Atlanta Hawks at Bucks Game 4: Mind Game
Can the Hawks put an end to this? (Benny Sieu/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
MILWAUKEE– No deep analysis necessary for this one. Basically Game 4 will show us what the Hawks are about. Are they mentally tough? Do they have pride? Are they for real?
They’ve said the right things about being embarrassed by what happened in Game 3 and vowing to respond this time once they get challenged but right now the Hawks are in a show-me state. That’s what happens when you get blown out on the road by a team you handled at home. The game was barely four minutes old, the Hawks down just 14-5, and Smoove knew they were in trouble.
“It felt like in the huddle we was down by 20 in the fourth quarter,” he said. “It was only the first timeout. I could tell everybody was tensed up. I could tell we wasn’t having fun at that point and time and it carried on pretty much the whole game. We’ve got to be able to play loose and free, and not worry about what’s going on around us and play with a lot of confidence.”
So after getting humbled like that, after a brutal video session Sunday morning followed by a practice, after two days to think about how they got bullied, are the Hawks better prepared mentally for Game 4?
“I think so,” Josh said. “Everybody is focused. Nobody wants to get blown out, I don’t care if it’s at home or on the road. It left a sour taste in our mouths yesterday. Definitely a wake-up call. We’ve just got to be prepared for anything they throw at us. I think we will play with a sense of urgency early on and not wait until we are down by 20-plus to be able to answer back.”
If there are skeptics among you, that’s with good reason. You’ve seen this story too many times. Hawks win home playoff games. Hawks don’t compete in road playoff games (with that one notable exception in Miami). Hawks can’t quite fulfill their potential. Hawks remain a second-tier team.
It’s got to feel like Charlie Brown trying to kick that football with Lucy holding. This would be the time you finally kick the dang thing only to have her pull it away again and ending up on your back feeling like a simp. Heck, I wasn’t sure where I was going with that but it’s actually not a bad analogy for Game 3, huh?
“For me it was a little disappointing because we didn’t respond,” Woody said. “You would hope that you’ve grown a little bit from last two years so the games won’t be [as] lopsided as it was [Saturday] night. You have got to learn from it and improve.”
Let’s forget what’s happening to Denver, Dallas, and the Lakers. Sure, those series show that nothing is for certain in the playoffs, even for the defending champs, but let’s not pretend they have anything to do with the Hawks. For one thing, all of those teams have more currency than the Hawks, who took another step by winning 53 games but won’t earn real respect until they can make a legit postseason run.
The Hawks have internal questions to answer and can’t be looking elsewhere to take comfort from getting blistered in the Bradley Center. Josh said the Hawks know winning tonight would help answer lingering questions about this group.
“The first two times [in the playoffs], especially when we first got in, we was new we didn’t understand things about the playoffs and the postseason,” Josh said. “We was just playing with a lot of momentum at home. We didn’t really know what to do on the road. Last year we still was young but we had the depth that we needed and we had the maturity and growth that we needed to be able to win games on the road.
“We’ve got to be able to approach every road game like we do home games: confident and not worried about the crowd and get back to having fun.”
The Hawks can earn redemption tonight. That’s always the cool thing about the playoffs. Win tonight for a 3-1 lead and so much pressure is alleviated from the Hawks. The questions would be about how the Bucks can possibly hope to avoid elimination at Philips Arena on Wednesday.
Lose and … well, at least the Hawks have homecourt.
“You play the regular season to get homecourt advantage,” Woody said. “Just in case. [Tonight] is a big game. If we win tomorrow night we can go home and wrap it up. If not we’ve just got to go home and handle our business there and continue to play it out until we can win four games.”
If the Hawks need to rely on homecourt advantage to win a series nearly everyone expected them to win convincingly it wouldn’t feel like they’ve taken another step, would it? And that’s before you consider what it would mean for a second-round series against the Magic, whose only concern is whether they can sweep the Bobcats tonight.
Better for the Hawks to win tonight and prove that Saturday wasn’t what they are about. They can show that they can win road playoff games under pressure. They can put down a plucky opponent that rose up for a quick minute but couldn’t hang when the Hawks played their game.
“The great teams, they figure it out eventually and we are not there yet,” Woody said. “We are still learning.”
MC
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793 comments Add your comment
Nique's Revenge
April 26th, 2010
11:13 pm
no, but Confucius say, FIRE WOODY
Rick Sund
April 26th, 2010
11:13 pm
You fans have to understand that it TAKES TIME. When Marvin shows his UPSIDE in game 5 you all will be singing a different tune. We are still an ELITE TEAM. Didn’t we win 53 games. Remember our goal every year is to PROGRESS and IMPROVE.
AM
April 26th, 2010
11:14 pm
Somebody in that locker room needs to take over! Have an all players meeting and tell them to PHuck Woody’s invisible game plan. That person should call defensive sets and draw up real plays on the side while Woodson drools and plays tick-tac-toe on his coaching board!
O'Brien
April 26th, 2010
11:14 pm
Ray,
You know whats going to happen though. People are going to blame Horford and Marvin, saying they gave us nothing.
Because in some people’s mind, its always the players fault…
northcyde
April 26th, 2010
11:15 pm
That Bucks team reminds me of the Hawks 2 years ago vs the Celtics.
Oh well . .
(( preparing for a 7 game WAR ))
And if the fans in ATL abandons this team right now, then you’re right . . . move the franchise.
This team needs us more than ever now. I wasn’t planning on attending a playoff game until the 2nd round . . but it looks like I may have to make Game 5 in this series.
As Big Ray said . . Game 5 is a must win now.
LOL . . we’re in the same damn predicament as the Lakers. And pretty much have the exact same problems.
NCBravesFan
April 26th, 2010
11:15 pm
The only difference in game four vs. game three? The Hawks shot better (especially 3s).
Too bad shooting wasn’t the biggest problem …
VenomSpitter
April 26th, 2010
11:15 pm
Just like people said wat could have been with the Kings in the ears00s there gonna say the same thing about the chokers I mean the Hawks.
Nique's Revenge
April 26th, 2010
11:16 pm
LOL @ AM
JOE FOR COACH
Wabe
April 26th, 2010
11:16 pm
Yo, what I can’t get is how there are so many players that are irrelevant when they’re on the court (Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby on occasion), but this guy seems to find only one man’s faults.
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
April 26th, 2010
11:16 pm
lol@Rick Sund.
Sund, what’s your opinion on Woody in these playoffs???
JeJe
April 26th, 2010
11:17 pm
GUYS WE JUST GOTTA SWEEP MILWAUKEE AND GET SOME REST!! CHARLOTTE WILL TAKE ORLANDO TO 7 GAMES!
Sam from da Swats
April 26th, 2010
11:17 pm
Now the Braves have lost again…Please run Chipper Jones, Marvin Williams, Bobby Cox, Mike Woodson, and Paul Hewitt the f.ck out of Atlanta, and not in that order.
thomas22
April 26th, 2010
11:17 pm
I know we didnt look good the whole game, but those two missed jumpers by Mo Evans with 17 seconds left on the shot clock at the 6 minute mark really changed the momentum when we were coming back and they were back to back plays!
We were only down 6 when he shot both (one was a three) with no one under the basket to rebound if he missed. His role is not to score is it?
nunna!!
April 26th, 2010
11:17 pm
YO..WHO WOULD YOU ALL LIKE TO SEE AS THE HEAD COACH WHEN AND IF,WOODY IS ASKED TO LEAVE?
BOB WEISS WAS A PLAYERS COACH AND ONE WHO DOES NOT HESITATE TO PLAY HIS BENCH OR ROOKS!!
I SEE JOE LEAVING..MO LEAVING..MARVIN TRADED FOR A TEAM BUS!!..BIBBY RELEASED OR TRADED OR REMAINING HERE TO DRIVE THE BUS..MARIO CUT..RANDMO LEAVING AND PLAYING LIKE A SUPER STAR IN ORLANDO BEHIND HIS BOY DWIGHT HOWARD..JOE SMITH RETIRING..CRAWFORD ASKING TO BE TRADED,OR MAYBE EVEN TRADING CRAWFORD TO A TEAM FOR A 1ST ROUND PICK AND EITHER A DEFENSIVE CENTER OR OFFENSIVE SMALL FORWARD..
SUND IS GONNA BLOW UP THIS TEAM IF WE LOSE THE NEXT 2 GAMES OR LOSE THIS SERIES..AND HE IS GONNA FIRE WOODY NO MATTER WHAT,IF HE IS NOT ASKED TO EXIT THE PLANE BEFORE IT LEAVES MILWAUKEE..
SEE YA WOODY
VenomSpitter
April 26th, 2010
11:17 pm
Northcyde we are not in the same predicament as the Lakers. They are playing the Thunder who are much better than the Bucks.
bigdave
April 26th, 2010
11:17 pm
just talked to pops.. a football x’s and o’s guy, but watches and supports the Hawks.. i ask him what is your biggest problem with the Hawks:
“they have no plays man…”
“the DEFENSE stunk again… you would think they would put a body on somebody” (i had to remind him this wasnt football)
talking about defense still: “they were just running around like chickens with there heads cut off”
JeJe
April 26th, 2010
11:18 pm
IS ANYONE GONNA STAND UP AND TAKE A FINE? OR ARE WE GONNA BE THE BUCKS’ B!TCHES THE REST OF THE SERIES? WOODSON TALK TRASH AND GET A FINE ALREADY
Taylor
April 26th, 2010
11:18 pm
Everyone know that song All I do is win win win? We should have all I do is SWITCH SWITCH SWITCH
Rick Sund
April 26th, 2010
11:18 pm
Why can’t most of you fans be SATISFIED like RAY and OBRIEN. They are REAL fans. They know that we still have lots of POTENTIAL. Just because we are losing to SECOND STRING lineup doesn’t mean we don’t have UPSIDE. Marvin gonna show that next game.
tiger woo
April 26th, 2010
11:19 pm
What’s the big surprise? The Hawks are a horrible road team – especially in the playoffs – go ahead and fire Woody and see what difference that makes – the series will go 7 games – the Hawks will win their 4 home games.
Let’s face it – this is a flawed ballclub – if you can’t win on the road in the playoffs, you won’t go very far without the home court adv.
Grandad
April 26th, 2010
11:19 pm
One question followed by a comment:
Al Horford:
([5] fouls / coming out of a T/O. Were gonna foul immediately.)
Why is Al in the game?
It’s situations/mistakes like this, added up over the course of the season & play-offs that costs a team wins.
*NOTE: This turned out to have no impact on the game. However, had we forced overtime, it would have been “Huge”.[*Wdsn/word]
VenomSpitter
April 26th, 2010
11:19 pm
Man the Falcons are the only team we can look forward too. F.U.C.K.
O'Brien
April 26th, 2010
11:19 pm
northcyde,
Keep in mind that OKC has a guy called Durantulla. The Bucks are without Bogut and Redd…
Nique's Revenge
April 26th, 2010
11:20 pm
“waited too long” to match the physicality??
wtf jj
bigdave
April 26th, 2010
11:20 pm
welp.
Joe said it for Woodson.
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
April 26th, 2010
11:21 pm
Joe doesnt want to be in the A.
BONEY
April 26th, 2010
11:21 pm
“CHARLOTTE WILL TAKE ORLANDO TO 7 GAMES”
JeJe – you are a certified idiot . . .
nunna!!
April 26th, 2010
11:21 pm
BIG DAVE,
I CAN TELL YOU THAT WOODSON MADE NO ADJUSTMENTS..
WE JUST PLAYED BETTER..STILL GOING FOR THE OUTSIDE SHOTS AND NOT FEEDING OUR BIGS
Grandad
April 26th, 2010
11:21 pm
Perhaps I failed to mention for anyone not watching the game.
Al; fouled out immediately.
kwooden1
April 26th, 2010
11:21 pm
I hate losing, especially when you should win. I only saw from the middle of the 3rd on and clearly the HAWKS brought more effort but only a little better execution. The stretch in the 4th quarter where, we have 3 straight possession where Evans took shots with only one possession having more than one pass. That was bad execution!! Smoove had just hit 4 free throws in a row, but never touched the ball. Woody called a timeout and tried to get the ball into Josh, but the Bucks took that same timeout and setup a defense to stop Josh.
I really hate to go through this kind of growth process but I guess this is the only way this team can learn. They brought the right level of energy on the road, but not the execution. I expect nothing but maximum effort and Wed night and the crowd should be wild.
GO HAWKS!!!
Nique's Revenge
April 26th, 2010
11:21 pm
jj postgame “uhhhh mann we gotta find out ways to win uhhhhh”
jj thinking postgame “mannnnnnnnnn I got least 8 more good years in this league I gotta get da fuggggg outttttttttta here”
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
April 26th, 2010
11:22 pm
Joe cant wait to leave so he can play a secondary role to a superstar again, on an elite team.
nunna!!
April 26th, 2010
11:22 pm
WOW 702 COMMENTS ON THIS BLOG!!
I HOPE THE HAWKS ARE PAYING ATTENTION..BUT THEN AGAIN,WE’RE THE SAME FOLKS WHO ARE ON HERE EVERY GAME AND NOT GOING TO THEM,LOL..EXCEPT FOR KEN I THINK
O'Brien
April 26th, 2010
11:22 pm
Even JJ knows we are 1-9 in our last 10 road playoff games.
But I am tired of hearing Hawks players talking about how “we just need to figure it out”.
I dont think they know how to figure it out, and I dont think Woody knows how to figure it out.
BirdDawg
April 26th, 2010
11:23 pm
VenomSpitter, I have to agree with you. I’ve been dogging Woodson all season so I was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt when I finally saw some offensive execution, but seriously, it probably was because they were at home. I saw no attempt to duplicate the offense we saw at Philips and no attempt to make adjustments in this game…that’s coaching. I don’t agree that Horford can’t play center though even though the last two games provide evidence to the contrary. I don’t think he is being used correctly on defense which hurts him a lot. I mean seriously, the Bucks don’t have any players on the court in this series that are bigger than Al, so it’s not his size, it’s the fact that all season, he’s been on the perimeter chasing 1’s and 2’s. Name one other center in the league that does that night in and night out. Honestly, if you don’t trust your point guards to contain the other team’s point guards, what sense does it make to hand the job over to your center and power forward? If Al was kept near the basket more on defense and coached up to use his quickness on offense, back to the basket, I think his talent at the the 5 would be much more obvious. Until that happens, we’ll never know just how good he really is at center.
bigdave
April 26th, 2010
11:23 pm
exactly Joe..
thats why i said tonight was a must win.. would’ve been a major confidence builder. now, assuming we advance, 5 games max.
VenomSpitter
April 26th, 2010
11:23 pm
LMAO @ niques revenge
nunna!!
April 26th, 2010
11:23 pm
LOL@NIQUE’S REVENGE..
TOO FUNNY
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
April 26th, 2010
11:24 pm
Woodson looks like he already took a few shots of that JACK in the back before this post game conf.
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
April 26th, 2010
11:25 pm
LMAO@someone called exactly what woody was gonna say earlier…
BONEY
April 26th, 2010
11:25 pm
Orlando sweeps Charlotte !!
FIRE LARRY BROWN – it’s his fault, obviously – the man can’t shoot or play defense !!
Nique's Revenge
April 26th, 2010
11:26 pm
woody postgame!!
“uhhhhhhhh we gonna BREAK THIS TAPE DOWNNNN”
“WE HAD A LOT OF MISCUES” “WE GONNA HAVE TO CLEAN IT UP”
no DOUBT
“i like whut we did this season, we gotta go back home and handle our bidness”
responding to reporter about if we are expected to win at least 1 on the road “NO I think thats whut YOU guys think”
and again “go home and handle our bidness”
just doesnt get it. sigh.
FIRE WOODY
bigdave
April 26th, 2010
11:26 pm
“our effort was a lot better”
“he’s gonna go in and break the tape down”
when Woodson say’s he’s gonna go in and break the tape down, he just means he and staff go in and jump up and down on the film, chew on it, and snap it in half. he clearly isnt doing anything with.
shut your cliches up Woodson u suck!
Wabe
April 26th, 2010
11:26 pm
“But I am tired of hearing Hawks players talking about how “we just need to figure it out”.”
I’m equally tired of hearing this.
That’s the problem. And that problem stems from a poor approach. Whenever we lose, we sound as if we had no idea why we lost. It’s either a lack of energy, or it’s a “the effort was there, I don’t know, we just gotta figure it out and come out harder the next game”.
O'Brien
April 26th, 2010
11:27 pm
Just as I predicted. Woody says “We took care of homecourt, and the Bucks took care of homecourt. Now we just need to hold serve again”.
I really dont like the mindset of our coach and our players. Its like they feel comfortable becuase they have homecourt, so there is no urgency to win on the road.
Players and coaches share the blame for this loss. Again.
BONEY
April 26th, 2010
11:28 pm
Listening to you morons, you’d think the series was already over. Last I checked, you need 4 wins to win the series.
Remember we took the Celtics to 7 games and they went on to win the championship? Wait until it’s over before you break up the team already!
Wabe
April 26th, 2010
11:28 pm
What happened to all of those lobs we were throwing in games one and two?
Have we even tryed executing a set-play like that here in Milwaukee?
It worked like 3 times in one game, so it’s hard to believe they couldn’t squeeze it in once in 2 games?
Dante Fitzgerald
April 26th, 2010
11:28 pm
FIRE MIKE WOODSON!!!!!
thomas22
April 26th, 2010
11:28 pm
@nunna-
im a season ticket holder (2 yrs) and have been supporting the team- We need some changes and I wouldnt blame any one player, but Marvin Williams has got to be replaced in the starting lineup.
UGA
April 26th, 2010
11:29 pm
Interesting stat:
WE hit 38 shots like them. Made 3 more 3’s. But LOST.