Hawks at Rockets, AKA: Will this finally be the year they win in Houston?
Houston–The Hawks haven’t won at Houston since Feb. 25, 1999. That’s 10 straight losses. That’s pre-T-Mac and post-T-Mac. That’s with Lenny, Lon, Terry and Woody coaching the Hawks. And while this would seem to be the year for the Hawks to end the streak, with both T-Mac and Yao Ming sidelined and a considerable advantage in talent, remember the Hawks needed that Smoove tip dunk and Marvin’s 29 points to beat Houston at Philips back during their red-hot November.
The Rockets are a hard team to figure on paper. You look at their roster and there is nothing to excite you except Aaron Brooks and possibly super sixth man Carl Landry. You look deeper into the Rockets’ numbers and most are middle-of-the-pack–they share the ball fairly well and they are pretty good on the offensive boards but that’s about it. Yet they have managed to stay competitive by playing with effort and energy.
Except lately the Rockets haven’t always had good effort and energy (“This is the NBA, man”). Their six losses in 10 January games include a home defeat to the Bulls on Saturday, which came the night after they won at San Antonio. So you get a Houston Chronicle headline that reads “Rockets baffled by lack of intensity in loss to Bulls” and quotes like this one from Shane Battier:
“Our team has been very strange in respect to when you think you know, or when we have it all figured out, we lay a clunker down. And when you write us off, we come out with a great performance like (Friday) in San Antonio. I don’t have an explanation — it’s one of the most bizarre things I’ve witnessed in my nine-year career.”
So maybe the Hawks catch the Rockets on one of their weird nights. Perhaps the Hawks’ offense clicks like it did Friday vs. Charlotte, which takes the same hard-nosed approach as Houston but has better talent. And maybe, just maybe, the Hawks can finally win at Houston.
– Talk amongst yourselves, Hawks fans.
MC
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266 comments Add your comment
GeeMack
January 25th, 2010
5:20 pm
I hope they win. The Rockets have giving every team in the NBA fits this year home and away.
NoleRick
January 25th, 2010
5:30 pm
MC, you keep churning them out! I am glad you are on board, always giving me something to read while i am at the office “working” Keep it up. Lets get this “W” tonight!
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
5:32 pm
doc, you out there? A chance to see our favorite Hawks head coach candidate from around 2006-07 in Rick Adelman tonight. He has done a stellar job and clearly won the battle with T-Mac a few weeks back. If I were a FA this summer (I think that Houston will have cap room with McGrady coming off the books) I would be thrilled to play with the Rockets. They seem to have great team chemistry and a coach who can change based on his personnel. I’m looking forward to the game tonight. I’d love to see the Hawks win with solid 4th quarter execution.
richbrave
January 25th, 2010
5:33 pm
Daniel
January 25th, 2010
3:48 pm
richbrave- thanks for the update.
O’B1:
“You wonder if Crittenton will get picked up by another team when his contract expires. And given his run-in with Arenas, is he good enough for a team to sign and develop?”
Off what he’s shown me herein D.C., I think he’s got game. I’d give him a shot. His record is clean, unlike ARENAS who had a prior gun conviction in CALIFORNIA.
roy
January 25th, 2010
6:10 pm
If the Hawks play like we know they can then we will beat the brakes off the Rockets.
Clyde
January 25th, 2010
6:17 pm
FIRE WOODY
O'Brien
January 25th, 2010
6:32 pm
Thanks richbrave,
As a fan of GT, I saw him in college (on TV), and I liked what I saw from him.
Hawks need to win tonight to start the week off right.
Ernest
January 25th, 2010
7:38 pm
MC, great job with the blogs!
Ramon
January 25th, 2010
8:09 pm
!The important key tonight is none of the big men getting in foul trouble!
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
January 25th, 2010
8:13 pm
Houston is a scrappy team with quick guards and always brings it. The most important things tonight are matching our intensity…and limiting their ability and effectiveness of penetration.
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
January 25th, 2010
8:13 pm
their intensity I mean
BONE
January 25th, 2010
8:20 pm
Alright everybody the REAL Bone is here.
That imposter has been talkin about a bunch a people so I want everybody to know that wasn’t me.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
8:22 pm
BONE ,
Got your message from the last blog. I should have known that was not you posting. Probably was JeJe .
No, really. It probably was…
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
8:23 pm
Mac-Town ,
I agree. Match the intensity. And try to find a way to keep Josh and Al out of foul trouble.
NUNNA YO BIZNEZZ
January 25th, 2010
8:24 pm
this is gonna be a game.look for woody to pull out all stops and play a 6-7 man rotation..
look for hawks to be down early,often,and make it a game by keeping the defecit they are in under 10 midway thru qtr #2..
then,make a small push before halftime before succumbing to houston and its energetic team early to mid 3rd qtr..
then as always,make a small dent in the rockets lead by bringing it down between 11-14 points before losing it all and woody taking the starters who will all play between 33-42 mins tonite…
look for the hawks to lose this one in hawks fashion,tonite..
nothing is different yall,im not even gonna watch it..
BECAUSE I KNOW WHATS GONNA HAPPEN!!
THINK I’LL WATCH SOMETHING A LIL MORE EXCITING LIKE,LIKE,LIKE,”THE WEATHER CHANNEL”!!
U KNOW SOMETIMES THEY SHOW DOCS AND MOVIES ABOUT STORMS AND “ISH”…
NITE..
NUNNA YO BIZNEZZ
January 25th, 2010
8:27 pm
I FORGOT YALL..
HOUSTON HAS THOSE FIESTY GUARDS,AND,IF THEY DO PLAY THE GAME I KNOW THEY WILL,LOOK FOR WOODY TO BE FORCED TO USE HIS BENCH..
HEY,WE MIGHT WIN AFTER ALL..
LET ME KNOW WHAT HAPPENS..
I’LL GLADLY EAT MY WORDS..
Sautee
January 25th, 2010
8:27 pm
Al and Josh have the shoe on the other foot tonight. They are use to being the “smaller, quicker” players, playing against bigger, slower opponents.
Last time, Landry, Scola and Hayes outquicked us for offensive rebounds which kept HOU in the game. Let’s hope our boys adjust.
bigdave
January 25th, 2010
8:29 pm
lets get it..
BONE
January 25th, 2010
8:37 pm
I’m glad everybody got the message becuz that imposter was getting on my nerves.
Lets get this thing started
BONE
January 25th, 2010
8:42 pm
Bibby’s frog azz is gonna get torched again
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
8:44 pm
Was that Marvin throwing that shot? Dang…
BONE
January 25th, 2010
8:46 pm
Good job marvin
BONE
January 25th, 2010
8:47 pm
Here we go with Josh takin jumpers
BONE
January 25th, 2010
8:48 pm
Go Marvin the Duck
BONE
January 25th, 2010
8:50 pm
Brooks is a real PG
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
8:50 pm
Brooks is going to kill us. Bring on the “Bibby sucks” deluge of posts….
BONE
January 25th, 2010
8:51 pm
I know.
WHY THE HELL DOES JOES WANNA TAKE JUMPERS???? I CAN’T UNDERSTAND IT.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
8:51 pm
Josh needs to drive quickly on Hayes, not back off and take the 20-footer.
BONE
January 25th, 2010
8:53 pm
I meant Josh not Joe
niremetal
January 25th, 2010
8:53 pm
Note to Woody: THE SWITCHING DEFENSE IS NOT WORKING, YOU DOLT.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
8:53 pm
Hummm, interesting. This time it’s Bibby who goes out first, not Marvin.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
8:54 pm
Nice move by Josh.
Lol@ Nire …
niremetal
January 25th, 2010
8:55 pm
Refs letting the Rockets get away with a lot of contact. Then again, they’re letting the Hawks get away with some too…
Ree Roe
January 25th, 2010
8:55 pm
The hell happened to Woody’s eyebrows? He’s not dying is he? :-/
-REEcently Roe?
BONE
January 25th, 2010
8:55 pm
Maybe woody understands that Bibby is horrible.
BONE
January 25th, 2010
8:57 pm
LOL Nique pronounces Williams as “Wiyems”
BONE
January 25th, 2010
8:57 pm
LMAO @ woody’s eyebrows DAMN
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
8:58 pm
Geez, a foul draws blood, but it’s not called? Sigh
Ree Roe ,
LOL! I thought I was the only one who noticed Woody’s eyebrows. Or the seeming lack thereof.
Sid
January 25th, 2010
8:58 pm
Woodys been to a spa and has become a metrosexual on us …..good lord lol
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
8:59 pm
‘Nique and the word pronounce just don’t exist in the same universe.
Ree Roe
January 25th, 2010
8:59 pm
Hopefully Al is aiight…it’s been a disjointed last couple of minutes out there. Joe & Josh are both off to strong starts
-REEcently Roe!!
DSS82
January 25th, 2010
9:00 pm
what the hell happened to woodsons eyebrows
Hawks timeout
January 25th, 2010
9:01 pm
Hawks players:
“Coach, Chris Rock’s miniature brother keeps hitting 3s on us because we can’t play him and Shane with this kind of defense.”
Woodrow:
“Yes you can! Yes you can! You just have to switch harder and try harder! This sh!t works damit! This sh!t wooooooooorks!!!”
BONE
January 25th, 2010
9:01 pm
Woodson looks like a big azz thumb out there with no eyebrows lol.
BONE
January 25th, 2010
9:02 pm
Now Nique with sexual innuendos lol:
“Giving Johnson a much needed blow”
is there anything he can’t do lol
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:02 pm
Say what? We’re down by five and Teague comes in? How about that?
Now let’s hope the kid plays halfway decently in out nonexistent offensive system so that all the Woody-ites don’t dog him again. Ok, I won’t hold my breath.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:06 pm
Oh, I forgot. End of the quarter. Teague will be back on the bench. Yes, I’m stirring the pot. It’s better than watching the difference between a team that actually runs offensive plays, and a team that….well, you know…
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:06 pm
We must be following Chicago’s team jet or something. They just played Houston, now WE are. They’re playing San Antonio tonight, guess who we play next?
Ree Roe
January 25th, 2010
9:06 pm
Woody lookin like a FOOL with his ‘brows on the ground!
-REEcently Roe!!!
BONE
January 25th, 2010
9:08 pm
Does anybody think that Woody knows his eyebrows are gone lol
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:08 pm
No one on the ESPN board so I figured I’d come here.
BONE
January 25th, 2010
9:09 pm
Woody needs to shutupwith all the Terrible Defense that Bibby plays.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:09 pm
Woody’s telling Teague “How dare you blow the exact same defensive assignments that Bibby has been blowing all this time!”
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:10 pm
Joe Smith is looking good tonight
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:11 pm
Nice work on the offensive boards by Smith and Pachulia. Because we sure can’t hit a shot.
Ree Roe
January 25th, 2010
9:11 pm
wow no assists & no offensive rebounds in the 1st Q for us. SMH @ Teague gettin lost on D, Woody was right to chew him out…do yall Teague supporters think the reason he doesn’t get more PT is b/c he doesn’t look for his shot?
-REEcently Roe?
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:12 pm
Teague def looks scared to shoot out there
BONE
January 25th, 2010
9:13 pm
Woddy’s killed Teagues confidence
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:14 pm
How do you have 28 points and one assist
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:14 pm
$2 million in cash > David Andersen
Sautee
January 25th, 2010
9:14 pm
I’ll feel like Woody has grown up as a coach when he will call a :20 to get in Joe’s face for taking possessions off. He’ll call Teague out in a heartbeat but the Captain gets carte blanche.
niremetal
January 25th, 2010
9:15 pm
That was a pretty dumb way to defend Lowry.
Melvin
January 25th, 2010
9:15 pm
The Rockets midgets backcourt is causing the Hawks problems… we may have to go with Teague and Mario in the backcourt…lol
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:15 pm
Teague….
BONE
January 25th, 2010
9:16 pm
I wished Teague punched Woody’s eyebrows off. OOPS
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:19 pm
Naw, Teague is okay. Nice drive to the hole. He just needs the reps and to play smarter with the ball. At least he’s not turnover prone.
Melvin
January 25th, 2010
9:20 pm
Rockets are getting ticky tack fouls…. good thing they are missing their free throws..
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:21 pm
AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA! See, I told you:
$2 million in cash > David Andersen!
J.J.M.
January 25th, 2010
9:21 pm
just lookin at people drive the ball
Woody'sEyebrows
January 25th, 2010
9:21 pm
Anybody miss me???
BONE
January 25th, 2010
9:22 pm
Theres Bibby getting torched. Why isn’t Woody no Brows screaming in his face??????????
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:22 pm
lmao sweet dunk
niremetal
January 25th, 2010
9:22 pm
Ray,
Is that Aussie or American dollars?
BONE
January 25th, 2010
9:23 pm
See folks every opposing PG torches us.
Where are the Bibby fans
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:23 pm
Why are we shooting fade away jumpers?
sigma6
January 25th, 2010
9:23 pm
Who cares if they win. When will real basketball begin?
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:23 pm
Al and JJ both watched Lowry get that layup.
Nice bomb by JJ…
Only one who seems to stop Aaron Brooks is Josh.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:24 pm
Nire,
Take your pic, lol
Sautee
January 25th, 2010
9:24 pm
Yeah Ray, I thought Joe and Al had cement boots.
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:25 pm
What is “real basketball” sigma?
Ree Roe
January 25th, 2010
9:28 pm
lmao @ “Woody’s Eyebrows”.
Can we get James Varrert to figure out the whereabouts of Woody’s mysterious brows?
-REEcently Roe?
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:29 pm
Bibby isn’t making anything
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:29 pm
panthertm85 (1/25/2010 at 9:31 PM)
Bibby keeps seeing an eyebrowless Woodson out of the corner of his eye and its distracting him!
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:31 pm
Hawks offense looking far more efficient when two things are present:
1. When we’re going inside to Josh and Al.
2. When Bibby is in the game….love him or hate him, he promotes good ball control and ball movement. He’s not good on defense (particularly against quick guards), but the aforementioned things are invaluable. Sorry, but with Teague being a sparingly played rookie pg, Bibby is our only real point guard. Hate to break it to anybody, but Crawford ain’t, and never has been a pg.
rms
January 25th, 2010
9:32 pm
Bibby cant shoot or play defense but he gets to pull his veteran card and play more minutes
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:32 pm
Agree with that Big Ray, Bibby serves his role pretty good IMO
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:33 pm
Joe shooting pretty damn well tonight, and we need it from him, too.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:36 pm
Heh. Ariza is not quite the shooter he fancies himself to be. And that’s good for us.
Meanwhile, you see what Bibby brings. On back-to-back possessions, he has gotten the ball to either of our bigs, with very good results.
Ree Roe
January 25th, 2010
9:37 pm
We’re lookin good now…Josh is playin like an All Star right now
-REEcently Roe!!
Melvin
January 25th, 2010
9:37 pm
Josh is taking over the game…
BONE
January 25th, 2010
9:37 pm
Now we’re gettin going
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:38 pm
I like this.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:39 pm
A great evil has been loosed upon the Rockets. And it’s name is Josh Smith.
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:39 pm
GET THAT OUTTA HERE!
Melvin
January 25th, 2010
9:39 pm
Hawks had a 21-3 run to end the 1st half. Nice….
BONE
January 25th, 2010
9:39 pm
Maybe Woody’s eyebrows were holding back his coaching potential
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:40 pm
Didn’t particularly like that shot by Joe, but he’s been hot as fire tonight, and I can’t begrudge him on that one.
Rockets will adjust in the second half, if an adjustment can be made. Hawks have to come with the same fire, stick with what’s working, and continue to impose their will. If our bigs can’t keep it going, then we don’t need to resort to jumpers unless we are going to SET SCREENS TO GIVE OUR JUMPSHOOTERS GOOD LOOKS AT THE BASKET!
Sid
January 25th, 2010
9:44 pm
4 assists for the team at halftime bleh
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:44 pm
Preach on Big Ray
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
9:45 pm
Did James Verrett just ask Josh “is making the Rockets take bad shots a part of the game plan?”
Josh should have taken off his headband and slapped the hot sauce out of Verrett’s mouth.
So why is Charlie Villanueva coaching the Hawks tonight? I got in late, what’s up with the new look?
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:45 pm
I’ll take only 4 assists and winning by 11
Sautee
January 25th, 2010
9:47 pm
LOL@Astro
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
9:49 pm
So I thought I saw a play for Horford in the low post after a time-out… but I’m sure no one else saw that one. And Josh scored 16 in the first half off of iso-Joe plays, that was nice too. And that Houston offensive system produced big-time in the latter part of the second quarter too.
Ree Roe
January 25th, 2010
9:51 pm
@ Michael Cunningham, ask Woody WTF happened to his ‘brows…His facial expressions are now more similar than ever.
Good first half, Joe & Josh played real well & if we can force HOU to keep takin jumpshots we should be ok. Bibby looks like he’s stuck in quicksand trying to guard Brooks, but that hasn’t hurt us so far.
-REEcently Roe!
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
9:51 pm
96 percent for Crawford…wow
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
9:54 pm
I think those end of quarter iso plays are as much for defensive purposes as offensive… either to deny the opposing team another possession or in the case of the 2nd half, to deny them time for a quality possession. Of course, that assumes that we don;t foul on the rebound. Running a standard play (yes, the Hawks have other plays other than ISO) may not milk the clock appropriately. Of course, just because Joe/Jamal goes to the Iso at the end of the quarter, doesn’t mean that the other 4 need to stand around and watch.
Does anyone think that if Childress were on the team, that he would be standing in cement during iso plays? Doubtful, dude constantly moved and often found himself around the basket for easy buckets. Didn’t he shoot like 55% in his last season or two with the Hawks? That was due to his movement without the ball.
Ree Roe
January 25th, 2010
9:58 pm
@ Taylor, I wouldn’t read too much into those txt message polls. They had a poll a few games ago, asking “Who was the Hawks First half of the season MVP?” and Marvin was 2nd or 3rd in the voting
-REEcently Roe!!!
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
9:59 pm
J SMASH!
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
9:59 pm
Great move Josh! Who says he can’t score in the low post?
BONE
January 25th, 2010
9:59 pm
See this is where Josh needs to play not taking jumpers
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
10:00 pm
Oh okay Ree Roe. I never pay attention to them. Now I see why haha
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:00 pm
OK, so I looked on Twitter and this blog and I see nothing explaining WHY Woody is going with the Charlie V look. C’mon Michael Cunningham — THIS is what they pay you to do!
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
10:01 pm
What is Josh Smith’’s Career High?
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:01 pm
Why can’t they move the ball like that every possession in every game? They have really been sharing the ball well these last 15 minutes of play.
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:02 pm
Was that another iso Joe dunk for Josh?
niremetal
January 25th, 2010
10:02 pm
Great ball movement.
BONE
January 25th, 2010
10:02 pm
Please JJ don’t start ballhoggin
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
January 25th, 2010
10:03 pm
Houston is really struggling….
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:04 pm
Iso Joe 3 for Marvin
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:04 pm
Pouring it on defensively. Looking good. Rockets look like they’re not sure what hit them. This ain’t the old Hawks!
BONE
January 25th, 2010
10:04 pm
Go Marvin
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:04 pm
“Good to see Marvin hit that long ball” says Bob. Yeah, no kidding. I’d like to see him hit that every time.
BONE
January 25th, 2010
10:05 pm
Josh NO JUMPERS
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
10:05 pm
smooove is lights out tonight
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:06 pm
Josh Smith better be an All Star this year.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:06 pm
Was that an ISO Joe Josh Smith offensive rebound, followed by an ISO Joe Marvin dunk?
niremetal
January 25th, 2010
10:06 pm
Beautiful screen by Battier there…
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:06 pm
Iso Joe post-up for Al.
Ree Roe
January 25th, 2010
10:07 pm
@ Taylor, Josh’s career high in points is 38
-REEcently Roe!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:07 pm
Rockets are shooting 34%. This is the kind of team against which the switching D works best. The Rockets’ best post players are 6′9″ and 6′7″, which means the Hawks don’t really run the risk of having a huge size mismatch in the post after a switch.
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:07 pm
Boy, this one play is really working out well for the Hawks.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:07 pm
Our ISO Joe defense is going pretty well, too.
Good thing we have ISO Joe, or none of this would work worth a crap.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:07 pm
Heat check
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:08 pm
Iso Joe results in air ball by Al.
BONE
January 25th, 2010
10:08 pm
Marvin has arrived
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
10:09 pm
38 points??? when was that wow
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:09 pm
Dang, nice shot by Marvin on the pass out by Joe. Of course, that’s not a play. That’s just playing basketball. Glad our players know how to do that, and play calls aren’t always needed….
niremetal
January 25th, 2010
10:10 pm
Wait, we run plays?
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:10 pm
Yeah, without Iso Joe, we’d be playing like the Cavs. They never run iso plays.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:11 pm
The smarm sure is thick tonight…. sigh …
Ree Roe
January 25th, 2010
10:11 pm
@ Taylor, @ Milwaukee, November 17, 2007
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:12 pm
Crickets when the other SG shoots.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:12 pm
Oh great, Nire has noticed Astro’s smarm.
O'Brien
January 25th, 2010
10:13 pm
Those are what we need from Marvin. Make those 3s when the opportunity presents itself.
Al with 4 fouls. And ZaZa with 0 points. No production from the center position tonight. Good thing Marvin stepped it up, and Josh is giving us a great game.
See, why does JJ do that? Hawks will look good moving the ball, and then for no reason, JJ runs an ISO.
niremetal
January 25th, 2010
10:13 pm
Josh looks constipated. Bad sign.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:14 pm
Cavs have Lebron. Somebody call me back when ISO Joe results in 66 wins….
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:15 pm
Crickets when the other SG puts up consecutive shots.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:15 pm
Twitter chatter on Woody’s new look is pretty entertaining.
My favorite is the one that says he looks like a chipmunk going through chemo.
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:16 pm
Just give LeBron the MVP. Another win after a defensive gem. Geez.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:16 pm
Heh. Josh Smith is having a hell of a night. But uh, no…we’re talking about ISO Joe.
Joe started off hot, then cooled out a bit. Since then, he’s been passing pretty well, and I’m surprised he only has 2 assists. Nice to see Woody let this offense run itself. He has them playing the kind of “D” he wants, and it’s working. Well, now that we’re not switching as much and playing the BALL, instead of the PLAYERS.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:18 pm
LOL@ Nire . That IS how he looks, isn’t it? LOL
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:18 pm
Marvin taking the charge. He’s played great in this half. This is EXACTLY what the Hawks need from him. He needs to be our Shane Battier.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:18 pm
Love to see Marvin doing the little things out there.
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:19 pm
These refs are AWFUL tonight.
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
10:20 pm
Need a basket here
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
10:20 pm
Got it
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:21 pm
I’m sorry, I just can’t get over Woody and those….places where his eyebrows used to be. Who did that to him?
Man, I think I’m gonna have to get the secret members of the BCU (Blog Crimes Unit) back out of hiding to solve this one.
niremetal
January 25th, 2010
10:23 pm
Incredible that that was the first time the refs called a shooting foul for Joe.
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:23 pm
He shaved his hair after losing a bet… maybe it has something to do with another wager?
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:23 pm
Astro Joe ,
Have to agree. Refs are definitely stinking it up.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:23 pm
Orlando and Memphis are locked up in a tight one. As big as this victory would be anyway, it would be that much bigger obviously if Orlando loses.
D
January 25th, 2010
10:23 pm
Woodson must have lost a bet or else someone needs to tell him that his brows fell off
BONE
January 25th, 2010
10:23 pm
Big Ray, Teague shaved Woody’s eyebrows while he was sleeping becuz…. Well u know why.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:23 pm
I tell you what. Woody has his boys playing some kind of defense. Houston can’t even get a decent shot off in 24 seconds. Adelman is at a loss. It’s just damn fine defense. Even Crawford is on it. Wow.
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:26 pm
Teague would have had his shaving attempt blocked.
Did Adelamn call an end of quarter iso play?
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:26 pm
Astro,
Hell, I don’t know. Maybe he bet Josh he could sniff one of Zaza’s socks and not pass out. I KNOW he lost that one….
Sautee
January 25th, 2010
10:27 pm
Mr.Potato Head has removable eyebrows. I thought you all knew that!
O'Brien
January 25th, 2010
10:27 pm
If Marvin plays like this more consistently, the Hawks will be even more dangerous.
Well, Cleveland beat Miami, and the Celtics beat the Clippers. Hawks need to win and take care of business.
Lets finish strong
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:28 pm
Mo, the most overrated defender in Hawks history.
Now you see em, now they burnt off
January 25th, 2010
10:29 pm
NEWS: Woody is preparing to star in a new film during the all-star break with John Travolta. He’s going to play “The Black Powder” role.
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
10:30 pm
That was ugly
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:30 pm
Joe Smith still doesn’t have his legs. His shots are almost always short.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:31 pm
Ok, I love that play. The one where a guard comes out behind one of our bigs (who has the ball), gets the pass, and hits the shot off the natural screen.
Don’t know when Woody started implementing it (I think a few games ago), but I like it. Way better than…well, you know….
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:31 pm
Wait, wait….I got it.
Woody shaved his eyebrows off in a bet of whether or not the Hawks would beat the Rockets on the road. If we lose, all the players (and the rest of the coaching staff) have to shave their eyebrows, too.
No wonder we’re outhustling the Rockets, lol….
niremetal
January 25th, 2010
10:33 pm
For once, that fall wasn’t just a product of Marv’s awkwardness. Even the HOU broadcasters admitted Budinger got away with a pretty heavy bump.
HawksGirl
January 25th, 2010
10:33 pm
I am hopeful that the Hawks will bring this one home finally, but the one thing I can’t just understand as I watch this game. Why do players waste their time and energy on the calls by the refs????…….I can’t recall a time that they ever change a call(*justifiable or just plain foul) based on the anger or winy fits a player displays. I could be wrong. Just not worth the techs a team can incur ….
Regroup, get focused and keep your head in the game!!! C’mon Hawks!!!
J.J.M.
January 25th, 2010
10:33 pm
memphis 96 orlando 94 1 min left magic has the ball
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:33 pm
But Ray, we ONLY run one play. There are no others… just ONE. That one play provides a basis for 6 guys to score in double digits and lead the conference in scoring. One play.
Now you see em, now they burnt off
January 25th, 2010
10:34 pm
Naw, for real Woody was smoking some heroin before the game with Marvin aka Howard the DUCK and the brows got burnt off……
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:35 pm
Maybe Al needs to play mad more often.
Rod from College Park
January 25th, 2010
10:35 pm
Please stop the iso or post Marvin plays. He is playing better. Keep letting him shoot open shots. That is his only chance. Y’all think Dominique is bad, Clyde Drexler might be worse.
Richard Pryor
January 25th, 2010
10:36 pm
WOODY,
I thought I explained to you the danger of using the stove as a lighter?!?
J.J.M.
January 25th, 2010
10:37 pm
memphis up 5 with 21 seconds left
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
10:38 pm
Magic are going to lose. Would be big if the Hawks held on here
J.J.M.
January 25th, 2010
10:38 pm
damn here comes zaza
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:38 pm
Nice pass. Josh has to learn to dunk those.
Lon Kruger
January 25th, 2010
10:39 pm
WHERE ARE THE EYEBROWS?!?!?!!?
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:39 pm
Orlando has lost to a bunch of sub-par teams this season. I wonder if they are guilty of underestim… never mind.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:40 pm
Great hustle by Al, but he’s not long for this game.
Funny, Al gets called for the stuff the Rockets aren’t getting called for. Heh.
J.J.M.
January 25th, 2010
10:40 pm
jumpshots
bigdave
January 25th, 2010
10:41 pm
Josh and Jamal having words w/ each other…
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
10:42 pm
Needed that Bibby
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:42 pm
Big shot by Bibby. That’s one of the things we need from him.
Astro,
I caught that comment from earlier….
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
10:42 pm
Joe ball hoggin
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:43 pm
Both teams are going really, really small right now in crunch time.
niremetal
January 25th, 2010
10:43 pm
Good D on Landry by Josh. No shame there.
J.J.M.
January 25th, 2010
10:44 pm
come on josh block them shots
bigdave
January 25th, 2010
10:44 pm
good set up by Jamal…
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:44 pm
2 straight possessions where Landry has gotten really good low post position very easily. That’s gotta change.
J.J.M.
January 25th, 2010
10:45 pm
here joe tryin 2 take over the game
bigdave
January 25th, 2010
10:45 pm
good draw and kick by Jamal…
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:45 pm
If Al doesn’t foul out, we win.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:46 pm
CLUTCH
BONE
January 25th, 2010
10:46 pm
Finally Bibby does something
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:46 pm
Orlando has lost. Hawks are up by a game in the Southeast if they hold on.
J.J.M.
January 25th, 2010
10:46 pm
that might do it
ajw
January 25th, 2010
10:46 pm
Anybody still wish we had David Anderson?
Ree Roe
January 25th, 2010
10:47 pm
The Bibster!
-REEcently Roe!
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:47 pm
Rockets will have one more run left. I hate it when ‘Nique and Rathbun celebrate early.
niremetal
January 25th, 2010
10:47 pm
What’s Bibby good for?
Oh. Right.
ajw
January 25th, 2010
10:47 pm
Can we please get a reporter to ask about the eyebrows?
Rod from College Park
January 25th, 2010
10:47 pm
That is why Bibby is so important. I rather him take big 3’s than anyone else on the team besides Crawford.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:48 pm
bigdave ,
Yeah, but they ain’t fighting. Just discussing.
KevinA
January 25th, 2010
10:48 pm
Josh just dominating
bigdave
January 25th, 2010
10:48 pm
Bibby makes the tough lay ups…
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:49 pm
Awful shot, Joe
Sautee
January 25th, 2010
10:50 pm
Couldn’t help but notice how Adelman found 18+ minutes for HIS rookie (Budinger).
Let him play through some egregious errors too.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:50 pm
Bibby has ice water in his veins. Josh has fire in his. Memphis is wondering why they didn’t offer more than $58 million….
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:51 pm
Love how Josh sets these screens for Joe, so he can pass all the way to the other side of the court to Bibby, who is not open for a good shot. sigh …
bigdave
January 25th, 2010
10:52 pm
Ray…
no no… it was on a defensive assignment… Josh has checked everyone on those and team rebounding… as he should…
J.J.M.
January 25th, 2010
10:53 pm
joshhhhhh
bigdave
January 25th, 2010
10:53 pm
great win to start a gut check week…
KevinA
January 25th, 2010
10:53 pm
Pretty nice when all 6 starters shoot well. Great win
General Larry Platt
January 25th, 2010
10:53 pm
Woody looking like a fool with his brows on the ground
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:54 pm
Kurt Rambis finds playing time for his rookies too.
J.J.M.
January 25th, 2010
10:54 pm
wow bibby should have just let him score
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:55 pm
Darn it, Woody… Josh should have been the first hawk out of the game tonight. He deserved the STAR treatment.
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
10:55 pm
RandMO in means game over!
Najeh Davenpoop
January 25th, 2010
10:56 pm
Houston fans are starting the “Yao Ming, Yao Ming Yao Ming” chant.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:56 pm
Astro,
LOL. Does Rambis have anything BESIDES rookies? Oh yeah, maybe a couple of sophomores and juniors….
Bigdave ,
Gotcha. Misunderstood….what with all the yapping people have been doing about Joe and Jamal not getting along…which is BS.
Melvin
January 25th, 2010
10:57 pm
Get the Rockets out of here… On to San Antonio… BTW, the Bulls beat the Spurs tonight. These ain’t your big Brother Spurs anymore…lol
Taylor
January 25th, 2010
10:57 pm
Streak Breakers!!!
Sautee
January 25th, 2010
10:58 pm
Last I looked, Rambis’ team wasn’t competing for a playoff spot like the Rockets are.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
10:58 pm
Today’s lesson for Teague: how to dribble out the clock at the end of the game. Thus endeth the lesson.
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:58 pm
Hawks messed up their point differential average at the end of the game. I blame it on Teague.
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
10:59 pm
Last I looked, Hawks swept the Rockets.
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
11:01 pm
2-0 in Texas. Boo-yah. These are NOT last year’s Hawks.
Sautee
January 25th, 2010
11:03 pm
AJ,
Would you trade Woody for Adelman straight up?
Sautee
January 25th, 2010
11:03 pm
pssst, AJ, the correct answer is “not this year”.
kwooden1
January 25th, 2010
11:04 pm
GREAT WIN!!
Way to play tough throughout the game and have Bibby make some big 3’s. I could only listen to this game, but I hope that Teague came back and played well after getting a ear full from Woody. Nice rebounding game by J. Smith. I think the bench did a great job setting the tempo in the 2nd when the Rockets were up.
GO HAWKS!!
Freshmaker
January 25th, 2010
11:04 pm
Fire Woody.
Just kidding…great win Hawks! Been a loooong time since I’ve seen ‘em win in Houston.
Melvin
January 25th, 2010
11:04 pm
Hawks win and the Magic lose… I like it…
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
11:05 pm
LOVE that win. Nothing to complain about, in reality. Winning heals a lot. Hawks just got a bit better on the road (where they have a winning record already), and should go into San Antonio with more confidence. They know what works. They just have to do it again.
GO HAWKS!
Love how Josh took that game over, love how Joe played well, loved Crawford’s usual spark off the bench, love Big Al’s heart. Dude only played 27 minutes with foul trouble and still nearly got that double double.
Marvin played well out there, doing the little things and hitting 3s when asked to do so. Can’t complain.
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
11:05 pm
I wouldn’t trade the Hawks season straight up for the Rockets season.
Sautee, you and I both know that Adelman is in a no-lose situation this year. With Yao and McGrady out, he would be a fool NOT to play his rookies. He doesn’t have the luxury of being selective. Why is it so bad that the Hawks are so deep that the #19 pick can’t find consistent minutes? The same is true for Philly with their draft pick (chosen hogher) and Henderson in Charlotte. I just don’t see how Woody needs to apologize for employing a different strategy against a coach that he just swept.
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
11:08 pm
Ok, I wanna play too.
Last I looked, Rockets were competing for playoff position….and Chase Budinger is a rookie.
So either Adelman is an idiot who is not focused on winning games, or Budinger is just so damn good that he made Adelman play him.
Heh heh heh heh
Yes, I have a ladle as well…..
Coach D
January 25th, 2010
11:09 pm
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
9:39 pm
A great evil has been loosed upon the Rockets. And it’s name is Josh Smith.
I thought you were gonna say, “And it’s name is Eyebrowless Woody.”
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
11:14 pm
No, I wouldn’t trade the Hawks season for the Rockets season.
No way would we do this well with so many injuries. Imagine us losing Joe Johnson and either Josh Smith or Al Horford. Would we be sitting at 5th in our conference? Would we even have a winning record? Would Woody get as much out of the rest of his team as Adelman has gotten out of HIS? Or would there be a built in alibi, and suddenly the depth that keeps a rookie on the bench gets conveniently swept under the rug, even as claims are made that Sund hasn’t gotten Woody enough talent (or whatever other finger-pointing would come forth)?
I don’t want Woody to apologize for anything. I’m glad we’re not experiencing the injuries Houston is. I like that we’re winning. I’ll leave it at that.
GO HAWKS!
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
11:15 pm
Coach D,
I started to say that….
Big Ray
January 25th, 2010
11:16 pm
Night y’all.
Off to surgery in the morning. Better drink all I can for the next 45 minutes….
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
11:17 pm
Or the Rockets are so depleted…
Lon Kruger
January 25th, 2010
11:19 pm
WHAT IS THE STORY ABOUT THE EYEBROWS?!?!?!?!??
ILL-logical
January 25th, 2010
11:20 pm
Does Woodson like stupid without eyebrows? DOES DOMINIQUE MANGLE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE?
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
11:21 pm
I love Adelman… but the time to laud his coaching prowess (at the expense of Woody) is NOT after he has been swept by Woody. Darn, we can’t let a road win sit for 10 minutes without a comment about a coach playing a rookie. Here’s my guess, without Joe or Jamal or Bibby, Teague would play.
Sautee
January 25th, 2010
11:24 pm
As depleted as the Rockets may be, they STILL have 5 players ranked in the top 100. Hawks have 4.
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
11:25 pm
Any chance that a healthy rotation of TMac, Battier and Ariza would impact Chase’s minutes? With Landry, Hayes and Scola. Brooks and Lowry. And Yao. Here’s guessing Chase would be looking at the 10th spot on the bench… if all were healthy.
Sautee
January 25th, 2010
11:26 pm
And AJ, you KNOW I’m just stirrin’ the pot, man.
supa
January 25th, 2010
11:28 pm
Great game by the Hawks. I watched the Rockets’ broadcast tonight and they were complimenting the Hawks left and right. Only downside was that Teague looks lost right now. He looks like he’s lost confidence. Woody has not shown the ability to develop point guards.
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
11:29 pm
Sautee, and all this time I thought the objective was team wins and not individual accomplishment. Maybe we should trade seasons then…. who cares about team wins if we not have x number of players in the top 100.
MC, tell Woody that the game has changed. Drop to the 8/9 position and move up in players in the top 100. Road wins in Texas are pointless unless there is universal agreement on minute distribution.
Maybe the reason Teagye doesn’t play is because he doesn’t know how to run our one play. Dumb rookie.
Ree Roe
January 25th, 2010
11:30 pm
lol @ the possibility of Woody coachin the East. Half the bench would never make it into the game
-REEcently Roe!!!
Astro Joe
January 25th, 2010
11:32 pm
At least stir the pot with a logical spoon. Although asking me to put down Adelman is a very clever tactic… given my long-standing bromance with the Rockets coach.
Good luck Ray. Best wishes for a good day tomorrow.
northcyde
January 25th, 2010
11:42 pm
Great win tonight. Smoove was definitely the MVP tonight. He looked great in the post and he took over the game defensively. Even Teague had a few good plays tonight. ISO JJ was in full effect tonight, scoring in the 1st half, and being a playmaker in the 2nd. And people can’t complain much about Bibby tonight.
Just a good solid team win tonight.
cp
January 25th, 2010
11:51 pm
Good win tonight. The whole time while watching the game I was hoping to get an explanation about Woodsons lack of eyebrows..I watched the Rockets feed and their guys were pretty good to me. They showed Nique a few times and all I could do is laugh because Nique was making faces like he smelled something bad or just did not want to be there. Well time to get prepared for the next game.
South ga boy in the atl
January 26th, 2010
12:49 am
Hey northcyde, want to ask u a ? I think that if an alien was dropped into atl to read our (Hawks fans) blog, he/she/it would think we are 14-29 rather than 29-14. The angst shown by fellow bloggers never ceases to amaze me. I have a theory, and want ur opinion on it, that it’s not the play per se of the Hawks, but the uncertainty and ?’s surrounding the franchise in general. Will we be able to re-sign JJ ? Will we be able to re- sign Jamal next yr and do we have to pick which one we keep ? Can we get Al locked into a long term deal next yr ? The constant harping over the minutes of Bibby/Teague ? Was locking Marvin into a long term deal at that price a prudent move ? Should Zsa Zsa be used as trade bait if RandMo conti ues to develope ? Should Woody be locked in and if so for how long ? Will Sund stay or leave for a more glamorous gig should one become a available?and most importantly (the real heart of all Hawks fans worries) will the ASG screw things up with their “cash strapped, splintered, and short sighted view of things” mentality just as we are reaching elite status. I think that if you look at the complaints “agenda driven as they can be” on this blog, they come back to the central point that everyone knows that we are really close to being elite and they don’t want the ASG to mess it up with one or two bad decisions. With the right moves this coming offseason and next, we can be elite for a long time. With the wrong ones, it will be right back to mediocrity. So I think iso Joe complaints, fire Woody, and Teague minutes complaints are just symptoms of a deeper angst. Whatta ya think northcyde or anyone else for that matter.
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Joe
January 26th, 2010
7:38 am
It seems to me that the second team Hawk players need more coaching in how to protect an 11 point lead. Another minute or so on the game clock and they might have blown the game. The book says that when you are ahead by double digits that the opposing team has to foul the lead team to take a chance on the leading team missing the free thows so that the trailing team gets more chances to score and preserve more clocktime. Just the opposite happened in Houston last night, the Hawks fouled Houston several times, they hit their foul shots, only to have the Hawks foul them again to stop the game clock. Instead of being ahead by 15 or more points, the Hawks limped out of the arena with a 7 point win. I think the second team needs to read that book again, the coach needs to read it out loud to them so he too remembers to call timeout to steady the ship and thn practice ball movement and ball handling to preserve a lead.
Sautee
January 26th, 2010
10:22 am
new blog up