Atlanta Hawks Squawks: Hawks 105, Wizards 99
– After the game the Hawks were pumping up the Wizards as tougher than they seem because they had been competitive in losses lately. “We’ll take it,” Horford said. “They’ve been struggling but I’ve seen them play close games against good teams. We weren’t taking anything for granted.”
– I understand the Hawks taking a victory any way they can get it against whichever opponent, especially after what happened at Miami and New York. And I know all heck would have broke loose with a loss so give the Hawks credit for surviving.
– But come on, man. It’s getting a little late for that “all teams are tough, sometimes you have nights like this” stuff. The Hawks got outworked for most of the game by a team headed for the lottery. They let a bad offensive team have an easy time scoring for long stretches and let a so-so rebounding team dominate them on the boards.
– How does that happen considering what’s at stake? “It is disappointing,” Woody said. “We can’t rely on just mSmoove and Al to get rebounds. They were lacking in that area tonight (too). Blatche and McGee had their way on the boards. We’ve just got to get better.”
– The Hawks had to sweat out a victory against the Southeast’s last place team when they supposedly are trying to win the division. It’s one thing to have a bad shooting night but Woody stressed defense and rebounding and then got neither.
– Woody is putting together a video highlighting his team’s problems in those areas so he can see show his players how they need to pick it up. He will need to splice in plenty of new footage from this game.
– How bad was it? Rookie Alonzo Gee, recently signed to a 10-day contract by the Wizards, got his first NBA basket on a dunk in the second quarter. He should know it’s not supposed to be that easy against good teams.
– But was that easy for the Wizards. They shot 53 percent and scored 28 of their 51 points in the paint in the first half while taking a 19-11 rebounding advantage, including nine on offense. How can the Hawks come out with that kind of effort?
– OK, don’t want to be too negative here. The Hawks forced 21 turnovers with 11 steals so they were active at times. They survived the Wizards’ final surge while reducing their head-scratching offensive plays even when Washington played zone.
– “Good teams find a way to win,” Al said. “We lost the last two close games so it feels good to come out on top like this.”
– The Hawks can thank Jamal’s hot shooting and aggressive drives to the basket for this one. He made two 3-pointers to start that 19-7 run that gave the Hawks some breathing room. He also made 9 of 11 free throws, all in the second half, when nobody else was making them.
– “At this point of the season everyone understands what they are supposed to do,” Jamal said. “When they make a run, it’s up to certain guys to step up. That’s a part of my job description.”
– Good thing because J.J. had another off shooting night (8 of 19) and Josh wasn’t doing it all like usual (noticed a few times he didn’t seem to have the same energy). Also big that Bibby came through with 16 points and 7 of 11 shooting. Zaza made a couple big shots, too.
– But, man, I keep coming back to Washington’s 49.4 percent shooting and 42-29 advantage on the boards. I can’t stop thinking about how listless the Hawks looked most of the night when they were supposed to be desperate. It’s like they think they are much better than they are despite plenty of evidence they aren’t as good as they can be.
– And I don’t care how many close games the Wizards have been playing. They are headed to the lottery and after that trade have maybe three guys who could get major burn for the Hawks.
– Dang, there I go getting negative again about a victory. I think J.J. feels me, though. “Our effort defensively has to pick up for the playoffs,” he said “We’ve been to pretty much the highest level and we know what it takes. We have to come out and execute and play with effort.”
– Iso-Joe in the fourth: missed fadeaway jumper, missed straight-up jumper.
– I’m out, Hawks fans.
MC
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Truth About It » Best Wizards Links – Blatche on Turnovers: “It’s not like I’m just giving the ball away.”
March 12th, 2010
7:38 pm
[...] [Michael Cunningham - Hawks Blog, AJC] It’s getting a little late for that “all teams are tough, sometimes you have nights like this” stuff. The Hawks got outworked for most of the game by a team headed for the lottery. They let a bad offensive team have an easy time scoring for long stretches and let a so-so rebounding team dominate them on the boards. [...]
Astro Joe
March 12th, 2010
8:14 pm
I think that a lot of rookie guards get time on 42 win teams.
Astro Joe
March 12th, 2010
9:09 pm
Strange. I checked out one of those NBA Draft websites to see if I recognize a few more names since I’ve been watching some of the college conference tournaments… anyway, they have the Hawks drafting around 23-24 in the upcoming draft. I thought we picked at #19 last summer, why are we dropping in draft position?
Blast
March 12th, 2010
9:09 pm
Yes, we beat Utah twice.
What people fail to realise is this.
Hawks are NOT an elite team!
Hawks are not big enough, deep enough, or talented enough right now to be considered an elite team. The elite teams in the NBA now are LA, Cleveland, and Orlando. Maybe Dallas, if they continue their torrid pace. Next comes the 2nd tiers: SA, Denver, Portland, Utah, Hawks, Celtics, OKC…
I’ve noticed that most of the so called Hawks “fans” so critical of the team are just come lately fans. They were not on the blog when Hawks won 13 games, 26, and so on. They jumped on the wagon when Hawks took Celtics to 7, despite a losing season record.
Now these same “fans” are frothing up thinking Hawks should win 82 games in the season, sweep the East and thrash LA for the NBA finals! LOL!
Folks, get your mugs out of the grass! Hawks are improving, taking progressive steps! They will not win a championship this season, but they will have an improving season. How far they go in the playoffs depends on the team, not bloggers! This is professional sports. How Hawks fare should not have a bearing on your mental state of health!
Take a chill pill, folks!
Go, Hawks!
Sauteed
March 12th, 2010
9:18 pm
what an idiot.
Cool
March 12th, 2010
9:21 pm
A Blast of Truth!
Excellent post and refreshing. Thanks blast but the haters con only do what they do, hate.
Truth-Serum
March 12th, 2010
9:46 pm
* numbers dont lie.
Sautee
March 12th, 2010
9:47 pm
AJ,
I’m not going to take time to look, but do you think Acie got 13+ minutes in 07-08 AFTER the Bibby trade (on a 37 win team)? I doubt it, but I’m not sure.
Sautee
March 12th, 2010
9:55 pm
Yeah, all the Head Coaches got together and made a cabal to promote Horford so that the Hawks would stick with him.
Yeah, that’s the ticket.
LMFAO!!!!!
Dude, you just lost whatever credibility you ever had. A conspiracy among all the coaches to bring us down?
OK, riiiiiiight.
Well, I guess it makes as much sense as calling a bunch of Obama supporters the Bubba Crew.
Sautee
March 12th, 2010
9:58 pm
I guess you still think there were WMD’s and Mohammed Atta met with the Iraqis.
I doubt it, but I’m not sure.
March 12th, 2010
9:59 pm
THEN SHUT UP!
John Konkract
March 12th, 2010
10:00 pm
What conspiracy?
John $ Konktract
March 12th, 2010
10:03 pm
There was no conspiracy, I was worth every penny. Just because a guy doesnt play defense doesnt mean he aint an allstar!
Sautee
March 12th, 2010
10:09 pm
Go ahead, T-s, tell us all about this vast conspiracy.
Which dastardly Head Coach got ALL THE OTHERS to go along with his nefarious plot?
Who was behind this evil design?
And how in the world were you able to unearth it?
Inquiring minds….etc.
John $ Konktract
March 12th, 2010
10:11 pm
Lets see, the number 2 center has almost a millon votes and the number 3 center has 270,532
A half million difference and then the coaches are told to pick one more and what do you know all Hoe ford is number 3 on the list of also rans AKA scrubs….An allstar? Yea, right!
Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 2,360,096; Shaquille O’Neal (Cle) 856,056; Al Horford (Atl) 270,532; Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 265,024; Brook Lopez (NJ) 223,246; Andrew Bogut (Mil) 202,072;
Read more: http://www.insidehoops.com/all-star-voting-results.shtml#ixzz0i1Rs0dZZ
Astro Joe
March 12th, 2010
10:12 pm
Sautee, probably not. But Mo Williams was playing behind Carlos Arroyo and Law was playing behind the guy who was instrumental in the team making the playoffs. I think that there is a relationship between playing time and the quality of the other players at your position. Also, didn’t Law have a few injuries in his rookie year, like a wrist or a back or something like that?
I’d also venture a guess that Jerry Sloan ONLY plays guys who have earned the playing time. Didn’t he sit AK-47 for almost a half-season AFTER he was paid a fat contract because he didn’t like the way dude was playing? If Mo played, it was likely because he earned the time relative to the other guys at his position. In Teague’s case, he is not just looking at Bibby, but also Jamal (and to a lesser extent, Joe).
His time will come. He looks better now than he did a few months ago.
John $ Konktract
March 12th, 2010
10:12 pm
Brook Lopez (NJ) this is w h o r e f o r d Daddy!
Fire Teague Express!
March 12th, 2010
10:25 pm
Teague is a loafer and a turnover waiting to happen. Sign the petition to fire Teague now.
paid for by the locale chapter of the Bubba Crew.
John $ Konktract
March 12th, 2010
10:28 pm
He does look better.I like the way he sits on the bench now. Thats a much more sloped position than when he sat on the bench earlier this year.
northcyde
March 12th, 2010
11:05 pm
LOL you guys are crazy.
….can anyone tell me one time Woodson has ever had a bad game of coaching?
….We are THIRD in the East right now. We ARE winning the championship….
You guys are crazy
drmaryb
March 12th, 2010
11:51 pm
NBA TV
Cheryl Miller & the crew just called out this biatching azz BLOG: Qoute …
“Hey Hawks Fans..Your Hawks are #3 in the East..& your’e STILL complaining? If Yall want to complain about something..How about complaining about this weather!”
For all you miserable people on here – Remember This…we are not the Lakers nor the proud Celtics.. This town is a perenial loser in the NBA .. What the Hell are you biatches complaining about? … Winning?
You want to Run Woody & Joe out of town? & Replace them with exactly – Who?
NoBody wants to come here… Hell, Ugly azz – Bald Head – Sam Cassell wouldn’t even get off the Bus 5 years ago. Kenyan Martin. Only visited here to get a Nugget Contract. Yall need to be kissing Joe’s toes & azz & whatever else is exposed.
We may not have enough to win it all this year, be we are competitve & fun to watch. This team is very entertaining. That’s a good start. After all , it’s just a silly game of basketball.
drmaryb
March 13th, 2010
12:03 am
BLAST
909 PM POST. Nuff. Said! Youi are a real man with a real perspective!
I can go to sleep now!
Melvin
March 13th, 2010
12:10 am
Who said Josh is not a coach’s pet…
http://www.nba.com/hawks/What_I_Do.html
drmaryb
March 13th, 2010
12:21 am
One More Thing:
Phil Jackson is not walking through that door. (T-Shirt Clyde could win 10 rings with his teams.)
“The King” is not walking through that door.
2nd Tier scrubs have refused to walk through that door.
We are soooo LUCKY that JOE JOHNSON walked through that door.
Joe made the sorry azz HAWKS relevant…Now get off his back & say thank you Mr. Johnson. He’s the closest your’e gonna get to Magic-Johnson round here. Oh yeah & show Mr. Bibby some love &
Respect too. He took a huge pay cut to stay here.
Josh & Horford – were lucky to have you too! You gotta love this team 1 thru 12!
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 13th, 2010
4:25 am
Get rid of fake superstars and fake coaches and get real ones and we’ll be elite.
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 13th, 2010
4:30 am
John Wall > Mike Bibby
serbian
March 13th, 2010
5:36 am
there’s too many people missing the point, especially cheryl miller… why not complaining? it’s not easy in this league to gather a group of talented players that mesh well… especially if you hit the bottom few years ago… so now that you finally have this group, you should just be happy that they are 4th in the east although their potential could take them further? and now that you have a coach who was good enough to bring them here you should be thankful to him for the rest of his life? well i don’t think so… not every coach can get you over the top… few years ago pistons were on the right track with carlisle… they increased the number of wins each year, went further and further in the playoffs, kept adding right pieces to the puzzle… and still joe dumars realized carlisle can’t get them where he wants… so he brought larry brown in who got the job done… it’s time for the hawks to do the same this summer… but on the other hand there’s not much out there on the market…
i won’t brag much about hawks’ defense, because it’s terrible… this ain’t no winning team’s defense, that’s a fact… i know not of one single team that is switching all the time and allows other teams so many mismatches… not only that but good passing teams make them suffer big time…
and the offense is the most simple and predictable offense i’ve seen for a long time… i would like someone to comment on this, perhaps MC himself… i will illustrate… when crawford is hot, they give him the ball, he takes it over the halfcourt and starts attacking… or bibby takes it gives it to the crawford on the side, and crawford attacks… and sometimes hawks call play after play like that… then if hawks go to jj, bibby takes the ball, throws it to jj, the rest of the guys isolate him, he starts his thing… if they go to smoove, the same thing… if they go to horford, dribble over the halfcourt, the ball to horford… my point is, can’t our coach create a play, that would first of all enable all of these guys to work less for the basket… make them come out of the screens, while some other guy comes out of the screen on the other side… help them lose their defenders for a step or two… it will be easier for jamal if he wouldn’t need to go face to face to his defender every time he attacks the basket… it’s so much easier to have few screens, to get some space, to have your defender out of the position, running after you and standing still on his tow feet… and then there are so many plays where only two guys touch the ball… the point guard and the one who finishes the play… now look at the lakers and the triangle offense… pay attention to the number of people that touch the ball… ok, the ball probably goes to kobe, but still they try to exploit opportunities for easy baskets first… they switch their positions, they make a few screens, they do cutting, kobe touches the ball on one side behind the arc, then gets the ball on the other side near the paint… while kobe is moving the other guys have a freedom of reading the defense and attacking the basket as well… but hawks do the opposite… they have one pass, or sometimes none… truthfully, hawks players are talented enough to share the ball once they are doubled or someone is open, but this offense is too simple for teams like magic, lakers or cavs… we don’t have to wait and see, we saw it already… greetings from serbia!
Saint Richt
March 13th, 2010
8:08 am
Fire Mike Woodson. Same story, different day…….he can’t motivate this team.
Richt Saint
March 13th, 2010
8:17 am
Im not ashamed of my disease, Ive been a hater for a long time. I would like to change and admit that Woodson and JJ have done a wonderful and excellent job. Just think, four years ago this was a 20 win team. I apologize for my earlier postings.
Josh may clean glass but I spew hate. Yall forgive me and look the other way when you see me vomiting. Im sorry.
Truth-Serum
March 13th, 2010
8:21 am
What the hell is so great about Phil Jackson? Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryrant! How in the hell can you lose with that kind of talent.
Truth-Serum
March 13th, 2010
8:21 am
*?
Al Horford
March 13th, 2010
8:39 am
OK, who’s the funny guy that taped “Dunk on me” to the back of my jersey? Real funny. Hahaha mudder fruker.
Lacsho
March 13th, 2010
9:45 am
It’s funny; some of you kill me with this name calling (cowards). You guys are a bunch of internet gangstas. See you in the street, and your rolling up your windows and locking your doors. You can get a way with insulting people online, but you’re the same cowards scared to voice your opinion in public.
I’ve been on this blog since back in the day. Here lately I’ve seen a bunch of bi-polar mental patients.
Some of you people need a life. OH I FORGORT THE BLOG IS YOUR LIFE, B/C YOUR SCARED TO INTERACT WITH REAL PEOPLE IN REAL LIFE SITUATIONS.
So I challenge you today, walk away from the blog and spend some time with your family. Here’s a better challenge take your cheap azz to the game its chic-fil-a family night.
Wow, the Hawk Fans are not allowed to critic their team. I forgot our team is perfect and we fans are not worthy to offer criticism we can only praise Woodrow and his great zone offense and his fantastic in game adjustments, bibby and his hop along azz (you say Teague needs to improve his jumper, so tell me what does bibby need to improve? Iso Joe playing for a contract (this guy is a 6’7” two guard and he never rebounds, yet he will take a play off every quarter. Then you have Jacking Jamal who never plays defense, and don’t let me forget Marvin who averages five shots a game (sure someone will look up his stats and correct me).
Please people give me a break; the blog is utilized so everyone can give their opinion. Their will be times we don’t agree, keep it moving, and chill with that name calling.
If you ever go to a game, I’m sure you won’t be hard to find. Tell us where you’re sitting, so we can continue this dialogue face to face!!!!!!
HawksFan
March 13th, 2010
9:50 am
We need to win tonight (AKA Randolph Morris is the Man)
Astro Joe
March 13th, 2010
9:57 am
I wonder how bloggers who seemingly take every word uttered by a player or caoch as gospel will respond to the link that TS posted? (here it is again)
http://www.celticsblog.com/2009/12/7/1189120/should-woodson-get-extension-hawk
Sautee
March 13th, 2010
10:06 am
OK, Let me try to get this straight……
The FANS voted Shaq #2 in the East among Centers for the All-Star game. That’s not surprising since he has by far the best “name recognition” of Centers in the league.
The COACHES, whose task it is to choose who THEY thought played best, voted Al as second best center.
So because the COACHES thought that Al had played better than Shaq, regardless of Shaq’s “name recognition” with the FANS, Truth-Serum thinks that is evidence that the COACHES entered into some vast conspiracy to use a vile psychological ploy of making the Hawks feel they have a good enough center, so they won’t acquire another?
Turuth-Serum, do I have this right?
Melvin
March 13th, 2010
10:16 am
For those would wants to let Woody go, you can probably strike Bryon Scott and Avery Johnson off your wish list… Mo Cheeks anyone???
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=15560
Mike Woodson,
March 13th, 2010
10:17 am
Enter your comments here
No, idiot
March 13th, 2010
10:21 am
Howard and Shaq were the fans choice for centers, its normal for the coaches to select an additional player at each position. There was a HUGE drop off in fans voting after Shaq, the next player in line with the most votes was Hoeford, who was in the middle of the pack. He was selected because he was the next player in line.
Saltee you are a very lazy researcher. You alway make charges with out foundation and then beg others to confirm your stupidity as stupidity. You are a lazy researcher like hoe ford is a lazy defender.
Do your home work and stop posting your opinions as fact.
Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 2,360,096; Shaquille O’Neal (Cle) 856,056; Al Horford (Atl) 270,532; Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 265,024; Brook Lopez (NJ) 223,246; Andrew Bogut (Mil) 202,072; Jermaine O’Neal (Mia) 159,327; Rasheed Wallace (Bos) 131,084; Brad Miller (Chi) 102,994; Kendrick Perkins (Bos) 90,278.
Read more: http://www.insidehoops.com/all-star-voting-results.shtml#ixzz0i4Q3T8zR
Sautee
March 13th, 2010
11:38 am
Truth-Serum,
You said this:
“Howard and Shaq were the fans choice for centers, its normal for the coaches to select an additional player at each position. There was a HUGE drop off in fans voting after Shaq, the next player in line with the most votes was Hoeford, who was in the middle of the pack. He was selected because he was the next player in line.”
So, tell me again, why, if Shaq had the second most votes, the coaches skipped over him to name Horford?
TROTTINGHOME
March 13th, 2010
11:41 am
Hawks are done goin a be toast in 2 round with woody doing da exit stag right for the last time.
who dat going to be next ball coach you ask?
I hope it my momma.
Sautee
March 13th, 2010
11:47 am
Truth-Serum,
With a LOT of research, I discovered that Shaq was not on the All-Star team.
Did YOU know that? You act like Al was picked because he was third on the list.
So why wasn’t Shaq picked instead of Al?
I MUS WRITE
March 13th, 2010
12:01 pm
Vava im not a salary cap wizard like the guy you mentioned…My point was there are other options if JJ walks, no we wont be as good without him but I dont want a dam diva on my favorite team-if he doesnt want to be here then hit the bricks. Sign & Trade would work im just tired of hearing -is he going is he staying – Read Tygers post addition by subtraction……
I MUS WRITE
March 13th, 2010
12:02 pm
Lascho -u aiight man? did i miss something?
Lacsho
March 13th, 2010
12:40 pm
IMUS- I’m good, back in the day people would debate and go at it. Nowadays, people defer to name calling b/c they cannot construct a decent rebuttal. Back in the day everybody utilized one name. Nowadays, people are blogging under multiple names to push their agenda.
Clyde
March 13th, 2010
12:52 pm
FIRE WOODY
Wabe
March 13th, 2010
2:15 pm
“You are a lazy researcher like hoe ford is a lazy defender.”
Is Horford a lazier defender than our guards that let EVERYBODY blow right past them?
Wabe
March 13th, 2010
2:23 pm
We’ve got no PG play.
We’ve don’t get enough from the 3-spot on a consistent basis.
The bench doesn’t get enough minutes.
We don’t have any offensive scheme.
We hit lulls in key points in the game.
We struggle to execute down the stretch.
And you’re biggest gripe about this team is that our All-Star center? I get that you’d love him to be 2 inches taller, but truthfully, we’ve got more important issues to resolve. I understand you may feel that Horford’s size is what’s ultimately holding us back from winning a title, but I think there are other factors that play into this teams inconsistent play that you always fail to mention.
northcyde
March 13th, 2010
2:30 pm
Cheryl probably said what she did, because you’d think we were the #8 seed in the East, instead of the #3 seed. The majority of fans here pretty much find things to complain obout . . win or lose. It’s funny, but it’s sad at the same time. But it was definitely predictable.
If we win 45, the fans complain about us not winning 50
If we win 50, the fans complain about us not winning 55
If we win 55, the fans will complain because we didn’t win the division
If we won 60, that may make the fans happy, but they would complain because we wouldn’t be the overall #1 seed
And all the while, the coach would get dissed . . JJ would get dissed . . so would Marvin . . and Bibby. Buit this team is mentally tough. Even with all of the JJ to NY talk recently, the coaches and players are simply going to go out and do what they do.
Critiquing the Hawks is fine. It’s the flat out HATRED of the coach and certain players, regardless if they’re doing a good job or not, that makes me lol and shake my head.
The fact that most in this fan base couldn’t even say a good word about Bibby and his shooting in the Wiz game, speaks volumes about the hatred around here.
Race Baiter
March 13th, 2010
2:33 pm
I suspect that his problem with horford is his heritage. Lots of asian guys I know hate hispanics.