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
IREPATL
February 26th, 2010
9:42 pm
aye, does j-kidd have twitter? lol
joeBjoe
February 26th, 2010
9:42 pm
fire Woody!
MAD-DONNA
February 26th, 2010
9:43 pm
With the shortest man in the NBA on him, iso Joe still aint clutch!
BONE
February 26th, 2010
9:43 pm
AND ONCE AGAIN WHEN I 1ST SAID THE HAWKS WOULD LOSE THEY ENDED UP CHOKING.
I KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT.
Sautee
February 26th, 2010
9:43 pm
AJ,
You’re right about that. We’ll see zone until we show we can break it.
Sautee
February 26th, 2010
9:44 pm
And gosh Bone, doesn’t that make you feel great?
BONE
February 26th, 2010
9:44 pm
I wish someone broke Terry’s jaw 2day
Sam from da Swats
February 26th, 2010
9:44 pm
Wow, Cleveland in OT at Toronto, no Bosh..
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
9:44 pm
Hawks looked poorly coached once Mavs went into the zone defense. Like they had NEVER seen that defense before at any point in their basketball lives. As if the Mavs had created a new basketball play… a new defensive scheme that Auerbach or Wooden had never known.
But, like I said, better to be COMPLETELY exposed now than later.
joeBjoe
February 26th, 2010
9:45 pm
we lost that game on the boards. and Woody’s fat ass.
bigdave
February 26th, 2010
9:45 pm
you would have thought he could have implemented something midway through the 4th… thats why you practice and prepare.. so that on the fly your guys can be ready.. the teaching happens in practice.. so that in the game you are prepared… you have the ability to adjust on the fly…
guess he spent too much time instructing defense… we looked lost.
IREPATL
February 26th, 2010
9:45 pm
OMG THE HAWKS SUCK IM SO SICK OF SEEING THIS HORRIBLE TEAM, GET US THE THUNDER, GET US AVERY JOHNSON, GET US SOME PANTIES…………lol j.k , but yea we seriously need a C, im mean j-kidd out rebounded our strarting 5 almost by himself
BONE
February 26th, 2010
9:46 pm
Satuee it’s nothing new. When I see the Hawks starting to bend that usually means that they are about to break. And no I don’t want them to lose but I’m realistic which most of you aren’t.
MAD-DONNA
February 26th, 2010
9:46 pm
Mike Bibby can’t check grandma in a wheelchair!
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
9:46 pm
9-32 from Jamal and Al doesn’t smell too good either. In fact, it’s stinking up my den right now.
rob
February 26th, 2010
9:47 pm
Well if we are choking then whats the answer? fire woody? lets get that chant going
bigdave
February 26th, 2010
9:47 pm
but i guess to comment on his coaching short comings would just be “hilarious” to some…
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
February 26th, 2010
9:48 pm
ON THE BRIGHTSIDE…look at ATL’s upcoming schedule…EASIEST in the NBA
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
9:48 pm
bigdave, I agree. Like I said a few posts ago, we looked like we were playing against a brand new creature… this thing called a… now what is it called again, oh… a ZONE. WOWWWW!
J.J.M.
February 26th, 2010
9:49 pm
Hawks just cant hold a lead they get to comfortable with big leads. I also noticed they paid wayyy to much attention to Dirk leaving kidd with the open 3’s. Now other teams will see that the hawks cant play against the zone. Now the hawks may lose games and fall down to the 4th seed.
rob
February 26th, 2010
9:49 pm
no schedule is easy when you relax like the Hawks, that killer instinct is gone
MAD-DONNA
February 26th, 2010
9:49 pm
The best the Hawks will do this year is the four wins against Boston, but wait until next year though!
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
9:49 pm
bigdave, timing is everything, don;t you agree. Read my 9:44 post, why don’t you.
J.J.M.
February 26th, 2010
9:50 pm
“ON THE BRIGHTSIDE…look at ATL’s upcoming schedule…EASIEST in the NBA”
True but how will the hawks be mentally after losing this game.
rob
February 26th, 2010
9:51 pm
we WILL play Cleveland or Orlando in the second round, thats IF we make it out the 1st one
Dante Fitzgerald
February 26th, 2010
9:51 pm
Mike Woodson….SMH!
j
February 26th, 2010
9:51 pm
Hello,
BONE, Does your use of CAPS show us just how prescient that you are? We lost to a good team. OT was a disaster for sure and I seriously question the logic in giving JJ a Max Deal when the projections portend of a major regression due to minutes played and aging, but our nucleus is solid.
Losing to an excellent team is not choking. Unlike us, the Mavs have an Owner willing to spend whatever it takes to make his Team better. Sund has done a fantastic job given the financial constraints of our dysfunctional Owner Group.
Cheers,
J
BONE
February 26th, 2010
9:51 pm
Now thats what 3 recent games that the hawks have choked away. The Celtics must feel great that they don’t have to worry about the hawks stealing the 3rd seed.
BONE
February 26th, 2010
9:52 pm
How is the Hawks killer instinct gone? the Hawks have never had a KILLER INSTINCT.
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
9:52 pm
It would also be nice if the team would either learn or be taught how to be disciplined about their defense. How many times did Dirk’s defender leave him to double someone else? I think in the first half, Marvin left Dirk to double Marion. When was the last time Shawn Marion needed to be doubled? I’ll tell you, when Joe was playing in Phoenix.
rob
February 26th, 2010
9:53 pm
dont look now, Milwaukee is on a 5 game winning streak, next stop Atlanta
bigdave
February 26th, 2010
9:53 pm
i was typing before i read the post… but hey.. Woodson does some good things… i wont take that away from him, but Astro he has glaring deficiencies as a head coach… maybe he’s learning and growing too.. i dont know, but in order to take the next step we have to be able to adjust and counter…
simply bringing in Crawford and expecting defenses to become scared just wont cut it…
BONE
February 26th, 2010
9:53 pm
Umm the hawks did choke. They had the lead goin in to the 4th qtr.
Ree Roe
February 26th, 2010
9:53 pm
Fire Mike Woodson. I honestly look at this game as a failure to make adjustments (Woody) & an ineffective bench. Our starters played A TON of minutes tonight.
Josh: 42
Al played 50 MINUTES tonight!
Bibby: 39
Joe: 47
Jamal: 39
ZaZa, Mo & Joe Smith combined for 25 mins. Our guys looked spent and it showed. But the primary blame goes to Woodson. The technical on the sideline for being out of the coaches box is the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen by a head coach
-REEgistered as Roe!
hoho
February 26th, 2010
9:53 pm
the last possesion the mav’s had in regulation had 5 seconds on the shot clock when nowitzki was fouled. mavs took a time out and then had the full 13 seconds left of regulation-what’d i miss?
J.J.M.
February 26th, 2010
9:55 pm
If the hawks go 2 the finals I will donate 200 dollars 2 Haiti
bigdave
February 26th, 2010
9:56 pm
Stro…
yea but a lot of those wide open looks come from our overly complicated switching and the opposing head coach knowing whats looks are going to be there. he needs to throw a monkey wrench in it or something; some sort of wrinkle where he isnt looking as predictable or stubborn. i also credit murder on the offensive glass to it as well.. its hard to box out when you’re looking for your assignment… just look, the shot goes up, and we’re looking for our man…
rob
February 26th, 2010
9:57 pm
Dirk and kidd had 46 minutes, but they dont play extensive minutes like we do, we do it ALL the time, and we will be spent AGAIN in the playoffs
RA
February 26th, 2010
9:57 pm
First off, Kudos to Hubie Brown who finally found a team that could beat us on ESPN. He’s been looking for them all year. Congratulations, I really mean that. Now, the Hawks should have won that game, bottomline. But Jason Kidd turned the clock back about ten years and had one of those Michael Jordan type performances, but lets be clear, there was a 20 second stretch during which the Mavs scored six points, that killed the momentum to such an extent that the rest of the game, even overtime was just awaiting the inevitable. But there are about five or six stretches durring that game that you can look at and point to that lost the game for us. The biggest factor was that when Dallas switched to the Zone, Atlanta stopped even trying to go inside. They became a jump shooting team.
Yea, I’m mad, and disappointed, and frustrated, but they’re still my team. And to any of you that have been disappointed to the point where you can’t support a team that’s still fourth in the east, I’m sorry. But like I said, I’m still down. Go Hawks!
J.J.M.
February 26th, 2010
9:59 pm
I think people are forgetting woodson didnt call a timeout when the mavs went on that long run
A Hawks Fan
February 26th, 2010
10:00 pm
Good point JJM, what was that about?
hoho
February 26th, 2010
10:01 pm
Donate anyway JJM, what’s it gonna hurt?
J.J.M.
February 26th, 2010
10:01 pm
A real coach “would have” called a timeout even phil jackson
BONE
February 26th, 2010
10:02 pm
Woodson is coming out with a new book everybody it’s called “HOW TO LOSE WINNABLE GAMES” with a foreword by Marvin and Bibby
J.J.M.
February 26th, 2010
10:03 pm
I donated 50 dollars way back
hoho
February 26th, 2010
10:03 pm
maybe woody was thinkin he’d go over a wring Kidd’s neck if he called a TO. it was a lil be-yatch move by Kidd , but “really a pro, vet” move too. whatever. woody was stupid to get caught in that situation.
SIMPDAWG
February 26th, 2010
10:04 pm
Sometimes I think this organization don’t care about winning. It’s a shame watching this team give away game after game. I really hope that Sund is able to find the Hawks a better coach this off season, because the Hawks will be one and done in this year’s playoffs. Mike Woodson inability to develop Jeff Teague and the bench players, will lead to the Hawks demise in the playoffs, and that’s a shame because the city of Atlanta deserves a winner.
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
10:04 pm
dave, I can live with the consequences of the swicthing defense. We’re naturally undersized and should use our quicjkness on the defensive end. I’d venture that Horford and SMith also GET rebounds due to the switching defense (which puts them on guards). My guess is that we give up some and we get some. It’s obvious that Horford/Smith won;t win too many battles on the board against Haywood/Dirk.
But doubling down on the post and leaving Dirk is ALWAYS a bad idea. I’d much rather see Kidd try to hit a turn-around jumper than see Josh leave Dirk open for an open jumper. It’s not even close in my mind. A turn-around, contested jumper by anyone or an open jumper by Dirk? Come on… that’s just poor discipline.
O'Brien
February 26th, 2010
10:04 pm
AJ,
It was the same thing that happens when we play Magic. Somebody leaves to double Dwight, and the ball rotates to the shooters who make us pay. Hawks have not learned when to double-team, and how quick (or slow) to double team.
We have also seen this zone before. i dont remember which game it was, but that was the game when Woody said “the jump shots looked appetizing to us”, but they weren’t falling.
And on a night when Al was clearly struggling, he still played 50 minutes, going 4-16. Are you serious Woody? 50 minutes from a guy who was struggling from early on?
And ZaZa only played 2 minutes. Was ZaZa hurt?
Rising Son
February 26th, 2010
10:04 pm
Ree Roe, you mean Al was in the game for 50 minutes, I believe he played about 2.