Hawks squawks: Hawks 86, Magic 84
Greetings, all-
some quick thoughts -
- One of the plays of the game was Dwight Howard’s getting called for a moving screen on Jamal Crawford in the first quarter. Howard was having his way to that point and the Hawks looked tentative. It was 20-10 near the end of the first quarter. By the time he got back in, with 9:34 to go in the second, it was 24-23 and the Hawks had some confidence going.
- I’m with Najeh. The Hawks defended the 3-pointer better and the numbers would indicate as much. The Magic came into the game on a roll from 3-point range and shot 6 for 21. Howard got his – 19 points, 24 (!) rebounds – but he had to work for it. He was 4 for 11 from the field and went to the line 16 times.
Al Horford: “We did a good job on him tonight. We made him work, earn most of the stuff he got. But he’s an All-Star player, so he’s going to go out there and get his.”
- I echo some of the questions about why Jason Collins didn’t play. It seemed like a spot where he would have been useful.
- Magic players got a little salty afterwards, notably Matt Barnes, who was pulled with 5:38 to go. From the Orlando Sentinel:
“(Stan Van Gundy) obviously must not trust me down the stretch. Only thing I can think of. I’m knocking down 3s, I’m playing D, I’m rebounding. I couldn’t believe it,” Barnes said. “I could see it if the person I’m coming out for is cooking or something but that wasn’t really the case tonight.
“It’s very frustrating to sit on the bench the last five minutes when I held Joe to 13 points. It’s very frustrating.”
- As I noted in my game story, Josh Smith’s heroics were necessary because the Hawks nearly gave the game away. After Mike Bibby hit a 3-pointer to put the Hawks up 73-64 with 10:37 to go, they made just one out of their next 10 shots (until Smith’s putback) and turned the ball over four times. And Smith’s jumper was the only basket! (Excellent timing on MC’s last blog. I’ll be curious to see what effect that this has.)
Josh: “I’m just confident in my all-around game. If it’s there, I’ll take it.”
He also said that he doesn’t hear the fans shouting “NO!!!” when he sets up to take jumpers.
Al: “We have to execute better down the stretch, there’s no question about it.”
Second team did its job. Mo Evans (10 points), Zaza Pachulia (took his turn on Howard), Jeff Teague (filthy bounce pass on the break) and Crawford (11 points, four assists) all helped the cause.
Josh: “Definitely give credit to the second unit. Mo Evans was outstanding in the first half, guys like Zaza, who was in there doing dirty things that we need him to do (Josh laughed at this point). It really helped us out.”
- If you’re wondering, the Hawks are now 3.5 back of Orlando. If the Hawks run the table, they’d finish 57-25. Orlando would have to go 6-4 to finish behind them. Obviously, don’t see it happening.
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271 comments Add your comment
Truth-Serum
March 26th, 2010
6:33 pm
I see im not the only one who uses other names to support a point.
Truth-Serum
March 26th, 2010
6:40 pm
Najeh Davenpoop I agree with the principle and draft strategy, however drafting “best athlete available” is why we have the problem at the forward position now. Too many power forwards and no true center. Why dont we be aggressive and move up in the draft? Make a trade and go after a true and established force. We are too close to sit on our hands and do nothing,except make token passes to big Z. Or wait around for a pie in the sky. Other GM’s know exactly what we need and are doing what they can to assure that we dont get it.
If we are wise enough to go after Crawford we are wise enough to pursue real talent at the 5. In the end of the day, I think we will address this in the draft. My hope is we trade into the lottery if necessary to find that talent. But of course as most of you would say, lets wait until the season is over.
KevinA
March 26th, 2010
6:41 pm
Truth-Serum,
Just for the sake of argument is there a center out there that we could sign and trade JJ for. Takes quality to get quality.
Truth-Serum
March 26th, 2010
6:41 pm
By the way
Najeh Davenpoop Whats the skinny on Solomon Alabi from Florida State
Truth-Serum
March 26th, 2010
6:45 pm
Agree KevinA that it takes quality to get quality…We are not over stack with 2 guard that border superstardom and clutch shooting that kills other teams…our bread and butter, like just say’s but we are stacked at the forward position…..keep jj at all cost. If my option is JJ or the center we keep playing two power forwards in the starting line up and have the same problem.
northcyde
March 26th, 2010
6:48 pm
Truth, I’m telling you where I’m getting it from . . . 82games.com
You simply have to click on the Atlanta Hawks team link . . then click on Horford. Just about everything you need to know about him as a player, is in his player profile.
Scroll down his profile page until you get to the Opponent’s Production section. That’s where you’ll see what opposing centers do against Horford.
It’s all right there man.
KevinA
March 26th, 2010
6:50 pm
Truth-Serum, If we are wise enough to go after Crawford we are wise enough to pursue real talent at the 5. In the end of the day, I think we will address this in the draft. My hope is we trade into the lottery if necessary to find that talent. But of course as most of you would say, lets wait until the season is over.
I agree with you, I am willing to discuss anything to improve our team. I do think we need to sign Chills and JJ even it is to get a trade later. Same next year with Jamal. Sign and play or sign and trade. To me when Al makes 9 mil a year or more he becomes tradable. I love him now because of the bargain he is.
It is always talent vrs the money we have to pay. We won the Josh deal. A risk thought by some was well rewarded. Bibby we lost. Marvin we are losing but the future is still undecided.
Truth-Serum
March 26th, 2010
6:51 pm
You link actually has the hawks drafting another powerforward…gee just what we need.
13 – Ekpe Udoh
Baylor
* Birthday: 5/20/87
* NBA Position: Power Forward
* Class: Junior
* Ht: 6-10
* Wt: 240
* Hometown: Edmond, OK
* High School: Santa Fe
* Team Site Profile
JeJe
March 26th, 2010
6:51 pm
Why the hell would we get a center? Horford just made the ALL STAR TEAM and we just gave ZAZA 4 MORE YEARS
WAKE UP PEOPLE
Truth-Serum
March 26th, 2010
6:58 pm
KevinA we agree on more than we disagree. I appreciate your being objective because I know Al is among your favorites and I like him too. Yes, Al is a good value for the money. Bibby is still a good value because he is serviceable at the 1 until we get some one better. He has 2 years left on his contract and I dont think the last year is guaranteed. He is still a very smart player regardless of his physical limitations. One big shot in the play offs will take that bitter taste out of your mouth. I think your reasoning is right on point. No argument here. Thanks for letting me know where you are on the future concerns. I see you arent just a nutt hugger but a very rational, insightful person.
Truth-Serum
March 26th, 2010
6:59 pm
northcyde so why dont you post a link to your statistic and not a link to a web site?
Truth-Serum
March 26th, 2010
7:01 pm
This is for you Northcyde
http://www.nba.com/statistics/player/Blocks.jsp?league=00&season=22009&conf=OVERALL&position=1&splitType=9&splitScope=GAME&qualified=N&yearsExp=-1&splitDD=All%20Teams
Perhaps you can follow suit.
Truth-Serum
March 26th, 2010
7:03 pm
northcyde
March 26th, 2010
3:32 pm
Let me ask you this Truth-Serum.
Does a guy who get a lot of steals, means that he plays good defense?
Northcyde I think a better measuring stick would be his steals to turnover ratio,
which is .53 steal for every turnover…..
Defense wins ball games.
drmaryb
March 26th, 2010
7:05 pm
Who’s My Grand-Daddy?
Hello Poppy! I bet you didn’t know I could do it like that? (spoken with my Spanish accent)
Here goes: I posted you up last night while you were watching Big-Red -vs- Big Blue and I copied to paste in this page:
“It was so bad with all the Spirit-Belkin In-Fighting.
The funniest part of the whole thing was that picture of BK refusing the Out-Stretched Hand of the ENEMY in the Court-House Lobby! LOL! Pure & Classic Day Time DRAMA! I became a Billy Fan that day!
Its nice to see how far we have come even though the DIVORCE is all but almost forgotten.
Shouldn’t the next Owner sign a Pre-Nuptual or something?
Were LUCKY Joe still wanted to come here? And it’s still not settled? If Joe leaves? That may be the reason.
I wish that David Last-Name?? Guy bought our team, but he was shafted by the Seller.”
Breaking News: today in the Business section in regards to my very comments, and I have no inside track, but the story just broke a few minutes ago at 645pm – so please read the article:
COURT OF APPEALS AWARD $281M to DUPED – BUYER of ATLANTA TEAMS
David McDavid awarded that money in a ruling. TNT Ted Turner ordered to pay the man.
Q: How will the affect the current ownership status of Spirit Group that bought the teams out from under David McDavid (FLA Car Dealership Tycoon), when he clearly had right of first refusal to not buy the teams. Hawks and Thrashers?
Are the teams still for sale, due to the Spirit Group in-fighting and all? How will this affect Joe Johnson desire to re-sign here. Or, as a professional due you just play basketball and not worry about who owns the team?
Blue-Ray & Others
Please free to jump in with an opinion. This is huge!
I can’t believe I was still thinking about all the old stuff last night, A walk down memory lane is all I was doing, trying to re-trace the steps of how we got Joe & Woody here in Atlanta, and why people on here are so eager to see those two leave us. We need the coach and the player!
Truth-Serum
March 26th, 2010
7:07 pm
northcyde
March 26th, 2010
6:48 pm
Truth, I’m telling you where I’m getting it from . . . 82games.com
DONT TELL ME SHOW ME!
Truth-Serum
March 26th, 2010
7:09 pm
drmaryb As I said yesterday. Ditto, good post. We need them both!
drmaryb
March 26th, 2010
7:10 pm
New Blog!
KevinA
March 26th, 2010
7:11 pm
Bibby is still a good value. Bibby is still a good value because he is serviceable at the 1 until we get some one better. One big shot in the play offs will take that bitter taste out of your mouth.
I can not knock Bibby except on defense. And I love the intangibles he brings. I just like them at a 20 min rate. As a human he is part of the glue that propels the Hawks. A man. Prob the best vet the Hawks have. Accepting his role gives nobody to many gripes about their roles.
Truth-Serum
March 26th, 2010
7:18 pm
Ditto, KevinA, Absolutely. I guess we are watching the same game.
KevinA
March 26th, 2010
7:29 pm
The Mr Bibby having a great impact. Fun to see.
WolfmanJack
March 29th, 2010
4:55 pm
Like I have mentioned before, the Hawks had a WONDERFUL opportunity to improve their team dramaticallly during the offseason by simply signing two former orlando players. Those two players would have solved ALL of the Hawks problems as I will outline in detail. The Hawks in my opinion all year have had only 5 problems. #1) Offensive becomes STALE after the Hawks build up a lead of 10-12 points or more. #2) The Hawks offense, in its stale state, shows no movement whatsoever and guys are waiting for Joe Johnson to put on a cape and fly through the air like superman to save the Hawks. #3) Two many BIGS continue to dribble the ball downcourt (inadvertently TURNING the ball over at crucial times); #4) Limited leadership at the point guard position as our guards get intimidated by traps and double teams and subsequently turn the ball over. #5) Too many letdowns and blown leads due to lack of enthusism to START games, to END quarters, and inability to CLOSE OUT OPPONENTS DOWN THE STRETCH.Ok. Did I leave anything out? Also, the offense the too predictable. Its stale. The two free agents (Turkelu and Alsten) would have helped the Hawks solve these glaring weaknesses and five tangible problems. Had the Hawks been smart enough to sign Heido Turkelu and Rafer Alsten, those two guys would have turned the Hawks into a dynasty. These two former Orlando players were playing on an all-star level last year. Those two guys helped the Orlando Magic to make it ALL THE WAY TO THE NBA FINALS. They would have helped the Hawks accomplish the same thing. Rafer Alsten could have started at the point, and it would have been easy to bring the rookie Teague along ever so slowly. If the offense ever stalled running it through Alsen, you could easily run the entire offense through Turkelu as well. Turkelu is one of the five most gifted talented players in the league. He has more upside potential than just about anyone. He has an enormous basketball IQ and he, along with Rafer, would have helped elevate the Hawks to elite status giving the Hawks a better regular season record than Cleveland. Should Cleveland win 65 games this year, had the Hawks acquired Alsten and Turkelu the Hawks would have won 70.
Hopefully the Hawks can acquire some good players to help the existing team so that we dont keep getting embarrased on the court.