Atlanta Hawks: L.D. says ‘commitment’ to transition D still lacking
Talking to his players in the huddle at the end of practice, L.D. summed up the Hawks’ performance against the Grizzlies for his players: “We didn’t play play great. We didn’t play good. We were about average.”
The turnovers weren’t surprising because it was the first exhibition game and the Hawks were focused on running the new motion offense. They forced some passes because they haven’t mastered the reads and timing required to take advantage when defenders overplay the passing lanes.
Less acceptable to L.D. were all those baskets the Grizzlies scored in transition as they came back from 23 points down in the third quarter.
“My challenge to them is going to be on the defensive end and making sure we don’t give up easy transition baskets,” he said. “How we do that is make the commitment to getting back and getting our defense set. We didn’t do that in the third quarter.”
Don’t want to overstate things here. It was the first exhibition game for a team trying to develop a new offensive identity. L.D. sent out lineup combinations that will never be seen again once the games count in the standings. The Hawks played pretty well in the first half even with rotation guys Jamal and Mo out and guys deep on the bench playing significant minutes.
Still, giving up a 17-0 run and 42 points in that third quarter has to be disconcerting no matter the circumstances.
“We played pretty well in the first half, then we got [sloppy] in the third quarter,” Smoove said. “That’s where we lost the game. We are a veteran ballclub. We can’t allow a team to come in here and come back from 20 points no matter who is out there.”
Again, I’m not trying to get too caught up in the first exhibition game. But this is the time for evaluation and correction for the Hawks, and that third quarter reminded me of all those times they blew second-half leads on the road last season.
The familiar elements were there: their offensive execution and shot selection deteriorates, their turnovers lead to easy points for the opposition and then their effort and spirits sag as everything goes wrong.
“I saw it,” L.D. said. “That’s just something we are going to have to learn to work through. It’s not going to happen overnight. The unfortunate thing is you get in those type situations and you develop bad habits. You read body language [and] you see things aren’t done at a pace that is going to put pressure on the defense.
“That is something I am going to have to stay on top of them about, learning how to work through adverse situations. The tendency is to kind of drop your head and your energy level goes down. It has been identified, clearly.”
L.D.’s video session was all about that third quarter. He showed players how they weren’t sprinting to cut off fastbreaks or, when they did get back, they weren’t protecting the basket on the ball side to prevent easy shots and give the defense a chance to regroup.
Al wasn’t buying the idea that poor offense led to bad defense.
“I think it had more to do with effort,” he said. “For some reason, our guys were ball-watching too much. We have to start getting back. There is no excuse for giving up layups and dunks. The first half we did pretty good [but] the second half it was like we stopped playing.”
Injury report
Josh said he will be out for a week or so due to a cut on his right hand. He has his fingers taped together and a wrap around the stitches.
He said he sliced the hand on the rim but didn’t realize it until a couple possessions later.
“It’s still a little tender,” he said. “It will be OK.”
Jamal (back), Mo (knee), Josh Powell (groin), Twin (leg), Etan Thomas (Achilles’), and Pape Sy (back) also sat out practice today.
Jamal said he’s not sure he will make the trip for the games at Detroit Monday and Washington Tuesday.
Al said he’s still limited by the left ankle injury he suffered early in camp.
“We figure we will take it slow since the ankle is still sore,” he said. “So I figured just play hard the first half and shut it down in the second.”
MC
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186 comments Add your comment
Samuel
October 9th, 2010
9:11 pm
Yes, Bama got beat like the they stole a Government Mule.
twin
October 9th, 2010
9:50 pm
yeah, woody was god awful at making adjustments…we got demolished when we double teamed d.howard in the first game of the playoffs, ok fine, that did not work, i can live wit that. but then, we did the same exact thing the other 3 games; woody did not change his strategy at all….men in low post cheated to close of passing lanes and still double teamed dwight ALL FOUR games!! just a total utter refusal to look at the statistics, analyze the game and make improvements….(oh and we had a pretty good blueprint on how to make that magic squad sweat from their previous bobcats series, did they double team dwight every chance they got? no. did the celtics double dwight when he got the ball in low post? no. why you ask? b/c the bobcats and the celtics had better coaching).
HawkEye
October 9th, 2010
9:54 pm
Hawks will be fine. Give them time to gel under LD. However, what I am waiting to see is how they perform on the road. As many of you know, the Hawks have been a poor team on the road in years past. If LD can get them to play with the same amount of passion and focus they show at home, that’s a BIG plus. Additionally, it will help come playoff time if they can keep their focus in a hostile environment.
O'Brien
October 9th, 2010
9:57 pm
Samuel,
At the trade deadline and at the end of the season, I wanted the hawks to trade for Douglas Roberts. The bucks got him for a second round pick. But yet here we are, with no legit backup for Marvin (mo Evans is a natural SG and is too small to guard SFs).
By the way, you will not find anybody in the NBA to agree with You that the Buck’s were equal in talent with us last year.
We had 2 all stars, another Guy who was almost an all star, but was second in DPOY, and the sixth man of the year. Who did Milwaukee have?
Ken Strickland
October 9th, 2010
10:06 pm
SAMUEL-WOW! You say you’ve never seen a gm won on a white board, yet you don’t hesitate to rate teams according to how you predict they’ll finish during the regular season, and before a single regular season gm has been played. I guess you forget you’re own BS and started using that same white board, huh.
Samuel
October 9th, 2010
10:09 pm
I saw a PG who torched whoever was guarding him (not just Bibby), I saw a guy named John Salmons outplay our max contract stud and and Old Man named Kurt Thomas bully our AllStar (by default), Al Horford all series long. Home court saved our asses.
Melvin
October 9th, 2010
10:39 pm
Man, Josh Childress looks odd in a Suns uniform…
Ra'mon
October 9th, 2010
10:42 pm
@ Samuel, you just named the players the Bucks gained. Now list the players they lost. Also all of these teams who have added players still don’t know how the chemistry will be on those teams. We at least know despite the chemistry issues on this roster, they are still good enough to be a 2nd round team.
O'Brien
October 9th, 2010
10:50 pm
Samuel,
Just because Milwaukee outplayed us for games 3-5 in the playoffs, does not mean they have equal talent.
As for Orlando, i think they are better than us. But I do NOT think they are 20 points better than us.
If Woody had any clue about game planning and adjustments, the games against Orlando would have been closer.
It is interesting that nobody interviewed him for a coaching job. You would think a guy who should have been COY (in your eyes) would get an interview.
Even the Clippers went with the former Bulls coach (Vinny), who finished 41-41 in both seasons in Chicago, and never made it out of the first round.
Come to think of it, that may be a bad example, because the Clippers dont usually make sense anyway.
Anyways, I give Woody credit for getting us to where we are. But I think he reached his limit with us. Is LD the best man to replace him? Time will tell.
You’re right. Games are played on the court, not on the white-board, and not in the media. But this is the preseason, and I will give LD all my support.
I will re-evaluate when the games start for real.
Ra'mon
October 9th, 2010
11:03 pm
Samuel, the Hawks lost so badly because of ADJUSTMENTS, not because of the talent level. Because in your argument, the Hawks swept the season series of the team that dismantled Boston with NO problem. The key to beating Orlando is to not double team Howard. If Howard goes for 40 good, but don’t double team. If you remember when Detroit beat LA in the Finals, Shaq averaged over 30 ppg that series. But because they refused to double team, they still came out on top at the end of the game, because no one else was allowed to get open shots. The Hawks lost that series because of the wide open shots they gave away on the perimeter.
Paddy
October 10th, 2010
8:05 am
If you hear what Coach is saying is; we are about to start the season and my professional players are not going to play Defense the way I coach it. Not enough fingures to plug this dyke!!!!
Knuckles
October 10th, 2010
9:39 am
Dez Dam Hawk are so sorry that nobody really cares what they do this year. Who cares. they did nothing to better themselves as a team.
They did not address there # 1 weakness of a strong center. A weakness so glaring that even the starting center said the hawks need to get a real center.
The did nothing to find a suitable replacement for Bibby who is in the final year of his contract and career. They instead have move to put the error prone low basketball IQ teague as has next in line
They changed from a proven top ten coach who has done and out standing job to promote his understudy, who is experimenting with a new offense although the alarming weakness of the hawks is the lack of a defensive force.
With many trade and free agent opportunities,(not to forget the draft), the hawks accomplished absolutely nothing. The did not address any weaknesses or strengthen themselves in any way, however the teams in front of and behind the hawks made strong moves. Our sorry GM is proving his track record of ruining team is not going to be broken here.
Sund Sucks!
With all that in mind there it is clear why there is no excitement about the hawks in Atlanta. Who can get excited about mediocrity?
We are going backwards not forward and the time has come to get rid of Sund why there is still time to turn this program around
Sund = sinking ship!
Big Ump
October 10th, 2010
10:04 am
MS Dee
As you know I’m a Hawks fan win and lose. I also know you probably a wonderful oerson. Some of us compain about Samuel being negative. Could it be Samuel is donig the same things that you and some others were donig last year about JJ, Bibby and HC. Samuel was call a Woodson lover and other things
about defending Woody. now some of you are defending our new HC the same way Samuel was doing. So do that make you all LD lover? Of couarse not. All I’m saying you can’t spin it both ways.
I enjoy reading your post just like I do my favorite Big Ray and the wonderful DR Mary B.
KevinM
October 10th, 2010
10:08 am
I’d be careful to criticize the Heat. In our current form, we do not match up with them. Will we get better? We better. The Heat have no problem on offense…they look focused.
And those Heat-haters: the only reason you’re hating is because you know what’s coming? The Bulls 2.0 to arenas all season. You hope to compete and you hope to contain, but get real.
One thing I am confident on going into this season: we won’t lose a core player because of an injury while playing defense. That is not their MO this year.
What I am eager to see is how does LD handle the adversity that will come with this team? I have no issue with installing a new offense…and it doesn’t matter at this point, a new offense isn’t going to improve on last year’s ranking, despite it being up to Joe and Jamal to score. For the bucks these 2 guys get, they better produce or the ASG will end up giving them another bonus!
Back to serious, “drmaryb (*_*)
October 9th, 2010
2:16 pm
Ken Strickland
Just sit and watch, much of what you say will manifest in the
very near future. This team does still have a ways to go to
prove that last series will not re-occur and repeat itself ever
again. Demanding – Effort, isn’t asking too much.”
Spoken never more clearer, and this team has more questions than answers:
- Al looking for a big man to help he and Smoove
- Bibby or Teague – 1st assignment: John Wall’s intro into the league. Who ya got? I’m taking the Wildcat.
- Marvin breaking out of his perimeter only game.
- Depth on the bench. Did anyone bring the energy that Celtic-hopeful Mario West does? He just looks odd in that uni.
Same players, new daily blog, lots of the same versus coming out of the Hawks’ bible of basketball.
We are a veteran team, and what happened with Memphis should never happen.
Well, it happened, and I won’t be surprised to see it happen many times this year. LD can be the HOF potential coach some want him to be, but he still has to put the core on his lineup roster every game.
I can’t wait to see LD pull his first core player to the bench for not giving max effort. When that happens, I am confident that MC will point it out to us, because it just doesn’t exist here.
KevinM
October 10th, 2010
10:14 am
I know its only one game, but after watching the Rockets last night..if they can get Yao to stay healthy, that team has lots of pieces to compete.
And Dampier isn’t going there based on their depth. He isn’t going to get a lot of minutes with their interior rotation of Yao, Scola, Hayes, Jordan Hill and Brad Miller.
I like what Houston has put together and their salary numbers arent’ all that bad either. They know they have to go beyond the cap to be any kind of a threat.
Dampier in Atlanta wouldn’t be the worse thing to happen, especially if our min salary bigs can’t get motivated to earn some minutes.
terrell
October 10th, 2010
10:58 am
Samuel, you act like SUPERSTAR players grow on trees. Why dont you become a Heat fan and join the summit? lol!
Ken Strickland
October 10th, 2010
1:04 pm
While it’s a lot of fun projecting what we might expect from the Heat, with their big 3, but the team that should be the main focus for the Hawks is the Magic. Despite all of the projections and hopes for the Heat, no one actually knows if they can overcome the potential pitfalls they’ll have to overcome to become the team most people are projecting them to be.
No one knows how the Hawks will stack up against the Heat, no matter how you might feel about it, However, we all know how we’ve stacked up against the Magic over the last 2yrs. We have to get past the strangle hold the Magic have had over us before we start worrying about the Heat.
If we can overcome the dominance of the Magic, we can certainly deal with the Heat. When going down the stretch in tight gms, I love the fact we’ll have something other than Bibby, JJ and Jamal to rely on, going down the stretch of close gms. I also love the fact we’ll have something to fall back on when our key scorers are OFF. That something is the MOTION OFF. It’s a lot easier for a DEF to stop or limit the effectiveness of a player or 2, but it’s a lot harder for a DEF to stop or limit an entire structured OFF system.
I don’t see the Hawks having problems of the magnitude we had under Woodson. I see some potential frustration coming from certain players trying to learn and work the motion OFF to the point where it becomes instinctive, and fighting off the urge to revert to ISO. I don’t thing LDrew will have any serious issues correcting that potential problem.
If can remember MJordan having issues with the triangle OFF when it was 1st introduced, until he mastered it and made it work for him. The same issues were raised by KBryant when PJackson was hired and introduced the triangle OFF. And we all know how that eventually turned out.
The Hawks did pretty good last yr playing a style of OFF and DEF that weren’t good fits for their collective talents. The motion OFF, and playing a running uptempo OFF we’ll be consistently playing this yr is definitely a good fit for our collective talents.
All of the projected top teams in the East, Miami, Orlando, Milwaukee, Boston and Chicago, will likely have changes to their starting lineup. The Hawks haven’t changed their starting lineup in 2.5yrs, but this yr there’s a strong likelihood that will change. All of the players added to the starting lineups or the other teams have been brought in from outside the organization.
The Hawks’ lineup change will be made from within, and the same situation applies to our new HC. The Bulls went outside their organization for their new HC. With basically the same core players and starting lineup over the last 2.5yrs, the Hawks have improved and progressed far beyond the predictions and projections of so called experts and fans alike.
Keeping our core intact has really paid off for us. The only major additions or chances we’ve made over that period has been related to our 6th man. We had JChildess in 07/08, replaced him with RMurray in 08/09, and replaced him with JaCrawford in 09/10.
If Teague replaces MBibby as our starting PG, our starting lineup with have more speed, quickness, penetrating ability, versatility, and much better perimeter DEF. HOW CAN THAT NOT BE AN IMPROVEMENT.
SAMUEL-You mentioned in an earlier post that when we played the Bucks, you saw a PG the was able to blow by anyone who tried to defend him, not just Bibby. Well, with JTeague being given more mins and a real chance to start, we’ll have the ability at PG to do to the Bucks, and other teams, exactly what the Bucks and their PG did to us.
doc
October 10th, 2010
1:18 pm
ken, i think the magic will look like marshmellows compared to what the heat will do to us. talk about potential smashdowns? ech of the three individuals have given us fits over the years as individuals on teams without real support casts. how do you corral these guys without help? we could do it when there was one unfortunately there are three to try and double team. not enough guys on the court at a time to do this.
bulls seem to be taking to their new coach as well. they will not be as soft as last year and they will have an offense themselves rather than on on rose.
MsDee
October 10th, 2010
1:29 pm
@Big Ump,
I do understand your reasoning, but I’m not saying Samuel is a Woodson lover. What I try to convey to Samuel is that being realistic and being negative are 2 different things. He is being HIGHLY negative toward a coach who is DEMONSTRATING A VISION for the Hawks but is praising a coach who basically KILLED his top player in JJ and the rest of the starters by using a one-dimensional OFFense and DEFense. Samuel says Woodson has already proven something in this league by being the head coach for 6yrs with an improving record each year, but failed to realized that he has STUNKED IT UP for the past 3 yrs in the playoffs. He didnt just lose in the playoffs, He again KILLED the team the past 2 yrs WITHOUT MAKING ANY ADJUSTMENTS OR CORRECTIONS DURING THE PLAYOFFS!!
Now Samuel’s negativity towards Larry Drew is mind boggling because he feels LD will have the same issues his buddy Woody had based on ONLY 1 PRE-SEASON GAME!! Just because the Hawks has to get used to a new OFFense that is TOTALLY different from what they are used to for the past 6yrs, doesn’t mean the Hawks not going to eventually get it down pack HEADING into mid-season. An example would be let’s say a young child(Hawks) has been living with their biological parents(Woody) for the 1st 6yrs. The parents hasn’t been raising that child up healthy wise. The child has been used to eating chips, cookies, candy, basically junk food for 6 straight years without the parents EVER MAKING ADJUSTMENTS with the kids diet by adding fruit and vegetables(OFFense & DEFense). The child now get placed into a child’s care with a new set of parents(Larry Drew). Those parents provide the child with a healthy balanced diet with the necessary fruit and vegetables(OFFense Vision) the child needs. Now, that first few weeks(pre-season), the child may have a VERY HARD TIME getting used to eating vegetables since it’s THEIR 1ST TIME AFTER 6YRS. It doesn’t mean that child will NEVER grow up to get used to and enjoy eating fruits and vegetables in the long run.
drmaryb (*_*)
October 10th, 2010
1:37 pm
Scrappy – Dappy!
Last season on one of the very few occasions Mr. Johnson
gave a sound bite, Joe said this:
“We are a scrappy team, we have to play that way to win games.”
Of course I paraphrased that statement,
but here’s my point:
The reason we had/have to play scrappy is because:
1. We had no offensive identity.
2. All of our players except for Joe, do not play their natural positions.
We got 2 PF’s and one plays center, Maurice Evans plays SF
& SG, Jamal played PG & SG, Teague didn’t play at all, is he
like Acie Law a natural SG or a PG?
When you look àt the Lakers? All their pieces seem to actually
fit their roles perfectly, skills-wise and size-wise.
Yes, we have versatility but do we have compatibility at all
positions?
Heck No!
Did I see the Big-Ump?
Aaaaah …. All is right in the world!
Smiles & Mmmmwah! (Big fat wet kiss!)
Shout – Out! To KevinM … You Go Boy!
drmaryb (*_*)
October 10th, 2010
1:43 pm
We still need a Big agile center who can start and defend
Dwight and Bynum to win that – Big Thang!
Al said so and I concur!
Knuckles
October 10th, 2010
1:51 pm
Teague is dumb. He is not nor ever will be smart enough to break down another team. Teague is a ball hog. who doesnt no how to orchestrate the flow of an offensive attack. Teague is careless and doesnt have great ball handling ability so he is prone to turnovers, which he repeatedly displayed against the ya-hoos’ of the summer league. Yes teague is younger and thereby more athletic than bibby but hes not smart enough to lead a 53 win 2 round caliber playoff team. Having the right physical qualifications doesn’t equate to talent.
Speaking of talent. Samuel, is absolutely right on the money.
Get you fact in line with your mouth. Ken, you cant be the drum major for Woodsons firing saying there was enough talent to win the championship but now with the same team, Woody Jr is not expected to win a championship…. Hey, get a clue, its the same team that you swore was a lock to win it all except the alien Woodson was in the way. Is Woodson lite now in the way? Same team mr foot n mouth.
Samuel, This from T. S., You Rock! The reason you get so much flak from you statements is that a hit dog always hollars!
Shout to Big Ump from T. S.- Booty breath Cunningham has blocked The correct spelling of Truth- Sirum.
Keep up the good work Samuel , where theres smoke … theres fire!
cp
October 10th, 2010
1:54 pm
Big Ray whats going on man? I’m ready for the season to start. Great observation on Law…I wonder if LD was a big fan of Salim too.
I will be glad when Woodrow gets another job maybe just maybe it will bring some joy back in Samuels life… I don’t even see why some of you take that dude serious. He is the same cat who said Woodrow was a better coach than Larry Brown, said that when the Hawks win its because of Woodrow but when they lose its because of the players. These two comments by him made me not take anything he says seriously. From reading his recent post he is still on that silly stuff. To him its all about Woodrow and nothing else matters. Funny how a coach that great cant even beat out Vinny Del Negro of all people for a job. Woodrow lost his job for many reasons, some that have been pointed out already. He only cared about the regular season. All he talked about was the 53 wins and homecourt. It was almost as if he though you win a championship in the regular season. Add in his non adjustments and there you have it… I remember reporters asking him in the playoffs last year what adjustments was he going to make in the Magic series and Woodrow said none lol. He said he would stick with what got the Hawks there. The reporter then said something to the affect of well that isn’t working and Woodrow started his we won such and such games and blah blah blah. It was brutal to have a coach who only had a plan A but not a B when it was evident to anybody watching that what they were doing wasn’t working but he refused to change
Ken Strickland
October 10th, 2010
3:26 pm
DOC-you know what, I never thought about the rivalry that will surely develop between the 2 Florida teams. I also agree with you that Miami will likely dominant the Magic, because they have 2 players that can consistently attack the basket and DHoward. I see him getting into early foul trouble against them often. The rest of Orlando’s starters are below average defenders, and are very vulnerable without Howard to protect the lane.
My only concerns are how quickly the players pickup and start to feel comfortable with the motion OFF, and how quickly LDrew establishes his rotation. With the overall improvement JTeague will provide at PG, especially to our perimeter DEF, we’ll be a match up nightmare for anyone, including the Heat.
The motion OFF will make it extremely difficult for DEF’s with dominant inside defenders, like Orlando, to depend on that one player to stop us. Man, I can’t wait for the season to start. With all of the quality FA’s that’s changed teams, especially in the East, this has got to be the start of one of the most exciting seasons ever.
Knuckles
October 10th, 2010
3:29 pm
Al not only confessed he needed help but in an A.P. interview cosigned that he wasn’t a real center and asked that the hawks get one.
What a poor case for an argument to say a person is a “woody lover” and there fore their premise or argument is invalid. Loving or hating is irrelevant to the fact that woodson did an out standing job with a team that has marginal talent.
In true critical thinking or logic ( this is for the college educated, Ill speak to you in a minute ken) it is considered a fallacy to invalidate a premise because the arguer attacks the person of those who share the view, rather than attack the point), but of course what you expect from this site?
Argumentum ad Populum
Now ken, You were the drum major of the bubba crewww who said that woodson was under achieving with this hawk team. Lets see what Woodson lite does with pretty much the same team. Keep your foot right where it is, in your mouth, until we can see about halfway through the season whether these hawks are playing above/at/under the ascending levels woodson had them at.
Whether you like hate or love Woodson is not the argument. Was the coaching change necessary to take the hawks to the next level is the question. Are the hawks now a better team? Will we win more games and go further towards the goal of winning a championship? That is the question.
My speculation is weve taken steps backwards and wont be as effective as last year. We were a good team last year when compare to the rest of the league but now they’ve closed the gap and in a case or two we may have over taken us.
As it stands now, I cant see where the experts will pick us any higher this year than last, although we exceeded their expectations by making third seed, when most projected us 5th-8th.
Lets see Woody II take us to the championship! Good luck to Larry Drew. Go Hawks.
Ken Strickland
October 10th, 2010
3:35 pm
CP-Excellent points as always.
Knuckles
October 10th, 2010
3:53 pm
Ramon fired coaches rarely get offered a job the same year they are fired. They usually sit out a year or two before coming back into play.
Ken Strickland
October 10th, 2010
4:01 pm
KNUCKLES-Your attempt to make sense out of something that actually makes little sense falls way short. To try and create an argument over whether Woodson show have been fired is a waste of time and effort. How can anyone that saw: 1-our 1st rd 7gm struggle against a depleted Bucks team, 2-our players virtually quitting on Woodson in the 2nd rd against Orlando, and 3-Orlando handing us the worst butt whipping during a playoff series in NBA playoff history?
When you factor in management’s mandate to Woodson that his fate would depend on how well he prepared his team, and their performance during the playoffs, and then look at the way we stunk it up, HE DEFINITELY HAD TO GO, PERIOD. To continue making an issue of whether he should have been fired, especially with the season around the corner, shows you’re the drum major for the SPECIAL ED CREW.
MsDee
October 10th, 2010
4:05 pm
@Ken S. LOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now that’s FUNNY!
MsDee
October 10th, 2010
4:07 pm
@KNUCKLES
I think Ken S just placed BOTH your feet in your mouth with that one!!!!
Knuckles
October 10th, 2010
4:36 pm
Ken & the drummed up Special ED Crew
I not sure I understand this from ken… Woodson ” show” have been fired
What show is he referring too. But it must be difficult to speak coherently with your feet in your mouth.
Grandad
October 10th, 2010
4:54 pm
KevinM 10:08 am
“I’d be careful to criticize the Heat”
“In our current form, we do not match up with them”
To Kevin,
*How well do the Heat match up with us?
I’m not trying to argue with your perspective.
I just see everything through “coaches” eyes
and my *original query to you is how I look @ it.
In an article I read, it proclaimed the Heat as having
one of the top rosters in the East, yet did not mention
the Hawks. Beyond the super fiends, I find it interesting
that all of a sudden their roster becomes loaded.
The media (espn) being the biggest culprit is so anxious
to promote Miami that now everything involved with the Heat
is automatically better!
drmaryb (*_*)
October 10th, 2010
5:16 pm
No Comment!
Grand-Daddy! What’s up home boy?
Yeah … I agree, Miami is the sexy pick of the National Media.
They are the consummate Band-Wagoneers as always.
In the flip-side, the Heat will also be the most hated, watched and
most feared – for obvious reasons.
I have made NO comments, not-a-one comment about the Heat,
because I am a wait and see kind of girl. I need evidence before
emanating criticism of anything at all!
I got my popcorn, favorite beverage and a sideline seat to watch
the picture show. Like my Nanna’ says when people gossip:
“I’m just eating popcorn!”
I have eaten CROW and HUMBLE-PIE before,
trust me, POPCORN taste better!
We shall all see, very soon!
KevinM
October 11th, 2010
6:26 am
Grandad, all I can tell you about the Heat is not what the media is saying, even though no one disputes they are a contender for the EC Finals, yet zero prognosticators are considering the Hawks as contenders.
That ought to tell you something if everyone that talks basketball nationally is thinking the same thing. That’s not just Heat-mania; its sensible logic. Minimum thought here: last year’s Heat roster beat us 3 out of 4…..and I believe their roster has done nothing but improve.
Oh, and the 2 games I have seen the Heat play this season, they seem like they can score any time they want. And DWade hasn’t even been involved.
Bosh, LBJ and their supporting cast sure looked focused IMO.
Can’t wait to see the Hawks matchup with them next week.
KevinM
October 11th, 2010
6:27 am
DMB, the Heat look good…..if you’ve got NBA TV, you gotta just watch a portion of their game to know they will be ready out of the gate.
doc
October 11th, 2010
10:32 am
kevin agree said ot earlier wade and labrpn have our nimber playing with minomal support. now they have each other plus bosh. simple math and logic to me…. beat down city here we come.