Thunder at Hawks, AKA Kevin Durant: Dat Boy Good
– Woody says Thunder forward Kevin Durant should be considered for MVP: “His numbers are ridiculous right now.”
– Indeed. Durant has scored 30-plus in five straight games, including 36 in Oklahoma City’s 98-80 victory against the Heat Saturday. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra has seen enough:
“I’m glad that we don’t play (the Thunder) again this year,” Spoelstra told The Oklahoman. “Give us some time to figure him out. He is so big and skilled and can shoot it over the top of you. Even if you are there, he doesn’t even notice you. When he shoots it like he did (Saturday), it just makes it that much tougher. He has grown a lot. I remember in his rookie year, he was nothing like this.”
– Zaza is back.
– Jamal Crawford is quoted in an MLK Day/NBA piece in the Contra Costa Times:
“For the most part, players of this generation try to treat everyone equal no matter their color or gender. … Try to respect one another. There are still situations in life we can improve on, but overall, I think Dr. King would be proud of how far we’ve come.”
– Pretty ho-hum field announced for the All-Star Slam Dunk competition: Shannon Brown, Nate Robinson, Gerald Wallace plus the winner of a “dunk-in” between DeMar DeRozan and Eric Gordon.
Smoove, slam dunk winner as a rookie in 2005, still says he’s done with it for good. Can’t blame him. He’d rather be an All-Star.
– Fire alarm went off in Philips Arena before the game. Joe Johnson ducked in Woody’s office to see if he should panic. Told that he shouldn’t, J.J. told the coach and reporters: “Y’all gonna burn up by yourself.”
– Super commenter northcyde took issue with my critique of the Hawks’ switching D against the Suns. He (you’re a dude, right?) notes that Steve Nash didn’t get his usual numbers and credits the defensive strategy for that. Says northcyde: “It was a great defensive game plan that will go unnoticed by traditional basketball fans that feel that a guard should always be matched up against a guard.”
Well, I don’t think it always has to be that way, but northcyde make some good points. Props.
– After the Hawks overcame a four-point deficit in the final six seconds against the Suns Friday, the Elias Sports Bureau says the last team to come back from a four-point deficit with six or less to win was the Lakers. The did it with four seconds left against the Heat on Dec. 24.
– I see you are accustomed to an open game thread, so talk amongst yourselves.
MC
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217 comments Add your comment
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
January 18th, 2010
7:52 pm
Horford and especially Josh Smith would benefit more from Teague getting more burn. Josh performs better when things are going “fast”
a guard able to drive and kick to Smoove right at the rack or 1 or 2 quick dribbles and finish makes for a MUCH better Josh Smith on offense than letting him have the ball in his hands for too long trying to “create” for himself
Astro Joe
January 18th, 2010
7:53 pm
Offensive systems are nice, but does the triangle guarantee a 50% team field goal percentage? How about Eddie Jordan’s Princeton offense, does that system ensure a made last second shot?
Did the Hawks lose this game in the 4th or did they lose it when they were down by 12 in the 2nd quarter and again by 14 (one point away from my prediction) in the 3rd quarter? Yeah, they tied the game in the 4th but they were fighting from behind for most of the contest.
Offensive system my left rear cheek. Y’all all know that the Hawks historically play poorly in early games and often take alledgedly weaker opponents for granted. The Thunder are 15-4 against the East, likely because the East isn’t paying attention to how good this team has become. If we had scored 120 points today, we still would have found a way to lose… because we simply lose these types of games.
Sautee
January 18th, 2010
7:55 pm
O’Brien,
For me, you could add Jared Dudley to that list. Good defender, leading the league in 3 pt. %.
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
January 18th, 2010
7:58 pm
atleast the Magic will probably lose
Sautee
January 18th, 2010
8:06 pm
Mac-Town,
“Sautee, so you believe Josh Smith can be a go to guy down on the block???? I’ll believe it when I see it.”
So did you see the Suns game Friday? With 2:40 to go, we fed Josh on the low block on the right side. He faked a pivot back and then shot a lovely half hook (nothing but net). His footwork was terrific. I thought to myself “He should make that his go-to move”.
So yes, I think he has it in him but I agree with you that Horford has it even more.
I said in the offseason that Al and Josh were ready for a larger role and that to deny them was asking for chemistry problems. We’ll see as the season progresses if I was right. Already, after the Magic game, Al said publicly that he was surprised to not get the ball more (He was 6-7 that game).
Sautee
January 18th, 2010
8:13 pm
AJ,
“If we had scored 120 points today, we still would have found a way to lose… because we simply lose these types of games.”
And who, pray tell, would be responsible if this happens over and over?
Sautee
January 18th, 2010
8:21 pm
new blog up
terrell
January 18th, 2010
8:22 pm
We need a Zach Randolph type of scorer(pf) in the post if we’re going to stick with Woody. He’s just a bad fit for the players we have. When is he going to realize that this team needs to run?
bigdave
January 18th, 2010
8:42 pm
so b/c he ended up w/ more shot attempts in the quarter he didnt defer in role? defer by definition; implies a deliberate putting off to a later time. now my point was to the claim that Joe hated Jamal, or was not willing to share the basketball… so what are you saying? if Joe ended up w/ 1 less shot than Jamal he deferred at that point… ummmm… ok.
“(he clearly deferred to and looked for Jamal late), all the while making plays and shots helping the Hawks cause.”
i dont think deferring is limited to shot attempts but its fine if you do.
Ken Strickland
January 18th, 2010
9:01 pm
OBRIEN-it’s not the players fault they have to function within a system that caters to most players weaknesses rather than their strengths. It’s the fault of a system that’s more focused on jumpshooting, ISO’s and one on one exection rather than ball movement, back picks and/or using a series of picks to free players to either take pullup midrange jumpers or continue to the basket.
When we go ISO and one on one, everyone has to clear out, plus we never send players cutting to the basket. With everyone standing on the perimeter during the clearout, we can’t take advantage of our size, speed, quickness and athleticism to get put backs on missed shots.
HOW IN HELL CAN ANYONE WITH AN OUNCE OF BASKETBALL INTELLIGENCE SAY THE HAWKS ARE VERY WELL COACHED WHEN OUR HC INSISTS ON STARTING A SLOW, NONE PENETRATING, NO D, JUMPSHOOTING PG THAT WON’T LISTEN TO HIM, AND WHO OPENLY ADMITS HE DOESN’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE OFF, WHICH REALLY SHOWS LATE IN GMS? And how interested can he really be in DEF if he continues to play NO D Bibby 28MPG while ignoring Teague?
Watch, we’re going to have trouble with any young, athletic team that’s well coached, like the Grizzles, Bobcats, Thunder etc.
Big Ray
January 18th, 2010
9:30 pm
Mac-Town’z Finest ,
Josh Smith is at his best running and gunning, up and down the floor. I havent saw anything from him that makes me comfortable in a half court set.
You say that, and I hear you. But guess what? That doesn’t just apply to Smith, whom you have targeted. It applies to THE HAWKS.
I see of bunch of trying to beat guys off the dribble (a definite NO!!!) and a bunch of ugly shot attempts while in the post barely drawing iron.
Exactly. That’s our halfcourt offense. The one that Josh is so wild and sloppy in. Yep.
All I’m saying is that the problem doesn’t lie with Josh. He’s one of our key guys. Do you play to your key guys’ strengths, or do you play to their weaknesses?
jay dubu
January 18th, 2010
10:31 pm
The way that this team is built can be successful, but all the pieces have to perform at top level.
Bibby is the deadly 3 point specialist, which will open up the defense down low.
Joe is the mid range score, that draws the double team, which leaves someone open.
Josh is the defensive stopper, who’ll help control the paint offensive and defensively.
Al is the low post scorer that will rebound.
And Marvin has to become the jump shooter with the killer instincts.
If these all line up, then the Hawks can play with anyone. It’s only when the pieces don’t perform to the expected level that days like today happen.
darrell starks
January 18th, 2010
10:56 pm
Okay lets get down 2 it and keep it real.
1.if we are going 2 compete for championship we have to either trade marvin or give up a first for andris biedrins or may be and caron butler.
2.marvin is hurting us bad at the 3position he is not effective at all there for he must come of the bench an make us stronger bench wise.
3.making a trade for andris biedrins and moving horford 2 power ford will make our front court with JOSH, HORFORD, BIEDRINS, the strongest defensive team in the nba witch will create more easy basket in the transition game.
4.woody i repeat woody have 2 stop this 7 or 8 man BS rotation and devolop teague to play with the second unit. i will be back for in a min.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
January 18th, 2010
11:06 pm
Okay im back
we must make a trade because during the playoff in halfcourt game this current roster will get killed.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!
darrell starks
January 18th, 2010
11:11 pm
STARTER BIBBY, JOE, JOSH, HORFORD, BIEDRINS
BENCH JAMAL, MOE, MARVIN, JOE SMITH, ZAZA
RESERVE TEAGUE, MORRIS
THIS TEAM CAN WIN IT ALL PLUS I THINK MARVIN IS A BETTER PLAYER COMING OF THE BENCH.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
January 18th, 2010
11:14 pm
DEFENSE CREATE EASY BASKET PERIOD.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
January 18th, 2010
11:24 pm
AS MUCH AS LIKE MOE EVAN TRADING HIM AND 1ST FOR BIEDRINS WANT BE BAD EITHER.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!