Mavericks at Hawks, AKA Lineups, Perspective and My Big Z Delusions
Brendan Haywood and the new-look Mavs are here. (JOHN F. RHODES/DMN)
I’m going to refrain from talking about how the Hawks can make some kind of statement about being an elite team against the Mavs. I do this mostly because I usually don’t like building up regular-season NBA games too much but also because I’m written out and need to hand off to the Hawks blogosphere. There’s good stuff out there on lineups, perspective, J.J.’s future and my delusions about Big Z.
– Both Hawk Str8talk (get well soon) and Peachtree Hoops are trying to figure out the best personnel combinations for the Hawks.
atl_hawk_luv says put Teague in the starting lineup not just because of the rookie’s speed and defense but because Bibby would help the bench and J.J. could see a “glimpse of his future with the Hawks” alongside Teague. He wants Mo instead of Marvin, too. Whichever lineup you favor, he’s clearly hit on the two weak spots among the starters.
hawksdawgs is “no longer clamoring for bench usage like (he) once was” after seeing the reserves out there as a unit and realizing the Hawks “just don’t have great depth.” But he thinks they have some “decent pieces” on the bench and so asks: “The bigger question going forward is not whether Mike Woodson should use at least an eight man bench. He should. . . . No, the bigger question is how to combine the bench pieces with the starters. What are the best lineups to maximize the skills and minimize the weaknesses?”
Well said. Woody’s struggling with that issue right now.
– Hawks superfan, ATLien and Slam Mag hack Lang Whitaker answers reader email and calls for some perspective. Responding to a reader upset about that mess in Golden State, Lang says he understands the emotional swings: “Perspective and patience aren’t exactly the hallmarks of rabid fans, who are, after all, fanatics. I know that this is a frequent theme I keep hitting on here over and over, but it can’t be stressed enough: The NBA season is a marathon. You lose a game, you have to put it behind you and start fresh.”
Lang also touches on J.J.’s future plans and says something that I need to remember as I keep seeing all these various reports about J.J. favoring this city or that city while I hear nothing like that from people who would know: “The truth is, I don’t think anyone, including Joe, knows what’s going to happen this summer. And anyone who tells you they do know what’s going to happen is lying to you.”
– Over at Hoopinion, Bret Lagree skewers one of my Ilgauskas posts. Lagree dismisses Ilgauskas’ size and experience as irrelevant because he thinks he’s just not very good or useful to the Hawks and also says he’s no longer much of a shooter. (In my defense, I did write way back when: “He once was an offensive threat in the post but has become more of a jumpshooter late in his career. Ilgauskas has slipped to 38 percent shooting on jumpers this season, according to 82games.com.)
Lagree concludes: “I think it’s even more delusional to believe that Ilgauskas would help the Hawks than that he would sign with the Hawks.” Well, then call me delusional because I disagree with him on the former (but have never believed the latter). Even so, I like Lagree’s style (and substance). Keep on skewering.
– After talking to Jamal, I don’t think the shoulder is much of an issue. I think he’s just slumping. He says not to worry, he’ll be fine.
– The Mavericks are quite pleased with that trade. Well, Tim Cowlishaw is at least.
– Caron Butler may not play tonight. If he does play he won’t be chewing on straws and isn’t happy about it. (I used to chew on straws but grew out of the habit.)
– Remember, the game is at 7 tonight after ESPN moved it up.
– Talk amongst yourselves, Hawks fans.
MC
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442 comments Add your comment
JustChillFans
February 26th, 2010
7:58 pm
Bone where are you????? Mac-town???? Cant say nothing now huh..
bigdave
February 26th, 2010
7:59 pm
rolling…
Melvin
February 26th, 2010
7:59 pm
Like the way the Hawks are playing now…
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
February 26th, 2010
8:00 pm
lol@JustChillFans…..bruh….makin one or two good plays…or h3ll even havin 1 good game ,when you’ve stunk it up for 5 or 6 consecutive ones doesnt mean crap.
Bibby can suck for 5 straight games then comes back in 1 game and hit back2back threes and someone has to say somethin like “What all you bibby haters gotta say now??? Exactly shut the hell up.”
Bibby is a below average player at this point in his career.
macaroni tony
February 26th, 2010
8:01 pm
I like the fact that the Hawks is making this a game. We need to keep this up today.
bigdave
February 26th, 2010
8:01 pm
Jamal just put up an awful 3…
lol at him asking for the ball from Al when Al had a wide open dunk on the fast break.. wow.. he wants to score em all…
IREPATL
February 26th, 2010
8:01 pm
bones a hater, only speaks when negative feedback is needed….just an observation
IREPATL
February 26th, 2010
8:02 pm
the duck quacks!!!!!!!!
BONE
February 26th, 2010
8:02 pm
JustChill if you don’t stfu. I said I wanna see the hawks play consistent not inspurts. dumazz
O'Brien
February 26th, 2010
8:02 pm
Melvin, these Hawks are like Jekyll and Hyde
Finally a made shot for Marvin. I forgot he was on the team lol
And a Mario sighting
BONE
February 26th, 2010
8:03 pm
IREPATL U CAN LICK MY NUTZ. I CAN SAY WHAT I WANNA SAY. AND I’M A HATER FOR POINTING OUT THE DUMB THINGS THE HAWS DO? LMAO OK
IREPATL
February 26th, 2010
8:03 pm
lol hostility, hate, some truth….but mostly hate
Melvin
February 26th, 2010
8:03 pm
Marvin with a key basket tie the game at the half…..
IREPATL
February 26th, 2010
8:04 pm
…………..very mature
KevinA
February 26th, 2010
8:07 pm
This does not seem like a normal 50-50 game.
Blast
February 26th, 2010
8:07 pm
Even ballgame. It’s any team’s to take in the 2nd.
Phew! Happy to see the Hawks come alive. The poisonous hate on this blog was getting unbearable. Not saying Hawks gonna win the game, though I think if they share the ball, rebound and defend, they will win, but at least they are not laying eggs in the game so far.
In that 2nd qrt, Hawks certainly fed ESPN, especially Josh Smith!
BONE
February 26th, 2010
8:07 pm
And Mac you right. Whenever someone like bibby has 1 good game after he has 10 bad games these idiots come out like “where you guy at”. I’m like are you serious.
A Hawks Fan
February 26th, 2010
8:11 pm
Bone have you ever once said anything positive about the Hawks? Why are you here?
Ree Roe
February 26th, 2010
8:12 pm
Good to see all of you who abandoned the Hawks based off of the end of the first & start of the 2nd, nice to see you back on the bandwagon. Runs like that that the Hawks made to retake the lead are the kind of runs championship teams make. Good to see. Hopefully yall won’t run & abandon the team again if some adversity comes our way
-REEcently Roe!!!
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
8:12 pm
Oh ye of little faith…
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
8:13 pm
It’s so funny to see the “Woody can’t coach” comments during the bad stretch and the “players are ballin’” comments during the good stretch. Truly HILARIOUS!!!!
Sautee
February 26th, 2010
8:15 pm
AJ,
C’mon man, is it not EXACTLY what you would expect?
Rakim
February 26th, 2010
8:15 pm
the hawks wont be a contender this year, period.
Blast
February 26th, 2010
8:16 pm
“Oh ye of little faith.”
I love that, Astro.
A Hawks Fan
February 26th, 2010
8:16 pm
Rakim, well you said “period” so it must be true…
KevinA
February 26th, 2010
8:18 pm
Bibby, Joe, Josh and Al with big minutes.
O'Brien
February 26th, 2010
8:20 pm
Did you guys hear the comments by the commentator Mike Bream? He said that if big Z signed with the Hawks, Woody would consider starting him at the 5, Horford at the 4, and Josh at the 3.
I dont know who his “source” was, but I know Mark Bradley also reported the same thing on his game blog, that Woody would consider it.
Or maybe it was just a ploy to try and convince Big Z to sign here…
I wont be surprised if one of the teams make a run in the 3rd. i just hope its the Hawks
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
8:21 pm
Sautee, they’re “fair and balanced” just like Fox News.
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
February 26th, 2010
8:21 pm
So, anytime the Hawks go on a good run, it’s a direct relation to Woodson’s great coaching, instead of them just happening to knock down a jumper off their own abilities in Woodson’s non-existabnt offensive sets?
FIRE MIKE WOODSON
BONE
February 26th, 2010
8:21 pm
Since alotta people wanna question me about certain things I’m gonna address some things. I enjoy watching GOOD BASKETBALL. The Hawks are above avg but they do not play GOOD BASKETBALL. If you all knew what GOOD BASKETBALL looked like you wouldn’t be so damn optimistic. I’m keeping it real and I haven’t been wrong about too much of what I have said about the Hawks. THEY ARE NOT CONTENDERS. Yet. If you don’t like what I say go cry about it.
Blast
February 26th, 2010
8:23 pm
Hubie said it right. Hawks got back in the game by rebounding the ball, assists (sharing the ball) steals (defence). They must keep that up!
O'Brien
February 26th, 2010
8:23 pm
Marvin with a block. Good job Marvin. Keep it coming.
And why cant we stop Dirk? Man, he is a tough cover
Melvin
February 26th, 2010
8:24 pm
Where did Kidd get that jumpshot from????
Blast
February 26th, 2010
8:26 pm
Hubie said Hawks slipped back to the mode they were in, in the 1st half.
That’s because they retained the same starters coming in to the 2nd half. I would have started the crew that ended the 2nd.
bigdave
February 26th, 2010
8:28 pm
Horford just doesnt finish left…
JeJe
February 26th, 2010
8:28 pm
JOSH STOP GIVING DIRK SPACE TO SHOT. HE IS A TOP 10 PLAYER IN THE WORLD. DO NOT LET HIM SHOOT
JESUS
IREPATL
February 26th, 2010
8:30 pm
womp womp womp lol…shhhhhhhhhhhh
O'Brien
February 26th, 2010
8:30 pm
Blast,
Good point. But most teams tend to start the 3rd with the same team that started the game.
That is what we want to see from Marvin, because he will get a lot of those shots. Open 3 from the corner.
The old Bibby seems to be bac. Hopefully Marvin will continue what we have seen so far
rob
February 26th, 2010
8:31 pm
maybe marvin gets some confidence now
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
8:31 pm
Mack, they look bad together and they look good together. Novel thought, huh?
A Hawks Fan
February 26th, 2010
8:31 pm
Bone, that’s fine if you “keep it real,” but where are your positive comments when the Hawks are doing good things? Surely they have done some good things, as they are one of the top 4 teams in the East
Blast
February 26th, 2010
8:32 pm
Josh Smith!
Hawks MVP!!!!
And to imagine that some ‘fans’ questioned his basketball IQ!
What is YOUR basketball IQ, those so called ‘fans’, now?
BONE
February 26th, 2010
8:32 pm
Josh could get a quadruple double he has 8pts 5rebs 5asts 5stls
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
February 26th, 2010
8:33 pm
The Hawks should promise Big Z that they’ll force Marvin to give him his yearly salary as an added bonus to whatever he’d already get, if he signs with us. Marvin is more useless than the guys who collect buggys outside Grocery Stores and should be paid accordingly.
bigdave
February 26th, 2010
8:34 pm
im sorry, did i miss Woodson draw up something…
when i commented on Joe Balling it was simply b/c he was making shots and had a nice flow to his game… not forcing anything…
iRep whats happening..
BONE
February 26th, 2010
8:35 pm
Damn Mac lol
O'Brien
February 26th, 2010
8:35 pm
Come on Marvin. You’ve had 3 open 3 point looks from that exact same spot. And you’ve made only 1.
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
February 26th, 2010
8:36 pm
In spite of Woodon during the good stretches@Astro Joe
JeJe
February 26th, 2010
8:36 pm
JOSH !@#$BING BOX OUT UR MAN AND STOP RELYING ON ATHLETICISM
JESUS CHRIST
BOX OUR YOUR !#@$ING MAN AND STOP JUST JUMPING AROUDN
GROW THE !#@$ UP ALERADY
JeJe
February 26th, 2010
8:37 pm
LOL @ HUBIE SAYING WE’RE GOING TO RALLY
HAS HE SEEN THE HAWKS PLAY THE MAGIC