Whaddya know?
Greetings, all-
Hope you are well. As things sometimes go in my life, I was just about to post a new blog but I was messing around with it and it all disappeared. That’s how I roll. So this will probably be not quite as in-depth. Trust me, it was awesome. (I am being cynical.)
Anyway, I’ll give you some links and invite you to join in a contest.
Links
1) Sekou has started at nba.com and has his blog up.
2) nba.com’s new power rankings are up. The Hawks are in the top slot. For some of you guys who’ve been around, that must qualify as mind-boggling.
3) nba.com’s David Aldridge caught up with Billy Knight. Knight looks back on the Marvin Williams over Chris Paul draft – “Sure, if you had taken one of those guys, there could have been a whole domino effect of things that happened. But that’s not what happened.” – and gives his take on the Joe Johnson trade.
4) Interesting story in the Oregonian about Brandon Roy and Joe Johnson. (One matchup to watch, obviously. Another is Greg Oden-Al Horford. Somewhat interestingly, the last time the two faced off in Atlanta was in the 2007 NCAA championship at the Georgia Dome, a game I happened to cover.)
The contest
I’m guessing most of you didn’t see the Hawks’ 8-2 start coming. So that got me thinking, what happens over the next 10 games? Here are the rules. Guess the team’s record over the next 10 (10 points), predict each game (one point each) and offer a prediction on something that happens over that span (1-10 points, to be judged by me on creativity and probability of occurence. For example, “Joe Johnson will lead the team in scoring at least once” is a 1. “Jeff Teague will average a triple-double” is a 10. Actually, if you make that prediction and it comes to pass, you’ll win the contest outright and Rick Sund may come calling for you.)
I reserve the right to decide that only entrants who pick the record accurate can win, depending on how busy/not excited about tabulating scores I am. Not sure what the prize will be, but I’ll try to come up with something good.
(Entering multiple times under different screen names is not cool and not sporting.)
Deadline is tipoff of tonight’s game.
Good luck to ya.
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497 comments Add your comment
darrell starks
November 17th, 2009
9:34 am
DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE WINS, the hawks played great but no one was at the game last night we have 2 do better come on atl.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
November 17th, 2009
9:37 am
Marvin is not playing well at all but as long as he play solid defense and box out and rebound im ok.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
November 17th, 2009
9:38 am
Ken bibby defense have step up thats great 2 see.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
November 17th, 2009
9:44 am
Is just me or what josh smith is only 23 but he look like a man playing against boys last night he was a beast on the bords.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!
Dekaturkingz
November 17th, 2009
9:50 am
I Predict Josh & Al Will Both Have 20 pt. 20 reb. Games In The Next 10 Games. Mark It Down Ken.
GeeMack
November 17th, 2009
10:07 am
I must say I was one of those that thought the Hawks were closer to Washington Chicago & Miami, than challenging 1 of the big 3 for 1 of those top three spots in the east.
I must say I have been very impressed with the way we have played this season. I think the players are finally playing the way Woody has been wanting them to play the last few seasons.
For all the Hawks fans that would like to see antother coach. This is Woody brand of basketball. Anything outside of what you see is the players going AWOL to establish their personal professional agenda.
Give Woody an extention. Go Hawks!
Mike is back
November 17th, 2009
10:25 am
Samuel, u ai n’t right dishing like that bro. As long as this team continues to play defense yo boy will get his contract…come back in 40 games when we are half through the season and quit your sobbing. lol
In order to sustain this level of play…you will need your bench…even Collins. Everybody is going to have off nights over the course of the season…that where things have change…now we have better talent coming off the bench…guys like JJ, Bibby, Smoove, and Al are the big benefactors in this scenario. I hope cats don’t over look that.
ANOTHER SPECTACULAR WIN BY THE HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO HWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ken Strickland
November 17th, 2009
10:27 am
I’d like to see Woodson eventually add 2 or 3 plays designed to take advantage of the double teams on JJ. Hubie Brown mentioned how our OFF doesn’t send cutters to the basket to give him an outlet. So far, he’s had to make cross court passes to either Crawford, Marvin or Bibby. Teams now know that JJ has become much more aggressive offensively, and is attacking the basket more.
Like we saw in last nights gm, they doubled him during crunch time and he ended up throwing 2 or 3 high and/or out of bounds. He shouldn’t have to dribble through or out of double teams, like he did last night, to make plays. Several of his turnovers were the result of him trying to dribble out of or around double teams. Fortunately, after splitting that last double team and momentarily losing control of the ball, he recovered and found Smoove wide open under the basket.
We need to have a way of creating that same type of situation, that places someone open near the basket, without JJ having to make such high risk maneuvers or passes. Portland got way too many fastbreak opportunities and baskets from errant passes that were attempted out of double teams. That’s a major flaw in our OFF that needs to be addressed.
since the Boston gm we’ve seen our frontline players play with the energy, awareness and aggressiveness that AHorford has displayed since becoming a Hawk. As a result, the 2 players that have been labeled UNDERSIZED and/or PLAYING OUT OF POSITION, JSmith and AHorford, have quietly started to dominate their respective positions on OFF and DEF. In the 2nd half, these 2 took control of the paint and forced Portland to become a jumpshooting team, which is why they had trouble scoring.
Former GM Billy Knight is now seeing the team he basically put together play the way he envisioned, AND I LOVE THIS TEAM!!!!!!
Dos Hawkquis
November 17th, 2009
10:32 am
KEN, ‘POOP, BIG RAY, NIRE, KEN SEGURA ET AL,
Can you guys think of any other team who runs the “SWITCH” defense? Has anyone ever won a championship with it? Why does Woody use this? Is there any evidence out there, other than the Hawks record, that this strategy works?
It creates horrible mismatches. There was one game where Zaza ended up on a guard. You know what the results were…the guard drove to the lane and scored and got fouled.
“I don’t always watch basketball, but when I do, I prefer the Hawks. Stay thirsty my friends.”
ILL-logical
November 17th, 2009
10:46 am
Mr. Sund has highly motivated Woodson: a) Teaque is getting minutes that there is no way in Hades he would have gotten after the acie loss of confidence issueb) iso Joe is no longer the only game in town and c)he and Josh have achieved a detente that has been mutually wording not to mention made the team better.
Now , have said that , the key is no longer IF Woodson will be resigned(and eventually fired-hey it’s the nature of the beast) but when.
Ken Strickland
November 17th, 2009
10:56 am
GEEMACK-If you’re referring to our current uptempo style of play, I wouldn’t say this is Woodson’s brand of basketball because we would have played it a lot sooner. However, I’d say he did adopt it this yr and will make it his brand from now on.
One more thing. While everyone is coming forth and admitting they were mistaken concerning certain assumptions about the Hawks, well not everyone, since there are obviously certain ones who can’t bring themselves to do so, let me say I was wrong about Teague being ready to start. While I won’t concede I was wrong about what he brings to the table defensively over Bibby, he’s not quite ready to run the show offensively. Also, Bibby’s commitment to become more of a facilitator rather than a scorer has certainly expanded the OFF and made a big difference.
Since we’ve relied less on the constantly switching DEF the last 2 gms, our overall DEF has definitely improved. Even though Bibby hasn’t become a better DEF player, having him play straight up DEF on his man has allowed everyone else to play better defensively, which has lessened the impact of his DEF liabilities. He’s proven to be a better DEF player against other PG than the PF’s and centers he was forced to defend when we were constantly switching.
JSS
November 17th, 2009
11:22 am
Dos…
Red Holtzman switched on picks… Heinson’s mid 70’s Celtics teams switched. I know Attles Golden State championship team switched… Larry Brown has always switched, used to drive me crazy when was in the college game. When the hand check went away, the hard switch kinda fell out of favor… People started shading their defense especially teams with great defenders and shot blockers, especially when the super scorers like Bird, Erving, Gervin, English, Wilkins, and Jordan started running isolations or two man games. Coaches just their best defenders on them exclusively, it didn’t help much… Remember how the C’s used to run Carr and McHale at Nique all the time?
Clyde
November 17th, 2009
11:47 am
This blog keeps going in circles. When the Hawks went 6-0 last year people were all excited like they are this year. Samuel started that COY crap and yall thought we had a good team. Then when the playoffs came along and we got swept by the Cavs everyone was on the negative stuff.
Well not me. Its Fire Woody all year round for me. Its been this way for 5 years and it ain’t gonna stop just because the Hawks are playing well in November. Real contenders catch fire in March and April.
Remember folks we are early in the season. Don’t get your hopes up too high too soon.
Roll Tide
jean ny
November 17th, 2009
12:24 pm
crawford should never come out of the game in the 4th quarter for that bum marvin…crawford is a top 10 clutch player in nba…..he cant b pulled because he is haveing a bad shootin game……he hit 15 game winners in 3 years check the resume……thats alil bit of a slap in the face guy hit big shots in every big road win …so when he finally has a bad shootin night u dont stay with him
Sautee
November 17th, 2009
12:56 pm
jean ny,
I was watching the huddle in the 4th quarter on a 20 sec. timeout. Woody told Craw that he was putting Marvin in. Craw turned to Marvin and gave him 5. He’s being a good teammate here so far, and even said that he’d rather come off the bench. If Crawford could defend better he’d play major minutes. And if he had been 6-9 instead of 2-9, Woody would likely have had him in there. I saw it as a situational substitution – Craw on offense, Marvin on defense.
Sautee
November 17th, 2009
12:59 pm
“Remember folks we are early in the season. Don’t get your hopes up too high too soon. ”
Words of wisdom from one who has been here longer than almost anybody else.
Good call, Clyde.
Big Ump
November 17th, 2009
1:02 pm
Gee Mack I agree that the Hawks is playing Woody type of ball. There was a lot or reason that he couldn’t play this type in the past. You got to be able to be aggresive on the boards which they are this year,
You have JC this year on the squad which took a lot of pressuer off JJ. Last yer if we played that kind of ball and JJ had to play 40 plus minutes a game we wouldn’t have won as many games as we did. Bibby became more as a faciliator this year because we added another great shooter to the squad. This also open up the floor for JS and Al to get more touches which made Bibby not have to shoot as much. The Hawks have a lot more balance this year then the previous years.
Today’s Celtics Links 11/17 « Flceltsfan’s Weblog
November 17th, 2009
1:54 pm
[...] guard Watson tests positive for swine flu Athlon Sports NBA Power Rankings AJC Whaddya know? NBA.com Hawks have a chance to morph from nuisance into threat Beacon Blog Beacon [...]
Mz. Hawkdafied
November 17th, 2009
2:10 pm
HUGE win for our wacky ATL Hawks! Still undefeated at home and on a winning streak! Just when it seemed the Hawks were about to be handed their first loss at home, amazing happened. Amazing happened last night at the Highlight Factory. The crowd was small at the arena last night but so loud you couldn’t really tell if you had your eyes closed.
Coach Woodson and staff, the ATL Hawks players are really unified and focused, I’m loving it! Hawks are like a box of chocolates you never know what you’re gonna get.
Ken Strickland
November 17th, 2009
2:34 pm
CLYDE & SAUTEE-your points are well taken. However, this yrs team is different from previous teams. We have far more maturity, deepth, talent and confidence than in past yrs. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about. Last yr, we started the season with 6 consecutive wins and were playing uptempo basketball, just like this yr, going into our showdown with the much anticipated rematch with Boston. After losing to Boston on a last sec shot by PPierce, we fell apart. We stopped playing uptempo, playing solid DEF, overplayed our starters, underplayed our bench and promptly lost the next 4gms. For the remainder of the season we went on a series of winning and losing streaks, which included a 7 and another 6gm winning streak.
This yr, when we were beaten by the Lakers on the road, we didn’t fold. When we were embarrassed by the Bobcats, we rebounded the next night with a resounding defeat of Denver. And when the time came for our much anticipated gm against the Celtics, in Boston, we responded by whipping their butts, and there hasn’t been a letdown of any kind. You know that wouldn’t have been the case with last yrs team, and wasn’t.
Woodson has made the team focus on keeping the team playing uptempo fastbreaking, attacking the basket basketball even when they lose badly. That wasn’t the case last yr and in previous yrs. Just as important, there are no longer any personal issues going on between player(s)and HC, which definitely had a negative impact on the player(s), HC, and the overall team.
There comes a time when the issues and performances of teams and players of the past no longer impact the team and players of the present, AND THAT TIME HAS ARRIVED. Look, Bibby is playing differently than in the past and so are JJ, Horford and Smoove. If the core of our players are playing differently and on the positive side, doesn’t it stand to reason the team would also play differently and on the positive side?
Bailout Coaching!
November 17th, 2009
2:55 pm
Go Hawks! Good quality win…
But I’m glad HC MW didn’t get a chance to ruin BRoy, CP3, Rondo, etc. HC MW is a poor developer of PGs!
jean ny
November 17th, 2009
2:57 pm
i was happy when craw was getting 34 min a game thats good enough lately he been down to like 27 not to happy bout that teague is scrub at this point he should not see the floor unless up or down 20
cdog
November 17th, 2009
3:04 pm
KEN, I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE HAWKS. I BELIEVE THEY WILL FINISH NO. 1 IN THE EAST THIS YEAR. THEY WILL DOMINATE MIAMI AND HOUSTON COMING UP NEXT BUT I WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING ABOUT THE NBA I THINK THE NBA IS PART OF THE PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH OUR YOUTH TODAY.YOU HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT WAS NOT SUSPENDED THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THATS ALLEN IVERSON AND FORMER HAWK, STEPHEN JACKSON. BOTH ARE SENDING WRONG MESSAGES TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.IVERSON AND JACKSON SIMPLY REFUSED TO PLAY FOR THEIR TEAMS BECAUSE OF DISSATISFATIONS PERSONALLY WITH MEMPHIS AND GOLDEN STATE. BOTH SHOULD BE SUSPENDED FOR THEIR ACTIONS AT 15-20 GAMES FOR THEIR CONDUCT AND FAILURE TO LIVE UP TO THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO THEIR TEAMS BECAUSE OF CHILDISH BEHAVIOR AND POUTING. THEY FAILED TO LIVE UP TO THEIR AGREEMENTS TO THEIR TEAMS MEMPHIS AND GOLDEN STATE. THEY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO IMMEDIATELY PLAY FOR THEIR CURRENT TEAMS. IVERSON DOES NOT HAVE A TEAM CURRENTLY WHILE JACKSON WAS IMMEDIATELY INSERTED INTO THE LINEUP FOR THE BOBCATS. HE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO PLAY IMMEDIATELY. WE ARE SENDING NEGATIVE MESSAGES TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHEN THIS HAPPENS.WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?
cdog
November 17th, 2009
3:08 pm
MARVIN WILLIAMS GIVE THE HAWKS DEFENSE WHICH WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS HIS OFFENSE WILL COME AROUND. GET TOUGH MARVIN YOU CAN REALLY MAKE THE HAWKS INVINCIBLE BUT YOU GOT TO GET TOUGH AND HAVE HEART.JUST LIKE YOU DID FOR THE TARHEELS.
Grandad
November 17th, 2009
3:18 pm
Clyde: Nice grain of salt.
Big Ump: I do not think it’s Woody’s style of ball; perhaps a suggestion
from Mr. Sund.
K.S.: Don’t give up on J.Teague just yet, I would still like to see
him get more than 5 min. per. To Woody’s [sund's] credit they
are @ least valuable/learning min. and not mop up time. I know
you haven’t given up on him but neither were you completely
wrong.
Sautee: well said.
terrell barron
November 17th, 2009
3:44 pm
Clyde, still wanna get rid of Horford? Is Sean Williams still available? lol!
terrell barron
November 17th, 2009
3:49 pm
Cdog, so Stephen Jackson should be suspended for whining? Damn!
cp
November 17th, 2009
3:56 pm
ray seeing how you are a cop and all is it any way possible you can lock Nique up before the next game so we wont have to hear him call the game. Its almost to the point where I’m about to start watching the opposing teams feed. I don’t know how but Nique is even worse than last year. Its clear he did not work on his craft during the summer. I remember Fratello saying how he would watch hours of game tape and just practice calling the games. Nique needs to use this strategy or just turn his mic off. If he isn’t messing up someones name he is using some tired old cliche. His analysis of players is also way off. And can he please stop saying that’s game when there is plenty of time left on the clock. Can we please get the stinger back. Lol at him saying shi* last night. If it isn’t “shot their wad”, “heat check”, “he was too wide open”, “nimbers” and my favorite “he doesn’t do things he cant do”. Seriously Nique lol.
terrell barron
November 17th, 2009
3:59 pm
Clyde, when you say dont get your hopes up too soon, do you mean like when everyone annointed Matt Ryan as the savior last year, and this year he looks like Kurt Kittner out there?
Joe Johnson
November 17th, 2009
4:00 pm
Did ya’ll see me last night in crunch time? I’m about to get PAID! Gimme my money Rick Sund!
terrell barron
November 17th, 2009
4:05 pm
Iverson to Boston? Heard it sportsnation.
Sautee
November 17th, 2009
4:06 pm
c’mon now terrell, Matt didn’t look THAT good!
terrell barron
November 17th, 2009
4:12 pm
CP, leave Nique alone. It’s the least the Hawks could do, after sending him packing for Danny “freakin” Manning. At least he’s not the GM. He said Marvin was the next big thing. Remember? I’d rather listen to “heat check” all day long, than to let him have input on who we draft.
Guess who this is Mother f c ker
November 17th, 2009
4:21 pm
Big Ray, I guess I should take my hat off for Ken confessing the Hawks as a team and Woodson as a key part of it. Gee, OK nice of him to recognize Woodson’s work with his team, Atlanta’s team, our team.
To add a positive spin; it doesn’t matter what road you travel to get there, or how long it takes, sometimes it just important that you get there. Hooray, Coach Woodson team has been acknowledged by Ken Strickland as being a team. Go hawks, Go Woodson, Go Ken, Go Ray, Is it official now? I guess all of the winning and success of Woodson team is null and void until it’s received the official stamp of the Bubba crew-LOL- It’s hard to argue with wins
Can a leopard change his spots?
Like the Atlanta Hawks, I’m OK with the switching defense. They seem to love it, have brought into it and are winning with it. I guess they haven’t heard that Ken says they have to change it, or they wont be officially a good team.
When the Bubba Crew‘s Coach Ken Strickland gets a team he can run his own defense and then we can see what his years of experience has gained and see why the Hawks should have hired him instead of Woodson.
Guess who this is Mother f c ker
November 17th, 2009
4:24 pm
Can a leopard change his spots?
Like the Atlanta Hawks, I’m OK with the switching defense. They seem to love it, have brought into it and are winning with it. I guess they haven’t heard that Ken says they have to change it, or they wont be officially a good team.
When the Bubba Crew‘s Coach Ken Strickland gets a team he can run his own defense and then we can see what his years of experience has gained and see why the Hawks should have hired him instead of Woodson.
GeeMack
November 17th, 2009
4:41 pm
Ken,
I think this is the way Woody has desired this team to play. You and I both know you can not push the ball without rebounding the ball effectively. Josh and Al have made it a point to out hustle and fight for rebounds consistently. I think that is a bigger difference than anything. The 1 games we’ve lost Charlotte ( We gave away the LA game) they out rebounded us by 21. This is a pattern often seen in our blow outs last year.
I am with you on Teague I think he is very important to our future and Woody is handling him with care and giving him valuable mins. I think they will increase as the season goes on and he gets a better feel for the pro level. I like what I see in him.
cp
November 17th, 2009
4:47 pm
lol terrell you have a point but man you have to admit that Nique is brutal on the mic. Great player but calling games is just not his thing.
KevinA
November 17th, 2009
5:06 pm
There were a few us after the Crawford trade that were afraid of the impact on the team. The history of no defense and high volume low percentage shooting. Then Jamal came out sharing the ball and shooting lights out. One game he had 9 assists and we were in hog heaven. We saw a player who was breaking down defenses and dishing to his teammates.
After last nights 2-10 shooting and 3 turnover performance I decided to do a little checking. Who is really dishing the ball.
Al – 22
Jamal – 30
Josh – 43
Bibby – 49
JJ – 53
Jamal is 12-48 shooting 3 pt shots. What happened to the driving/dishing man we saw earlier. when he drives and shoots closer to the basket his FG% is still great .456. This post is not meant to throw Crawford under the buss. I am still a big fan. I just want to see more of the man that turned me into one of his fans.
There is no way Bibby and Josh should have more assists. There is no reason for Woody to pull you for a slumping Marvin. Drive the ball and pass to your big’s. Get those minutes back.
shannon
November 17th, 2009
5:08 pm
Wow i wonder what is going thru Josh Childress’ mind right now? hahahaha
Brad
November 17th, 2009
5:10 pm
Shannon, I’m guessing a little something like this:
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
shannon
November 17th, 2009
5:13 pm
And I hope JJ looks at Childress’ situation of going elsewhere when you finally have something good going that you been building for years just to leave for more money
shannon
November 17th, 2009
5:13 pm
Brad, hahahahahaha
O'Brien
November 17th, 2009
5:25 pm
If JJ has some more games like he did last night, will the Hawks be able to afford him when his contract expires? After all, if a team loses out on Wade, LbJ, Bosh etc, JJ is at the top of the next tier, and somebody might offer him close to a max deal.
Mo Evans will be coming off the books (along with RandMo), but Horford will be up for an extension, and then the Hawks will also have to consider if they want to offer Crawford an extension. Not to mention the salary cap/luxury tax threshold will be less.
Rick Sund will have his work cut out for him next offseason again.
ILL-logical
November 17th, 2009
5:30 pm
A little context for the sudden outburst of what my good friend Alan Greenspan called “irrational exuberence”.
The economy is down; the beloved Bulldogs aren’t doing well; the Braves have given in to soci-political factors and are doomed to mediocrity for the the next 5 years; and, the Falcons/ Arthur Blank Vick exorcism is not working out to well-the chosen one has been found to be wanting.
Now comes the EARLY success of the previously little regarded Hawks and where else can an atlanta sports fan find love? Even if it has yet to begat a championship?
Fear not, there will be one in the not to distant future for the Hawks but in the mean time, let’s all take a chill pill and enjoy the birth of a team that has come a long way but has a long way to go.
Traceman
November 17th, 2009
5:39 pm
I could be wrong (and we will see going forward) but I think the team officially turned the corner last night from being a team that can play with anyone on a given night to being a good basketball team. Last night’s win to me was FAR more impressive than the Celtics win because we won a game against one of the best teams in the league when we didn’t have our A game. That win was all about heart and our guys showed that they have as much of that as anybody last night,
JJ – Way to put the team on your back down the stretch. That is what a superstar does. Also, 25 ppg (46% fg, 43% 3pfg), 6 rbg, 5 apg during our 5 game winning streak. Can you say, 4th All Star Game?
Smoove – Keep doing your thing boy! 19 ppg (65% fg), 12 rbg, 4 apg, 3 bpg, 2 spg in our 5 game winning streak. NO WAY they keep you out of the All Star game if you keep playing like this.
Al – 15 ppg, 10 rbg, 3 apg, 1.2 bpg during our 5 game winning streak. Undersized? Maybe so. 3rd Hawk in the All Star Game? What EC Center other than Howard is having a better season? Your only competition so far is your old Gator teammate Mr. Noah but with the stats so close and our better record, you get the nod.
Jamaal – You were just what the doctor ordered. Keep doing your thing. 6th man of the year baby!
Bibby – Love the way you are putting team first and sacrificing your game for the good of the team. That’s what a leader does.
Marv – Keep your head up. You are too talented of a player to stay in this slump. We are going to need you before all is said and done. Your shot WILL come back. Keep shooting and TRUST IT. It WILL come back.
Zaza – Love you man! Your effort and energy are contagious. Keep scrapping!
Mo – Keep giving 100%. Your veteran presence is important. We need you.
Joe Smith – All the littel things you will do over the course of the season will make us so much better. Thanks for the wisdom and leadership.
Teague – Stay aggressive and stay confident young fella. You will make mistakes, just make sure you make them being aggressive. Before the season is over, I think you will bring a much-needed dimension to the the team.
Collins, Morris and Hunter – Thanks for being good teammates and consummate professionals.
Woody – I’m proud of you man. When you took over, we were the worst team in the league. 5 years later, we are one of the better teams in the league. Many of us have questioned you at times over the years (and we still will) but you have CLEARLY done a lot more right than wrong. I think you have gotten better as a coach each year, just as the players have improved each year under your tutelage.
Go Hawks!
KevinA
November 17th, 2009
6:06 pm
O’Brien
November 17th, 2009
5:25 pm
If JJ has some more games like he did last night, will the Hawks be able to afford him when his contract expires?
If JJ has many more games like that he will be tired for the playoffs. 13-31 is not good for the Hawks. Joe needs to get his 22 points on 15 shots or less.
Traceman
November 17th, 2009
6:14 pm
O’Brien,
It’ not somebody MIGHT offer JJ close to a max deal, it’s HOW MANY teams will offer him big money. It pretty much always was going to be that way as long as he stays healthy. JJ is a VERY good player. He’s not Kobe, LeBron, D Wade, Carmelo or Chris Paul but he’s in the mix at the top of that next tier of perimeter players.
Sund and the ASG know that they will be looking at paying him close to max (if not max) money to keep him next year. My guess is that they will swallow hard and do it.
Horford is not eligible for an extension until 2011, the same year that Crawford’s contract comes off the books. Mo’s contract comes off the books that year too. Worse case, that iS Al’s money right there.
As good as Crawford has been, I think it is safe to assume that he will not get the $10M a season he is making now at age 32. I wouldn’t give him that much at that age. If we resign him, just like Bibby, he will be resigning for less money.
Bottom line, if Sund manages things carefully, I think he can keep the core together for quite some time, even if he does have to pay JJ close to the max.
Hawks are Back
November 17th, 2009
6:31 pm
This is so good to see. I am so excited about the Hawks again. I just had to keep telling people to be patient. The Hawks kept making good picks, but they just had to develop them. Now look where Josh Smith is. Hawks are on the verge of being elite again!!
Big Ump
November 17th, 2009
6:36 pm
Grandad on your post at 3:18 you could be right also. But I know you agree with me whoever it was the HC or Sund it worked
Black Lab
November 17th, 2009
6:40 pm
And the door opens more for HAWKS…..MAGIC Jameer Nelson will have surgery on left knee. Take every advantage, HAWKS!!!!