Bobcats at Hawks, AKA Here Comes Yet Another Gritty Opponent
Remember those stretches this season when the Hawks were running opponents off the floor? Forget it.
Here come the Bobcats Charlotte, who follow the Kings, who followed the Thunder. Different levels of talent among those teams. Similar levels of energy and effort.
The Bobcats allow the fewest points per game in the league. Adjust it by possessions, and it’s the same thing.
It won’t be easy for the Hawks to score. They tend not to like that. If they abandoned (or just failed to execute) the offensive plan at times against Oklahoma City and the Kings, it’s not hard to imagine them doing it more often against the Bobcats.
“We are going to have to grind for 48 minutes,” Woody said, “which is OK. Last year we didn’t have a lot of blowouts and we had to grind. That’s good. It helps keep guys on their toes. With blowouts, you start to take things for granted.”
The Hawks insist they aren’t doing that with the Bobcats. Of course, they said the same thing against the Thunder and Kings yet still lost focus for stretches. Maybe those Woody-Larry Brown-Stephen Jackson-Flip Murray connections will have them alert from the jump.
“They are a good team,” Smoove said of the Bobcats. “They are buying into that (toughness) philosophy. That’s how Larry Brown has his teams play. It’s going to be a fight.”
– You are concerned about this one. At Peachtree Hoops, hawksdawgs explains how the Bobcats tend to play with his emotions:
I did not circle this game as being a must watch game before the season started. Not because I thought the Bobcats were going to be bad but because the Bobcats make me cry. They find ways to eek out victories against the Hawks in the most painful way possible or they just beat the ever living crap out of Atlanta. Neither is good for my soul.
Blog commenter Astro Joe fears a Bobcats beatdown:
Anyone else concerned that Stephen Jackson, Gerald Wallace and Flip will come in tonight and punk us in our own gym? I am… I still think that we are a soft team. Charlotte may try to take our lunch money tonight and the Hawks will go whining to the refs (as opposed to fighting back). I have a nasty feeling that the Bobcats will wear their bully hats and we’ll be grousing about another heartless (effort).”
That was pretty much the theme of Woody’s post-practice speech to the team Thursday (regarding the Bobcats coming in straight gangsta, not about his team being soft). So the Hawks are aware, at least.
– Woody’s desk was piled with letters from an elementary school class in Charlotte asking him to vote Wallace as an All-Star reserve. Nifty PR move.
– The fans loved Zaza’s dunks the other night. But he’s from the leave-’em-wanting-more school: “If I do it every time, then it’s not as exciting anymore,” he said.
– The league announced the All-Star starters on Thursday night. The reserves, voted on by coaches, will be revealed next Thursday.
John Schuhmann at NBA.com thinks J.J. makes it, Al Horford gets a “tragic shaft” (hey, hey, easy) and Smoove is a “wildcard.”
– Talk amongst yourselves, Hawks fans.
MC
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
237 comments Add your comment
Carl
January 22nd, 2010
9:15 pm
The same Philly that brought A.I. back.
tiger woo
January 22nd, 2010
9:16 pm
Not implying anything, BONE – right now, I’ll let the numbers do yhe talking! The Hawks are obviously better than the Bobcats.
Carl
January 22nd, 2010
9:17 pm
I know championship players when I see one, and this kid is just not it. The streets are too much a part of this fellow’s ways.
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:17 pm
Blast ,
Just give it up. Stick to the facts. Tell him that only “Shout” will get those stains out of his pointy white hat, lol!
Carl
January 22nd, 2010
9:21 pm
This is professional organized basketball. A game meant to be played with class and carefully planned game strategies. This isn’t street ball on some South Fulton County neighborhood court. Josh Smith is only in it for himself. He doesn’t care about the Hawks.
Carl
January 22nd, 2010
9:24 pm
We’ll see in the playoffs, now the Cavs that’s one REAL team.
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:24 pm
Yep….selfish kid, only in it for himself. Which explains the five assists, which he got most of in the first nine minutes, in which he had only taken one or two shots.
Riiiiiiiiiiiiight….
vava74
January 22nd, 2010
9:25 pm
Big Ray,
What are you talking about??
O'Brien
January 22nd, 2010
9:25 pm
If Philly had offered Josh 5 years, $82 mil, I wonder if the Hawks would have matched? I dont know why Philly went after Brand, when dude had been hurt, and his style of play didnt match what they wanted to do. And now they wish they could trade Brand. Joke’s on them.
I am glad that Josh is on our team.
I’m glad to see the Hawks come out and put them away in the 3rd quarter. Woody’s halftime speech worked.
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:26 pm
A game meant to be played with class and carefully planned game strategies.
You’re not talking about the NBA, are you?
vava74
January 22nd, 2010
9:27 pm
great D by Teague
J.J.M.
January 22nd, 2010
9:28 pm
why nique keep sayin nimbers
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:28 pm
LOL @ Vava
Mac-Town
January 22nd, 2010
9:29 pm
Enter your comments here
Blast
January 22nd, 2010
9:29 pm
In truth, Philly bringing back AI was a great move. AI had nowhere else to go, and Philly was trying to sell tickets riding AI’s name. I just never figured on AI getting injured. You wanna hate on AI, tell me why the world voted him to start on the West/East All Star Game.
Big Ray.
I try hard not to respond to pretend fans or double posters but sometimes they just rile me up!
Hawks gonna win this game. Now I can breathe easy.
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
January 22nd, 2010
9:30 pm
Teague dont wanna shoot it
J.J.M.
January 22nd, 2010
9:30 pm
it cant be that hard 2 say numbers
vava74
January 22nd, 2010
9:31 pm
the biggest problem with JT0 right now is that he gets ZERO calls from the refs when he is driving…
Cavs rock
January 22nd, 2010
9:31 pm
two teams that will be non factos in the eastern conf playoffs
J.J.M.
January 22nd, 2010
9:35 pm
wow these refs are horrible
Cavs rock
January 22nd, 2010
9:36 pm
The 1st round is like the the Finals for fans of these 2 NASCAR/Egyptian Sun God Horus renamed as Jesus worshipping region teams.
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:37 pm
Crappy call, but Woody really doing the right thing in getting Josh out of that confrontation.
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:38 pm
LOL @ J.J.M. !
tiger woo
January 22nd, 2010
9:40 pm
Hey Cavs rock,
How many championships has Cleveland won recently? Thought so. Until I see LeBron with a ring, they’re no better than Atlanta.
Cavs sucketh asseth
January 22nd, 2010
9:40 pm
Blah blah blah. Cavs won 66 last season and thought they had it in the bag. MVP and COY, and OOPS out of the playoffs. Lebron swished his skirts as he flounced off the court exit stage left. Pansies.
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:41 pm
Hawks have blocked just two shots tonight, and both have come from…..Jamal? Weird….
Kip Smithers
January 22nd, 2010
9:41 pm
Joe Johnson is horrible, so glad A.I. is starting over him in the All-Star game.
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:44 pm
Okay, Joe. I guess you gotta get your nimbers up. But shots like that? And you were playing so well. Heh, could have been worse. That could have been Josh.
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:45 pm
ISOs, long perimeter shots, and the opposing team’s running.
It must be the 4th quarter, and our guards are trying to make it close. Brilliant.
vava74
January 22nd, 2010
9:45 pm
why all these jump shots… why these ISO plays… WHY?
BONE
January 22nd, 2010
9:45 pm
What is that albino toad Bibby doin out there. He hasn’t done anything. Woody needs to quit this luvfest with him.
Cavs rock
January 22nd, 2010
9:45 pm
The average Hawks fan considers going to church as a gathering of intellectuals to discuss ancient human history and the drives around with 3 or 4 Dale Earnhardt Jr. stickers on their car. You cant take you people serious. Silly southerners.
BONE
January 22nd, 2010
9:46 pm
And for the luv of God Joe pass the ball.
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:46 pm
How in the hell does Bob Rathbun get those headphones around that hair do?
Cavs rock
January 22nd, 2010
9:48 pm
Can’t wait to get out of this sprawling suburb that you people consider a real international city. No identity, No real team, No real fans. WORST in the NBA in attendance.
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:48 pm
And what poor flunky has to wipe the grease off those headphones after each game?
Cavs sucketh asseth
January 22nd, 2010
9:49 pm
You are the only numbnuts community to catch a lake on fire. Cleveland-ers. Good God.
BONE
January 22nd, 2010
9:50 pm
Did ya’ll see Kermit try to play some D. It looked horrible lol.
tiger woo
January 22nd, 2010
9:50 pm
Hey Cavs rock,
I bet you’ve never left Cleveland in your life. Get out and see the world – you sound a bit ignorant – you should be embarassed for your dumpy city.
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:50 pm
You know, it just hasn’t been the same since all the IP addresses from the library got banned.
Cavs rock
January 22nd, 2010
9:51 pm
No one at the game tonight, must be a church convention in town. Thumpers.
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:52 pm
WHAT is wrong with JJ? He was shooting a good percentage and making good passes. Now he’s just chucking it.
Good thing Jamal is still in the game.
Nasty finish by big AL!
terrell
January 22nd, 2010
9:52 pm
Joe clanks one, Crawford drills one.
BONE
January 22nd, 2010
9:52 pm
Please Al don’t hurt em lol
Blast
January 22nd, 2010
9:53 pm
Great win, Hawks!
BONE
January 22nd, 2010
9:54 pm
Big Ray haven’t you noticed that JJ is just anti clutch. He starts chucking instead of giving it to the hot hand.
Cavs rock
January 22nd, 2010
9:54 pm
When Johnson leaves the Hawks in the summer, it’s back to 20 win seasons.
Cavs rock
January 22nd, 2010
9:54 pm
OK – gotta go – it’s Happy Hour at my grandmas house.
Big Ray
January 22nd, 2010
9:55 pm
Hawks for the win, revenge on the ‘Cats. Love it! Night y’all….
Cavs rock
January 22nd, 2010
9:56 pm
OK – my bad – I forgot we sucked before LeBron came to town.