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
9:36 pm
6′10″ Al Horford THROWS IT DOWN on Hall of Famer Tim Duncan!!!
Clyde and Truth-Serum, Horford has a Facebook — he’ll accept your apologies there.
northcyde
March 21st, 2010
9:37 pm
Sautee . . . we’ll discuss this after the game. All I’ll say that just about anybody with a job can commit $30 to see a Hawks game every once in a while.
Melvin
March 21st, 2010
9:38 pm
Spurs are getting touch fouls. The Hawks have to draw blood before they get a foul call… These refs a terrible…
Big Ray
March 21st, 2010
9:38 pm
Josh Smith must have gotten tired of shooting 50% from the field. He seems determined to outperform JJ in number of shots missed tonight.
Difference: JJ has 9 assists, and will probably end the game with 12 or more.
Jody
March 21st, 2010
9:38 pm
What Hubie just said.
VenomSpitter
March 21st, 2010
9:39 pm
Joe has gotta give the ball up earlier. stop hoggin it
Big Ray
March 21st, 2010
9:41 pm
So what ,
Yes, I do. I think Marvin is a role player who can provide what he did the last two years: 13-14 ppg and 5-6 rpg. I used to think he had more potential, but much of it starts from the neck up, and he just doesn’t have the mentality. That, and while athletic, he’s not the kind who will ever use his body as efficiently as guys like Gerald Wallace.
Big Ray
March 21st, 2010
9:42 pm
ESPN dunk by Horford.
Somebody must have said something to him at half-time. I wouldn’t be surprised if Woody said he was out there playing like a b**ch. In which case, that’s one of the best coaching jobs by Woody I’ve ever seen.
Maybe he’s gone to the Phil Jackson school of “Insult your players so they respond and play better”. He already called Bibby out…
Najeh Davenpoop
March 21st, 2010
9:45 pm
I actually have to agree somewhat with northcyde. Sure, there are plenty of people who can’t afford to go to Hawks games at all — these people usually can’t afford their car payment either and I don’t think northcyde is addressing them. But most of the people who come on these blogs and complain about Hawks games being so expensive choose not to buy upper level seats, insist on buying overpriced arena food and beer, and choose not to take advantage of the Hawks’ discount programs. I’ll say it again — I have never spent more than $30 on a regular season Hawks game, and mostly that’s because I park away from the arena and don’t buy arena food. And by the way, if you have any sort of ID card with a college’s name on it — even if you are not a student, and even if it’s not your name or picture — you can get seats for $15. Hawks ticket prices are very, very cheap compared to most other professional sporting events in America.
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 21st, 2010
9:46 pm
that was nice
J.J.M.
March 21st, 2010
9:46 pm
horford is on fire now
northcyde
March 21st, 2010
9:46 pm
Keep working Horford. This is what he has to do. (( clapping ))
VenomSpitter
March 21st, 2010
9:46 pm
Al has stepped up this half. Hubbie said Al Hubbard LOL
Ree Roe
March 21st, 2010
9:47 pm
Al is workin right now…
-REEspond to Roe!!!
Taylor
March 21st, 2010
9:47 pm
You can always get some cheap tickets on ebay unless its a big game. I’ve sat in the lower level for 20 a ticket
Sautee
March 21st, 2010
9:47 pm
northcyde,
Perhaps you should go back and read my 6:18 post.
Blast
March 21st, 2010
9:48 pm
Now, Spurs have to play from behind, but Hawks cannot afford to let up!
GMcKill
March 21st, 2010
9:48 pm
About the music, Beat It, My Sherona and Ring My Bell hardly qualify as rap.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 21st, 2010
9:48 pm
I also gotta address something in MC’s original post. I am neither white nor black and I can’t stand most rock and country music, but I still enjoy going to Braves games, where the vast majority of the music being played is of that variety. They do a damn square dance during the 7th inning stretch for crying out loud. If the music is your excuse for not coming to Hawks games, you should just grow some balls and admit that you’re a racist.
joBjo
March 21st, 2010
9:48 pm
I’d still rather watch the games on TV. unless I could get them GOOD seats.
J.J.M.
March 21st, 2010
9:49 pm
lol everybody watchin it on espn?
J.J.M.
March 21st, 2010
9:49 pm
i had a 10 dollar seat friday and it wasnt bad at all
Najeh Davenpoop
March 21st, 2010
9:51 pm
I mean, for crying out loud, I am a hip hop fan and I don’t think they play enough hip hop at Hawks games. It’s not hard to figure out what the “hip hop atmosphere” complainers are really complaining about.
joBjo
March 21st, 2010
9:53 pm
what’s the call on that turn over.
northcyde
March 21st, 2010
9:53 pm
Exactly Najeh.
The Hawks run all kinds of promotions and offers that a single ticker buyer and families can take advantage of. The last game I attended was the Milwaukee game ( which fell on a Sunday ). That was a Kids’ Day promotion in which a child gets a free ticket for every regular ticket purchased. So while it wasn’t a big crowd there, families did take advantage of that.
And like you, I park way away from the arena . . in a $5 or $8 lot.
There are definitely ways to reduce your expenses going to a Hawks game. You simply have to make a commitment to do so.
J.J.M.
March 21st, 2010
9:53 pm
man can we get a rebound
Taylor
March 21st, 2010
9:53 pm
REBOUND!!!!!!!!
Sautee
March 21st, 2010
9:54 pm
Najeh,
My beef with northcyde is the attitude that you aren’t a true Hawks fan unless you do what he does. I agree that IF you live nearby, it’s possible. We live 2 hours away. And we have a hard time affording the other things beyond just the tickets. $30 you say? OK, for Mrs. Sautee and me that’s $60 not counting gas for a 4 hour trip. And we’d have to eat SOMEWHERE (usually we go early and eat at the CNN food court). Not as doable as you might think on what we make.
But does that make me less of a Hawks fan? Or anybody who can’t afford to go?
THAT’S STUPID!
L
March 21st, 2010
9:54 pm
damn i wish that Josh would stop complaining about every single foul call he gets
Big Ray
March 21st, 2010
9:55 pm
I also gotta address something in MC’s original post. I am neither white nor black and I can’t stand most rock and country music, but I still enjoy going to Braves games, where the vast majority of the music being played is of that variety. They do a damn square dance during the 7th inning stretch for crying out loud. If the music is your excuse for not coming to Hawks games, you should just grow some balls and admit that you’re a racist.
Agreed, but asking a racist of any kind to grow some cahones is like asking a fish to stop swimming.
J.J.M.
March 21st, 2010
9:57 pm
refs cheatin
james
March 21st, 2010
9:58 pm
thats like the 4th bad screen call tonight
Big Ray
March 21st, 2010
9:59 pm
Like I said before the game, didn’t expect to see Teague play all that much.
Not complaining either, Spurs are a very savvy, smartly coached team, and that goes for their guards as much as anything.
To think, Parker and Ginobilli were some of the wildest, most frustrating players when they arrived in the NBA. Nothing like patience and very good coaching to go with talent and learnability.
VenomSpitter
March 21st, 2010
9:59 pm
Hubie tellin the truth
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 21st, 2010
9:59 pm
lol crawford
joBjo
March 21st, 2010
10:00 pm
nba is so frustrating cause the refereeing is so subjective.
northcyde
March 21st, 2010
10:00 pm
Preach Hubie about the attendance
lol @ crawford’s shot
Taylor
March 21st, 2010
10:00 pm
Jamal taking over
Najeh Davenpoop
March 21st, 2010
10:00 pm
Great flop Zaza!
bigdave
March 21st, 2010
10:00 pm
MC…
can i get a link to the blog that does entries on the players shoes… check Joe’s footwork tonight…
Najeh Davenpoop
March 21st, 2010
10:01 pm
Damn, am I the only one listening to Bob and Nique?
Blast
March 21st, 2010
10:01 pm
Stupid foul by Blair.
joBjo
March 21st, 2010
10:01 pm
good call on Blair, though.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 21st, 2010
10:02 pm
Crawford is BALLIN’…
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 21st, 2010
10:02 pm
Crawford = the guy you want in the clutch
Taylor
March 21st, 2010
10:02 pm
Hawks score 18 in the 4th
J.J.M.
March 21st, 2010
10:03 pm
lol@najeh I think so
J.J.M.
March 21st, 2010
10:03 pm
im tired of hearing “nimbers”
james
March 21st, 2010
10:04 pm
Crawfords handle is incredible for a guy his size . I dont think Ive ever seen a modern nba player go behind his back as much as he does.
joBjo
March 21st, 2010
10:04 pm
I switch to Bob and Nique when the Hawks turned over the ball and Hubie and them wouldn’t say what the call wuz. Najeh.