The great (leadership) debate
Don't let the turtleneck sweater fool you. John Shaft is a bad man!
MIAMI - Long after his Miami Heat had finished wiping the AmericanAirlines Arena floor with the Hawks Saturday night, Dwyane Wade said something that crystalized the difference between these two playoff combatants.
Asked about the leadership he provides for his team, the Heat superstar described his evolution as a team leader so perfectly, it almost sounded as if a Hollywood script writer had penned the response for him.
“One thing about being a leader is that it’s 24/7, 365 days a year,” Wade said. “It never stops. I was very disappointed with myself in Game 1. I was quiet, and that is not what my team needs. In Game 2 and Game 3 I took it upon myself to make sure that my voice is heard. To drive the points the coaches made and make sure they hear it again before they get on the court.”
You won’t hear anything resembling that from the Hawks. They don’t have a vocal leader in the mold of Wade (they don’t have a player with game like Wade’s either, but we all knew that going into this series). So their won’t be anyone rescuing the Hawks from themselves between now and the start of Monday night’s epically important Game 4 (a third straight loss by the Hawks spells almost certain doom in this series).
All those cliches about leaders being born and not bred don’t register in this case. Leaders emerge in times like this. Leaders rise to the occasion and impose their will in times like this. Leaders of men and leading men are two distinctly different beings in the NBA landscape and beyond.
Wade’s both a leader of men and a leading man. He’s John Shaft (talk about a leader of men and a leading man) in a pair of funky looking shoes and without the sideburns. There are a handful of Shafts in the NBA these days (Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, DWade, Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce come to mind with others floating in and out of the Shaftosphere). The mettle required of your team leader in the playoffs isn’t hard to spot. And Hawks’ captain and All-Star Joe Johnson has yet to show if he has it in him in this series.
The contrast between his demeanor Sunday and that of Wade over the past few days was striking. Wade vowed to revive his crew after that humiliating, 26-point loss in Game 1 and has done exactly that with two backbreaking efforts since then. Johnson didn’t sound a similar alarm Sunday when asked if he was ready to do it himself, speaking in terms of “we” and “us” when it’s clear that he has to pick up the mantle and carry his team back to even in this series.
“We’ve just got to grow up, man,” Johnson said, his voice trailing off with every word. “We hit a little adversity and now it’s as if we’re out of it. But we have to think positive the rest of the way. You’ve just got to believe. And we have to put it in the guys who have never been in this situation and we have to make them believe we can do this. We have to keep talking to them and keep putting confidence into them.”
The words are fine, but in the playoffs a man can only be judged by his actions.
Two of these guys will face off in the next round and the third will get to watch it from home.
AND NOW, A MOMENT OF SILENCE for the Detroit Pistons.
James and his Cavaliers tossed the last shovel of dirt on a deceased Eastern Conference behemoth Sunday afternoon at the Palace of Auburn Hills, sweeping the Pistons out of the playoffs in four games.
It’s only fitting that the Cavaliers did the honors, seeing as how they were the first team expose the flaws of the once-mighty Pistons (in the Eastern Conference finals a couple years ago). The interesting thing going forward is what direction the Pistons go with their rebuilding project.
They’ll have plenty of cap space now that the Allen Iverson deal/fiasco is finally over. I suspect Pistons boss Joe Dumars has a plan mapped out already, and there’s no doubt it includes some big names (wish I knew which ones).
It’s certainly going to make this summer a bit more intriguing come July 1, when free agency begins. It’s supposed to be a sleepy summer with everyone waiting on the 2010 free agent crop. But why wait when you can make a splash now?
THE MORNING AFTER GOING DOWN 2-1 IN A PLAYOFF SERIES might seem like an odd time to have a players’ only team meeting, but Hawks coach Mike Woodson gave the session his blessing after the Hawks’ Sunday practice.
”They’ll meet today and try to figure out some things amongst them,” Woodson said. “For me, from a coaching standpoint, this is not the time for me to scream and yell and curse guys out. We’re right where we need to be. We just have to figure out [Monday] night’s game.”
Secret meetings? Josh Smith and the Hawks are pulling out all the stops to get back into this series.
Johnson didn’t give up the particulars of the time or place and barely acknowledged that any meeting would be taking place. Sorting out whatever internal issues they need to before Game 4 is an excellent idea. Because if it’s going to take a secret meeting to get the Hawks back to playing like they did in Game 1, so be it (no one wants to see one-sided blowouts in the playoffs, well I don’t).
”We beat them pretty bad in Game 1, and they beat us pretty bad in Game 3,” Josh Smith said Sunday. So we’re even. We just have to look at ourselves as individuals and as teammates and come together with a solution. There has to be a philosophy where we have each other’s back. In Game 2 it was a hostile environment in Atlanta, it was just them and the crowd. They played together and everything clicked. They had fun. We have to do the same thing.
”Our backs are against the wall. What are we made of? Are we going to fold and let them win, or do we step up and show them this is going to be a series and turn it around?
WOODSON WAS IN FULL SPIN MODE Sunday, casting the Heat as the veteran crew with all the playoff seasoning and his bunch (everyone knows the Hawks are youngest team in the Eastern Conference postseason field) as the “underdogs” according to my man Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel.
When asked about the Heat’s supporting cast Woodson said, “When you have O’Neal, who has been a six or seven-time All-Star, and [Udonis] Haslem who has played championship basketball, they have veteran guys who have been through the battles. My guys haven’t been battle tested. This is something new for our team. When I came into the series I thought we could make it to the next round. I want them to think that too. This series is a long way from being over if we take care of business tomorrow.”
Are you buying what Mike Woodson is selling?
If this was some master media stroke to ease the pressure on his team, consider that mission accomplished. But it didn’t look that way to me. I honestly didn’t hear it that way. Woodson’s comments on how his team would bounce back against the Heat seemed far more interesting to anyway.
”Our team has been committed all year long, so I’m not ready to put them out to pasture so fast,” he said.” They have been committed. We’ve had some tough times and some tough games, stretches where we didn’t play well. And we bounced back. We haven’t played well the past few games. We have to find what we’re made of. Until we’re eliminated I’m going to keep fighting and I’m going to push them to keep fighting.
”Again, when we won the first game, I’m sure they were down after that. They had to be thinking we had to win three more to get to the next round. I’m thinking the same thing. I have to get these guys thinking the right way. The last two games, we’ve been kind of punched out a little bit. We have to rebound.”
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1,132 comments Add your comment
Al
April 27th, 2009
2:17 pm
WHO DIED… Haslem, O’Neal, and Spoelstra shut up a lot of people down here fast didn’t they? lol
kwooden1
April 27th, 2009
2:18 pm
Astro Joe, JSmoove always has a problem against PFs that are bruisers.
I think Woody’s going to start Zaza, as his one offensive adjustment. Evans is a good defender, but only against guys that aren’t that quick. If Zaza starts then JSmoove can play SF and Horford can cover Haslem. I wouldn’t mind this lineup from the start, even though the HAWKS will still have to double ONeal! This would also require Woody to bring Solo off the bench, which I’m not sure he’s ready to do.
GO HAWKS!!
doc
April 27th, 2009
2:21 pm
al it is best to not really cll someone a racist whether it is a blog or out in the open. the first one to yell is sometimes the most racist sort of the pot calling the kettle …. in figurative rather than colorful terms. oh, do like your basketball opinions though!
)
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
2:21 pm
thx again AL b/c whatever I lack in grammer, you got my back like a great teammate should!! notce i take the blame,i didnt put it on my 12th grade english teacher for not being here to correct my mistake. LMAO again
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
2:23 pm
sure did and next year will be even scarier with more healthy oneal
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
2:24 pm
AL i jus found out couple days ago SPO use to draw up gameplan for RILEY
Reality
April 27th, 2009
2:26 pm
Al, no I won’t be attending tonight’s game. Ha I didn’t luck out this time with an invite.
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
2:27 pm
im jus ready to get game going win lose or draw it been fun year for us with big promise for the future and im not talking bout throwing in the towel for a run in 2010
tiger woo
April 27th, 2009
2:28 pm
Ok WHO DIED ……?
The Heat have 2 wins – great accomplishment!
Unfortunately, the series is best of seven – it takes 4 wins to win the series – I don’t know who are the 99% that think the series is over – it’s far from over – don’t go patting Spoelstra and O’Neal on the back just yet – gotta close it out . . .
Al
April 27th, 2009
2:29 pm
doc, I see your point. Hard to take what was said any other way though. But I’ll stick to basketball as well.
Al
April 27th, 2009
2:31 pm
tiger woo, You’re absolutely right.
WHO DIED, did you read Winderman over the weekend talking about a potential Beasley-Bosh trade. What do you think about that?
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
2:34 pm
tiger woo stop changing names, b/c the last thing im worried about is closing series out especially with the second best closer in nba on my team. now you will be hard press to find someone on your team than even come close. its a losing battle b/c most of y’all(like you) seem to think one great game by johnson will cure all that ale the hwaks. not so jsu look at your track record lose 12 str8 roadies,get blown out by 20 pts, and a shooting star that has disappeared before you tell someone to look
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
2:40 pm
why would we trade for bosh when we can have both in 2010 plus there is no promise bosh would stay. i feel beasley has what it takes to be just as good as bosh or better, we cant keep giving up top rookies for older players what would we look like if we gave up on wade in the bigging for older vet we need to add small foward like a lamar odomes or salmon of the bulls
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
2:41 pm
beginning
tiger woo
April 27th, 2009
2:44 pm
WHO DIED ……?
Wade can be controlled – they’ve done it before – will take a team effort.
I hope your team isn’t over confident like you are. It’s tough to close out a series. Hawks are the superior team – you’ll see.
Melvin
April 27th, 2009
2:44 pm
Comeon Asto, you are spinning it back to Josh again. Joe has 3 other teammates on the court with him besides Josh. If Josh is playing at (and exceeding) his season avg than what in the heck are the other guys are doing? I fail to see your argument, why is the guy you are screaming about is playing at the same/above level in the playoffs as the regular season. Do you think we would be down a game had the other guys play at the same level of their regular season avgs? As for your defense reference, we scored under 80pts last game. We are not going to win many games scoring fewer than 80pts I don’t care how good our defense is. Thats a typical Woodson statement after every lost. We need to rebound and play defense. Uh, how come we got outrebound? How come we got out scored? Anybody can see what happen doing the course of the game. When will he expand on his analysis. Better yet, what adjustments will he make to resolve these issues? Oh I forgot, he doesn’t make adjustments b/c his original plan should have work and will work for the next game. Yeah right, just insanity…
Lets Go Hawks…
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
2:45 pm
damn 5hours 15mins to go
Sooo lets get this straight...
April 27th, 2009
2:46 pm
We have a Miami Heat fan on the blog who can’t comprehend why a coaching change would be needed when they’ve cycled in what?…3 different coaches within the past 5 years? Are you kidding me? I mean, when you have such a great players thats on a godlike status like Mr. Wade…why would you need a coach at all? In fact why would any of those so-called superstars out there need a coach at all since they are the leaders and what not.
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
2:48 pm
tiger woo its only tough to close out series if you dont know how to close out one, like i said before we have second best closer in the game WADE, who you got again?
doc
April 27th, 2009
2:50 pm
al cool. keep your thoughts coming and i will continue to pray. heh heh
we have already had one screaming the r word assuming very incorrectly that the woody stuff is due to that. i assure you, though i am white and rather pragmatic about woody, there are some folks i have met up close and personal from the blog and otherwise that are not caucasian that have very strong opinions to can him. clyde or myk could help me here for two. for the most part i give it a try and then ignore. again, all is cool. one of the things i like most about the hawks and the atmosphere is its diversity. went to a thrashers game and found it stifling in a way.
doc
April 27th, 2009
2:52 pm
ditto melvin, as an old man i have to save my breath for better things in life. heh heh
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
2:54 pm
its funny when WOODROW BROUGHT YOU BACK FROM NOTHING NO ONE CRY THEN,BUT NOW YOU SEE THIS TEAM AINT AS GOOD. NOW ITS COACH FAULT THE COACH CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH. LAST I CHECKED IT WAS STILL A PLAYERS LEAGUE. I GUESS SINCE MIKE BROWN WON COACH OF THE YEAT THAT WHY EVERYONE HAS PEG THE CAVS THE CHAMPS EVEN THOUGH THE LAKERS BEAT’EM TWICE. ONCE AGAIN WHO WOULD YOU GET TO REPLACE HIM WITH, SOMEONE SAID AVERY JOHNSON.DIDNT HE GET RAN OUT OF DALLAS(BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR B/C NEW COACH WILL BREAK THIS GARBAGE UP AND START OVER)
bali
April 27th, 2009
2:54 pm
was that john shaft in the picture or really sekou smith…………. hmmmmmmmmmmm…………
tiger woo
April 27th, 2009
2:56 pm
Ok WHO DIED ……?
I guess we just gotta wait and see how great of a closer D-Wade is – huh?
I really expect the Hawks to come out with effort and intensity tonight – the Heat will have to earn this one . . .
Reality
April 27th, 2009
2:56 pm
tiger woo, no he can’t. Wade can be “controlled” for 1 maybe 2 games in a series, but once he adjusts and figures the team out….it’s over.
The key for the Hawks is to try to “control” everyone else on the Heat, besides Wade, specifically Jermaine O’neal.
I really don’t think the Hawks are the superior team. More athletic? Sure. Better overall? Nope, and this series is starting to show it.
Horford will be better than Haslem, but right now, I and I believe most coaches would take a proven, gritty champion in Udonis Haslem over Horford any day of the week.
Can’t compare Josh and Jermaine because they play different positions, but right now Josh’s lack of bball IQ and dribbling skills are actually hurting his team. Jermaine is currently playing like he did 3 years ago which makes him better than Josh Smith has ever been.
But it all really comes down to Dwyane Wade and the whole team revolves around him. He sets the offensive and defensive tone. You can argue that his overall impact in the series has been = to Bibby’s, Joe’s, and Smith’s combined. He’s just that good.
Put it this way, Pat Riley would not even listen to a trade offer of Bibby, Joe Johnson, and Josh Smith for Dwyane Wade.
Hawks Insider
April 27th, 2009
2:57 pm
Chill out Guys. Woody will be back next year!
Dan
April 27th, 2009
3:01 pm
WHO DIED…? Props. Your comments on Josh Smith are the first things you have written that I agree with.
Al, I hope you’re right, but I know the Hawks. When their backs are to the wall, they do not respond well. I belive, with every ounce of me, that this will be a rout…for the bad guys.
Reality, f-off for your Joe Johnson comment.
Al
April 27th, 2009
3:04 pm
tiger I expect the same. If the Hawks lose tonight, it’s because a) they gave it all they got and the Heat was the better team or b) they have no heart, and the Heat is the better team… if they win, then we forget everything that happened before tonight and it’s best 2 out of 3.
Saturday the Hawks should have refunded me for half my ticket. They never showed up.
KWUHG
April 27th, 2009
3:04 pm
the only thing worse than the beating the hawks got in game 2 and 3, was the beating the english language took all season from dominque wilkins
Terrell
April 27th, 2009
3:04 pm
People confuse lack of will and determination with a quiet nature. I’m pretty sure if Joe Johnson was yelling at everybody and we were still losing you all would say shut up and play. Him yelling is not what’s going to win this series. I will admit this though it seems like the more you yell the more calls you get. Wade, James, and Bryant all do this and sometimes they get half the contact going to the basket as compared to Joe. If Atl was winning this series everybody would be saying how great a leader Joe Johnson is,and he wouldn’t even have to say a word. Not every leader has to be vocal but every leader has to lead by example and that’s where the problem is.
O'brien
April 27th, 2009
3:05 pm
It looks like Moon will not be playing today, so that’s one less guy to worry about. I hope Marvin is able to give it a go.
JJ is our 3-time allstar, one time team member of the team, and our team captain. If teams are keying on him, then he should be able to pass the ball and help lead us to more open shots. Look at the open shots the Heat is getting when Wade is passing the ball (although we are partly to blame by not closing out). Yes, Josh needs to step up, but JJ has to step up too. Where is the JJ who single handedly carried the Hawks against Boston in the 4th quarter last year? (And Boston was a better defensive team than the Heat). Where is the JJ who was averaging all those assists earlier in the season?
If the Hawks lose this series, Woody has to go. Maybe Sund would be afraid to try and fire him because he saw what happened to BK when he tried to fire Woody. Plus do the Hawks want to pay Woody for another year, and then pay another head coach to come in? Probably not, so I wont be surprised if Woody is back next year, regardless of how the series turns out.
tiger woo
April 27th, 2009
3:06 pm
Reality,
Wade can’t be totally controlled but he can be neurtalized some if the defense focuses on him – something the Hawks haven’t done so far.
Lkie you said, the whole team revolves around Wade – just like Joe is the focus of the Hawks offense. Miami has made the smart adjustment of focusing double teams and traps on Joe Johnson, leaving it up to his teammates to step up.
You try to take the ball out of Wade’s hands and let someone else beat you – also gotta have good defensive rotations – will take a lot of effort though . . .
Terrell
April 27th, 2009
3:09 pm
If we fire Woodson, I promise you the Hawks will not win anything next year, because it takes at least a year or two before players truthfully buy into a system. It’s one thing to hire a guy internally so you keep some familarity, but bring in another coach, and he may not want to keep half our roster and we will be in a situation where we will be rebuilding again.
Thomas Gardener
April 27th, 2009
3:10 pm
With JJ’s recent struggles, I believe I should get the start tonight, whaddaya say to that fellas?
Al
April 27th, 2009
3:11 pm
WHO DIED… I love Beasley but I would trade him for Bosh in a heartbeat. This would make us a contender next year and D-Wade ain’t getting any younger. If Bosh doesn’t sign an extension, we can still go after LeBron.
Which incidentally, if we landed him, would be absolutely sick.
Ariose
April 27th, 2009
3:12 pm
Normally i’m with you sekou, but it’s not Joe’s fault. He can’t Un-double-team himself. He needs help and our offensive scheme just doesn’t do that.
Mike Woodsuck
April 27th, 2009
3:12 pm
(standing in the mirror puttin on his tie…practicing his post game press conference comments)
“we came out with no energy tonight……we came out with no energy tonight”
….ok..got it
(continues on to shine bald head)
O'brien
April 27th, 2009
3:12 pm
Terrell, I disagree. A good leader knows how to be vocal and lead by example. If you’re leading by example, and your team is not following, then you have to be vocal. And even if you’re being vocal, you also must lead by example. I dont think you can have one without the other.
A good leader recognizes what approach works best for his team, and he makes the adjustment. As a leader you cannot stand there and say “I’m leading by example, but the team isnt following”. As a leader, you do whatever it takes to get the best results from your team.
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
3:14 pm
GOTTA GO GET READY FOR LATER, I THINK IM GONNA START OFF WITH POWER NAP FIRST,WAKE UP ABOUT 5, ROLL ME UP ONE,IRON MY BLACK ON BLACK FIT,JUMP IN SHOWER,GET DRESS (ALL BLACK OF COURSE), ROLL UP ONE MO AND HIT THE DOOR. IM GOING,TO TAKE SUNRISE TO 95 SOUTH TO DADE, BUT WHEN I GET TO DADE IM SMOKING ONE MO B/C IM GETTING CLOSER TO AAA AND THATS A NO-NO INSIDE THE AAA. NOW IM PAYING 20$ TO PARK , I GOING IN SMELLING LIKE A POUND(NO SMELL GOOD FOR ME) IM WALKING UP ON BISCAYNE, BREEZE OFF OCEAN FEELS GOOD, LADIES LOOKING GREAT TONITE YOU KNOW BLACK MAKE LADIES THINK THEY SMALLER THAN WHAT THER ARE SO THEY GOT PEP IN THEIR STEP TOO. TICKET TAKER LOOKING AT ME CRAZY B/C HE WANTS WHAT I JUST HAD BUT HE CANT(SKUNK), WALK INTO AAA LOOK LEFT, LOOK RIGHT IN AMAZEMENT AT ALL THE BLACK AND WONDERING OUT LOUD ARE WE SHOOTING A PLIES VIDEO TONITE OR WHAT,UNTIL SOMEONE WALK-UP AND SAY NO HAWKS ARE IN TOWN B/C I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THEM!! to be continued…….
Reality
April 27th, 2009
3:17 pm
I know, but it’s a lot easier said than done. Wade always has the ball in his hands, he brings the ball up a lot, etc. And when the double does come, Wade’s great at immediately finding the open man for an easy bucket.
But I have to agree. At this point, If I were Woodson, I would immediately double Wade as soon as he crosses halfcourt. I will require taking some easy baskets from the supporting cast, but in the end you have to hope that those buckets are not enough to win them the game.
But man it’s tough. I’m glad I don’t have to worry about that!
Dan
April 27th, 2009
3:18 pm
WHO DIED…? Nice. Share your drugs!
JR
April 27th, 2009
3:19 pm
We have two one-on-one players (Johnson and Smith) who can dazzle, but don’t play team ball. We have a point guard (Bibby) who can score, but plays no defense and can’t move the ball to the open man. We have two team players (Horford and Williams) and Williams is not healthy. We have two subs (Flip and Pachulia) who can be good or brutal. We have no one else that Woodson trusts. And we have Woodson who has no plan except “throw the ball out there and go one-on-one playground style. Our athletes can beat your athletes!”
HOW CAN WE EVEN DREAM THAT WE CAN BEAT ANYONE?
Reality
April 27th, 2009
3:20 pm
WHO DIED …..? Hahahaha you crack me up man. That sounds like one helluva afternoon. Where you sitting?
Reality
April 27th, 2009
3:21 pm
Hawks fans, how’s the bud in ATL? Fire?
Melvin
April 27th, 2009
3:23 pm
WHO DIED….? My Gosh, ROTFL….
Al
April 27th, 2009
3:23 pm
WHO DIED. lol at your pregame ritual. I’m definitely going to Game 6 Friday or Game 3 vs Cleveland.
MAC-TOWN
April 27th, 2009
3:23 pm
JR…..Josh Smith is a 1 on 1 player? Josh Smith is a player who thrives in uptempo games catching alleys and gettin dunks on broken plays…or ball hawking an offensive player down for the block
lol@ 1 on 1….he cant take anybody off the dribble..he has no handles…and he cant shoot
if anything….Joe, Marvin, Biibby and Flip are out 1 on 1 players…..maybe Mo
certainly not “J-Smooooooooooooooooooove” though
gusman354aa
April 27th, 2009
3:24 pm
Ok WHO DIED ……?
I guess we just gotta wait and see how great of a closer D-Wade is – huh?
I really expect the Hawks to come out with effort and intensity tonight – the Heat will have to earn this one . .
Tiger who , stop smoking that thing, is bad for your brain.hahahahaha LEST GO HEAT
tiger woo
April 27th, 2009
3:26 pm
Reality,
Wade’s gonna get his 30 – I don’t care what you throw at him – he’s that good and athletic – you just can’t let him score 30 with 9 assists and 8 rebounds.
The problem with Joe Johnson is he’s not athletic and quick enough to just drive down the lane and dunk over the defense, like Wade can.
Dwayne
April 27th, 2009
3:26 pm
fire woodson…and as he is leaving town, he can take Don waddell with him.