Do they have anything left?
Do Joe, Josh and the Hawks have anything left? We're going to find out in a few hours.
HAWKSVILLE - The clock is ticking on this once miraculous season for the Hawks.
How much time remains is hard to tell, could be a couple games or a couple days.
No one knows for sure.
But one question about these Hawks remains.
Do they have anything left?
Fresh off two straight blowout loss in Cleveland, it’s all come down to this one showing, tonight’s Game 3 against Cleveland at Philips Arena.
If the Hawks can dig down and find something that works long enough to hold off the Cavaliers, maybe, just perhaps maybe, they can stretch this series out a few days longer.
We all know there have been far too many injuries to contend with for the Hawks to actually dream about springing an upset.
But there is still time to save a little face and make the NBA, the city of Cleveland and even the Cavaliers sweat a little bit.
Win tonight and waking up Sunday morning in a 2-1 hole gives people hope. Go to bed tonight down 3-0, however, and Monday’s Game 4 becomes 48 minutes of survivor. And with LeBron James smelling blood and the Hawks smelling vacation … well, it could be just enough to shove the Hawks all the way over the playoff cliff.
I took a seat in my barber’s chair a little earlier today and before he could even get started, one of his fellow barbers stopped him so he could ask the question that I’ve been getting non-stop the past 48 hours.
“Them boys gettin’ swept or what man?”
I’ll tell you like I told him, it all comes down to tonight.
The Hawks have been holding on to the aura of their own home court advantage, and all the cosmic energy that comes with it, all season long.
It worked for them in Game 7 against Miami. But that was a series clincher. And they weren’t missing three injured starters (only Marvin Williams sat that one out, Al Horford and Joe Johnson did not).
Johnson, Horford and Williams might play tonight (all three are officially “game-time” decisions) and it still might not be enough to hold off the Cavs. They’re that good. And that focused. And that serious about doing whatever it takes, whenever they have to and wherever they have to in an effort to win a championship.
I loved Wally Szczerbiak’s quote after Game 2 when he was asked about the Cavs’ six, double-digit playoff wins this postseason – “You haven’t seen the hard work we’ve been putting in,” he said, insulted that anyone would dare to think the Cavs are just good enough to show up and blow teams away without doing any dirty work to make it happen. “There’s a lot of work that goes into playing as well as we’re playing. We definitely put the effort in on the practice floor, in the film room and in the weight room. We’ve done it all season long, so we are going to continue to do that and it’s paying off during game time.”
This from the team’s seventh, eighth or ninth man, depending on Mike Brown’s playing rotation on a given night. That’s what winning big is all about, that attitude, that mindset and that kind of sacrifice.
And while this looks like hard work from the Hawks’ perspective, James is smiling at the opportunity to play in “another hostile environment” – if an arena filled with fans wearing his jerseys and gasping at his every move, from the powder toss at the start of the game to his headband toss to the crowd at the end, and everything in between, can be considered hostile.
“We have a 2-0 lead,” James said. “A series is never won in two games or three games. But Game 3 is going to be really fun.”
We shall see shortly.
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845 comments Add your comment
SOS
May 9th, 2009
10:35 pm
Smith sux. What an ego maniac with his stupid jump shots. Chucker!! Get rid of him.
Danny
May 9th, 2009
10:35 pm
Over/Under Hawks points in the 4th…… 4.5
OhPlease
May 9th, 2009
10:37 pm
Yo Le Brown James- you should leave – in order to stay, you must cry about the refs ad naseum…
vava74
May 9th, 2009
10:37 pm
what can you do when you tell your guys to drive to the basket and they end up launching jump shots?
niremetal
May 9th, 2009
10:38 pm
Says a lot. ESPN broadcasts the “timeout mic” of Woodson during the last timeout. Woodson tells everyone “Stop shooting outside jumpers. The refs aren’t gonna bail you out if you shoot from the outside – take it to the rack.” The next three straight possessions, the Hawks shoot (and miss) outside jumpers.
I’ll admit that the players should have listened to Woody then, but here’s the REAL lesson I gleaned from that sequence:
Mike Woodson has lost this team.
D.Carter
May 9th, 2009
10:38 pm
we just continue to let lebron turn the corner on the pick and roll….. TRAP HIS AZZ…..OFFENSE PLEASE RUN A PICK AND ROLL SOMEWHERE…. EVERYONE COMPLAINS ABOUT JOSH SHOOTING JUMPERS BUT WE DONT RUN ANY PLAYS SO JOSH IS ALWAYS AT THE 3PT LINE
OhPlease
May 9th, 2009
10:38 pm
If you look closely, the refs are making shots for the Cavs too. And they get 4 points per field goal.
rabiddawg
May 9th, 2009
10:38 pm
Unwatchable!!!!!
Harry Hawk
May 9th, 2009
10:38 pm
The mistake was telling the guys that they can take the shots if they’re wide open. Josh hears that, goes out there, is left wide open near the arc and says, “Hey! I’m wide open!”
Don't Get Your Hopes Up
May 9th, 2009
10:39 pm
Anyone remembering my first post on this blog? The refs will take over I said. Didn’t they? They even made sure Zaza won’t be able to play next game! LBJ could get hurt! And can anyone please put his.hers hands on those thoughts of of those commentators? Their seat must by VERY wet by know!
Harry Hawk
May 9th, 2009
10:39 pm
niremetal,
The bad thing is that Bibby was the first guy to do it. Josh wasn’t the only one.
RealSquawk
May 9th, 2009
10:39 pm
This is Lebron when he hasnt been pushed and shoved and beaten on all night. If you would like to see how it would look if he was just look at Joe Johnson
niremetal
May 9th, 2009
10:39 pm
And then Joe does go to the hole, gets hacked, and no call. That’s the third time I’ve seen that this game.
craig miller
May 9th, 2009
10:40 pm
Josh Smith is killing us. We will never be any better until we get rid of him. He is a me first player, and holds the team hostage to his own desire to shoot long jumpers from just inside the 3 point line, even though he’s a below average shooter.
bigdave
May 9th, 2009
10:40 pm
WE START TO TRAP DOWN 12 WITH 4 TO GO…
Harry Hawk
May 9th, 2009
10:41 pm
Josh Smith isn’t the reason the Hawks are getting beat to sleep. The Cavs are just a much better team. They have been all year. The Hawks are as inconsistent as hell.
bigdave
May 9th, 2009
10:41 pm
HIT ONE OF EM JOE…
RealSquawk
May 9th, 2009
10:41 pm
emotion from joe?
bigdave
May 9th, 2009
10:42 pm
HOW IS THAT SIDE OUT?
Big Ray
May 9th, 2009
10:42 pm
Tank? What tank?
Melvin
May 9th, 2009
10:43 pm
About time Joe shows some emotion. Maybe somebody should elbow him during every game.
bigdave
May 9th, 2009
10:43 pm
PULL UP JOE..
WHY WOULDNT WOODY BRING THE TRAP… SHYT.. HELP YA MAN OUT COACH
bigdave
May 9th, 2009
10:43 pm
FOULL…????
RealSquawk
May 9th, 2009
10:43 pm
So delonte makes Joe angry and now delonte realizes i am not a match. i am pretty sure lebron just said i sign your paychecks so make my call.
bigdave
May 9th, 2009
10:44 pm
IM BOUT TO BE DONE WITH THE LEAGUE…
U GOTTA BE FAIR… JOE GETS A SIDE OUT OF BOUNDS AND THEY CALL A TOUCH FOUL FOR A MAN THAT WEIGHS 280
niremetal
May 9th, 2009
10:44 pm
The Hawks have actually taken more shots in the paint than the Cavs, but the Cavs have 150% more free throws. Yeah, the refs are really calling this evenly.
niremetal
May 9th, 2009
10:45 pm
*250%
Melvin
May 9th, 2009
10:45 pm
My goosh. it has to be fustrating to defend Lebron. You can’t even look at him hard. I would like to see the refs draw up a defensive play against him. The guy continously drop his should and barrel his way thru the lane like Jim Brown and the refs give him the call…
D.Carter
May 9th, 2009
10:46 pm
IF JOE EVER LEARNS TO DROP HIS SHOUDERS ON HIS DRIVES HE MIGHT GET TO THE LINE AS WELL…… YOU HAVE TO FORCE THOSE OTHER GUYS TO BEAT YOU FOR 48 MINS… I CAN LIVE WITH THEM BEATING ME… I CANT BELIEVE THAT WOODY IS THIS STUBBORN
ground_fog
May 9th, 2009
10:46 pm
I’ve never actually rooted against a city before but screw Cleveland! lol
Big Ray
May 9th, 2009
10:46 pm
Craig Miller,
You are so right. Josh holds the team hostage with that shot, and with his three point attempts. In fact, I heard the whole team hates him for it. Sekou’s gonna do a story on that any day now. Heh….
Niremetal,
Lesson learned. And it starts with the veterans. You’ve got it pegged.
macaroni tony
May 9th, 2009
10:46 pm
it’s only someone could take when you’re been cheated like a bitch
Don't Get Your Hopes Up
May 9th, 2009
10:47 pm
How can anyone honestly explain this is a fair game! How can anyone as a parent explain to their kids that play the game what is going on? Seku, can you give some explanation for my kids. Maybe Mr Stern and King LBJ can put an “educational” video together, because honestly, I don’t understand it anymore! I have the rules open on my other screen. I haven’t seen any good call yet. Seku, can you please get someone explain to me and my children?
bigdave
May 9th, 2009
10:48 pm
CAN WE BRING IN A GUARD WHO CAN FORCE TEMPO?
D.Carter
May 9th, 2009
10:49 pm
WE QUIT
Big Ray
May 9th, 2009
10:50 pm
I don’t think Lebron ever has to worry about getting crabs. There just ain’t room on his jock for that, plus the refs and commentators….
vava74
May 9th, 2009
10:50 pm
Big Ray, seeing some change of opinion?…
Josh Smith will never be a go-to guy. He should concentrate in being a defensive stopper, a rebounder and a shot blocker getting his points with hustle.
He is emotional and wants to win but thinks too highly of his hability instead of doing what Gerald Wallace does: hustle, hustle and drive full force to the basket…
Melvin
May 9th, 2009
10:50 pm
Lebron 16 free throws, Hawks 11.
D.Carter
May 9th, 2009
10:51 pm
THIS IS AS FAR AS WE WILL EVER GO WITH WOODY
RealSquawk
May 9th, 2009
10:52 pm
i do want the hawks to play with more heart but it sure is hard when you aren’t getting foul calls and they are its just hard.
its like trying to be the top student when you know your closest competitor is getting the answer sheet from the teachers
bigdave
May 9th, 2009
10:52 pm
WE NEED A (PG) A (C) AND A COACH… POINT BLANK PERIOD…
craig miller
May 9th, 2009
10:53 pm
You can tell that Bibby wants to kill him. He thinks he’s Dominique, and he might be able to dunk like Dominique, but he’s no Dominique. TRADE HIM!!!!!! He’s the Nuke LaLoosh of basketball. Million Dollar body, ten cent head.
Melvin
May 9th, 2009
10:54 pm
Mo Evans must score the most points during garbage time during any player in the league. And just think, he started the game…
D.Carter
May 9th, 2009
10:54 pm
WE NEED A NEW COACH PLAIN AND SIMPLE….. NO DEFENSIVE ADJUSTMENTS
kirkinga
May 9th, 2009
10:54 pm
I don’t think Lebron ever has to worry about getting crabs. There just ain’t room on his jock for that, plus the refs and commentators….
Somewhere Commissioner Stern is smiling.
Kobe vs. LeBron is our destiny.
Go Hawks!!
macaroni tony
May 9th, 2009
10:54 pm
I’m not going to blame js for this lose, he did help but he is no the blame for this lose
ground_fog
May 9th, 2009
10:54 pm
It’s obvious that either Josh Smith needs to go or Mike Woodson.My vote is Josh Smith but maybe they should both go.
Big Ray
May 9th, 2009
10:55 pm
Well, that was fun. Recreation league officials and all.
I wonder what Rick Sund and Billy Knight talked about this evening?
Melvin
May 9th, 2009
10:55 pm
Craig, how about tell Bibby to play some defense and keep his man out of the lane so our bigs dont get into foul trouble.
craig miller
May 9th, 2009
10:56 pm
LeBron is great, but we should be able to play with these guys. The rest of our team is so much more talented than them.