Utah Jazz at Atlanta Hawks: Still happy, together?
L.D. called guys out during the Thursday video session and apparently some feelings got hurt. When the team huddled up after practice, he told them: “This is no time to be sensitive. I’m willing to admit when I’m wrong and you have to be able to look in the mirror. There is going to be accountability.”
Smoove and Al, who got into during a timeout huddle in the Bucks game, both said the team remains together.
“It took a game like that to wake us up to doing things the right way and staying together,” Smoove said.
“I think for a moment there everybody kind of went their own ways on the court,” Al said. “We came back together [Thursday] solid. We have to make a commitment to each other to always try to stick together even when the going gets tough.”
Wednesday night’s debacle was reminiscent of Atlanta’s meltdown against Orlando last spring, but L.D. said he’s fine with some healthy disagreement:
“It kind of comes with the territory any time you lose. The most important thing is that we don’t fragment. I want those guys upset. I want them mad that they didn’t play well, they didn’t play the way capable of playing. I want them them jawing at each other but do it in a constructive way and allow that frustration to transfer to [Friday] night’s game and let’s take it out on the Jazz. I think it’s healthy for a team if it’s done in the right way. But it it causes any kind of problems among the players, then it’s a problem. I embrace that, especially if it’s done the right way.”
Crucial conflict
At Hoopinion, Bret LaGree succinctly sums up L.D.’s dilemma when it comes to his reserves:
Larry Drew’s commitment to using his bench both to develop depth* and not to exhaust his starters is theoretically sound. Practically, he lacks the personnel to accomplish either goal without suffering in-game consequences. Jamal Crawford** and Zaza Pachulia are his only (healthy) quality reserves. There are very good reasons why Josh Powell, Jason Collins, and Etan Thomas have not been rotation players in the NBA for years and the drop-off from All-Star starters to sub-replacement level reserves will cause conflict between Drew’s desires and the realities of winning basketball games.
**Jamal Crawford is still a valuable offensive contributor to this team but, as he reverts to his career norms following a career year and has to fit into a team concept which does not suit his particular skills as well as the absolute scoring freedom Mike Woodson gave him, his weaknesses become more apparent with each passing game.
And the consequences of the conflict for Drew that LaGree desribes, which has been exacerbated by injuries exposing Atlanta’s unbalanced roster, lead to the kind of things you saw in the Bucks game: Guys are playing out of position, not suited for their roles or simply not good enough, and suddenly the whole thing falls apart and everyone’s frustrated.
Mo is back tonight (L.D. said he would come off the bench) and Marvin is close so perhaps when those players return and the rotation gets back to normal things won’t be so out of whack for the reserves.
“I like our bench,” Zaza said. “We have great guys. We’ve got bigs, athletic, shooters, quickness. I feel confident about our bench. We just need to make it more consistent.”
MC
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254 comments Add your comment
dukester
November 12th, 2010
2:27 pm
Dont know why that was embarassing the other night. I am through with it. If the Hawks organization is happy with this team who am I to argue with them. The laws of losing will make a change in GM, coaching staff and players. Lets see how the chips fall.
dukester
November 12th, 2010
2:28 pm
Darn am I first?? WHooo I have hit the lotto where is everybody?? Dang have all the Hawks fans given up!! LOL knock knock anybody out there in cyber space.
Rev in Tampa
November 12th, 2010
2:38 pm
I am not as concerned with the lack of quality depth on the bench as I am with the lack of character. I want to see this team play through adversity. I want to see this team play hard when they get down by double digits.
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
2:44 pm
MC is Mo starting tonight?
beone
November 12th, 2010
2:47 pm
Let’s hope that LD sticks to his guns and makes these guys own up to their shortcomings with improvement as the goal. Whoever can’t face the truth and finds excuses for everything so as to divert the blame away from them should be traded so as not to poison the whole team. If that means trading a supposed star, then so be it.
Marcus
November 12th, 2010
2:49 pm
I suspected the injuries and players in unfamilar roles is caused the dustup.
BTW, when did the blog start showing upside down. Most recent posts at the top, older at the bottom?
NCBravesFan
November 12th, 2010
2:54 pm
Sounds like the inevitable “Come to Jesus” moment has finally taken place – which you figure was going to happen sooner or later. Hopefully the Lord is a rare sight in Hawksville, as repeated visits have been shown to lessen the impact.
GT Alum
November 12th, 2010
2:54 pm
Glad to hear LD isn’t too worried about hurting these guys’ feelings to push them to play to their abilities. This team definitely doesn’t have the consistent focus of a championship team, so hopefully he’ll push them to see that you need to have fun playing while staying focused on assignments and doing your job. The players liked him before he got the job and wanted him as the head coach, so hopefully he has the rapport with them where they can take it as him trying to make them the best they can be and not be hurt by it.
cp
November 12th, 2010
2:55 pm
I hope he does hold guys accountable…The talent on the bench is just not there and many of us complained about it this past summer but Sund felt like the bench was fine. I just didn’t understand signing guys who have not been solid contributors in years and in Etans case maybe 4 to 5 years. As long as the front office is fine with what we have then we will continue to have the same issues.
Section 303
November 12th, 2010
2:57 pm
I’m all for guys taking ownership in the team and getting on each other. It can be a good thing, if used right. Tom Izzo’s players are always getting on each other (and him), but they can handle it. I’m not sure about the Hawks players.
Also, these guys have been in the league for years now. Why are they still needing lessons in how to play hard? How many times to we have to read/hear about this stuff before they get it? This is why I think a move needs to be made with this roster. Bring in some players that can set an example. We have one, Al. He needs some help.
What makes this all so frustrating is you know this same situation will come up at least 3-4 more times this year. The Hawks will quit in a game, we’ll read about Coach Drew getting on them, they will tell us how they “needed that” to get back on track, win a few games, quit in a game later….it is a never ending cycle with this group of headcases.
NCBravesFan
November 12th, 2010
2:58 pm
One thing that I wonder about on the accountability issue – with a thin bench, just how much leverage does LD ultimately have?
Michael Cunningham
November 12th, 2010
3:10 pm
@Ramon: “MC is Mo starting tonight?”
no, i forgot to add that. thanks . . .
Astro Joe
November 12th, 2010
3:35 pm
Well, this should make for an interesting season. If nothing else, a single leader will likely emerge and others will fall in line (or be ticked off and/or shipped out). I vote for employee #15 as the primary leader of this never-say-die crew!
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
3:40 pm
Al Horford does not play defense. Zaza can not play defense and is pure garbage. The Hawks need a total makeover on the frontline. At the end of the season we will be in the lottery.
GT Alum
November 12th, 2010
4:00 pm
NCBravesFan -
Things like extra practice, calling people out in film sessions and during games. It may result in hurt feelings and more trade demands, but, if there’s people here who don’t want to do what they need to for this team to be as good as it can be, I’m fine with shipping them out.
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
4:02 pm
Section 303, you say we have someone who sets an example in Horford? So why is the Hawks always lacking any interior defensive presence aside from Smoove (a couple of times MC has reported this)? So should the rest of the team follow the example Horford has set on defense? Sorry I like Horford. But it seems like the more points he’s scoring. The more his defense is suffering.
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
4:03 pm
@ MC, thanks. I think if you go get a jersey from the Equipment manager. You may can get you 2-4 minutes of playing time tonight at SF, lol.
i_am_soulstar
November 12th, 2010
4:07 pm
I’m glad some feelings got hurt. Someone needs to be pissed off after a 3 game losing streak!!!! Phoenix and Orlando were good efforts. But that game against the Bucks was just pathetic.
Don’t get mad if L.D.’s calling you out.
MAN UP!!!!!!!!!!
Big Ray
November 12th, 2010
4:08 pm
IInteresting. Well, we shall see if the Hawks can walk the walk, since they talk the talk.
They realized that they’re not sticking together. What will MAKE them stick together? Will they ever be able to do this? Or does something have to change?
The idea that Al Horford doesn’t play defense still makes me laugh….
Big Ray
November 12th, 2010
4:09 pm
OH, and I’m glad that LD hurt some feelings, then told them to get over it. About time we got some tough love. Now suck it up and get grown.
i_am_soulstar
November 12th, 2010
4:10 pm
Just glad we have one of our perimeter defender’s back. Welcome back Mo.
lewis
November 12th, 2010
4:13 pm
Al Horford doesn’t block shots. He forces people into bad ones.
You’re a fool if you don’t think he plays D.
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
4:14 pm
Big Ray, I didn’t say Horford doesn’t play defense, he does. But he’s only average on defense. And I’m not speaking about the blocks. On this team, at best Horford is the 5th best defender. In the league, at PF or C he wouldn’t be in the top 10 defensively, with the way he’s been playing defense this season. He’s serviceable.
lewis
November 12th, 2010
4:14 pm
I think Jamal’s feelings were hurt.
No one cares about him anymore because he’s proved to be useless in anything other than 1-1 bball.
Defenses look to exploit him even more so than Bibby.
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
4:17 pm
Lewis, Jamal is a walking testimony that its better to trade too early, than it is to trade too late. Its beginning to look more and more like too late. If he scores 18 points tonight. The person he’s guarding will score 15.
lewis
November 12th, 2010
4:26 pm
http://bit.ly/aUa631 Al not playing D
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
4:33 pm
Lewis, so you would put Horford in the top 10-15 post position defenders in the league?
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
4:34 pm
I said this trade last week, and I still would do it today. Jamal and Zaza for Prince and Big Ben.
Jerome
November 12th, 2010
4:36 pm
Since Mo will be coming off of the bench tonight, that basically means that Collins will be starting at Center again. I really don’t like this idea much, because I am very uncomfortable with Smoove playing the 3 (L.D. should be uncomfortable with that as well and should have abandoned the idea by now), and Collins is basically invisible on the offensive end. Collins may be okay matching up against Jefferson if Jefferson does nothing but stand and bang with him in the post, but the jumbo lineup causes a myriad of other problems.
First off, on the defensive end, we are definitely weaker on the perimeter with Josh at the 3 because he is not only unaccustomed to playing on the perimeter or chasing around shooters, but he also gives guys way too much room when he’s out there, which often results in uncontested jumpers. Additionally, a lot of the more skilled SFs will use their quickness to get by Josh. Also, on the interior, We are definitely better defensively with Al at Center and Josh at power forward than with Collins at center. If the opposing center has any type of quickness or agility, this poses a problem for collins.
Now, lets talk about the offensive end. First off, having Collins at center basically forces the Hawks to play 4 vs. 5 or even 3 1/2 vs. 5 at times, because the opposing team is not going to pay much attention at all to Collins. As we’ve seen in the previous games, he’s been left wide open numerous times, but can’t make the defense pay because he’s just not a very good offensive player. Additionally, having Collins out there clobs the lane, and inhibit’s other players’ offense as well. It gives Al Horford less space to operate, and because Josh is not a threat on the perimeter, It allows opposing defensives to sink into the paint and turn the Hawks into a jump-shooting team in a lot of cases.
Also, when this happens, the offense starts to bog down and instead of going to our bigs in the post for inside-out offense, Jamal or Joe (primarily Jamal) starts to revert to his old habits. Not to mention that our bench only makes matters worse.
Additionally, I don’t like the idea of L.D. reward certain guys with playing time when they have essentially done nothing to prove that they deserve it, meanwhile taking playing time away from those who clearly deserve to be playing even more. Collins was alright in the Orlando game against Dwight, but other than that, he’s really done nothing to prove that he should be starting right now. I know that L.D. is shorthanded, but I could image better or less vulnerable lineups without Collins. I know L.D. doesn’t want to go too small because his wing players may be posted up, but there are ways to get around this. First off, if Joe starts at the 3, I don’t think there will be many cases where he gets he will be taken into the post. At 6′7″, 240 lbs. Joe is still a physical presence even at the 3 and can no doubt hold his own at that position. Now, in terms of the two, I’m not a fan of starting Jamal for various reasons, but why not give someone like Jordan Crawford a shot. He has at least shown that he deserves some playing time (much moreso than Collins). Defensively, he can’t be any worse defensively than Jamal who L.D. has no problem with playing massive minutes. The SG position is obviously Jordan Crawford’s natural position and he has decent size. Also, offensively, if he stays under control, he doesn’t hurt you on the offense end, and is definitely a better offensive option than Collins and helps to give the Hawks better spacing. Sure, he may have some slip ups defensively, but I think it’s a better gamble to go small and play Jordan and risk some ticky-tac fouls and potential post-ups than it is to play Collins at the 5 and risk perimeter players taking advantage of Josh and opposing teams being able to key in on the Hawks offense by ignoring two of it’s players.
I just wanted to throw that out there because some of L.D.’s decisions so far have made me scratch my head a little bit. Oh, and one other things. L.D. needs to give Al more minutes. He should without a doubt be playing at least 30+ minutes on any given night. He should be playing even bigger minutes when you consider our scrub bigs on the bench.
Section 303
November 12th, 2010
4:36 pm
Ramon, you didn’t see Josh Smith throw his hands up and quit in the Bucks game? You missed that? And, what’s wrong with Al’s D? I think you’re forgetting he is playing at the 5 when he should be a 4.
Horford is the only real leader this team has. That’s just a truth. Accept it.
But, whatever, I’m so tired of reading the stupid quotes like ““It took a game like that to wake us up to doing things the right way and staying together”….sure it did, you f’ing idiot! Can’t wait to read similar quotes in a couple months when the team starts tanking again. Some of these guys will just never get it..
Astro Joe
November 12th, 2010
4:39 pm
Man, after reading that blog, I almost hope that they lose by 25, just to see what happens next? Bunch of babies! Who is going to man-up on this team? And when?
Jerome
November 12th, 2010
4:41 pm
Pardon the typos. I typed up that last post rather quickly. Most of the typos should still make sense, but in case it confuses anyone, I’d like to point out one in particular. I meant to say “clogs the paint”, not “clobs the paint” in the third paragraph of the last post.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
4:45 pm
As always, LD says all the right things. Let’s see if his words translate into the appropriate actions. They couldn’t have hand picked a better litmus test for their mental toughness than the red hot Jazz, who seem to have mastered the art of the double digit comeback. If they can close out the Jazz in this game decisively, I’ll be convinced that they actually have taken a step towards resolving their issues.
lewis
November 12th, 2010
5:08 pm
Defense is about hustle and Al hustles.
So does Mo.
So do Joe and Josh.
Zaza tries but he cannot jump or really get a stop at will.
Powell thinks he’s Ray Allen or Josh Smith or something with those jumpers.
Our bench can’t even slow down a team let alone stop one.
This team is 7 deep on a good day.
Can’t wait for the game tonight.
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
5:11 pm
Section 303, Josh made the gesture with his hands in the 2nd quarter. But he came right back HUSTLING on defense in the 3rd quarter. Do you read the Twitter accounts during the games? So if he was hustling on defense, and was the only player on the Hawks who appeared to be doing so in the 3rd quarter AFTER the gesture, how was it that it was him that gave up? And how are you saying Horford leads by example, but everyone says the entire team gave up?
How many times have you read that Josh was the only resistance at the rim for the Hawks? If Horford is on defense, why isn’t he there also? Glen Davis doesn’t block any one’s shot, but he does draw a lot of charges. How many charges have Horford drawn, since he can’t block shots that well? I don’t remember seeing that many. I actually think sorry Zaza has drawn more charges than Horford has (not saying Zaza is better because he’s not). But when Josh isn’t in the game, Horford does not do a good job of protecting the rim.
Also, the last three games, Horford hasn’t been playing against huge lineups that are so much larger than he is. Horford, Zo, B. Wallace, Mahorn, Bill Laimbeer (was only a half an inch taller than Horford) and a few others are all remotely the same size. Horford plays scared and soft on the defensive end some times. He reminds me of the young Pau Gasol.
Section 303
November 12th, 2010
5:11 pm
Najeh, they probably will beat the Jazz tonight. But, what does that prove? They’ve won games like tonight several times over the years. The same problems are still there. They still fold/quit on games. They still will not play hard all the time. Nothing ever changes.
This “core” group that Sund jerks it to every night needs to be broken up a little bit. Get some players in here who know how to play hard and play like professionals every night. Not just when they are trying to redeem themselves for quitting in the previous game.
I’m off to Philps soon. Already know what I’ll see….the Hawks will win. But, stick around, these problems that we are reading about today will be back soon enough.
Section 303
November 12th, 2010
5:14 pm
Ramon, next time you watch a game, be sure to look on the court. Because, that’s where the game is played. I’m not sure what you’re looking at. I could not disagree with your Horford take more.
And, Josh quit on Wednesday. He did. And, he will do it again. Because, that’s who he is.
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
5:17 pm
Section 303, the entire team (including the coaches) quit on Wed., including Horford.
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
5:20 pm
Section 303, I’ve been around basketball my entire life. I have played basketball my entire life. I’ve had multiple coaches throughout my life. And I’ve studied the game of basketball. Horford isn’t an impact player on defense.
Section 303
November 12th, 2010
5:28 pm
Ramon, I apologize. Didn’t realize I was talking to John Wooden’s ghost.
I will agree that the whole team should take crap for Wednesday.
They will win tonight. I have no doubt at all. They always seem to win when people are cutting on them. But, these problems will be back.
I’m off to the arena. Maybe the organization will wake up and realize some changes need to be made. But, tolerating halfassed efforts from players is something the Hawks excel in.
lifelong Hawks fan
November 12th, 2010
5:29 pm
Ramon, i don’t know which games you watch, but you could easily make an argument that Al is our best defender. He is the only big on the team who defends ball screens consistently well, giving help when needed, communicating switches when needed, and then recovering to his man. He communicates well, he defends guards better than joe, bibby, or crawford, and he’s our best defensive rebounder. Not only that, he was one of the best in the league in defending on post ups last year, in terms of points scored per post up. The Hawks would be lost on defense without Al
Section 303
November 12th, 2010
5:49 pm
Ramon….I’m taking back my John Woodon’s ghost comment and my remark about making sure you watch the court when the game is played. Slipped into Internet Warrior d-bag mode there. My apologies.
Now, off to Philips.
Aaron
November 12th, 2010
5:52 pm
Ramon,
Why not just quit while you’re ahead? Your biased criticism of Al Horford just causes you to lose more and more credibility, and it is obvious that just about everyone disagrees with your take on Horford’s defense. Also, you claim that you’ve watched and played basketball all of your life, well I don’t know what type of ball you’ve been playing, because from a coach’s standpoint, Horford does exactly what you want your big men to do on the defensive end and more. He’s smart, effective, and doesn’t gamble on the defensive end. Horford rarely makes mistakes on defense, and while he may not be #1 on the stat sheet in blocks, Horford gets it done.
One very naive misconception about defense is that you can measure it by how many blocks or steals a player averages, but blocking shots or getting a steal is not necessarily a gauge of defensive effectiveness by itself. Keep in mind that some of the best statistical shot blockers in league history have acquired those numbers from help side blocks. Think about that. It means that in a lot of cases, those blocks came from a defensive gamble where the player left his man to protect the rim. In some cases, this pays off, in other cases, it doesn’t.
Defense is about preventing an opponent from scoring, and whether you do that by forcing them into tough shots, forcing turnovers/offensive fouls, blocking shots, or controlling the boards, there are numerous ways to get it done. Horford definitely gets it done. I’m not saying he’s flawless, but he’s pretty darn solid on defense and the numbers don’t lie. He was #1 last season statistically in individual post defense because out of all post plays which were run against him, he allowed opponents to score on only a very small percentage of those. No matter what argument you want to throw at him, you can’t ignore that.
Now, I’m done with clarifying Horford’s defense. It’s silly to even have to argue over this, because it should be obvious to just about anyone watching that Horford does a great job on defense, but some people may just never get it. To those people, I will just let them talk and laugh amongst myself.
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
5:56 pm
Hmm, reports are that the Kings are willing to deal Jason Thompson. He is a upgrade at the PF position off the bench. As much as I respect the price that Josh Powell comes at and the job he has done Thompson would bring so much more.
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=26y93ea
Jason Thompson and Donte Greene
for
Jamal and a draft pick hopefully a 2nd rounder, but may have to come up off a future 1st rounder
We get a upgrade at backup PF and a backup SF who has more upside and is cheaper than Mo for when Mo is gone next year
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
5:56 pm
Or
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=2bcakxn
Dalembert and Donte Greene for Jamal and Zaza
We get an upgrade at Center on the defensive level with Dalembert and we get the backup of future at SF with Greene.
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
6:00 pm
I co-sign Ramon, Al offers no resistance at the rim on defense. Watch Vince Carter, Steve Nash, and every other guard in the league and it is proven. Al basically needs to start swiping down like a guard hoping that Josh comes save him
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
6:26 pm
Aaron, how are you going to argue the very point that I said wasn’t an issue? You saying getting a block or steal doesn’t mean good defense. I didn’t say it did either. In fact, I specifically said I’m not talking about blocks. Drawing a charge is good defense. Boxing out to get an over the back call, is good defense. Fouling a guard/forward who is driving the lane so they don’t get a shot off, and get laid on their rear end, is good defense. Lambeer, Mahorn, Perkins, Glen Davis, and others, they didn’t get a lot of blocks or steals. But it wasn’t easy to score on them either. If you notice, every since that freak accident against Toronto 3 seasons ago (Ford was injured), Horford rarely commits a hard foul on someone driving the lane.
Out of
1)blocking the shot
2) drawing the charge
3) committing a HARD foul
4) watching and acting as if you’re boxing out your man.
Horford too often times chooses option 4. So watch the game tonight. And if he doesn’t change his usual routine, you’ll see many times where he could have provided more resistance than he did. By the way, when the last time you heard an announcer say or you seen an opposing PG, SG, or SF that was scared to drive the lane because big bad Horford was under the goal?
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
6:29 pm
And please know, I’m not saying Horford is a bad player. Horford is a really good consistent player. However, on the defensive end, he can improve a lot.
Some of you guys act as if talking about something that Horford can improve on is equivalent to saying he’s garbage. If Dwight Howard, the best center in the game, has glaring weaknesses that he can work on. I’m quite sure Horford does as well.
lewis
November 12th, 2010
6:40 pm
Ramon, I agree. Horford, as good of defender as he is, still has a lot to learn about boxing out, rebounding, and taking charges. Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and Mo evans are really the only defensive minded Hawks so when they’re gone or not playing well we look terrible.
vava74
November 12th, 2010
6:50 pm
Phil Jackson said on PTI about the Eastern Conference: “I still think the Celtics are the cream of the crop but there is also Atlanta, Miami and Orlando, there are very good teams in the East.”
lewis
November 12th, 2010
6:56 pm
yeah Kobe actually said Atlanta was the most athletic team they face all year
lewis
November 12th, 2010
6:59 pm
marvin starting is phenomenal news
Sautee
November 12th, 2010
7:07 pm
Ramon,
I’m not sure why, but Horford seems less aggressive in even TRYING to block shots like he did just two years ago. If he would just get back to that level (1.4 per game) it would make a big difference.
lewis
November 12th, 2010
7:18 pm
we look great
Sautee
November 12th, 2010
7:20 pm
Neither team playing much D yet.
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
7:20 pm
So, I guess the gameplan is to give Horford less shots? Drew is a joke, they will need Horford later in the game and he will be cold from the few touches. Josh is too inconsistent with his shot making to be a focal point. Drew should be fired now to save the season.
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
7:20 pm
Sautee, I agree. And a lot of times its not about the block shot. Its the challenging the shot to force a bad attempt. Jump up and slap the back board just to make them think that you were close to block their shot.
JSS
November 12th, 2010
7:24 pm
Wow, how the world has changed! Marvin and Mo are being hailed and treated like Caesar and Marc Antony coming back from Spain in triumph!
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
7:27 pm
LD goes big w/ his 1st subs as Za Za is the 2nd man off bench moving Josh to the 3.. if anything Marvin’s time off allowed coach to become confident with that move..
Sautee
November 12th, 2010
7:27 pm
Ramon,
Yep.
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
7:31 pm
this is a good looking 2nd group.. w/ Joe and Al moving to the 4
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
7:33 pm
Up 6 with only Joe Johnson of our best 3 out there, watch how it goes downhill. We need 2 of our top 3 out there at all times
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
7:34 pm
Jamal just roaming lost on d…
then asking for the ball on inbound.
gotta do better Jamal.
Aaron
November 12th, 2010
7:36 pm
There goes the bench again, playing weak defense. Larry Drew needs to be cautious with his bench tonight and not give them too much slack. We don’t want to see this game get away. By the way, what was Jamal thinking on that last possession leaving Deron Williams wide open from the top of the key? Even if that was Joe’s man, he was closest to Jamal and he had to cover him for those last few seconds.
Sautee
November 12th, 2010
7:36 pm
WTF was Mo doing? Why run right past Deron to get to his man when Deron was unguarded at the top of the key.
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
7:37 pm
Oh well LD, the career backup coach is way more incompetent with subs than Woody. His stupid arse still has not realized that he needs to keep 2 of the top 3 on the floor at all times. Joe, Smoove, and Al. 2 of those 3 need to be on the floor at all times.
lukas
November 12th, 2010
7:39 pm
Jeff “garbage time-star” Teague
Aaron
November 12th, 2010
7:42 pm
If only Teague could shoot…
Sautee
November 12th, 2010
7:42 pm
Our bench is at least hanging with their bench so far.
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
7:43 pm
teague is a complete bust…unlike most point guards teague never drives the ball to score/look for contact and he has the ugliest jump shot in the nba
Sautee
November 12th, 2010
7:45 pm
J.J.M.,
Except for Chills, LOL!
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
7:46 pm
lmao oh yea chilldress does have a uglt shot also
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
7:49 pm
if you are a teammate of josh and knows he is a great chase down blocker why do you foul?
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
7:56 pm
iso
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
7:58 pm
Josh came to help.. but i was interested in seeing how Marvin defended the 4..
JSS
November 12th, 2010
7:58 pm
“ajchawks J. Smith was dribbling around, looking to crossover. Drew yells: “Go get it Jeff!”
Ha ha ha ha!!!
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
7:59 pm
Josh Smoth is extremely selfish, he is trying his best to be Odom or Pippen and does not have the handle or skill, he is killing the Hawks breaks by trying to lead the break instead of finish them. I really don’t like his game at all on offense.
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
8:07 pm
I think LD is doing a horrible job of gameplans. Josh whines and cries like the sensitive sissy he is so they start off the game going to him and really got nothing out of it to get anyone else going. Al and Mike are totally off of there games because of it and it will cost the Hawks when the Jazz make there second half run
Sautee
November 12th, 2010
8:11 pm
Horford is STILL doing poorly on the boards (only 3 in 18 min.). I’m not sure what the deal is, but WTF happened to that player that was getting 12 a game for a spell?
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
8:21 pm
“Phil Jackson said on PTI about the Eastern Conference: “I still think the Celtics are the cream of the crop but there is also Atlanta, Miami and Orlando, there are very good teams in the East.””
This is more of a dig at his old employer than anything to do with the Hawks.
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
8:22 pm
“Horford is STILL doing poorly on the boards (only 3 in 18 min.). I’m not sure what the deal is, but WTF happened to that player that was getting 12 a game for a spell?”
almost as if his focus isnt geared on grabbing every miss of the rim…
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
8:26 pm
I dont see motion
terrell
November 12th, 2010
8:30 pm
Joe “dribble, dribble, dribble” Johnson, PLEASE MOVE THE BALL!
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
8:34 pm
see what their point guard can do?
lukas
November 12th, 2010
8:37 pm
“Horford is STILL doing poorly on the boards (only 3 in 18 min.). I’m not sure what the deal is, but WTF happened to that player that was getting 12 a game for a spell?”
He is focusing more in scoring than rebounding or boxing out. The defensive-minded, tough rookie that challenged Paul Pierce is lost in translation. I hope to see him again soon.
Melvin
November 12th, 2010
8:38 pm
Deron Williams is just a Bully…
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
8:40 pm
please hush about Josh’s offensive skill.. dude can play.
Sautee
November 12th, 2010
8:41 pm
See what our point forward can do?
Melvin
November 12th, 2010
8:49 pm
Josh is just beating Millsap down…
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
8:51 pm
in charles barkley voice “zaza is turrible”
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
8:52 pm
Smoove is the Hawks’ best player.
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
8:55 pm
Josh Smith is so overrated by the national media. Shows how hungry for attention he is, hopefully his trade value goes up so the Hawks can trade his sensitive weak arse. The Hawks will lose this game as Smith and Johnson are the only 2 in any groove
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
8:56 pm
Teague drive and dish.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
8:57 pm
Here’s where the Hawks better be careful.
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
8:59 pm
lol I see someone has a crush on smoove…you havent mention no other playe yet other than smoove
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
8:59 pm
Drew needs to get the starters back in.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:00 pm
Powell is f-cking WORTHLESS.
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
9:03 pm
smh@this team
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
9:03 pm
Jamal Crawford just plain careless.
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
9:03 pm
put josh and horford back in before you blow another game
Aaron
November 12th, 2010
9:04 pm
Alright, that’s enough playing around with the bench. L.D. needs to get the starters back on the floor now. They’ve worked to hard to let the Jazz get back in this. I hope L.D. makes the right move this team and doesn’t try to stick with the bench for too long.
Melvin
November 12th, 2010
9:04 pm
Teague get the quick hook after Jamal goes Iso a few times down….
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
9:05 pm
im ready to trade Jamal.
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
9:05 pm
What a joke of a team. As I have stated you better keep 2 of the 3 best on the floor at all times or things fall totally apart.
Aaron
November 12th, 2010
9:05 pm
Okay, that’s enough messing around with the bench. L.D. needs to get the starters back in quick before this gets out of hand. The starters have worked too hard for L.D. to let this one get away. I hope he makes the right decision this time, and doesn’t stick with the bench the way he did in the Orlando game.
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
9:06 pm
I agree with bigdave
Sautee
November 12th, 2010
9:07 pm
big dave,
me too, for a defensive minded starting PG
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
9:07 pm
Teague has to take it upon himself to do something other than pass it to Jamal who everyone knows is going to pull..
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
9:08 pm
UTAH OVER THE LIMIT LETS DRIVE THE BALL NOW
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
9:10 pm
get jamal off this team asap
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:10 pm
Is anyone surprised?
Sautee
November 12th, 2010
9:11 pm
C’mon Jamal, run the offense. Your freelancing is KILLING us.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:11 pm
A proactive GM would have traded Jamal this summer when his value was at his highest.
Where is the Hawks’ version of Tom Dimitroff?
Melvin
November 12th, 2010
9:12 pm
Here come Deron well rested for the stretch run…
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
9:12 pm
This is what happens when you have a pure stupid gameplan I said it earlier, noone other than Josh and Joe have ever gotten into a groove tonight because the plan from the beginning of the game was for them to dominate the ball. Al has been totally off of his offense tonight and Bibby has seen few touches, this will cost them the game. LD is pure garbage
Sautee
November 12th, 2010
9:13 pm
Now watch crawford hit a game winner.
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
9:14 pm
why would you keep taking jump shots when the other team is in foul trouble
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:15 pm
That was terrific one on one D by Horford. Huge play at a huge time.
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
9:17 pm
Horford.
watching rebs. sick of it.
he let Price get one over him earlier. smh
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:20 pm
The Hawks are the best volleyball team in the NBA. This team could have REALLY used someone like Reggie Evans.
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
9:20 pm
lol @ 24 white..
Melvin
November 12th, 2010
9:21 pm
Just who did Marvin thought he was going to fake with that move? LOL
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
9:21 pm
Reggie Evans.
CO SIGN!!!
avg 12 boards
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
9:22 pm
lmaooooo marvin footwork
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:25 pm
Iso-Joe in crunch time.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:26 pm
Classic blown Hawks game.
“This game is about mental toughness.”
–Doris Burke
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
9:26 pm
im done witht he hawks wy does joe think hes a super star
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
9:26 pm
Horford.
Melvin
November 12th, 2010
9:27 pm
Take Marvin out for this final offensive possession….
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:27 pm
Jazz run plays in crunch time and get offensive boards. Hawks go Iso-Joe in crunch time and get outworked for the rebound.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
9:27 pm
Joe was going to take Deron right down to the post.. ill live with that.. double came..
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:28 pm
14 seconds left — I’m guessing we’ll see some dribbling around for a while, and either Joe throws up a brick or gets the ball stolen from him outright.
Hawks Still Suck
November 12th, 2010
9:28 pm
Another choke by the Hawk.
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
9:28 pm
Marvin knows he’s not bout to finish over anybody.. why not take the jumper?
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
9:28 pm
this team is just not smart…hy the hell are you not driving the damn ball but nstead going back to iso joe
lukas
November 12th, 2010
9:28 pm
I am surprised by the regression of Al Horford at rebounding and boxing out. He’s not longer the boss, he’s the soft!
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:29 pm
Wow, not bad, they actually ran a play. Big free throws coming up.
Hawks Still Suck
November 12th, 2010
9:29 pm
Here comes a brick.
nothing has changed
November 12th, 2010
9:29 pm
same ol same ol dribbling around then 1 on 3….
Same Ole ....
November 12th, 2010
9:29 pm
Hawks
the team that’s going nowhere unless they make some changes, what a joke.
Melvin
November 12th, 2010
9:29 pm
There goes our Captain missing two big free throws….
yoursporthouse.com
November 12th, 2010
9:29 pm
MARVIN HAS TO BE THE WORSE NBA PLAYER IN THE HISTORY OF NBA PLAYERS!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:30 pm
Wow. Al Chokeford.
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
9:30 pm
pff. hell nawl.
Hawks Still Suck
November 12th, 2010
9:31 pm
Wow. Typical 4th period gag by the Hawks. Losers.
lukas
November 12th, 2010
9:31 pm
See how Millsap avoided that dunk? that’s how you play in the paint!!
YoDaddy
November 12th, 2010
9:31 pm
missed free throws and offensive rebounds the story of the game
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
9:31 pm
Told you so and its all Drew’s fault. The guy never got a chance to get in the groove but you expect for him to make the shot for you down the stretch. What a dumb arse.
0 for 4 against playoff teams
November 12th, 2010
9:31 pm
yawn….
Same Ole Hawks
November 12th, 2010
9:31 pm
dear ESPN announcers the hawks are NOT a great team, figure it out all ready sheesh
Hawks Still Suck
November 12th, 2010
9:31 pm
4 in a row Losers!!!!!!!!
cheshire
November 12th, 2010
9:33 pm
whatever the opposite of clutch is, that’s what the Hawks are. what a choke job this game was.
Hey ASG, why should i bother spending $$ to watch this team again?
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:33 pm
Game over.
Same Ole Hawks
November 12th, 2010
9:33 pm
pointless timeout, why even extend the game at this point?
Hawks Still Suck
November 12th, 2010
9:33 pm
Choke choke choke. Thank God I didnt waste more than 20 minutes watching these losers.
0 for 4 against playoff teams
November 12th, 2010
9:34 pm
damn, smoove was open for a 3 …. hahaha
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
9:34 pm
good game Josh..
good game Joe..
Mike Hunt
November 12th, 2010
9:34 pm
Hawks will lose 45-50 this year. Team is going nowhere.
cheshire
November 12th, 2010
9:35 pm
i love how the announcers are acting like the Jazz just pulled off a miracle. like it’s THAT hard to beat the Hawks… or any team that misses half it’s free throws.
J.J.M.
November 12th, 2010
9:35 pm
i bet josh wants to be traded now…smh 7 home loses last season and already 2 so far
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:35 pm
Maybe Joe played well in the first half, when I wasn’t watching, but he was pretty sh-tty in the 2nd half. Missed fast break opportunities, stupid Iso-Joe bricks, bad turnovers, the works.
Smoove is the only Hawk who played consistently well in this game.
Teabagger Johnson
November 12th, 2010
9:36 pm
Al Horford was the goat . . . at least make 1!
YoDaddy
November 12th, 2010
9:36 pm
They aint no worse than the Heat or the Magic though…
6-4 Hawks
5-4 Heat
6-3 Magic
Mike Hawk
November 12th, 2010
9:36 pm
That’s actually 3 home losses now, J.J.M. So, the Hawks are now below .500 at home (2.-3). Pathetic.
bigdave
November 12th, 2010
9:37 pm
Joe was consistent..
scored.. found open shooters, moved the ball, all while doing a good job defensively on an all NBA PG.
Melvin
November 12th, 2010
9:37 pm
All I can do is SMH…
cheshire
November 12th, 2010
9:38 pm
agreed Scott… falling apart would be the best thing that could happen to this team. unfortunately in the NBA, it’s better to be horrible and get a potential lottery pick than to be decent.
sorry, but if an NBA team can only hit half it’s free throw in a game, that’s an embarrassment. i’m glad i only tuned in to the last 5 minutes.
Sautee
November 12th, 2010
9:38 pm
I think Horford would be the first to say he choked. But we lost the game on the glass. 15 offensive rebounds for the Jazz, many in crunch time. Plus, we had FEWER fast break points than the Jazz, who don’t really look to run.
We HAVE to refocus on rebounding.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:39 pm
“They aint no worse than the Heat or the Magic though…
6-4 Hawks
5-4 Heat
6-3 Magic”
History says the Magic will get better. The Heat are a wild card right now, who knows what happens with them, but they have too much talent to only win 56% of their games this season.
The Hawks, on the other hand, are in trouble. 6 wins against sh-tty teams and 4 losses against good teams — including 3 home losses — is the mark of an average team. Right now the Hawks are a 7 or 8 seed.
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
9:39 pm
Larry Drew the career backup coach blew this game with the gameplan. I said it all night that building the gameplan around Josh Smith dominating the ball would lose the game because he is not someone that you can go to in the clutch. Al and Mike never got into any groove tonight and it was LD’s fault. I am awaiting the postgame hopefully Al calls it like it is, he never got into any flow tonight
GA Boss
November 12th, 2010
9:39 pm
Big Dave, “Good Game Joe”. Are you blind, he and Al blew the game in the final minutes. 170 plus million buys you a fake #1 player who can’t or won’t take over the game in the 4th qtr and a guy who can’t hit free throws with the game on the line.
Wabe
November 12th, 2010
9:39 pm
Alright…
So JJ, you’re getting your $120 million to close out games like this.
It’s early. I’m not trying to let my frustration get me ranting with no thought to my comments. But, it’s hard. This team has lost 3 games at home – and none of these teams we’ve lost to aren’t championship contenders. The Jazz have beaten the Magic + Heat, but, still – the Hawks have to close this game out.
People might point the finger at Drew. That’s something I won’t do. I actually like the guy – but, this team is just flawed – thank ASG.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 12th, 2010
9:41 pm
“building the gameplan around Josh Smith dominating the ball would lose the game because he is not someone that you can go to in the clutch. ”
I don’t know what game you were watching, but the Hawks actually played best when Smoove was getting the ball and creating for others. They went away from Smoove and went to Joe and Al in crunch time and lost.
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
9:42 pm
JJm this was the third lost at home. Phoenix, Milwaukee, and tonight!
Mike Hawk
November 12th, 2010
9:44 pm
It’s becoming very difficult to watch this team now. I love the game of basketball, but I find myself feeling disgusted way too often when I get my hopes with the Hawks. They are such a mysterious team, there’s absolutely no consistency. Early on, they looked better than last season. Now, they definitely look worse. And, just because the Heat and Magic have been losing also, it doesn’t make it okay for the Hawks. The Hawks have not only been losing, they have been losing to inferior teams and showing no signs of growth. Tonight’s game was competitive, but last year the Hawks really had no problem at all with the Jazz at home. This is very disheartening.
Samuel
November 12th, 2010
9:45 pm
52% from the line.
Fire Mark Price
JTeague+9 min
JCrawford DNP
Fire Woody
0-4 against playoff teams
Hawks=1st round talent
Sautee
November 12th, 2010
9:45 pm
Y’all who know me know that I’m a big Horford fan. But 19 rebounds in the last THREE games is pitiful.
PITIFUL. Get on the glass, Al.
Clyde
November 12th, 2010
9:46 pm
Dam I need to crank thangs up early in the season. I was trying to wait until December to get on the Hawks. Let me know when your ready JeJe.
IlliniDawg
November 12th, 2010
9:47 pm
Same ole sorry-a$$ Hawks! For the first time all season I had a chance to watch them play, having heard all the hype about their hot start. Gosh these guys suck bad. Gutless performance – total choke. Maybe it’s time to sell both the Trashers and the Sparrows and focus the city’s sports dollars on the two teams that really matter – Braves and Falcons.
kwooden1
November 12th, 2010
9:48 pm
I hate these kind of losses, but I think I’m calm enough to make a good assessment of the this game:
Good
1) Nice work on the boards, Milsap didn’t dominate us
2) Much better showing by the bench
3) Mo and Marvin made a big different on the defensive end
Bad
1) Didn’t finish down the stretch
2) Free throws (ALL GAME)
3) Still not trusting the offensive
There are no moral victories, but that also goes for not feeling to good about yourself when you win. The HAWKS are still trying to find themselves on offensive and in terms of maturity. This game came down to mental toughness at the end and we didn’t bring it. But my point is it didn’t have to come down to the end. The HAWKS took to many 3’s out of their offensive and didn’t get enough shots at the basket. We definitely need someone to drive and get fouled. Marvin is that guy but I don’t think he can always finish. I’m more disappointed than frustrated with this game.
GO HAWKS!!
YoDaddy
November 12th, 2010
9:48 pm
@Mike Hawk
Magic just lost to the Raptors
The Jazz are a good team…they beat Magic and Heat as well
Give some of these other teams some credit. The Hawks are still a good team as well…they laid down against the Bucks but the rest of the games they lost could’ve went either way including this one.
Clyde
November 12th, 2010
9:49 pm
I know why Joe is playing so bad. He really wanted to have a child but he found out the baby wasn’t his. #shouldhavesignedwithanotherteam
lukas
November 12th, 2010
9:49 pm
I don’t mind that Horford choked, but i DO mind that he gave a half-effort at rebounding. When he came from Florida he was this NBA-ready kid that rebounded, blocked shots, played big every day, hustled, was afraid of no one. Hell, he even chased down TJ Ford and accidentaly sent him to the hospital. Where is that guy?? now i see an “all-star” that watches everybody rebounding and get out of the way if someone, not his guy, is going to score near him.
Brady
November 12th, 2010
9:50 pm
Sautee, to Al Horford’s credit, the rebounding hasn’t been entirely his fault. Tonight, I saw three boards that should have been credited to Al and weren’t. Twice, josh tipped the ball and Al secured the rebound, but the rebounds were credited to josh. Also, late in the fourth quarter when Al got an offensive rebound over Millsap and the ball was later stolen by Kirilenko, Al wasn’t credited for the rebound either.
Also, in the Milwaukee game, Al didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter, and didn’t play a lot of minutes overall. In the Orlando game though, 5 rebounds was mostly his own fault.
At any rate, I’d like to see Al step it up on the glass as well. I’m not sure what’s up with him, he’s usually a top-10 rebounder each year.
TruthSeeker
November 12th, 2010
9:51 pm
So we’re 6-0 against bad teams and 0-4 against good teams?
Well, at least we know early what we are.
exhawk
November 12th, 2010
9:51 pm
Mike Bibby and Marvin Williams are the two most worthless players in the NBA. They need to turn in their uniforms and head back the recreation dept. leagues. LD is in over his head also, he is the captain of the ship that has no direction. This is a pittyful team that hasn’t changed from last year. No wonder there are so many empty seats in the arena. I wouldn’t pay a penny to watch that band of misfits play.
YoDaddy
November 12th, 2010
9:52 pm
Even having said that…the reason we lost was because of free throws and inability to get a defensive rebound.
The Defensive rebound is the last part of defense. Forget the fast break we need everyone crashing the boards because every team we’ve played has gotten way too many offensive rebounds especially at the end of games.
cp
November 12th, 2010
9:54 pm
Horford has forgotten how to fight for boards. Team cant hit free throws. Marvin is still soft and cant finish at the rim… Jamal doesn’t attempt to play d and takes whatever shot he wants. Bench is terrible. Teague does nothing when given minutes.. Somebody tell Sund to earn that check. Its time to shake this up…… Watching Deron Williams ball like that in a Jazz uniform instead of a Hawks uniform tonight makes me sick. How BK chose the invisible man over Deron Williams is almost mind boggling.
YoDaddy
November 12th, 2010
9:55 pm
Also I still see JJ and JC1 breaking the offense a little too much but that comes with the new offense…knowing when to go 1 on 1 and when to run the offense.
But anyhow it’s game 10 of the reg season…we have 72 more games to figure it out
Brady
November 12th, 2010
9:57 pm
I can’t believe that the Hawks have statistically been the worst team in the league this week. =,(
Joel
November 12th, 2010
9:58 pm
I wish I could go into the locker room and talk to the players to figure out what is really going on.
YoDaddy
November 12th, 2010
9:58 pm
Magic just lost to the Raptors at home….
Peter
November 12th, 2010
9:59 pm
How about a legitimate center, and yes Marvin Williams was a super choice at draft time…..HA HA HA…….Deron was great as usual……we really know how to pick talent….as I watch our new point ride the bench, and think Bibby needs a wheel chair.
What a sorry team, and good thing we paid JJ all that money, would he actually start on every team in the NBA ?
Some day when the franchise gets sold, we will have owners that are smart and a GM worth his salt.
In the mean time we will be a 2nd tier team, and maybe even less.
The signing of JJ has ruined our chances for years !
Peter
November 12th, 2010
10:02 pm
Hey we have a streak going…….. I wonder how long will it last ?
Randy
November 12th, 2010
10:03 pm
This may sound a little bit crazy and I could be totally off here, but do you think that Al’s lack of rebounding lately has anything to do with him being worried about picking up too many fouls? In the majority of the games so far, L.D. had been taking him out early when he picked up just a couple of fouls That was a bad move in my opinion. I don’t know if that would affect his psyche at all, but maybe he is being less aggressive so that L.D. keeps him in the game. Just a thought, it sounds kind of crazy to me though.
BraveFalconHawk
November 12th, 2010
10:05 pm
Hopefully they can go back to playing the weaker teams cause it’s obvious they can’t beat any of the good ones. I knew there wasn’t anything to get excited about. THIS TEAM HAS NO LEADER!!!!!!!!!!!!
Harry Hawk
November 12th, 2010
10:20 pm
We’re a mediocre team, folks.
We lost seven home games all last season. We’re already up to three and we’re only ten games in.
Uh oh.
Moses
November 12th, 2010
10:22 pm
One of the things that really bothers me about this also is the fact that the players probably won’t even be that disappointed by this. I know Al will be mad about his performance, but will anyone else be. They’ll probably be happy that the game was competitive.
Also, even though this game was going pretty well up until the end, I saw some things that I didn’t like. Too much of Joe dominating the ball. Joe converted on a lot of those plays, so it made it look like everything was alright, but I think down the stretch the Hawks didn’t get the ball to Al and Josh enough. There were too many long jumpers and almost no post-ups or plays for Al and Josh. Also, I think we need to address the point guard position via other means besides developing Teague. I know he’s young and hasn’t played much, but the guy just isn’t showing any signs of being a great, or even a good point guard. Almost any point guard will look good in garbage time, but when it counts, I’m just not very impressed with Teague. Bibby’s defensive ability is only going to continue to decline, and most likely his offensive ability will continue to as well. When that happens, we will have no point guards at all. Teague looks very confused out there, and his jumpshot is worse than Rondo’s. Heck, it may even be worse than Collin’s shot. We need complete players, guys who play both ends of the floor, and right now, we only have 3 proven players like that (Al, Josh, and Joe). Marvin and Mo at least play tenacious defense and are okay offensively, but outside of that, there’s really no one else with a complete game. I’m ready to part ways with Jamal, Teague, Zaza, Bibby, and Collins if it means getting some more complete players.
Peter
November 12th, 2010
10:23 pm
Hey JJ is the leader we paid him to be the leader…….would he start on every team in the NBA ?
drmaryb
November 12th, 2010
10:23 pm
kevin Love
28 pts 31 rebounds! damn! can we get some Love?
Peter
November 12th, 2010
10:25 pm
Can we fire the owners ?
drmaryb
November 12th, 2010
10:28 pm
i would trade joe for melo straight up!
Brendon
November 12th, 2010
10:28 pm
Peter,
To address your question on Joe starting on other teams. He’d probably start on any NBA team because of his skill and versatility. Even if the other team had he was being sent to already had a great SG, they’d probably put him at the 3 or switch up their lineup to fit him into. A guy who gets after it on both ends and can create his own shot as well as be a spot up shooter or cutter is very valuable..
Fundamentals
November 12th, 2010
10:30 pm
Dissappointing. My dad called the loss in the 3rd sighting free throws. I’ll admit he was right, but we also just let it get away by losing our focus late? What happened to the killer instinct we saw at the end of the first 5-6 games? It’s like they’re happy to be above .500 and that’s all that matters?
It’ll take more than beating MN to gain any respect. Great job Hawks, you’re really endearing to your fans. How can we fill Phillips with these types of performances? Dissappointed again…tomorrow’s another day.
Melvin
November 12th, 2010
10:30 pm
Stop the madness. Kevin Love has 31pts and 31rebs against the Knicks with a min left in the game.
Fundamentals
November 12th, 2010
10:30 pm
Fire our focus!
Fire our effort!
Fire our TEAM play!
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
10:31 pm
Trade Josh “the crybaby” Smith, Jamal “one good year” Crawford, Marvin “the bust” Williams and Jeff “the bust” Teague and never draft another ACC player in your lives and you can get your season and franchise back or just tank move the team from KKK land and draft Perry Jones and you can take your team to championship heights.
Peter
November 12th, 2010
10:32 pm
Show the Spirit your love….watch the games on TV until they go under and have to sell the team !
Melvin
November 12th, 2010
10:33 pm
drmaryb,
we may get too much Love on Sunday….
Bailey
November 12th, 2010
10:34 pm
Fundamentals,
Tomorrow is indeed another day, but for the Hawks that might not necessarily be a good thing. Sometimes, when you lose, you get something positive out of it. It may make you stronger or help you grow, but in the case of the Hawks I’m not seeing them getting anything out of these losses. If anything, they look the same if not worse. That’s 4 straight losses. I don’t remember if we even had a losing streak that long all of last season. Changes need to be made and quickly. Enough talk. Talk means nothing. I’ve heard L.D. preaching and the players talk about what has been going wrong, but they haven’t done much to fix it. Lets see something get done for once.
Melvin
November 12th, 2010
10:36 pm
Kevin Love 31pts and 31rebs against the Knicks tonight. Forget block out in the paint. The Hawks better set a road block I-20 so he cant get to the hightlight factory…
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
10:38 pm
Fundamentals
November 12th, 2010
10:30 pm
Dissappointing. My dad called the loss in the 3rd sighting free throws. I’ll admit he was right, but we also just let it get away by losing our focus late? What happened to the killer instinct we saw at the end of the first 5-6 games? It’s like they’re happy to be above .500 and that’s all that matters?
It’ll take more than beating MN to gain any respect. Great job Hawks, you’re really endearing to your fans. How can we fill Phillips with these types of performances? Dissappointed again…tomorrow’s another day.
Your dad doesn’t know anything. The game was lost with the gameplan. The gameplan was obviously for Josh Smith to dominate the ball and get more touches than Al Horford. Al never got into the flow of the game, hence he was missing his few wide open jumpers that he has been making all year. It was totally stupid of that career backup Larry Drew to go to him down the stretch what a dumb arse coach.
just a thought
November 12th, 2010
10:38 pm
people are constantly complaining about how joe handles the ball too much down the stretch but he was involved in maybe two out of the last seven or eight possessions. and if it was him that had missed those two free throws, he would be getting crucified all over this board. i’m sorry but the hawks issues run deeper than this whole joe johnson thing and it really starts with that bench.
Bailey
November 12th, 2010
10:39 pm
Also, our next game is against the West’s doormat, so even if we win that, it won’t mean much. I want to see the team improve and excel. I’m tired of all of this talking and posing B.S. L.D. is a great at saying all the right things, but what I’m wondering is if he’s preaching the wrong things to the players, or if they just aren’t listening to what he is saying. I hate being on the outside looking in.
Sidereal
November 12th, 2010
10:40 pm
Same old lazy ass multimillionaires shuffling around around without a care in the world besides collecting their next paycheck. Most of these jerks should be digging ditches for a living.
Gordon
November 12th, 2010
10:40 pm
Superiorblogman, I actually agree with your 10:38 post in regards to the gameplan. I noticed the same issue.
drmaryb
November 12th, 2010
10:42 pm
ive been eating my popcorn. there really isnt too much to say that hasnt been said to ad nauseum all summer long, this team has been together too long to say we’re still learning the new princeton offense.
how many brain cells does it take to run a damned play?
why should i care to use caps and punctuation, when it’s obvious this team has certain players who refuse to pass the ball in crunch time and trust their teammates to make a play. jamal has a sour attitude and for some reason likes to post his man up from half court every time he gets the ball. whats up with playing with his back to the basket from beyond the three point line? how is that ish fundamental? pass and move b!tch! joe is back to pounding the ball in crunch time and turning it over too! marvin was invisible too. where was twin tonight?
make a trade sund! find some damned talent to build this roster! i have better things to do with my valuable time and i dont give a damn about miami either. get it together hawks! what happened to home court advantage?
peace!
Seen this before...
November 12th, 2010
10:42 pm
Fire the whole bunch and start over.
drmaryb
November 12th, 2010
10:44 pm
joe, josh and al all bricked their free throws all game long! focus and you make those!
Section 303
November 12th, 2010
10:57 pm
If Sund does not make a move soon, then we should all just cut our ties with this team. I knew they were all headcases. Did not realize they were all born losers, too.
Why did we re-sign Joe, again? Nothing like watching a guy making 24 million a year defer to Marvin Williams down the stretch.
Al Horford = complete choke job. He was exposed as a complete fraud tonight.
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
10:58 pm
Gordon
November 12th, 2010
10:40 pm
Superiorblogman, I actually agree with your 10:38 post in regards to the gameplan. I noticed the same issue.
Gordon, it’s good to know that someone else can see with unbiased eyes that the gameplan called for something that may not have been so smart to start with but to then draw up a play that would obviously put the ball into the hands of a guy that was not in the flow is what made it just stupid. Larry Drew should have stayed a career backup.
Richard
November 12th, 2010
11:01 pm
Section 303,
Stop dissing Horford. He had an off-night tonight, it happens, but at least you know that off-nights are rare for him. It’s not like he keeps doing the same things over and over to annoy you like some other players on the team do. Al should have been given more touches tonight to help get him into a rhythm.
Even at that, I’ll agree that he didn’t deliver on those free throws and that’s on him, but it was a rare issue for him. It’s not like he’s a notoriously bad free throw shooter. I’ve seen the same thing happen to 90+% free throw shooters.
His overall play was not bad. He played great defense on Jefferson and it’s the fault of the team and staff for not running more plays for him on the offense end that his scoring wasn’t higher. The only thing that I was really disappointed with in regards to Horford tonight, was his rebounding. I’m not sure what’s going on there, but I’m sure he’s twice as disappointed as we are.
cp
November 12th, 2010
11:05 pm
Taking the invisible man over Deron Williams and CP3 continues to haunt this team smh. All these years later and we still need a pg. Marvin must have looked great shooting jumpers all by himself in his workout. smh.
Raveesh
November 12th, 2010
11:05 pm
It’s like the next game for the Hawks can’t come fast enough. We really need to get a win quick and see some dominant individual and team performances to get that bad taste out of everyone’s mouths and get back on track.
Jordan
November 12th, 2010
11:07 pm
cp,
Why are you still talking about the draft mistakes of 5 years ago? The Hawks chose Marvin Williams, they can’t reverse that. They can’t go back in time and get Chris Paul or Deron Williams instead. You just have to deal with that and make the best of it. Complaining about it isn’t going to help at all. What’s the use in crying over spilled milk?
vava74
November 12th, 2010
11:08 pm
I’m confident for the future. These losses prove that Crawford is a bad fit and that when comes in our offense stagnates.
Today he shot reasonably well but even so his negative influence was clear.
LD is an intelligent man and I am sure that he will understand soon that he needs Teague to be the first guy off the bench.
cp
November 12th, 2010
11:11 pm
Because 5 years later we still need a pg. Trying to make the best of having Marvin WIlliams aint helping either
Section 303
November 12th, 2010
11:14 pm
Richard,
Was not dissing Horford, until the choke job tonight. He’s a fraud. But…really, the same could be said for the entire team.
And, I think we can put aside the Teague debates from earlier this week. The guy sucks. That is all that needs to be said.
Seventeen Street
November 12th, 2010
11:16 pm
I can’t believe believe that the Hawks are under .500 at home. How could this happen? As heavily criticized as Woodson was, at least he had these guys playing with the mindset that they had to always defend homecourt. They look like they give less effort at home than they do on the road now.
Jonh Koncak couldn't jump high
November 12th, 2010
11:19 pm
How come we didn’t draft Chris Paul a few years ago….????
superiorblogman
November 12th, 2010
11:21 pm
I have been reading this blog for quite some time without posting. I noticed during the preseason how Josh and Joe were turning the ball over way too much and it has not stopped. Josh and Joe accounted for over half of the teams turnovers again tonight and that is a constant. Nobody will want Joe and his contract unless you are gonna move him to the Clippers in a deal that includes Baron Davis or to the Wizards in a deal that includes Gilbert Arenas and Joe is still better and more valuable than either of those 2. Josh Smith basically needs to be moved and the stipulation needs to be Marvin goes with him.
Jonh Koncak couldn't jump high
November 12th, 2010
11:23 pm
I was stationed in Germany in the Air Force when we lost to Boston in 1988 or 1989……listened on the radio game ended at 5am…..I can handle anything after that…that was the best Hawks team we’ve ever had…
Richard
November 12th, 2010
11:24 pm
Section 303,
One bad game, actually one bad trip to the free throw line, and Al is suddenly a fraud to you? Wow, some fan you are. Ask any coach in the world, or pro basketball player in the world if this guy is a fraud and they’ll tell you what’s up. I hope that all of our fans aren’t this naive. All I can say is wow. I guess Kobe is suddenly a fraud for going 11-32 last night, or Lebron a fraud for hitting the side of the backboard on a three that could have changed the momentum of the Heat game last night. I guess Wade is a fraud for shooting 2-12 last night. Hmm, the Magic must all be frauds too since they lost a game to the raptors. I guess the Celtics are frauds because they lost game seven. Hmm, maybe Jordan is a fraud for not being able to shoot 3’s. LMAO, the nerve of some people.
rusty
November 12th, 2010
11:25 pm
the moment we resigned jj i got sick. this team will never be much with him. his mentality is to dribble & dribble. i dont care what everybody thinks. i think he is a ball hog & choker & by the way him trying to guard williams is a joke.
rusty
November 12th, 2010
11:27 pm
jj is a ballhog & choker.him guarding williams was a joke
Ramon
November 12th, 2010
11:31 pm
How come everyone keeps talking about Chris Paul, D. Williams and others? The entire draft is a crap shoot. Truthfully, the PG position has been overrated in some since, until Rondo came along. The last superstar PG to win a title was Isaiah Thomas. If Marvin ended up having the career that every one projected of him (which was similar to a cross between Grant Hill and Melo), the Hawks would be an elite team, and the PG play would be minimized. As bad as the losses have been, I can’t say I’ve been terribly disappointed in Bibby’s performance. And on defense he’s a lot better than Crawford. Let us not forget that the starters have been playing quite well the entire season, even when one have a bad game, the others been contributing. Its the bench that has been losing games over and over again.
STRETCH
November 12th, 2010
11:38 pm
Wow, Toronto beats Orlando IN ORLANDO and these Hawks have only beat them 1 out of the last 10 games? And the only way they won that game was cause it was late in the season and Orlando was resting starters for the playoffs.
This team is full of quitters, egos and guys playing out of position. But the only people that can see this is the fans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And im still trying to figure out how does anyone think that they have a chance of making it to the finals or even the playoffs with 3 captians (1. JJ-No leadership and voice, Al-3 yrs in the league and Smoove-TOO IMMATURE) along with Etan Thomas, JCollins and Powell to go with ZaZa???
Section 303
November 12th, 2010
11:41 pm
Richard, hmm…he’s a fraud.
Eric C.
November 13th, 2010
12:13 am
The Hawks have no fire…dismantle this “team” or bring in Nash
dacheesecakeman
November 13th, 2010
12:22 am
when you have a team that is owned by NINE men, who can’t agree with one other nor afford quality players or go over the luxury tax, etc, it’s hard to get excited this season. the money they paid jj, could of went to paying an establish coach which could of lured other talent. getting blownout by the bucks is unexcusable
Miles D
November 13th, 2010
5:32 am
Problems start with ownership! First off, no single-mindedness bout the direction of the team & the type of players needed to get to where we need to go. Owners can’t agree on who to keep & who to get rid of. Players are too comfortable with their positions! With noone to push them for their spot! How r they supposed to or y should they want to get any better. Secondly, there r too many guys that play the same position, playing out of position ( Al, Josh, Marvin)! Coupled with the fact that none of the players r fundamentally sound offensively & defensively! Due to the fact that they missed out on the fundamental teachings they would’ve recieved in college had they gone & or stayed there long enough! With JJ & Al being the only two exceptions.But with that being said, they both r still respectfully developing defensively (JJ) & offensively (Al)! And lastly, we do not have a real floor leader! Despite his enormous paycheck JJ is NOT A LEADER, or at least a vocal one anyway! Josh is atheletically gifted but lacks maturity & humble nature to do what it takes to be a REAL team leader by developing a consistent post-game, mid-range, & hitting free throws! Marvin needs to develope a post-game also. He has a nice mid-range but needs to improve ball handling,& I’m convinced he is not a starter. But a seventh or eighth man at this point in time. Al is capable of being a great leader but is still developing while playing out of position. However, I believe he is one to build around because of his CONSISTENTLY great attitude & work ethic (they don’t call him boss for nothing)! Bibby should be relegated to spot duty! & Teague, while he needs more playing time! I’m not sure if he know if he’s the answer! So, all of these problems are compounded & magnified when we lose but overlooked when we win! Truth is Hawks fans…WE HAVE A LOOONG WAY TO GO! However if guys can come together & play for eachother, the love of the game & city! Things could very well change. & FROM ONE TRU HAWKS FAN TO ANOTHER! WE TOO AS FANS HAVE A HAND IN THIS! WE NEED TO SHOW MORE SUPPORT & SHOW UP TO GAMES NO MATTER WHAT.. OR WHO WE PLAY! & LETS NOT B SO NEGATIVE & PROD THEM ON TO B BETTER! CAN’T GET POSITIVE FROM A NEGATIVE!!! GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
E43
November 13th, 2010
9:16 am
you know i just think that theres too many hawks fans reading about excuses made by people that dont know the direction the hawks are trying to take. believe it or not, every decision thats been made is the right one for the team and the future. Stop complaining about everything and be a little more supportive coz the last time i checked there have been only 3 eastern conference NBA champions since 99. The east has pretty much been standing still. Orlando, Cleveland,and Miami have had a combined 1 championship over the last 60 years. Its a shame that were shooting squading our own team based on teams that haven’t really done anything. Joe Johnson may not be the superstar that lebron is but just what exactly has lebron done in terms of championships?
tidog
November 13th, 2010
9:40 am
The hawks didn’t play the game with a sense of urgency. way too many lackadasical efforts. dunks that should have occured never happened, rebounds, loose balls poor concentration on the line etc. they could benefit from watching the urgency that the the falcons play with. i hate to write it but i don’t see the determined heart of a winner. i hope they can find it.
JeJe
November 13th, 2010
11:11 am
This site is such a damn mess. Not only does it take time just to figure out where the most recent post in the blog is (or to find the right page), there are like 8 blogs open on AJC Hawks page at all times and more keep being posted. Where the hell are we supposed to post?
AND I’M READY NOW, CLYDE
FIRE DREW, FIRE SUND
SELL THE TEAM
Rick Sund
November 13th, 2010
11:19 am
Hawk Fans,
Let me remind you that we are a YOUNG, ATHLETIC team with TONS of potential. We have a WINNING record. Miami has 4 losses – so do we. What does this mean? It means we are as good as a team which has 2 of the 3 best players in the NBA.
In addition, even though we suffered THE WORST BEATING IN AN NBA PLAYOFF SERIES EVER IN THE SPRING VS ORLANDO, we nearly beat them the other night.
That means we are CONSTANTLY GROWING and becoming a better team.
We are YOUNG and still learning how to play the game. I LOVE this core and would probably turn down a trade of Marvin Williams for Kobe Bryant because Kobe is too expensive, and also because Marvin is an INTEGRAL part of this core.
Best,
Rick
Hea
November 13th, 2010
12:23 pm
Need a new small forward
ant banks
November 13th, 2010
4:45 pm
the hawks are like wiley e coyote when he runs off of a cliff. he does fine the first 10 yds, until HE REALIZES HE CAN’T FLY. then he drops into a cloud of dust. the HAWKS were doin’ fine until they realized…THEY CAN’T FLY!! LOL.
Ken Strickland
November 13th, 2010
7:30 pm
Now that we’ve followed a 6gm winning streak with a 4gm losing streak, the NEGATIVE MINDED GLASS HALF EMPTY DOUBTERS have come out in full force. When the Heat Bulls, Bucks, Celtics and Magic finished signing their FA’s during the off season, and the Hawks decided not to go that route, most Hawk fans went ape and started predicting we’d finish below all of these teams. The ASS-U-MED the East was much improved and the Hawks would be the only team affected by that improvement.
Well, after a 4gm losing streak, here’s how these teams stack up to the Hawks so far this season:
BULLS 4-3
BUCKS 4-5
HEAT 5-4
CELTICS 7-2
MAGIC 5-3
Like I tried to tell everyone earlier, the Hawks aren’t the only team that will be affected by the Eastern Conference improvement.
Nique's Revenge
November 13th, 2010
8:17 pm
FIRE JOKE JOHNSON I WANT MY MONEY BACK BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
WTF???????????????????
SCRUB ASS. ALSO FIRE EVERYONE WHO GAVE HIM ALL THAT MONEY. STUPID!
EmirS.
November 13th, 2010
8:57 pm
Wow….
I dont know what to say.
We beat 6 teams, who most likely will not make the playoffs. But lost to 4 teams who most likely will make it in. I’m still not convinced either way. Wheter we’re real or fake. I remember the NBA.com article, on the Hornets and Hawks. I think it was written by Frank Blinebury, Im not sure. But bascially he called out the Hornets and Hawks. He stated the Hornets are VERY real. The Hawks…very fake. I was so upset with the article, but lately it seems to be true.
I still think its to early in the season. Like I said in the offseason, I’ll wait until atleast 20 games into the season, till I judge.
Big Ray
November 13th, 2010
10:43 pm
Horford says they’re not playing as hard as they need to be. Well, he can start leading by example when it comes to rebounding. Not impressed with his efforts, lately.
Melvin
November 13th, 2010
11:50 pm
How you guys feel about a Jamal for Kirk Hinrich trade? I wonder if the Hawks would be willing to committ an extra year for Hinrich contract. However, I’m not sure if the Wizards would be willing to give up Hinrich but Jamal’s expiring contract may be enticing enough for them to pull the trigger.
Fundamentals
November 14th, 2010
10:17 am
We need to get back to unselfish TEAM basketball where we listen to LD, play D, rebound and help everyone get stats. Who cares who leads us in scoring? You’re all locked up for how long? Play ball. WIN! When you don’t play to your full potential it’s…embarassing and the casual fan goes crazy here!
You’ll never win fans w/o 100% effort.
tbhawksfan
November 14th, 2010
1:04 pm
Josh Smith / Jamal Crawford / Bibby / 2011 first / 2013 first
for
Robin Lopez / Yi / Nash / Turkoglu
ATL goes for a run in the East.
Robin Lopez / Turkoglu / Nash / Hill
for
J Smith / Crawford / Bibby / 2013 ATL first
PHX loses an aging Nash and a young C with potential but gains a cornerstone in Smith, a nice expiring in Crawford and some salary relief.
Yi
for
Hill / 2011 ATL first
WASH gets an expiring and a first for Yi.