Atlanta Hawks at Wizards: Suspenseful Standings
Washington–The Hawks aren’t watching scoreboards in Milwaukee or anywhere else because, really, what’s the point? With just three games left in the regular season the Hawks still don’t know if they will get the Bucks, Heat, or Bobcats in the first round of the playoffs.
“We are just concentrated on what we need to do,” Woody said. “Everything else will take care of itself. I think this thing is going to come all the way down until Wednesday, I really do.”
Further muddling all the playoff jockeying is neither Milwaukee nor any of the “bad” teams are laying down.
The Bucks somehow have won four in a row since Bogut’s injury. The ramshackle Pistons followed up their victory over the Hawks by going into Miami and beating the Heat. The Wizards turned back the Celtics here last night thanks to Shaun Livingston (remember him?).
This game is shaping up like the last time the Hawks were here, and remember how hard they had to work for that W. In addition to Livingston, guys like Andray Blatche, JaVale McGee and Nick Young are giving the Wiz a lift. This is the kind of thing that can happen with bad teams when guys aren’t sure about their futures.
The Celtics are in Milwaukee late tonight. If they lose and the Hawks win, that will give the Hawks a two-game lead with two to play. But the Hawks have to finish ahead of Boston so they still wouldn’t have the No. 3 seed locked down. The Hawks play at Milwaukee on Monday and the Celtics don’t play again until Tuesday.
Eventually Woody might have to make a decision on resting his regulars for the season finale against the Cavs.
“It all depends on how it plays out,” he said. “I’m not big on resting guys but I did it last year and it didn’t hurt us.”
MC
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
216 comments Add your comment
Big Ray
April 10th, 2010
8:44 pm
Josh’s offensive game has been solid. However, he’s stunk it up on the boards. I watched Blatche get his 3rd offensive rebound. Blatche only averages 6 boards a game.
I blame this on Josh and his 3 rebound effort. Box out, man!
Also have to blame this on us letting the Wiz score all over the court on us, moreso from the perimeter than the post.
J.J.M.
April 10th, 2010
8:44 pm
I wish we had some D
Najeh Davenpoop
April 10th, 2010
8:44 pm
As terrible as the Hawks are playing defensively, they are only down by 2. That is pretty amazing.
Blast
April 10th, 2010
8:45 pm
Haven’t seen that frantic, energetic defence from Hawks so far.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2010
8:45 pm
I’m with Najeh .
Horford stinking it up big time.
Meanwhile, Crawford heating up nicely.
Darren Collison
April 10th, 2010
8:46 pm
Time for the dreaded ISO 4th quarter.
cp
April 10th, 2010
8:47 pm
You have to love when posters comments get ripped to shreds so they resort to sarcastic comments because they have no better reply.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 10th, 2010
8:47 pm
Yeah, Joe and Jamal have kept the Hawks in this game.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2010
8:47 pm
This Washington team is going to be trouble next season. Especially if they can remain healthy and get rid of Gilbert Arenas (maybe that’s hoping for too much, if you’re a Wiz fan).
Ree Roe
April 10th, 2010
8:48 pm
Nice scoring surge by Jamal to tie things at 78. Now here comes the inevitable & heart wrenching 4th Q collapse
-REEnu for Roe!!
Gerald
April 10th, 2010
8:48 pm
Horford isn’t playing bad, he just isn’t getting the ball. He’s 3-6 from the field right now.
cp
April 10th, 2010
8:48 pm
Big Ray, Josh and Marv have been terrible on the glass. Its one thing when one is having a off night rebounding but both makes it worse. I don’t know at this point if its effort or what but they have to go after that ball better.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2010
8:48 pm
Agreed. Of course, I expect no less from our top two scorers.
Now if only we can ramp the defense up.
BIG TUCK
April 10th, 2010
8:48 pm
Another 4th quarter, i love the Hawks but i am scared to watch.
richbrave
April 10th, 2010
8:49 pm
WOODY doing a good job of using PACHULIA cutting off drives in the paint, and getting after the perimeter defense to shut down the threes. WIZ are getting fewer and fewer shots, and when made they’re tough ones. Tied up after three.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2010
8:50 pm
cp ,
I agree. I look for Josh to take it up a few notches. He’s known for that. I expect Marvin to either start playing hard, or sit the bulk of the 4th quarter on the bench like he usually does.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 10th, 2010
8:50 pm
I really hope the Hawks re-sign Mo Evans this offseason.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2010
8:51 pm
Mo Evans doing what you wish Marvin would do on offense.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 10th, 2010
8:52 pm
IS IT REALLY THAT F-CKING HARD TO GET A HAND IN NICK YOUNG’S FACE??!?!?!??!?!
bigdave
April 10th, 2010
8:52 pm
when Joe is not on the floor work through Al.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2010
8:53 pm
I knew the hook was coming for Marvin. And it should have.
Good decision by Woody.
Ricky
April 10th, 2010
8:53 pm
I’m beginning to develop a deep hatred for Nick Young.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 10th, 2010
8:53 pm
Seriously, like half of his shots have been wide-open jumpers FROM THE EXACT SAME SPOT ON THE FLOOR.
You would think the Hawks would have figured out by now that he likes that mid-range shot from the elbow.
bigdave
April 10th, 2010
8:54 pm
Za Za with the active hands…
Big Ray
April 10th, 2010
8:54 pm
Tough series, but I love the efforts by Mo (not turning it over and getting a decent shot) and Zaza (offensive rebound, correct pass out).
Najeh Davenpoop
April 10th, 2010
8:55 pm
So, uh, what did Smoove say to p-ss off Woody? Dude has barely played in this half…
Ricky
April 10th, 2010
8:56 pm
I think the biggest challenge with Nick Young is that he has that very awkward fading fall-away shot that is tough to contest.
richbrave
April 10th, 2010
8:56 pm
SAUNDERS has to take LIVINGSTON out for a rest and HAWKS win the game. It’s been tight all the way through to now.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2010
8:56 pm
Najeh,
A lot of that falls on Jamal. Incorrect rotations, then a half-hearted attempt at running at Young. As if that will make him miss….
Bad thing is, nobody else is defending him any better.
drmaryb
April 10th, 2010
8:57 pm
I like that line up with ZaZa & Horford, Evans , Jamal & Joe
cp
April 10th, 2010
8:57 pm
Yea Young is looking like an all star out there. I like James Singleton. Plays hard, rebounds, and can block shots. The Wiz have some pieces its just who will they keep and who will they let go.
Ricky
April 10th, 2010
8:57 pm
Smoove will probably be back in at around the 7:00 minute mark. I think Woodson is just sticking with Pachulia right now since he’s had a nice night on the glass and is playing pretty solid defense on the Wizards front line.
Sleepy
April 10th, 2010
8:58 pm
Najeh wiz out boarding us by 10 . I think thats says it all when you consider hes too focused on being point forward.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2010
8:58 pm
I think Woody is saving Smoove for the last 6-8 minutes.
He has been doing that pretty consistently lately.
One big reason is because he knows he is going to have to sit Marvin down. So he has to have somebody else in the game until then. Right now, the lineup features bench players Zaza and Mo. Look to see Smoove back in AT LEAST by the 5 minute mark.
That, and Zaza has been more active on the glass this game. And he’s throwing his weight around with McGee and Blatche, which they can’t handle so well.
cp
April 10th, 2010
8:58 pm
I cant lie, I cant name one good reason why Marvin should continue to start. I’m trying to think of something. Maybe you guys can come up with something.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2010
8:59 pm
Ricky and Sleepy beat me to it.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2010
9:00 pm
Man.
I LOVE to see Joe come off a curl and screen like that, then stroke that beautiful jumper. We should be running that play 20 times per game. AT LEAST.
Simpdawg
April 10th, 2010
9:00 pm
The Celtics are tanking these last few games, because they don’t want to see Mr. Wade and the Heat in the first round of the playoffs.
Blast
April 10th, 2010
9:03 pm
Me thinks Joe is getting better at playing with Jamal, which leads me to think that Joe will re-sign with Hawks, which leads me to think that Jamal will hopefully re-sign with Hawks after next year.
Those two can be a powerful 1-2 punch.
VenomSpitter
April 10th, 2010
9:04 pm
Blatche has outplayed Al
Najeh Davenpoop
April 10th, 2010
9:04 pm
The Wizards do have some good young pieces, but they are still lacking a go-to guy at any position. Nick Young strikes me more as a Jamal Crawford type, a streaky scorer who is better suited to a bench role. I like Livingston and Blatche, and McGee shows some promise although he needs to get more physical.
Their draft pick this year will go a long way towards determining who they keep and who they trade.
Blast
April 10th, 2010
9:06 pm
Why are the refs giving Wizs so many calls they do not deserve?
404atlhoops
April 10th, 2010
9:07 pm
Blatche is better than I thought. I watched him light the Celtics up last night as well
Najeh Davenpoop
April 10th, 2010
9:08 pm
4 minutes left and still no Smoove. I guess he just likes the bigger lineup with Zaza out there guarding McGee and Horford on Blatche. Can’t really argue, since it’s worked in this quarter — the Hawks are finally looking like they care about playing D. Wonder how Smoove’s taking it though.
VenomSpitter
April 10th, 2010
9:08 pm
OMG Jamal
Mel
April 10th, 2010
9:08 pm
damn another 4 point play/??? lol
J.J.M.
April 10th, 2010
9:08 pm
crawfordddddddddddddddddd
cp
April 10th, 2010
9:08 pm
When Crawford is hot its beautiful to watch.
Big Ray
April 10th, 2010
9:09 pm
Maybe Smoove IS on the bench learning a lesson. Wiz have been absolutely kicking our a$$es on the glass. With Zaza and Horford (who is finally getting into the game) keeping Blatche and Co from scoring/rebounding at will…..
I think Woody’s decision is a good one.
bigdave
April 10th, 2010
9:09 pm
these 2 playing like this could be tough…
chemistry building…