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
Ken Strickland
November 9th, 2010
10:46 am
GEORGE-Maintaining a positive attitude towards this yrs Hawks has been very easy for me. While most of our fans thinking the only way for the Hawks to improve was to spend money on one FA after another, I saw if differently. I, along with a few others, felt Woodson was holding the team back, and we were winning inspite of him, not because of him. I was jumped on by many for blaming Woodson for most of the teams problems, and that he should be fired.
I knew the ASG hired LDrew to minimize the adjustment and transition issues that usually comes with hiring a new HC, but he was also hired to rid the team of Woodson’s imprint and make upgrades, which he’s done. Once LDrew was hired, I knew there would be major changes in the overall approach and attitude of of the team. He took over running and saying all or the right things that made me feel confident about what the ASG had done. Unlike some of our fans, I didn’t look to take a negative approach to what he was saying.
He’s done everything he said he’d do, like:
1-Getting JJ easier shot opportunities
2-Getting improved play from Marvin and Bibby
3-Installing a very effective Motion OFF that has promoted better ball and player movement
4-held each player accountable for playing individual DEF
5-developing his bench, expanding his rotation and getting better production
6-not over playing his starters
7-playing, developing, and getting production out of Teague, particularly on DEF
7-making players focus on the gm rather than arguing with refs about calls
8-getting the most out of his players
If a fan focuses on every perceived weakness of the team, it’s an easy to do, because every team has issues, even the reighing 2time NBA champion Lakers. It’s the most successful teams have developed their positive attributes to a point where opposing teams find it hard to take advantage of their weakness without getting into trouble. A perfect example is the Orlando Magic. Teams that are obsessed with trying to stop DHoward, their OFF and DEF strength, usually get destroyed by his teammates.
Woodson double teamed him, because he felt Horford couldn’t handle him, and he couldn’t come up with a DEF scheme to give his centers any help. As a result, we’d get creamed whenever we played them. But last night, we attacked him, made him work hard offensively, and took them to the wire. We’ll beat most teams with last nights effort. The officials allowed them to be very physical when challenging shots, and allowed them to go over our backs for rebounds.
Within the last couple of months some fans were making an issue of the players not buying into LDrew and his Motion OFF. They also made an issue of the players possibly quitting on LDrew like they quit on Woodson during last yrs playoffs. To those who made that an issue, does it look like the players will quit on LDrew? It’s funny, fans expect Teague to get over an entire yr of the WOODY TREATMENT in 8gms, yet these fans have yet to adjust to the fact this is a different HC, with an entirely different approach, and different OFF/DEF systems, resulting in a different team, although it’s comprised of basically the same players. OUR PLAYERS, ESPECIALLY MARVIN AND TEAGUE, AREN’T THE ONLY ONES THAT NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR MINDSET AND/OR ATTITUDE.
valleyboy32
November 10th, 2010
11:54 am
until they beat the elite teams consistantly i’m not a beliver
Big Ump
November 10th, 2010
6:48 pm
Teague is suppose to be a pro. I been around lot of athletes even though it’s a different sport. You think Woody were rough on Teague then you haven’t seen anything. I have ben around managers and coaches who have said a lot worse to their players in the clubhouse, media, and in the open. Some of these players is consider stars. But guess what they listen and shove it to the side, and go out and perform like they suppose too. In my opinion if a coach can take your manhood from you that easy, then you need to find another line of work. There no excusees. I still think Teague will get it together.
i