Magic at Atlanta Hawks Game 3: Final(ly) Movement?
The strange thing with listening to the Hawks talk about their problems with stagnating offense is they all seem to agree on the problem:
“Ball movement, like there was in the first three quarters [in Game 2],” J.J. said. “In that fourth quarter, we did a lot of ‘iso’ instead of moving the ball and getting good shots.”
“It all starts with our guards,” Al said. “We have to create movement, we have to have guys moving around. When our guards are doing that, it opens up for us and opens up for them, as well. [The Magic] can’t just sit there and pinpoint.”
“We’ve just got to have more movement and guys have got to make shots,” Woody said. “It’ ain’t scientific or no big secret.”
The Hawks say these things and then they go out and fall back into iso at critical times of the game. When things go bad and the pressure is on, it gets even worse. It’s not always about just missing shots they normally make, it’s about getting better shots, particularly in the playoffs. And the Hawks (and every team) is much better at that when players and the ball are moving.
The Hawks missed some open shots in the first three quarters of Game 2, but didn’t they also get better looks until they faded late?
“Yes but we made shots, though, too,” Woody said. “Joe made a 3, Jamal made a 3. We had some good looks in Game 1 and we didn’t make shots. You can’t have starters and guy coming off bench go 11 for 54 not going to beat nobody in the league.”
According to Hoopdata, in Game 1 the Hawks were 6 of 26 on long jump shots, the bane of basketball number-crunchers, 15 of 25 from closer than 10 feet and 2 of 13 on 3-point shots. In Game 2 they were 7-for-22 on long jumpers, 9 of 20 closer than 10 feet and 6 of 11 on 3-pointers.
If the Hawks stay away from iso, maybe some of those long jump shots become open, spot-up 3-pointers or shots closer to the basket. None of that would solve their considerable problems with defending the Magic, of course. But because of their abilities, talent and temperament the Hawks’ best hope to at least make this a competitive series might be moving the ball and scoring enough points to overcome their defensive deficiencies.
They seem to know iso isn’t the way to do that even if they don’t always show it.
MC
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621 comments Add your comment
cp
May 8th, 2010
6:10 pm
Woodrow is just going to play Bibby regardless of the fact that he is doing absolutely nothing.
terrell
May 8th, 2010
6:10 pm
Teague, Crawford, Evans, Joe Smith, and Zaza should start the 2nd half. Try something DIFFERENT Woody. Freakin dumb…! Anything else on TV?
VenomSpitter
May 8th, 2010
6:10 pm
How many people are still gonna be there at the start of the 3rd?
Najeh Davenpoop
May 8th, 2010
6:11 pm
1. Vince
2. Redick
3. Pietrus
4. Crawford
5. Evans
6. Joe
It’s like that.
Thanks for carrying the Hawks all year, Joe, but I’m sorry… if you don’t show up at all in the biggest game of the season, you don’t deserve a max contract.
And no, northcyde, he’s not going hard right now. None of the Hawks are.
bigdave
May 8th, 2010
6:11 pm
Magic coach Stan Van Gundy brushed aside a question about the Hawks being better at home:
“People said the same thing about Charlotte”
Stan playing no games.
terrell
May 8th, 2010
6:11 pm
Dont worry fellas, Woody will definitely make some halftime adjustments. lol!
joe is a bum
May 8th, 2010
6:11 pm
i’m still going to watch to see how many people boo joe/potato head/this pathetic excuse for a 50 win team
Clyde
May 8th, 2010
6:12 pm
I TOLD YALL 5 YEARS AGO WOODY COULD NOT COACH. IF WE GET BLOWN OUT AGAIN TONIGHT WE SHOULD JUST TREAT GAME 4 LIKE A SUMMER LEAGUE GAME AND LET THE BENCH PLAY THE BULK OF THE MINUTES.
FIRE WOODY
cp
May 8th, 2010
6:12 pm
This is what happens when all you care about is home games and not the road games. You get all confident then you come home and get it handed to you.
Taylor
May 8th, 2010
6:12 pm
WE are sooooo gooood
Wabe
May 8th, 2010
6:13 pm
WE all know that the Hawks read crowds better than any team in the NBA. They feed off the energy in the arena.
I don’t blame fans for booing, but you know what kind of team’s on the court. Booing them with this much basketball left is a bit disappointing. I know they were lack-a-daiscial, and flat. But, booing them isn’t gonna get them back into the game. It’s only gonna kill their confidence more. They’re the one team that plays to the energy level of the arena.
Again, not tryna get on any fans. You pay your ticket, you hold certain expectations, and if they’re not living up to your expectations and your displeased with what you see, your free to boo.
All I’m saying is, it ain’t doing nothing to get them going.
But, its whatever. I’m just as disappointed and angry, but boo them when it gets out of hand. Don’t contribute to it actually getting out of hand.
terrell
May 8th, 2010
6:13 pm
And JJ made the 3rd team All-NBA? Please!
northcyde
May 8th, 2010
6:14 pm
Woody may want to start Crawford to begin this half. Hawks getting killed on the boards. JJ can’t buy a shot or a lay-up. Worse case scenario for this team right now. People behind me talking about leaving. LOL . . I wonder how many fans are hitting the doors as I type this.
Clyde
May 8th, 2010
6:14 pm
ADJUSTMENTS LOL. THE ONLY ADJUSTMENT THAT CAN HELP THE HAWKS RIGHT NOW IS TO……………………
FIRE WOODY
bigdave
May 8th, 2010
6:14 pm
i wonder what we go to to try to cut this lead to under 10? iso?
joe is a bum
May 8th, 2010
6:14 pm
depending on the energy of the crowd is stupid…that means we’ll lose every away game
Jody
May 8th, 2010
6:15 pm
Real teams come to play regardless of the environment. No excuses.
VenomSpitter
May 8th, 2010
6:15 pm
There should be about 15 people in the crowd when the 3rd starts lol
Najeh Davenpoop
May 8th, 2010
6:15 pm
“IF I WAS AT THE GAME I WOULD LEAVE AT HALFTIME”
I’ll do you one better and chant “FIRE WOODSON” the rest of the game.
Although to be real, this loss is on the players more than the coach.
cp
May 8th, 2010
6:15 pm
Changes have to be made this summer. I just dont see this team advancing past the second round.
Sautee
May 8th, 2010
6:15 pm
Wabe,
Do you truly have hope that we could come back down 19 against this team?
Excuse my lack of faith, but this series is a done deal, and it was likely a done deal by halftime of Game 1.
Wabe
May 8th, 2010
6:16 pm
True Jody, I knew people would beg to differ with what I posted. I thought twice before posting it. But, that’s just how I feel.
You know the type of team the Hawks are.
Why boo your club and basically act as the Magic 6th man?
Clyde
May 8th, 2010
6:16 pm
ONLY THE HOLY GHOST CAN SAVE THE HAWKS RIGHT NOW
FIRE WOODY
South ga boy in the atl
May 8th, 2010
6:16 pm
I never would have guessed (say 3 or 4 months ago) that most of this team would just “QUIT” like they r doing. Al, Jamal and Marvin (although he can’t get his shot off half the time) are giving some effort but everyone else has the body language of “I QUIT”. Josh has got to go for a. Starting 5. Get something from JJ with a sign and trade but I would not, repeat not, give JJ max money. He doesn’t deserve it and with our poor ownership we can’t afford it
cp
May 8th, 2010
6:17 pm
lol@Sautee
Clyde
May 8th, 2010
6:17 pm
I BETTER NOT SEE ONE HAWK IN THE LUCKIE LOUNGE TONIGHT
FIRE WOODY
VenomSpitter
May 8th, 2010
6:17 pm
Woody and Joe can kick rocks
Taylor
May 8th, 2010
6:18 pm
STFU ABOUT YANKEES RED SOX!!!!!
Clyde
May 8th, 2010
6:18 pm
THE ONLY PLAYER THAT’S PLAYING HARD IS AL HORFORD. I HAVE DOGGED HIM OUT IN THE PAST BUT SHOUT OUT TO HIM FOR BEING THE ONLY HAWK THAT HASN’T QUIT.
FIRE WOODY
northcyde
May 8th, 2010
6:19 pm
Wabe . . . that’s what I mean. Let’s see how this team comes out to start the half, before throwing in the towel. But if the Hawks let this lead get to 25 or so, you’re going to see a mass exodus out of this building before the 4th.
Only way they can get back in this game, is to have their best defensive effort of the year. And for somebody, anybody to take over on offense.
lewis
May 8th, 2010
6:19 pm
atrocious half-court offense
Jody
May 8th, 2010
6:19 pm
Wabe,
I definitely see your point and believe me, I’m just as disappointed as you are and I’m not one to boo the Home team when they’re down. But, we as supporters of the team have to stand up and say enough is enough and hold this organization accountable. If we don’t, then nothing will change.
bigdave
May 8th, 2010
6:20 pm
i wouldnt say Joe quit but he is playing awfully sh*tty
JeJe
May 8th, 2010
6:20 pm
WOODY JUST TOLD THE TEAM BEFORE THE GAME THAT IT’S A HOME GAME AND WE DON’T NEED TO TRY
FIRE WOODY
AND SHAKE UP THIS DAMN CORE. IT’S NOT WORKING GOD DAMNIT
FIRE WOODY
cp
May 8th, 2010
6:21 pm
I really wish I could see footage of what Duck Williams did in that workout to make the Hawks front office think he would be a great player. He cant create his own shot, has trouble finishing at the rim in traffic, has trouble holding onto the ball, not a good ball handler, overrated defender, rebounds sometimes, and is not aggressive. Seriously what did he do in that workout.
Black Ceasar
May 8th, 2010
6:22 pm
Bench Depth??? Starters sucking bad right now. Hawks lookl like high school team. Can’t score???then get Defensive!!!!!
Jody
May 8th, 2010
6:22 pm
Good question cp. Good question.
joe is a bum
May 8th, 2010
6:22 pm
you can’t tell if joe quits b/c he’s stoic as a rock
Wabe
May 8th, 2010
6:22 pm
Jody
May 8th, 2010
6:19 pm
Wabe,
I definitely see your point and believe me, I’m just as disappointed as you are and I’m not one to boo the Home team when they’re down. But, we as supporters of the team have to stand up and say enough is enough and hold this organization accountable. If we don’t, then nothing will change.
True. No doubt.
cp
May 8th, 2010
6:23 pm
Can someone tell me what have the Hawks shown in this series that would lead you to believe they will comeback. Maybe I missed those moments so far.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 8th, 2010
6:23 pm
“Najeh get some of that strong coffee that they sell at Phillips to keep u awake This is going to be embarrasing”
F-ck coffee, does Philips Arena sell weed?
joe is a bum
May 8th, 2010
6:24 pm
the office saw potential is marvin which is why they drafted him over cp3…i hate drafting for potential, especially with a top 5 pick
South ga boy in the atl
May 8th, 2010
6:24 pm
Najeh. Thanks for agreeing with me on JJ. Wabe emotion is a two way street. If these guys can’t get up for a playoff game then the crowd can’t save them. It’s a testiment to their immaturity that they would need the crowd to get them up. This is more embarrasing than the Eagles blowing out the Falcons last yr. Najeh, your right that to be fair this is more on the players than the coach
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
May 8th, 2010
6:24 pm
Woodson during halftime = NICE COLD TALL BOY CAN OF STEEL RESERVE 211 (BLACK CAN) TO THE HEAD.
BOOK IT!!!!
Sautee
May 8th, 2010
6:26 pm
Outrebounded by 12 in a half. Pitiful.
sleepy
May 8th, 2010
6:27 pm
The hawks are not out of it the difference in this game is that the magic have made plays when the ball has come to them while the hawks have not even been able to string together 5 good sequences in a row . If we can come out in the second and half and actually string together something we will be able to get right back into it .
Things like Joe throwing that oop when we couldve cut it to 10-or 9 and jamal over passing on the break are things that just kill us we are wasting possessions because instead of recognizing what is working in this game and everyone working together to attack the magic that way everyone wants to try and get in ion the action instead of just allowing the game to come to them.
Al 2-6
JJ 1-9
Bibby 1-4
Marvin 2-6
Crawford 3-6
Smoove 4-9
Mo – 0-1
Zaza – 0-1
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
May 8th, 2010
6:27 pm
lmfao. Woodson’s generic motivational speeches.
joe is a bum
May 8th, 2010
6:27 pm
nice contrast to halftime speeches…makes you see why this team blows hard
Najeh Davenpoop
May 8th, 2010
6:27 pm
Wabe, these are not elementary school children. We cheer them when they are introduced, cheer when they win, and if they play hard and lose, we’ll cheer for that too. But they are grown men who are clearly not being held accountable by their teammates, coaches, or the organization; there’s no other explanation for playing half azzed in the biggest game of the season. If nobody else will hold them accountable for not giving maximum effort, we should and we will.
Jody
May 8th, 2010
6:27 pm
Being purely objective about this, I don’t think this roster is a total waste. It has some good pieces, but some changes in the roster and in the focus of it are defenitely in order.