Bucks at Atlanta Hawks Game 5: Quiet At Home
The Hawks like it here.
So how much conversation has there been among the Hawks regarding the rumors swirling around Woody’s future with the team?
“That’s the first I’ve heard about it when you told me,” Al said today at shootaround.
In addition to illustrating the often-insular world players occupy, the lack of buzz on the team about Woody’s status demonstrates that the familiar postures haven’t changed.
Rick Sund still is not going to do address Woody’s deal until after the season and there’s no guarantee an offer (even a “low-ball” one as described in the Yahoo! report) is forthcoming. ASG’s Michael Gearon Jr has suggested the Hawks’ postseason will have a bearing on that decision and others. Woody isn’t happy the Hawks haven’t started contract talks and has said so (though he also says he wants to return). The Hawks believe the lack of an extension hasn’t hurt Woody’s ability to coach the team.
The news to come out of the Yahoo! report is that there could be another job out there for Woody if he doesn’t return and the team’s willingness to sell their first-round draft pick for $3 million to raise money to re-sign J.J.. (That everything seems to be Joe-driven is causing great consternation for hawksdawgs at Peachtree Hoops.)
Meanwhile, the Hawks have a playoff series to finish. Asked about the Hawks’ confidence in coming back to Philips Arena, where they’ve won 14 in a row, Al said it “feels good to be back home” but then couldn’t help also talking about the Hawks’ troubles on the road.
“If we had the same swag that we have at home like we have on the road, we’d be a tough team,” he said. “But first we have to handle this game tonight. We are happy to come back here.”
– For all the consternation about the Hawks’ inability to win road playoff games (and I know most of that is because of what it would mean for the next round) this Milwaukee Journal Sentinel headline summed up Milwaukee’s issues: Bucks must win at least once in Atlanta to advance.
Forget for a minute that four games into the series, the Bucks are talking about what it will take to advance instead of how they can avoid elimination. The Hawks desperately need to win. The way they did that in Games 1 and 2 was by slowing Brandon Jennings and hammering the Bucks with Smoove and Al. Look for Milwaukee to use a similar approach against those two tonight:
The Bucks worked hard to frustrate Hawks center Al Horford and forward Josh Smith in Milwaukee, after those players were dominant in the first two games. Bucks forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute defended Smith in Games 3 and 4 after primarily guarding Hawks guard Joe Johnson in Atlanta, and veteran center Kurt Thomas drew the assignment defending Horford.
And the Bucks have relied on help defense, with Jennings and other guards digging down on the ball when the Hawks’ big men begin to make their move in the paint. That did free up Atlanta’s perimeter players in Game 4, and the Hawks hit 10 of 19 three-pointers, led by Mike Bibby, who sank 5 of 7 attempts.
Smith still had 20 points and nine rebounds in 40 minutes in Game 4, but he wasn’t getting easy dunks off lob passes the way he did earlier in the series.
“He had a good game, and he scores in a variety of ways,” Bucks coach Scott Skiles said of the 6-foot-9 Smith, who was booed loudly by the Bradley Center crowd. “We’ve just got to keep him in front of us, try to make him take contested jump shots, try to keep him off the boards.
“We need to keep him from running out in transition, keep him from getting lobs after timeouts. We did that in both home games. Those are areas where at least we can have a little say-so in what he’s doing.”
– Woody has said he uses the switching defense to “hide” weak defenders. Brett LaGree, writing at Hoopinion, agrees but says switching also can make things harder for those weak defenders and the good ones:
It is hard to play good team defense without good defensive players.
Mike Bibby is a poor defender. Jamal Crawford is a terrible defender. Joe Johnson has amply demonstrated he cannot keep Brandon Jennings in front of him. Nor can Johnson fight through a Kurt Thomas screen. It’s no surprise that Mike Woodson has tried to address* these limitations. His singular method of address, to switch every screen, has pushed Josh Smith too often to the perimeter, exposing his primary defensive weakness (lateral movement) while simultaneously negating** his overwhelming strength (help defense).
*We’ll ignore, for the purposes of this discussion, how self-inflicted some of these limitations are.
**This is essentially what Orlando’s stretch 4 does to Smith when the Hawks play, and, typically, lose to the Magic.
MC
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677 comments Add your comment
Nique's Revenge
April 28th, 2010
11:27 pm
there once was a head scrub named woody
“I’m an NBA coach now, oh goody!”
we gave him draft picks
but he went out like mike vick
and is now serving drinks in Djibouti
Chi-town Hawks fan
April 28th, 2010
11:28 pm
JOE can’t score!!! BIBBY TOO SLOW!!! CRAWFORD GOT PLAYOFF JITTERS!!! JOSH SMITH DON’T PLAY WITH CONSISTENT INTENSITY (WHINES TOO MUCH) JOE AINT NO REAL SUPERSTAR, HE CAN’T MAKE SHOTS
Sam'l
April 28th, 2010
11:28 pm
The Bucks played spirited,,hard defense the entire game. That’s why they won. The Hawks were up by 13 at one point, 9 late in the game, yet it just disintegrated, just enough to put the game out of reach, sort of like some other games. Part of a coach’s job is to prevent meltdowns like this. (Or better yet, coach a team to play spirited,intelligent defense the entire game .
Really great to watch the Hawks’ approach to “playoff basketball.” The Hawks play tough, making hard, unneccessary fouls. The Bucks play tough, cutting off avenues of approach and making shots difficult.
A lot has been said on this blog about how this is Woody’s team and how Woodson has improved the team, etc. The main perpetrators of this fantasy are Mary B and NorthClyde. Tonight, it should be obvious to even these two diehard Woody fans that there is something terribly wrong with a very talented club. The only problem is Woody hung on long enough to screw up this entire year, so yeah, I’m bitter. This is my club too. .
The players deserve better. Bucks in 6. Bye Joe. .
Watch what happens!
terrell
April 28th, 2010
11:28 pm
I’m tired of worrying myself to death over this team. Dont really care anymore. Whatever happens, happens.
Yaquarri Adams
April 28th, 2010
11:29 pm
ELITE Teams don’t lose first round playoff series. I know we haven’t lost yet, but it is all but done. The Hawks owe us an apology for their apathetic play on the court. We have spent our hard earned money to hear them complain all year about fan support, while they make millions while giving lackluster effort against quality team. Being happy about 50 wins and getting bounced in the first round is LOSER talk. Rome may not have been built in a day, but we are not even close to Rome. If Joe wants to leave…then goodbye. He is a good player, but not great. He will not lead a team to a championship. Crawford is not even close to Joe. Horford has the most heart on our team and I like Marvin’s hustle. Unfortunately, I see the team hustling backwards. Maybe you can tell that I am pissed – DISSAPPOINTED FAN.
Big Ray
April 28th, 2010
11:30 pm
Bigdave ,
co-sign your 11:22 post.
I’m tired of hearing it all about being the players, and none of it on the coach. You play how you practice.
In the meantime, our top vets let us down. Every single one of them.
VenomSpitter
April 28th, 2010
11:30 pm
Sorry Big Ray but Josh is the dumbest player on the 3. Didn’t u see Al yell at his azz? We aren’t the only ones who are noticing it.
Vick Supporter
April 28th, 2010
11:30 pm
@Rick Sund
Josh Smith will never be a superstar, unfortunately. 7 years in the league and his Basketball IQ at the end of games is terrible. He has superstar physical ability, but not the Basketball IQ (Kobe, LeBron for example) to make it all come together
VenomSpitter
April 28th, 2010
11:31 pm
I meant on the team*
AG
April 28th, 2010
11:32 pm
Couple of great comments. Bill Lambeer will be a great coach for this team. He has won championships as a player and a coach. He will come real cheap. He will teach this team. That kid Jennings is fast and has a poor jumper. Watching Teague the last game of the year…. what if he would have been developed from the beginning. Lastly, I hope our team does not give up on them like YOU fans have! I am mad as hell, but I have to believe they can pull this thing out. They are a much better team than Milwaukee. If Crawford gives us something, this game is totally different. The same as Josh. Come on we have to believe in our team and they have to believe in themselves.
Nique's Revenge
April 28th, 2010
11:32 pm
@Vick
AND josh can’t dribble, AND josh has no J
BILLY KNIGHT
April 28th, 2010
11:32 pm
Im sorry hawks fan it’s not over yet, but i still live in the city and i will support them all the way, and woody still my buddy until the end call me woody i havn’t heard from you in a while, i have some good news 2 tell you.
Wabe
April 28th, 2010
11:33 pm
“Watching Teague the last game of the year…. what if he would have been developed from the beginning.”
The one thing I can look forward to in terms of the Hawks is watching this kid.
I’m tellin yall, I think he’s gonna be special if given the chance.
O'Brien
April 28th, 2010
11:33 pm
Big Ray,
Tell that to northcyde. As many 4th quarter meltdowns as we’ve had all year, how can fans put it all on the players?
Vick Supporter
April 28th, 2010
11:33 pm
@Big Ray
Are you saying that Josh Smith is a superstar?
Yes or No
Lacsho
April 28th, 2010
11:34 pm
Hold up where’s Azzstro Jo, Hmmmmmmmm drinking with the quack and never been to a game northcyde, they crying with Samuel….. LMAOF
I’m sorry LoL
Blue
April 28th, 2010
11:34 pm
These cats were playing SCARED tonight from tip-off. The energy just didn’t feel right from the outset.
And JeJe is right. Woodson is a problem and should move on. However, the ASG is the REAL PROBLEM. These clowns don’t have the capital to compete in this league. They just got lucky that the talent grew together a little. In order to compete in this league, you have to be a member of the Billionaires Boy Club (Cuban, Buss, etc.). Just think about that. These guys are selling draft picks for CAPITAL! … What the Hell, man!?
They’re going to trot out the same line-up next season (minus Joe), get a couple of cats from the D-League to complete the roster, and hire some assistant from another team that no one has ever heard of. Sad.
Hawk n the Ham
April 28th, 2010
11:35 pm
Arthur Blank, the Hawks need you.
GoBuckYourself
April 28th, 2010
11:36 pm
The most telling moment of the night was watching the entire Hawks team more concerned with the Ref’s watching the replay of Horford’s 3 than listen to their coach as he desperately repeats “C’mon guys, gather ’round”.
Lacsho
April 28th, 2010
11:36 pm
Poor Judgement….
Finally Fire Woodrow and his entire staff.
If the assistants we’re real, they would’ve stuck with Billy, after he realized his mistake.
Fire WoodRow Stupidazzswitchingdefense.
BILLY KNIGHT
April 28th, 2010
11:37 pm
CALL ME WOODY DON’T FORGET WHERE YOU COME FROM WE STILL HOME BOYS.
Vick Supporter
April 28th, 2010
11:37 pm
Well..the Hawks suck,, Braves suck, and the Falcons QB sucks and can’t complete a 40yd comeback.
A dark cloud hangs over Atlanta
AG
April 28th, 2010
11:37 pm
the real problem is Woodson. You have to see what is happening and make adjustments. Skiles has out coached this guy all series. They run so many plays, picks , etc, but we are one on one. If my guys are not running my plays, your a$$ in on the bench!
Ken Strickland
April 28th, 2010
11:37 pm
Dumbest NBA HC ever. This fool of a HC played MBibby 27mins and all we got out of him was 2pts, 2 assists and absolutely no DEF whatsoever. The only thing Woody moron did that could even be conscrewed as an adjustment or change was to play JTeague 1min.
Where are all of you WOODY LOVERS now? What good is winning 53gms and having the 3rd seed doing us now? This is why Woodson was so upset at not receiving an extension before the season. He didn’t want to be judged this season based on his ability to coach during the playoffs.
During the entire 2nd half, he basically used 6 players, which didn’t worked the last 2 times he tried it. You heard KMcHale say how teams will take on the attitude and character of their HC. Well, this team is inconsistent, makes the same stupid mistakes and ends up with the same results, and can’t explain why, just like HC Mike Woodson.
Come on all of you WOODY LOVERS, let’s say it together, FIRE WOODY!!!! Show us you’re not as dumb as you’ve appeared to be all season in your support of this absolute DUMBA$$.
Chuck Uga
April 28th, 2010
11:38 pm
Mike Woodson needs to be fired the morning after the Hawks lose the series. Period. End of story.
AM
April 28th, 2010
11:39 pm
Can’t find Woodson’s post game online. I just have to hear what that idiot has to say now. Guess we didn’t “handle our business.”
Just Saying
April 28th, 2010
11:39 pm
I CALLED THIS IN THE REGULAR SEASON. NO SURPRISE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsaTElBljOE
Wabe
April 28th, 2010
11:39 pm
O’Brien, you took the words right out of my mouth.
How many times do we have to see the same issues go unaddressed (late game breakdowns, offense stagnates) before the coach addresses it?
Despite all of the 4th quarter struggles, we’ve seen absolutely no tactical changes. We STILL approach every problem with the same set of solutions. Despite all of the leads we’ve blown, we still rely on ISO-ball to close out games. Despite all of the criticism pointed at the Hawks lack of offensive chemistry, we continue to exercise the same approach on offense?
As someone said earlier, I think it was Melvin, Woodson is a one-trick pony.
AG
April 28th, 2010
11:39 pm
You have to give your guys rest to be fresh in the end. Is that why we have so many 4th quarter meltdowns? When you go jogging 5 miles, is that last mile as good as the first? Teague, Joe Smith, and ZaZa and Evans should get burn in the second half.
BILLY KNIGHT
April 28th, 2010
11:40 pm
So why you hawks fans always crying it’s not over yet stop acting like females.
AG
April 28th, 2010
11:41 pm
Again, stay positive and hope for the best Friday night
Yaquarri Adams
April 28th, 2010
11:43 pm
Arthur Blank is not a Sports man. He’s having a hard enough time with the Falcons. I am a season ticket holder for the Falcons too. Sometimes I am disappointed in them too. At least they play hard. I’m not giving up on the Hawks, but it’s sure hard to have faith after seeing a performance like tonight. Woodson deserves credit for improving this team. I do agree with Blue that we need money to pay for a superstar. Lenny Wilkens said that he did not like coaching superstars, but superstars combined with the right role players win championships. Atlanta has one team with a championship, the Braves. I would challenge anyone on this blog to tell me that they believe that the Hawks are moving closer to one. We have to figure this out. It’s strange that teams can be in the gutter and rise to be ELITE teams, but we cannot. It annoys me that ESPN ignores us, sports radio doesn’t discuss us. It’s like we are the on 50 win team that doesn’t exist. Many people will say that they aren’t surprised if we lose this round. I will have to endure the jeers tomorrow at work because everybody knows how I feel about the Hawks and are waiting to say “I told you so”.
terrell
April 28th, 2010
11:44 pm
This might’ve been the best thing to happen to the Hawks. We all know if they woulda won, they woulda layed down in Milwaukee, knowing that they could close it out at home. Now we get to see if this team has any heart at all Will they show up on the road in a hostile environment? Or will they fold up like ..tches?
terrell
April 28th, 2010
11:48 pm
Win or go home!
Big Ray
April 28th, 2010
11:48 pm
Vick Supporter ,
Can you read? Yes or no?
I said that Josh Smith taking shots at the end of the 4th quarter is what you get when you don’t have somebody better to take them. Who was supposed to get the ball? Joe Johnson? He fouled out. Jamal Crawford? 4-18. What “superstar” was supposed to be taking the shot right then, tell me that? I’m not saying it was a smart shot. But it’s funny, if it’s a made shot, is it still stupid?
Jamal 4-18
JJ 6-16
How many of those shots were smart? How about the three straight misses by Joe, two of them 3 point attempts at all the wrong time? Huh? What? No answer? I’m listening….
Venom Spitter ,
I know he doesn’t make all of the smartest plays, but no way is he the dumbest guy on the team. I just don’t agree. Josh makes too many good plays that really help this team for that to be the case. I’m not making excuses for what he did tonight. Did his play overall do us any worse than our top two scorers?
You take one or two 4th quarter gaffes and turn them into “the guy is dumb as a box of rocks” conclusion. Yeah, okay. I guess we would have won 60 games without him, huh. Trade him away. Then watch us give up more points than the New Jersey Nets.
Clyde
April 28th, 2010
11:49 pm
KEN THE WOODY LOVERS ARE IN HIDING.
FIRE WOODY
swatl5000
April 28th, 2010
11:50 pm
:Sad night for “Hawk Nation” – The official end of Joe Johnson & Woodson era time for a new direction. 0/0 free throws in 4th, JJ fouls out in the 4th, Josh blows a dunk and shoots a brick 3, Bibby & Jamal no defense and NO HEART! that can’t even save this with 2 wins.
Big Ray
April 28th, 2010
11:51 pm
Well..the Hawks suck,, Braves suck, and the Falcons QB sucks and can’t complete a 40yd comeback.
A dark cloud hangs over Atlanta
Here we go with this again…just suck it up and go to a Philadelphia blog, would you? Go support your backup QB for once and quit wasting time here.
terrell
April 28th, 2010
11:51 pm
Hawks in 7. They’ll play better knowing that they have to.
Big Ray
April 28th, 2010
11:51 pm
Enough. Not going to blog about this all night.
BILLY KNIGHT
April 28th, 2010
11:52 pm
I have a secret 2 tell, one day i was walking back 2 the car and this old man came from behind garbage can at the highligh factory, and guest what he told me, and i ask him what but he told me 2 give him 5dollars and he would tell me so i gave him the money and he said this city was curse and i kick him in the azz and the next day fired i couldnt believe it but it’s true this city is curse in sports.
terrell
April 28th, 2010
11:57 pm
If we woulda won tonight, does anybody honestly believe that we would’ve closed it out in Milwaukee? That’s what I thought. I’m sorta glad we lost. Gives us a chance to see what we’re made of, ONTHEROAD. If it comes back to Atlanta, we wont lose a game 7.
bonquesha
April 28th, 2010
11:57 pm
I see all of the NBA TV analysts are still picking the Hawks in 7. I think all the talent is there, but there needs to be an obvious change in coaching. I suggest a more gritty, hard-nosed coach because these guys are not discplined at all. Apparently, there are too many chiefs and not enough indians. Who’s the blame for that? Woody, of course. The last press conference he said that he didn’t mind the bickering. That’s a problem. People bicker when they don’t know their roles and that is obvious from watching Joe getting into shouting matches with several of his teammates the last three games. I think that all of the love and biased writing from local reporters have got some of these players feeling themselves and it’s time that everyone checked their egos and started playing as a team. This has really gotten out of hand.
Clyde
April 28th, 2010
11:57 pm
FIRE WOODY
Biggest G
April 28th, 2010
11:58 pm
Another home loss where it is tight in the 4th quarter and we fail yet again to score 20 points in the final stanza. Look at all our home losses against the elite teams this year and you see the same pattern. We melt down offensively in crunch time against the good teams. The flaw showed itself again tonight. There is no “go to” guy or leader on this team in crunch time…someone to settle things and get us a good shot….Horford was about the closest we had…Joe fouled out and allowed himself to be taken out of his game while he was in there…Jamal kept hitting the front rim a sure sign he was feeling the pressure…Josh never takes it to the hole when it counted…where was that fire we played with against Boston a couple of years back…spells doom on Friday night.
Billy D
April 29th, 2010
12:01 am
Joe 6-16, Jamal 4-18, MARVIN goes off for 22(?) points and doesn’t get any touches in the last like 3 minutes of the game?! I used to ignore the fire Woody comments but now I don’t care. Any coach with a brain would draw up a play for Marvin at the end or Al, both of which had their way.
I saw on NBA TV they all predicted the Hawks would “take a good look at themselves in the mirror” and win the next two and advance. As optimistic as I wish I could be, Bucks blow out the Hawks in Game 6. Sorry
Mike Woodson
April 29th, 2010
12:03 am
You gotta give Milwaukee credit. They did what they were supposed to do. Oh wait, well, our shots just weren’t falling. Our effort was there we just didn’t come up with plays. I told them to go out there and just give it all you’ve got. But hey, you don’t win 53 games if you don’t.
Rick Sund
April 29th, 2010
12:05 am
Why can’t the rest of you fans be like BIG RAY. He is a REAL FAN because he knows that this team has UPSIDE. Look at our REGULAR SEASON win total. Big Ray knows that IT TAKES TIME for such a YOUNG team to win it all. ,As long as we have Mike “defensive architect” Bibby, Joe “SUPERSTAR” Johnson, Marvin “UPSIDE ” Williams, Josh “Pure Shooter” Smith.
VenomSpitter
April 29th, 2010
12:05 am
Josh taled trash and couldn’t back it up.
HE IS AN IDIOT
Clyde
April 29th, 2010
12:09 am
Let’s see if Woody makes any adjustments for game 6
FIRE WOODY