The NBA playoffs, King James version!
Welcome to LeBron's world Hawks!
HAWKSVILLE - If the Hawks felt like there was some cosmic [Dwyane Wade-fueled] wave of energy trying to keep them from reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals, wait until they get on the floor Tuesday night in Cleveland.
That’s where they’ll get their first taste of the NBA playoffs, King James version.
In short, if they thought Wade was an issue – the so-called one-man team that they couldn’t get past in anything but seven games – wait until they face LeBron James and his crew.
Not only have the Cavaliers rolled to the best record in the league, boast the NBA Coach of the Year in Mike Brown and the league’s probably MVP in James, they’ve also had nine days to rest and load up for the Hawks on their way to what all of the basketball-loving world assumes is a table for two in the NBA Finals with Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers.
I can’t think of a better time to be the Hawks.
No one thinks you have a chance. No one is expecting you to be anything more than a speed bump on the Cav’s road to the NBA Finals.
“We’re the team that wasn’t even supposed to make the playoffs right?” Hawks forward Josh Smith said. “If you let [the media] tell it, we didn’t even belong here. And we were supposed to lose to Miami. And here we are. We just keep showing up where we’re not supposed to be.”
The Cavs have lost twice on their home floor all season, so Tuesday night’s series opener should be interesting. The Hawks should still be in a groove and the Cavs have been off for so long … it should be interesting.
MIKE BIBBY’S BEST SHOT of the entire first round of the playoffs came before halftime of Sunday in Game 7 and it had nothing to do with his 3-point stroke.
Hawks coach Mike Woodson roasted him for passing the ball to Smith in the corner on in the final seconds. As Smith’s 24-footer bounced off the rim with 10.9 seconds left, Woodson jumped Bibby’s case for making the pass.
The surprise was Bibby’s response. He jumped Woodson right back, much to the delight of those of us sitting close enough to hear the entire exchange.
“If you don’t want me to throw to him put him somewhere else,” Bibby shouted. “He’s wide [@*&$%] open. Wide open. What do you want me to do? If you don’t want him shooting that then put him somewhere else. You tell him.”
After getting it back as good as he gave it, Woodson crossed his arms, did a pirouette and smiled at everyone watching as he strolled back toward the Hawks’ bench.
Woodson said later it was the first time Bibby’s “really lit into” him. And that’s why he was smiling about it. He loved seeing that kind of fire and emotion from his veteran point guard.
"NO! Wait a minute coach, let me tell you something!"
It was by far Bibby’s best shot of the night. And his reaction was right on the money in so many different ways. Because it’s clear that Smith has to curb his own enthusiasm for long distance shots (did you see him working in the paint early? The up and under moves, the ball-fake and step back and then lefty kiss off the glass. It was stick stuff. The Heat didn’t know what to do with him). And since he’s struggling in that department, it’s up to Woodson to find ways to help him curb it.
THE HEAT LEARNED A LESSON MANY TEAMS have this season about the Hawks when they play on their home floor. Forget what you thought about them away from Philips Arena, because for whatever reason, once they got on their own floor they’re a totally different team.
“They’re just terrific at home,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra Sunday after the Hawks had finished using his team as a dust mop. “They play with a great deal of confidence and energy here at home. We’ve struggled against them here in this building all year long, but it’s not just us. Everybody has struggled here as well. And it’s because they’ve built a pretty tough home court advantage.”
By Sunday night Spoelstra’s rage about the Hawks trying to embarrass his team a couple games ago had morphed into sincere praise.
“They’re a tough team,” he said of the Hawks. “They’ve really gotten a lot better. We’ve seen them mature over the years. They’re a team similar to us two or three years ago. They’ve developed their young guys, and more importantly they’ve kept the same coaching staff to help develop those players and have a consistent system.”
Wade might have summed it up best, though, after the game when he highlighted the difference between his team and the Hawks.
”They got more than one guy,” Wade said. ‘They’ve got four or five different guys they give the ball to and say, `Go make a play, either for yourself or somebody else.’ That makes it tough to guard.”
YOU WON’T SEE JOE JOHNSON BEATING HIS CHEST or poppin’ his jersey after big plays the way some other NBA stars do. It’s just not his style.
He drained two of the most wicked shots of the entire series Sunday, two 3-point bombs in Wade’s face, and didn’t do anything more than ball up his fists at himself. He glanced over at his family and friends that sit along the front row across from the Hawks’ bench, making sure they understood that whatever was ailing him early on in this series was no longer an issue.
Joe Johnson during a rare celebratory moment ... from another time. He barely cracked a smile in Sunday's Game 7 thumping of the Miami Heat.
The first smile he cracked was with five minutes left, when he headed to the bench to a rousing ovation from the crowd after his 27-point, five-steal explosion.
“I had to wait until it was late in the lock when I pretty much knew it was over,” he said of why he didn’t hop on a scorer’s table or call any attention to himself beyond his monster performance. “We’ve blown big leads before, so I had to make sure. If we win a championship you’ll see a whole lot [of emotion from me]. Other than that, it’s just competing, going out and having fun and trying to win ball games.”
And if you wondered if he felt any relief after finally playing like the All-Star folks around here have become accustomed to seeing, don’t.
“The only relief was that we won,” he said. “I’m putting this Miami series behind me and moving forward to Cleveland. And hopefully, we’ll make it an even better series.”
All THE TOP SEEDS IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE MADE IT TO THE FINAL FOUR. Boston and Orlando are set to scrap on one side of the bracket and the Hawks and Cavs are set to duke it out on the other side of the bracket. That’s actually the way it was supposed to work out.
They basically went wire to wire as the top four teams in the East, with some momentary shifting along the way. Dallas and Houston crashed the Final Four in the Western Conference. Houston won the 4-5 matchup with Portland while Dallas knocked off the depleted Spurs in the 3-6.
There’s something to be said for the Hawks making sure things held form in the East, though. It validates their 47-win season and legitimizes all the talking they’ve done the last six months about being one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Knock ‘em all you want, but they said they were headed to this point and here they are.
And they’ve yet to play their best. When you consider the injuries to both Al Horford and Marvin Williams and the fact that neither guy has played up to his own standard this postseason, the Hawks actually have quite a bit of room to improve upon their performance against the Heat.
And both Horford and Williams will return to action in this series. Williams could play a huge role, if healthy enough, defensively. Because the Hawks are going to need an active defender with the size, agility and athleticism to at least keep James occupied for long stretches.
Williams worked well against James during the regular season matchups (the Cavs took the season series 3-1 but the Hawks actually had one of those wins snatched from their grasp on a questionable late foul call) and again, if healthy enough, could potentially do similar work now.
Time will tell.
But admit it, you like talking Hawks this late in the season don’t you?
I know I do.
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657 comments Add your comment
bigdave
May 4th, 2009
6:27 pm
KP im 23 so Doc is a little before my time.. i only caught the Nique’, Long, Koncak, Ferrell; Ehlo; Plastic Man rookie year probably was my earliest.. so.. hey.. ill take your word for it…
calico cat
May 4th, 2009
6:29 pm
mykhalc,
Why are you always hatin’ on Woody? Give the man a little credit, will ya?
Samuel
May 4th, 2009
6:43 pm
Why are we still discussing Woody’s abilities as a coach? I don’t get it. I guess it makes for good ratings. I aint mad at cha.
That little half time spat between Woody and Bibby was nothing. Woody laughed it off because Mike Bibby is a leader and one of the smartest PGs ever. Guy will be a heck of a coach one day. Say what you want about his defensive liabilities. All I know is the guy is a flat out winner.
I was glad to see JJ find his stroke back. I think Woody needs to play him more at the point, out front, so teams can’t double him as much. Let Bibby play off the ball some and knock down the “J”.
Josh really impressed me to with the low post moves. I’ve been saying forever that his natural position is the 4 spot. When he operates down there, there’s not a 4 in the league who can stop him.
We really need to steal this first one in Cleveland. I really like our chances. We’ve shown that we can match up with them and we are on a high right now. The timing is right.
When we beat these guys, maybe Woody will get his just due.
Woody=COY
doc
May 4th, 2009
6:44 pm
mark bradley said:
On CBSsports.com, Ken Berger made a comparison I must admit had escaped me (and, truth to tell, escapes me still): Josh Smith is a lot like Ron Artest. And the next time J-Smoove incites a riot, Berger will be able to say, “See what I meant?” Until then, I’d say Josh is more a young Dominique Wilkins — can’t shoot as well but defends better. (Sorry, ‘Nique.)
exactly what i have said in the past. josh is so refreshing to hear on his takes about games, his coach and himself. he never takes the chicken sh!t way even on the court. yup his numbers have faded even though they were awful before the playoffs from 25% to 15%, just the same jj’s dwindled a bit before the last miami games. both seem to think they have to shoot their way out of it like all good shooters do. heh heh, even ray allen ha that problem last year. dont squelch the boy folks, give him some room to grow. id even compare him to david justice in a different game a guy who doesnt fall back from the lime light.
mykhalc
May 4th, 2009
6:45 pm
calico cat, i did…yesterday…2 drawn up plays in ONE GAME!!! almost killed me!!! started chokin’, coughin’, gaggin’, eyes bulgin’!!! like i siad, almost killed me!! LOL the man CANNOT coach…PERIOD!!!
Tree Rollins
May 4th, 2009
6:46 pm
My biggest issues with the posts on this blog……hawks in a great position 0-0 in second round of the playoffs with what i consider to be lots of momentum after a good looking game 7, yet 90% of the post are “fans” complaining about this and that. Posts only pointing out the negatives on Josh Smith picking at him for not being perfect….have you all not realized how valuable he was to this team in the playoffs. Yes I am aware he is not going to be invited to next years 3 point contest, but the guy has given us some great contributions and has played very well. Lastly I would love to see a post from EAST ATLANTA HAWKS FAN that didnt bring up Mike Woodson. Yes Woodson has a lot of haters, but no one is talking bout that right now and things are looking good. Please give it a rest and be a hawks fan and talk about basketball and the series. Like they say the best way to silence critics is to go out there and do your thing and right now the hawks are right where they need to be so let Woodson silence his own critics and stop acting like his over protective mother (which i do believe you are in some way related to that man, bc you talk about him waaaaaaaayyyyy too much) i believe the term is “man crush.” Since this is supposed to be a blog of hawks fans, lets stop bashing our own team and recognize how great of a season we have going.
Tree Rollins
May 4th, 2009
6:50 pm
My post is mainly directed in response to mainly the first page of posts…..you haters know who you are. And EAST ATLANTA HAWKS FAN since i specifically pin pointed you, you should comprehend that my comments were directed at you. And before you respond by randomly calling me racist, I am black….so im not racist im just logical and a bit of an optimist.
Hawksgirl
May 4th, 2009
6:53 pm
Tree rollins ou are right. Cant say anything more than applaud you.
drmaryb
May 4th, 2009
7:00 pm
MUMS…the word! SHHHHhhhhh! don’t say nothing! I am praying to the BasketBall gods for a surprise dark-horse to come out of the “A” and SHOCK – THE – WORLD!
Do you REAL hawks fans …feel me?
calico cat
May 4th, 2009
7:10 pm
mykhalc,
Woody has led the Hawks to 47 wins and a berth in the second round – you may not like his style but you can’t dispute the results.
mykhalc
May 4th, 2009
7:19 pm
calico ca, you and i view his ‘leadership’ VERY differently, no doubt!
KP
May 4th, 2009
7:30 pm
Dave: Doc knew how to run an offense and had command of his team every night! Was also responsible for reeling in Nique on nights when his outside shot was not falling (sound familiar?) Its no fluke that he is as great of a coach that he is.
Astro Joe
May 4th, 2009
7:33 pm
Al, thanks for stopping by. Real big and cool of you. Take care and make sure that you’re careful with those Cuban poke-sammiches.
J-MAN
May 4th, 2009
7:33 pm
Why can Michael Wilbon show the Hawks and the city of Atlanta complete disrespect. He needs to take a seat back from kissing his BOI D-Wade A$$ and acknoledge the effort and improvement the Hawks have shown and it will be funny when his “Chosen One” Lebron heads to Atlanta for a critical Game 6. Granted it will probably be a month from now with all the off days but it will still be sweet. Just wish you would show some love Wilbon.
KP
May 4th, 2009
7:38 pm
I hear you Tree! Cmon Hawks lets go shock the world!!
calico cat
May 4th, 2009
7:40 pm
I hear you mykhalc – but the bottom line is the Hawks are in the midst of their most successful year in recent memory – and Woody deserves credit as do the players and the rest of the coaching staff – you may think Woody is horrible, but the bottom line says otherwise.
Samuel
May 4th, 2009
7:45 pm
Joe,
I just caught your 1:16 post. I couldn’t agree more. I listen to 680 a lot on the way home. That and NPR. I get so sick of UGA, Falcons and them sorry as_ Braves. like they got some kind of dynasties.
You get a 15 minute obligatory Hawks spot which usually ends up “Woody on Trial” like every where else. I like Buck Belue but that other “pipsqueek” John Kincaid is a smart alic bigot. But I guess that’s what they like. It’s probably the number one talk show. That and Shawn Hannity.
The key to this series is if Josh can stay out of foul trouble. If he can, we will make it a series.
I would match up like this:
Horford on Ilgauskas. Hopefully he (Ilg) will shoot a lot from the outside. That way it will neutralize his size some. I wouldn’t hesitate to bring in ZaZa early and also Solo.
Josh on Varejao to start. I do that so that Josh doesn’t pick up early fouls. He can also help out on LeBron because varejo is not that much of a scoring threat.
Evans or Marvin on LeBron. Hopefully Marvin will be back and close to 100%. We really need him because of his size. Evans can hold him until he starts posting up. I would also put Josh and JJ on him some.
JJ on Mo Williams. Even if LeBron goes off. We must contain Mo Williams. JJ can do that along with Evans and Flip.
Bibby on West. West is slow so Bibby should be able to handle him.
If Acie can help. Give him 10 or so minutes.
I really like our chances. I think the series will go at least 6 games possibly 7 but who knows. Anyway, our season is already a success. Everything else is “gravy”.
Woody=COY
Blast
May 4th, 2009
7:46 pm
Didn’t know Barry was gonna get so much flack for dissing the Hawks when I brought it up. Nice to see Hawksfans representing!
How complete would Josh Smith be if he improved on his post play, and find a mid range jumper? Wasn’t it beautiful seeing him knock down free throws in game 7? He improved his free throw % in the playoffs.
We’all need to remember. Cleveland is an awfully good team. They didn’t have the best record in the league for nothing. They have the MVP. Hawks gonna have their hands full home and away. Yeah, Mo Williams is an x factor. He worries me more than Lebron, because we all know what to expect from James. Hawks have to play complete games to make the series interesting. I think this will be a more fun and competitive game than the Heat series.
Capt Caveman
May 4th, 2009
7:47 pm
YO KP
Nice list, since you knew Fast Eddie then you remember that his cousin Tree Rollins lived off Old National Hwy in Camelot back in the day. I attended the church next door and we would run full court in our back parking lot on Sundays and Wednesdays.
On 2 rare occasions we had Tree,Eddie,’Nique, and his brother Gerald slide thru the fence and come up to shoot around on our court, Mostly b/c the rim on their property kept gettin broke and we had the metal rim and backboards you could do chinups on without breaking.
Those were some really cool guys and as fans it was a blast getting to “run and gun” with them. Eddie was a lot faster in person than on TV and I did have the pleasure of getting “DUNKED” on by both ‘Nique and Gerald. Believe it or not Gerald looked like Jordan on a lot of his dunks but ‘Nique jumped clear over my head so I had to give him the “dunk of the day” award. LOL
AAAHHHH YEAH — GOOD TIMES !!!
calico cat
May 4th, 2009
7:49 pm
mykhalc,
All coaches have different styles and methods regarding play calling, bench utilization, etc. Is there one “correct” way to coach? No.
What is the most universal and consistent criteria for measuring a coach’s success? Wins and losses !! Success in the playoffs !!
So far, Woody has done a great job getting the Hawks to advance in the playoffs !!
KP
May 4th, 2009
7:54 pm
Yo Capt Caveman….you taking me back to Camelot. I remember that court! I could never get in on any of those runs though – - LOL. Used to work on my skills at Burdette gym with Outlaw and Will Jones (Caldwell Jones bro from the Dr J Sixers) Started playing on that court when I was 10 years old
Cav's fan since '70
May 4th, 2009
7:55 pm
MVP23, Westurd
Why does it have to turn into a hate-fest?
Hawksgirl “He has no ring and not much nba playoff experience just like us.”
Over the last 4 seasons, including this one, the Cavs have a 26-18 playoff record.
bigdave
May 4th, 2009
7:55 pm
hey KP give me a modern day player who’s game reminds you of doc….
Billups…? just a guess, but like i said, never seen him…
mykhalc
May 4th, 2009
7:57 pm
i’ve been on this blog since the beginnin’…5 yrs back so i won’t bore you with a recap of why i am where i am regardin’ WOODSON. cliffnotes version for the sake of time and typin’…HAWKS win IN SPITE of WOODSON not because of him.
bigdave
May 4th, 2009
8:02 pm
Eddie Johnson stayed in Camelot off Old Natty… wow… thats exclusive material… got an Atlanta Hawk history course taking place right here on our off day..
real shyt Al for showing up…
Cav's fan since '70
May 4th, 2009
8:02 pm
Samuel,
There are two things about your matchups that don’t make sense.
The Cavs want Z on the outside, because he’s one of our best shooters,
and it opens the lane for Lebron, not to mention, Z’s inside game is not
what it used to be. And West isn’t as slow as you seem to think. He is
very good at getting to the basket, and I think he would be able to beat Bibby.
calico cat
May 4th, 2009
8:05 pm
Oh – I get it now, mykhalc,
When the Hawks lose, it’s Woody’s fault – when they win, it’s in spite of Woody.
Just like Woody needed to be held accountable in the “lean” years, it’s only fair to give him credit when they win – unless you just plain dislike him – then nothing he does will make a difference.
KP
May 4th, 2009
8:15 pm
Big D: EJ actually had a house on Pleasant Hill Road.
Billups is a good comparison to Doc when it comes to on court leadership and running an offense…..Billups has a better outside shot than Doc and takes more shots. The game was a bit different then….PG’s did not do a lot of the scoring back then. There was a guy Sidney Moncrief that played for Milwaukee who was a big scorer.
Happy to share some knowledge!
Samuel
May 4th, 2009
8:23 pm
Cav’s van,
yea, the big man can shoot but I like the percentages. You know me. We should clog the lanes on LeBron and make him hit the jumper.
There are no easy matchups here, yall are good, real good. I’m just hoping we can stay in the same arena with yall. You know, carry Labron’s jock or get an autograph.
mykhalc
May 4th, 2009
8:24 pm
like i said, i won’t bore ya with 5 yrs of reasonin’. try to stay clear…don’t assume ;o)
The Hawksta
May 4th, 2009
8:41 pm
Camelot damn fellas! Ya’ll was it the big leagues! I was in Bisqayne at that time. I remember talking to Nique one time when he came back from overseas and was playing in San Antonio, I reminded him about those Camelot days. He gave me a strange look like I was an alien or something!
The Hawksta
May 4th, 2009
8:44 pm
**KP and Caveman** I remember all the pros use to play at Burdett Gym in those days. Didn’t a semi pro team play there also. I remember Nique riding down Old Nat in a white Mercedes back in the day! Back during the Lakeshore MD rivalry!(lol)!
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
May 4th, 2009
8:53 pm
KP
I agree with you that Doc keeps the number 1 spot. But Mookie should be #2 because he lead The Hawks to the #1 seed in the eastern conference in 1994 (the year they traded Nique believe) and Bibby should take #3. I didn’t know Pistol Pete played point guard. I heard his teams were real high-scoring circus acts.
Mike is back
May 4th, 2009
9:05 pm
KP, if you cut Drew’s grass … than you know about Tucson Park…I worked there over the summer back in those days.
BLAST, of course they are a very good…of course it want be easy at home and away…why should it be…THAT’S WHY THEY GOT THE BEST RECORD IN THE LEAGUE…every team has had to go through this same process…the Hawks are no different.
There are no short cuts to the top…u got to earn it. The further they advance in the playoff…the more they grow as a team. Where was the top three teams in the East a couple of years ago. This is a great opportunity for a very young team…U GOTTA LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LET THESE GUYS GO THROUGH THEIR MATURATION PROCESS…THEY ARE JUST GETTING STARTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Blast
May 4th, 2009
9:06 pm
I’m picking Orlando over Boston in the semis.
Blast
May 4th, 2009
9:11 pm
So right, Mike Is Back. It is a maturation process. Just loving every second of it. Before our own eyes, Hawks growing as a team.
Astro Joe
May 4th, 2009
9:13 pm
bigdave, Doc Rivers had similar athleticism to Antonio Daniels. He was an above average one-legged leaper (thus the nickname from Doctor J). His scrappiness and all out hustle was like Jarrett Jack (and leadership too). Very shaky jump shot but he was all about effort and energy. His handle was okay, not great. I always thought that he was a small SG more than a big PG. He’s probably a legit 6′4″. Again, kind of like Antonio Daniels.
Mike is back
May 4th, 2009
9:22 pm
BLAST, it’s a daunting task…the HAWKS WILL NEED EVERY HAWKS FAN ON THE PLANET URGING THEM ON…AND THEN SOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LOL
Blast
May 4th, 2009
9:24 pm
Didn’t catch the start of the Magic vs Celtics game but saw the half time show. Did the TNT crew even mention the Hawks/Heat series?
Capt Caveman
May 4th, 2009
9:27 pm
Yeah , Burdett Gym was a baller’s court. Come strong or don’t come at all!! And don’t be trying to take no charge in the lane, you gonna wind up with a FOOT in your CHEST!!!
As a 6′1″ white guy that could dunk I enjoyed the competition, too bad nowadays we don’t have any places like that. Kids today don’t know what they are missing.
LeBronCavsFan
May 4th, 2009
9:28 pm
Hey all,
I’m from Cleveland and I’m honestly scared to play you guys. You present all sorts of matchup troubles and I fear you’ll beat us in this series if we don’t take you seriously. Best of luck
Rick Sund
May 4th, 2009
9:29 pm
Dear Hawks Fans,
Just want you to know we will be conceding this series to Cleveland. We have ALREADY achieved our goal of “making the playoffs with a winning record” so there is no point in competing in this series!
Volman
May 4th, 2009
9:30 pm
I like men
EAST ATLANTA HAWKS FAN
May 4th, 2009
9:30 pm
DAMN YOU RACISTS.
I AM LEAVING THIS PLACE AS I AM AN IGNORANT RACIST WHO IS COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS TO EVERYTHING
CLEVELAND SPOKESMAN
May 4th, 2009
9:40 pm
WE CONCEDE THAT CLEVELAND IS A LAME CITY WITH NO EXCITEMENT. IT IS TYPICALLY 20 DEGREES ON A JULY DAY, NO BEACHES, NO MAJOR ATTRACTIONS. ALL WE HAVE TO BOAST IS OVERRATED LEBRON JAMES WHO HAS NO JUMPSHOT AND IS A PUTRID MAN-TO-MAN DEFENDER. HIS CRAB DRIBBLE IS AN F’ING JOKE
Mike is back
May 4th, 2009
9:47 pm
Don’t expect highlights of the HAWKS…I have watch everything up to now…nothing yet …apparently TNT and ESPN had already pencil in DWADE IN THE SECOND ROUND…no way!!!!! Heh heh
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2009
9:55 pm
A big misconception a lot of you seem to have is that this year’s Cavs are worse than last year’s Celtics. I don’t think that’s true at all. The Cavs’ best player is definitely better than those Celtics’ best player, and although the Cavs’ starting lineup may not have accomplished as much as individuals they fit together just as well as a team. My personal opinion is that these Cavs are slightly better defensively and close to as good offensively as last year’s Celtics.
Cavs in 6 is a fair prediction, taking into account how good the Cavs are as well as how much the Hawks have improved. Marvin’s health will be big in this series because he is probably the Hawks’ best matchup on LeBron James as far as body type is concerned. I think the Hawks should continue the “no double team/switch on picks” philosophy they had against the Heat, because at any given time the Cavs will have two or three players on the floor with range to the 3 point line (Williams, West, and Ilgauskas from the starting lineup, as well as Boobie Gibson off the bench). LeBron is a better passer than Wade and will find these shooters easily if the Hawks double team. Letting the superstar get his while clamping down on the supporting cast has been a working philosophy for the Hawks defensively, and I don’t see any reason to change that now.
Ultimately I think the Cavs’ big man depth will allow them to play much more aggressively inside than the Heat did. This, to me, is what really separates the Cavs from the Heat — their length, size, and depth inside is far superior to Miami and the Hawks will have a hard time controlling the boards in any game in the series, which will put a lot of pressure on the Hawks’ outside shooters to make shots. Bibby, Joe, and Flip are definitely good enough to carry the Hawks offensively to a couple of wins in this series, especially at home, but they haven’t yet proven they can do this on the road, and especially not in the most hostile road environment in the entire league.
All that said, I’m looking for the Hawks to play some competitive road games in this series as the next step of their growth process. Even if they don’t actually win any of them, they need to make the Cavs fight for every game. And if the Hawks can accelerate that process and actually win a game or two in Cleveland, it obviously changes the outlook of the entire series — because as they proved this year, they can play the Cavs tough in Philips Arena.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2009
10:00 pm
I know it will never happen, but if Philips Arena played this video during the series it would be incredible…
kwooden1
May 4th, 2009
10:12 pm
We all know how good Cleveland is and the match-up problems they present. Bibby has been playing pretty good defense this passed series but he’s going to have problems with West. Also, Z basically can get his shot whenever he wants. Lebron is Lebron, and like many have already said Mo Williams has made all the difference in their impressive season. The HAWKS have the advantage in terms of front court speed and back court skill.
I’m certain the Cavs are going to double JJ all the time because they don’t want Mo to have to deal with him alone. This is where Marvin is needed the most because he keeps the Cavs from switching Lebron on JJ or doubling JJ as much. We need Marvin for his defense on Lebron, but also his aggressiveness on offense. The Cavs typically play a slow game, so that can keep the HAWKS in the game by itself. I think the most important thing is to play tough and win the battle of the boards. (JSmoove this is on you!!)
To be the MAN you’ve got to BEAT THE MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
GO HAWKS!!!
The Hawksta
May 4th, 2009
10:27 pm
Orlando plays like they are a video game. Didn’t Philly come back on their butz last series when they had a big lead?