Atlanta Hawks Squawks Game 7: Hawks 95, Bucks 74
They did it. (Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com)
– If you are still mad this series went seven games, can you at least be happy the Hawks closed it out today with no drama?
– Of course about 30 seconds after they clinched everyone wanted to ask them about Orlando. “I am ready to go lay down,” Bibby said. “I don’t even want to think about that. I am not even going to worry about basketball right now.”
– I kinda know how he feels. Looking forward to some Breaking Bad tonight. Get on that show.
– The Magic may have the Hawks’ number. They have Dwight Howard and a bunch of shooters. They have home court advantage. They have a longer history of playing good defense and an even more efficient offense than the Hawks. They were in the Finals last year. They’ve been sitting around waiting for what seems like forever.
– So naturally pretty much everyone will assume all of that means the Hawks won’t have a chance. “That’s how it goes,” Bibby said. “Somebody has to be the underdog. Why not?”
– That comes later. First, the acknowledgment that the Hawks pulled out a hard-fought series. (Warning, warning, lame boxing analogy to follow) Regardless if the Bucks should have been going toe-to-toe with them in the first place, the Hawks were left standing.
– “Guys played their hearts out on Friday and we did the same today,” Smoove said. “We’ve got to have that every game.”
– The Hawks ended up playing some defense in this series. In Games 1-4, the Bucks shot 48 percent, averaged 99 points and led the rebounding tally 159-154. In Games 5-7 the Bucks shot 35 percent, averaged 78 points and trailed 145-115 in rebounding.
– Sure, the Bucks aren’t a very good offensive team even when they have Bogut (though Salmons had made them better) but the Hawks hadn’t been a very good defensive team.
– They were over the final three games of this series. “I know that’s what wins basketball games,” Woody said. “As we move forward, it has got to stay consistent as far as how we defend and rebound. The only way we got out of this series is defend. We did that in Milwaukee, holding them to 69 points and tonight 74 points. It was our defense that came through for us in this series.”
– There will be lots of talk about whether the Hawks take their chances by focusing their defense on Dwight or let him get his and control all those shooters. But it may not be as simple as an either-or proposition, particularly within the flow of each game.
– When Bibby was asked about how Al can handle Dwight, he offered some vet perspective: “I judge teams by how good their team defense is. I remember playing San Antonio and Portland when I was younger and I was just baffled about how they were helping each other and rotating. How tough they made it for everybody to score. I look at it like it’s a team effort.”
– “I think we’ve figured out if we play hard defensively we always give ourselves a chance to win games and we just have to come out and match [Orlando's] intensity,” Al said.
– That kind of sums up the Hawks, doesn’t it? They’ve talked about being a good defensive team for so long and only now seem to have discovered that it actually does make a difference when they back it up. It’s how they beat the Bucks fairly handily in Game 6 and 7 despite some long scoring droughts.
– Al was a beast against the Bucks: 15.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 56 percent shooting. He had 25 and 11 in Game 5 (overlooked for obvious reasons), 15 and 15 in Game 6 and 16 and 16 in Game 7.
– About the only thing you can pick at Al were the few times he insisted on trying to bull Kurt Thomas to the basket instead of shooting in face-ups and pick-and-ops. But he offered an explanation for that before Game 7: “It’s all about what our guards want us to tun. I can do both. I feel comfortable doing both.”
– The Magic have to deal with Al, too. Dwight didn’t get to be defensive player of the year by chasing quick, athletic guys around on the perimeter. “They have a load down low and we have a guy that makes outside jumpshots in Al,” Josh said. “There are going to be some mismatches in the series. We just have to see where they are at.”
– Another good sign for the Hawks was Marvin getting better at defending and rebounding. Can’t say it enough: If he can do both of those things consistently and sprinkle in a couple games of 15-20 points, that’s a lot.
– Zaza also played better in the final two games. Because of Zaza, the Hawks were even better after Smoove got into foul trouble today. “It didn’t affect anything,” Woody said. “It gave as an opportunity to go big. It gave us an opportunity to move Al to the 4 and put Zaza at the 5. I don’t think we really lost a whole lot. We just continued to flow.”
– For all of the (justified) talk about the Hawks struggling to overcome an opponent with inferior talent, give the Bucks some Ps. Said Zaza: “Of course losing is terrible and no one wants to lose, but they should be proud of [themselves]. I give a lot of credit to Coach Skiles and the players there. They were really fighting. They almost had us.”
– Once Brandon Jennings gets his game under control, look out. “He’s a talented young man,” Woody said. “If he’s able to stay healthy he will have a long career. It’s nice to see a young guy figure it out that early.”
– Woody before the game: “All those people that wrote us off, they don’t dribble one ball up and down that court, they don’t shoot a jump shot, they don’t rebound the ball, they don’t get defensive stops and they surely don’t coach the team. It ain’t about all these people outside our circle. Any team will say that. It’s about the people who go to battle and work in the locker room. I could care less about what you guys write or say.”
– It’s been my experience that coaches and players who say they don’t care about criticism really do care. How can they not? It would bother me if I were in the same position. It’s human nature. That’s why I want to be rich but not famous. Yeah, I know, I’m 0-for-2.
– I’m out, Hawks fans.
MC
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181 comments Add your comment
Grandad
May 2nd, 2010
10:31 pm
I can’t help myself, but I must pick @ a couple of nits:
(1) I’ll start with Al. Seeing as how he’s my favorite Hawk, maybe it won’t come across too negative.
“we just have to come out and *match* [Orlando's] intensity,” Al said.
Our young Hawks say this alot:
Why not instead; defy the other team to match our intensity!
*(leadership)
(2) Woody said: [in reference to Brandon Jennings]
“It’s nice to see a young guy figure it out that early.”
This chaps my hide.
I bet it put a little burr under Teague’s saddle as well.
He [Jennings] had to play in order to figure it out.
(3) Woody before the game: “All those people that wrote us off, they don’t dribble one ball up and down that court, they don’t shoot a jump shot, they don’t rebound the ball, they don’t get defensive stops and they surely don’t coach the team. It ain’t about all these people outside our circle. Any team will say that. It’s about the people who go to battle and work in the locker room. I could care less about what you guys write or say.”
*This one puzzles me.
*If he don’t care, then why is he even commenting.
*Just enjoy the win &…
if you don’t care about us fans then don’t whine if we don’t show up.
Great win / good luck Mr. Wdsn / Go Hawks / Git ‘er done!
JeJe
May 2nd, 2010
10:42 pm
WOODSON GETS HIS PANTIES UP IN A BUNCH EVERY TIME SOMEONE SECOND-DOUBTS HIS DECISION-MAKING.
AND WHY DO NO MEDIA MEMBERS ASK HIM ABOUT USING TEAGUE?
SWATlantadolfan
May 2nd, 2010
10:53 pm
I got a idea and I posted this on another website…..start Jason Collins to keep Horford and Smith out of foul trouble, and that way we wont be down by 20 entering the second quarter. Collins is strong and experienced(started for NJ in their finals run) and big enough to at least bang with Howard, letting Horford focus on offense and staying in the game instead of sitting next to Woody.
Grandad
May 2nd, 2010
10:57 pm
northcyde:
I don’t know if you got my previous post to you on the last blog
but I let you in on my C-ville ties.
My wife’s aunt [80 yrs. young] was rescued by boat today in Nashville. At least [5] have perished in Davidson Co. (Nashville) today.
Hope you & yours are safe.
Mike is Back
May 2nd, 2010
11:02 pm
MC, U THA MAN DAWG…you called it right. Phillips was electric…If I were Woody…I would be grateful to the fan that came out in droves…to support the home team. IT WAS CRAZY electric in the arena…it was a guy sitting next to me with a Star Wars outfit with a Hawks logo on it…his girl was dress as a Basketball…they were off the chain…the crowd was crunk the F up. Surely, he didn’t mean everybody had given up on them. Cuz, most of the game the fans was standing and cheering…Emphatically show their belief in the team.
Anyway, Congratulation…Great Win Hawks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
red
May 2nd, 2010
11:03 pm
the hawks should use horford to lure dwight away from the basket. i’m sure orlando is already aware of big al’s mid range jumpshot then let jj, crawford attack the basket and pass it to for an open jumper bibby when they get double teamed. it pays to have a big man that is capable of hitting a mid range shot its just about on how the coach will utilize the skills of his players and use it as an advantage.
red
May 2nd, 2010
11:05 pm
the hawks should use horford to lure dwight away from the basket. i’m sure orlando is already aware of big al’s mid range jumpshot then let jj, crawford attack the basket and when they get double team they can pass it pass it to bibby for an open jumper or to smoove to do damage underneath the basket. it pays to have a big man that is capable of hitting a mid range shot its just about on how the coach will utilize the skills of his players and use it as an advantage.
Grandad
May 2nd, 2010
11:07 pm
SWATlantadolfan:
Excellent idea!
*Another benefit; the leagues:
“Defensive Player of the Year”
is wasted by guarding ‘Cheeseburger’!
*Additional benefit; spot up Chsbrgr for his newly discovered
flatfooted [non]jump shot / thus pulling DH away from basket.
PMC
May 2nd, 2010
11:38 pm
Heart, Guts, Glory. Outstanding few days Hawks.. Now on to the next one.
DHunt
May 2nd, 2010
11:52 pm
Great to watch the Hawks finally look like they belong in the playoffs. The Dr. Jekyll (good) Hawks have made two straight appearances after letting the Mr. Hyde (awful) Hawks run loose for three straight games. Lots of good scenarios (Najee got deep wit it) and analysis of how the Hawks could win this series. But unfortunately it all falls on Mike Woodson’s head to make this team adhere to a winning game plan, and/or make the necessary adjustments.
Still the good Hawks are very likely to show up at home. So we really only need them to be good in one game out of four on the road. Dr. Jekyll can beat the Magic four straight games. Mr. Woodson better keep Mr Hyde out of sight.
And right after the season is over, even as we raise the championship trophy, please FIRE MIKE WOODSON.
jojocope
May 2nd, 2010
11:58 pm
Please! listen hawks player’s and fans.we need to push the ball at the orlando ever chance we get. Play Joe Smith, Collins, Jeff Teague,West,Evans!! I mean Everybody we are the only team in the east or west with all the players can play a major role. Pushing the ball atacking howard making him work drive the ball to the hole don’t worry about foul put the ball in basket by any means.24 fouls between all the hawks big men don’t worry bout fouls deny them from scoring any clean means. Woody use everybody and we win!!! Teague make play to take Nelson out of his game,he would have to play defense and offense not able to do for 48min.gone
drmaryb
May 3rd, 2010
12:43 am
JoJocope
You’re wild man! Are you serious? – laughable ideas –
This is the Play – Offs – man!
BirdDawg
May 3rd, 2010
12:52 am
drmaryb, I agree with you. I can just imagine jojo with crazy don king type hair, eyes bugging wildly as he frantically types all of his idea to a loud, madness inducing cackle. lol
dominique
May 3rd, 2010
12:56 am
this days hawks are a bunch of THUGS!!! classless players, and they will get sept by orlando.
buck were with out bogut…..they got lucky…wow they are dumb.
dominique
May 3rd, 2010
12:57 am
correction not sept but “swept”
ORLANDO
May 3rd, 2010
1:01 am
i am back!!!!!!!!!
Maxx
May 3rd, 2010
1:17 am
Great peice MC. I gotta agree with you, like Tupac says, “All I want is money, F#%* the fame, I’m a simple man”. Also, Breaking Bad is awesome, I’m on season 2 right now!
Clyde
May 3rd, 2010
1:17 am
FIRE WOODY
Greg
May 3rd, 2010
1:18 am
Northclyde, I don’t see your point in showing that the Hawks are 9-11 vs the Magic over the past 5 years. The record of 2-6 over the past two years seems to be the most important statistic in reviewing those numbers. That said, a lot of people are forgetting or just don’t know that the Hawks played Boston the night before playing Orlando twice this season. The schedule makers definitely didn’t do the Hawks any favors when it came to playing the Magic this season.
As for Woody, these comments say a lot about him as a person and a coach:
Woody before the game: “All those people that wrote us off, they don’t dribble one ball up and down that court, they don’t shoot a jump shot, they don’t rebound the ball, they don’t get defensive stops and they surely don’t coach the team. It ain’t about all these people outside our circle. Any team will say that. It’s about the people who go to battle and work in the locker room. I could care less about what you guys write or say.”
Can you imagine Phil Jackson, Jerry Sloan, Scott Skiles or any “real coach” saying that? Focus on your job and do it a lot better and things will take care of themselves, Woody. You obviously do care what people write and say about you or you wouldn’t have been such a tool about it.
Mike
May 3rd, 2010
1:21 am
Dwight can’t guard Horford? Are you kidding me?
Horford against Dwight in the regular season
Al Horford
8.0 PPG
7.3 RPG
Big Ray
May 3rd, 2010
2:29 am
Mike ,
Our last game against the Magic:
Dwight Howard: 19 points, 24 rebounds.
Al Horford: 12 points, 11 rebounds.
If this is all about Howard vs Horford, then how did we win? And please don’t give me that crap about the last second dunk by Smith. That play makes no difference if we hadn’t lead nearly the whole game before giving up that miracle 3 by Vince. By the way, the score was TIED when Josh got that dunk.
If this is all about Dwight, then explain to me why the Wizards tapped that a$$ nearly every time the Magic played them? What, was Brendan Haywood Dwight’s equal?
Big Ray
May 3rd, 2010
2:31 am
Ooops…was still logged in.
Big Ray
May 3rd, 2010
2:49 am
Grandad ,
In regard to Horford, there was nothing harsh about that opinion. Horford’s completing his third year, the leadership is an evolving thing. That, and I think he got caught up in the cliches of this team. But what you said stands: got to expect better. Now if only his veteran teammates will follow him and forget pride/seniority, or take the reins of the wagon in the ways they know how. Leadership by example is but half the job, in my opinion…
As for that part that Woody said about Jennings….chaps my hide as well.
I’ll never forget all the comments about Teague’s awful shooting percentage. Funny, did any of those people see what Jennings finished the season at? 37.4% for the regular season, raised to a lofty 40.8% in the playoffs
Gee, I wonder if Teague could have aspired to such lofty shooting results in 32.6 mpg, with the greenlight to shoot when he wanted to?
I laugh every time I hear “shooting percentage” as the chief reason why Teague didn’t get to play. Johnny Flynn shot a whopping 41.7% from the field this year. How come Kurt Rambis didn’t set him on the bench? Teague shot 39.6% in very limited minutes. Am I missing something here?
Rambis even bristled when somebody compared Flynn to Jennings. Rambis came right out and said that Flynn did not produce the same amount of scoring simply because he did not turn the kid loose the way Jennings was turned loose. He went on further to say that he required Flynn to initiate the offense and defend his position first, and then when he got that down, he would be allowed to take more scoring opportunities.
Hey, at least Rambis had a plan and mapped it out. He limited the shots the kid took, but he didn’t skimp on the minutes. I’d call that “bringing him along slowly with intent.”
Now I never called for Teague to start, or even come close to it. Rambis was explicit and deliberate with what he wanted from Flynn. What is Woody’s plan for Teague, and what was he supposed to learn in 10 mpg? Just curious…
Big Ray
May 3rd, 2010
2:51 am
…though I probably never should have brought it up. Won’t have one single effect on this second round playoff series unless Mike Bibby goes down with injury, which I am not hoping for.
BirdDawg
May 3rd, 2010
3:22 am
Big Ray,
Well said. Woody should really think before he speaks. I don’t know if anyone remembers, but at the beginning of the season, he was touting Teague as young point guard that “gets it”. Woodson sure didn’t reflect those sentiments in his use of the young rookie though.
timbo
May 3rd, 2010
6:42 am
We can’t look at Orlando’s regular season success against the hawks, and assume the hawks doesn’t have a chance. Two of the magic’s wins came after they had a coupler nights off, and the hawks played them on the back-end of back to backs. It won’t be that way in the series. Plus, why does Vince Carter have so much success against the hawk. He had it at New Jersey. A big key is stopping him.
ant banks
May 3rd, 2010
6:55 am
i am tellin’ y’all, we need to try the HACK-A-HOWARD to stop orlando. use all of the fouls available jason, joe, zaza, and lastly horford. everytime the ball comes inside foul howard, put him on the line. this will accomplish two things: first, they will quit goin’ inside to him. dwight is a liability on the line and orlando won’t leave their chances to him at the free throw. secondly, it will slow the game down for the hawks. this ish will work!! i dreamed about it!!
AG
May 3rd, 2010
7:51 am
Great win Hawks. A lot of you bloggers quit on the Hawks after game 5 – so realistically should you still be blogging? You already quit on the team. I also have read many opinions and the one I do like is to throw a wrinkle to Orlando. How surprised will the magic be if Marvin does not start, and Collins or ZaZa does? Both of them can shoot 10-15 feet jumpers so have them outside the land so Howard has to leave the lane (a la Bill Laimbeer). If Woody actually devised a “strategy” to beat the Magic – I certainly will get off of the FIRE WOODY bandwagon. Also MARVIN HAS TO SHOW UP!!! Coming off the bench and becoming a real factor. Evans needs his shot fixed because we have to match all those three’s Orlando is going to put up. The big concern for me is Nelson.
AG
May 3rd, 2010
7:53 am
We cannot utilize hack-a- Howard with Hortford because he is to valuable on the offensive end. If Woody elects not to have Morris and Collins available (that is only to right to do), he deserves to get canned!
northcyde
May 3rd, 2010
7:55 am
Grandad
May 2nd, 2010
10:57 pm
northcyde:
I don’t know if you got my previous post to you on the last blog
but I let you in on my C-ville ties.
My wife’s aunt [80 yrs. young] was rescued by boat today in Nashville. At least [5] have perished in Davidson Co. (Nashville) today.
Hope you & yours are safe.
Oh OK Grandad . . . thanks.
The situation in Clarksville is nowhere near as bad as it is in Nashville. My brother lives in South Nashville and had water all around him within a 1/2 mile. Fortunately, he lives in an elevated part of his subdivision, so his home sustained no damage. The waters are receding, but anybody traveling to Nashville in either direction may find part of ANY INTERSTATE closed at least through the afternoon.
Hope your wife’s aunt is safe today and everyone makes it through OK. Just a bad situation for folks. Especially those who have homes along rivers and creeks.
sam'l
May 3rd, 2010
8:01 am
“Great win Hawks. A lot of you bloggers quit on the Hawks after game 5 – so realistically should you still be blogging?
I gave up on the Hawks after game 5 for obvious reasons. But ptobably like a lot of oher people I was back for game 6. Happens a lot when your team is schizophrenic.
Doesn’t mean you get the blog to yourself though…just means I’m normal.
victor
May 3rd, 2010
8:06 am
Ant Banks: The key to nuetralizing Dwight Howard is Keeping him away from the basket.Defensively don’t let him catch the ball to close to the basket because he is not a good Jump shooter, he gets his points on dunks and put backs. If we are not succesful with that then use the fouls you have on the bench. Offensively use the two headed monster of Josh and Al hitting 10 to 15 footers away from the basket and this will draw Mr. Howard away from the interior and open it up for points in the paint. If Josh and Al are not hitting consistenly go right at Dwight Howard and hope to get him in foul trouble like the Bobcats did. The Hawks will Shock everyone and win Game one in Orlando. You heard it here first, Go Hawks!!!!!!
northcyde
May 3rd, 2010
8:07 am
Stuey Rock
May 2nd, 2010
10:06 pm
northcyde,
Mike isnt talking about the Hawks record against the Hawks, he’s talking about the Magic’s last 27 games, including the playoffs, and he’s right.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/teams/schedule?team=orl
************************
OK . . gotcha.
Good thing that really doesn’t matter in the playoffs, seeing all of those bad teams that Orlando played during that stretch. We’re good enough to take 2 games minimum from the Magic. I could see our series going somewhat like how our series vs Milwaukee went . . . with the exception being that we’ll be the Milwaukee type team vs Orlando.
If the Hawks win the series, they’ll probably have to do it in 6 games. I can’t see the Hawks winning a Game 7 in Orlando, if it came to that.
northcyde
May 3rd, 2010
8:16 am
TV Schedule through Game 6:
Tuesday: 8 PM . . TNT
Thursday: 8 PM . . ESPN
Saturday: 5 PM . . ESPN ( in Atlanta )
Next Monday: 8 PM . . TNT ( in Atlanta )
Next Wednesday: TBA . . TNT
Next Friday: TBA . . ESPN ( in Atlanta )
************
We play terrible on TNT for some reason. Even back in the day, we’d lose TNT games.
delo
May 3rd, 2010
8:22 am
atlanta those championship rings are within your reach go out and take them. be confident no other team can beat you. all you have to do is win 12 of the next 21 games and you are world champs. go to orlando and just take both of those games. just take them. keep the ball out of nelsons hand and make dwight play defense all night long by taking it to him again and again and again. box him out and don’t let him get those put back donks. you are world champs. keep that mentality. take them rings take them rings. nobody can beat you. fire woody that was a low blow for teague to have to hear from his own coach complimenting another rookie but wouldn’t give his own playing time
Nacho
May 3rd, 2010
8:32 am
I am very confident that Woody will have a great strategy prepared for Orlando.
Perhaps we should try the switching defense on Orlando. That way we can play Bibby 40 minutes and Bibby can get two (2) assist!
Fundamentals
May 3rd, 2010
8:53 am
Nice win for the Hawks. Still dissappointed in Woodson’s stubborn ways. They made runs every time he went back to his switching D. It may work on some teams, but not the Bucks. We need variety against Orlando, on offense and defense. Isolations and switches will just leave us 0-4.
I love the comments on bringing your own intensity and forcing Orlando to match. They’ll be a bit rusty for game 1. We need to bring everything we’ve got to steal a win. That’d give us home court, which is something we’ve proven we need to win a series.
Teague has every right to be chapped about Woodson’s comments about Jennings. He needs some run against Orlando to give Bibby and Joe rest. Joe Johnson was so tired in the last 2 games because he carried us defensively. He was the reason their guards faltered. He deserves alot of credit, which in my opinion he’s not getting.
Hopefully Teague will use the comments as motivation this summer. We need him to play at least 50% of the games next season…if not start for this team to be effective. Bibby will be an awesome back-up over the next few years, but he can’t be relied on for full time starter minutes next year.
darrell starks
May 3rd, 2010
8:58 am
Blow out city this series unless woody make adjustment first that 7 man rotation will not work at all against the magic, this is not the depleted buck who should have been swept, how do woody continue 2 shorten his bench like last year and in the second round swept away by the cavs because of the lackluster energy the team showed from being over played, this series will be totally different unless woody do things another way.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
May 3rd, 2010
9:01 am
Woody the luckiest coach in sport but we will see how lucky he is this series, if woody get past orlando he must be resign.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!
WISE
May 3rd, 2010
9:03 am
actually that guy was kinda right, we do have to play joe smith and collins in small spurts throught the series. let them use those fouls and be physical. theres no way we can let al foul out. we need him down the strecth big time. theres no excuses anymore we need joe to play like he is a superstar, that means no more letting crawford take the last shot and no more struggling in the fourth. If he thinks he deserves max deal type money then show it now. we have the talent to play with the magic but we will need joe to play like a star. lets go Hawks give this city something to be proud about…btw thanks to all the hawks fans yesterday the place was rocking im sorry i couldnt make it but i will be there next game lets goooo ATL
Game Seven and Series Wrap-Up | Soaring Down South | An Atlanta Hawks blog
May 3rd, 2010
9:27 am
[...] Hawks Coach Mike Woodson had some poignant comments about the doubters following game seven. “A lot of you wrote us off and it’s a shame because, if you understand playoff basketball, anything is possible. These guys didn’t stop believing after that Game 5.” “As we move forward, it has got to stay consistent as far as how we defend and rebound. The only way we got out of this series is defend. We did that in Milwaukee, holding them to 69 points and tonight 74 points. It was our defense that came through for us in this series.” “All those people that wrote us off, they don’t dribble one ball up and down that court, they don’t shoot a jump shot, they don’t rebound the ball, they don’t get defensive stops and they surely don’t coach the team. It ain’t about all these people outside our circle. Any team will say that. It’s about the people who go to battle and work in the locker room. I could care less about what you guys write or say.” [...]
hawkfaninbham
May 3rd, 2010
9:33 am
why didnt joe smith see any playing time? i thought he was brought in for his experience, especially in the playoffs.
GeeMack
May 3rd, 2010
9:35 am
northcyde
We can only get 2 games from Orlando, and we are the number 3 seed. We should at least have enough pride not to lose at home.
There are no major injuries with the Hawks ging into the 2nd rd, but watch the excuses they come up wiht for not bringing any intensity.
kwooden1
May 3rd, 2010
9:37 am
GREAT WIN! I only saw the first half, but I was confident the guys would sustain their defensive effort. I really liked the two-man game with Crawford and Horford, they did a great job of getting each other good looks.
Bibby get a great job on defensive, he really worked hard to get over screens and fight for position on post-ups. If he plays the same way against Barnes I’m OK, but I don’t like Bibby on Nelson or Carter. We definitely shouldn’t double team Howard to start the game or as a habit. Horford needs to fight for position and front when Howard gets to deep. We also need to pressure the ball at all times and trap the pick-in rolls with Howard and Nelson.
Our offensive really worries me because if we play a lot of ISO, than we won’t get to the free-throw line. We need a lot of ball movement and a lot of pick and pop with Horford and Crawford/Bibby. Howard is going to have to come out and guard Horford, so if we run a lot of pick and roll, Howard will be away from the middle. Also, we need to get the ball into Smoove, so Howard has to choose if he wants to help or stay with Horford.
GO HAWKS!!!
HawksFan11
May 3rd, 2010
9:46 am
Wise,
You were doing fine until you said “we need joe to play like he is a superstar, that means no more letting crawford take the last shot …”
Fundamentals has it right; “Joe Johnson … carried us defensively. He was the reason their guards faltered. He deserves alot of credit…”
That’s what a true star does, whatever it takes to get the win for the team, not just make himself look good. Joe Johnson stepped up and stepped aside when he saw what his team needed from him and here we are.
Frankly, I wouldn’t care if YOU took the last shot if it means the Hawks get the W.
SouthFultonMusic.com
May 3rd, 2010
10:05 am
As long as Woody doesnt run that switch defense against Orlando, we should have a chance, regardless of public expectation. Orlando is a jumpshot team…If you live by the jumper, you can also die by the jumper…
……………….
I also like this line-up over the current one:
Bibby-pg
JJ-sg
Smoove-sf
Horford-pf
Zaza -c
Zaza will make Howard work for every shot… and we need to attack Howard when he’s on D….
O'Brien
May 3rd, 2010
10:08 am
Fundamanetals,
Woody decided that the switching defense is the best way for him to hide certain guys on defense. Given that Bibby is one of those guys, wouldn’t it have been worthwhile to give Teague more PT, so that when adjustments need to be made in the playoffs, Teague could be used as a defensive adjustment? Or to provide a change of pace?
Bibby has looked good so far in the playoffs. But if he struggles (or gets hurt) against Orlando, what is the backup plan?
northcyde,
Phoenix struggles on TNT too. I know its coincidence, but its always interesting.
Sid
May 3rd, 2010
10:30 am
All of you missed the best sports story from the weekend. It wasn’t the Hawks, it wasn’t the Braves, it wasn’t Nascar, the Dawgs or Tech. It was Rory McIlroy winning his first PGA event @ Quail Hollow by four strokes over Phil Mickelson and the rest of the field. He finished with a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th to set the course record at 10-under 62, beating the previous record by two strokes. At 20 years old he is the youngest winner on the tour since Tiger Woods. Many of us remember Tiger Woods birth on the PGA tour, well Rory Mcllroy just jumped out of the womb.
Wabe
May 3rd, 2010
10:55 am
Yall hear Jamal on ESPN First Take?
Whose the teacher’s pet on the Hawks? (Dumb question, but the answer was still quite telling)
“I’d have to say is Mike Bibby…that’s like Coach’s son for sure…”
I thought it was worth mentioning…
The Truth
May 3rd, 2010
11:10 am
For the Bucks, finally, it is officially over; kudos to the Hawks for a gut-check like performance and to JJ in particular. Not because of his outstanding performance but the lack there of. If this trend continues in the round 2, the justification for giving JJ a max contract will be extremely hard. That financial relief (in the long run) would be much better for the Hawks if it came down to that.
For Round 2, all the pressure is on the highly favored Orlando Magic. This series will be about the match-up between Al Horford and D Howard. In other words, the Hawks will go as far as Al Horford takes them. If Al is struggling, that might mean the Hawks won’t go very far if at all.
So here is some advice for Big Al; since D Howard loves to block shots, use more head fakes; pump fakes and extra passes in the paint. This will put the over aggressive Howard in foul problem early. Since Al has an outside game, he should counter much of what Howard like to do around the basket. Watch out for the flying elbows of Howard. He is a master of using them under the radar. And remember rule number 1: don’t let Dwight get to his sweet spot in the paint for easy dunks. It is his way to intimidate you. Rule number 2: NEVER FORGET RULE NUMBER 1. Overall though, Dwight might win the physical battle but AL could win the mind game. We shall see