No Marvin, no cry!

Sekou,
a little off topic, but…

What is that pin that the coaches and TV analysts are wearing during the playoffs?

• Link
• Report this comment

Defense starting to pick up…

• Link
• Report this comment

SWAT Native, a tribute to former Pistons coach, Chuck Daly, who is very, very ill with cancer.

• Link
• Report this comment

We need to get out and run the break!! That is the only way that we can win!

• Link
• Report this comment

lets go Joe.. get ya swag… lets go…

• Link
• Report this comment

keep him in the game coach damn…

• Link
• Report this comment

Pathetic half.

We are an athletic team. So why are we playing half-court Spurs shyt on offense?

Can we please bench Smoove for the rest of the game and play ZaZa? Amazing that ZaZa played very well then was taken out for that immature punk who thinks every foul call on him is wrong.

I FORGOT: SMOOVE IS A GREAT PLAYER. I’M JUST A HATER

• Link
• Report this comment

We suck on the road…..period!!!!!!!!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Pachulia has to be the worst F in player in the league.

• Link
• Report this comment

Where is Mario. WE could use his effort and fouls on Wade. Joe should not be on him.

• Link
• Report this comment

EPIC PHAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Man, we really suck!!!.

• Link
• Report this comment

Pachulia is the only one in the NBA that has never made a 3 point play when fowled. Has anyone ever seen him make a bucket when fowled going to the hoop?

• Link
• Report this comment

we need a coach that doesnt get scared when his players get in foul trouble…

• Link
• Report this comment

Let’s hope Woody gives them a good half time speech to get the Hawks ready for the second half. Even if we dont come back and win, we need to at least make the score more respectable.

• Link
• Report this comment

I am not blaming Josh or Horford, but I would see if I could trade one of them along with Marvin for Chris Bosh. We need a low post threat, not for the regular season but for big games like this.

• Link
• Report this comment

HAWKS ARE GARBAGE

• Link
• Report this comment

Barkley now bashing the Hawks and deservedly so.

• Link
• Report this comment

ITS NOT COACH FAULT, HE NOT SHOOTING OR TURNING BALL OVER

• Link
• Report this comment

The Heat played a little rope-a-dope with the Hawks in the first game. This is beyond any description…how in the heck can the Hawks look so horrible. I do believe coaching is a big part of it…but this team lacks heart as well. What an insult this is to the fans. At least the Braves won today.

• Link
• Report this comment

Coaches make adjustments….We have a spectator

• Link
• Report this comment

Did you hear what Kenny and Charles just said. When asked what is wrong with Josh Smith, Charles said “They won’t let him dunk” Kenny said that all we do in half court is “dribble,dribble, dribble dribble, shoot.”

Woody should take the fall for all this, but honestly HORFORD and JOSH have not LOW POST SKILLS.

Boston won last year because of a true low post presence . KG

Lakers got to the finals because the added a true low post presence. PAUL GASOL

When the Pistons won it all a few years ago, it was because they added a true low post presence. RASHEED WALLACE.

You got to have a low post scorer to be successful.

• Link
• Report this comment

any hawks fan in here who is worried is truly delusional. We all know a coach like mike woodson has what it takes to light a fire under his players and get them to make an amazing comeback.
I mean were talkin about a coach who was like 100 games under .500

Just the kind of guy I want coaching my team.

….sike

14-17 year old team rec league coaches have better offensive schemes than woodson potatoe head.

• Link
• Report this comment

……………Blow it up…..

• Link
• Report this comment

ZAZA PACHULIA. Our prayers have been answered!!

• Link
• Report this comment

I don’t think getting hyped is the problem for the Hawks because I do believe they were up for this game. The problem for this team is that they don’t know how to play with any composure when they’re hyped. Just look at the first few minutes of the game – Horford shoots an air ball, Mo blows two layup opportunities or easy conversions by being in a big rush, and then JJ is all over the place. The only consistent guys have been Bibby, Flip, and Zaza. I’m curious to see if the Hawks will go ahead and roller and spread their legs here in this second half or do they come out with some heart.

• Link
• Report this comment

This team has no heart and it’s not the coach fault!!!!!!! It’s time to get a real Superstar not a heartless over paid soft SG name JOE JOHNSON!!! You are too soft and not a team leader!! We need a leader that will motivate his players not ball hog!!!! For real, we need a real superstar; thus, I believe that when the summer of 2010 comes around we need to go after D-WADE, LBJ or Chris Bosh and not re-up Joe Johnson because he does not set the tone and he is not a true leader!!!!! He does have big time skills but his intangibles are not there!!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

If this were football. Joe Johnsonwould be the equivalant of a number 3 receiver on a good team. He is our number one. What else can you say?

• Link
• Report this comment

Xavier, you missed my sarcasm. We all know about the motivation Woody gave them in Boston last year. If I’m not mistaken, the Hawks lost in Boston by an average of 20 something points.

I’m not blaming Woody for everything, but if the players are not/cannot respond to the coach, then something has to give.

However, let’s keep in mind that the Hawks dominated the Heat in game 1, and the Heat came back in game 2, so we can do it.

Big Ray, what’s wrong with our boy, Josh Smith? 0 points, 0 rebounds.

• Link
• Report this comment

This should answer all those questions about whether or not JJ is an all star or superstar.. And for us to come back in this game it would require adjustments. The problem with that is we have a coach who fails at making adjustments. If plan A does not work he does not have a plan b or c or d.

• Link
• Report this comment

((BASKET HERE)) ……BALL=check the next page

• Link
• Report this comment

Woody can be blamed, but I don’t feel another coach would make the Hawks that much better.

• Link
• Report this comment

In the name of everything that is true and righteous in this world would SOMEONE in Hawks management (namely SUND) PLEASE put coach Mike Woodson out of his misery….this guy has the Offensive Basketball I.Q. of a freakin’ peanut!!!!!!!!!!! The HAWKS have yet to run one single halfcourt offensive set!!!!!!! With all the scorers and freakish athletes on this team our offense is simply pathetic…This is both embarrassing and pitiful!!!! Woody has GOT TO GO!!

• Link
• Report this comment

I think the Heat continued to score at half. The Hawks were busy playing hide and seek with there brains. Don’t know if they found them yet???

• Link
• Report this comment

Looks like the Hawks left their swagga back on Sunday night. It’s been missing in action since Wednesday night. I almost cried when I found out Marvin couldn’t play, that’s some good offense and defense missing right there. However, I choose to keep hope alive and I still believe Hawks over Heat. Keep hope alive the games not over yet. The Hawks have been making comebacks all season.

• Link
• Report this comment

Just stating the obvious, but as bad as this series is going…the Hawks can switch things back to their favor in game 4 if they with desperation. Horford, you got any more inspirational themes to borrow from UF?

• Link
• Report this comment

26 point lead. Sissies!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Mario West?

• Link
• Report this comment

I meant double team

• Link
• Report this comment

Shoot me now! It is getting worse.

• Link
• Report this comment

*Ouch!*

• Link
• Report this comment

Mortal Kombat…..Kano…..FINISH HIM!!!!!

(fatality)

• Link
• Report this comment

WELL KP, COACH NEEDS TO DRAW UP SOME FASTBREAK PLAYS B/C THATS THE ONLY WAY HAWKS WILL WIN

• Link
• Report this comment

Why aren’t the Hawks running more pic and rolls with Bibby/Horford/Josh???

• Link
• Report this comment

I hope no one notices I have on a clip on

• Link
• Report this comment

Yes Sekou, right now the Heat have been making better shots and better decisons than the Hawks. But that’s like saying the game on Sunday was a fluke. Cause on Sunday the Hawks looked like the better team. But I have to be honest and say that if Miami does get the win tonight then they have the advantage and has taken over this series and therefore are the better team.

• Link
• Report this comment

What’s up with JJ? 5-16 so far this game. 5-13 in game 2

• Link
• Report this comment

What would Terry Stotts do?

• Link
• Report this comment

We are showing a little fight but, it may be too little yoo late.

• Link
• Report this comment

too late

• Link
• Report this comment

This was all Josh Smith’s plan to get Woody fired.

Why else would J-Smash only score 0 points and grab 0 rebounds in the FIRST HALF??

• Link
• Report this comment

Maybe the Hawks thought this was the last game of the regular season and think the playoffs start next week.

• Link
• Report this comment

Lets get this lead to 10 or less going into the 4th…

• Link
• Report this comment

So whats the deal with those dominican strippers for tonight? Woodson said they’d be at the hotel around 12

• Link
• Report this comment

JO JOHNSON IS SOFT AS COOKIE Dough!!!!!! If you got know heart get da hell out of this city!!!!!!! I want players who are going to step there game up!!! Where is Steve Smith when you need him?

• Link
• Report this comment

“Bruh, If I had started tonight, we’d be up by AT LEAST 15 tonight”

• Link
• Report this comment

You know any good barbers in south beach that know how to cut mohawks?

• Link
• Report this comment

Too little too late on the road…save that intensity for game 4 and get series back to ATL

• Link
• Report this comment

My main problem is that we are lazy contesting shots and nobody is setting any screens for joe (who needs to be more aggressive on offense).

• Link
• Report this comment

Our defense sucks. Why do we continue to let DWade walk the ball up the court. Could we please double him to get the ball out his hands. And to think our Head coach is suppose to be a defensive specialist….

• Link
• Report this comment

“Wade Vs. Lebron in the 2nd round….or else!!”

• Link
• Report this comment

Bench them all. Put some guys in that want to play. Make a statement on notional TV . Woody needs to send these guys down to the D league. So much for 5 years of building a team!

It will be years before we are back on National TV again.

• Link
• Report this comment

Bend over and spell “run.”

• Link
• Report this comment

Bob Rathbun just brought up fatigue as an excuse.

Seriously.

• Link
• Report this comment

Consolation Game

• Link
• Report this comment

Astojoe, when will Joe arrive in Miami? He has 5 turnovers and 5 blockshot attempts (meaning him get his shot rejected).

Mike “Not ready for Primetime” Woodson

• Link
• Report this comment

why don’t we just quit. this is freaking embarrassing. The team doesn’t seem to care what happens and Joe (our leader) can’t do anything. It’s not Zaza’s job to lead this freaking team.

• Link
• Report this comment

Say I, if your team has no real superstar

• Link
• Report this comment

Hawks couldn’t beat Washington in a 7 game series!

• Link
• Report this comment

Wait, Joe Johnson is the CAPTAIN????!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

xavier, did you mean the Washington Wizards or Generals?

• Link
• Report this comment

Joe Johnson is supposed to be a star and woodson is supposed to be a coach……this is pathetic

someone needs to a stick a ZAZA in their Pachulias

• Link
• Report this comment

Joe Johnson is not a MVP. He seems lost out there, i.e. NO enthusasium! He’s just going through the motions.

• Link
• Report this comment

I’m embarrased for Atlanta. The whole country is seening this crap of a team that we put out on the floor.

• Link
• Report this comment

as much as i love the hawks, it’s great to see GOOD basketball being played.
It’s nice to see the heat with ball movement, knocking down shots, playing witha swagger, and their superstar coming through big time. Thats what basketball is all about.

Woodson and the Hawks dont deserve the checks they get after a performance like this
they are playing and have the body language of B1TCHES, plain and simple.

• Link
• Report this comment

CLUTCH FREE THROW BY PACHULIA!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

JJ is 5-17. And he is our 3 time All Star.

• Link
• Report this comment

Raise your hand if your ass is sore.

• Link
• Report this comment

Hey, we got to the playoffs, didn’t we?

Everyone in the organization has earned a raise…and a long summer.

Let’s Go Sonics…I mean Hawks!!

• Link
• Report this comment

not even watchin’ the game. the team will show up WHENEVER a real HC is hired!!! this team has not had a HC in 4 yrs!!! what do you expect??!! SUND i wanna see what YOU are made of now!!! and i will say the same thing EVEN if we make it to the 2nd round!! don’t see that happenin’ tho…NO COACH!!! ok…back to the draft!!

• Link
• Report this comment

they could have got me and went to the hood in west macon and grabbed 4 guys out the unionville gym and put us on the court Vs. the Heat if they wanted to see a team from GA get blown out by NBA players.

I guarantee we’d have a better 3 pt % though.

• Link
• Report this comment

We at least got the fourth seed. Didn’t we?

• Link
• Report this comment

Hawks are:

(A) castrated

(B) exposed

(C) a laughingstock

(D) all of the above.

• Link
• Report this comment

You all should be satisfied that we made the playoffs!! That was our goal anyway. You fans are ungrateful.

• Link
• Report this comment

LMFAO@Nauseated

• Link
• Report this comment

Give us our Hawks back! At least they won a Championship here!

Suckers.

• Link
• Report this comment

Woodson was outcoached and schooled by a rookie coach.

• Link
• Report this comment

Didnt Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith say the exact thing about the Atlanta Hawks offensive struggles last year when we played Boston in the playoffs???…..Too much one on one, and no half court offense. So, what the hec has Woody been doing for the past year? You would think that someone in the Hawks front office would have gotten that memo. Billy Knight was right……Woodson should have been canned a long time ago.

• Link
• Report this comment

Rick Sund…last year’s team won 37 games and I feel better about that team right now.

• Link
• Report this comment

Wow:

1) D Wade travels/double dribbles every time he has the ball

2) We have no scorers / no superstar

3) Woody can’t coach an offense

4) We don’t double team, but we don’t guard SHOOTERS. LOL.

5) Woody and Sund need to go, ATL needs new fans, the owners need to sell the team

• Link
• Report this comment

We made the playoffs with a winning record!

Our goal next year is to win 2 playoff games in the playoffs. Seeding does not matter. I will bring back the coaches and all the players. Maybe I’ll bring Damien from [Seattle] (OKC) since I am a 30 year vet!

• Link
• Report this comment

Who’s up for snorting coke off hooker’s asses? Drinks on me!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Who cares about the game, I have cuban strippers waitin on me. Oh yea, u kno how i do it.

She’s gonna suck on Mike’s Wood, son!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

ATL doesn’t need new fans, it needs competent ownership/leadership with its pro franchises (excluding the Falcons)

• Link
• Report this comment

Mo Evans is a KEEPER, Look at how he CONTAINS WADE!!

• Link
• Report this comment

i dont see why a couple of you find it funny. there is nothing funny at all about getting embarrassed like this on national tv. grow up.

• Link
• Report this comment

Any other team would show up after getting beat at home. Not us, we go on the road and get slapped like a little girl stealing candy.

• Link
• Report this comment

Hey Sekou, you better not ask my coach any tough questions such as: Why did he use a seven man rotation for most of the game or who is the leader on this team. You better not mention Mario West either!!

• Link
• Report this comment

pathetic as it gets. i dont even know how we pick our hads up from this as fans. much less the players. but let’s have faith. we smoked miami in game 1 and they did the return favour to us tonight. next game is a must. we get that and we have home court right back in our favor. have a lil faith people. geez.

• Link
• Report this comment

The Hawks having the worst offensive game ever in the halfcourt isn’t breaking news. Hopefully the Hawks will take the money they earned tonight and reimburse all of us that spent our hard earned cash to go to the next game!

• Link
• Report this comment

Does anybody know if these bums were out partying in South Beach last night? Thats what it looked like. When is Joe Johnson going to show up? I haven’t seen him since game 6 of last year’s playoffs against the Celtics.

• Link
• Report this comment

This loss was so painful to watch tonight that i took my hawks wallpaper off my computer screen.

• Link
• Report this comment

I haven’t even read all of the comments, so I know I’m probably repeating what other people have said…but Mike Woodson should not even get on the plane to come back to Atlanta. As the game got away in the last 4-5 minutes of the half, he just stood there with his arms crossed…no timeouts, no adjustments, no nothing. We consistently try to guard Wade one-on-one, and we have ZERO half court offense.

What are we paying him for?????

• Link
• Report this comment

Atlanta Spirit and Steve Belkin have been in court for YEARS over THIS FRANCHISE???!!!

Suckers.

• Link
• Report this comment

you fly by night fans are more pathetic than tonights game. it’s a 7 game series. grow a pair and stfu and lets get ready for monday. get a win and we’ll kill em in atlanta and be right back where we need tobe. i said it from the start and i stick by it. hawks win this in 7.

• Link
• Report this comment

dribble dribble dribble
dribble dribble dribble
dribble dribble dribble…..SHOOT!

• Link
• Report this comment

Sir Charles knows

• Link
• Report this comment

“We’re going to find out just how much we want it,” Bibby said before the Hawks departed for South Florida for Saturday’s Game 3 against Miami.

• Link
• Report this comment

Stop being negative! I will hit 30 3’s in game 4 to tie up this series!

• Link
• Report this comment

Hey everyone,

Thanks for the feedback.
We are currently evaluating the team in order to become better.

Every player and coach is a on a day-to-day contract

• Link
• Report this comment

It’s amazing that 2/3 of our ownership does not live in Atlanta, we are broke, yet we own this team!
HAHA

• Link
• Report this comment

@jase:

Those of us joking are so effing infuriated that all we can do is express our anger this way.

Okay?

@Commenter “Rick Sund”: you are on a roll, my man.

@Mac-Town:

Thanks. When I got on I was blind with rage. I feel a lot better after venting with y’all.

• Link
• Report this comment

I can’t wait till we lose in 5 so I can become a free agent and go back to PHX. I hate it here

• Link
• Report this comment

so we down 2-1 and we out of it?

we did beat miami in miami in regular season. we’ll get a win monday. what part of 2-2 heading back to atlanta is so bad? i dont understand how some of you think. sure this loss sucks. and hurts. but we did the same thing to them in atlanta the 1st game. they got us at our house 2nd game. we get them 2nd game. it amazes me how you all are not seeing this as a even matched series. if you all think we was gonna win this in any less than 7 games.. well you mental as it gets. this series will go 7. everyone should have knew this before tip off.

• Link
• Report this comment

*rolls over*

WTF?!

• Link
• Report this comment

I MAY think of hiring Fratello, but if he costs over $400,000 a year, we can’t afford it

• Link
• Report this comment

Our offense consists of Joe holding the ball, getting double teamed, then players passing around the 3 pt line. Then we shoot a contested shot at the buzzer or turn it over.

I learned this from the Great Larry Brown

• Link
• Report this comment

Some of you guys need some Ritlan Prozac or sumthingggg. LOL. Damn. These post are off the chain. Well we got whupped up pretty good. Cant dwell on it. Just some Bullets.
* We can reclaim home court on Monday even AFTER these last 2 games.
* games lost to Boston last year were by an average of 25 pts
*15 threes last game 12 threes tonight
* know why Marvin was MIA in 2 half of last game now
* Tired of watching Wade torch WHOMEVER is gaurding him . (Where da fugg is Mr. West???)
Hawks will be BACK PLEASEEEEE Belive it!!!!!. Goo Hawkksss!!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

The Hawks need more SWING MEN. I told you all that Marvin would make a difference. I tried to get rid of Woody, but they told me NO!

• Link
• Report this comment

You Hawks fans are GREEDY!! You have to crawl before you can walk, but BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW to see us GRADUALLY build a WINNER here in Seatt…I mean Atlanta.

• Link
• Report this comment

EEEEEXXXXXXCELLENT!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Somewhere Billy Knight is saying, I told you to fire WOODY. Woodson is getting outcoached by a 38 year old rookie coach who looks 18.Who is the real owner of the hawks?

• Link
• Report this comment

They wanted it more than we did. They came out with more energy

• Link
• Report this comment

I am pleased to announce that the Atlanta Hawks will now become the farm team for the Atlanta Dream.

Glad to see those Atlanta Hawks ladies are fighting hard every night for their fans!!

LET’S GOOOOO DREEEEAM!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

They hit us in the mouth and we didn’t recover

• Link
• Report this comment

Since I guess my comment is not going to show in between all of these celebs coming on the blog I’ll have to post my comment again.

I refuse to blame this or the last Hawks on the players. Yeah, guys are suppose to make shots, free throws, layups, and play defense but here’s where the blame clearly falls on our pathetic coach. When a guy refuses to put his player in a position where they can play to the best of their ability he’s at fault. I’ve stood up for the guy when he’s done that and our guys just don’t convert but in these past two games this guy has stood up and folded his arms and watched as:

1) D. Wade brings the ball up the floor with no pressure

2) D. Wade gets to wherever he wants on the floor and make open shots

3) Watched his all-star get double teamed for over 96 minutes (2 full games) and done nothing to get open

4) Stuck with a 7 man rotation

5) Made no adjustments

Coach, show that you care man. How do you stay in a zone and let an extremely hot shooting team knock down uncontested shots. In the first game we were constantly pressing these guys and he went away from what worked, but then again that’s his memo. When is Woody going to do something about JJ being doubled over and over again and get away from playing 1 on 5 offense?

I can’t stomach anymore of this garbage anymore. I don’t care if the Hawks come back and win this series and then take the Cavs to 7 games – WOODSON HAS GOT TO GO!

• Link
• Report this comment

Thanks for making me look like Phil Jackson!!

Suckers.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Ryan Cameron: LOL, good one!

• Link
• Report this comment

*lies*

*exaggerates*

*shrugs shoulders*

• Link
• Report this comment

Don’t worry, Hawks fans! Our ALL-STAR CAPTAIN Joe Johnson and VETERAN LEADER Mike Bibby will carry us to VICTORY and RELEVANCE so we can finally break that FIFTY-ONE YEAR CHAMPIONSHIP DROUGHT. That is if you count the TITLE that the franchise won in SAINT LOUIS more than HALF A DECADE AGO.

• Link
• Report this comment

stop worrying about this one game. you idiots act like we didnt hand them they azz in game 1. so what they beat us at our house in game 2. all we need is to do the same monday and things are right back in our court. are you people even thinking before you type? you act like we down 0-3

as far as these people on here being silly and trying to be whomever.. grow up.
anyway, hawks regroup and get mondays game. and when they do i hope all you fly by night fans stay just that and go away. you make us real fans sick. go catch another bandwagon you lames.

• Link
• Report this comment

Oops, I meant CENTURY. That just shows my FAITH in our POTENTIAL.

• Link
• Report this comment

That was uh bob that was uh a uh heat uh check uh and now you know bob uh

• Link
• Report this comment

jase is right: this franchise hasn’t done anything to make you doubt its DEDICATION TO WINNING.

In fact, every TRUE HAWKS FAN should HOLD HIS BREATH until we WIN SOMETHING.

• Link
• Report this comment

This series is not over! With potential that this bunch has, we could perhaps turn this thing around and win it all! Well maybe not win it all because our goal is to win the FIRST ROUND!
We have so much POTENTIAL on this team and with the way WOODY develops his YOUNG TALENT who knows how far we could go? Next year fans take advantage of our CHICK FILA FAMILY NIGHT.

• Link
• Report this comment

I disagree with my last post. My goal was to make the playoffs, NOT win in the 1st round!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

• Link
• Report this comment

I have improved our record every year. I therefore deserve a 5 year 100 million dollar extension

• Link
• Report this comment

We need our home games to sell out!

I mean those corporate seats across from the benches…They’re never full! We could also use some shirts to give out to the fans! We are kinda poor though!

• Link
• Report this comment

Dear Hawks fans,

We are terrible sorry we have only given out towels and not shirts for the 2 home games. We cannot afford to distribute anything besides towels as we are involved in a high-profile court case with one of our own! We cannot get along with each other!

Best,

Bruce

• Link
• Report this comment

Jase is a real fan! His standards are realistic. He wants to JUST WIN THIS ROUND. Jase these fans with HIGH EXPECTATIONS are lames. Jase you should take advantage our CHICK FILA FAMILY NIGHT!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Apparently, there were T-shirts given out during last year’s PLAYOFFS, but this year’s RALLY TOWELS have so much more UPSIDE!!

• Link
• Report this comment

I’m pretty sure I saw jase cheering your ATLANTA HAWKS to VICTORY from the CLUB SEATS!! He saw first hand that this team can dominate the league with LENGTH and ATHLETICISM!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Let’s extend this series a bit longer…Rick Sund is setting out some grade-A hookers and coke!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Every shot i take I am fouled! Why can’t the refs see this!

• Link
• Report this comment

BIG RAY…LOL you woulda think one of his personalities woulda noticed!!

• Link
• Report this comment

I’m amazed that Rick Sund, the ASG, and Mike Woodson has so much to say lol. Hilarious man.

• Link
• Report this comment

I am better than you

• Link
• Report this comment

who died= the hawks

• Link
• Report this comment

Big Ray, I hoped that the HAWKS would sprout an offensive, but it definitely didn’t happen. The HAWKS have one more at home 2-2-1-1-1, which is obviously needed. The HEAT came out with the energy and the refs were calling nothing at the rim. If O-Neal can play that way 2 more times, this series is over! The HAWKS are going to have to double Wade and O’Neal, and live with the results. Hopefully this is a wakeup call to start running better offensive. I don’t think its going to happen but we can only hope.

GO HAWKS??

• Link
• Report this comment

I GUESS WHEN JOE JOHNSON PLAYS ANOTHER ALL STAR LIKE WADE HE DISAPPEARS,
IM TIRED OF SEEING JOSH SMITH CRY EVERYTIME HE GETS A FOUL CALLED,COACH WOODSON CANT DRAW PLAYS FOR THE OFFENCE,THE HAWKS ARE NOT A HALF COURT TEAM.

JOSH SMITH STOP JACKING UP THREES ITS NOT YOUR GAME.

• Link
• Report this comment

fire Mike Woodson and hire Avery Johnson

• Link
• Report this comment

hawkman, we need Mike Woodson. I mean afterall he has improved the team 5 straight years. Two straight playoff appearances. What more can you ask?

• Link
• Report this comment

There’s a strong chance Joe Johnson never makes the East All Star team again.

Arenas, Jamison, Butler, Vince, and Arenas (injury) all did not make the team this year. Not to mention that teams are starting to discover JJ is not that good…

• Link
• Report this comment

I hope we lose on Monday and get finished off at home so the crowd can boo the hell out of Mike Woodson and get him out of town!!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

SUN tried to run too,with better team and never won anything,so what make hawk fan think in playoffs they gonna run wild,yea a game here,and maybe one more in a 7 game series but never 4 games not against good team with decent team defense.i hear fan saying heat can shoot but everybody was hitting 3,s and im still waiting on BEASLEY to do his thang.o’yea before spo became coach he use to draw up game plans for riley,maybe that why he looks better than woody,but its not woody its the players,he’s not take bad shot, making turn overs,etc, and if he sat smith for take bad shots you would cry, if he sat bibby for not attacking, you will cry,and if he leaves that garbage on the bench you will cry,but no one crying about missing joe johnson.hawk fans have blamed everybody but themselves for the hawks being down 2-1.i hope team dont read these blogs b/c y’all are part time fans

• Link
• Report this comment

I said I’d levae, but I’m still here! Look at that typo! I can’t type!

• Link
• Report this comment

ray, I’m detecting lots of squish on the blog this evening.

It was a disgusting performance no doubt about it. Game 4 is a huge test for this team…players and coaches alike.

I think this series also has gone a long way in defining what a true superstar looks like and how his energy and performance raises his team’s level of play.

Continuing to lose by large margins on the road in the playoffs suggest to me that there is more than just a coaching problem going on. I would say the problems may have are both structural and constitutional.

But no squish here until the season is done.

Go Hawks!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Hey, Hawks Fans: the Montgomery County Circuit Court has just informed our law firm that Steve Belkin has withdrawn his case against ATLANTA SPIRIT GROUP. And you know what that means!! Game 5’s giveaway will be T-SHIRTS and THUNDERSTICKS after all!! It’s too late to add words or colors to the shirts, but if everyone RISES UP and wears these BLANK WHITE SHIRTS, I’m sure YOUR ATLANTA HAWKS will suddenly start playing like PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES!! LET’S GO HAWKS!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

they have, I should’ve said.

• Link
• Report this comment

joe johndon=mirage

• Link
• Report this comment

First, lol @ Rick Sund’s chick fila family night.

I agree with what E said earlier – it did not look like we were contesting very many shots at ALL and we continually allow Wade to get open looks.

It’s also very frustrating that we constantly hear the players and the head coach SAY all of the right things between games, only to then come out with lack of energy, lack of gameplan, and/or lack of execution, the very same things that they have just been talking about fixing. You can only talk the right way for so long. Eventually you have to come out and consistently show that you mean what you say.

It’s still only 2-1, but a lot of things have to turn around for us to have a chance at this point.

• Link
• Report this comment

Da Real Real,
This is not funny. We have much UPSIDE and these UNGRATEFUL fans need to realize that. As my SHOULD HAVE BEEN COACH OF THE YEAR said a few weeks ago “You fans expect too much!” It takes time to build a winner. Josh Smith has GREAT POTENTIAL and just think what he will be in a couple of years. He can already put on show. I just hope to see all you fans of this GREAT TEAM in the HIGHLIGHT FACTORY FOR A DECIDING GAME FIVE!! WE SHOCKED THE WORLD LAST YEAR BY JUST MAKING THE PLAYOFFS AND TAKING THE CELTICS TO SEVEN GAMES!!! IT DOESN’T MATTER IF WE DIDN’T WIN. BUT THIS YEAR WE WILL OWN THE WORLD, because after all we will just be HAPPY WITH BEATING MIAMI AND GETTING TO THE SECOND ROUND!!

• Link
• Report this comment

I’m watching Kobe Byant and wonders did Joe Johnson consider himself an elite player in this league??

• Link
• Report this comment

Hawkman,What more do I want. I told you to JUST win the 2nd round. By the way stop talking about Joe Johnson, our LOUD OUTSPOKEN CAPTAIN, after all he is 3-time allstar. He also have good handles, don’t you notice that when it takes him 20 out 24 seconds to make his move and shoot that SMOOTH FLOATER OR RUNNER SHOT OF HIS. DON’T WE PAY HIM LIKE AN ELITE PLAYER? Watch him TAKEOVER in games 4 and 5.

• Link
• Report this comment

We came out of the gate SO STUPID. You have to lay that at Woody’s feet. He has to go. I’m sorry but it is what it is. This is the guy that preaches defense defense and more defense?? are you kidding me??

• Link
• Report this comment

Correction I want to win in the first round. Second round is unrealistic with the youth on this team, but we have potential to get there.

• Link
• Report this comment

Zaza Pachula is real soldier on this team. Did you see that SWOLLEN eye. He looke DRAGO in Rocky IV. We need to give him an EXTENSION.

• Link
• Report this comment

The key to WINNING this series is WOODY’S OFFENSIVE SCHEME!! Once YOUR ATLANTA HAWKS buy into WOODY’S COACHING SYSTEM, we’ll be well on our way to WINNING A PLAYOFF ROAD GAME!! Now buy your Game 5 tickets NOW so we can FILL PHILIPS ARENA with LOUD, PASSIONATE FANS that WATCH THE GAME most of the time and even wear HEAVILY DISCOUNTED HAWKS MERCHANDISE so we can fix the video board and leaky roof!! LET’S GO HAWKS!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Rick Sund you was GM with the Seattle Supersonics a team that don’t exist anymore.Will the Hawks suffer the same fate if you keep this up.

• Link
• Report this comment

The Hawks and some fans didnt think the Heat would shoot this well again. Some didnt think JON would play well again. Were we wrong.

There are some who believe that Woody did a great job this year. I completely disagree. He is getting outcoached by a rookie. Yes, we know the Heat have Dwayne Wade, but we have JJ. And look how the Heat have taken JJ out of the series?

The Heat made adjustments after game 1, and either Woody made no adjustments, or the players are not executing. Maybe the problem is the players, but the truth is, we can’t change players. We can change coaches.

Everyone knows we have no half-court offense. But yet coach refuses to force the tempo. We have no plays to get JJ open shots and we play too much one on one. If we bring Woody back, isn’t it going to be the same thing next season?

Even if the Hawks come back and win this series, I still have no confidence in Woody.

• Link
• Report this comment

Well our situation in Seattle was different than what is going on in Atlanta. Right now my bosses, whoever they are, have to settle their ownership issues. If great fans like you continue to take advantage of our Chick Fila Family Night or our 4 for 4 deals we will continue to survive. This is why we have to keep WOODY and GOOD COACHES LIKE MARK PRICE. MARVIN IS A MAJOR PRIORITY THIS OFF SEASON. WE SHOCKED THE WORLD THIS YEAR, BUT THIS YEAR WE WILL OWN IT!!

• Link
• Report this comment

CORRECTION WE SHOCKED THE WORLD LAST YEAR, BUT THIS YEAR WE WILL OWN IT!!

• Link
• Report this comment

i like wade over lebron any day of the week, better jumper, better d,and alway defend bigger players not small ones like lebron,but i’ll take kobe over any of’em,did u see wade get up on some of those block, like zaza and 6′7 joe johnson in the corner, not the from the back sh*t lebron make top 10 play for everynite,wade will get up with whoever and block their shot, o yea did i mention more clutch than lebron(who jus hit 1st game winning shot,wut last year)

• Link
• Report this comment

Smoove is selfish trash..
Trade his @$$ outta here.

And Wade fouled ZaZa on that layup

• Link
• Report this comment

The only thing Josh Smith is good for is handing out slow jerks.

Maybe we can get Greg Paulus to come run us an offense on his days off from Michigan practice

• Link
• Report this comment

Sekou,
What were the comments from the Hawks players and coaches after the game?

• Link
• Report this comment

Fear not, Atlanta… I will lead you to victory. Never underestimate the heart of a European!

• Link
• Report this comment

This team SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Watching this game, it was painfully obvious that Mike Woodson reviewed the game tape from Game 2, decided everything the Heat did was a fluke, and reverted to the exact same gameplan in Game 3. The Hawks had the same matchup problems, the same inability to close out on 3 point shooters, and the same difficulties scoring as they did in the previous game.

Among the most obvious flaws:

1. Horford got abused by Jermaine O’Neal all game after getting abused by him in Game 2. He is simply too short and not quick enough to keep up with JO. Woody needs to switch Horford onto the similarly-built Haslem and play Josh Smith on JO. The few times they rolled with this matchup today they played fine. Horford is overmatched in every way by JO, while Josh can at least out-athleticize him. Haslem isn’t the athlete Josh is, but he can out-physical him. Right now this matchup is not working in the Hawks’ favor.

2. They didn’t have much choice today without Marvin, but when they are at full strength they really need to play a taller man on Wade and force him to dribble to his left. Wade is much weaker going left, and the few times they made a concerted effort to make Wade drive to his left today he wasn’t nearly as effective. Get up in his grill, don’t give him an inch to shoot, and make him drive to his left.

3. For the second straight game the Hawks were way, way, WAY too slow closing out on 3 point shooters. I don’t think it’s a huge deal if Wade dominates in single coverage and scores 50. It is, however, a huge deal when you let Miami shoot 60% from the 3 point line. Chalmers, Jones, Cook, etc. simply cannot be given space to put up shots and heat up.

That’s all on Woody to fix. As far as the players are concerned, it’s becoming pretty clear which players on the team have balls and which ones don’t. Mike Bibby, Flip Murray, and Zaza Pachulia came to play today. They may not have played great the whole game, but they gave a commendable effort. They have balls. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith did not come to play today (except for a few minutes in the 3rd quarter), and it’s impossible to win a game in any environment if your two most talented players are not producing. Josh has had problems with consistency through his career, but it’s very, very disappointing to see the team captain completely overmatched throughout the entire game.

The Hawks got murked on the boards today, and it’s mainly because of the matchup issue inside. They got murked from the 3 point line today, and they absolutely have to do a better job closing out. Offensively they haven’t been a very consistent team all year, and that’s not really going to change — they are a team that feeds off their defensive energy, and they have to play great defense in Game 4 in order to have a chance to win.

If the Hawks don’t win Game 4 they are toast in this series. I gotta say, having to rely on Woody making adjustments in order to keep the Hawks’ playoff hopes alive doesn’t give me a good feeling.

• Link
• Report this comment

What about me, guys?

• Link
• Report this comment

hawks get 13 wins for years ago and since then they have wut 47 wins this year maybe few more,with same cast of players playing together 2 yrs or more,now heat get 15 wins last year and this year they get 43,now you smart hawk fans tell me what wrong with that picture.1st superstar=wade,2nd team not afraid to trade somebody to get the ppl that fit what they trying to do i.e. shaq=when he quit his ass got traded,we didnt keep him b/c he was shaq,and 3rd a new coach wont get a team to play better when they already maxed-out time to break up team while players still have value,b/c the longer the series look like this hawks are being exposed as CHUMPS

• Link
• Report this comment

Seriously, Najeh, that was better insight than I’ve heard from the team all year.

If I could, I’d give you the whistle and the clipboard right now.

• Link
• Report this comment

Insight? Adjustments? Leadership? Are you guys making up words in here?

• Link
• Report this comment

thats b/c najeh know when he looks at game he see the truth unlike most in here

• Link
• Report this comment

I agree najeh, same exact thing I said right after the game. Coach has to put guys into a position to where they can succeed. I don’t care who you are…if you’re getting doubled, sometimes tripled team all night long you’re going to find it hard to score and that’s JJ’s problem right now. And when he does get open it almost appears like he’s worried that somebody is at least on his back. Woody has to draw up some plays with the guy coming off screens to shake the double team, but coach hasn’t done it all year and I don’t expect him to do it now. JJ also has to recognize that he can’t hold the ball all day and wait for the double team to come as well…

We’ll see what “adjustments” are made.

• Link
• Report this comment

THE RICK SUND DUDE HAS ME ROLLIN, LMAO SERIOUSLY CRACKING UP HERE

• Link
• Report this comment

funny and sad thing for us hawks fans is that the HEAT’s 2nd best offensive player had the worst game of his career tonight and we still lost by 30

if Beasley blows up and starts scoring 20 points per like he did the last month of the year as a huge factor, if he gets his footing its gonna be REALLY embarrasing

i owe an apology to Jermaine Oneal, maybe he isnt really ready to stick a fork into as i said the other day

• Link
• Report this comment

We have accomplished our goal! Playoffs with winning record!

Ticketape parade!

• Link
• Report this comment

This summer, I plan to work on my African Studies degree and work out with greats such as Raymond Felton and Sean May. I will get 592 more tattoos and will come back to camp with an even bigger butt and shoes 6 sizes larger.

• Link
• Report this comment

wheres speedy claxton? ooh every time i see marvin..i think of cp3

• Link
• Report this comment

I think of Deron Williams, too.

• Link
• Report this comment

I HOPE THEY ALL READ THIS BLOG AND REALIZE WHAT THEY ARE.

• Link
• Report this comment

Another totally gutless mail-in job from a completely heartless bunch of quitters. Same old uncaring Hawks! Now and forevermore. This from a watcher since the first tip of historic initial Hawk game. So damn sick of it all!

• Link
• Report this comment

Ayo Rick SUnd… u no if Philips doin dat All u can eat seats again? Dem seats was fo real. Reply ASAP mayne….preciate!

• Link
• Report this comment

If the Hawks don’t watch these blowouts they’ll be banned from national coverage during the playoffs. The Falcons were horrible two years ago during national broadcasts and they were kicked off last year.

I can see it now: during future hawks playoff runs announcers are prohibited from mentioning anything hawks related, fake crowd noise is generated during all hawk home games, and the hawks players themselves are blurred out so only the opposing team can be seen.

• Link
• Report this comment

Eman,

In that case, we should just let the Hawks Dance Team play…naked. If we squint, we might be able to convince ourselves that we’re seeing something worthwhile.

• Link
• Report this comment

Woody goes no where! He has exceeded my expectations! You mean spirited fans must realize the journey it takes for an NBA team to become champions. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Hope to see you guys at the Highlight Factory for a decisive game 5.

• Link
• Report this comment

Embarrassing loss today.

Dwyane Wade is so freakin good. Those 4 block shots were nuts.

• Link
• Report this comment

Great analysis as usual Ken! If Woody used your lineup suggestion, perhaps that could ’save’ Joe by allowing him not to expend as much energy on the defensive side. Sure, Mario could be a ’self check’ on offense but that is also where ball movement becomes important. He will at least drive in the seams forcing something to happen.

I am VERY concerned with how the team has looked the past two games. I hope there is a shakeup with the team. Game 4 is very important now.

• Link
• Report this comment

WOODY FOR COACH OF THE YEAR!
JJ FOR MVP!!!!
SPEEDY FOR SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR!!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

y’all keep talking bout woody,he was shooting 10-40 from the field like bibby,horford,and johnson,maybe he should’ve unfold them arm and slapped a B*TCH

• Link
• Report this comment

come on say with me the REFS won the game,we are better than the heat,d-wade & beasley are garbage,josh smith and JJ are the real superstars,in game 4 we are going to destroy the heat because our team is better they just a bunch of rookies.hahahahahahhahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

• Link
• Report this comment

uh, if this keeps up i will have either a complete set of season tickets available for next year or the quickest post to stub hub for the major games next year.

you know we are seeing the beat down we expected last year against the c’s this year against the heat. man this team is sooo unpredictable, or for the opponent coaches sooo predictable. could be a long and interesting summer as our gm and the basg play their clever games.

does anyone have chills on a quick dial? are they still paying in europe?

• Link
• Report this comment

man its like this the hawks are professional choe artist and pleae dont call joe johnson all allstar player we all see how the reall all stars are stepping up when the teams needs them . i just think the hawks are sum pussies they show no fight they get knocked down and they stay down they dont even try to compete i mean this guy d wade is the top scorer in th eleague wouldnt it help to put a body in front of him and the other 3 point shooters thats shooting the hawks face off doesnt look good if they do possibly make it past the heat the cavs are going to gangbang the hawks

• Link
• Report this comment

Shame on you Atlanta Hawks, North Carolina would play harder!

• Link
• Report this comment

dear mr. triangle offense,when was the last time you won a championship without a superstar. dont get me wrong,i like pippen alot but he couldn’t do it,like you already said jordan couldn’t do it,and kobe can’t do it, and his lakers team is not as strong as those bulls team,so i would have to say he is closest to doing it with less,and with all that said you need a bonafide superstar with joe johnson in order for that bullsh*t offense to even work. what has phil jackson ever won in nba without stacked team!!no jordan,pippen grant,jordan,pippen,rodman,shaq,kobe,fisher,horry=0 title using triangle offense

• Link
• Report this comment

gee is samuel posting as aj now? heh heh

at some point the coach also begins to coach a player or two to become leaders and puts them in charge. someone that is a control freak will have a hard time giving up the reins and does it only to serve lip service to the concept. if he continues to put everything into the quietest member of the team to send a message, it doesnt get delivered. how would you feel as a player in a team game to watch its leader put up nine shots to get two points and get 5 blocked all in the first quarter?

• Link
• Report this comment

WOW, it looks like my FIRE WOODY bandwagon, which I’ve been driving all yr long, is filling up. WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG FOR YOU GUYS TO COME ON BOARD? Woodson’s limitations as a HC will keep the Hawks from getting better and will cause them to continue playing inconsistently. On the road and in the playoffs, coaching becomes more critical and has a greater impact on the outcome. Therefore, we will continue to suffer the same fate because Woodson isn’t imaginative, openminded, flexible or competent enough to overcome the disavantages of playing on the road or in the playoffs.

He’s too arrogant and/or insecure to even accept input from his assistants, and he won’t even call on his mentor LBrown for help. The Pistons under LBrown used back picks and screens to get open scoring opportunities for it’s scorers. They never relied on one on one or isolation play. He seems motivated to distance himself from any label or identity that’s not his own. Therefore, the OFF he’s installed is extremely limited and is reflective of his individual limitations as a HC.

INSTEAD OF ACCEPTING THE FACT HIS SYSTEM DOESN’T WORK FOR THE PLAYERS OR THE TEAM, HE BLAMES THE PLAYERS FOR NOT MAKING HIS EXTREMELY LIMITED SYSTEM WORK FOR THEM/HIM AND STUBBORNLY CONTINUES TO TRY AND FORCE THE SQUARE PEG INTO THE ROUND HOLE. NOW THAT’S STUPID.

As long as we continue relying on MBibby as our PG, we’ll continue being inconsistent because of his DEF libilities and his limitations as a PG. At this point in his career, Bibby’s lost his speed, quickness and is unable to penetrate and finish at the basket. Therefore, he’s become nothing more than a 3pt jumpshooter, which automatically creates inconsistency.

• Link
• Report this comment

Did anyone see the crowds at the other playoff games?

THEY ACTUALLY WEAR THE TEAMS’ COLORS, NOT POLO SHIRTS and SLACKS!!!

Atlanta fans have A LOT to learn…even Oklahoma City fan SHOW UP BETTER!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Ken the reason why it took long is because most of us realized while the guy was 10+ games over .500 absolutely nothing could be done, but I think mostly every blogger agreed that if the Hawks did not win the first round that he should be gone. Now we haven’t lost the first round yet, but one more lost and we might as well pack up our bags and go home and Woody may want to start doing the same thing.

I understand what people are saying about having a team “captain”, a “leader”, and a “superstar”, but even those three things at a certain point will not be able to succeed if their coach can’t put them in a position to succeed. I’d much rather have this same exact team with a bonafide coach than this team with as poor of a coach that we have right now. We can’t go far with the stubborn “leader” of a coach that we have now. Instead of making adjustments this guy much rather watch his “all-star” get doubled for 2 full games, and he’d rather settle for watching Wade have all kind of room on the floor to do whatever he wants. I believe this Hawks team can compete with anybody, but when the coach refuses to put you in a position to win its time for him to get out of town. I’m pretty sure Woody is a good guy with a good family, but he’s got to go after this season. Some of me want us to win this series, but anotehr part of me wouldn’t care all that much if we lost if it meant Woody is gone.

• Link
• Report this comment

D WADE IS NOT THAT GOOD!!!

THIS SERIES IS ALL ABOUT THE REFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

This team is playing like the poop that comes out of dog butts!!

• Link
• Report this comment

doc, I completely disagree. If leaders could be taught, then few corporations would go out of business, more than 8 franchises would have won the NBA in the past 25-30 years and we probably wouldn’t be sitting on 101k plans these days. A control freak is someone like Avery Johnson, who had Jason Kidd wait at the half court line to get the play to run. I think Woody gives these guys every opportunity to step up and be a leader. I think the “unwritten story” might say that he waited too long for someone in the locker room to step forward. Maybe the short-term push after the Charlotte game was more about him deciding that he couldn’t wait any longer. Obviously, I don’t know. But when the PF starts the half of the first road playoff game with 0 points and 0 rebounds someone other than the coach needs to light into him. When Joe’s ego gets in the way of him passing the ball, someone needs to say something. And I guarantee that the NBA’s best teams don’t have to wait for their head coach to carry those messages. Oh and like I said before, Orlando appears to have the identical problem.

I agree with all who say the question about “is Joe a superstar” has been answered loudly and definitively.

But I also want to remind the apologists that Mr. Smith has more than $45M left on his deal. Far and away the most of any player on the team. He is no longer a child who needs the protection of his fan base. He is a grown man with a grown man’s contract. Time for him to perform on the road. 5 road playoffs games and I’m pretty sure he has stunk the joint up each and every time. Apologize if you want, but if he wants to set the tone in a crucial road game, grabbing a 1st quarter rebound would be a heckuva start.

• Link
• Report this comment

__________________

• Link
• Report this comment

though i disagree flow chart…. thats funny shyt…

• Link
• Report this comment

The flowchart cracked me up too. Like I said before, whoever you are, you deserve a medal of some sort.

• Link
• Report this comment

I’ve had about a day to think about yesterday’s game and in the end I’m more worried about the HAWKS somehow winning tomorrow’s game than losing it! Woody isn’t the coach to take this team to the next level, and needs to go this summer. If this team finds away to win another game or worse the series??, he’s here for at least another two years. I’m confident the only adjustment Woody’s going to make is double O’Neal and or Wade sometimes! Nothing on the Offensive end!! I think tomorrow nights game could get ugly, with someone putting Wade on his back! (That’s the best leadership you’re going to see Astro Joe) Either way if O’Neal plays the way he has the HAWKS have very little chance of winning.

As one of the HEATS fans said (probably WHO DIED), this series is about tempo, but what they don’t understand is the HAWKS don’t run by design! The players make that effort on their own, that’s why they can’t run off made shots/”dictate temple”. (Only steals and misses!!)

I will say this the players are going to play more physical tomorrow night, they’re will probably be some technical fouls called. End the end though, the HAWKS don’t execute on offensive and they have no one that can guard O’Neal right now.

Guy’s your going to have to win this one on your own!

GO HAWKS!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

SEKOU! new post but this time give’em some hope plz

• Link
• Report this comment

Joe – your coach has been designated the leader of this basketball team. His team has lost by an average of over 20 points in every road playoff game. Now we’re losing at home. Where is his accountability?

Josh should be blamed for his lack of production, but Woody gets the blame for the continued horrible losses on the road. Our coach continues to employ the same schemes as we get pummeled on the road.

If you watch our half court game, Woody gives the call to Bibby as he walks it up the court. Woody designs the plays & calls them. The Hawks excel when they play “helter-skelter” type basketball. Woodson rarely allows them to play this way.

I’m not placing all the blame on Woody because the players have to score & defend. But Woody gets his fair share.

• Link
• Report this comment

2 rookie head coaches have their lower seeded teams playing great right now (Del Negro & Spoelstra). I guess they have better players & leaders on their teams than the Hawks. Couldn’t have anything to do with coaching – NO WAY!

• Link
• Report this comment

Another thing I’ve noticed about the Hawks is that, unlike most other playoff teams who are able to “flip the switch” so to speak even when they start a game slow, the Hawks pretty much play a game the way they start it. If they come out strong they play well all game, and if they come out slow they suck the whole game. Probably ties into Woody’s inability to make adjustments, but you gotta think it has something to do with the mentality of the players on the team as well.

• Link
• Report this comment

B/c you are here the players repeat what the coaches have been telling them all along. But some want to say it coach fault,i think you can get a new coach and this team will play the same way.The hawks are lacking something and its not the coach,besides woody seems to be player friendly,maybe that’s his downfall, for thinking he can just let the guys be what they proclaim to be as individual players,its so clear that maybe horford is the only one capable of being team player,b/c he’s the only one who doesnt force anything. the bench isnt as strong as you thought at the beginning of series,im talking complete OVERHAUL b/c its hard to justify how a 15 win team is giving hawks so much trouble especially one that is poised to get to second round of playoffs

• Link
• Report this comment

I agree with you jhan! If this team is going to win its going to have to start from the top with the real leader – the coach. We can talk about passing torches and who should be the leader on the floor and what not, but plain and simple Woodson’s got to make adjustments to his game plan! You can’t let a guy who is a legit superstar walk the ball up the court and go to wherever he wants on the floor with very little attention and knock down open looks. You can’t design a game plan where your leading scorer is going to be doubled all night long and not be able to contribute.

I watched the Bulls today and that’s a team who theoretically shouldn’t even be competing with the Celtics but with good coaching look at what they are doing! I’ve watched all the teams in the playoffs and there’s a major difference with those teams and ours – THEY RUN OFFENSE! All of em! I can call a few screens here and there from our team but its nothing to get guys open. We hardly ever run any cuts. There’s no reason a team that went about bragging all year long about taking the Celtics to 7 games should be struggling and getting embarrassed the way they the past two nights.

I will continue to disagree with anybody that will say its not the coach fault and that it’s the players fault especially if the coach isn’t putting the team in a position where they can succeed.

• Link
• Report this comment

jhan, coaching has little to do with a lack of effort and energy. What, you think Woody forgot to tell JJ to pass the ball? That he didn’t tell Smith to rebound in the first quarter? That he forgot to tell Horford to play with confidence? That he didn’t menetion that a road crowd may be a little loud and rowdy and that they needed to survive the initial wave of emotion and maintain their cool? Is Miami really doing anything significantly different in this series than in the regular season? I don’t think so. They’re just playing with more discipline, heart and energy. (And yes, Wade’s new found 3-point shooting is a heckuva wrinkle). Should Woody be fired because Joe is shooting poorly and Smith is incapable of playing consistently on defense? And what exactly will the next coach do? Beg Smith to grab a 1st quarter board better than Woody? Fine Joe every time he forces an awful shot with teammates wide open? Yeah, I’m sure that will make a huge difference.

Chicago is doing what we did last year. They are playing loose, with nothing to lose. No pressure. We’re choking under the weight of lofty expectations.

Woody’s accountability came in the 2-year contract extension. It was a secret-double-probabtion extension that screamed “I don’t want you to be my coach but my bosses think differently”. Meanwhile, dude who shows up only for home playoff games got 5 years of love at over $55M.

Getting rid of Woody is the easiest answer. But I don’t see how that can make anyone more comfortable with the notion that we have a group of players who shrink IMMEDIATELY in crucial road games. I can’t even imagine Phil Jackson having to explain the need for his starting PF to grab a rebound or two in the first half of a game. And Pop or Sloan? They’d be arrested for assault if they had to watch one of their players whine after every ref whistle while putting up a first half 0-for. Can ya’ll imagine if a healthy Marvin Williams failed to grab a first half rebound in a playoff game? Multiple members of this blog would put a “For Sale” sign in is front yard before the game ended. (Oh, and let’s not mention that the two are the same age and Smith has more NBA game experience).

Don’t blame it Joe J. Don’t blame it on J-Smoove. Don’t blame it on Tin Men. Blame it on Woody! (Sung to the tune “Blame it on the Boogie”).

• Link
• Report this comment

…. ZaZa Pa-choker is HORRIBLE!! How does he ever see the court? Where is SOLO, how come he doesnt play more? C’mon Woodson wake up!! or Leave town!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Can anyone tell me what funky “never seen before” plays the Heat are running that require “an adjustment”? Keep in mind, when Jordan scored 63 against Boston, they Bulls lost. Or is the adjustment on the offensive end where we failed to score 80 points? Maybe an adjustment on the glass is required since we’re getting badly out-rebounded. I’m sure that the fundamentals of rebounding requires frequent “adjustments”.

When I see players forget to pass, forget to block out and forget basic defensive rotations, I wonder if the problem is the scheme or that the players panic and deviate from the scheme.

Let’s fire Woody, fine a quality coach who isn’t concerned with the ownership fiasco and go from there. I’m ready to move on to the next phase. Take me to the next phase, baby, take me. A little classic Isley Bros. for the old schoolers on here.

• Link
• Report this comment

Joe – I can’t imagine Phil Jackson “allowing” anyone on his team to think or behave that way. Have you ever seen a Phil Jackson coached team look this bad for consecutive games? Is it the players on his team or his influence as their coach?

I’m not saying any of the players should get a free pass. I’m all for trading whatever players need to go to make this a better team. Show me a trade involving JJ & Josh that makes this team better & I’ll all for it.

You can’t continue to blame the players for their lack of leadership & give Woody a pass. Maybe all these young cats are learning how to be a leader by watching their coach. I just don’t know what you see in Woody that makes you think he is beyond reproach.

Their defensive scheme in this series has been horrible & their offensive sets are non-existant. If you watch when JJ gets double teamed there is usually NOBODY for him to pass the ball to. He has to dribble through/around the double team to find the open man. Since everyone knows JJ will be doubled why can’t Woody design a set that will allow for an easy pass to an open teammate?

How many times does Josh end up with the ball 25′ from the basket? That’s not on Josh – that’s the offensive play that was designed by the coach. Why don’t we double Wade every time he touches the ball? Are the players not running the defense Woody is calling? I highly doubt that. They are running the offensive & defensive plays that Woody has designed & called for.

If our offensive sets resulted in open shots for our players & they continually missed them then get rid of those players. I don’t see that happening very often. The only time our offense gets wide open looks is on the fast break. Our coach continues to call for the slow down / half court game.

If your style of play is resulting in 20-25 point losses, why not let the kids run wild? What’s the worse thing that could happen – we lose by 30? We’re still going to lose if he doesn’t change his philosophy.

• Link
• Report this comment

Astro Joe, when get the brakes beat off you two games and a row in the playoff…surly you got to make some type of adjustment.

We talking DWade…the same cat that dunked on Oneal in Indy in the playoff his first year in the league…that’s before Shaq came to Miami. You got to run two or three guys at him to get the ball out of his hand.

We have always had problems containing Oneal when he was in Indy. So yeah this is a different Miami team with Oneal playing well. Yes, Woody will have to adjust his game plan…a seven-man rotation want get it done.

• Link
• Report this comment

Sekou, why are there so many typos in your writing? Do you not proofread it?

• Link
• Report this comment

here is a little help for the basg and sund. it is a quote on how leaders handle the situations, borrowed from the falcons of late:

“We have to capitalize on opportunities we have right now. None of us want to sit back and think, ‘Let’s see where we are in five years.’ This is about the competitive side of it. You strike while you can, and you be consistent with your strikes.”

god help us all.

• Link
• Report this comment

Bulls beat Celtics again. Series is tied up and lets not forget they won one in Boston. Nice to see such a young team with a young coach do what we couldnt do last year. Maybe they have better players than we do since there is a thought that nothing is wrong with Woody Woodpecker. Yeah right sure. Cleveland is already done with their first round series and waiting to pound on Miami if they continue to pound the feathers off the Hawks. Sure feel better if Hawks can even the series at 2 like other teams are but not expecting it. Glad at least the falcons are run properly. Great draft the last two days.

• Link
• Report this comment

Whoopsy I did not mean to reveal my true intentions. I mean to say something about typos. Sometimes I pretend to be Sam too. But he loves woodies, and I do not mean the kind I get in the middle of the night thinking about Big Ray either. Whoopsy did I say that?

• Link
• Report this comment

I mean to say my real name is doc.

• Link
• Report this comment

Astro joe, you are the man! Wanna come over for beers again friday night? YOu can stay the night again too. I promise your butt will not hurt so much when you wake up this time. I will sleep in the other bedroom.

• Link
• Report this comment

Sorry, used my Falcons alias (Poor McKay) on that last lengthy comment.

Falcons seemingly had a nice draft, especially if Jerry and Sidbury become above average pass-rushers.

• Link
• Report this comment

actually spo likes to call it a hockey assist, meaning the pass before the pass that scores the basket is just as important as the direct pass to score bucket

• Link
• Report this comment

Good post by Astro Joe (Poor McKay). Both you and Ray are right, of course.

(Woody’s lack of adjustments and planning) + (No energy, leadership, and execution from the players) + (Red hot Heat team) = Getting blown out by 30 points on the road.

Everyone needs to be better in order for this thing to turn around. However, if offseason adjustments are going to be made, it is easier (like Ray said) to just rid of the coach and make a couple player changes than it is to get rid of the whole team and keep the coach.

• Link
• Report this comment

AJ, although I’m not on your side when it comes to Josh Smith, I gotta say “Poor McKay” is a pretty clever nickname.

• Link
• Report this comment

Ray, there’s another option besides replacing the coach or the players. Replace them both. That would be my choice at this point. Re-sign Bibby and package him with Smoove to the Clippers for Baron Davis and Camby. If Joe bolts on us the following summer, we still have Baron and Horford (and maybe Marvin) as our nucleus. I have a feeling that Baron and Camby are much less likely to shrink in road playoff games. Clips do it because Baron is a horrible match with Dunleavy and Camby is expendable. I’d try to convince a Fratello or Doug Collins type to take over the team. If they turn me down, then I’d gamble with Mark Jackson or Bill Laimbeer. Bottom line, either a big-time coach or a big-time personality. Someone the players can’t ignore.

• Link
• Report this comment

Man this team is playing with no heart. Especially Joe, Good thing is that we will win tonight because the liability should be out in sorry Marvin. Josh Smith needs to shoot every day all day all summer long cause he sucks at shooting. Being a athlete only gets you so far in this league. We need a true leader without one we will continue to get knocked out first round. Who knows maybe we will get knocked out by the Bobcats in 5 games next year. lol.

• Link
• Report this comment

it’s like im the only head coach out there

• Link
• Report this comment