Atlanta Hawks at 76ers: Making Progress
Time for me to be macro again. The Hawks won 47 games last season. Beat Philly tonight and they’ll have 47 victories with 10 to go. Any way you look at it at right now, barring a complete and total collapse down the stretch that’s progress.
“Right now” is the hedge, of course, because it means more if the regular season leads to something better and not as much if it ends up going nowhere. But it’s something for now, and Woody deserves a moment to say he’s glad to see it.
“I am very, very proud,” he said. “I couldn’t be more pleased with a basketball team, considering where we started and I knew we would struggle because we were 18 and 19-year old kids trying to play a man’s game. And we grew. Ownership was patient, they let me and my staff continue to teach a system I believe in and now we see the benefits.”
Woody said matching last season’s victory total isn’t enough. Winning the division would be something to talk about. That’s likely not going to happen so the Hawks will have to put up 50 wins and take the next step in the postseason.
“Our goal was to win 50-plus games and win the division,” Woody said. “We are not outside of the realm of winning the division. Like I’ve been saying, Orlando is playing great we are probably going to have to win out and they are going to have to fall on their face for that to happen. But the goal is to still try to win our division, and in doing that win 50-plus games.”
A reporter actually asked Woody how would he prevent the Hawks from becoming complacent. Shoot, I can’t see how that would be a problem for the Hawks.
For one, the goal should be winning a championship and they haven’t come close to that. They also haven’t shown they are on the same level as the Cavs, Magic and Celtics.
“We haven’t done anything,” Woody said. “Last year we made a positive step based on two years ago when took Celtics to seven. Then we were able to host homecourt last season and win a first-round series. The next step to me is winning the division and getting to the Eastern Conference finals.
“So we haven’t done anything. Orlando, they have done something. Cleveland, they have the best record in the league the last two years. We still have a ways to go, man. We are still trying to learn to win at a high level, and as a coach I’ve got to continue to try to push them.”
– Woody’s message to the team at the shootaround was about finishing games strong. As noted in another nice piece by Ken S. the Hawks are having issues with that. They are “sloppy in that area,” Woody said, and “get so comfortable” with leads late. The Sixers, who are missing South Gwinnett High’s Lou Williams (back), should offer the Hawks a chance to see if they can keep a foe down once they get them there.
MC
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330 comments Add your comment
VenomSpitter
March 26th, 2010
7:49 pm
Uh Oh Marvin the Great is back. Prepare for the greatest display of Goofyness ever.
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 26th, 2010
7:49 pm
lol@nique saying the thoughts in my head
Grandad
March 26th, 2010
7:51 pm
Honestly, Wdsn deserves a modicum of credit.
He deserves praise for acknowledging their goal of a div. title.
I said earlier, he has done a nice job of keeping the team
both focused & challenging their competitive spirit.
I was most proud of his quote concerning complacency:
[paraphrase] We haven’t done anything yet.
With that being said, this next line led to my bemusement:
[Unfair excerpt]
“let me and my staff continue to teach a system I believe in”
Defensively…Okay, I can go along with that.
Offense…That’s where I became bewildered? System/Philosophy/etc.?
Overall, that was a positive post for me.
Congrats Mr. Woodson.
HawksFan11
March 26th, 2010
7:52 pm
Iso #2
HawksFan11
March 26th, 2010
7:54 pm
Brilliant defensive move by Marvin.
HawksFan11
March 26th, 2010
7:56 pm
That was a bit of a quick turnaround for the second unit. You think Coach Woodson is resting them up for the 4th quarter?
Taylor
March 26th, 2010
7:58 pm
smoove with the sick jumpa
J.J.M.
March 26th, 2010
7:59 pm
lmaooooooooooo airball
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 26th, 2010
7:59 pm
LMAO@Josh’s jumper being closer to Camden, NJ than the rim.
J.J.M.
March 26th, 2010
7:59 pm
lol guess josh got tired of the loud rim sound
HawksFan11
March 26th, 2010
8:01 pm
Great two-man game so far by JJ & Josh
Taylor
March 26th, 2010
8:03 pm
Just turned the game on, rim sounds like the rims I play on in my apartment complex, damn!
KevinA
March 26th, 2010
8:05 pm
ZaZa need to start a fight – to energize us
Taylor
March 26th, 2010
8:08 pm
lol i knew zaza wouldn’t catch that pass
Taylor
March 26th, 2010
8:10 pm
wonder if the 76ers will run a cool ISO play off a TO like we do?
Taylor
March 26th, 2010
8:13 pm
the hawks have doubled their lead from the 1st quarter…LOL what an optimistic view
Melvin
March 26th, 2010
8:14 pm
Dang, did Woody let Teague break a sweat before he took him out the game. Geez
Big Ray
March 26th, 2010
8:27 pm
Jeff Teague is clearly next year’s attraction. The kid’s done for the year, and has been. He can come in, play his token minutes, hit the only shot he takes, grab a rebound, get a steal or an assist…..and he’s done. Next year we’ll actually get to see him play. I assume.
vava74
March 26th, 2010
8:27 pm
Woodson system:
Play just one kind of defense, all the time and against all opponents, independently of working or not.
Play just one kind of offense, all the time and against all opponents, independently of working or not.
Sleepy
March 26th, 2010
8:27 pm
this game screams long scoring drought and then loss at the buzzer . We really need to pick it up in the second half .The Sixers frontline has 30 points between them already .
Taylor
March 26th, 2010
8:30 pm
What’s with Kapono’s number?
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 26th, 2010
8:31 pm
hope not@sleepy
that would SUCK big time.
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 26th, 2010
8:33 pm
some air under that 3
VenomSpitter
March 26th, 2010
8:35 pm
Marvin is one of the smoothest player ever.
Hawk n the Ham
March 26th, 2010
8:36 pm
Did Smoove just alley-oop to Bibby????
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 26th, 2010
8:36 pm
This is GARBAGE
Taylor
March 26th, 2010
8:36 pm
LOL wtg Hawks
J.J.M.
March 26th, 2010
8:36 pm
lol@this team “we beat the magic now we can relax”
VenomSpitter
March 26th, 2010
8:37 pm
How many times does Osh try to throw an alley oop to Bibby that fails lol
MoBmo
March 26th, 2010
8:37 pm
wake up Hawks!
VenomSpitter
March 26th, 2010
8:37 pm
The Hawks felt that they won the championship just by beating the Magic
J.J.M.
March 26th, 2010
8:38 pm
Marvin plays one good game and sucks the next
Taylor
March 26th, 2010
8:38 pm
They must want the 4 seed bad
J.J.M.
March 26th, 2010
8:38 pm
lmaoooo bibby bumped him
Taylor
March 26th, 2010
8:39 pm
floppppp
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 26th, 2010
8:39 pm
lol@Rathbun’s crushing “Big Country” James Verrett
Taylor
March 26th, 2010
8:39 pm
Nice dunk
Big Ray
March 26th, 2010
8:40 pm
Whomever mentioned the scoring drought has cursed us…it’s here…already…
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 26th, 2010
8:40 pm
Holiday worked Bibby
J.J.M.
March 26th, 2010
8:40 pm
wow put some players in that wanna play
Big Ray
March 26th, 2010
8:41 pm
Josh Smith is determined to go 2-10 tonight, or something. Sheesh…
VenomSpitter
March 26th, 2010
8:41 pm
Seriously is there a team in All of sports that plays down to their opponents more than the Hawks
Sleepy
March 26th, 2010
8:41 pm
As Ive said before we keep looking for minor things to nitpick about while overlooking the fact that our starting 5 does not show up consistently enough to be upset about any other part of the team.
These are actually THERE MOMENTS but where is the sense urgency this is why Sund shouldve served notice that he was willing to make changes if he doesnt see growth . There is entirely too much job security right now on this team for anyone to be feeling real good about team in its current form ever advancing past the second rd . They dont play like they are playing for anything but instead look like a bunch of guys who are well paid know and know they arent going anywhere.
VenomSpitter
March 26th, 2010
8:41 pm
Big Ray I think u mean Osh Smith LOL
Hawk n the Ham
March 26th, 2010
8:42 pm
Man..Holiday got SCARED when he saw Josh coming, LOL
Big Ray
March 26th, 2010
8:42 pm
Horford has really become a steadying force, I don’t care what anybody says.
J.J.M.
March 26th, 2010
8:43 pm
Hawks should be blowin this team out
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 26th, 2010
8:43 pm
a guy like Kapono would be a great addition to come off of the bench on a playoff-bound team
Big Ray
March 26th, 2010
8:44 pm
LOL@ Hawk n the Ham …
VenomSpitter ,
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 26th, 2010
8:45 pm
NASTY