Atlanta Hawks at Magic Game 1: Offensive Talk
Hawks gotta score, too. (Curtis Compton/ccomptoon@ajc.com)
ORLANDO–Quoth super commenter northcyde: “Everyone is talking about doubling Howard and their shotmaking, but no one is talking about our horrendous offensive deficiencies against Orlando.”
Agreed there hasn’t been much talk about the Hawks’ offensive struggles, but Brett LaGree is on it at Hoopinion:
“[T]he dominance of Orlando’s defense against Atlanta’s offense appears not to be an issue of interest on the eve of the series. Seriously, Orlando scored 113.3 points per 100 possessions during the regular season. The Hawks allowed 108.3 points per 100 possessions in the regular season. Orlando scored 111.9 points per 100 possessions in the four games against the Hawks. There’s certainly no reason for the Hawks not to try and do better but they didn’t defend Orlando badly (by their standards) while losing three of four games.
Conversely, the Hawks scored 113.5 points per 100 possessions during the regular season. The Magic allowed 105.1 points per 100 possessions in the regular season. The Hawks scored 93.5 points per 100 possessions in the four games against Orlando. There’s massive room (and need) for improvement when the Hawks have the ball.
Granted, the Hawks held Orlando below 1 point per possession in their March 24th victory and that’s the only recent example the Hawks have of beating Orlando. However, Orlando held the Hawks below 1 point per possession each time they played this season. I don’t think it’s realistic for the Hawks, against whom, it must be remembered, Milwaukee surpassed their season offensive efficiency average in 3 of 7 playoff games, to hold Orlando to 88% of their season offensive efficiency average often enough to win a seven-game playoff series.
The Hawks are going to have to find easier ways to score against the Magic to compete in this series. If they have any new and different ideas about how to accomplish that, they’re keeping them quiet.
I’ll throw in my two cents on the topic by booting up the Synergy Sports machine, which could possibly be the Best. Thing. Ever. The Hawks’ numbers by play type in the four games against Orlando:
Isolation: 67 plays, .93 points per possession, 27/59 FG (45.7%)
P-and-R ball handler: 52 plays, .66 points per possession, 9/42 FG (21.4%)
Post-up: 50 plays, .66 points per possession, 11/37 FG(29.7%)
P-and-R roll man: 13 plays, .895 points per possession, 3/9 FG (33.3%)
Spot-up: 89 plays, .975 points per possession, 31/70 FG (44.3%)
Off screen: 17 plays, .94 points per possession, 6/15 FG (40%)
Cut: 29 plays, .94 points per possession, 12/24 FG (50%)
Offensive rebounds: 19 plays, 1.45 points per possession, 9/11 FG (82%)
Transition: 36 plays, .94 points per possession, 14/24 FG (58.3%)
All other play types: 23 plays, .23 points per possession, 2/9 FG (22.2%)
Judging by those numbers, the Hawks probably shouldn’t try Dwight Howard and Co. in the paint. No surprise there. Without looking at each play, I’m also guessing their problems with the pick-and-roll dribbler scoring has to do with venturing into Orlando’s trees. The Hawks might try getting more stuff going to the basket off pick-and-rolls and cuts, and also create more spot-up opportunities. But those kind of plays require player and/or ball movement and the Hawks seem to do commit to these concepts only intermittently.
As for the Hawks players in those four games vs. Orlando:
Johnson: 139 min., .92 points per possession
Josh Smith: 120 min., .77 points per possession
Horford: 119 min., 1.07 points per possession
Crawford: 116 min., .927 points per possession
Williams: 112 min., .965 points per possession
Bibby: 101 min., 1.18 points per possession
Evans: 61 min., 1.76 points per possession
Pachulia: 61 min., .975 points per possession
Teague:18 min., .695 points per possession
West: 13 min., 2.0 points per possession
Joe Smith: 5 min., 2 points per possession
Clearly, this means Mario should play major minutes in this series.
–I picked the Magic in 5 for the paper but now don’t feel good about it. I think it’s an overreaction after I got suckered into thinking the Hawks would have no clunkers against the Bucks and win in 5. I read too much into that last regular-season road game at Milwaukee. Now I think maybe I’m reading too much into the Game 3 surrender and Game 5 meltdown against Milwaukee. Or maybe it’s because the AJC’s Mark Bradley, 0-3 in the first round, is here for Games 1 and 2. He’s picking the Hawks in 7, so I assume he’s counting on Jeff Schultz to make the trip for the series-clincher.
But, seriously, I look at the Magic and see a team with few real weaknesses, at least not many the Hawks are capable of exploiting. Their ability to get open 3-pointers and play smothering team defense will have the Hawks on their heels all series. Still, I believe the Hawks will give a good showing and lose in six.
– Both Orlando Sentinel columnists pick the Magic. George Diaz says Magic in five but will give them a “mulligan” if they finish it in six. His colleague Mike Bianchi says the Magic should beware the Hawks, whom he thinks will lose in seven:
The Hawks have had their wake-up call, much like the Magic did last year in the opening round against Philly when the inferior 76ers jumped out to 2-1 series lead and came within a Hedo Turkoglu buzzer-beater of going ahead 3-1.
“It’s a good analogy,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said when I asked if the Hawks of this year remind him of the Magic of last year. “They’re coming off a first-round series in which people weren’t inspired by — same as our first-round series last year. I think there are some definite similarities between how people were talking about a year ago and how people are talking about them now.
“That doesn’t translate into this gym. We all know how good they are. We have tremendous respect for them.”
–Super commenter O’Brien says: “It will be very important for Hawks to crash the boards too. In all 4 games this season, we lost the rebounding battle (-12,-10, -9, and -10).”
Smoove hears you: “We’ve got to box people out. They shoot a lot of threes and there are going to be a lot of long rebounds, so even the guards have to come in and help out. If we gang rebound, we will be cool.”
– Apparently Pietrus is fine after turning his ankle the other day.
– I’m out, Hawks fans.
MC
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580 comments Add your comment
Geemack
May 4th, 2010
10:48 pm
I am not suprised by the blow out. I thought it would be by no more than 25, but “43″ that’s embarassing. I sure the magic will sweep the Hawks now.
They wonder why people are not packing the arena to see this garbadge.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2010
10:48 pm
bigdave, that video you posted at 10:20 might be the single greatest link anyone has ever posted on here.
FIRE WOODY
Eric C.
May 4th, 2010
10:48 pm
If it is true that a team acquires the character of it’s coach…then what does that say about Mike Woodson?
Hawk n the Ham
May 4th, 2010
10:49 pm
Woody might as well said, “shooting was bad tonight, so I’m going to blame this one on Mark Price.”
Ken
May 4th, 2010
10:49 pm
The whole team followed the lead of their leader JJ who quit competing period. Woodson seemed at a loss for words in the press conference. For a professional team to just pack it in on national TV was just flat out embarrasing for the city of Atlanta. Where was the team pride?
drmaryb
May 4th, 2010
10:50 pm
“THE PERFECT WARRIOR”
That’s the only FILM the Hawks NEED to Watch tomorrow & Thusrday – All Day! Before Thursday’s game!
That’s what Dwight watched before this game!
BTW! Does Woody have his guys read books or watch movies to prepare mentally before all these games?
If Woody had this TEAM? He would have won too! Van Gundy is No Genius – Not by a long shot!!!
Don’t be too hard on Woody or these players! They are severly over-matched by a long – shot!!
Mr. Sund! You should be ashamed of this flawed roster! There is PLENTY of blame to go around SIR!!!
2 FOR JOHN DREW
May 4th, 2010
10:51 pm
I’D HONESTLY PREFER NOT MAKING THE PLAY-OFFS , THAN LOOKING THAT BAD !
I MEAN THE HAWKS BODY LANGUAGE SAID IT ALL ! …. LOOK, IF A MAN HITS YOU IN YOUR MOUTH, YOU DON’T JUST LET HIM ….YOU BUST HIS A$$ BACK, & KICK HIM IN THE NUTS !
I DON’T THINK THE PLAYERS RESPOND TO WOODSON ! ….. OH WELL! MAYBE I’LL WATCH THE BRAVES REPLAY @ 11:00PM …. MAYBE THEY’LL HELP ME FEEL BETTER …. BE STRONG, MY FELLOW HAWKS FANS!
O'Brien
May 4th, 2010
10:53 pm
Fortunately for the Hawks, we see these guys again on Thursday, so we will have a chance to get this taste out of our mouth.
Although I am very disappointed, I’ll try not to take it too seriously. Remember, we got blown out by Boston in games one and two, and still won all 3 home games in that series.
Hawks need to win at least 2 games this series…
bigdave
May 4th, 2010
10:54 pm
Najeh..
thank you sir.
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
May 4th, 2010
10:55 pm
Yeah. The Hawks are outmanned by the Magic, but not by a long enough margin to lose by 40+ and have your coach give generic answers in the post game like “we just need to work on some shooting” and “didnt bring the juice”
If the Bobcats can have some interesting/competitive games with the Magic, then the Hawks should be able to as well.
People please stop taking up for that loser Woodson.
darrell starks
May 4th, 2010
10:55 pm
Avery johnson 2010 coach of the hawks.
GO HAWKS!!!!!
drmaryb
May 4th, 2010
10:55 pm
JOE should have walked his AZZ out to that PODIUM!
What a COWARD to send ZSA ZSA out there! I thought this was Joe’s Team?
terrell
May 4th, 2010
10:56 pm
Bibby’s still tired from Sunday afternoon.
bigdave
May 4th, 2010
10:56 pm
drmaryb… agreed
no accountability.
Wabe
May 4th, 2010
10:58 pm
Please, no Avery Johnson.
drmaryb
May 4th, 2010
10:58 pm
ITS NO MAGIC!
Their Bench is LOADED with STARTERS!
Hello – Mr. Sund! Can we have that?
Wabe
May 4th, 2010
10:58 pm
There’s a reason Avery Johnson hasn’t landed another job since his departure from Dallas.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2010
10:59 pm
“Yeah. The Hawks are outmanned by the Magic, but not by a long enough margin to lose by 40+”
Nobody in the NBA is outmanned enough by anyone else to lose by 40, especially not when they are completely healthy and playing in a game of this magnitude.
FIRE WOODY
darrell starks
May 4th, 2010
11:00 pm
What players would it take for the hawks 2 get BROOK LOPEZ AND DEVIN HARRIS.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2010
11:01 pm
From the same guy who posted the Screw Mike Woodson video linked above comes this masterpiece.
HAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Grandad
May 4th, 2010
11:01 pm
2 for JD:
You’re right – our Hawks may be the softest ‘good’
team I’ve ever seen.
The Magic hit us in the mouth & we rolled up in
the fetal position.
Not a mean ‘git’ in the bunch. [Hawks]
drmaryb
May 4th, 2010
11:01 pm
Avery?
Is a caricature! I could not TOLERATE his voice more than 15 minutes total.
I’d rather give Mark Jackson a shot! But what Coach can win without a PG, SF & Center & No Front Office?
Northeast I-95 Corridor
May 4th, 2010
11:02 pm
ATL is a pathetic sports city, and failure of city as a whole. It’s nothing more than a medium sized town, surrounded by massive suburban sprawl. It has no density or urban characteristics whatsoever, but loves to pretend it is a world class city.
ATL and everything about it is a Joke.
darrell starks
May 4th, 2010
11:03 pm
Wabe i wish you guys will understand the story behind avery getting fired.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
Woodys No Goody
May 4th, 2010
11:03 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsaTElBljOE
Blast
May 4th, 2010
11:03 pm
Hawks gonna get swept because they went away from what’s been working and they do that every game.
Joe is the biggest culprit. Joe is a game changer in the sense that he changes the game for the better of the opponent. He flat out kills Hawks offensive flow by hogging the ball and making horrible decisions in the end. Turnovers and turnovers! Star players don’t do that!
Next up for blame is Woody, for failing to call his ’superstar’ out for blame. U wonder why in 3 All Star games, Joe only managed to score double figures in one of them? Only because Woody wasn’t there to call an iso play for him.
Hawks ain’t out yet, but not liking there chances right now. This is more than a regular beatdown. This was a massacre. Hawks could not do anything right!
Woodys No Goody
May 4th, 2010
11:04 pm
Northeast I-95 Corridor – There are some decent people here but all the rest I agree with as a whole.
Wabe
May 4th, 2010
11:04 pm
Nothing personal against the guy darrell, I’m just not so hot about the idea of Avery Johnson being the next Hawks headcoach.
Old Hawks Fan
May 4th, 2010
11:05 pm
Blast @9:07PM said if the hawks continue to play like this…………….they will lose by 40 points. They lost by 43. Barkley & K. Smith called it correctly……………..They(Hawks) quit! That shows the character of this team. The Bad Bully jumped on them and they started CRYING! The Braves are worst then The Orioles………they lost to the Nats tonight. Did the Dream and Thrasher play tonight? JJ is counting his next contract is why he hasn’t showned up in the last two games. Three games left for JJ and Woody In The ATL…………Send SUND Packing also.
Woodys No Goody
May 4th, 2010
11:07 pm
Hope you had fun Josh Smith getting your Tiger Woods on in Orlando. That was the purpose of beating the Bucks right? Go to the magic city and party? Get those lame white towels ready to wave back home like you do. Team has potential but needs a real coach and leader. Why is that so hard for ATL teams? No body ever wants to step up and take on the role of team leader.
I smell sweep here and am disappointed the Bucks did not run Woody out of town for us.
Woodys No Goody
May 4th, 2010
11:09 pm
All this site does is make me realize I can’t spell. Ha!
FIRE WOODY!!!!!!!
Ah So Joe
May 4th, 2010
11:10 pm
We need more IsoJoe and less of that ball-hog Crawford. I need my max contract, baby. Crackerbockers or bust in old New Yawk.
Hawk n the Ham
May 4th, 2010
11:11 pm
Rick Sund
May 4th, 2010
11:12 pm
Woody is a GREAT COACH. He got us to 3rd team in the east and we beat the Bucks. Woody will be better next season here.
Northeast I-95 Corridor
May 4th, 2010
11:12 pm
Atlanta = Birmingham…with more suburban sprawl.
Why does that town have professional sports teams???
All the real fans in town are transplants from other places who can careless about ATL pro teams, and the non-diverse local population only cares about Nascar, UGA (whites) and HBCU Battle of the Bands/HBCU Classic games (blacks)
Typical non-diverse , backwards southern town. This place is a joke, cant wait to leave.
Nique's Revenge
May 4th, 2010
11:12 pm
http://firemikewoodson.blogspot.com/
wow, check out this blog, 2nd post says it all, and this was from 2006
drmaryb
May 4th, 2010
11:13 pm
Basketball is a game of Match-ups!
We do NOT match up with Anyone! On that Magic team! Its NO magic! Its about TALENT!
Can your 3 year old match up with my 15 year old?
That’s what the Hawks are trying to do! That’s NOT bad coaching! That’s just BAD!
darrell starks
May 4th, 2010
11:14 pm
I will say this for the last time big head cuban wanted so call great jason kid, and avery sayed no because devin harris was his man, and at the time dallas had the best record in the nba, but cuban force the trade and the hole chemistry of the team went down hill, with devin who my opinion at the time was top 5 point guard in the nba, and the rest was history dallas lost 2 warriors and the blame was on the coach instead of big head cuban.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
D Hawks
May 4th, 2010
11:16 pm
The Hawks may yet win a game or two in this series, but it’s time for new leadership. The Coach and The Superstar have participated in too many of these one-sided road embarassments. A couple of times per playoff season is one thing, but 3-5 times each postseason and bowing out like a mouse in the second round is unacceptable. Joe is not a max player, and if The Spirit give him that contract they will handcuff their ability to ever get the personnel needed to reach the ultimate goal of a championship.
bigdave
May 4th, 2010
11:16 pm
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport: Worlds Busiest Airport…
you should have no problem finding your way home Dorothy…
NUNNA!!
May 4th, 2010
11:17 pm
drago versus creed,northcyde??
drago was on steroids..the hawks were on,WOODY!!
im not jumping off the bandwagon,i was never on it..
i consider myself a true fan and i am one who is not fine with mediocrity.not at all…
do i feel like have the team to beat the magic? heck yea i do!!
do i think we can upset them in 5 games?yes!!
will we beat the magic and win the series in 5 games? FAW NUCK!!
MY ISSUES ARE WITH THE COACHING STAFF..
few things i witnessed..
joe limping and looking tired when he came out in the 4th..
horford and josh fussing at the refs late in the 4th from the bench and joe telling them to “let it go”..
teague with some excellent passes and showing the vision he has on the court..
a team that quit after the halfway mark of the 3rd qtr….
sir charles hit the nail on the head tonite when he said that he had a problem with woody’s post game presser..
“i have a problem with coach woodson” he said.
“he looks to calm to me,and he should have had a mike brown moment tonight and show that he’s pissed”..
woody has it east in the ATL..most of everyone who lives here is from somewhere else and that why we have so many freaking fair weather fans and band wagoners as well..and as soon as their hometown comes to play an atlanta team,here they come with there hometown jersey’s on!!
that really pissed me off!!
we are a city that has no type of tradition at all..
what do we have?? clubs?? both strip and dance ones!!
we have only the civil rights movement and gone with the wind as 2 things that will be part of our legacy..
we don’t even have a type of food dish that you can recognize us by..
don’t say grits because its all over the south..
chicago has it share of food..ny has pizza..and,even memphis has it blues and barbeque to go on…
what do we have?? the varsity??their brand of hot dogs and chilli dogs i guess..but,we don’t even have a sports identity with none of our teams..
we got hip hop artists and music down here,but,we don’t have an atlanta sound??
u feel what im saying??
the braves are known as the buffalo bills of baseball(even though we won a title in the strike shortened season,but its still a title)..
the falcons are working on it and had the grits blitz going..
the thrashers have,heck i don’t even know who plays on the thrashers or their head coach’s name..dats sad,but ohh well..
and then you have the hawks..athletic,fast,and always fall short in the post season and are horrid on the road..
my question to all of you who are still on here before the new blog comes up is,”what identity label do you put on the hawks?”
and don’t just go by tonite..think of how you felt before the 1st round started and take it from there..
i think we achieved a lot.and i label us,UNDERACHIEVERS!!!
i really think we are better than what we are showing but,we can’t get it together..and im not putting the team down at all..its just that we’re not being led in the right direction..at all..
WHAT LABEL DO THE HAWKS FIT AS A TEAM??
darrell starks
May 4th, 2010
11:19 pm
AVERY JOHNSON NBA RECORD 194 WINS 70 LOST SO WHATS THE COPMPLAINT CASE CLOSE.
GO HAWS!!!!!!!!!!
Clyde
May 4th, 2010
11:21 pm
“JOE should have walked his AZZ out to that PODIUM!
What a COWARD to send ZSA ZSA out there! I thought this was Joe’s Team?” -drmaryb
Was that really you drmaryb? I’m sorry but Joe already realizes that the Hawks are outmanned and is looking forward to free agency.
MC WE NEED A NEW BLOG UP. ME AND MY GOONS WILL BE UP ALL NIGHT
FIRE WOODY
D Hawks
May 4th, 2010
11:22 pm
drmaryb, it’s not just coaching that’s in question with this team; it’s leadership. A team’s personality reflects that of its coach and top player. This team’s shortcomings are a direct reflection of that. I don’t understand how it takes 6 seasons including 3 playoff seasons to figure out how to at least compete at a .500 level on the road. No one around the NBA considers the Hawks to be an elite team except when they’re at home.
Stuey Rock
May 4th, 2010
11:22 pm
drmaryb = Dr. Mary B. Woodson?
Has to be that man’s wife.
Rick Sund
May 4th, 2010
11:24 pm
darrell starks……………are u related to Avery Johnson?
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
May 4th, 2010
11:24 pm
I lost all faith in Woodson when he shaved his eyebrows.
BOOT Woodsuck
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2010
11:25 pm
I-95, nobody is stopping you from going back to your swamp, douchebag. Enjoy wearing a jacket eight months of the year and double digit sales taxes.
FIRE WOODY
BILLY KNIGHT
May 4th, 2010
11:30 pm
WOODY CALL ME BRO, YOU STILL HAVE NOT CALL ME.
Old Hawks Fan
May 4th, 2010
11:31 pm
Who voted for the Hawks in the poll? I couldn’t believe how many people clicked on the hawks!