Atlanta Hawks: Hawks 113, Timberwolves 103
Josh Smith did it all against the T-Wolves. (AP Photo)
–Maybe the Grizzlies make the playoffs in the West if everyone stays healthy (have you seen their bench?). Perhaps the Wizards sneak into the East playoffs if Arenas ever gets his body and mind right. Cleveland, Philly, Detroit and Minnesota are not very good.
– So no one is saying the Hawks have run through a gauntlet of good teams while starting 6-0, and that includes the Hawks: “I don’t know if we’ve played any playoff teams,” J.J. said, “but a win is a win.”
– Besides, as Al noted, there’s another side to the “haven’t played anyone” coin: “Last year we gave up games like this to teams that didn’t make the playoffs. We are heading in the right direction, and it’s good to see.”
– It was the Hawks’ sixth consecutive road victory dating to last season. The Hawks have had only three longer road streaks in franchise history: eight games spanning the 1966-67 and 1967-68 seasons and seven games in both 1968-69 and 1993-94.
– In three of their four road games, the Hawks closed out Ws after opponents made their inevitable runs. Thing is, with the exception of maybe the Cleveland game, it never felt like the Hawks were losing control.
– OK, so the Hawks allowed Minnesota to score 32 points in the fourth quarter. But they didn’t panic. So could it be they are using this early run of road games to build a new identity as a tough out away from Philips?
– “I certainly hope so,” L.D. said. “Again, when you talk about being a good team, you’ve got to be able to go out and win on the road. I don’t care who the opponent is. We have been a team that is trying to mature on the road. In the past, in certain cases we’ve gotten leads and lost them and caved in.”
– Not so far this year. Look at what happened after Corey Brewer’s steal and dunk got Minnesota within 94-87: Jamal converts a four-point play. Smoove closes from underneath the basket to force Kevin Love to miss a 3. Bibby picks Telfair’s pocket. Joe makes two free throws. Smoove draws a charge on Beasley. Horford makes a jumper.
– Ball game. “We are just taking our time and we are executing down the stretch,” Smoove said. “We have enough guys that can score points. When you execute down the stretch, that’s what makes it so difficult [to guard us].”
– Josh played 40 minutes and was fantastic with 22 points, eight rebounds, six assists, five blocked shots and three charges drawn in the second half. He avoided his usual bugaboos of turnovers (zero) and missed jumpers (4 of 6 from beyond 10 feet).
– “I was a little fatigued,” he said, “but it is all mental. You have got to push through it. I worked on my endurance in the offseason and it’s paying off.”
– Josh tied Dikembe for No. 2 on the franchise career blocks list with 1,095.
– With Marvin (knee) and Mo (knee) back in Atlanta, L.D. opted to shift Smoove to small forward and continue to bring Jamal off the bench. Both guys were key, so clearly L.D. is a genius.”You can call it want you want,” L.D. said, laughing.
– By my count, this makes three games where the Hawks would have lost without Jamal doing his thing. He scored 10 of Atlanta’s 30 points in the second quarter and 10 of their 30 in the fourth. He was even energetic while challenging shots. The six turnovers against one assist were the only blemishes.
– “He’s a shotmaker,” L.D. said. “You need a guy like that especially when the team is off to a slow start or a situation where we need a basket. We know with him, we can run some plays and he’s always been a producer. He gives us exactly what we need. He plays his role better than anybody I’ve seen. That’s a big plus having a guy like that.”
– “It wasn’t just me,” Jamal said. “I thought Josh Powell, [JC2], Jeff Teague, Zaza all did a great job. That’s our job coming off the bench is to provide a lift.”
– L..D. keeps riding his bench and the Hawks are showing some real depth
– J.J. seemed a bit dejected after the game, no doubt frustrated that he can’t buy a shot lately. L.D. gave Joe a pep talk before he headed for the bus.
– Part of the reason Drew installed the offense was to prevent opponents from locking in on Joe and taking some pressure off of him. The approach is working so far considering the Hawks keep winning even when J.J. isn’t at his best. “I guess so,” Joe said. “It is kind of equal opportunity out there. The ball just moves and guys are getting wide open shots and knocking them down.”
–”The last couple games, there has been a lid on the basket for Joe,” L.D. said. “In the past we have struggled when he hasn’t shot the ball well. I think it goes to show the depth of our team. We have guys that can score the ball, guys that have committed to what coaches are instilling in them.”
– Credit goes to Joe for sharing the ball, too. The Hawks have quickly taken to the motion offense. “I think guys are playing with more confidence, more freedom,” Al said. “I think the ball movement on offense makes all the difference.”
– Another quietly efficient scoring night for Bibby. The guy remains a deadly spot-up shooter who has a natural feel for how to slip into space and let it fly.
– So we know Powell is going to shoot the ball. When he’s making them, his confidence is a good thing. When he’s not, it’s not. Tonight he was making them but one rebound, one block and one foul in 15 minutes (on a blocking call on the perimeter) suggests he wasn’t as aggressive on the defensive end.
– Team high eight free-throw attempts for Zaza. This is the kind of game where his roughhouse style is a real asset.
– Teague had one of his best games with five assists, no turnovers and a shoving match with T-Wolves hothead Sebastian Telfair. Minnesota likes to get physical but Teague and his teammates weren’t backing down.
– The Hawks gave up 16 offensive boards after allowing 17 to Detroit. They also had 15 turnovers that Minnesota turned into 28 points. Eliminate one of those deficiencies and it’s a blowout W>
– The Wolves couldn’t keep up with Atlanta in the open floor: 20 fastbreak points in the first half, 24 for the game. “We really wanted to get up and down and force them to run with us,” Drew said.
– L.D. said Marvin would be out “at least a week” with the bone bruise.
– I’m out, Hawks fans.
MC
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111 comments Add your comment
lewis
November 6th, 2010
1:06 pm
we might not beat phx without marvin certainly not orl
lewis
November 6th, 2010
1:21 pm
and no mo…marvin and mo are better perimeter defenders
Hawks Fan Trapped in Minnesota
November 6th, 2010
1:26 pm
I went to the game last night which I do every year. I was sitting 10 rows behind the hawks bench and 1/2 way through the game I realized I was sitting next to somebody who worked for the Hawks. I introduced myself to him and it was Dave Pendergraf(Sp?) the assistant GM. Since I was 1 of the only 5 people in the arena with an Atlanta shirt I asked him a couple of questions. The first one was who gets to shoot technical foul shots? because I have seen both Joe and Jamal take them when each other is in the game. He told me it’s whoever walks to the line first which I thought was an interesting answer and than he talked about that he really likes the teams depth especially noting Josh Powell. The second question I asked him was if I could get a picture of my 5 year old with a Hawks player after the game.(I would have only asked him if the Hawks had won put after Jamal’s 30th 4 point play I felt safe) We walked down to the court and got a picture of Jason Collins and Sam right after his radio interview. So Thanks to Dave and Jason for putting a smile on my sons face. Go Hawks.
Ramon
November 6th, 2010
1:29 pm
HFTiM, Collins was so happy to start for the first time in years, he would’ve taken a picture with a murder weapon and the victim if asked to, lol. J/k
That was cool though.
moboman
November 6th, 2010
1:33 pm
Every game you win now is one in your pocket. And 4 road wins in the first 6 games is huge. How many road wins did we total last season and we already have 4 this year? We are 6-0 and we havent played at full strength for many of those games. Thats what yall should be talking about. Judge the big games after they happen, not before.
Hawks Fan Trapped in Minnesota
November 6th, 2010
1:59 pm
Ramon,
I agree. My son’s favorite player is Marvin Williams only because we have the ticket and when the PA goes MMMmmmarrrrrvvvvvinnnn he likes that. He doesn’t know the difference since he was 5 but Jason gave him a big high 5 and smiled big.
cp
November 6th, 2010
2:26 pm
If this lineup plays well the next two games I would stick with it even when Marvin is healthy. We really need Joe to find his jumper if we are to have any chance against Orlando. Jameer usually has his way against Bibby so we might see more Teague for defensive purposes..Not trying to look past the Suns because I think that game will be tough too but I think we win that one….
Ramon
November 6th, 2010
2:39 pm
Now with Marvin out, the Hawks really need to think about adding a player for a 10 day contract, asap!
O'Brien
November 6th, 2010
2:52 pm
Ramon,
If the hawks wanted to add a ten day contract, I assume they would have done it on Thursday.
I really don’t understand why they haven’t. They could have given Damien Wilkins a partial contract and go from there.
Because I don’t want them to rush Marvin or mo back.
drmaryb
November 6th, 2010
2:55 pm
Shoot Em’ Up! Bang!
Josh seems to be a rhythm jump shooter. That stand still jump shot is not his weapon. I would like to see him run to his spots and shoot with a defender in his face. He can make that shot, I noticed. IMHO.
I have never heard any of the elite teams apologizing for any wins. We will take everyone we can get, that’s why you play the games! Otherwise, just phone it in – right?
Hawks look very poised and calm these days, very organized. It all started when Bibby arrived and now is going to the next level, with Coach Drew it seems to me, anyways! Before, Bibby, the Hawks just ran around like headless chickens. So far, so good. I for one, know that we can beat the Magic, is that a road game or home game? Oh! and don’t look past the Suns, we should win that game at home on Sunday as well.
Great game from J-Smoove last night and good for him for ignoring the refs too. Respect the Game my azz. These refs missed so many foul calls last night against the Hawks, geez!
Scoop
November 6th, 2010
3:09 pm
While JJ may be struggling with his shot he is still finding ways to effective, particularly with his passing. He is leading our team in assists and his rebounds are up as well. I find this to be a positive sign as those open three pointers will fall and Joe is still averaging around 18 points a game.
Ken Strickland
November 6th, 2010
3:21 pm
The Hawks are doing exactly what they’re suppose to do, and that’s defeat the same teams elite teams routinely defeat on their way to 58-66 wins. We’re winning on the road, at home, down the stretch, when we’re not at full strength, and when we aren’t playing well. When we face the Magic, we’ll rise to the occasion just like we did against the Heat during preseason.
The only problem we’ll have is with Bibby trying to stay in front of JNelson. It might end up being an interesting matchup, since JNelson tweeked his ankle and so far this season Bibby has played much better on both OFF and DEF. LDrew’s willingness to play JTeague, and even Jordan Crawford if necessary, gives us an added dimension both offensively and defensively at PG, not to mention Jamal Crawford.
With Teague, both Crawfords, JJ, and the motion OFF, we can attack the basket and DHoward, which we never considered doing in the past. In addition to us playing aggressive perimeter DEF, when the ball goes to DHoward’s side of the court, we should use corner traps to force the PG to either pickup his dribble or rotate the ball out. Howard would then have to give up his position and come out to give his PG a better angle to make the entry pass, or rotate to the opposite side with the ball. Either way, we provide better protection for our frontline and take time off the clock, which also limits their OFF options.
It’s going to be a tough win considering it’ll be the 2nd gm of a back to back, we’ll be short handed and playing in Orlando. Even if we lose to the Magic, we can certainly start another winning streak and kick their butts the next 3 time the teams meet.
Clyde
November 6th, 2010
3:36 pm
I’ll give the Hawks their props. They are playing well right now, but its real early in the season. I want to see how well we play against Orlando, Miami, and Boston before i start to believe in this team.
MsDee
November 6th, 2010
4:42 pm
Boston and Miami, I’m not worried about..its Orlando! If we can find a way to draw fouls on DHoward early, we may have a shot at winning the game or at least staying close. If we beat both Phx and Orlando, WE WILL GET TV MEDIA ATTENTION…trust me!!
MsDee
November 6th, 2010
4:43 pm
If we beat both Phx and Orlando, WE WILL GET TV MEDIA ATTENTION…trust me cause 1st off, we will still be undefeated in the East and 2nd, we would have beaten the Magic on a tail end of a back-to-back on their home court!!
Big Ump
November 6th, 2010
5:06 pm
drmaryb
Get off the refs(smile) I ‘m just joking with you. How everything with you?
northcyde
November 6th, 2010
5:11 pm
From Najeh:
(( Actually they will be getting 15,000 fans on Sunday because they are going head to head with a full slate of NFL games. I love the Hawks, but between one of 82 Hawks games and one of maybe 2 or 3 more Michael Vick vs. Peyton Manning matchups for the remainder of their respective careers, guess which one I’m putting on the big screen and which one I’m streaming on the laptop (along with the Chiefs-Raiders game).
David Stern needs to be a little more realistic about where the NBA sits in the pecking order of sports in America, particularly in the South. It does the NBA no good to schedule games on Sundays for the first two months of the season in football country. ))
********************
That’s not a problem in areas where the fans of that team support the squad on the regular. Just admit that there are just not that many Hawks fans in ATL, which is why the city really doesn’t give a damn about the team.
I wonder how many Falcons fans will make it a “double header” sports day, by attending the Falcons game early, hanging out around downtown, then go to the Hawks game later in the evening? I’m sure some will.
But regular Hawks fans, who aren’t going to the Falcons game, would rather stay at home, rather than go see the Hawks play an uptempo team like the Suns?
That’s why the front office should’ve brought in Shaq. At least with Shaq, that would’ve motivated some of the apatheic fans to go to Hawks games more. Ownership needs to understand that fans would rather watch stars, than to watch good basketball without any definitive stars ( that they like ).
northcyde
November 6th, 2010
5:15 pm
MsDee . . . all eyes will be on that Orlando game on Monday night, even though we have a legit excuse for losing that game ( No Marvin, and on the 2nd night of a back to back in which we have to travel to Orlando ). If we beat Phoenix, we may get a little credit. But Orlando, as you’ve said, is definitely the game we need to play well in ( even if we don’t win ).
As with last year’s team, I’m not going to start to worry about the Hawks, until they lose 3 or 4 games in a row. Last year, we only did that one time ( until the playoffs ). This year should be more of the same. Regardless of what the national media thinks of us, we were always a 50 win caliber team. The only question is if we can make the jump to being closer to a 60 win team that can do major damage in the playoffs?
northcyde
November 6th, 2010
5:23 pm
@ Najeh . . . plus it’s Kid’s Day tomorrow. No reason why the “Highlight Factory” shouldn’t be at or near capacity tomorrow, on an early Sunday evening in which the game will be over by 7:30 – 8:00PM at the latest. The Phoenix game was one of the most exciting games of the season last year. No reason why true Hawk fans shouldn’t want to see that matchup, rather than see Vick play Manning. People should TiVo or DVR or VCR record that game, and go see the Hawks game live.
northcyde
November 6th, 2010
5:28 pm
O’Brien, I agree. JJ is the one that needs to get going offensively against Orlando. I’ve long said that when it comes to Orlando, we not only have to defend Howard better and keep him from dominating on both offense and defense . . . Joe Johnson must also play a top level game, and keep us in it with his scoring.
If the trend holds true that the presence of Dwight will keep Horford’s and Smith’s scoring way down, the guards have to step up to the plate and provide the offense. Both JJ and Jamal were horrendous against Orlando during the regular season last year. During the playoffs, Jamal was a little better, while JJ was worse. So it’s going to have to be up to those two to keep us in the game, if Orlando is making shots.
MsDee
November 6th, 2010
5:38 pm
Hopefully Nelson of Orlando will not play, but even if he does, it shouldn’t be hard for Bibby to stay in front of since he wont have much strength nor speed in his ankles. That could be at least one advantage we could have going into the game. Teague is very quick and if he could drive the ball to the lane to make DHoward react, that could leave AL or who ever is playing center at that time to receive a pass from Teague for a basket.
tjhook
November 6th, 2010
5:39 pm
Just wanted to put out a suggestion for a player addition: Forward Bobby Simmons. He was released by San Antonio this weekend and would fill our need for a small forward. He can guard both forward positions, shoot the jumper and get some boards underneath (offensive rebounds). Hawks fans – can you get behind me and get some momentum going on this one?! Bobby Simmons!!!
tjhook
November 6th, 2010
5:39 pm
Mr. Cunningham,
Can you enter Bobby Simmons into the conversation when you do your coverage tonight and tomorrow?
Grandad
November 6th, 2010
5:55 pm
For all the complainers;
6 wins is 6 games you must win no matter the competition.
Hardly a profound statement, but one that seems lost on some.
Also, I would not trade Josh for LeBron.
Probably a dumb thing to say;
but I like Josh.
My point is, there are -very- few players in the league,
for whom I would trade Josh.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 6th, 2010
6:03 pm
“That’s not a problem in areas where the fans of that team support the squad on the regular. Just admit that there are just not that many Hawks fans in ATL, which is why the city really doesn’t give a damn about the team.”
I went to 15 games in the 2004 season when the Hawks won 13 games total, and I’ve been to every home playoff game the Hawks have played this millennium. If anyone is going to make it a point to watch a Hawks game, it’s me. Thankfully, I have the ability to watch both Hawks-Suns and Vick-Manning tomorrow evening, but to be real, if I had to choose one, I’d probably choose Vick-Manning, and not just because Vick is my favorite player. Like I said in my previous post, it’s a simple matter of numbers. The Hawks-Suns game is one game out of 82, and the implications of the game are far less than the implications of any given NFL game, since those are 1 out of 16. And similarly, the implications of any given NBA game are greater than those of any given MLB game, so a fan who likes both sports equally should be expected to prioritize the NBA game over the MLB game. Vick-Manning in particular is a matchup that may only occur maybe 2 or 3 more times ever again.
And when you talk about places where teams support their squads on the regular, can you give some examples? Different parts of America prioritize different sports. Georgia is quite clearly a football state with college football taking precedence over pro football. Texas is another state like that. Southern California tends to skew more towards pro basketball. Parts of the Northeast, like most of New England, tend to prioritize baseball over other sports, and much of the upper Midwest tends to prioritize hockey. A big part of which teams get supported by their local fan bases has to do with what sport they play.
All I’m saying is that it would be smart for the NBA to understand the differences among their markets and schedule accordingly. A Sunday evening NBA game makes a lot more sense in Los Angeles than it does in Atlanta. You can speculate on the reasons all you want, but the bottom line is that football is king in GA.
And finally, there’s a flip side to your idea about the double-header sports day. In this economy, people who barely have enough money to buy tickets for one sporting event are going to make a choice between watching the Falcons or the Hawks if their games occur on the same day. Between football’s greater popularity and greater implications for each game, which one do you think they will choose?
hawks_4_life
November 6th, 2010
6:14 pm
Back in the USA for a brief mission, wished the hawks played the Wizards in DC so I can see them live, either way go hawks and it feels good being back home.
ignition
November 6th, 2010
6:28 pm
Fan support is gonna be questionable for every sports team & program in the state.. Brave & Falcons have problems selling out as well..
As far as the great this is a college football town arguement that may be but GT hardly ever sells out its games and if you watch UGA you’ll notice empty seats in the stands.. So it is what it is..
Rev in Tampa
November 6th, 2010
7:08 pm
I know that LD does not have the final say in who is traded or not, but it is clear that he wants to keep Jamal. I had been hoping for a trade-deadline special to fill some needs going into the playoffs, but Drew is speaking as if Jamal is part of the core. Read him closely from MC’s article:
– “He’s a shotmaker,” L.D. said. “You need a guy like that especially when the team is off to a slow start or a situation where we need a basket. We know with him, we can run some plays and he’s always been a producer. He gives us exactly what we need. He plays his role better than anybody I’ve seen. That’s a big plus having a guy like that.”
It sounds like ASG is going to need to find a way to pay Jamal if LD has any juice with the ownership (beyond drafting Pape Sy).
truthspitter
November 6th, 2010
7:33 pm
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=2ach3lk
Marvin Williams for Donte Greene maybe a 2nd rd pick if push came to shove.
Reasoning: We could then resign Jamal to a similar contract to what Marvin has and stay under the luxury tax. We get 2 for 1 basically is what I am trying to explain, we keep Jamal and get Donte while letting Marvin go. Don’t really like Donte Greene as a starter but you could always draft a SF in the upcoming draft also. Basically, I feel that we will need to find a way to get rid of Marvin with little contract coming back to keep Jamal and there are not many ways to do this. This is the most feasible.
Fundamentals
November 6th, 2010
8:41 pm
Greene is young, he’s got length and height? How’s his quickness? Hard to rate shooting based on his stats, but how did he shoot in college?
I can’t say I’d like to lose Marvin, but I’m always up for evaluating and option. Would be nice to keep Jamal.
I still think ASG needs to come off the pocket and at least keep Jamal to get us closer to closing the gaps on the teams we’ll meet in the playoffs. Jamal is well worth the investment.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 6th, 2010
10:30 pm
This new blog format is terrible. I liked the all-comments-on-one-page look.
MsDee
November 6th, 2010
10:43 pm
With this new injury to Marvin, Truthspitter, dont think anyone would take him plus is contract. I like how Marvin is playing of late though.
Freshfromatl AKA Fresh
November 7th, 2010
12:53 am
MC,
What the hell is wrong with the blog? SMDH @ AJC!!
Clyde
November 7th, 2010
1:26 am
FIRE THE DUDE WHO REDESIGNED THIS BLOG
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
November 7th, 2010
2:28 am
i thought the ajc blog was attacked by a virus or worm but I see that it has just been redesigned. Wow this is crazy.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
November 7th, 2010
3:01 am
Truthspitter is giving Mark Bradley a run for his money – please DON’T EVER predict a win – we could go 82 – 0 this season, lol.
vava74
November 7th, 2010
3:49 am
On the HOWARD OBSESSION:
Howard’s line against one of the “Legit 7 footers” everyone likes over here:
30 points (9/16FG + 12/16FTs) 17 boards in 37 minutes.
Legit 7 footer’s line:
10 points (3/17FG + 4/4FTs) 5 boards in 31 minutes (5 fouls).
Legit 7 footer’s name:
BROOK LOPEZ
Geemack
November 7th, 2010
6:53 am
northcyde
The Hawks have no excuse not to beat the Magic. Marvin is inconsistent anyway so his contributions want be missed.
He is the motivation for the Hawks against the Magic. This team has embarassed you the last 9 games 4gm regular season, 4gm playoff, & 1 pre season) you’ve played them.
Hint to the Hawks….Dwight Howard is not your problem, so please stop double teaming him. Concentrate your efforts on contaning dribble penatration and playing aggressive defense on the shooter of Orlando.
Then again your fear of Dwight will lead to another blow come Monday night.
I’m glad the Heat aren’t afraid of Dwight.
Rev in Tampa
November 7th, 2010
7:05 am
Make your voice heard…
Who should be fired first:
A. Rick Sund
B. The Blog Designer
I’ll tally the results after MC puts up the new post for this afternoon’s game and report them around the start of the game.
Melvin
November 7th, 2010
8:24 am
Man, it going to be funny and sad to see J-Chill in an non-Hawks uniform playing in the highlight factory…. Hawks really could use his length and atheletism on defense and his free styling cuts to the basket on offense….
J from the A
November 7th, 2010
8:57 am
First, GO HAWKS!
Second, I have to agree with the others who don’t like the new blog format. The 10-posts-per-page isn’t too awful, and I am sure we can all get used to that. But I really don’t like reading the posts from newest to oldest. Many of the newer posts are responses to older posts, and under this format, we are reading the responses before the posts.
ILL-Logical
November 7th, 2010
9:47 am
If you are complaining about the Dunwoody Journal Constitution’s new format here just check out the headlines in the dead tree edition. The gist: inside the perimeter = bad; outside the perimeter=GOOD! Last time I checked,the Hawks played ITP.
old blog interface please
November 7th, 2010
10:17 am
i was like damn i gotta stop smokin then i realized they utterly destroyed the blog interface
old blog interface please
November 7th, 2010
10:18 am
gues i’ll go to peachtree hoops til they get this whole thing sorted out
terrell
November 7th, 2010
11:01 am
Bring Marvin off the bench with Jamal when he comes back. Makes the bench even deeper.
terrell
November 7th, 2010
11:02 am
Btw, THIS FORMAT IS TERRIBLE!
jc_dawgs
November 7th, 2010
11:29 am
Back in 97….the Hawks started 11-0 but many of those victories were very close and the Hawks lucked out on some of those wins.
This year….though there are no blowouts in this 6-0 start and the competition has been weak….I cant help but notice that the Hawks are still winning and rather comfortably. They make sure they are up by at least several possessions in the 4th qtr and they appear to just put things on auto pilot and they still win. They are 6-0 and they still look like they are saving there best game for later.
This team gets better every year and as long as Drew makes sure there is no quit in the face of adversity….this Hawks team can be as good as any….even the Heat….even the Lakers.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
November 7th, 2010
12:04 pm
@Sam’l, I have stated that Jamal is integral to this teams success. He is a piece we cannot afford to let go. His instant offense off the bench would be sorely missed if we let his contract expire.
truthspitter
November 7th, 2010
12:06 pm
Today we will have 2 mismatches. Joe should be able to overpower JRich at the rim and Al should overpower Hedo at the rim. On the other hand, I think the Suns will play a lot of zone to take the Hawks out of what they want to do and cover up there weaknesses. Lastly, the Suns have 4 or 5 legit SF’s to our zero today and I think that depth will eventually cost our 1st loss. Then Monday will be our 2nd lost. From 6-0 to two losses in a row then you people will finally get what I get, which is this team will probably win around 50 games but they are a huge fraud because they are not built to take the next step, which is making it to the Eastern Conference Finals, Phoenix bench will demolish our bench today.
truthspitter
November 7th, 2010
12:07 pm
You lame dudes complaining about format all you have to do is press “show all” and it goes back to what you are used to. Just saying.