Bucks at Hawks, AKA Waiting on Big Z and Looking For Tough D
At least three reports surfaced over the weekend saying Zyrdunas Ilgauskas will re-sign with Cleveland.
His agent, Herb Rudoy insisted those reports are “very premature” and said the Hawks are still in contention to sign Ilgauskas.
“I’ve gotten a number of calls about that, and it’s absolutely not true,” Rudoy said today. “Could it happen? Absolutely. But he has not made a decision. That will be at least a few more days from now if not more.”
Rudoy said he wasn’t sure of Ilgausaks’ motivations other than a desire to play for a team with championship aspirations.
“We haven’t gotten past this whole thing of being traded away,” he said. “That was sort of expected but it didn’t make him happy. He’s got a lot of years invested in Cleveland, and that makes it a very complicated decision for him. He wants to win a championship, but I don’t know how (else) he will make a decision. He told me he’s taking his time, and that’s what he will do.”
According to reports, the list of suitors for Ilguaskas had grown to include Boston, Miami and San Antonio as well as the Hawks, Cleveland, Dallas, and Denver. If money is an issue for Ilgauskas, who reportedly gave up $1.5 million to secure a buyout from Washington, then the Hawks, Jazz and Heat can offer him the most salary.
Those three teams have their full mid-level salary cap exceptions available and could offer Ilgauskas 36 percent more in prorated salary than Cleveland, which has only its bi-annual exception available. The Jazz and Heat are near the luxury-tax line while the Hawks are comfortably below.
The Hawks, who also have their bi-annual exception, have appeared reluctant to use either to sign Ilgauskas. Rudoy wouldn’t discuss the specifics of the offers to Ilgauskas but said the Hawks have been “very aggressively pursuing” him.
“Rick Sund calls me at least once a day to talk about how Zyrdunas would be helpful and would have a great opportunity there,” he said. “Joe Smith has called him told him what a great situation it would be for him. I just don’t know what he’s going to do.”
– Over the first 45 games, the Hawks allowed 10 opponents to shoot better than 50 percent and 17 to beat them on the boards. In the last 12 games, six opponents have shot better than 50 percent and eight have collected more rebounds.
No doubt the Hawks have issues on offense, especially late in games. But maybe that wouldn’t matter so much if they defended and rebounded at the level they did for much of the first half of the season.
“(The slippage) has been huge in terms of how we started the season and where we are today,” Woody said. “Somehow we’ve got to get our mojo back in terms of our defensive attitude and rebounding the basketball because we are just barely hanging on in those areas. We are going to need that the rest of the way. You look at the good teams that are winning, they are getting after it defensively and they are rebounding the ball. If we come in with the mindset that we are just going to outscore teams that’s not good enough for me.”
Why the slippage considering Woody’s a defensive guy?
“Our scoring is up,” he said. “I don’t know if guys just feel like we’ll make it up on the offensive end. Sometimes that’s good and you do that. In the past couple years I can count on our guys to get key stops and rebounds and hustle plays. We are not doing enough of that right now, and we’ve got to get back to that.”
And he said all that before the Mavs shot 52.2 percent and had 50 rebounds to 41 for the Hawks. Now here come the Bucks, who’ve won six straight and nine of 11 overall and six straight on the road. They are tied for 14th in the league with a 50.3 percent rebounding rate while the Hawks are tied for 24th at 49.4 percent.
– Late add: The post-game blog will go up late tonight because I’ve got to run and catch the team’s flight to Chicago. You know, in case you care.
– Talk amongst yourselves, Hawks fans.
MC
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593 comments Add your comment
JeJe
February 28th, 2010
8:59 pm
THERE ARE NO EASY BASKETS ON THIS TEAM. EVERY BASKET IS TOUGH. JOE HAS TO GET CLUTCH BASKETS THROUGH AWKWARD FADEAWAYS. THROW THE BANK AT WADE THIS SUMMER AND LET JOE WALK
bigdave
February 28th, 2010
8:59 pm
so we can go to them and have a higher chance at conversion… ?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 28th, 2010
9:01 pm
“Amongst all NBA center Big Azz Al is number 23 for block shots.”
Actually it’s amongst all NBA players, not centers. Josh Smith and Paul Millsap are ahead of him, too, but neither one is a center.
And regardless, there’s a lot more to playing good defense as a center than just blocking shots.
rob
February 28th, 2010
9:01 pm
wheres MC at
rob
February 28th, 2010
9:03 pm
i would love to throw the bank at Wade but they said he aint coming here. Joe or bust
Najeh Davenpoop
February 28th, 2010
9:03 pm
And also, Bogut outplayed Horford for about 40 minutes, but Horford really stepped it up late in the 4th and overtime. He definitely won that center battle late in the game.
kiki
February 28th, 2010
9:04 pm
JJ = 47 minutes on friday, 44 today.
Josh = 42 minutes on friday, 46 today.
Al = 50 minutes on friday, 39 today.
But i don’t worry, b/c Woody is trying to find playing time for Randmo & the others.
Live From the Westside of Macon (artist formerly known as Mac-Town'z Finest 478)
February 28th, 2010
9:04 pm
JeJe you have issues, did you seriously say Bibby and Marvin should have “useless” on the back of their jerseys?? You’re correct about Bibby, but what sense does that make about Marvin??? CLEARLY Marvin should have something much more DEMEANING than just “useless” on the back of his jersey. You give this “man” too much credit.
KevinA
February 28th, 2010
9:05 pm
I can’t wait for the Rose Bibby match up.
Josh MVP what a stat line.
Concerned Citizen
February 28th, 2010
9:06 pm
Just Win Baby!
Wade cant win with J Oneal and company. Wade’s a loser. He can only win with a legit center and since Atlanta doesnt have one he wont come here.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 28th, 2010
9:06 pm
That backcourt better get in that hot tub tonight. Derrick Rose is licking his chops looking at the minutes played in this game.
JustChillFans
February 28th, 2010
9:06 pm
Man we wouldnt win half the games if we didnt have joe. u people are so dumb. if we lose joe and crawford starts who going to come off the bench and score no-one. we need craw and joe. u people act like its easy to score, this is the nba my friends. no easy buckets. why are you people trying to compare joe to kobe lebron or melo? nobody said joe was better than them. stop trying to compare them.
rob
February 28th, 2010
9:06 pm
im sure Woody will give Teague 4 minutes tommorow:)
rob
February 28th, 2010
9:07 pm
Derrick Rose is def licking them chops
Concerned Citizen
February 28th, 2010
9:08 pm
Yes, Im apologizing for Al too. Im trying to find something positive to say about him….
He has a nice jersey.
Why does comments about Al always seem like a consolation, a look at the bright side?
Concerned Citizen
February 28th, 2010
9:09 pm
Joe Johnson and J Smoove won this game….again!
Taylor
February 28th, 2010
9:10 pm
There’s nothing wrong with Al…you sound like an idiot
rob
February 28th, 2010
9:10 pm
woody is such a good coach. i think the starters should play the entire game tommorow and then pass out in the 4th
LOL@Ken
February 28th, 2010
9:11 pm
Al has “FREE BASKETS” , on the back of his jersey.
Live From the Westside of Macon (artist formerly known as Mac-Town'z Finest 478)
February 28th, 2010
9:12 pm
With a head like that, surely Woodson can come up with better coaching methods than he currently produces. What a JUGGERNAUT.
Taylor
February 28th, 2010
9:12 pm
rob
February 28th, 2010
9:10 pm
woody is such a good coach. i think the starters should play the entire game tommorow and then pass out in the 4th
hahahahahaha
Live From the Westside of Macon (artist formerly known as Mac-Town'z Finest 478)
February 28th, 2010
9:13 pm
NBDL teams have easier upcoming schedules than the Hawks. We should lose no more than 1 of the next 7 games.
LOL@Ken
February 28th, 2010
9:14 pm
# 23rd CENTER in the NBA for block shots
# 10CENTER in the NBA for double double
#9 CENTER for scoring in the NBA
#14 CENTER in the NBA for rebounds.
Just want we need, a mediocre center.
Taylor
February 28th, 2010
9:14 pm
Yeah, easy schedule ahead. We need to separate ourselves from Boston
Live From the Westside of Macon (artist formerly known as Mac-Town'z Finest 478)
February 28th, 2010
9:15 pm
I mean harder*
Just look at those teams on the schedule. Pathetic.
I hope we blow the Warriors out of the gym for what they did.
rob
February 28th, 2010
9:15 pm
the schedule looks easy, but Golden State on Friday looks scary:(. Curry time
Just win Baby
February 28th, 2010
9:16 pm
Teague should keep his azzzz on the bench! With Hamburger Collins and Wake me up Morris
Live From the Westside of Macon (artist formerly known as Mac-Town'z Finest 478)
February 28th, 2010
9:16 pm
JJ Reddick > Marvin Williams
rob
February 28th, 2010
9:16 pm
we better blow the warriors out the gym
Just win Baby
February 28th, 2010
9:17 pm
We should separate ourselves from Taylor.
dap01
February 28th, 2010
9:17 pm
The Hawks play a terrible brand of basketball. Give Woody an extention.
Sautee
February 28th, 2010
9:18 pm
Najeh,
Yeah, it’s hilarious that a certain multi-named blogger thinks the Hawks should have someone like Moses Malone in the middle. Of course they should but you can’t but one at the corner store.
But HERE’S the funny part: For all of Truth-serum’s rants about Al not blocking enough shots, Malone averaged 1.3 blocked shots for his career.
Horford’s blks per game so far in HIS career? 1.2 blocks per game.
But we need a Moses type center dammit! Forget that we have an ALL-STAR!
Taylor
February 28th, 2010
9:18 pm
LOL@Ken
February 28th, 2010
9:14 pm
# 23rd CENTER in the NBA for block shots
# 10CENTER in the NBA for double double
#9 CENTER for scoring in the NBA
#14 CENTER in the NBA for rebounds.
lol huh? where are you pulling these stats Horford is 9th in rebounding 11th in scoring 19th for blocks according to espn.com stop making stuff up
rob
February 28th, 2010
9:18 pm
wow John Hollinger on his chat on ESPN said we are predictable in OT today. Either ISO JOE or ISO jamal he is sure. Wow Shaq out for the year!
O'Brien
February 28th, 2010
9:19 pm
Hawks pulled it out, but as has been the case of late, it was a roller coaster ride.
I will not be surprised to see us beat Chicago tomorrow. At least Bibby should be fresh…
Melvin
February 28th, 2010
9:20 pm
Its a wrap. Big Z will definitely go back to the Cavs now. Shaq will miss 6-8 weeks b/c of thumb surgery.
Sautee
February 28th, 2010
9:20 pm
“u people act like its easy to score, this is the nba my friends. no easy buckets.”
Someone must have missed the GS game. THEY sure scored a LOT of easy buckets.
JeJe
February 28th, 2010
9:20 pm
“But i don’t worry, b/c Woody is trying to find playing time for Randmo & the others.”
LOl!!!!!!!!!
WOODSON SAID HE IS GOING TO SHORTEN ROTATION IN PLAYOFFS BUT THAT RANDMO AND JOE SMITH NEED TO BE READY BECAUSE THEY ARE VETS
SOMEONE EXPLAIN THIS TO ME.
EXPLAIN HOW WOODSON SHORTENS HIS ALREADY PATHETICALLY SHORT ROTATION YET IS “GOING TO GIVE HIS VETERANS MINUTES.”
FIRE THIS GUY AND GET AVERY HERE.
rob
February 28th, 2010
9:21 pm
yeah big Z is headed back early to practice the handshake with lebron
Taylor
February 28th, 2010
9:21 pm
The rotation will be shortened by using no bench at all. duh! starters for 48 minutes!!!!!!!
Just win Baby
February 28th, 2010
9:25 pm
“u people act like its easy to score, this is the nba my friends. no easy buckets.”
Someone must have missed the GS game. THEY sure scored a LOT of easy buckets.
ESPECIALLY ON AL W H O R E F O R D
rob
February 28th, 2010
9:25 pm
they basically played the whole game today. and on friday. They must hate playing for Woody. what happened to all those blowouts early in the season?
Patrick
February 28th, 2010
9:26 pm
If the Hawks don’t get out of Round 2 this year, I hope they let Joe walk, fire Woodson, and re-build around the kids. Last year and this year have given a conclusive answer to the question, “How good can your team be when Joe Johnson is supposed to be your best player?” I’m ready to give the keys to the franchise to Josh and Al myself.
I also just don’t think Woodson is very smart. If you really like having a gunner who plays no defense and shoots at a below-average rate on the floor more than someone like Marvin, who at least defends and rebounds fairly well, I don’t think you understand basketball very well. I could stomach Jamal more if the Hawks had a 9 or 10-man rotation, where Jamal was shouldering the scoring load of a reserve team, but since the Hawks basically don’t play their bench at all he’s just a sixth starter, and I don’t think he is good enough to have that role on a “contender”.
rob
February 28th, 2010
9:27 pm
@johnhollinger In overtime, both teams will play 4-on-4 until one team scores … wait, that was earlier. Never mind. 46 minutes ago
@johnhollinger I’m shocked they called that last play for Bogut and not Salmons. Hawks will have last shot with 19.6 left. Iso-Joe or Iso-Jamal, for sure 50 minutes ago
JeJe
February 28th, 2010
9:28 pm
WHY WERE STACKHOUSE AND JENNINGS NOT IN? IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT STACK WANTED TO DO US IN FOR NOT SIGNING HIM WHEN HE MADE IT OBVIOUS HE’D PLAY FOR US AS HIS #1 CHOICE. THEY ARE PAYING HIM ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR NBA STANDARDS. LIKE 700K. HOW DID WE SIGN MARIO OVER THIS GUY?
JeJe
February 28th, 2010
9:28 pm
MARVIN AND SMOOVE’S MAN DEFENSE TONIGHT: HORRENDOUS
Taylor
February 28th, 2010
9:33 pm
Turn off your caps lock man
Just win Baby
February 28th, 2010
9:35 pm
With today’s updates, all stat are among NBA centers
Horford is the # 22 scoring center
1.5 turnovers vs 0.4 for steals
# 9 rebounds
#23 block shot
yet only 5 centers in the nba are getting to play more minutes than all.
Just win Baby
February 28th, 2010
9:38 pm
JeJe think with your head not with your emotions, turn lose of the caps…step away from the CAPS-lol
Patrick
February 28th, 2010
9:40 pm
I don’t think it’s really fair to bust on Al. He’s playing out of position, and the (semi-realistic) alternatives are Zaza, Collins, or playing Josh at the 5, none of which appeal to me very much. Joe, Jamal, and Woodson on the other hand make the same dumb, correctable mistakes over and over again.