Dallas Mavericks at Atlanta Hawks: What would a W mean?
The Hawks are looking for their first W against a so-called marquee opponent.
But what would it really mean if they beat the Mavs, Celtics, or both? Is it about the team gaining confidence? Sending a message? Getting some media love?
Is it about proving they can do it, even though it’s only November?
“We swept Boston and they still went to Eastern Conference finals,” Mo noted. “You have got to be peaking at the right time and continue to get better.”
L.D. seemed to be simultaneously downplaying Atlanta’s failure to beat the best teams on its schedule and emphasizing that fact to his players.
“I don’t know how much the guys have thought about who the wins are against,” he said. “It’s early in the season. We have to respect every opponent. You don’t look at their wins and losses. ”
But before practice broke yesterday he told the team they needed to “beat some of these [better] teams.”
“I did put that bug in their ear,” he said.
The way things are going for the Mavs, maybe they need to win this one to prove something.
The Bulls beat them in Dallas last night by pounding them on the boards and shutting down everyone outside of Dirk. The Mavs have do have a victory against Boston and split with Denver and New Orleans.
Amazingly, this is the first set of back-to-back games for the Mavs.
“It’s one of the realities of the league,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “The good thing is we didn’t have anyone play ridiculous minutes last night.”
A Dallas reporter asked Carlisle about his team’s struggles against “young and athletic” opponents.
“It’s important for us to play our game,” he said. “We have to play to our length and experience.”
The Hawks want to make Dallas defend the entire floor but L.D. said it’s not like the Mavs can’t run. He said they play at a “youth’s pace” despite a starting lineup that averages 10 years of experience.
“They are a team that we know they are going to be well-prepared and even playing a back-to-back are going to give us their best game,” Drew said. “We can’t allow them beat us on glass, we can’t allow beat us up and down the floor. We’ve go to do a good job containing the dribble on the perimeter. We can’t get seduced into playing a style that doesn’t fit us.”
Notable quotes
L.D. on the team’s effective jump shooting so far: “I won’t count on it every night. There will be some shots where we can’t put it in the ocean. We can’t go out and rely on the perimeter shot. We have to be a good executing team. But more importantly we have to be a sound defensive team. We’ve got to be able to get stops when we need them. We’ve got to be able to be solid defensively every night we step out.”
Al on the team developing a defensive identity: “It is coming along real well. We have to keep trusting each other. We are not there yet but I am encouraged to see some improvement. We are up and down but I think we are more consistent than we were in the past.”
Carlisle on that game J. Kidd stole from the Hawks last season: “I try not to live in the past. That was a great win, but in the NBA that was light years ago. Both teams are different now.”
Smoove on playing Thanksgiving night: “It’s good, but the only negative about it is you can’t eat what you want to eat before the game. That’s what Thanksgiving is about is to get some of that good stuff. Some of that cranberry sauce, some gravy with some mashed potatoes. I think we will definitely eat good when we get home. It’s always a plus to be able to do things like this. I just hope we don’t get the Christmas games. I don’t want those at all.”
MC
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386 comments Add your comment
Melvin
November 20th, 2010
10:18 pm
WTF was Joe doing? Pass the ball, jump into the defender or go for the quick two…
J.J.M.
November 20th, 2010
10:18 pm
lol joe wanted to be a super star so bad…and only 7 home loses all last season
STRETCH
November 20th, 2010
10:18 pm
Joe JejejejejeJohnson!!!!!!!!!!!! Theres your 126 milliion dollar man compliments of Rick Sund and Co!
truly1
November 20th, 2010
10:19 pm
this loss is on LD and Jamal crawford
Hawks vs. Mavs
November 20th, 2010
10:19 pm
Boston next, that’ll be another guaranteed loss
lukas
November 20th, 2010
10:19 pm
And that’s how you dump 126 million dollars!!
Wabe
November 20th, 2010
10:19 pm
SMH @ the Hawks…
Seriously, getting mighty annoying watching this.
Isn’t Dallas on the back end of a back to back?
Aren’t the Hawks rested after a 3 day layoff?
Aren’t the Hawks playing at home?
WTF is this?
bigdave
November 20th, 2010
10:19 pm
lol @ dwane casey..
ignition
November 20th, 2010
10:20 pm
Our guards did nothing for us tonight…
Josh 20 & 5 & 5
Al 20 & 20 & 5
We used to dominate home court .. Idk what’s wrong but we got to fix it…
Najeh Davenpoop
November 20th, 2010
10:20 pm
0-5 against good teams. 8-0 against sh-tty teams.
5-1 on the road. 3-4 at home.
YoDaddy
November 20th, 2010
10:20 pm
Jamal Crawford and Marvin Williams continue to be the achilles heel of this team….
Najeh Davenpoop
November 20th, 2010
10:21 pm
“this loss is on LD and Jamal crawford”
Don’t sell Joe and Marvin short.
STRETCH
November 20th, 2010
10:21 pm
And thats why this team will never make it past the 2nd round of any playoffs. You break the bank for a 11 pts a game player?
JeJe.
November 20th, 2010
10:21 pm
LOL 4 home losses this year.
Lost a team that freaking LOST at home last night and came over 1,000 miles to beat us in our own arena LOL
NO DEFENSE
NO REBOUNDING
NO HEART
NO HARD FOULS
NO FIGHTS
Dan
November 20th, 2010
10:21 pm
Jamal Crawford, pay him or trade him!!!! He is hurting the team. 4 turnovers in the 4th quarter, in crunch time? WTF!!!!!
truly1
November 20th, 2010
10:21 pm
LD looks like woody Jr
ignition
November 20th, 2010
10:22 pm
We have to go to Al more as our go to guy…
Bailey
November 20th, 2010
10:22 pm
Well, I think most will agree with me when I say that Jamal Crawford, and perhaps more importantly, L.D. are mostly responsible for this loss. Jamal clearly didn’t have it going tonight, yet L.D. just wouldn’t bench him and give someone else a shot. Also, Al was a beast, hitting just about every shot he put up, yet L.D. failed to run things for him. L.D. clearly has a lot to learn. On a positive note, you have to take your hat off to Al Horford. He was, by far, the best player in this game and probably would have led the team to victory if he would have touched the ball more on the offensive end.
One other thing. Jordan Crawford provided a great spark tonight, and I think he proved that he deserves some playing time in the future. Absolutely critical flaw by L.D. to stick with Jamal over Jordan when Jordan had it going, but at any rate, great effort by Jordan Crawford.
Blast
November 20th, 2010
10:22 pm
How come Hawks play so well against weak teams this year and suck against playoff teams? It was the opposite last year! Joe got the big money. He has to step up. Jamal might not have gotten the contract he wanted this year, but he is still making 10 mil a year. He has to play like it. I didn’t expect Drew to leave Jamal so long in this game especially after he made that crucial turnover.
Rev in Tampa
November 20th, 2010
10:22 pm
There is no saying, “At least they made it close.” There is no excuse for how they played tonight. They were fresh and the Mavs were not. Dirk had a bad night shooting. NO EXCUSES!!!
YoDaddy
November 20th, 2010
10:23 pm
A move must be made involving Jamal Crawford and/or Marvin Williams
Is Jamal depressed? He doesn’t look himself…Marvin is Marvin aka Jekyll & Hyde and tonight it was Hyde
Jordan Crawford made a positive impression
ignition
November 20th, 2010
10:23 pm
Very disappointed we are a better team than this… We are a better team than our record..
cp
November 20th, 2010
10:24 pm
Its time to package up the invisible man aka duck and Jamal pay me or trade me… Marvin continues to start although he brings nothing to the table… Jamal looks like he doesn’t care.. LD blew it with sticking with Jamal… Rick get these 2 cats out of here
truly1
November 20th, 2010
10:24 pm
What did Marvin Do but he only played 26 minutes anyway he shot ok
Ray
November 20th, 2010
10:25 pm
Yeah Jamal just earned himself a trip out of A-Town say we trade him to Dallas for Caron Butler and Haywood. If somehow possible cause he isn’t doing a thing.
Marvin is now starting to look really bad, and I’ve supported him for a long time, but he’s just not cutting it he does great on defense, but that offense needs a revamp or something I don’t know.
ignition
November 20th, 2010
10:25 pm
I’m more than disappointed I’m angry.. Our perimeter players did nothing.. absolutely NOTHING.. !!!!
Bailey
November 20th, 2010
10:25 pm
Oh, one another thing. There’s some hope for us in the standings due to other things that are going on tonight. It looks like the Grizzlies may have a shot at defeating the heat tonight, which means the Hawks won’t fall behind the Heat yet. L.D. and certain players on the team really need to get their acts together fast though. We can’t continue to have these types of highly preventable losses. This was the Hawks’ game to lose.
JeJe.
November 20th, 2010
10:26 pm
DESHAWN STEVENSON HAD MORE POINTS TONIGHT THAN JOE JOHNSON
JUMPER
LOL!
BIBBY FOULING DESHAWN !@#$ING STEVENSON ON A FADEAWAY
ignition
November 20th, 2010
10:28 pm
Can we give Denver a call for Carmelo.. ?? I mean Jamal & Marvin are tradable pieces..
cp
November 20th, 2010
10:29 pm
And its time to start playing JC2. LD has given Teague every opportunity so far this season and he has done nothing with it. I said a few blogs ago that Jordan Crawford would be no worse than what Teague is giving us so far and that aint much.. His defense will be fine. Get JC2 some minutes
truly1
November 20th, 2010
10:29 pm
That was Josh Smith that stole that ball no Jamal crawford he just got the score off of it
northcyde
November 20th, 2010
10:29 pm
My comment was supposed to be . . . “Please set up a play for Bibby”.
Oh well.
JJ took an NBA Jam three.
Wow @ 4 home losses already.
Horrible games by our supposed scorers JJ and Jamal.
Not the best coached game by Drew, although inserting Jordan into the game made him look like he knows what he’s doing. Jamal playing 30 minutes, with the way he was playing on both ends of the court, is unacceptable.
Great games by Horford and Smith. You earned your money tonight.
Bibby kept us within striking distance, but was on the bench way too long.
Marvin was Marvin.
Teague may have to look over his shoulder now.
And Rudy Gay just made an 15 foot fadeaway jumper over Lebron to beat Miami.
Ray
November 20th, 2010
10:30 pm
It’s time for some trades to be happening around here especially with Jamal. I must say I was highly impressed with Jordan Crawford he actually beings what Jamal has plus actual defense geez.
Trade Jamal. I’m going to wait on Marvin a little bit cause he actually has some defense vs. Jamal, and like someone mention before he doesn’t really affect the outcome of a game like Jamal does.
YoDaddy
November 20th, 2010
10:30 pm
I don’t understand why the Hawks don’t play with energy…all these guys are young…I just don’t understand it. They are still immature…every time something happens their body language changes.
truly1
November 20th, 2010
10:31 pm
People Stop making it Teague versus Jordan Crawford it is Jordan Crawford versus Jamal Crawford
cp
November 20th, 2010
10:31 pm
ignition I read a rumor saying the Hawks might be the sleeper team to land Melo. I dont know how true it is but I would be all for that move. I know a few people on here dont like the idea of Melo but I say go for it.
ignition
November 20th, 2010
10:33 pm
@ cp Lets give Denver a Call .. They have to do something and Jamal & Marvin are great pieces for them…
O'Brien
November 20th, 2010
10:34 pm
That was a bad play call for JJ. Al was 10-12, so I think we should have gone to him for the quick 2, and then foul the Mavericks again.
This is a team loss, but a big part of this is on LD.
truly1
November 20th, 2010
10:34 pm
It is Teague versus Bibby and Jamal crawford versus Jordan Craford
Ray
November 20th, 2010
10:34 pm
Teague to me is still a rookie cause I didn’t see much of him last season so at this point he’s untouchable to me.
Marvin, Jamal, Etan Thomas, and Twin are all trade-able if they don’t start playing like they want it. Especially Jamal and Marvin he’s actually getting by a little in my book he did have that injury just a couple weeks back.
YoDaddy
November 20th, 2010
10:35 pm
Jamal is gone….I’m convinced they don’t need him…Marvin Williams…just no shows too often
Ray
November 20th, 2010
10:39 pm
@ YoDaddy I agree with you Jamal is gone they really don’t need him cause it seems Jordan Crawford is ready, and he stays ready like for real.
Marvin like I said I’m mad with him, but at the same time I’m willing to give a longer trail period on him because this offense is suppose to benefit him, and he’s never been the make or break guy on the team neither.
JeJe.
November 20th, 2010
10:41 pm
for EVERYTHING JOSH AND AL DO OFFENSIVELY, THESE GUYS ARE HORRID DEFENDERS
NO REBOUNDING, NO BOXING OUT…JOSH LEAVING DIRK SPACE TO SHOOT.
THIS TEAM DOES NOT PLAY DEFENSE. WE ARE SOFT. WE DO NOT COMPARE AT ALL TO BOSTON, ORLANDO, OR MIAMI IN A 7 GAME SERIES. CHICAGO WOULD PROBABLY BEAT US
WE NEED MOVES AND WE NEED THEM NOW
4 HOME LOSSES IN 1 MONTH?
LOL! CLEVELAND LOST 2 HOME GAMES IN 1 YEAR
FIRE SUND
YoDaddy
November 20th, 2010
10:41 pm
I would not be oppposed to Marvin and Jamal for Melo
YoDaddy
November 20th, 2010
10:42 pm
Joe Johnson is on the trading block
O'Brien
November 20th, 2010
10:43 pm
BTW, Jamal Crawford was 2-10 from the field, with 5 turnovers, but he still played 33 minutes.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 20th, 2010
10:44 pm
“I would not be oppposed to Marvin and Jamal for Melo”
I hope not.
bigdave
November 20th, 2010
10:45 pm
before the game Drew said he would find more minutes for Jamal.. and he did.
after the game Drew say’s the play was supposed to be for Joe to turn the corner and go get fouled.. which he didnt (maybe b/c of the early mishandle of the hand off) .. in my opinion he had the opportunity to get the call on his 3 attempt.. i guess he wasnt sure he would get the call..
Najeh Davenpoop
November 20th, 2010
10:45 pm
Jamal and Marvin for Melo would be the Hawks’ version of the Pau Gasol trade — in that the Hawks would have made a major swindle and the Nuggets’ GM would get fired.
Harpie
November 20th, 2010
10:45 pm
The Hawks dropped one crappy head coach, and picked up another one. Let Al coach the team; he’s the only smart guy out there…