Hawks at Magic, AKA They Can Get Four Ws in One
Orlando– If the Hawks beat the Magic tonight at Pyramid Scheme Arena, then a) they finally figured out Orlando b) Woody coaches the East All-Stars, c) the Hawks extend their lead over the Magic in the Southeast Division to 1.5 games, and d) they stay in front of Boston for No. 2 in the East through the weekend. Lose, and none of those things happen.
So while finishing this week 2-2 would be good, 3-1 means some national shine. And, as Hawks PR Man Arthur Triche notes, it means Woody will be forced to come up with a story to explain his missing eyebrows to the hundreds of reporters who will ask him about them for four straight days on All-Star weekend.
– The smallish Hawks might get a large dose of the Magic lineup featuring both Dwight Howard and Marc He's not Dwight, but he's big too. (www.totalprosports.com)
– Van Gundy is one of the league’s unfiltered coaches. He speaks his mind and tends not to care who takes offense (though, after the way Shaq cracked back on him last season, perhaps sometimes he should care). And so even when he praises the Hawks for their season thus far, he does it like this:
“They’re a very talented team. Their first eight or nine guys are outstanding, and they’ve played the entire year injury-free. So, they’re one of the few teams that hasn’t had to make any adjustments. They get the same eight or nine guys out there every single night. They’ve been together for a long time. They’ve had no injuries this year. It’s rolling along. That has a lot to do with it. They’re a good team, and they’ve faced no adversity whatsoever.”
The Orlando Sentinel’s Josh Robbins says Van Gundy’s tone wasn’t jerky when he said that, he was just being matter-of-fact. I covered Van Gundy, so I know what Robbins means. Nothing Van Gundy said isn’t true (except maybe the “no adversity whatsoever” part) but it seems to me Van Gundy managed to get his digs in, too. He’s never boring, at least.
– Al returns to Gatorland and gets some love.
– Talk amongst yourselves, Hawks fans.
MC
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294 comments Add your comment
Sleepy
January 30th, 2010
7:34 pm
Weve got to move the ball from side to side and make the magic move . They try and funnel everything to Dwight but if we allow him to just stand there we are gonna get shut down . Move the ball let Dwight have to scramble and then it allows someone to slide weakside for offensive rebounds
No one on the magic but Howard is a great defender and yet we play right into there hands
BONE
January 30th, 2010
7:34 pm
We just can’t beat this team. It’s not in our DNA.
JB
January 30th, 2010
7:35 pm
Let’s not act like Collins was some kind of victim here. It’s Jason Collins.
J.J.M.
January 30th, 2010
7:37 pm
sloppy
O'Brien
January 30th, 2010
7:37 pm
What happened to our offense?
niremetal
January 30th, 2010
7:37 pm
Really, really wish we had an offense that didn’t consist entirely of ISOs and post-ups. Having no built-in ball movement kills us against a team that plays good help D.
BONE
January 30th, 2010
7:38 pm
O’brien this IS our Offense remember.
vava74
January 30th, 2010
7:38 pm
This horrible. The game is so rigged
Sautee
January 30th, 2010
7:39 pm
Bone,
Isn’t it a little early for despair?
J.J.M.
January 30th, 2010
7:39 pm
hawks “we swept the celtics…we can relax now…everybody thinks we are an amazing team”
Blast
January 30th, 2010
7:39 pm
Howard should have 3 fouls by now if refs were calling it straight.
Sleepy
January 30th, 2010
7:40 pm
If they keep Reddick on Crawford we should let him break him down and get to the rim just make sure ZAZA presents himself for the pass near the rim because you know Howard is coming to help. And we need to take better care of the basketball .Its the second night of a back to back but still.
Sautee
January 30th, 2010
7:40 pm
Put Horford or even RandMo in and make Howard cover somebody.
bigdave
January 30th, 2010
7:41 pm
Todd telling it how it is… like always…
vava74
January 30th, 2010
7:41 pm
In order to win today we must play at 200% and I am smelling a bad shooting night for Crawford
Sleepy
January 30th, 2010
7:41 pm
exactly melvin
KevinA
January 30th, 2010
7:42 pm
Evans – that helped
BONE
January 30th, 2010
7:42 pm
Sautee no it’s not to early. We just don’t know how to beat this team.
Melvin
January 30th, 2010
7:42 pm
Whoever Howard is guarding has to rotate to the front of the rim and be ready for a pass b/c Howard is leaving his man everytime to go block shots.
J.J.M.
January 30th, 2010
7:42 pm
wow hawks didnt take a free throw
bigdave
January 30th, 2010
7:42 pm
Josh just pinning everything
BONE
January 30th, 2010
7:42 pm
Of course I could be wrong
O'Brien
January 30th, 2010
7:43 pm
Marvin 2-7, and he was open on a lot of those shots. He needs to knock those down.
Hawks need to not double team Howard.
Good defense. I’m glad Refs didnt call a foul
bigdave
January 30th, 2010
7:43 pm
there you go Z… good foul..
J.J.M.
January 30th, 2010
7:43 pm
2 team fouls already
BONE
January 30th, 2010
7:43 pm
Can someone Xplain to me how Marvin, who has a pretty jumpshot, miss o many jumpers?
niremetal
January 30th, 2010
7:43 pm
Trapping kills one-on-one teams. Adjust, Woody.
Melvin
January 30th, 2010
7:44 pm
Wow, Mario took a rebound away from Howard in midair….
vava74
January 30th, 2010
7:47 pm
Finally a good call!
J.J.M.
January 30th, 2010
7:47 pm
dang that guy nose is huge
bigdave
January 30th, 2010
7:47 pm
lol @ Bob
Melvin
January 30th, 2010
7:47 pm
Even Howard complains/talk to the refs now… Joe please take note of that…
niremetal
January 30th, 2010
7:48 pm
Shut up, Dwight. You were shoving Zaza and they bailed YOU out by calling 3 seconds instead of a foul.
BONE
January 30th, 2010
7:48 pm
Man Marvin be more aggresive.
J.J.M.
January 30th, 2010
7:48 pm
im sorry but marvin cant drive the ball worth nothin
BONE
January 30th, 2010
7:49 pm
Am I the only onewho wants to see Reddick layed out on the floor.
Melvin
January 30th, 2010
7:50 pm
Damn Woody, why dont you play Joe Smith at the backup PF spot. Marvin is too weak. Stop trying to matchup to the other team personnel. Let them match up to your some times…
Sautee
January 30th, 2010
7:51 pm
Melvin,
I was wondering about Joe Smith too.
vava74
January 30th, 2010
7:51 pm
We lack a point guard right now to settle the team down.
Too much ISO-jamal and his shots are not falling. (no one’s shots are falling)
O'Brien
January 30th, 2010
7:52 pm
Although Marvin has a role (defend, rebound, hit the open hot), he needs to step up in big moments. He will get more open looks as the game progresses. He has to make the Magic pay. He is 2-7 so far.
Melvin,
Joe Smith is the backup PF. You would think Woody would give him a look.
BONE
January 30th, 2010
7:52 pm
Man somebody punch Reddick
J.J.M.
January 30th, 2010
7:53 pm
lol i hate reddick 2
bigdave
January 30th, 2010
7:53 pm
Nique seriously… you’re asking too much of Al in the post there…
Sautee
January 30th, 2010
7:53 pm
LOL, ‘Nique just said Janeer Melson.
Melvin
January 30th, 2010
7:54 pm
LOL. Mo saw Josh getting ready to comeback in the game so he decide to get one more shot attempt before he go out….
bigdave
January 30th, 2010
7:54 pm
Woodson doesnt believe in PG’s
J.J.M.
January 30th, 2010
7:55 pm
here goes the 3s
J.J.M.
January 30th, 2010
7:55 pm
wtf is joe tryin 2 do
Sautee
January 30th, 2010
7:55 pm
Vava,
Yeah we get away with it, but Jamal is NOT a PG.
Rod from College Park
January 30th, 2010
7:55 pm
BONE,
“Can someone Xplain to me how Marvin, who has a pretty jumpshot, miss o many jumpers?”
Because he’s a bum.