Atlanta Hawks: Heat at Hawks
Zaza was raving the other day about a saying he saw on Twitter:
“Better to have it well done than well said.”
What he means is it’s time for the Hawks to stop talking and start doing. There are just two exhibition games left, tonight vs. the D-Wade less Heat and tomorrow at Charlotte. The season starts Wednesday in Memphis.
Can the Hawks get it together by then?
“I am sure that is a question on everyone’s mind after seeing us play five games we have already played,” Zaza said. “I am sure nobody is happy who is cheering for the Hawks. It starts from us, the players, the coaching staff, the management–nobody is happy.”
Yes, there have been injuries. There’s a new coach. There’s a new offense. It will take time.
But now the Hawks are healthy, the season is approaching and there has to be some urgency.
“We haven’t had really had the chance to play together,” Teague said. “At the offensive end it is kind of stagnant. We are still trying to figure things out. Guys really don’t know it all the way. But we can always play defense, and that’s something we have been working on really hard these last couple practices. I think you will see a whole different side of us tonight.”
Heard that one before from the Hawks. In fact, they were saying pretty much the same thing before getting blown out (again) by the Magic Monday night. Well said but not well done.
Bibby made it a point to say he would take on the challenge of getting the offense going.
“Teams have been really coming hard at us,” Bibby said. “I think it starts with me. I put that on me as far as giving energy to the team and try to get us easy baskets instead of trying to set up in the halfcourt. I think the energy will be better tonight. I am going to start with me and try to get everybody easy baskets.”
That’s fine but L.D. is trying to make it about defense. He said the Hawks made some strides when they held Orlando to 44 points in the first half Monday. He noted it will take time to create a culture of all-out defense.
The Hawks are running out of time before the games start counting.
“I think that when Coach Drew came in, a lot of people talked about the offense but I think what he’s been harping is on defense,” Al said. “I think the only way that this team can amount to anything is if we can consistently bring it on the defensive end. And I know we’ve talked about this in the past but it has to happen in order for us to have any chance. That’s effort, playing hard, really getting after it hard consistently from everybody. Because if one guy breaks down it can throw the whole thing off.”
MC
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312 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
October 21st, 2010
10:11 pm
You know… I’d like to see how Zaza looks when he plays in FIBA competitions. Is he as uncoordinated? Does he have as hard of a time finishing potentially easy shots in the paint?
Najeh Davenpoop
October 21st, 2010
10:11 pm
Trey Songz gets the biggest ovation of the night.
Wabe
October 21st, 2010
10:13 pm
That’s all Zaza’s good for right there…
Hard fouls.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 21st, 2010
10:13 pm
Nice hard foul on Haslem… I’d like to see more of that on LeBron when he goes into the paint.
bigdave
October 21st, 2010
10:13 pm
whew.. TNT w/ some nice shots of the city..
Melvin
October 21st, 2010
10:14 pm
OB,
Not to be unfair but the majority of Marvin rebounds have been on the weak side. Most of them, he was battling with his own teammate for it.
Ree Roe
October 21st, 2010
10:15 pm
ZaZa…smh
Quacks a.k.a. Marvin Williams looks like more of the same.
Everybody else looks in midseason form, I wonder why no JC2?
-REEap what you Roe!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
October 21st, 2010
10:15 pm
Yeah, love the TNT shots of ATL. It helps that they are headquartered on 10th street.
cp
October 21st, 2010
10:16 pm
smh Pachulia. He was missing blank shots like that last season. I would rather see Collins in there than him.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 21st, 2010
10:17 pm
Like most of these old school players, Reggie Miller is on point when it comes to the LeDecision.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 21st, 2010
10:18 pm
The Hawks have always defended Bosh well — particularly Horford and Zaza — and that hasn’t changed today.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 21st, 2010
10:19 pm
Great, great look by Teague, getting it out to Joe for the 3. That is a weird angle for a point guard to make a pass.
Rev in Tampa
October 21st, 2010
10:19 pm
Now that is ball movement. if this keeps up the Hawks will be fun to watch.
bigdave
October 21st, 2010
10:19 pm
beautiful…
as i’ve said.. Joe guards Wade and Bron .. and Kobe well..
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
October 21st, 2010
10:19 pm
Zaza has good boxing hands that’s about it.
bigdave
October 21st, 2010
10:21 pm
an iso Jamal there?
cp
October 21st, 2010
10:21 pm
The Hawks have played some good D tonight
Fresh
October 21st, 2010
10:21 pm
This is where we find out what LD can do.
Rufus1
October 21st, 2010
10:21 pm
No body can stop LEBRON
Ree Roe
October 21st, 2010
10:23 pm
You guys got any W-L predictions for the Hawks this yr?
-REEgular ol Roe!!
bigdave
October 21st, 2010
10:23 pm
does LD stay w/ Jeff @ the point?
Fresh
October 21st, 2010
10:24 pm
Ree Roe,
I would first like to see whether or not they share the traits as last year’s team in the 4th quarter.
drmaryb (*_*)
October 21st, 2010
10:24 pm
I like Zsa Zsa hard fouls tho. He don’t give a damn!
bigdave
October 21st, 2010
10:24 pm
LD going with iso’s..?
truly1
October 21st, 2010
10:24 pm
ld doesnt want Jc2 to take anymore half court shots that why he is not playing
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
October 21st, 2010
10:25 pm
dayum dayum dayum James
Najeh Davenpoop
October 21st, 2010
10:25 pm
“You guys got any W-L predictions for the Hawks this yr?”
49-33. Unreasonable to expect that they will match last year’s win total in a beefed up conference, but they are not going to slip nearly as much as the experts seem to think, and I think they will be more consistent overall.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 21st, 2010
10:26 pm
Powell instead of Smoove in crunch time?
bigdave
October 21st, 2010
10:26 pm
motion offense gives you an open shot, and make.
STEEL(Formerly VenomSpitter)
October 21st, 2010
10:26 pm
Man if ur gonna foul him. Hit his ass.
Rev in Tampa
October 21st, 2010
10:26 pm
Teague is showing why he hasnt won the starting role yet. Not taking charge.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 21st, 2010
10:28 pm
Great point by Reggie Miller. Trusting in the new offense instead of falling back into old habits is still a work in progress for this team, and in crunch time they are going back to what they have been doing for five years.
bigdave
October 21st, 2010
10:28 pm
Joe mixing it up on the glass..
cp
October 21st, 2010
10:28 pm
Good damn game here folks
Ramon
October 21st, 2010
10:29 pm
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Joe Johnson score points so easily as he has tonight. And the ball doesn’t seem to be staying in his hand as much as previous seasons.
Fresh
October 21st, 2010
10:29 pm
Lol….this the playoffs?
lewis
October 21st, 2010
10:29 pm
we’re still screwed once they get wade
cp
October 21st, 2010
10:30 pm
I thought Chalmers was going to score over Marvin
cp
October 21st, 2010
10:31 pm
smh lewis
Sautee
October 21st, 2010
10:31 pm
Ramon,
Excellent point. Anything else?
truly1
October 21st, 2010
10:31 pm
Rev teague has not played in a while also
Wabe
October 21st, 2010
10:31 pm
Gotta say…
I like Drew.
Cool, calm, collected.
I think it’s gonna take some time before you see the true effect of his offensive system at work – but those last two plays on offense – particularly the first of the two – are just an example of what I’m happy to see. Last season, JJ would dribble, dribble, dribble till he got a bucket. JJ coming around sets himself up behind a pick – gets the ball on a feed and gets open for a spot-up jumper.
No dribbling required. Good easy look for your go-to-guy.
I know it’s just one play, but these were points in the game last season where it was hard for us to find buckets.
ISO…ISO…ISO
Not seeing as much of that right now.
Ramon
October 21st, 2010
10:31 pm
56-26 is my prediction.
As much as I’ve been for trading Crawford, its hard to think about it when seeing Teague and Crawford in the back court together.
Ramon
October 21st, 2010
10:32 pm
Sautee, I responded to that two blogs ago. Its the last comment that was on there.
STEEL(Formerly VenomSpitter)
October 21st, 2010
10:32 pm
Bibby is HOT
bigdave
October 21st, 2010
10:32 pm
Sac Town Mike..
Wabe
October 21st, 2010
10:32 pm
Again…
Off the downscreen.
Off a pass.
No dribbling required.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 21st, 2010
10:32 pm
Horford bodying up Bosh and making him miss again.
I’m telling you, it’s going to work wonders for the Hawks if they properly exploit the Horford-Bosh matchup when these teams meet. I’d even be open to putting Smoove on Joel Anthony if it means getting the Horford-Bosh matchup at the 4.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 21st, 2010
10:33 pm
Bibby has looked great in this game.
lewis
October 21st, 2010
10:33 pm
LD knows how to coach. He left Teague in long enough for Bibby to only have to expend energy in the last 4 minutes and left Powell in long enough to keep Smoove out of foul trouble.