Hawks Squawks: Hawks 116, Bulls 92
Chicago– If the Hawks came out with a focused effort, the Bulls didn’t have enough talent in uniform to handle them. That was no sure thing after the Hawks went overtime with the Bucks last night. But the Hawks jumped the Bulls early and then held them off when they tried to rally behind Derrick Rose.
– “They were focused and locked in,” Woody said of his players. “We didn’t lose our composure. That’s a good sign after we played an overtime game last night. Back-to-backs are tough, especially on the road.”
– The Hawks could have relaxed after Luol Deng (knee) was a late scratch to join Joakim Noah (foot) on the injured list. Instead, they handled their business “You don’t want to have a letdown,” Josh said. “You can’t think this is a just a walk-over.”
– Smoove certainly didn’t play that way. He had nine points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal as the Hawks took a 27-17 lead. Final line: 17 points, 18 boards, four assists, two steals and all kinds of energy.
– “Smoove was tremendous again tonight,” Woody said. “That’s back-to-back games. The energy he brings is unbelievable. He really got the guys going tonight.”
– Smoove finally acknowledged what’s been pretty obvious: He’s sending a message to the Eastern Conference coaches who left him off the All-Star team. “Obviously I’m playing with a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “I feel like I’ve got a lot to prove. I know the importance of these last games and I’m trying to focus on winning them.”
– His 18 rebounds paced the Hawks’ 68-37 demolition of the Bulls on the boards. “They didn’t really have a lot of guys that can rebound except for Taj Gibson,” Josh said. “So we felt like we could be aggressive on the boards.”
– Horford had 10 rebounds, Marvin and J.J. nine apiece and Zaza seven. “We finally had a game where everyone was focused on going to the boards,” Woody said.
– This game is evidence for the theory that if Jamal is hitting, then the Hawks don’t have so much trouble putting opponents away. He scored 21 points and shot 6 for 13. “It’s coming back around,” he said. “I’ve been thinking too much. I’m definitely getting my timing back.”
– Give Smoove another assist for that. Jamal said he told him to keep shooting. “He’s an extremely good shooter,” Josh said. “I do the same thing with Bibby and Joe Johnson. He can’t get down on himself. When you have a teammate behind you telling you to keep shooting, it gives you confidence.”
– This is another example of how Josh has become more assertive as a leader. His words have to carry a lot of weight when he’s playing like this. “He’s doing it all,” Jamal said. “Blocking shots, rebounding, steals, assists. He’s a great teammate. He’s genuinely happy if he scores three points and we win.”
– The Bulls had almost no chance with both Jamal and Marvin getting it done. Marvin was big when the Hawks held off the Bulls in the second half. “There are a lot of guys on this team who can really pass the ball, so I just tried to stay active, go to spots and find the ball,” he said.
– Marvin and Kirk Hinrich got called for a double technical for some jawing. Then Marvin bumped Hinrich on the way off the court at halftime. Hinrich and Bulls coaches pleaded for a second technical and ejection for Marvin but officials missed it.
– Marvin said there’s no history between the two and he doesn’t expect any carryover. “That’s just some chippy stuff out there,” he said. “I’ve always been a big fan of his. I know he’s a competitor who plays hard. I’m easygoing but I can get chippy, too.”
– Did you see Mo’s falling-down shot from behind the backboard? Amazing, and it should have been and-1. “I am waiting on the whistle, waiting on the whistle and concentrating on the shot,” he said. ” But I don’t hear a whistle and I’m like, ‘OK.’”
– Mo said he banged his back against the basket standard on that play and had a sore left shoulder and neck after a later fall. He said his arm was tingling when he shot free throws after the second fall. “I had a rough night, man,” he said.
– I’m out, Hawks fans.
MC
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214 comments Add your comment
Nirmental
March 2nd, 2010
3:48 pm
I wear ladies underwear, I got big ray sum too…….What is this puss filled rash i have- contrary to popular belief the red light district isnt safe. Anyone know where i can meet a manto run freely through the feilds with.
MC u look just like Anthony Johnson, thats not a good look LMAO
aaa
March 2nd, 2010
3:50 pm
man some of yall are long winded
Nirmental
March 2nd, 2010
3:56 pm
Ru Paul is my idol i love him so much, we have so much in common,his shoes are feirce and we wear the sam siz too 12
Can sumone turn on the microwave my parents are’nt home and im not allowed…. Yes im back in the basement i bombed in law school now im putting my name on the oj again
Mama: Nirclown did u even look for a job today
Nirclown: yeah ma uhhhm, crack a windo man get this smoke outta here
I wonder if homie Ray can get me on the force so i can get free carwashes and donuts like the rest of the pigs.
northcyde
March 2nd, 2010
3:57 pm
lol @ aaa . . . I’m thorough. I can go with the best of them. But this will be my last long-winded post of the day. Time to go to work.
@ Astro: If that player was one of the sorry bench players, I sure wouldn’t give him much burn. If he were an essential starter, I’d have no choice but to play him, regardless of his low BBIQ at times.
SlimG
March 2nd, 2010
4:00 pm
Where are all the suckers who said trade Josh and Marvin? Come out of the closet, bi@tches,
we have a lot of talent, but need to refine it just in time for the playoffs…..”Playoffs”…..my patrionage to J. Mora Sr…….sure glad his punk as…..son is gone. How long did he last in Seattle?
Anyway, still need a center on this club. That’s really all we are missing and a little ole’ lady luck……Championship….”Championship”
Melvin
March 2nd, 2010
4:17 pm
Doc,
Me two. I don’t want no parts of this slug fest…
O'Brien
March 2nd, 2010
4:17 pm
AJ,
“@MC said that he has seen Woody tell a guy how to do something and 10 seconds later that player does something different. Would you give that player extensive playing time if they seem to have problems picking up tactical concepts?”
You must be under the impression that MC is talking about Teague or one of the bench players.
What if that guy is Josh? All Woody would do is go over it again, and try to hammer it home.
What if that guy is Teague? Should Woody keep him on the bench until he is able to successfully execute everything in practise? Whatever happened to on the job training?
And wouldn’t it be worse if one of the veterans were making that mistake anyway? At least with a rookie 2 year college player, some of those are expected, and is a part of growing pains.
I’m not saying that regardless of what mistakes a (sorry) bench player makes in practice, he should still get major PT. All I’m saying is that we still need to find a way to utilize our bench players, especially when our starters are struggling and/or tired.
Astro Joe
March 2nd, 2010
4:35 pm
OB, actually, it does sound like you’re saying that the inability to learn should not affect playing time in a game. You went around the barn a few times but in the end, I think you’re still saying “play him”. Right?
(BTW, I think MC referenced a defensive rotation… so it is very doubtful the player is a starter. At least, that’s my personal guess).
Najeh Davenpoop
March 2nd, 2010
4:45 pm
I skimmed through the niremetal vs. northcyde showdown on Hawksquawk. Although TS% does a good job showing how efficient someone scores, and niremetal is right that a guy shooting 33% on 3’s is just as efficient a scorer as a guy shooting 50% on 2’s, one thing TS% doesn’t take into account is that a missed 3 almost always ends up in a long rebound and a potential transition scoring opportunity, while a missed 2 usually doesn’t. Moreover, your big men are usually going to get in position to rebound a ball close to the basket, which means the odds that they can rebound a missed 3 are lower than the odds of rebounding a missed 2.
That said, I don’t agree with northcyde that Marvin should go back to shooting 2’s. Like I’ve said before, I want him to do for the Hawks what Bruce Bowen did for the Spurs — space himself well, play lock down defense, and hit open 3’s whenever he gets the ball. A money 3-point shooter on the floor opens up lanes for other players that a good mid-range shooter doesn’t necessarily open.
Astro Joe
March 2nd, 2010
4:55 pm
Gee, I recall having a debate last year that 3-point shots are often rebounded by the opposing backcourt and not the offensive team’s frontcourt. 3-point shooting makes offensive rebounding much harder than a traditional FGA. At least, that’s my crazy impression.
O'Brien
March 2nd, 2010
4:58 pm
AJ,
I’m saying play him, but in the right circumstances. Some examples of what I consider the right circumstances (in no particular order);
1) If the starter is struggling
2) if the bench player played well in his last outing (or in the first half)
3) the starter is tired, especially in the case of back to backs
niremetal
March 2nd, 2010
5:01 pm
Najeh,
Two things. First, the thread actually was discussing a much narrower issue than “3s versus 2s” (although Northcyde tried like hell to blur the issue). It was actually discussing 3s versus long 2s.
Second and related, one of the posts from that thread includes this chart:
http://www.countthebasket.com/blog/2008/03/29/rebounding-by-shot-location/
As you’ll see, long 2s are the type of shot with the LOWEST chance of an offensive rebound. Shots in the paint and otherwise within 12 feet have a better chance of leading to an OReb, but long 2s are actually worse than 3s for that purpose (which makes sense when you think about the typical bounce of the ball and the positioning of players when such shots go up). No one was advocating shooting 3s over getting shots in the paint. The debate was “3s versus long 2s.”
niremetal
March 2nd, 2010
5:03 pm
As for transition opportunities, I don’t know of a chart that shows that, but my guess is that since long 2s have the lowest OReb%, they probably also have a correspondingly high propensity for leading to transition buckets as compared to 3s.
Astro Joe
March 2nd, 2010
5:09 pm
Thank goodness that the Hawks have never, ever, never had a player that took a while to mature and learn about work ethic and professionalism. Our players have only been the victim of bad coaching. But it is remarkable how other teams have had issues with players not quite being ready and we have been able to by-pass the issue. Wow, aren’t we really lucky?
Michael Wilbon: No. Not just yet. But let me start with a nod to Blatche. This kid has taken an opportunity and run like the wind with it. His current/former teammates have told me multiple times over the last few years how little he works, how he cannot find the weight room without a GPS, how they were afraid he was going to waste his enormous talent … and then BOOM! When the big chance came along he jumped on and is on some kind of roll.
northcyde
March 2nd, 2010
5:26 pm
Najeh . . that’s all well and good, but what if Marvin simply can’t shoot 40% on threes for a season? What then? Do you still encourage the guy to jack up threes, hoping he can hit a few threes a game? Or do you encourage him to take a shot that he can make a little more frequently?
Nire thinks I’m making a fool of myself by asserting that a long 2 may be better than a 3, but my vision is CRYSTAL CLEAR on this. I’ve watched and played too much basketball, to see how people who THINK they are shooters, can shoot you right out of a game.
Let me give you a game scenario:
It’s the 2nd quarter, and the Hawks have seen Philly go on a 9 – 0 run to cut our lead to 2 points. Crawford has the ball in an ISO situation at the top of the key. His tendency is to not go to the rim, but dribble enough to create enough space to take the jumper.
In other words, even if he beats his man off the dribble, he’s not going to go all the way to the hole. He’s setting up his man for a long jumper.
Crawford shoots 35% from 3 . . . 43% from long 2 range.
Which shot do you want him to take, in order to slow down the run? Give your answer, and explain why?
And this is open to everyone. And NO, you can’t say that you’d rather for him to go to the hole. Your 2 options are to take the pull-up 3 pointer .. . or take the pull-up 20 footer. Which one do you want him taking?
northcyde
March 2nd, 2010
5:43 pm
Maybe the stats that need to be created are . . . .
Guarded FG% ( or Guarded eFG% ) vs Unguarded FG% ( eFG )
At least with a further breakdown of the shooting% stat, we can get a clearer idea of who can really score while being guarded . . . vs those who have major difficulty scoring while being checked.
Rufus1
March 2nd, 2010
5:47 pm
northclyde…3:37pm
Great post..Maybe you should send that link to Marvin, he had 30 games of 17pts or more. He is a very good midrange shooter, but I need him to be more active on the boards. He needs to find more shots by active.
KevinA
March 2nd, 2010
6:10 pm
Traceman
I seem to be in the responding mode today. For me this a welcome exchange. I like your posts – they are well thought out and do not seem to go into personal attackers.
I go back to my posts of team balance and better ball movement. A year ago no one could have imagined the changing dynamics of the Hawks. Well maybe a few of us. Even I as a pusher for more front court evolvement could not have expected so much success. Fact is it happened. As I look forward tell me why this trend should not continue.
Josh will get better, Al will get better, Marvin will get better, ZaZa will get better – youth will be served. This is no reflection on JJ or Jamal except with more touches they will improve faster. Feed a big – get a win.
Teague starting and playing 15 to 20 min will make our transition faster.
I do not risk to many games by saying any one player should be on a short chain.
JeJe
March 2nd, 2010
6:14 pm
HEY YOU GENIUSES AT AJC: HOW ABOUT AN UPDATE ON THE BELKIN STORY
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-thrashers/hawks-thrashers-co-owner-314924.html
WHERE IS THE UPDATE
sam'l
March 2nd, 2010
6:19 pm
I can’t afford to start drinking but I took a coule of shots of wine for the first time in years and sat down at a bar to watch the game.
First thing I saw was Evans trick shot behind the basket…..then Crawford rainbow or two…..team spacing itself out, playing with unbelievable hustle. At this point I knew I was hallucinating…..Pachulia fell down and then demanded the ball and made a hard move to the basket virtually guaranteeing a score…Hawks up by 20 (weren’t they just up by 2 ?)….then a drive and surrealistic dunk by someone with a 6 on his back……
Guys, the best way to watch the Hawks is drunk……..They look great.
just an observation
March 2nd, 2010
6:23 pm
It seem that so much ink is dedicated to explaining why Al Horford is unable to defend the basket. It also seem that when ever his deficiency is clearly exposed many of his “apologists” try to associate him with Josh Smith who is a very good defensive player who is a top 5 shot blocker compared to Al who would be in the the very lowest echelon among center. Josh will be here when all is long go. Josh is not the center of the team. Al is. Stop hiding behind Josh. The question is not whether Al can score a basket. He adequate but nothing exceptional. There are 9 or 10 center in the NBA who score more. The question is not whether he can pick up a rebound once someone else has done the work to cause the rebound. There are 9-14(depending on the most recent games) centers who rebound more. Al is Average in these categories.
THE QUESTION IS….CAN AL DEFEND THE BASKET. THE ANSWER IS NO, EMPHATICALLY. DONT TELL ME WHAT HE DID IN ONE GAME. TELL ME WHAT IS HIS TALENT LEVEL AND EVERY DAY PLAY, NOT THE EXCEPT ON 1 DAY.
WHAT HE DOES EVERY DAY IS PAD HIS STATS PICKING UP BALLS WHERE JOSH HAS CAUSED A MISS OR PADS HIS STATS WHEN THE OTHER TEAMS CENTER IS ON THE BENCH. HEAD UP WHAT AL BRINGS TO THE TABLE IS THE # 24TH CENTER IN BLOCK SHOTS IN THE NB FREAKIN A.
DEFENSIVELY ALL IS A SCRUB!
Grandad
March 2nd, 2010
6:31 pm
Now Sybil, where did you come from?
Sautee
March 2nd, 2010
6:36 pm
northcyde said this: “I’ve watched and played too much basketball, to see how people who THINK they are shooters, can shoot you right out of a game.”
LOL Do you mean like this?:
JJ 6-18 vs. NOH L 96-88
JJ 9-21 vs. ORL L 93-76
JJ 5-19 vs. DET L 94-88
JJ 4-14 vs. MIA L 92-75
JJ 7-21 vs. MIA L 94-76
Shot us right out of those games.
I’m not saying he didn’t save our butts as just many times, but you act, over and over, like Joe’s sh!t don’t stink. Just keep it real, at least now and then. Geez.
Your over-enthusiastic zealotry for Joe makes you lose credibility. Too bad, because you’re a bright guy with some good points.
just an observation
March 2nd, 2010
6:39 pm
Fire Grandbytch!
just an observation
March 2nd, 2010
6:42 pm
This team belongs to Woodson, JJ and Josh Smith! Period
Saltee stop smelling JJ’s sh!t and smell your own!
Sautee
March 2nd, 2010
6:42 pm
Rod,
In your post to me earlier, the part you quoted (that you obviously thought was from me) was a quote from a post by northcyde, so that question should go to him. I was quoting him and taking issue.
Sautee
March 2nd, 2010
6:43 pm
Do I hear crickets?
just an observation
March 2nd, 2010
6:51 pm
Probably if you have your head up you butt…just an observation
south ga boy
March 2nd, 2010
7:31 pm
sautee, i pretty much agree with your assessment of JJ. He is our best player, but he has so much indescision about his role. Some nights he takes the lead in shooting early and then late, then other times he seems to want to facillitate. And some nights he goes back and forth and i am convinced it confuses his teammates. Dont get me wrong, i love JJ and we deserately need to re-sign him, but when he goes Iso and looks so unsure of what he wants to do until the shot clock gets down to 3 or 4 seconds, it is a perfect example of our offense at times. Bibby and Marvin look tentative about half of the time. Josh and Al are often unsure of whether they need to take the bull by the horn, or wait until JJ has taken his obligatory shots. i believe this is why we start so many games and second half’s flat as can be. Until JJ establishes his mood or temperment, our other players are not sure how aggressive to be. Every night JJ is just not sure whether he wants to be the scorer, faccilitator, or defensive warrior. I just wish JJ would start every game and 2nd half by going ahead and shoot or drive 3 or 4 times and get it out of the way. Then everyone else could relax and play off of JJ setting the tone. JJ is just not certain that he wants to be the alpha dog, but thankfully, Smoove seems to be stepping up and becoming the floor leader. Until it’s settled though, there seems to be a lot of standing around on offense with guys not sure who the big dog is night in and night out.
northcyde
March 2nd, 2010
7:31 pm
Sautee . . . if you want to dispute anything that I’ve posted today, feel free to do so. I’ll never lose credibility, because I back up what I say with FACTS. If I post an opinion without definitive facts, then the opinion can be debated.
As for those “bad” games from JJ . . . ( the 9 – 21 game wasn’t a bad shooting game. That’s 43% FG . . which is an average shooting game by a guard in this league ) . . you could’ve done that for Kobe, Wade, or just about any other guard in the league. It still doesn’t take away how good those guys are, including JJ.
It’s not my fault that some of you underappreciate the skills of captain of this team. If he leaves in the summer though, you’ll quickly realize what we lost here.
O'Brien
March 2nd, 2010
8:18 pm
Since this blog is dying down, I’ll propose a different topic.
On Mark Bradley’s blog today, he suggested that the Hawks would be better off being the 4th seed and playing Cleveland.
Reasons being 1) We’ve played Cleveland close this season and 2) Shaq will not be 100%, because he will just be returning from his injury.
If Hawks are the 3rd seed, then they would probably play Orlando, and as we’ve seen, the Hawks have no answer for the Magic.
What do you guys think?
I think we match up better with Cleveland, but because we are striving for the #2 seed, we may end up being #3 and playing Orlando, who has beat us pretty good.
That being said, I have a feeling that we will do better in the playoffs against the Magic. I think Woody will figure it out, and we will play the Magic toe to toe like the we did the Celtics a couple seasons ago.
Sautee
March 2nd, 2010
9:30 pm
“It’s not my fault that some of you underappreciate the skills of captain of this team.”
Did anyone SAY it was your fault? Funny, I didn’t hear any blame.
I certainly hope that Joe stays. I WOULD like to see him make his teammates better. He has the ability to do just that and teases me with flashes of what it COULD be like, but all too often he falls back into one-on-one stuff. Which is completely ok with me IF he has a mismatch or is single covered. He’s our best scorer, after all.
However:
I have seen him flat out ignore Horford in the post (and not just against bigger centers) too many times.
I have seen him take possessions off on defense too many times. And he’s the one who needs to set the best example.
I have seen him pound the ball aimlessly ’til the clock is gone too many times. Once recently, in fact, for the ENTIRE shot clock with no shot attempt.
I’m not asking for perfection, and yes, Joe does way many more good things than bad, but he was SUPPOSED to be “the Man” here, and he’s just not that in my opinion. I want him back, but I want him to be what he CAN be (as I want for all the Hawks). If THAT is underappreciation in your book, then so be it.
O'Brien
March 2nd, 2010
9:47 pm
AJ,
Trevor Booker looking good for Clemson against GT. 19 pts, 7 rebs with 9 minutes to go. And keep in mind GT has a huge size advantage
ART OF WAR
March 2nd, 2010
10:14 pm
THERE R 5 PLAYER ON THE COURT AT A TIME….THE GAME IS SIMPLE U STOP 4 OF THEM..AND NO. 5 WANT’ WIN THE GAME BYE HIS SELF..MY OLD COACH USE TO SAY IF U STOP 4 ONE CAN NOT WIN THE GAME BYE HIM SELF
Astro Joe
March 2nd, 2010
10:23 pm
Sautee, IMO, Joe has handled the Jamal addition very well and has adapted to the rise in offensive production by Al and Josh. His role has changed since Bibby’s arrival (from a combo guard to a pure SG) but I think he still is a willing passer. Sure, he definitely takes bad shots but I’m not sure that there is an NBA player who doesn’t (at least not one who scores more than 10 points a game). And part of leadership is following the direction of the coach. We’ve watched Joe be a good soldier over his 5 years with the Hawks. He has set an example in his work ethic, his ability to play virtually every game and his willingness to defend any and every position on the floor. I’ve seen a little more selfish play this year from him. But I think that has to do with both his impending FA status and the presence of Jamal. Joe knows that Jamal has captured the hearts of many fans in less than a year while playing the same position… and during a contract year. I think Joe is “looking over his shoulder”. But he’s not pulling a Kobe and he hasn’t stopped shooting for a half or refused to pass to Jamal. But it is only natural that he recognizes the vibe around him… in his contract year.
We watched Joe literally carry this team during his first 2 years here. He had to do it all, because Harrington was a BUST and the draft picks were much, much too young. I guess I am biased in believing that even if he shows some selfish tendencies, I’ve seen him work tirelessly for this team when it had very little hope of winning. He didn’t quit on the team then and I’m not quitting on Joe because he dribbles too much, misses an open man or chucks up a bad shot a few times. We’ve lived through worse. And Joe was instrumental in bringing us out of those dark days.
Astro Joe
March 2nd, 2010
10:32 pm
OB, I watched a portion of that game. He is not as explosive as I had hoped but he is definitely more “refined”. When I think of a tweener, I think of someone raw like Maxiell or Bass…. this guy seems more like Corliss Williamson… kind of smooth with his game.
I’m hoping to check out Jason Varnado (I think that is his name) from Miss State. Dude is like 6′9″ and averages 6 blocks a game… for like the last two seasons. But he isn’t thick and slow like Shelden, more streamline like a post-roids Amare (alledgedly… I don’t want to be sued). 6 blocks over two seasons? DANG! The draftniks expect him to go late 1st or early 2nd round because he can only block shots and rebound. SIGN ME UP!!!! If he becomes no better than Joel Anthony and possibly closer to Birdman Anderson, I’ll take that late in the draft in a heart beat. Crazy energy and tenacious defense off the bench is what this team needs to complement the Andrew Toney role.
BONE
March 2nd, 2010
10:38 pm
On ESPN somebody asked what it will it take for the hawks to get over the hump. And just to sun it all up guess what he said…. THE HAWKS NEED A MORE EFFICIENT OFFENSE. He said that the hawks let defenders off the hook when they do these isos.
BONE
March 2nd, 2010
10:42 pm
I mean guess what BRUCE BOWEN said
Melvin
March 2nd, 2010
10:54 pm
Astro,
I missed the Clemson/GT game tonight but you may need to see more game tape on Booker. He atheletic and strong. Has a nice inside and outside game. I think he’s more of a Rodney Rodgers clone without the NBA 3pt shot. I think he would make a good backup PF at the next level.
nunna yo biznezz
March 2nd, 2010
10:59 pm
love the convo tonite..
1st,jj has adjusted well to having crawford on the team as another scorer..i think that,crawford needs to let teague do his job and bring the ball up the court when teague is in the game..jamaals behind needs to just get open and stop crying for the ball and stop hogging it!!
i love the fact he is on this team and what he brings to us,but as soon as teague gets on the floor,crawford comes a running for the ball and takes it out of his hands and never gives it back..last nite,when teague came in with under 3:00 left in the game he drove the lane and found crawford wide open for a 3 pointer,”swish”!!
like i said,let this guy create space for u to get open jamaal and u do just that when he comes in the game,GET OPEN!!
and cut all of this dribbling behind the head and between the legs crap!
2.j-smoove is on a roll now,but we all know(if we don’t,i do)that,the old j-smoove will rear its ugly head back out and he will start jacking up 3’s again later in big games for us..this team is consistently inconsistent!! and i for one,will not let my heart get in the way of pure knowledge and be a bandwagoner today,and off tomorrow..
we played the bulls without deng and noah folks!! and they came back on us with salmon and rose and a couple of other players,before they self destructed and lost the game..
3.im gonna say this now,and i know i won’t be proved wrong,but look for an early exit out of the playoffs..struggle in round 1,and losing again in round 2..come playoffs time,we will find ourselves playing 7-8 players and having the bench on the bench and the legs of crawford,horford,jj,bibby,and even good ‘ole marvin williams flakey like loose noodles..
im already looking for next year when teague is running the point,woody is gone,and sund takes over the team and gets us a center and another scorer..woodson is a nice person,but a bad coach..he,bibbs,collins,west,and marvin will be outta here come next year..
go hawks,2010-2011..finals,finally!!
JeJe
March 2nd, 2010
11:01 pm
WOODSON DOES NOT USE THE BENCH.
DONE IN 2ND ROUND
nunna yo biznezz
March 2nd, 2010
11:07 pm
BONE,
i can believe that..i watched the wgn broadcast of the game,and their commentator said right before the bulls came back on us,that,”the m.o. on this team(the hawks) is that once they get a big lead on you they get soft and complacent and lack the role of a team that can finish and they will let you back in the game,but,just like G.S. and the MAVS,you just have to be ready for when they do and get back into it and take over”..he then said,that the only person on the team with a killer instinct is jj,and called him an assassin!!
Najeh Davenpoop
March 2nd, 2010
11:13 pm
“Najeh . . that’s all well and good, but what if Marvin simply can’t shoot 40% on threes for a season? What then? Do you still encourage the guy to jack up threes, hoping he can hit a few threes a game? Or do you encourage him to take a shot that he can make a little more frequently?”
I made that statement with the long run in mind. The big buzz around Marvin last year was that he developed a 3-point shot, but he hasn’t used that consistently to add a new dimension to the offense. Seeing as how there’s no “go-to” aspect of his game at this point, I think becoming a Bruce Bowen-like three-point shooter slash lockdown defender who knows how to space himself within the offense would be the best thing for the team. Making your mid-range shots is nice, but it doesn’t stretch the defense and open up lanes for other players the way being a dangerous 3-point shooter does.
“Crawford shoots 35% from 3 . . . 43% from long 2 range.
Which shot do you want him to take, in order to slow down the run? Give your answer, and explain why?”
If you’re only talking about a 7% difference, of course you want him to take the 3. A 7% difference means that he will miss one extra shot out of 14. Crawford only takes 13 shots per game, and even if you assume 3/4 of those are 3’s or long 2’s (which is probably way too high a number) that means he is accounting for more points and not even wasting one possession per game.
All that said I’m not too big of a fan of these stat-based discussions. Stats are nice tools but they can be twisted. I really just want to see players take good shots, whether they are statistically better or worse. Put it this way — I’d rather see Crawford take a long rhythm 2 than a forced 3.
BONE
March 2nd, 2010
11:15 pm
Well he was half right nunna yo biznezz. He was totally off on jj lol. JJ an assassin ????? Yea right.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 2nd, 2010
11:15 pm
Yeah, I heard what Bowen said on the ESPN show. I couldn’t have said it any better.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 2nd, 2010
11:18 pm
“But I think that has to do with both his impending FA status and the presence of Jamal. Joe knows that Jamal has captured the hearts of many fans in less than a year while playing the same position… and during a contract year. I think Joe is “looking over his shoulder”.”
I don’t think Jamal’s presence is psychologically affecting Joe, but if he is really feeling threatened by Jamal, he’s a f-cking moron. Everyone whose opinion matters realizes that Joe is a much better all around player. That is not in dispute by anyone other than random fans here and there.
Grandad
March 2nd, 2010
11:23 pm
AJ & others:
Most mock drafts have Xavier Henry falling out of the lottery.
Supposedly not athletic enough or explosive (sounds like Joe).
This summer we will have some chips [Childress/Marv?] to trade up, perhaps high enough to snag X.H. If so I would jump on that one!
I don’t care if he’s explosive or not, the young man can play.
niremetal
March 2nd, 2010
11:33 pm
Sautee,
Come on. JJ is a shooting guard, and you’re basically expecting him to act like a PG, looking to set his teammates up. I would challenge you to name me 3 shooting guards from the past decade who don’t routinely ignore open teammates when they get the ball in their hands. That’s what 2-guards do.
He’s been among the top 5 SGs in assists in each of the past 3 years (this year to date, he’s #4; last year he was #2, the year before that tied at #3). And if you expect more than that, look no further than the coach. It’s not JJ’s fault that Woody plays him on the ball and asks him to play lead guard despite the fact that his mentality has always been that of a scorer.
JeJe
March 2nd, 2010
11:54 pm
Joe’s assists aren’t the problem — it’s his rebounds. He is the biggest SG in the game but his rebounding is abysmal
Rod from College Park
March 3rd, 2010
12:03 am
JeJe
“Joe’s assists aren’t the problem — it’s his rebounds. He is the biggest SG in the game but his rebounding is abysmal”
What does that say about our 6′10 small forward Marvin Williams. Joe is averaging more rebounds than Marvin.