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So what to make of these Hawks?

2:16 pm March 10, 2010, by Michael Cunningham

What to make of these Hawks, who lately have faltered while losing games within their grasps and not always in the same fashion?

“Sometimes defensively,” Marvin said. “Sometimes offensively.”

They are well within striking distance of 50 victories at 40 with 19 games to go. Yet the Hawks are 23-19 since Dec. 26. And in the last two weeks, with the Southeast Division title out there as a carrot, they’ve blown leads in two ugly losses (at Golden State and vs. Dallas) and suffered from mental lapses late in two others they had chances to win (at Miami and at New York).

Overall, the Hawks’ offensive numbers are very good, maybe even elite. But lately when it’s time to win tight games, their situational offense often sufferers from poor ball movement, bad shot selection, untimely turnovers and a general lack of focus.

The Hawks are supposed to be a defensive-minded team under Woody. For about the last month, though, they regularly haven’t defended with intensity for more than a few stretches per game (and, again, this is the time of year when they are supposed to be cranking it up). Then again, as they showed Monday in New York, when they decide to get after it defensively the Hawks look very good.

“We got stops when we needed to get stops,” Woody said. “I am trying to figure out how come we just can’t do that the whole game? That’s what’s been mind-boggling to me as the coach.”

So, what to make of the (40-23, capable of scoring on anyone, good on defense when they lock in, inconsistent all around) Hawks?

“We are on schedule to better our record from last year, and that is progress is kind of how I look at it,” Woody said today before the team departed for D.C. “How it plays out in terms of the conference remains to be seen. We are four games behind Orlando with 19 to go. Do we have a chance to win division? Sure we do. But we are going to have to play lights out to get it done.”

They aren’t doing that lately and–cant’ say this enough–this is the time serious contenders do it. That 21-8 start was nice but of course no one will remember that if the Hawks slide down the stretch then flame out in the playoffs.

What’s the problem?

“I don’t know, man,” J.J. said. “We lose focus a lot and that’s something we have to get back to doing (and) really defensively. Once we get our defense going back, the offense will come back. When we need to get stops, we can get them. We know what we are capable of doing. We just need to do it for 48 minutes.”

What’s the problem with the defense?

“We will play five minutes hard, and then (for) two minutes have some mental lapses,” Al said. “We have to be in tune with what we are doing.”

“We seem to kind of not get the defensive concepts down on a consistent, night-in and night-out basis,” Smoove said. “We go good for three or four games and then we slip. We have to be more consistent on night in and night out basis because we are going to score points.”

And which concepts do the the Hawks struggle to grasp?

“Maybe coverages,” Josh said. “But really just the simple principle of keeping your main in front of you.”

Woody said that simple principle is part of the problem. He said the Hawks have been “pretty good” with his defensive concepts but that it might be time to adjust them.

“I think the fact that I am trying to–I don’t want to use the word ‘hiding’ guys–but we switch a lot of things, we try to be proactive,” he said. “Maybe we need to scale back a little bit in those areas. But I don’t want to take our aggressiveness away. I think we are just doing it (defending well) in spurts.”

– Mo Evans (flu-like symptoms) didn’t fly with the team to D.C. today and isn’t expected to play Thursday at the Wizards.

288 comments Add your comment

J Dawg

March 10th, 2010
5:24 pm

Woody aint as bad as alot of people on here make him out to be. Lets all remember the mess he was given when he started. The front office decisions on draft day are the more dissapointing to me. I would love for Deron Williams, or Chris Paul to be running the point right now WOW!! how good would that be

Plus if Josh Smith shoots another long range jumper early in the clock Im going to pull my teeth out. Please quit trying to be a shooting gaurd Josh. We love ya, but please quit your not a shooter

Big Ray

March 10th, 2010
5:27 pm

Hire Billy Knight back? NO

joBjo

March 10th, 2010
5:30 pm

well said Westurd. Woody has a plan. work the plan and the plan works. go Hawks!

ZeussRichardson

March 10th, 2010
5:31 pm

[BEST BLOG OF THE YEAR]. There should be two changes in the Hawks starting lineup. Bibby and Marvin should be demoted to the bench; Crawford should get promoted to the starting lineup; and the rookie Teague should start in place of Mike Bibby because Bibby doesnt deserve to be starting at this juncture. With the revisions to the starting lineup that I just mentioned, THE HAWKS CAN WIN A TITLE THIS YEAR. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE HAWKs RECORD SHOWS THAT THEY ARE AN ELITE TEAM, THEY ARE NOT CURRENTLY PLAYING LIKE ONE AND ARE HAVING INTENSITY ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE GAMES. If you add Teague and Crawford to the starting lineup, there will no longer be intensity issues. Crawford is going to bring it for 48 minutes, and the rookie Teague, with his speed will electrify the starting lineup (SIMILARLY TO THE WAY SPUD WEBB USED TO DURING THE HUBIE BROWN AND MIKE FRATELLO YEARS) and give it the lightning bolt that it needs to inject energy into the starting lineup. You can then bring a fresh Marvin Williams off the bench and Starvin Marvin will come in fresh, bursting with energy off the bench. You can then bring in a fresh, experienced and playoff tested and battle tested Mike Bibby to re-engineer and orchestrate the offense (like a conducter in an orchestra) when the offense becomes stagnant. I think that will change the dynamics of the team and the net effect of that will absolutely ENERGIZE THE HAWKS. This also means that the Hawks will come out of the gate fast and strong and ready to blow the opponent away.

Rod from College Park

March 10th, 2010
5:32 pm

JeJe,

“i.e. can we please get rid of Marvin and Bibby (give them away to the Salvation Army and let someone else play with them) and get some new starters? ”

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL. I don’t even think the Salvation Army would take Marvin. The guy is useless. Answer me this, What’s so exiting about a team that makes the same mistakes over and over again, never changes the starting lineup no matter how terrible some guys are playing, is very predictable, and can’t even compete with any of the top teams in their division except 1, and continuosly states that they just were not motivated? Correct me if I am wrong, but one way to shake up a team, or get then to pay attention is to shake things up. Change the starting lineup. Sit Bibby and MArvin. You could not possibly do any worse. Both players are giving you next to nothing.

Westurd

March 10th, 2010
5:44 pm

Can we recycle some post from last years blog at around this same time? some old story….start strong…….fade slowly…..many excuses…..no changes…..yawn

Paul Hackett

March 10th, 2010
5:55 pm

The problem is that Woody is a dumbass.

Joe Johnson

March 10th, 2010
5:56 pm

Coach Woody, you said you are trying to figure out whats wrong with our defense and why we cannot play consistent defense? If you can make us do this, then why are you are coach?

Westurd

March 10th, 2010
6:00 pm

FIRE THE HAWKS!

JeJe

March 10th, 2010
6:00 pm

THIS IS THE ONLY TEAM IN THE NBA THAT HAS STARTERS DOING HORRENDOUSLY AND WILL NOT MAKE CHANGES TO THE STARTING LINEUP.

OK: Teague is not great. His jumpshot is ugly as hell (should be closer to his head), and he is a bit timid like Acie. HOWEVER, he is one of the fastest players I’ve ever seen play on the Hawks, can get in the lane, and besides fouling jumpshooters, really DOES NOT hurt this team. He is NOT as good as the other stud rookie PGs, but he is serviceable. If he works all summer on his jumpshot and gets a bit bigger (his arms are already a little bigger), he will be a solid PG.

So bench this fat lard Mike Bibby, who is 5 years past his prime, who plays OFFENSE when he is on DEFENSE because his defensive IQ is ATROCIOUS, and he doubles players who don’t need to be doubled, leading to wide open 3’s for the other team.

In addition, get a motivational speaker in to MOTIVATE Marvin to play hard EVERY game. I hate seeing this garbage about how he needs to step up and that will make us unbeatable. The reason he never gets the ball is because he is an awkward stiff who does not want the ball.

Thank you

Dr. Dave

March 10th, 2010
6:02 pm

Points to consider:
1.Mike Woodson rarely if ever gives us an advantage coming out of the locker room for the second half.
2. Mike Woodson does not groom younger players like Teague as well as he should.
3. Mike Woodson is fixated on the Joe Johnson isolation at critical points in the game, which is an abysmal failure. This team is almost unstoppable when they actually make more than one pass.
4. Marvin Williams has elite talent but has been allowed to defer to Joe and Josh way too much. All too often he is standing on the perimeter so that Joe, Bibby or Josh have someone to pass to when they pick up their dribbles. A good coach would integrate Marvin into the offense more.
5. Mike Woodson has consistently shown that as the year goes on his bench gets smaller, using only about 7 or 8 players. Come playoff time, the starters will be tired, and the bench will be ill-equiped for playoff basketball.
6. I challenge anyone to disagree with these points.

Zac#1NBAfan

March 10th, 2010
6:03 pm

Has anyone notice the Atlanta Hawks are just not great but a good team. It’s not the team fault the NBA will not allow the Hawks to be of Championship caliber like the LA, BOS, and SAN. The league doesn’t want a team that has had a bad regular season and payoff history to become Champs with out paying due. First this team needs to improve its marketing and personal operation. I don’t understand how TNT and NBA TV can broadcast out of Atlanta but doesn’t support the local team. I can watch ESPN Sport center for 50 minutes and there will not be one highlight of the Hawks game. Why? Do the Hawks have a video team? Now as far as to what player or coaching changes are needed. The Hawks have 3 starters currently playing out of position. Marvin Williams, Josh Smith, and Al Hartford. Why? We need a big here with M.William on the bench or out. Most of the top teams made a player change in the past 2-3 weeks. The Hawks had none. Why? This organization need to wake up and stop sleeping walking.

Westurd

March 10th, 2010
6:05 pm

FIRE ATLANTA!

o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o

March 10th, 2010
6:47 pm

Mike Woodson = Anti-Christ

Rod from College Park

March 10th, 2010
6:48 pm

Dr. Dave,

“4. Marvin Williams has elite talent but has been allowed to defer to Joe and Josh way too much. All too often he is standing on the perimeter so that Joe, Bibby or Josh have someone to pass to when they pick up their dribbles. A good coach would integrate Marvin into the offense more.”

I agree with all your points except this one. MArvin does not have elite talent. That should be obvious to all Hawks fans by now. His talent was not elite enough for Mike Woodson to play him at the end of games when Chills was here. He has no more talent than any other small forward in the league. He has the body and the wingspan, but that’s it. He has no handles, no aggresiveness, his awareness is subpar, he does not hustle, he is a jumpshooter who can’t hit wide open jumpshots, he can only try to defend one position, no post moves, can’t finish, can’t shoot with a hand in his face, can’t change direction or look up while dribbling, he is clumsy, poses no threat on offense, he is an average to below average defender and rebounder for his size, and he does not bring it every night. His strengths are free throw shooting, and he is a good teammate. Not sure where all this talent, you speak of is. Another coach would probably have him on the bench or send him to the D-League to try to light a fire under him. I can’t think of any top flight coach who would have continued to start him the way he has played this year. As someone earlier has said, Woodson must have some kind of pact with Joe, Bibby or Marvin, because no matter how bad they play, he never screams at them or benches them, like he has done to Josh.

o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o

March 10th, 2010
6:49 pm

lol@half of Woodson’s latest comments have involved a bunch of crap about “not being sure”…”confused”…”mind boggled”

atleast he’s being honest….give him the boot. How can you expect the blind to lead? Simple as that.

TheAntiMe

March 10th, 2010
6:55 pm

Woody said that simple principle is part of the problem. He said the Hawks have been “pretty good” with his defensive concepts but that it might be time to adjust them.

OMG, Woody is going to make an adjustment?!?! Stop the presses, someone call ABC News Nightline!!!

Michael Cunningham

March 10th, 2010
7:08 pm

@ JeJe: i interact with my blog people all the time. i think what you are really saying is i don’t interact enough with you. since most of the time you are just spouting angry rants (and i figured you aren’t even serious half the time when you do that), i’m not sure what you expect. as for Woody never calling out Marvin and Bibby, see my blog post from Saturday in which Woody said he told Marvin, Bibby and Zaza in meeings: “Pick it up, and quit succumbing and going through the motions like you don’t want to be out there.”

while i certainly respect your expert and informed opinion of what a beat writer should and not should be doing, and who and who is not a joke writer, i must regretfully say you are full of it. but you did manage to gain my attention so Ps for that. you’re welcome. (i do think you are funny sometimes though.)

@ come on hawks: the “yet” was not meant to suggest they can’t win 50 games, it was meant to say they are not playing (or at least winning) as well as during their hot start. but i see why it’s confusing so poor phrasing on my part.

@ Richham: that’s a fair point, and something i think the Hawks are going to have to consider when it comes time to make a decision on J.J.

@ Westurd: because he’s hoping those guys pick it up and they had picked it up until the last couple games. so his focus is more on getting those guys going than replacing them. but i hear what you are saying. who should take their place in the lineup? Teague and Mo? Jamal and Mo? are those better options than sticking with Bibby and Marvin and hoping they can get back to something close to their normal level of production?

O'Brien

March 10th, 2010
7:15 pm

Fundamentals,

Although the Hawks played the Cavs tougher than they did Orlando, I still think the Hawks will have a better chance against the Magic.

LbJ is going to get all the calls in the playoffs, and they added Jamison, plus after their disappointment last year, I think they will be extra motivated.

Rod,

Marvin had 3 good games in a row, but it looks like he has gone back into his shell.

It will be interesting to see how the Hawks finish the last 19 games.

tyger

March 10th, 2010
7:29 pm

Can’t blame BK…

this unraveling is all under Rick Sund’s watch.

The infamous re-signing of Mike Bibby 3yrs/$18M will haunt this franchise for two more years. Despite being outplayed by Flip Murray and trading for PG Jamal Crawford the Hawks GM stupidly overpaid for Bibby ’s services. It was apparent to everyone with half a basketball brain that Bibby was washed up last season.

What did they think? A new set of legs would rise from the grave like Lazarus?

dub366

March 10th, 2010
7:30 pm

this is a tired team. logging to many min. down the stretch. PLUS a dumb COACH

Harpie

March 10th, 2010
7:35 pm

TROTTINGHOME: WHAT coaching ability?

JeJe

March 10th, 2010
7:39 pm

“agree with all your points except this one. MArvin does not have elite talent. That should be obvious to all Hawks fans by now. His talent was not elite enough for Mike Woodson to play him at the end of games when Chills was here. He has no more talent than any other small forward in the league. He has the body and the wingspan, but that’s it. He has no handles, no aggresiveness, his awareness is subpar, he does not hustle, he is a jumpshooter who can’t hit wide open jumpshots, he can only try to defend one position, no post moves, can’t finish, can’t shoot with a hand in his face, can’t change direction or look up while dribbling, he is clumsy, poses no threat on offense, he is an average to below average defender and rebounder for his size, and he does not bring it every night. His strengths are free throw shooting, and he is a good teammate. Not sure where all this talent, you speak of is. Another coach would probably have him on the bench or send him to the D-League to try to light a fire under him. I can’t think of any top flight coach who would have continued to start him the way he has played this year. As someone earlier has said, Woodson must have some kind of pact with Joe, Bibby or Marvin, because no matter how bad they play, he never screams at them or benches them, like he has done to Josh.”

Best paragraph in AJC history.

And the fact that Woodson only this past week called out Marvin, Bibby, and ZaZa is pathetic, given that they’ve done nothing this entire year.

And what exactly have Marv and Bibby done since being called out? Bibby had 1 (that’s ONE) point against the KNICKS. So what is your take on that, Mr. Cunningham?

JeJe

March 10th, 2010
7:43 pm

Bibby has broken 10 points twice in the last 6 games. Those two times were against Golden State and Philly.

it’s obvious the players are tired of Woodson. Bibby and Marvin aren’t tired of him — they just suck. Bibby did nothing to get better past summer. You look at Nash who is around 37 and he could probably run 3 miles faster than Bibby could run 1. Marvin just sucks. I hope he goes back and finishes his African American studies degree this summer and works out with Sean May because that’s about all he has going for him in his pathetic NBA Career

Diego

March 10th, 2010
7:43 pm

I am most amazed at you guys raving about Teague!

The guy is absolutely terrible on the offensive end. Yes, he can drive to the well occasionally–but usually only to get his basic layup rejected in the stands to the beer vender. And he is a turnover machine. Woodson may have ruined Acie’s and Salim’s NBA careers, but Teague is not (up) on their level.

VenomSpitter

March 10th, 2010
8:11 pm

How could anybody justify Bibby over Teague at this point. I’m not saying Teague is gonna be some boy wonder but wth does Bibby do? Bibby doesn’t deserve to start on a D-League team.

b.j.

March 10th, 2010
8:17 pm

it wasn’t that long ago the hawks only won 15 games the fact that u guys are even getting this upset about the team proves they are talanted i get upset when they give away games to but the Hawks for me will be evaluated during the playoffs iam 25 and this is the best team sice 98(blaylock,smith,and mutumbo)so lets wait to see how they finish with games left with the cavs,lakers,and magic still looming(i know if they when some this hate will die down) and how they perform inthe playoffs before we make any hasty choices spoken by a true DIE HARD HAWKS FAN GO HAWKS!!!