Spurs at Atlanta Hawks: Win and They Are In (Game is at 8)
So the Hawks can clinch a playoff berth with a victory against the Spurs tonight. Before you say “So what?” remember from whence the Hawks came.
“It wasn’t even pro basketball,” J.J. said of his early days with the Hawks.
Clearly the Hawks have higher aspirations than just making the playoffs. Still, making it official means something.
“It definitely does,” Josh Smith said. “When you go from the bottom up you appreciate the moments of winning.”
“That’s what makes it so special,” J.J. said, “knowing what you had to go through to get to this point.”
“It would be fantastic,” Woody said of clinching tonight. “It’s what we all push for. The first three years we wasn’t playing for nothing. Well, I can’t say that third year–we had a legit shot to make it but we had a lot of injuries. We finally made it in the fourth year, and now here we are.”
Then there is Jamal Crawford, whose losing goes back even further than the Hawks. Jamal asked Bibby how long he was in the league before he made the playoffs.
“Three,” Bibby said.
“Imagine 10,” Jamal said.
Jamal said he “always had faith” he’d make the postseason one day, if only because each season is a fresh start. He thought he had a chance in 2004-05 with the Knicks but they faltered in the final three months of the season and Crawford struggled with injuries. He also thought it might happen in 2006-07 but the Knicks were eliminated in the final week of the season.
Now (unless he’s really cursed or something) Jamal will finally make it.
“I’m going to reflect but not celebrate,” he said. “It’s been a long time coming.”
– I took a look at East teams Nos. 5 through 8 for my Sunday notes and briefly examined why the Hawks may or may not want to face each opponent.
Smoove said he’s not doing the same because those teams are closely bunched in the standings. If the Hawks remain fourth behind Boston (which would get the tiebreak over the Hawks due to winning the Atlantic Division) it’s looking like they’d get Milwaukee in the first round. If they finish third and the Bucks stay hot, it could be Miami, Charlotte or Toronto.
“It’s so crazy down at five through eight, you don’t know who you are going to play,” he said. “So we’ll just see how it plays out. Everybody is right behind each other.”
– I also wrote a story about the Hawks raising premium season ticket prices by nearly 50 percent next year. Today I got the following email and it made me think back to this post from hawksdawgs at Peachtree Hoops.
Interesting article on the Hawks attendance. I want to tell you why I think they can’t draw with a decent team. First many people, like me, who can afford to go live north of the city and I went to a recent Hawks game with Cleveland and it took me over an hour to drive from Johns Creek. Traffic was horrible that time of day. Marta is no better. The trains don’t run often enough, you have to change trains and they are always dirty and crowded. And to top it all off , I went to a basketball game and a Rap concert broke out. Every time out, half time and in between all I heard was rap. And they even introduced all the Atl Rappers sitting in their prime seats during one timeout. Never Again. Horrible traffic and they cater to the Rap crowd. They can have it.
I won’t respond to the bulk of his comments, but I feel I must defend Marta. I ride it all the time because I hate driving and I’ve found it to be safe, reliable and clean. I’m still trying to figure out why some people in the city hate on it so much.
– Remember, the game is at 8 tonight. Apparently some fans missed the numerous notices from the Hawks about the time change for the Feb. 26 game vs. Dallas.
MC
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512 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
March 21st, 2010
10:56 pm
They are playing “Wasted” by Gucci Mane during the timeout… on the organ. I’m sure all the hip hop haters just got scared away by that threatening and menacing musical performance.
bigdave
March 21st, 2010
10:56 pm
Najeh definitely well played.. hard played… everyone contributed…
i dont understand how some bloggers can pull the trigger so quickly and call the game a loss..
Melvin
March 21st, 2010
10:57 pm
Ray,
Horford is too small to play center. You see that Duncan is killing him…
joBjo
March 21st, 2010
10:57 pm
Ginobilli was crowding Bibby. shouldn’t he get more space to inbounds the ball?
Wabe
March 21st, 2010
10:57 pm
what the hell are the spurs complaining about?
Hawks v. Spurs
March 21st, 2010
10:57 pm
wasn’t hard to read Pop’s parting word
Big Ray
March 21st, 2010
10:58 pm
bigdave ,
It looked bad for a minute there, down by 4 with little more than a minute to go in regulation. This team has not normally been this tough against teams like the Spurs. I think we just turned a corner.
Dawgie Fan
March 21st, 2010
10:58 pm
love that gucci mane. by the way, lol at t pain’s new video reverse cowgirl. wonder how many music execs know what that phrase means
Cannon
March 21st, 2010
10:59 pm
And OUR Hawks have officially clinched a spot in this years playoffs! Congrats to Woody, and his boys. Now Let’s get 50+ wins!!!!
northcyde
March 21st, 2010
10:59 pm
With the way this game started . . . this was a HUGE WIN.
joBjo
March 21st, 2010
10:59 pm
good game Hawks!
Sleepy
March 21st, 2010
10:59 pm
we havent beat the spurs in 3 years
Melvin
March 21st, 2010
10:59 pm
Great win by the Hawks…
drmaryb
March 21st, 2010
10:59 pm
Woody is coaching his azz. Off! Sending old Pops home with a loss. SA has a brutal scehdule coming up
Hawks v. Spurs
March 21st, 2010
10:59 pm
If only Marvin could build on this game
Najeh Davenpoop
March 21st, 2010
11:00 pm
Great win in its own right, coming from behind and beating a dangerous and experienced Spurs team. But even better, to me, is that they did it on a poor shooting night by Joe and on a night where Josh didn’t have nearly the impact he usually does. That is a very positive sign for the playoffs.
Wabe
March 21st, 2010
11:00 pm
One of the best games this season.
VenomSpitter
March 21st, 2010
11:00 pm
Good game
Big Ray
March 21st, 2010
11:00 pm
Ball game. SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!
northcyde
March 21st, 2010
11:00 pm
18 rebounds for Horford . . after that horrendous start. Great job by him.
Another good team win tonight
Melvin
March 21st, 2010
11:01 pm
Get the Spurs out of here….
tjhook
March 21st, 2010
11:01 pm
beautiful win, men! Go Hawks!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
March 21st, 2010
11:02 pm
Also, nice to see Marvin coming out in the 2nd half and proving his first half was no fluke. He’s had games before when he started off strong and disappeared down the stretch, but not tonight. 8 points after halftime may not seem like a whole lot but he was knocking down shots and attacking the boards. Keep it up Marvin, the Hawks need it.
Big Ray
March 21st, 2010
11:03 pm
Mucho credit to Woody and the Hawks players. One of the best wins I’ve ever seen these guys grind out.
In my mind, they really have turned a corner with that one, even if it’s not as big of a corner as some might like.
Al Horford’s second half was nothing short of Herculean.
Marvin Williams’ first half literally kept us in the game (along with JJ’s passing).
bigdave
March 21st, 2010
11:04 pm
Ray..
there were 90 ticks left.. and Joe made a runner immediately after the post to cut it to 2…
but hey.. 2nd game in a row a loss as been called and Hawks proved resilient…
Ree Roe
March 21st, 2010
11:05 pm
Al was a monster. Joe was solid. Marvin was huge in the first half. Jamal did his thang. Tonight (minus the 1st quarter) is the kind of effort the Hawks MUST have down the stretch & into the playoffs. Very impressed with tonights win
-7 game losing streak to San Antonio SNAPPED
-Hawks clinch a playoff spot
-Hawks tied for 3rd in the East
Big game tomorrow night in Milwaukee…
-REEgionally Roe!!
vava74
March 21st, 2010
11:06 pm
Nice win, although SA without Parker is just a 5-8 playoff team in the West.
So don’t get so excited about the win. The vast majority of wins we got against playoff teams were when they played us undermanned on at the back end of a road trip.
Anyhow, I’ll take the win and the playoffs clinched.
Big Ray
March 21st, 2010
11:06 pm
bigdave ,
I never claimed to have perfect faith. I’m absolutely ecstatic for the win. Maybe someday my crystal ball will work as well as yours.
falcons pick spoon
March 21st, 2010
11:06 pm
Wow. Marvin dominated the first and Al beasted the second half. With complimentary play from both Joe and Jamal tonight. Josh hardly factored into it and we still come out on top. Great win Hawks. Great win.
SWAT Native
March 21st, 2010
11:07 pm
I think our young Hawks grew up tonight. You could see what the Hakws can be when all their young players reach their potential. They beat probably the best executing team in the league (that needed a win desperately) down the stretch. I’m so proud of them.
Big Ray
March 21st, 2010
11:07 pm
Vava ,
I refuse to lessen this win. Sorry to disagree with you, but I REFUSE .
Big Ray
March 21st, 2010
11:08 pm
SWAT native,
Right on!
20-9 vs. Western Conference this season
March 21st, 2010
11:12 pm
Chance for blackjack against the Lake show @ the end of the month.
CLUTCHED IT
March 21st, 2010
11:16 pm
Big Ray — I love your attitude of refusing to lessen the win.
So the Hawks are in the playoffs now.
Blake
March 21st, 2010
11:18 pm
Way to step up your game Marvin.Take your game right into the playoffs my friend!
northcyde
March 21st, 2010
11:19 pm
vava74
March 21st, 2010
11:06 pm
Nice win, although SA without Parker is just a 5-8 playoff team in the West.
So don’t get so excited about the win. The vast majority of wins we got against playoff teams were when they played us undermanned on at the back end of a road trip.
Anyhow, I’ll take the win and the playoffs clinched.
LOL . . . I knew someone would try to cheapen the win. Too predictable.
Big Ray
March 21st, 2010
11:19 pm
I sure hope he does. We need that from him. And Al Horford proved he can learn his lesson in a single half, instead of taking days or weeks to get it. He manned up big time.
ILL-logical
March 21st, 2010
11:21 pm
Congratulations to the organization’s owners,staff,coaches and players for a great win that put the team into the playoffs for the third consecutive year. And a great birthday present for Jamal as well!
Big Ray
March 21st, 2010
11:22 pm
Vava is a good dude. I understand his worries/concerns.
I just disagree. I have to say it again. I CANNOT lessen this one. Team turned a corner right in front of us. They came together. I want to see more of this, and I think we will.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 21st, 2010
11:22 pm
“Nice win, although SA without Parker is just a 5-8 playoff team in the West.”
Nah. Sure, there are times when teams are missing a key player and play significantly worse, but I don’t think tonight qualifies. I try to judge teams based on how well they play in each particular game, and I don’t think San Antonio would have played considerably better if they had Parker. They played a great game. The Hawks just played better. Can’t take credit away from the Hawks in this one.
see Tim Duncan
March 21st, 2010
11:23 pm
on Al Horford’s new poster.
drmaryb
March 21st, 2010
11:28 pm
Woody out coached Pop & the PIPs.
Horford out played Duncan.
Marvin outplayed EVERYBODY!
Great Win!
drmaryb
March 21st, 2010
11:46 pm
Joe is a very unselfish player.
He doesn’t take 40 shots/game like all the other so-called ball hogging super stars.
Melvin
Horford to small to play center? What planet do U live on? Al is a All-Star at the 5.
& he man handled Duncan down the stretch… Mmmh.
Where does this stuff come from?
Grandad
March 21st, 2010
11:53 pm
I was really proud of Marv tonight. That said:
‘Josh’ did something exceptional mid-way through the 4th.
Marv had not scored yet in the 4th
[as Nique later said, had not touched it].
(Jamal & Joe had taken almost all the 1st attempts in the 4th)
Josh with the ball, waved off Jamal, sought out Marv & fed him
for an open jumper. It’s little things like that,
people don’t notice, that seperates a player from ‘good’ player
into a ‘winner’. JOSH has become a winner! Great Teammate! He gets it.
Whoever questioned the young man’s basketball IQ?
I was really proud of Josh tonight.
cp
March 21st, 2010
11:55 pm
I love when Hubie calls our games. He has so much insight and knowledge…It was a great game and a great win. Cant really complain about anything other than the sluggish start. I don’t understand why the Hawks come out so flat against good teams. Hopefully they fix this issue in time for the playoffs. I don’t think you want to extend a lot of energy in a 7 game series trying to come back from large deficits all the time. They have to come out with better energy. Once again great win.
akobyli
March 21st, 2010
11:59 pm
well…it takes me 5 minutes to walk to marta from my decatur h9ome….it takes me 13 minutes on marta to walk into the door of phillips, and then i enjoy the entire game…then another 13 minutes to get back to the marta station near my house, and then another 5 minute walk home…..location, location, location.
SWAT Native
March 22nd, 2010
12:03 am
I think the reason that the Hawks come out flat is the late arriving crowds. They are a young team that feeds off the energy of the crowd. Fans need to start getting to the games on time.
drmaryb
March 22nd, 2010
12:06 am
JJM
I’m tired of hearing that U are tired of hearing nimbers? There is a MUTE button on all remote controls.
So, why not step up your game and use that feature. Or do what Mike Tyson said, “Turn your station.”. -problem solved.
David
March 22nd, 2010
12:07 am
Funny how the “young, athletic” Hawks team is struggling to keep up with the “old, decrepit” Celtics.
drmaryb
March 22nd, 2010
12:11 am
JJM
I’m tired of hearing that U are tired of hearing nimbers? There is a MUTE button on all remote controls.
So, why not step up your game and use that feature. Or do what Mike Tyson said, “Turn your station.”. -problem solved.
.