Atlanta Hawks Squawks Game 6: Hawks 83, Bucks 69
MILWAUKEE– There were a lot of doubts about the Hawks but after this stirring W they deserve to squawk a bit. So let them.
– “It was gut-check time for us,” Al said. “It really defines what our team is about.”
– “When we play the right way, we can beat anybody,” Jamal said.
– “Everyone counted us out except the people in this locker room,” Smoove said.
– The Hawks finally asserted their will on the Bucks. They shared the ball and got open jumpers. They went inside when the advantage was there. And, most of all, they defended the hack out of the Bucks for long stretches.
– Milwaukee shot just 32.9 percent from the field, their worst shooting game of the regular season and playoffs. “What really won the game was defense,” J.J. said. “I don’t think we’ve been that active all season.”
– Give Woody credit. The Hawks started off showing and recovering on screens instead of switching. That left them vulnerable with Bibby on Delfino but the Hawks made it work.
– “We had to keep them guessing as much as we could,” Al said. “The guards did a good job of getting over the screens.”
– In the third quarter, the Hawks went with a zone. Suddenly Milwaukee’s guards didn’t have so many gaps to exploit and Al and Smoove didn’t have to cover to much ground to get out to Delfino. Their ball movement, excellent for much of the series, came to a halt.
–The Bucks made just 3 of 17 shots in the third quarter and missed 11 in a row when the Hawks went on that 19-0 run. “It worked,” Josh said of the zone. “It was good just to show them a different look here and there. We were able to throw them off balance.”
– Woody had played sly the day before the game, insisting he wouldn’t change his defensive approach. “We just tried to mix it up a little bit,” Woody said. “They are so good in the one-on-one position and you’re not sitting down and taking individual challenges on the ball. It becomes a nightmare.”
– Talking to Jamal during the series, he hadn’t seemed like himself. He might have been most affected by that Game 5 loss but he showed something by bouncing back. That driving shot over Delfino when the Bucks rallied late is the kind of thing Crawford had done all regular season.
– “I feel like that’s what they brought me here for,” he said. “I felt like I let the team down in the last few games, especially the last game. I didn’t sleep the last couple days.”
– It was a brutal first half offensively for both teams but don’t discount the defense. The game was physical and tightly-contested. It was lacking in aesthetics but physical play was plentiful. “Nobody wanted to lose tonight and that’s an indication of the score,” Woody said. “Both teams were just grabbing and fighting and clawing to win a basketball game.”
– Neither team could gain separation in the first half. The Hawks gained a 16-10 advantage but Milwaukee closed the first quarter on a 9-0 run. The Hawks answered by opening the second quarter with a 9-0 run that featured three baskets by Jamal. Delfino started a 15-2 run with three consecutive 3-pointers. The Hawks made four free throws to close the half and calm things down.
– “We were missing easy shots, they were missing easy shots,” Horford said. “But we were playing the right way. I knew eventually we would get it going.”
– Man, did they ever. That 19-0 run was the Hawks’ most dominant stretch of play since the first half of Game 1. The Hawks shared the ball, collected rebounds and defended the Bucks late into the shot clock. Those 19 points were spread around: Bibby had five points, Josh four, Joe five, Al three and Jamal two.
– “I haven’t seen us play like that the whole series and it feels so good,” Smoove said. “Everybody laid it on the line.”
– The Hawks’ biggest lead was 58-38. Milwaukee made its inevitable run to get within 69-62, with J.J. taking a few ill-advised iso shots, but this time the Hawks stayed tough.
– After Jamal missed, Smoove blocked Stackhouse’s shot to lead to a jumper by Joe. Crawford took Delfino to the hole, Smoove blocked Salmons’ shot and J.J. made two free throws to finish the Bucks.
– The finish was the opposite of that meltdown in Game 5. “We weren’t going out like that,” Al said. ““We at least had to play our hearts out.”
– Bucks fans chanted “Josh Smith suc–” at the end as he urged them on. “It feels good,” Josh said. “I’d like to thank Milwaukee fans for their hospitality. They’ve been great.”
– He said he was being serious but somehow I don’t believe him.
– AJC wise guy Jeff Schultz wanted to make sure I noted that he’s 3-0 in this series while colleague Mark Bradley is 0-3. Before you ask, I’m not sure which guy will be there Sunday.
– I’m out, Hawks fans.
MC
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135 comments Add your comment
JCToo
May 1st, 2010
11:14 am
How about “Deer Tears” They will be shed on Sunday
The Truth
May 1st, 2010
11:19 am
A few blogs ago, in a Game 5 defeat when skepticism was at an all time high, I wrote:
“I feel a great disturbance in the force. Yes the tide has shifted but don’t forget the story of “The Turtle and the Hare”. The Hare was so much quicker and was so sure of the outcome of the race; he decided to catch a nap during the race only to lose in the end. The moral of this story: IT AIN’T OVER UNTIL IT’S OVER!!!”
Skepticism was running so high, even bloggers like Clyde doubted and responded to me with:
“THE TRUTH THAT WAS THE MOST BULLSH#T’N AZZ POST I HAVE EVER READ IN MY LIFE.”
That’s ok Clyde, I forgive you
But as prophetic as the comment seem with respect to the outcome of game 6, it could now be applied to game 7. However, the characters in that story could shift and change roles. Instead of the Hawks playing the role of the tortoise that stood fast and won the race against an over-confident hare as in game 6, it is now the Bucks turn to audition for the role of the tortoise. This is a cautionary message to the Hawks: FORGET GAME 6 (STOP TALKING ABOUT IT), IT IS NOW IN THE PAST. REMEMBER HAWKS: BECAUSE THERE IS A GAME 7, YOU STILL HAVE SOMETHING TO PROVE TO THE FANS AND TO YOURSELVES. AT THIS POINT, IT’S ALL ABOUT CONCENTRATION AND FOCUS. YAH, I KNOW GAME 6 WAS A NICE WIN, BUT DON’T LOSE SIGHT OF THE PRIZE. WIN GAME 7, OR CLEAR OUT YOUR LOCKERS.
IT (STILL) AIN’T OVER UNTIL IT’S OVER!!!”
TK
May 1st, 2010
11:25 am
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/92560094.html?commentSubmitted=y&refresh=39847&sort=last+to+first#comments
you guys gotta see what the bucks fans are thinking lol check out their blog lol
Jerome
May 1st, 2010
11:33 am
So what! They beat a team (WITHOUT THEIR BEST PLAYER) they should have beaten two games ago. They will lose to the Orlando Magics. The Hawks are still in the same place as last year. The only way they can boast would be to beat the Magics.
TK
May 1st, 2010
11:42 am
Jerome: it does seem that the majic will be a tough opponent however if the Hawks play sound ball and MAKE shots, unlike the 38% last night, this will be an interesting series.
TK
May 1st, 2010
11:44 am
magic*** spelling lol
Chris Bosh
May 1st, 2010
12:10 pm
Hey I’m pretty serviceable… why not sign me? I’m better than that doofus you call zaza
Avery Johnson
May 1st, 2010
12:12 pm
If the hawks don’t try to make a run for me now I’m gonna be off to New Orleans.
JeJe
May 1st, 2010
12:21 pm
YESTERDAY’S WIN DOESN’T ERASE !@#$. WE WILL LOSE IN 4 OR 5 GAMES TO ORLANDO
FIRE WOODY
Josh Smith
May 1st, 2010
12:21 pm
Chris i wouldnt mind you on the team… i think Id have to whip your ass a few times…
Joe johnson
May 1st, 2010
12:22 pm
shut up you arrogant mother…. look chris Im out so do your thing… F the hawks
TK
May 1st, 2010
12:31 pm
JEJE have faith my brother. i also was pretty pissed after game 5 of this series… i know orlando will be a tough match up for us… but sit back witha cold brew and lets see what happens… dont count us out…
Jeff Teague
May 1st, 2010
12:36 pm
I just wish I could play
Rick Sund
May 1st, 2010
12:38 pm
Hawks Fans:
We CAME through! We are playing one of the best teams in the NBA in the Milwaukee Bucks. We were down 3-2 and STOLE a ROAD game! Isn’t that incredible?! This can be attributed to our LENGTH, ATHLETICISM, and TREMENDOUS UPSIDE.
Woodson, you GOT your extension! 6 years/$36 million sound good?
Best, Rick
TK
May 1st, 2010
12:47 pm
GO TO HELL RICK lol j/k we stole nothing we took that win… woodson finally let go of his nuts and did the right thing to switch the defensive looks… hopefully he thought “hey COACHING may work in sport, ima try it from now on”
PlusSizeModel
May 1st, 2010
12:48 pm
Regarding this Web site layout: should I really have to click five or six times to find the box score for this game? I can get it in three clicks on ESPN.com, which is where I’m headed now because I still haven’t found it here.
darrell starks
May 1st, 2010
12:54 pm
Good game last night the only thing i didn’t like was the 6th man rotation in the second half, and they almost ran out of gas in the fourth, this is 2 games in a row woody have went 2 a 6th man rotation woody have 2 stop this specially sunday with everything on the line, like i said before woody is the luckies coach in sports.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
May 1st, 2010
12:57 pm
Can some one answer this why do joe continue 2 dribble the ball 20seconds of the 24second shot clock?
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
TK
May 1st, 2010
1:06 pm
Thats Iso-Joe baby!!
go hawks!
Fundamentals
May 1st, 2010
1:34 pm
How about the Bucks playing Boys from the South as their hype music in the 3rd? Kinda Odd?
We came alright! BOOM – we got venison!
Fundamentals
May 1st, 2010
1:35 pm
Loved the variety on D!
Loved the steady effort regardless of the outcome. They started to panic and give up, we stayed steady all game. Results – GAME 7!
SouthFultonMusic.com
May 1st, 2010
1:45 pm
That defense Woody is running, is what has this series going to a Game 7, when Hawks should have and could have easily swept the Bucks.
The defense is flawed for the following reasons:
-1 extra pass leads to open shots for opponents
-Switching always leaves a perimeter shooter wide-open for set-shot 3’s
-It puts us in unfavorable mismatches (Horford on Jennings, Bibby on K.Thomas)
-All the running and recovering to defend wide-open shooters uses up too much energy on offense.
northcyde
May 1st, 2010
1:49 pm
Mz. Hawkdafied
May 1st, 2010
10:18 am
Smoove is wrong everybody didn’t count them out. There are people who didn’t count them out. Unless he talked to everybody and he didn’t. I take offense to that statement.
********************
Don’t take offense to his statement. While some believed that they could win Game 6, you have to admit that all we heard for 36 hours was how the Hawks were 1 – 10 in road games the past 3 years . . and had lost a whopping 17 out of 18 road games since 1997.
So by those odds, you’re talking about a 7% – 10% chance of the Hawks winning that game.
If Smoove and the guys want to use the “Us against the World” mentality, to motivate them, then I’m all for that. If they get to Round 2, they’ll have to have that same mentality when facing the Magic. No one will give us a chance to win that series. And I bet if you poll the fans, maybe only 30% – 40% will believe that we can beat the Magic. Because, once again, it means that we’ll have to win at least one road game in Orlando.
I really want to see this team win going away tomorrow afternoon, much like they did in Game 7 vs Miami last year. I don’t want it to be any doubt that we’re going to win that game, once the 4th quarter starts.
northcyde
May 1st, 2010
1:56 pm
SouthFultonMusic.com
May 1st, 2010
1:45 pm
That defense Woody is running, is what has this series going to a Game 7, when Hawks should have and could have easily swept the Bucks.
The defense is flawed for the following reasons:
-1 extra pass leads to open shots for opponents
-Switching always leaves a perimeter shooter wide-open for set-shot 3’s
-It puts us in unfavorable mismatches (Horford on Jennings, Bibby on K.Thomas)
-All the running and recovering to defend wide-open shooters uses up too much energy on offense.
*******************
The switching defense this year has worked much more than it has failed. It’s just when it fails, you see the glaring weaknesses in it. But when it works ( ala vs Boston and how it bottles up Rajon Rondo ), nothing is said about it. The key to the switching defense is . . .
1) communication
2) effort
3) closing out shooters
We do those 3 things, we’ll have a good shot at winning the game. But like others have pointed out, sometimes you don’t need to play the switch defense all the time. But the defense does work more than it doesn’t.
Just like with the ISO offense. When ISO fails, people want to scream how ISO never works. But when ISO actually works, nothing is said about it. JJ and Crawford have been going ISO all year, and it has led to both of them having some of their best seasons of their career.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 1st, 2010
2:32 pm
“Clyde, Najeh,
Shouldn’t it be “DON’T RESIGN WOODY””
Doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.
“I need to think of a poster.”
Go Buck Yourself would be good. The Buck Stops Here would be good too. My personal favorite that I’ve seen so far is Smear the Deer.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 1st, 2010
2:37 pm
“Just like with the ISO offense. When ISO fails, people want to scream how ISO never works. But when ISO actually works, nothing is said about it.”
With players of the caliber of JJ and Craw, anything you run will work to an extent. Of course there are times when Iso-Whoever works. The point we anti-Iso people make is that a) it would be a lot easier on Joe and Jamal to score points running actual plays instead of Iso all the time, and b) a ball movement-based offense would be much harder to guard with the athletes and versatility this team has and would work a much higher percentage of the time, leading to much fewer dry spells and 4th quarter meltdowns.
The Hawks’ tendency to revert to Iso in the 4th quarter is like Marty Schottenheimer reverting to the run-the-ball-up-the-middle-three-times-and-punt offense in the 4th quarter of every playoff game he’s ever coached… needless to say he has never won a championship taking that ultra-conservative approach, and Woody isn’t going to accomplish much in the playoffs with that approach either. Iso does a disservice to all the talent this team has. I’m not saying the Hawks should never use it, but it shouldn’t be the base of their offense.
Jeff
May 1st, 2010
2:48 pm
Joe didn’t do as much ISO, and passed the ball. Result= win. He is good, team will be better when he is gone though.
TK
May 1st, 2010
2:51 pm
JEFF, i agree you saw how he started to become Iso-joe in the 4th and the bucks made a run…. only thing that stopped it was Smiths block… you are right… i agree better with him gone or an unlikely attitude adjustment
SouthFultonMusic.com
May 1st, 2010
3:23 pm
The is ISO is weak… whats the point of isolating 1 guy, and totally disregarding your 4 other players? That only helps out the opposing Defense, meanwhile they’re running us like crazy when we’re on defense….
JeJe
May 1st, 2010
3:35 pm
FIRE WOODY
HE USES THE SAME STARTING LINEUP WHETHER THE GUYS PRODUCE OR NOT. WOODSON IS THE ONLY COACH IN THE NBA WHO DOES NOT REWARD PLAYERS WITH STARTERS MINUTES.
IF WE ARE GETTING OWNED IN A GAME AT HALFTIME, WHY NOT LET JAMAL START 2ND HALF?
MARVIN FOLLOWED A 22 PT GAME WITH A 2 PT EFFORT
FIRE WOODY
TK
May 1st, 2010
3:35 pm
its not a called ISO… its usually just Joe hogging the ball… thats just his style he can be a very good team player occasionally and we are very successful but we all can tell when he is going to hold the ball, and dribble and try to make something happen… last night he almost gave them the momentum back but as i said smith gave it back time and time again with dominant blocks in the paint… we need to stock to the zone D in the 2nd and 4th quarter and finish the halfs strong. and distribute the ball and get it INSIDE as often as possible… ESPECIALLY when they have 5 guards out there!!
Najeh Davenpoop
May 1st, 2010
3:40 pm
“He is good, team will be better when he is gone though.”
Don’t blame Joe for Iso-Joe. Blame Woody. Joe is a good passer who would be that much better of a player in a ball movement-based offense.
I hear a lot of people saying the Hawks shouldn’t give Joe the max deal he’s undoubtedly going to get this offseason, but to me that makes no sense. Right now the Hawks have a wide open window of opportunity as a top-3 seed that is only going to get more enticing as Josh and Al become better post scorers and as Teague eventually assumes the starting role. Without Joe, though, the Hawks are left without a go-to scorer and wing defender, which will delay their window of opportunity to go deep in the playoffs by at least a few years as they locate and groom a replacement. Keep in mind that even if Joe leaves, this team is probably not going to miss the playoffs — they will probably remain in that #7-#8 seed range for a while, leaving them without the possibility of drafting an impact lottery SG to take over Joe’s role.
As to the downside of giving Joe the max, I don’t think it’s as bad as people say. Sure, maybe when he’s 33 and 34 some of his skills may have eroded — particularly on defense — but I don’t see him ever losing his jumper, and he’s always been a pretty durable guy. Players who utilize quickness and athleticism usually decline quicker (at least that’s the conventional wisdom) and Joe really utilizes neither. I do think as time goes on, the focus of the offense will necessarily have to shift away from Joe and more towards a pick-and-roll based offense centered around Teague, Smoove, and Horford, with Joe starting to play a similar role to Ray Allen on the Celtics or Peja Stojakovic on the Kings. As is the case with many max players, there’s a good chance he will be overpaid towards the end of his deal, but I think that’s a worthy sacrifice to keep the core of this team intact now and see how far they can go.
That said, everything I’m predicting above involves offensive creativity, which Woody has not shown he’s capable of in six years as a head coach. In order for this team to get to the next level they have to institute a real offensive system and accelerate Teague’s development, and I am not confident in Woody’s ability to do either one.
Ken Strickland
May 1st, 2010
3:42 pm
NORTHCYDE-Woody’s beloved switching DEF definitely hasn’t worked more than it’s hurt us. During the regular season there were teams that just didn’t have the personnel to effectively exploit it, and there could be HC’s with Woodson’s mentality who wouldn’t make the necesssary adjustments to exploit it. There is absolutely no advantage whatsoever in consistently having your C’s and PF’s in the backcourt trying to defend PG’s and SG’s and your PG’s and SG’s in the frontcourt trying to defend C’s and PF’s.
THAT’S JUST THE DUMBEST THING EVER. Unless you have players with the size and ability to make it work, it’s a DEF you occasionally use to throw teams off balance, like switching to a zone DEF. There’s absolutely no way any NBA HC would be stupid enough to rely exclusively on a zone DEF as their primary DEF, or the switching DEF, without the proper personnel to make it work, except for Woodson of course.
Imagine how much better the Hawks would be if we had Scott Skiles as our HC. Just think of how his ability to effectively utilize most of his bench, develop and utilize young talented players, design an effective OFF system the includes everyone, make adjustments and/or changes during gms, as well as motivate and coach his team up, even when missing key players.
TK
May 1st, 2010
3:46 pm
Najeh Davenpoop well put…
TK
May 1st, 2010
3:54 pm
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/92560094.html?commentSubmitted=y&refresh=26063#comments
bucks fans are oblivious ASS HOLES check out their blogs and comment…
Najeh Davenpoop
May 1st, 2010
4:04 pm
I am not opposed to the switching D as the base defense. I agree with northcyde on that — it worked more often than not this year and teams had a hard time dealing with it. A lot of that is because in the regular season, teams don’t have two weeks of constantly playing against the Hawks to practice exploiting it, and a lot of that is also because as Ken says, many teams don’t have the personnel to exploit it. The idea of endlessly setting screens until a small guy gets isolated on a big guy, which is what destroys the switching D, is not a commonly used offense by any team in the league as far as I’ve seen, and it requires specifically practicing that in order to implement it in a game, which may not be possible in the regular season. In a playoff series, though, teams have plenty of time to practice these types of wrinkles and implement them in games, at which point defensive adjustments need to be made.
The Bucks clearly went over this in practice and implemented it starting in Game 3, and it took the Hawks three games to realize they need to adjust back. In the regular season a similar situation happened with Orlando — the Magic destroyed the switching D the first three times these two teams played, and it took the Hawks until the 4th meeting with that team to come up with an alternative strategy that ended up working. In the playoffs, that is way too long of an adjustment period. It’s not the switching D that’s the problem as much as the inability of the Hawks to adjust and throw different wrinkles at teams to confuse them when the switching stops working.
clarkekent
May 1st, 2010
4:20 pm
WOODY still needs to go! This team is not well coached. Any coach that waits until the elimination game to change after you being exploited for 3 games needs to be fired.(NOT RE-SIGNED) Hawks struggle offensively due to too much one-on-one basketball. They apparently thinks its a secret but its not … the Atlanta offense is built around Josh Smith being quicker than his defender Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson creating space for themselves off the dribble or AL just bulling his way in. Woodson’s play book: Every play is a ISO play: josh ISO post-up (left box), Al ISO post-up (right box), Crawford ISO (at the top of the three) and the all famous ISO-JOE(anywhere/anytime he wants). woodson should have been fired 2 years ago but these young Hawks played their butts off against boston and he got 2 more years. FIRE WOODY (NOT RE-SIGN) dont care which one …just dont want him here.
SouthFultonMusic.com
May 1st, 2010
4:20 pm
The switching D has never worked… Real men, play man-on-man defense! We’re young and athletic, why dont we play straight up man-on-man? if Bibby is too slow, he gotta sit down….its simple
O'Brien
May 1st, 2010
4:26 pm
I like the switching defense during the regular season, because teams dont see a lot of switching from anybody else, and they dont have much time to prepare for it.
However, even during the regular season, some teams exploited it, and we would lose games because we made no adjustments, which is the same issue here in the regular season. It took Woody 3 games to make an adjustment.
The good thing is, because the Bucks exploited it, we should be able to learn from it, and have a couple different looks (defensively) to show Orlando if they exploit it (assuming we win tomorrow).
Ken Strickland,
I like Skiles as a HC. However, he seems to be the kind of coach that can wear on a team after 4 or 5 years (like he did at his previous stops). Unless you’re a hall of fame calibre coach, Its tough to stay in one place for 6 years like Woody has.
I’m starting to wonder if Woody has worn out his welcome with the players and the fans. Sometimes change is good for everybody.
Najeh,
If Sund and the ASG resign Woody, but JJ signs somewhere else, I wonder what kind of offense would Woody run? I’m thinking a lot of ISO Jamals…
Michael Cunningham
May 1st, 2010
4:44 pm
@Ken: it’s pretty simple. when the switches weren’t working i wrote about that. now that Woody switched it, i gave him credit. what should i write, “well, Woody swtiched up his defense but who cares because he should have done it before now”? that wouldn’t make much sense and wouldn’t be very fair. regardless of your view on when he should have done it or why he hadn’t before, he did it and it was effective and so he gets credit. that’s all, nothing more.
also, i’d say the defense wasn’t a big problem in Game 5–the Bucks scored 91 points and shot 40 percent, so how can you say it failed? that game was more about the offense bogging down in the fourth and the meltdown, right?
northcyde
May 1st, 2010
4:47 pm
Mr. Strickland . . that’s just your hate and bias against Woody talking.
This team doesn’t win 53 games . . . go 21 – 9 vs the Western Conference . . win 34 home games . . and beat everybody in the league with the exception of Cleveland and Oklahoma City ( teams that just happen to have a superstar scorer ) . . if the defense was ineffective.
Woody simply needs to change defenses more when his main defense doesn’t work.
JeJe
May 1st, 2010
4:49 pm
WHY DOES WOODSON NOT USE TEAGUE?
JeJe
May 1st, 2010
4:50 pm
WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO FIRE WOODSON. WE CAN’T FIRE HIM AFTER THE YEAR BECAUSE HE WON’T BE UNDER CONTRACT. SO WE MUST FIRE HIM DURING THE PLAYOFFS.
FIRE WOODY
JeJe
May 1st, 2010
4:54 pm
I WONDER IF PEOPLE IN ATLANTA ACTUALLY REALIZE THERE IS A GAME 7 TOMORROW
FIRE WOODY
northcyde
May 1st, 2010
4:55 pm
@ MC . . . exactly.
northcyde
May 1st, 2010
4:57 pm
JeJe . . . ask the Hawks fans if they’ll be late for a 1 PM start? I guess that’s “too early”.
diversity
May 1st, 2010
5:07 pm
Atlanta has old people, young people, rich people, poor people, fair-weather fans, dedicated fans, basketball lovers, basketball haters…Milwaukee seemed to have a bunch of college aged students from all around the area, getting super rowdy, looking for the next event to get drunk and celebrate at. They’re going to be loud regardless of the situation.
Atlanta fans need a game 7 just to recognize the existence of the series. If there is ever a time Atlanta’s fan base needs to make its presence felt, its now. I’m confident.
clarkekent
May 1st, 2010
5:18 pm
SWITCHING DEF… only works on teams that do not have 2 penetrating guards: i.e. BOSTON, DALLAS, LAKERS, PACERS, HEAT, etc. TEAMS that have a back court that penetrate will always give us problems: I.e. BUCKS, CAVS, MAGIC. Teams run wave plays, pick plays or just hand the ball off until they get a guard on our center or power forward or find bibby. The main reason for the switching is the ability to hide Bibby and it handles screens better than having your guys fighting thru 3 screens chasing Ray Allen or Rip Hamilton around. Bibby’s ability to hit the open shot is why he starts but if he is not aggressive and does not shoot then why have him on the floor. Same as Marvin. Switching DEF also has your bigs away from the basket so when the shot goes up he is challenging a jump shot instead of underneath the basket rounding the ball. Results: Crawford and Bibby getting man handled for rebounds. It also makes you team non-aggressive. They don’t fight thru picks. They don’t fight over picks. They are always going underneath picks getting exploited for 3 pts shots. Always sagging back in the lane scared to get beat to the basket. Lack of toughness. it doesn’t work on every team and for a defensive coach he lacks creativity and ability to adjust(stubborn).
kwooden1
May 1st, 2010
5:29 pm
I’m very happy for the guys because they deserved the win! I’m still completely on the side of not resigning Woodson and probably several members of the staff. The defensive was great this game, but I was much happier with the offensive overall. A lot of possessions were still ISOs but several times they played good two-man ball or had some reasonable ball movement. But it seemed like the guys just have to figure this out on their own. There is no system in place for them to execute. I’m tired of seeing one person hold the ball while 4 people watch. There should always be some body movement, even if it’s an ISO play. I hope that Sund can take sometime to make a sound decision in the off-season in terms of the coach and staff. We all would appreciate a coach like Brooks, Skiles or McMillian. Those guys aren’t going anywhere so hopefully we can find a guy like them.
GO HAWKS!!!
Lacsho
May 1st, 2010
5:31 pm
Solid win, I got my game 7 tickets!!!!!!!