 pm
Big Ray, you have been blogging about the front court needing more touches all season. Sometimes we win without it sometimes we don’t. Our best ball is when we get them off early and often. JJ and Bibby still got theirs. I wish JJ would redifine his role. Take the shot at the end of the shot clock and work to get the ball to the young fellers. The last couple of games this is happening. I’m not sure why, but I love the ell outa it.
doc
April 10th, 2009
11:03 pm
yeah kirk, folks better get used to woody being back. i guess you beter get ready to having to deal with all the negativism.
) you forget this is atlanta where folks still dont give cox any slack and still claim him to be incompetent.
solo really impressed me tonight, the kid works hard on the court and is given no calls fro the refs. he has great touch around the basket and from the line and showed it tonight.
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
11:05 pm
JJ may be the best player in the league with 6 seconds left. Above average, early in the shot clock. I think next year we can get to 55 wins with this style of play.
KevinA
April 10th, 2009
11:09 pm
The Hawks could do a rare thing and resign everybody with no changes. In the age of instant gratification we should reward our players and see what we can do next year. Starting to hail. OOOhhhMY.
beau gust
April 10th, 2009
11:12 pm
Najeh, I think they have to wait to find out all eight spots before they set up the schedule. The networks will want to make sure that they have a chance to show all their favorite stars in prime time.
kirkinga
April 10th, 2009
11:14 pm
Well guys I wouldn’t say it’s 100% guaranteed that he’ll be back.
If the Hawks get swept by the Heat then I could see him being fired because of the team “needing to get out of the 1st round”.
So there’s still hope for some out there!
Go Hawks!!
Big Ump
April 10th, 2009
11:28 pm
Ken Strickland
I see you at it again. Always about the HC. Can you post just once without bringing the HC name up.
shocked
April 10th, 2009
11:33 pm
Mac-Town
Who takes more bad shots Bibby, JJ or JS? Please don’t let your hatred of JS affect your answer.
Snowman
April 10th, 2009
11:33 pm
Great win Hawks!!!…Great win!!…Congrats to coach and all of the Hawk players. By Joe, I thing Josh is finally starting to get it…what a difference 4-6 weeks makes huh?…when Woody had to sit Josh down.
Go Hawks…4th spot…I bet there is a party or two going on in the ATL tonight? (smile)…I have nothing negative to say and I just want to give a “Shout out” to Kirkinga…good job!!!…Hawks win, Hawks win, Hawks win!!!…by the way, has anyone seen that hater Jeff Schultz???…Maybe we should put his face on a side of a milk carton…He’s been hating on Woody for a year or two!!!…Maybe he’ll write a postive article now unless he does not work for the AJC any longer? (smile)..owe one final thing can Tiger come back from 7 down?…I hope so…
Big Ray
April 10th, 2009
11:35 pm
LOL@ Kirk again….
KevinA,
I agree. JJ can still get his with the frontcourt getting involved early and often. Fact is, we need JJ for those “take over the game” moments. It can’t be easy to find just the right mix for when to have the ball in JJ’s hands for a score, and when to let him be a threat while letting the frontcourt do the heavy lifting.
It’s really a trust issue, and while you might think I’m wantint to point at Woody for this….I’m not. That trust has to start with the players. JJ still only trusts Bibby or Flip to take the shot, or take the rock to the hole. He needs to trust his younger running mates more, but this doesn’t happen overnight. It happens over time.
Al and Josh are coming into their own, showing their ability to dominate opponents in games, especially when playing in a good flow together (like tonight). JJ and the other veterans have to find ways to integrate themselves into this flow, by injecting their own groove without disturbing the flow.
The team has struggled when our veteran backcourt has tried to take the yoke on it’s own and shoot a bunch of shots. The result has been numerous individual 6-17, 2-9, and 8-22 type of efforts. This only alienates the younger, but equally talented frontcourt players who are able to do what the backcourt players often cannot do inside. And so, they went off on their own, trying to get it done on their own.
JJ made mention of that very same thing earlier in the season (guys trying to get it all done on their own). What he didn’t realize is that though he’s the number 1 option on offense, he was arguably the most guilty person of doing that which he was complaining about. The shot attempts and resulting percentages will prove my point rather handily, I assure you.
But they seem to have relaxed a bit now. While defining the roles is a job for Woodson and his coaching staff, the players must also recognize, accept, and play these roles. If not, then it all comes tumbling down. And even in a 46-win season, we’ve seen plenty of that in our 34 losses.
That’s why I sometimes feel that the team is better than their record, just as I did last season.
But hey, 46+ wins is closer than ever.
Ariose
April 10th, 2009
11:37 pm
“I agree Sautee. I think he is better than Granger right now.”
I did not write this. Someone is trying to be me…….i’m flatterd.
In other news, Mac-Town is obviously high……
Ariose
April 10th, 2009
11:56 pm
The thing that I love about this game is that the first couple of plays at the start of this game went through the frontcourt. Josh and Al rewarded us by getting hot early. This took a HUGE bullseye off of Joe and Mike. By the time Joe started going to work it was to late for the Pacers to double because Josh and AL were already hot. They had to play everyone straight up, and the result is we score 120+ points.
Why woodson does not implement that philosophy at the start of every game is beyond my comprehenshion.
Shaunty
April 11th, 2009
12:09 am
This team has no backup point guard, and this will prove costly in the playoffs. Everyone (including Sekou) can ignore this, but I know I’m right, and unless Speedy plays or we sign someone, this will doom the Hawks.
cp
April 11th, 2009
12:31 am
Great win. Nice to have the 4th spot locked up. I hope Woodson rest some guys the last few games and let the youngsters get some burn.
If Nique is brought back next year, I truly hope he works on his craft this off-season. In the beginning of the season I figured it was something new to him and he was nervous and would improve as the season went on but boy was I wrong. Tonight he was talking about Granger was having a sub par game but Granger had like 23 points and it was only the 3rd quarter. If Nique is serious about broadcasting he really needs to work on it because its difficult to sit through a game listening to him. I love Nique the player but the broadcaster no.
Clyde
April 11th, 2009
12:45 am
The Hawks win home court. What in the world will happen next.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 11th, 2009
1:31 am
“This team has no backup point guard”
Yes it does. His name is Acie Law IV and he wears #4. Given real minutes he has contributed this season. Activating Speedy will only result in one more backcourt player getting sporadic minutes and being unable to find a rhythm. Speedy is useless to this team at this point, especially since he hasn’t played in what, two years? Do you really expect him to come in and immediately provide more quality minutes than Acie has? Come on now.
Tree Rollins
April 11th, 2009
1:38 am
MAC-Town,
I dont think you will find many that will disagree that Josh is not one of our top outside shooters…its your unwillingness to recognize all the positives he brings to the team thats annoying. He is a great game changer and contributes loads on offense (especially lately) and defense…your constant knocks on his outside shooting is simply u focusing on his weakness which is really not even a large part of his game. No one knocks bibby for not being a good post up player. Its obvious you simply dont like josh…which is your right….but when your on a hawks blog filled with hawks fans dont be surprised to get called an idiot from time to time…I bet if josh smith swam into the ocean to save your drowning child you would complain he didnt swim fast enough….get over your hatin man and be excited bout this 4th spot and be a fan like the rest of us.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 11th, 2009
1:48 am
The funny thing is that most of Josh’s ugly outside shots for which his haters never stop criticizing him usually come as the clock is winding down and he really doesn’t have much of a choice but to hoist a prayer. The real question is, why is the Hawks’ offense so discombobulated to where he is put in that position so often? Why does the offensive scheme not ensure that he is near the paint area at all times? Why does the offensive scheme not ensure that Joe Johnson or Mike Bibby is able to get a better look at the basket earlier in the clock so that Josh or Mo Evans or whoever isn’t put in that situation? You don’t see Amare Stoudemire or Chris Bosh near the 3 point line with 2 seconds left in the clock, because they are consistently fed the ball in the post which ensures that they are near the paint area at all times. It all comes back to scheme. Josh’s wild 3’s are equally frustrating to all of us, but they can be very easily avoided with an intelligent offensive system, which is something the Hawks really don’t have yet.
All that said, he really needs to work on developing a reliable mid range jumper. He doesn’t really need a 3 point shot, but he has to be able to knock down that 18-footer when needed. Considering how suspect his handles are, he has to be able to keep defenders honest with that to make it easier on himself when he is going one-on-one.
Ariose
April 11th, 2009
2:30 am
Wow,if the Hawks went 37-45 this season we wouldn’t even get in the playoffs. The Eastern confrence has seriously improved this year. Cleveland wrapped up the 4th spot last season with a 45-37 record. We’re already at 46-34 this season. I hope we don’t tank these last two games so that my pre-season prediction of 48-34 will come true……besides it looks better to those biased ESPN LeBron/Kobe lovers. The less they have to complain about, the better lol.
BA
April 11th, 2009
4:00 am
I’m proud to be a Hawks fan this morning. They won’t make it to my predicted 50 win mark, but this has been a hell of a ride. Can’t say enough about the difference Flip Murray has made on this team, and this is the Josh Smith I remember. Like Barkley said, Philly can’t beat the Hawks.
I got a real problem with the song they played after the clinch announcement, though-
http://crashingtheglass.com
Big Ray
April 11th, 2009
4:58 am
From Clyde: The Hawks win home court. What in the world will happen next.
Clyde will realize that Horford is a stud, whether he’s playing out of preferred position or not….and that Sean Williams is still a turd….
Sekou Smith
April 11th, 2009
5:54 am
What I’m really curious about is what some of you cats are doing up at this time of morning? Ha. I just woke up from a Zirtec nap (in need of a sinus transplant immediately (thanks to all that yellow stuff covering my deck). What’s your excuse?
I just read through the conversation from the game and I’m stunned anyone is complaining about anything right now. Did you forget where you’ve come from?
This blog started in the final stages of a 13-69 season, at a time when the most positive things discussed revolved around the players available in the draft lottery. Now you’ve got homecourt advantage for the playoffs and a 46-win (and counting) season and you’re upset with Josh Smith’s shot selection … what is this the twilight zone?
Enjoy this moment folks, even if it’s just for a moment. But to come from 13-69 and all the bumps along that road to 46-34 and then complain about it seems a bit odd to me. And sure, all the warts are still there. They just don’t look quite as bad as they did when your team stunk!
Big Ray
April 11th, 2009
6:28 am
Right on about that, Sekou.
Some people are Josh haters for life. Or whatever.
My excuse? Well, I work the night shift right now…
Patrick
April 11th, 2009
6:39 am
I think Atlanta matches up extremely well with Miami. Defensively, they can hide Bibby on Chalmers, and they can switch every screen-roll involving Wade because JJ, Marvin, Josh, and Al are long, quality defenders. And once you get past Wade, I’m not sure that team would win the D-League title.
Philly, I’m not so sure about. I was at the recent Philly game, and Atlanta looked out of sorts. Igoudala is a tremendous defender (limiting JJ) and the 76ers front court is very tough and physical. Even with Smith playing out of his mind (13-15 from the floor, 3-3 on 3s or something like that), the Hawks were struggling to get good looks and score.
Fortunately, it looks likely that Miami is the likely opponent. Not only is that series very winnable, but a couple of games against Dwayne Wade will brace the Hawks for the one-sided officiating waiting for them against LeBron.
Coach D
April 11th, 2009
7:10 am
Has anybody heard why ZaZa didn’t play Friday night?
J.J.M.
April 11th, 2009
9:10 am
MAC-TOWN is a josh smith hater..good season hawks. ill be at the playoff games AGAIN suporting the Atlanta hawks.
doc
April 11th, 2009
9:29 am
coach d, not sure but i think it was more about what the match ups were last night. i havent kept up with the pacers this year but they are not a bad team. they have some severe length and quickness themselves and when you have murphy essentially planting himself out side but still avg 12 rebounds a game it suggests that zaza might not be able to keep up with what was needed.
instead of forcing it with zaza, i’ll give woody credit for getting solo into the game. it looked more strategic rather than wanting to give solo some time on the court before the playoffs. whatever, solo delivered. i think if he had had more time on court in games he would be less foul prone and add another dimension as the guy is long, doesnt look uncomfortable guarding someone outside the box and has a a better touch than ether, josh, al or zaza. the kid can play and should be given more time to show it. too late for this season though.
did anyone notice what happened on the bench last night when rio picked up his 5th foul. marvin jumped up and was taking his warm up off and ready to go in a relieve rio. woody quickly pushed him back tot he bench. the guy is a player and wants to contribute. just want to see a little more of the killa attitude in him.
al was huge last night and had some “easy” (nothing is easy when you are timing a jump running full speed to meet the ball hanging about 12 ft off the ground) baskets because of the way he ran the floor.
jj had some crucial shots and didnt hog the ball while getting his points. not sure but i think granger had his way with him and it seemed like josh had the quickness and athleticism to keep up with him and slowed him down. it was amazing to watch josh chase him through screens. he also looked to have more of the j smash in him instead of the j smoove crap.
bibby was close to a double double and didnt see if he ever got it but was at 9 assists the last time i checked. it was one of his better games of late, as well.
overall nice win with everyone involved. even thought flip was playing within the confines of what was dictated in the game.
guess woody finally coached them up. good job woody! 46 and counting. now to get 6 wins in the post season. i’ll be there for some of it for sure, good stuff.
doc
April 11th, 2009
9:33 am
btw, murphy is going to find a team that is perfect for him and make a splash. the guy avg 45% from the three point line and avg close to 12 rebounds a game. who else in the league can do that? the guy can ball and cause problems. cleveland would be a huge spot for him as a complimentary final piece for a team the way gasol was for kobe and the lakers.
Shaunty
April 11th, 2009
9:48 am
Najeh, are you serious?
ACIE LAW ISN’T HEALTHY. HE IS CONSISTENTLY INJURED. HE WILL NOT BE FULLY HEALTHY THE REST OF THE YEAR.
Your post was absolutely thoughtless and horrible
Sautee
April 11th, 2009
10:47 am
From MAC TOWN: “Well Big Ray, I dont like the way Josh Smith plays on the Hawks, I think he would be great on a team that runs and guns all the time, not one that forces him to play into his weaknesses (jump shooting and taking people off the dribble ..trying to do crossovers and such).”
So MAC, how great was Josh last night if he scored 30 points while playing to his weaknesses?
And if the offensive system that WOODY DESIGNS doesn’t fit Josh’s talents, then who is to blame? One would THINK that an organization that signs a player to a 6 year $58M contract would want to USE that player in the most efficient way possible.
You act as if Josh goes outside and hangs at the 3 point line totally on his own.
Get a freakin’ clue. He’s playing the way Woody designed the offense.
On another tack, those who know me KNOW that I would never compare Marvin to MJ.
Nice try by SOMEBODY who obviously doesn’t remember me trashing Marvin last year for lack of a 3 point shot by a 6′ 9″ SF. Or else had their OWN agenda.
Yeah, I got it. heh heh.
Shaunty, a little harsh on Poop aren’t you? I saw nothing in his post that was “absolutely thoughtless and horrible” EXCEPT for the fact that he disagreed (and did so politely) with you. Other than that his post was sane, sensible and logical. If you disagreed with him (obviously you did) why be accusatory?
And are you a doctor? Have you examined Acie and KNOW that he won’t be healthy the rest of the year? Making some specious claims there, bro.
The back of Elijah's Mind
April 11th, 2009
10:57 am
ummm, Speedy, Speedy, Speedy, Speedy, Speedy, ummm.
Well nobody’s listening to me…..I know, I’ll post as Shaunty and no one will know it’s me.
Shaunty says: ummm, Speedy, Speedy, Speedy, Speedy, Speedy, ummm.
Speedy! Why am I the only one who sees this? We could win the Conference if not the Finals with Speedy.
Nate ArchiBALL
April 11th, 2009
10:59 am
ZaZa injured his back according to the NBA channel.
I would like to see more of Solo, Josh and Al on the court at the same time…….
As I’ve said before, Josh and Al are at their best when the Hawks are pushing the ball. Very few frontline players in the NBA can keep up with them.
MAC-TOWN – What “Real Center” is available? In today’s NBA there are very few real centers. If you’re lucky you can get a two serviceable Centers which translates into 12 fouls to use against the Dwight Howard’s of the league..
ILL-logical
April 11th, 2009
11:01 am
Good win-contributions from a variety of guys in a variety of ways.
The better news may be that with one or maybe two series,the economic impact will be a godsend for the local economy and the ownership group’s pockets as well.
If the ownership group can reduce their losses through playoff revenue then maybe ,just maybe they will make some better decisions regarding the payroll. But I am still not comforable with Sund’s ability to judge talent.
So I am going to enjoy this season for all of the good things it has provide to date. Congratulations all!
TheHawksFan
April 11th, 2009
11:10 am
Mannnnn Im am STOKED!!!!! I know we played hard for this Home court vantage, BUT wth a format of 2-2-1-1-1, if we lose one of the 1st 2….hmmmmmm. Think good thoughts Think good thoughts. Think good thoughts. Leave Josh ALone . Just leave him alone will u. Leave him aloneeee. That WONT be on youtube. That shot is coming just hold on. Same for Mario, let these guys develope. Great to see Marv BACK with a good Back. My Thoughts and Prayers go out to Mo and his family. I’m still kinda slizzard from last nights Peachtree street bar hoping, BUT I cold have sworn the front page story was talking about how Blank couldnt sell his home for 9 mill that he paid 4 mil for that was just appraised for 5 mil. WTFE!!!! GOOOOO HAWKS!!!!!
Samuel
April 11th, 2009
11:51 am
How do you post a web link on this blog?
hawk's hawk
April 11th, 2009
12:22 pm
Yea Josh sucks so bad, that he have some great stat’s and he aint even first in turnovers! wonder who that is! Mr Dribblematic. Good Game Hawks, crazy how well we play when we run and the front court both get at least 15pts and 10rebounds. hope Woody does it from time to time, cant do it the whole game since we only have 8 players.
The Truth
April 11th, 2009
12:53 pm
Boy, that was a nice spring-break vacation but I’m glad to be back in Hawksville
I see a lot has changed since I left. The Hawks has clinched the 4th seed playoff spot. WAY TO GO HAWKS!!! So, I’ll also echo a congratulatory shout-out to all the players and coaching staff for a job well done. The way Sekou related the Hawks 13-69 seasons to the origin of this blog really put the Hawks accomplishment in to prospective. So, to say that the Hawks is making progress is definitely an understatement. Since there is a time and a place for everything; now is not the time to criticize and is indeed a time to bask in the glory of a successfully season; so I’ll give out some title awards to deserving selected players:
Joe Johnson – Sill the Man and Face of the Franchise (2nd year)
Josh Smith – The Heart and Soul of the Team
Al Horford – Mr. Yeomen
Marvin Williams – The X Factor
Mike Bibby – The Cardiac Kid
Flip Murray – The Punisher
Mario West – The Energizer
Congratulation; these title awards are reflective of the player’s role and contribution.
This Hawks team has grown from being a one-man show with just JJ jump shooting talent to a multifaceted of talents that is very difficult to defend against when they are operating at perk performance. The usual strategy to double JJ may not be a viable option anymore. The theory of picking your poison with this team is now a reality. Looking ahead at the playoff, it will be interesting to see how the opponents plan their attack against these Hawks.
However, immediately after the celebration, the Hawks need to hit the reset button and put the accomplishment behind them and get ready for the playoff. As much as we dish-out praises around here, unfortunately we still live in a “what have you done for me lately world”.
Big Ump
April 11th, 2009
1:00 pm
Truth
Nice post. Glad you enjoyed your vacation.
MAC-TOWN
April 11th, 2009
1:39 pm
ay yall can attack me all yall want but Josh Smith screws up more than he comes up big….to me.
he messes up 4 games in a row then has 1 nice game and someone pops up like
“where the josh smith haters at now”…lol yea ok
I’d rather see him goin to the hoop strong, gettin put backs, point blank shots, being active on D,
thriving whenever we do run and gun….
all I’m saying is it baffles me how he can take the amount of jumpers and “let me cross u over and beat u off the dribble” on so many possessions when he can just pass the ball to someone who’s actually good at shooting and dribbling…thats not his game
yall boys kno that
i think yall just like that cat so much because he an ATL hometown product.
MAC-TOWN
April 11th, 2009
1:40 pm
Thomas Gardner>Josh Smith
MAC-TOWN
April 11th, 2009
1:41 pm
lol
Ariose
April 11th, 2009
1:53 pm
Tuth,
Flip Murray= GOON-Squad
Mo= Mr.Steady
Ariose
April 11th, 2009
1:59 pm
MAC, So because Josh is faster than all of the other Power-forwards in the leauge he shouldn’t use that to his advantage and take them off the dribble?
You’re a genious!!!
The Truth
April 11th, 2009
2:11 pm
Ariose
I’m buy Mo= Mr.Steady or better Mr. Reliable
Sautee
April 11th, 2009
2:28 pm
MAC-TOWN said this:
“ay yall can attack me all yall want but Josh Smith screws up more than he comes up big….to me.
he messes up 4 games in a row then has 1 nice game and someone pops up like
“where the josh smith haters at now”…lol yea ok”
I’d rather see him goin to the hoop strong, gettin put backs, point blank shots, being active on D,
thriving whenever we do run and gun….”
Which, MAC TOWN, is EXACTLY what he did last night, but instead of acknowledging THAT, you’d rather b*tch about whatever you think he FAILED to do.
About that “messes up up 4 games in a row then has 1 nice game”, that’s BS.
Let’s look at Josh’s last 5 games: 21.6 pts. 9.0 reb. 2.8 ast. 2.0 blk. 1.2 stl. 2.2 TO.
I’d say his 2 blocks, 1.2 steals and 2.8 assists more than cancel out his 2.2 to’s.
Keep in mind that these are the AVERAGES for the last 5 games. So how about that “messes up 4 games in a row then has 1 nice game?” Total BS.
I think you’re confusing his game with Bibby’s.
Sautee
April 11th, 2009
2:35 pm
Actually, that’s unfair to Bibby. Lately he HAS been more consistent, even though earlier in the year, he DID fit that mold.
Sautee
April 11th, 2009
3:04 pm
By the way MAC TOWN, while I vehemently disagree with your post about Josh, I TOTALLY agree with your post about Mario. Good stuff.
Ken Strickland
April 11th, 2009
3:41 pm
I certainly hope Zaza’s injured back isn’t serious enough to cause him to miss any gms. On the other hand, it might give Solo a chance, a chance he wouldn’t otherwise have, to show he’s talented enough for us to consider resigning. However, it could backfire by showing the league his potential and drive up his price. It could also increase his desire to leave the Hawks and go where he knows he’ll get a better opportunity than he’s gotten so far with the Hawks.
For a team that’s already considered undersized, it would almost be a disaster to lose both Zaza and Solo, 2 of your tallest and most talented BIG’s, to FA. It would also be disasterous to possibly lose our only 2 PG’s, MBibby and ALaw, to FA as well. On 2nd thought, I guess those losses, especially off the bench, can’t be that much of an issue since our bench has been neglected and seldom used anyway.
Dante Fitzgerald
April 11th, 2009
4:36 pm
GEt It, gEt It!!!!! Hawks, wezzz n da playoffs!!! 4th seed!!!
RA
April 11th, 2009
5:19 pm
I’m sorry, but for my money, and at 23, Josh Smith is one of the best prospects in the game. Given, he makes bad choices, but he’s not making nearly as many as he was before, he’s a quality defender and he’s shown EVERY indication that he CAN be that third scorer that the Hawks have desperately needed for a long time. So to all you folks that are bent on J-hating, stop and ask yourselves, how many other players, in the league, can do as many things as he can do as well as he can do them. Now, before you answer, take into consideration that there are four players that have had 85 steals and 85 blocks this season, one of them is named Josh Smith, two of the others are named James and Wade.
As for Woody, a lot of us have bashed the crap out of Woody, and the criticism has not been baseless, but he’s held this team together through all the adversities and all the injuries and by excruciatingly slow degrees, he’s won them over to the idea of playing the type of basketball that’s made them a winning team. Now, I realize that as people look back at this season they’re going to see a lot of mistakes, and then there’s all those games that the Hawks left on the free throw line. But here’s the thing, the coach can not go out there and make a team of grown men, who are getting paid very well I might add, go out and play hard for four quarters EVERY night. A coach can’t stand on the free throw line and make shots that keep you from losing those one or two point heartbreakers. All that a coach can do is prepare his team as best he can, and I’m secure that Mike Woodson’s done that to the best of his ability. Now, to those folks that have said that Woody could use his bench better. You’re absolutely right. There’s no reason in the world that Solo shouldn’t be a MAJOR contributor to this team at this point. If Claxton can play, he should be allowed to do so, but keep in mind that that call might not be altogether Woodson’s. His health history might bring other factors into the frey than simply whether he’s able to play or not. As for Acie Law, he was playing A LOT better than he had been at the time of his injury. (I’ve never seen the like of back injuries on one team in my life!)
As for the Hawks in general. The memory of that 13 win season is still fresh in my mind and they have come a long way. Now, granted, it was painful to watch and from time to time it was just plain ugly, but the bottom line is that they have become a good team, not a great one, but a good one, and they’ve done it the right way. They’ve drafted well (maybe not as well as they could have, but well), they’ve traded well, and they’ve brought in key free agents. It’s all come together to where if they can keep the pieces together, this team should be strong for a good long time.
Oh, and for those who thought that not having Josh Childress here would be the end of the world, I have one thing to say, Josh who?
Samuel
April 11th, 2009
5:41 pm
2009 NBA Eastern Conference Head-to-Head Match Ups
No. 1- Cleveland vs. No. 8- Detroit
This is not your usual 1-8 matchup, as the once mighty Pistons are on their last breath against a Cleveland team having their best season ever. The key to this series is whether or not Detroit’s proud veterans can muster enough energy and pride to compete and make this a series.
If so, this actually could be a very interesting series and closer than most people think. If not, it could get ugly.
Prediction: Rasheed Wallace will make his last hurrah in Motown memorable and Will Bynum will give the Pistons a surprising spark but ultimately LeBron and Company will win 4-2.
No. 2- Boston vs. No. 7- Chicago
The only thing interesting about this series is the PG match up between two of the quickest in the league.
Rookie Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo should give the fans a show but when it’s all said and done, the Bulls will be outclassed and more than likely swept. KG will use this series as a tune-up for the rest of the playoffs.
Prediction: Celtics win 4-0.
No. 3 Orlando vs. No. 6- Philadelphia
Orlando verses Philly would have been a lot more interesting had Thaddeus Young not gone down with an injury. As it is, this series will be closer than many people think.
Samuel Dalembert, Theo Ratliff, Marreese Speights and Reggie Evens will empty the foul account against Dwight Howard so Howard’s free throw shooting will be a major factor in this series.
Philly has played Orlando relatively close in all three losses this year and their athleticism will give Orlando some problems. Home court advantage will ultimately decide this series.
Prediction: Orlando wins 4-3.
No. 4- Atlanta vs. No. 5- Miami
Did I just say #4 Atlanta? This is easily the most intriguing series in the first round Eastern Conference pairings. Intriguing because people are still waiting for the Hawks to fold and fall back to their usual position among the doormats of the league.
However, this year’s Atlanta Hawks under coach Mike Woodson gained some much needed confidence from last year’s playoff series against the World Champion Celtics and used that confidence to grab and hold on to the all important fourth spot for practically the whole season.
The Miami Heat is about as predictable as they come. Give the ball to MVP candidate, Dwayne Wade and get out of his way. Jermain Oneal, Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers will not be enough to hold off the surging hawks.
Prediction: Hawks win 4-2.
Western Conference predictions coming soon.
The Truth
April 11th, 2009
6:19 pm
Samuel
Is this originated by you? If not, can you provide the link source?
Samuel
April 11th, 2009
6:23 pm
Yes. But I don’t know how to post the link. Here it is on the bleacher Report.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/154338-2009-nba-eastern-conference-playoff-matchups
Or search: Coach Samuel
Samuel
April 11th, 2009
6:23 pm
hey. it worked
Ken Strickland
April 11th, 2009
7:17 pm
RA-excellent post. However, you can’t tell me we wouldn’t be a much better team with JChildress coming off the bench along with Flip, Zaza and Evans. With Zaza and Solo almost certainly leaving, with Bibby taking a sizable pay cut, assuming he resigns, and with Speedy’s contract expiring, don’t be supprised to see us try to resign Chills.
I’d really love to see us resign both Chills and Solo. Solo hasn’t reached the level where he’s the rebounder Zaza is, but he does just about everything else better, especially on DEF and scoring around the basket. Chills’ scoring, consistency, ballhandling, passing, rebounding, DEF and versatility would help take us to the next level.
glw
April 11th, 2009
8:24 pm
I wouldnt mind seeing Chills back either, but with Evans and them wanting to resign Flip, not sure if it would warrant giving him the 5-7 million he would be seeking. I think the Hawks will take the JSmith approach with Marvin. Wait and see what he is offered and match any offers. But the market for small forwards isnt quite as demanding. One interesting guy who I saw whose contract is up, is Devin Harris in New Jersey, might he be worth taking a run at next year? I love Bibby at times, but lets face it, he is a defensive liablity.
Shaunty
April 11th, 2009
9:04 pm
http://twitter.com/speeddeamon
Speedy trashing our team, calling the owners cheap.
That said, we have no backup PG. Acie is hurt
Astro Joe
April 11th, 2009
10:01 pm
Quote from Al Horford. Off the court, I think Woody knows how to push the right buttons.
Horford pointed to some recent words of wisdom from Hawks coach Mike Woodson that stuck with him and his teammates over the last week as the Hawks rebounded from three consecutive losses to win three consecutive games and nail down that fourth spot.
“When we came in [last Monday] for practice, coach was just telling us to calm down and that everything was going to be fine,” Horford said. “He said win these three games and we’ll be good. He kind of laid it out for us, and everybody stepped up to the call.”
Big Ray
April 11th, 2009
10:08 pm
I am leaving. Bye AJC!
Astro Joe
April 11th, 2009
10:10 pm
Buzz!!
The Truth
April 11th, 2009
10:38 pm
Sometime its interesting to know the defeated team prospective of the game to give you some appreciation of our players. Apparently, Josh Smith made an impression on the Indiana Pacers. This is some excerpts from the Pacers insider e-news off their website:
“The big difference in the second half was the Pacers inability to handle the Hawks’ high pick n’ roll which continually ended up with a Hawk big finishing at the rim. Several times the Pacers were simply too late in rotating, especially when an extra pass would find a cutting Josh Smith on the baseline. It seemed like Smith had 40 dunks tonight, although it must’ve been a few less since he finished with 30 points.
Smith was like a next generation Stacey Augmon out there for the Hawks, looking like some Incredible Hulk/Plastic Man hybrid. Five of Smith’s ten rebounds were off Hawk misses, including two o-rebs he chased down in the last 1:20 of the game. Those were nothing short of dagger rebounds at a time when the Pacers were in desperate need of the ball.
In the end, this was another tough road loss for the Pacers against a better team priming themselves for the playoffs. The win clinched the fourth seed for the Hawks and with it home court advantage in the first round.”
It seems like Josh will be what keep the opponents up all night as they prepare to defend him.
RA
April 11th, 2009
11:00 pm
Ken Strickland, I will not presume to say that the Hawks wouldn’t have been a better team with Josh Childress. My problem with “Chills” isn’t professional, it’s personal. After all that he’d gone through with the Hawks, after all the struggles and all the wars, and that incredible series last year, he packed his bags and left, not because he wanted to win a championship, not because he wasn’t wanted by his teamates, not because he wasn’t loved by the fans in Atlanta. He left because he wanted money. He went to Greece because he didn’t have a strong enough bargaining posture to get the amount of money he wanted in the States. He turned his back not only his team, not only on the NBA, but also on the country. He also set a dangerous precedent for young players that can get paid more overseas than they can here. I’m sorry if I’m the only one that has a problem with that, but as far as I’m concerned “Chills” can stay in Greece, or he can play for another NBA team, or he can go straight to hell, but I NEVER want to see him in a Hawks uniform again. He burned that bridge as far as I’m concerned.
Ariose
April 12th, 2009
2:57 am
Ben Gordon is avreaging 20ppg and is a 90% FT shooter……just sayin’ The guy is an UNRESTRICTED free agent. Think about what would happen if he and JJ were hot at the same time like they were the last time Chicago came to the ATL. And it’s a distinct possibility considering the fact that Ben Gordon is ALWAYS hot(as evidenced by his 20+ ppg averages since entering the leauge)
He’s no more of a shoot-first guard than Bibby is and he is a better dribbler. Acie is our only Traditional PG on the roster. Also there is NO WAY you double JJ with Ben Gordon in the same backourt…..did I mention he has been putting up JJ numbers since hge entred the leauge and AND he shoouts ata 90% clip from the Ft. Line? Oh I did? How about the fact that h’s an UNRESTRICTED Free Agent?
I mean we can keep him and Bibby, we’ll just have to trade Acie, because there is no way that Flip is going anywhere…Gordon, Bibby, and Joe Johnson? even if we don’t get a big man we will be pretty much unstopable.
Look, if we can’t aquire someone like Kaman over the off-season, then Gordon, Joe and Bibby is the way to go. Besides, it will make Joe want to re-sign here in the ATL. I mean, that’s a backourt that will give the boston Celtics nightmare any day of the week. Throw Flip in there and it’s just a straight up horror film for the opposition.
My guess is that some team like Portland will snatch him up(Lord help us all) but I have hope. Defensively, with so many big guards/atletic wings how will you stop us. Then if you move JJ to SF, Gordon to SG and Plug Bibby or Flip at point…….we will massacre our opponets.
BUT if we just trade for Kaman or sign Resheed i’ll take that over Gordon easy. BUT IN CASE WE CAN’T GET OUR HANDS ON A LEGITAMTE STARTING CENTER I THINK THIS IS THE ROUTE WE SHOULD TAKE.
Of course the third options would be Lamar Odom, Shawn Maion, or Trevor Ariza…..Anthony Parker is O.K too. I wonder if we could swap unresticted FA contracts? I would gladly trade Childress’ restricted contract for Carlos Delfino’s restricted contract in Toronto.
…….just some random ideas from yours truly
~Sir Links A Lot~
Najeh Davenpoop
April 12th, 2009
6:16 am
“ACIE LAW ISN’T HEALTHY. HE IS CONSISTENTLY INJURED. HE WILL NOT BE FULLY HEALTHY THE REST OF THE YEAR.
Your post was absolutely thoughtless and horrible”
Hahaha… this post made me laugh out loud. Andrew Thomas Gallo is thoughtless and horrible. Don’t know if that quite applies to my post.
I seriously have to question any logic that says Acie Law is not healthy, so let’s activate Mr. Glass to replace him.
ZULU
April 12th, 2009
9:42 am
From NWA to the bank, whatever. The Hawks need to have that same attitude reflected in the qoute, “by any means necessary.” Everyone starts at zero in the playoffs, hope the players and coaches are rested and ready.
Ken Strickland
April 12th, 2009
12:15 pm
RA-None of us can know for certain all of the reasons Chills decided to bolt, but money was a factor. However, you can say some of the same things about the SAASG in regards to their attitude towards him. After all he went through for them, the losing, the uncerttainty, the turmoil, they made no effort to show their appreciation, or that they really wanted him back by offering to resign him early.
It’s obvious he wanted to be a starter, but Woodson used him as his do all 6th man and he became type cast as such. I think he felt he’d have to leave the Hawks to prove he could be an effective starter. Tearing up the Euro league, and pocketing a butt load of tax free money, plus living expenses and living in an exotic country, was an excellent and exciting way to accomplish his goals. I CAN’T BLAME HIM FOR THAT AT ALL. The fact his contract allows him to opt out each yr shows he wanted the option to return to the NBA if the right situation presented itself, suggests I’m correct.
Let’s face it RA, starters get the big money in this league, not career 6th men. SO CUT HIM A LITTLE SLACK.
terrell barron
April 12th, 2009
2:40 pm
Ken, who was he going to start ahead of? Marvin? JJ? I think not. If anything he should’ve been starting at pg over Tyronne dribble dribble Lue, or Anthony freakin Johnson. I’m serious guys, that’s who we had at pg last year, believe it or not. When I think about that, Bibby looks like an All-Star, even on his off nights.
terrell barron
April 12th, 2009
2:48 pm
Samuel, I can see the Bulls stealing one at home vs. Boston. And Lebron and company will run right past detroit in a clean sweep. Bank on it. As far as the Hawks-Heat series goes, it all depends on which Hawks team and which Coach Woodson show up. Will it be the team that plays inside out basketball with Horford and Smoove or will it be the team that runs Iso JJ’s into the ground? Will it be the Coach that runs his starters in the ground or will it be the Coach that as of late, has been giving his role players some significant min.? Albeit, it’s because of Marvin’s injury, but still.
MAC-TOWN
April 12th, 2009
3:26 pm
Yea I dont think Boston will sweep CHI.
I think there will be alot of deep series in each conference….from the first round on….with a good bit of upsets too.
Ariose
April 12th, 2009
3:46 pm
I hope we sweep Miami. I KNOW a lot of people are going to bet on them upsetting the Hawks.
doc
April 12th, 2009
3:53 pm
ken thanks, very reasonable response that i too made that somehow got eaten up in cyber land. not sure if ra can be reasonable or even for a second place himself in chills’ shoes from his harsh assessment of the situation. ultimately the basg used him the way they wanted too to include holding onto his rights since they werent smart enough to package him for something usable this year for real dollars spent instead of the imaginary ones for cap purposes.
Ignition
April 12th, 2009
4:00 pm
I think Jarrett Jack is an affordable option for the Hawks in the off season. He can penetrate (something that we severly lack) he can shoot and is getting better at shooting, he makes good decisions and is a good distributor..
He is also durable (something that we have lacked at the point) ..
He Would be a Great pickup..
Ariose
April 12th, 2009
6:03 pm
If we can beat Miami on tuesday, and the drop two of their next three, and Chicago wins it’s last game of the season, we might be able to get thin in the first round. They make sooo many mistakes, that would be great.
ant banks
April 12th, 2009
6:28 pm
GO HAWKS!!
RA
April 12th, 2009
6:28 pm
I don’t have to cut chills any slack, neither do I need to walk a mile in his shoes. I’ll leave those options to those forgiving enough to do so. Let’s be clear, I did not say that Childress didn’t have compelling reasons to do what he did, or rather reasons that he considered compelling. I contend rather, that he was selfish. Had he been personally committed to this team, he could have taken a one or two year deal (worth more than any of us will see in a lifetime) and then after that he could have been a true free agent and gone wherever he liked, but NO, he took the money and ran. As far as I’m concerned, he can keep the money and stay gone. No, he wasn’t a starter and yes he probably wanted to be, but he filled the role that his team needed him to fill and he wasn’t hurting for minutes. He had every opportunity to prove himself, and he did, and then he chose to leave. Whatever his reasons were, he walked out on his team and he walked out on his fans, and the course that he choose could truly damage the game in the years to come. I said it before and I stand by it, I don’t want Josh Childress back. That’s my opinion, no one else need adhere.
What I would do is invest in the players that we already have. Invest in Flip Murray who has averaged more points than Childress did his last year with the team. Invest in Maurice Evans, a free agent that didn’t have to come to Atlanta but did, who for my money gives you just as much hussle as Chills did (and is a better shooter from the perimeter). Invest in Mike Bibby, who did as much toward taking this team from pretender to contender as any other player on the team. It makes more sense to me to keep these guys than someone who chose not to be there for us. Again, just one man’s opinion.
ant banks
April 12th, 2009
6:41 pm
Miami is winning after 1st quarter against NY
ant banks
April 12th, 2009
8:07 pm
Enter your comments here
Ariose
April 12th, 2009
8:27 pm
Dang! Miami pulverized the knicks tonight! Guess were just gonna have to take care of business on Tuesday.
doc
April 12th, 2009
8:38 pm
ra ROFL!
man, you take it personally?
RA
April 12th, 2009
8:40 pm
My friends, there is no easy road to through the playoffs. At face value, Miami may seem a tougher take than the sixers, or the Bulls, but the truth is that you just never know. Last year this time the Celts were thinking their lucky stars that Atlanta beat out Indiana for the eight spot. We know how that went for them. The truth is that you just never know.
Ariose
April 12th, 2009
8:43 pm
MVM……Miami clenched that 5th spot with that victory I beleive. They REALLY wanted to face us in the first round huh? We’ll defenetly make sure they regret it.
Astro Joe
April 12th, 2009
8:46 pm
I think I just heard Steve Smith say on NBATV that the Sixers lost tonight (against Toronto) along with Miami’s win means that Miami has secured the 5th seed. So the next game is technically meaningless in terms of playoff slotting but it is definitely a preview of the coming series. So does the Heat coach rest D-Wade? I’m sure that he can use the rest. But it appears therein no more suspense for us… we get the Heat and Mr. Wade!
Astro Joe
April 12th, 2009
8:49 pm
Sorry, Ariose… didn’t mean to repeat your post.
Ariose
April 12th, 2009
9:05 pm
D-Wade 55 pts…..he’s such an annoying little nat. I really wanted
Chicago in the first round…….hmmm Chamers or Rose/Gordon……well on second thought lol.
Ariose
April 12th, 2009
9:07 pm
AJ, it’s all good lol…….I want 48 wins!!!!!! Crush Miami!!!!!!
Big Ray
April 12th, 2009
9:32 pm
Wow. I see somebody out there wants to be me really bad, lol. Careful, Mr. whoever you are. You might start getting my bills. And no, you can’t drive my corvette….
RA,
Nice posting, especially the one you wrote back on the 11th.
Samuel,
Very nice article about the playoffs. I was going to say if you hadn’t posted that on Bleacher Report, you should…but I saw that you did. Very nice analysis. Haven’t seen a better one yet…
Sekou K. Smith
April 12th, 2009
9:34 pm
Hawks and Heat in the first round. It’s confirmed with the Heat’s win over New York and Philly’s loss to Toronto. New blog coming within the hour.
Sekou K. Smith
April 12th, 2009
9:36 pm
Well, in about an hour.
Big Ray
April 12th, 2009
9:37 pm
Ariose,
I don’t know. I wouldn’t want Chicago in the first round. They’re not great, but they can both shoot and hustle. Vinny Del Negro and his two stellar assistants have done a good job with that group. Of course, not having the disruptive Ben “I’m not on steroids anymore and stole $60 million, so now I suddenly suck” Wallace around helps, too.
We’re better than them, but that’s a team that can sneak up on you and cause problems if you’re not careful.
You know, I was just thinking: if Philadelphia is smart, they’d sign soon-to-be UFA Ben Gordon this offseason. He’s a shooter, and that’s what they need. He could come off the bench with Louis Williams to form a small, but lightning quick/high scoring backcourt duo. Yikes…
Chicago better make the right move where he’s concerned (although he’s not getting $50 million from anybody…he should NOT have turned that down when he did).
Najeh Davenpoop
April 12th, 2009
10:26 pm
Chicago and Philly are very similar teams in that they are both very athletic, get up and down the floor with anyone, have excellent shot blockers, don’t always play well as a team, and have serious holes offensively (Chicago has no low post scorer and the Sixers have no perimeter shooting). In fact I would say both teams are pretty similar to where the Hawks were a year ago. I don’t think either team would beat Cleveland, Boston, or Orlando in a 7 game series, but I could very easily see them sneaking up on an opponent the way the Hawks did last year.
This is why I’d rather play Miami — you know what you are going to get when you play them. Sure, the possibility of D-Wade taking over the game exists (with or without the help from the refs), but they are nowhere near as deep, as athletic, or as unpredictable as Chicago or Philly.
Then again, I don’t think the Hawks are losing a series to any of those three with home court advantage, so I guess it doesn’t really matter…
Ariose
April 12th, 2009
10:26 pm
Ray, no doubt. If that happend Philly would probably sweep us from now until the next century heh. I agree that in this economy Ben probably won’t get 50 mill again, but when you think about the fact that Bibby makes 15mill this season, and Andre Miller is making 9 mill, and then you’ve got guys like Tinsley making 8 mill(and he’s not even playing right now). I would gladly give him that money over those guys right now…..although Miller is certainly earning his keep.
Ariose
April 12th, 2009
10:42 pm
Brad Miller and Salmons Have both been playing really well for Chicago also. So the sort-of have an inside presence now lol. With Miller scoring down low, it frees up Noah to be the high energy defensive presence that he loves to be.
DeadManWalking
April 12th, 2009
10:50 pm
Ariose,
I hear what you’re saying. But all of those guys, Bibby included, are playing off of contracts that were based on what they USED to be able to do, or what the teams that signed them to those contracts THOUGHT they could do. Although like you said, of the three, Miller is still worth the dough.
Hey, re-signing Flip would be the smart thing for Sund to do. Not as young or quite as explosive as Gordon, but a LOT cheaper….
Sekou Smith
April 12th, 2009
11:50 pm
New blog is up!