Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic: ‘Next step’ for Hawks?
It’s only November. This is just one of 82, as they say.
Except this date with Orlando is the first since you-know-what, and I don’t think anyone believes the ramifications won’t go beyond one game in the standings.
Hawks tri-captain Al rejected the notion they need this one for their psyche. Credibility is another matter.
“I don’t even think it has to do so much with confidence, but I think if we want to be considered as a contender to win the division, this is the step we have to take,” he said.
There’s been no indication that the Hawks have the quality of depth to compete with the Magic. Orlando is without Jameer Nelson, and that’s a major break for Atlanta. VC will play with a bum hip.
But the Hawks left Marvin and Mo back in Atlanta. L.D. says Marvin could miss up to two weeks: “After the first week, it’s about how much he can tolerate the pain.”
L.D. is going with Twin as the starting center again. Orlando reporters, who apparently examined Atlanta’s roster, asked L.D. if the Hawks really have the personnel to allow Al to move to power forward on more than a temporary basis.
“We’ve got some big pieces that can allow him to play some four,” he said. “That was a focus this summer was to bring in some more big bodies.”
When Al talked about the Hawks needing a bona fide center to be a true contender, obviously this is one of the matchups he was talking about. But it’s interesting that when the conversation with Al turned to Dwight’s impact on this series, he talked less about Dwight and more about Orlando’s shooters.
“In the past obviously he has hurt us, but more importantly their outside shooters have hurt us,” he said. “That is the challenge is to limit them. We can’t be giving them threes like that.”
Unfortunately for the Hawks, they just played a game in which they gave up all kinds of threes to the Suns. Or maybe it’s actually fortunate for them because L.D. had some fresh video to show them this morning detailing how their main issue was failing to match up in transition due to poor floor balance.
“When that shot goes up, I freeze the frame and I see that first guy not taking that first step,” he said.
By that, he means the guards. He wants them to help on the defensive glass but they “are not big offensive rebounders” so he doesn’t want them to think about helping on the offensive glass at all. If the threes or fours are caught on the perimeter and don’t have a chance for the board, he wants them to get back, too.
“All of that has been identified,” L.D. said. “Guys know what their jobs are.”
Take the jumper. Please
Dwight so far is taking and making more shots from beyond 10 feet. The goal is for him to diversify his offensive game, and maybe it works– L.D. said Dwight looks comfortable shooting from out there: “It just reminds you so much of Tim Duncan.”
Still, until Dwight starts making jumpers with the same consistency that he brings the thunder, L.D. picks door No. 2.
“Coaches are going to play the percentages,” he said. “I’d rather see him take a 12 foot jumper than to post up in the paint, because I know when he’s in the paint he’s almost unstoppable. At least when he shoots the jumper there’s a chance he will miss.”
MC
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403 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
November 8th, 2010
9:17 pm
There’s gotta be a better crunch time play in the playbook than Iso-Crawford. Come on.
Melvin
November 8th, 2010
9:17 pm
How come Vince gets away with dropping his shoulder on his drives…
YoDaddy
November 8th, 2010
9:18 pm
LD shoulda stayed with his big lineup…
bigdave
November 8th, 2010
9:18 pm
that was a pick and roll.. they went to the same play.. Crawford just didnt wait.. he felt like he could take JJ
Eldridge Recasner
November 8th, 2010
9:19 pm
Same old Hawks. No go to guy in crunch time
Wabe
November 8th, 2010
9:19 pm
I know he just missed…
But what the hell are we fouling so quickly for?
It’s still only a two possession game. If you play good defense and get the rock back – you’re still in it.
Jody
November 8th, 2010
9:20 pm
Should have stayed with the better lineup.
Wabe
November 8th, 2010
9:20 pm
Eldridge Recasner
November 8th, 2010
9:19 pm
Same old Hawks. No go to guy in crunch time
Same old Hawks?
If this was the same old Hawks – the Magic would have the starters on the bench looking at the reserves running up the score.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 8th, 2010
9:20 pm
GREAT play out of the timeout!
bigdave
November 8th, 2010
9:20 pm
thats what a hunded million plus uh get ya..
Wabe
November 8th, 2010
9:21 pm
Switch
Najeh Davenpoop
November 8th, 2010
9:21 pm
Aaaaand… switching kills them again.
bigdave
November 8th, 2010
9:21 pm
LD kill the switch.
Wabe
November 8th, 2010
9:21 pm
Go figure
Melvin
November 8th, 2010
9:21 pm
Poor Horford, get caught in the switch every time….
lewis
November 8th, 2010
9:21 pm
great game win or loss
Jody
November 8th, 2010
9:22 pm
The Hawks need another guy like Jason Collins at the 5. I’m suprised he didn’t get in in the 4th quarter. He could have made a difference.
lewis
November 8th, 2010
9:23 pm
great game without marvin and mo too mo can guard vince easy
bigdave
November 8th, 2010
9:23 pm
foul the choke artist..
Eldridge Recasner
November 8th, 2010
9:23 pm
Wabe,
How often do the Magic go 4 for 22 from 3?
bigdave
November 8th, 2010
9:24 pm
need 3.
Wabe
November 8th, 2010
9:25 pm
Have you seen the Hawks defense tonight?
They’ve actually been stout closing out on guys beyond the arc.
They let Howard get his, but those were contested looks the Magic were taking.
cp
November 8th, 2010
9:26 pm
Its a tough L but I love the effort from the guys tonight. They didn’t even compete with Orlando last year but they had a chance to win tonight. I know the same cast of characters are going to come on here and gloat about the L but they didn’t quit tonight.
ATL FAN
November 8th, 2010
9:26 pm
Unlucky Horford, great game.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 8th, 2010
9:26 pm
Eldridge Recasner does make a good point, that the Magic — Rashard Lewis in particular — were ice cold from 3 in this game and were missing Jameer Nelson. With that said, the Hawks’ problems against this team were just as much mental as they were related to talent and execution, and it appears that the Hawks are in the process of overcoming the mental hurdle.
Jody
November 8th, 2010
9:27 pm
Tough loss indeed, but the Hawks played well. They just came up short.
Wabe
November 8th, 2010
9:27 pm
It sucks that they lost.
It sucks they lost two heartbreakers in back to back nights.
But, be real, the Hawks actually look like they belong on the same floor as the Magic tonight. They actually had a gameplan – stuck with it – and stood toe to toe with the Magic.
Don’t get me wrong, you don’t play for moral victories. But, the Hawks have no reason to hang their heads.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 8th, 2010
9:27 pm
Bill Simmons tweeted a good point — when teams knock Vince Carter down on his drives early in the game, he starts settling for jumpers. The Hawks never did this in the first half, and maybe if they had, Vince settles for a jumper over Horford on that last drive instead of taking it to the hoop. Who knows.
cp
November 8th, 2010
9:27 pm
I have been one of the biggest Teague supporters on here but dude just does not take advantage of his opportunities. He is just way too passive and he cant knock down open shots.
Eldridge Recasner
November 8th, 2010
9:28 pm
Can’t beat Orlando on their worst night and without Nelson. Hawks still have no killer instinct. Nothing has changed.
YoDaddy
November 8th, 2010
9:28 pm
@najeh
I’m not trying to hear that…Rashard Lewis is notorious for his disappearing acts and the Hawks made a concious effort to guard the three point line and it worked. They played some defense this game
Magic were without Jameer well the Hawks didn’t have an active small forward so it evens out
Freshfromatl AKA Fresh
November 8th, 2010
9:28 pm
Lol good game. I’ll be at the Highlight Factory Friday night.
Hawks v Magic
November 8th, 2010
9:28 pm
Hawks lose but it wasn’t really shocking. After going 6-0 against the “ok” teams, they’re 0-2 against the better teams and they’ve still got to go through two more good teams before getting back to the “ok” teams
Jody
November 8th, 2010
9:28 pm
I wonder if LD will stick with this lineup for Wenesday game against the Bucks? I hope so.
Melvin
November 8th, 2010
9:29 pm
Nice effort from the Hawks tonight. I don’t feel bad about this loss at all. Back to back games and limited rotation, i thought they played well considering those factors.
bigdave
November 8th, 2010
9:29 pm
im sorry but it wasnt just coincidence that the Magic shot poorly.. the Hawks contested shots all night. it wasnt just wide open bombs away like games past. when shooters got open looks and time to set feet you saw the results. big 3 from J Will for example.
ill give my team credit tonight.. defense was there. Magic live and die with 3.. Hawks gave them nothing.
Wabe
November 8th, 2010
9:31 pm
I understand those that are pointing out that the Magic didn’t shoot well.
But, how can you say that the Hawks didn’t play a role into their poor shooting performance? It’s not as if the Magic were missing wide open jumpers. The Hawks were doing a hell of a job closing out on the Magic perimeter guys. They let Dwight go one on one for most of this game – but when they came to double, guys did a solid job rotating around the perimeter.
bigdave
November 8th, 2010
9:31 pm
“Rashard Lewis is notorious for his disappearing acts and the Hawks made a concious effort to guard the three point line and it worked. They played some defense this game”
EXACTLY!!!!!!!!
i refuse to believe Hawks were in this game by luck and injury! CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE!
bigdave
November 8th, 2010
9:32 pm
exactly Wabe..
MsDee
November 8th, 2010
9:32 pm
why are you on my computer?
Najeh Davenpoop
November 8th, 2010
9:32 pm
“I’m not trying to hear that…Rashard Lewis is notorious for his disappearing acts and the Hawks made a concious effort to guard the three point line and it worked. They played some defense this game”
I’m not taking anything away from the way the Hawks played. They played well enough to beat most teams. But at the same time it’s hard to pretend like this was the best the Magic could play.
Doesn’t mean there’s nothing to take away from this game for the Hawks. This is a significant step forward, even if the Hawks ended up on the wrong side of the scoreboard.
MsDee
November 8th, 2010
9:33 pm
Enter your comments here
NRBQ
November 8th, 2010
9:34 pm
Excuse me, but I thought the Drew formula was ball movement.
Somebody please tell JJ.
Wabe
November 8th, 2010
9:35 pm
And, for all the jokes we threw at Jason Collins last season, the dude is serviceable. His defense isn’t all that bad – and he affords us the ability to go one on one with Dwight. Dwight got his, but Collins prescence allows everybody else to stay home. Offensively, the guy can make that 10-12 foot jumper around the basket.
Not too bad for a guy that rarely saw the floor last season.
Make the most with what you got.
Jody
November 8th, 2010
9:36 pm
The Hawks indeed played a major role in the Magic’s poor perimeter shooting and you can thank Jason Collins in large part for that. He was big enough and skilled enough to guard Howard single coverage thus reducing the number of open attempts for their perimeter guys. It’s as simple as that. Their perimeter guys don’t get open looks unless Dwight is having a easy time inside and drawing double teams.
Rufus1
November 8th, 2010
9:37 pm
Hawk Defense
The defense the Hawks played tonight was GREAT…I do want to hear about the shooters were off, they didn’t have open looks. They were missing because we did not double D12 and were were closing out HARD. WE WERE PLAYING ON A BACK-TO-BACK, they were well rested because they had only played 5 games.
The Hawks are a different team and I now BELIEVE WE CAN COME OUT OF THE EAST.
bigdave
November 8th, 2010
9:38 pm
folks just refuse to believe that a solid game plan and scheme can be put in place to beat this Magic team. .. it being his 1st shot at them, if this is what LD is going to bring to the table against this Magic team who we get WAXED by with regularity.. and if this is how our team will respond.. then im all in.
O'Brien
November 8th, 2010
9:38 pm
Najeh,
Horford should have fouled Vince hard on that play. No way we can afford to give up and ones.
Some positives: Hawks +3 in rebounding, and we did not get blown out, despite this being a back to back.
However, Hawks only 4-13 (32%) from behind the arc. We need to improve our 3 pt %.
I didnt see the game, but I see Josh was 6-15. Was he missing open looks, was he taking bad shots?
bigdave
November 8th, 2010
9:40 pm
our philosophy last year gave us no chance against this team.. LD gives us a shot
Jody
November 8th, 2010
9:42 pm
How about that stat line from Josh? 13 pts, 13 rebounds and 6 assists primarily at the 3 spot. This guy is a really good player folks.