Atlanta Hawks: Celtics 99, Hawks 76
Shaq and the C's pounded the Hawks. (AP Photo)
– I wondered if L.D. would try to keep an even keel after this beat down. You know, try not to overreact to a bad regular-season loss. Keep it in perspective. Say something soothing instead of the something scathing.
– Nope. Not even close. He finally emerged 20 minutes after the game ended and ripped his team for its second surrender in the last two weeks.
– “This was very, very embarrassing,” he said. “If I had to sum it up in one word: embarrassing. To come out with that type energy; that type urgency. What I see with our team right now I don’t feel real good about.”
– The scene was eerily similar to the aftermath of the Orlando series. Bickering players, poor body language, lack of resolve and booing fans during the game. Quiet locker room and questions about character after it. “We came out tonight and didn’t compete,” Jamal said.
– Same group, new coach, and so far the same results. Actually, I can’t even say same results since the Hawks beat some good teams along the way to 53Ws and the No. 3 seed. They haven’t beaten any yet this season. The Hawks are supposed to match up better with the Celtics, especially with Rajon Rondo (ankle) in street clothes.
– Matchups hardly matter when the Hawks fail to show up. “We have some soul-searching to do,” Al said. “I don’t think we are [accountable]. We tend to have excuses for everything.”
– “I never would have thought we would come out so not ready to play,” J.J. said. “They remember we swept them last season. They wanted to come in and send a message and they did it.”
– Not surprisingly, there were some flareups in Atlanta’s huddles. At one point Al tried to huddle up the team and calm things down. “Guys have got to understand you can’t be sensitive to policing,” Josh said.
– “I am disappointed that we are not playing with a hunger,” L.D. said. “We are looking to point fingers. We are playing the blame game. More importantly, our energy level is not good at all. We are not doing things quick, we are not doing things with speed, we are not doing things with urgency.”
– The Hawks again looked more sluggish at the start than an opponent that had played the day before. The same thing happened against Milwaukee and Dallas.
– “We are playing like we are coming off a back-to-back-to-back,” Drew said. “I told the guys I don’t know what you are doing the night before we play, I don’t know what you are doing away from the floor. Something is going on that is not allowing us to play with an energy and passion that we should be playing with. As a head coach, I’ve got to find out what it is.”
– Nate Robinson ran circles around the Hawks in the opening three minutes with five points and two assists. Plenty of open shots were available for the Celtics and they made most of them. Boston collected pretty much every Atlanta miss.
– “Something is going on and I’ve got to get to the bottom of it,” L.D. said. “Players have to know themselves. They have to know their bodies. They have to know how to get physically and mentally ready for every game, especially at the start. First four minutes of the game, when I see my players bending over grabbing their shorts because they are winded, something is going on. Something is wrong.”
– The Hawks never really threatened to rally after Boston’s opening barrage. The Celtics’ older, experienced heads schooled the younger, faster and more athletic Hawks.
– “We never hit back,” Joe said. “We made it real easy for them.”
– “The Celtics know who they are,” Mo said. “We don’t have an identity, unless it’s when things go bad we go the other way. Maybe that’s out identity and we don’t know it.”
– Before the game, L.D. said he thinks the Hawks hadn’t yet figured out how to “tighten the screws up” when they face adversity but he believes they have the personnel to do so. The close losses to Phoenix, Orlando, Dallas and Utah and the beat downs from Milwaukee and Boston suggest otherwise.
– “We start making excuses,” L.D. said. “We start getting on the officials. We start getting on teammates. All of those things start to seep in when things aren’t going well. That’s not a good sign at all.”
– L.D. has talked about accountability. What can he do once he figures out the problem with his players? “I’ve got to address it with each individual,” he said. “If I see something wrong, I have to address it. It can’t be sugarcoated.”
– Sorry for not posting the usual pregame blog post. I had it written and it was a masterpiece. But when I tried to post it the blog monster turned on its owner and ate it, leaving behind no remains to salvage.
– I’m out, Hawks fans.
MC
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218 comments Add your comment
STRETCH
November 23rd, 2010
10:14 am
People, its what they always say. You get what you pay for! Sund and Co sat on their hands over the offseason while everyone else was getting better.
This team has no chemistry…especially when things start going south. Im not an owner, heck i still dont own a home, dont have a degree, and i dont wear a suit and tie everyday, but i do know this much…You dont appoint JSmith as captain of ANYTHING!
And whats up with 3 captains anyway?????
If they dont make a move soon, this whole thing will blow up.
Section 303
November 23rd, 2010
10:18 am
EmirS, right…be careful what we wish for. Because, without Joe, who else could we pay $24-million to score 6-pts and barely try? You’re right…we had better be careful.
Give me a f’ing break!
Astro Joe
November 23rd, 2010
10:28 am
My prediction is that LD starts Mo Evans tonight. And while that will please many around here, using Marvin as a scapegoat is cheap and meaningless. If you want to appear to be the “new Sheriff in town”, you don’t pick a fight with the outlaw with a patch over one eye, a limp and a toy pistol. You go after one of the main bad boys… not his sidekick’s sidekick’s sidekick. Let’s see what “accountability” looks like tonight. If he picks on Marvin, it will be like walking on a playground and challenging the boy who is reading a book with coke-bottle glasses to a fight, while a few other kids are standing there smoking and sharpening their knives.
Hawk n the Ham
November 23rd, 2010
10:29 am
Wow. That’s all I can say. I won’t be surprised to see ‘Aarons Luck Dog’ ticket specials apply to ALL home games for the rest of the season. Just to get fans to come back.
Doesn’t look like I will be coming to any more games for a while. On top of marquee game $$ for tix and the extra $$ I have to spend on gas driving from B’ham and back for a game doesn’t make sense.
JeJe
November 23rd, 2010
10:31 am
PLAYERS ONLY MEETINGS ALWAYS HELP THIS TEAM. HOPE THEY RUN ONE. I’M OUT
Astro Joe
November 23rd, 2010
10:39 am
JeJe, players only meetings before playing the Nets and Wizards usually are GREAT for turning things around. Of course, any of us could talk to the players before playing the Nets and Wizards and likely have the same impact… but let’s keep that to ourselves.
Samuel
November 23rd, 2010
10:43 am
Doc,
Why you keep calling Rick “My Boy”. LOL!!He was when he first got here. He immediately signed Bibby and I “thought” he was serious. Since then, he’s gone steadily down hill by refusing to get any legit players in here, signing JJ to that outrageous deal and most of all, Firing the man who turned this pathetic franchise around. You know that. Rick don’t know his as_ from a hole in the ground.
When you got the lowest paid coach in the league who hasn’t proven a dam_ thing it’s pretty ovious that when adversity hits the players will turn on him. I’m wondering just how long the ASG will hang with LD just to prove a point. At the rate we’re going(downhill fast), I don’t see us even making the playoffs and if we don’t will that get LD fired since they only owe him chump change anyway?
Joe,
I also said all along that pretty don’t count. Woody’s offense was effective because our two best offensive players were one on one players. He made JJ and all star and Jamal 6MOY now look at em. Our best offensive player is Al Horford who can’t hold his own against “ANY” bigtime center in this league.
It’s gonna be a long, ugly season guys. Hunker Down..LOL!!
JeJe
November 23rd, 2010
10:44 am
ASTRO JOE, I THINK MARK BRADLEY IS RIGHT:
THE PLAYERS WANTED LD BECAUSE HE IS NICER AND WOULDN’T MAKE THEM WORK AS HARD
I.MUS WRITE
November 23rd, 2010
10:46 am
The motion offense has exposed JJ and Jamal…….. Ball movement and passing is their kryptonite. I dont know where this team is going but it doesnt look good -losing to playoff type teams and beating up on the bottom feeders sounds like a 1st round exit to me. The Bucks are licking their chops to get a rematch.
Marvin needs to be benched ASAP-For the love of god sit his azz down. He isnt helping us at all.
Teague
JJ
Smoove
Horford
I notice people doggn Josh-The guy has had one bad game against arguably the best defensive team in the league-u should probably direct your hate at JJ and marvin for not producing. Josh has been our best player so far this year give the guy a break already.
I think im only going to watch when we play playoff teams. Nobody wants to see Ga State play Alabama,but every body wants to seeAlabama at Auburn….Talent level
GEAUX FALCONS 8-2 Baby YEEEEAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!
Astro Joe
November 23rd, 2010
10:51 am
JeJe, but the players didn’t hire LD, the ASG hired LD. Sure, the players wnated “Uncle Larry” because that is who they ran to when Daddy was treating them harshly. So they figured it would be better to have Uncle Larry than someone who may handle them in an undesirable way. But I don’t blame the players… I don’t blame LD and I don;t even blame Sund. I think Sund really wanted to go “outside” of what BK/Woody had done previously (LD is linked to BK/Woody). But Gearon chose LD. I think LD is probably a very good game strategist but this team needs more than someone who can design offensive schemes. LD wants to coach schemes and the players still need to be reminded about effort, energy and professionalism… it’s a mess… a poker-hot mess.
PRESTONI
November 23rd, 2010
10:54 am
Keeping this so-called Core Group together really constitutes an Unlawful Gathering. It was so obvious that Changes needed to be made–I guess the justification for not doing anything is that we didn’t want to take a New Team Picture. There are Major Chemistry Issues with this Team and not only do most of the Players lack a Winning Mentality but they also have No Heart. When I see Players barely putting forth Any Effort (and I used to Dive on the Concrete in Playground Games) it is time to Remove the Kiss Cam and install a Kick In The Azz Cam in the Arena. Really at this point in time it is beyond obvious that Changes need to be made. I really rather see us Trade for Little Bo Peep than keep this Cast of Characters in tact. There is no real danger of making a Bad Trade, because this is already a Bad Team that is going nowhere. Losing 5 of the last 6 Games at Home and being humiliated by an Injured Boston Celtic Team should destroy anything we were hanging our hat on–so WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO PROTECT!!!
The Truth
November 23rd, 2010
11:02 am
Hawks fans (again), let not your heart be troubled, if you believe in watching good elite-level basketball, then believe also in “The Truth”. These are not the same Hawks of last season and after painfully watching them play against the Celtics; that is not a compliment. They look uninspired without a mission or purpose at home. As a team, they are playing like a paddleboat without the paddle just going through the motion. You can see it in their eyes, a new belief that they might just be mediocre at best, perhaps not even worthy of second tier. They are playing based on last season glory instead of the necessary work for current game preparations. Against the Celtics, they look like d-leaguers. Because of that, I must give an unpopular but necessary kudos to Woody for motivating this mediocre bunch to overachieving heights. Woody drove their emotions by preaching a “No Respect, We Will Prove Them Wrong” sermon. It implanted a chip of their shoulders and they played hard at the “Highlight Factory” and it was literally called that for a reason. With his pastoral voice, he challenged their manhood and gave them a mission. They responded and went places they had never been before. Yes, old news but a very important history lesson nonetheless about the things that drive this team. No disrespect to LD, but as dysfunctional as this team is, as currently constructed, he will not be successful until he fuel their emotions and channel the current humiliating beat-down into something positive. Yes, by any means necessary even if that means challenging their manhood. If they got any balls (left), they should respond including JJ. What good is it, to have all that money when no one gives a dam about you? Fame is equally important. His quest for greatness (via HOF) if he has any becomes a joke.
PS
I’m out for the holiday
Happy Thanksgiving
My early Christmas wish; Sund is fired at the end of this basketball season
doc
November 23rd, 2010
11:08 am
jeje your going to maybe hate this but i made a kobe/ jj comparison yesterday. what do they say about like minds?
JeJe
November 23rd, 2010
11:09 am
SUND THOUGHT IF WE HAD THE SAME TEAM THIS YEAR, EVERYONE WOULD NATURALLY IMPROVE.
HE FORGOT WE HAVE MIKE BIBBY, MARVIN, AND ZAZA AS 3 OF OUR KEY ROTATIONAL PLAYERS. LOL
Mike is back
November 23rd, 2010
11:11 am
Doc, great comment on TD…what a class guy.
I still think LD has what it takes…to get the job done…like YOU elegantly put IT…DOES SUND AND THE ASG HAVE HIS BACK…that’s the 640000000000000000 dollar question. lol
Let’s not forget…during some tumultuous stretches of the Birds rebuilding…people was questioning MSmith leadership ability too…it’s the nature of the beast.
I’ll say this…when you hear one of LD’s assistance speak…they are saying the same thing…the coaches are on the same page…this one is on the guys in the UNIs. This is no time for them to start falling apart…they need to focus on ways they can come together and rally behind their coach.
Fortunately, the Hawks are not the only team in the East enduring some struggle…we are what 1.5 games behind Orland,2 games behind Boston, and tied with Heat and Bulls…it’s still a looong way to go. I’m not going to even entertain myself with thought that Sund would make a meaningful trade…just to change the culture of the team…I can hear him now…we still like our core…WHAT EVER!!!!!!!
KevinM
November 23rd, 2010
11:17 am
SEC303, man I feel for you….you are giving up your hard earned $$ to be disappointed once again.
I told myself if they brought back Joe, not another dime was coming from me…..LD was not the best choice either.
I will watch from afar and just laugh like I did last night when turning away from college basketball to see the Hawks down 48-25 in the 2nd quarter…..and Shaq just wasn’t a good fit here….haha.
Rick Sund, you continue to amaze me with your insight.
northcyde
November 23rd, 2010
11:20 am
( sigh )
I think Drew is in complete denial about the talent on the Hawks. But the real crime was committed by Sund during the offseason. The “we like our core” line, is going to become one of the most infamous lines in Atlanta sports history.
This was NOT the same Boston team that we faced last year. Since that 4 game regular season sweep, they’ve added Nate Robinson, Shaq, Delonte West, and Jermaine O’Neal.
In other words, Boston made a concerted effort to upgrade their team, starting last February, and continued to do it over the summer. Their bench players are good enough to step into a starting role if need be.
It was so frustrating to see Shaq dominate us . . again. Supposedly “old man Shaq” completely had his way against us. And people, including our all-knowing GM, acted like we didn’t need or couldn’t use a player like that?
When that Cleveland rumor came down over the summer, I said that there is NO WAY that the “fear” of losing Marvin Williams should stop a deal for Shaq, even if you had to pay Shaq 2 yrs – 14 mill to bring him to ATL.
That was a toughness-changing, economic-changing type move for the franchise, and Sund and the front office did absolutely nothing to seriously bring that guy in.
And I won’t even mention the refusal to pay for Avery Johnson ( OK, I just mentioned him ). That was the different, outside voice that if here, wouldn’t be playing favorites amongst the players. He simply would be playing the guys that could get it done.
JeJe
November 23rd, 2010
11:26 am
OF COURSE SUND AND ASG HAVE DREW’S BACK.
DO YOU THINK THEY’RE GONNA FIRE LD AND PAY HIM THE MONEY HE IS OWED? THE ASG HAS NO MONEY TO SPEND. THEY ARE TOO CHEAP TO FIRE DREW AND PAY HIM MONEY WITHOUT HIM BEING THERE.
LD: SEND A MESSAGE TONIGHT. BENCH THE STARTERS SANS HORFORD. LET TEAGUE, MO, COLLINS, AND JO/CRAW START. MAYBE JAMAL INSTEAD OF JO-CRAW.
DO SOMETHING
Geemack
November 23rd, 2010
11:37 am
JeJe
That quote from Kobe is on point.
The problem with the Hawks is, there’s nobody in the organization that’s obsessed with winning. That’s why Kobe has won 5 out of 7 rings the last 14 seasons.
Geemack
November 23rd, 2010
11:41 am
northcyde
Great post northcyde.
northcyde
November 23rd, 2010
11:41 am
The Joe Johnson situation
Someone on this training staff needs to find out if this dude is seriously hurt or not. If he is, this is the perfect time to shut him down for a week or two, with the “weak” opponents coming up.
JJ has said in the past that rest won’t necessarily help the hand situation. But if he’s hurtng, something needs to be done about, because we can’t have him continue to shoot like that.
Having said that, JJ’s shot selection, and more importantly his aggressiveness, has to dramatically improve. And in games in which Horford and Smith have a bad matchup, he MUST try to put the team on his back. But he has to do that by taking good shots ( i.e. – the floater in the lane ).
The 3 ball just isn’t falling for him right now, so he needs to rely on it less, even when wide open. I want to see the offense get him the ball within that 18 foot area, and for him to get into the paint more to shoot the higher percentage shot. And the dude has to man up and start drawing more fouls, even looking to draw a foul. If he’s 2 – 10 FG, I also want to see him be 7 – 8 FT.
( And since you read the blog Jamal Crawford . . you need to do the same thing. Both of you guys are ice cold from 3, so how about taking a few midrange shots, or ( gasp ) go all the way to the hole and draw a foul, to get into some sort of rhythm. Don’t just keep gunning away from 3 and wasting possessions )
LAUGHING IN INDY
November 23rd, 2010
11:46 am
BETWEEN POST GAME ENTERTAINMENTS SCRIPT AND KIRK KINGA USE OF THE WORD ” 4TH-ISH , I AM LEAVING THIS BLOG IN TEARS OF LAUGHTER ..I CANT TAKE ANY MORE..I’VE BEEN LAUGHING SO HARD THAT I AM NOW STARTING TO FILL LIKE I WANT TO VOMIT..I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE..LOL
Mike is back
November 23rd, 2010
11:57 am
Astro Joe, on your 10:28…I concur…I may have mention Marvin…in my initial post…however I was referring to starting six…tha no who tha is…u no who tha is.
Like I said, LD has some options…the reserves he has are not world beaters…but they all he got…u gotta go with what u got…Word Up.
When we play teams with young, quick athletic PGs…we gotta go with our young quick PGs…now you have two viable option…When we play teams with Bigs with length…we gotta go Big at the Pivot…if Al and Zaza are struggling…give Eton another shot…instead always going with ole Tofu…in some cases I would go with Powell. Heck, just do something…don’t keep rolling out the same line up…just to please egooooooooos…just saying.
Doc, can u believe some people were actually comparing Tofu to Shaq…jeeeeez.
My bad…on the cheap hit…I HAD TO GET IT ON…lol heh heh
GET YAWS ASSSSSSSES IN GEAR…AND LETS GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not Sund
November 23rd, 2010
11:58 am
People I hear you, the CORE has got to be broken up, these players don’t want to be together any longer and they are trying to force changes with their lack of effort. I can make that happen and I will.
Mike is back
November 23rd, 2010
12:03 pm
I.MUS WRITE, dang daaaaawg…really funny stuff on your 10:40 post…I didn’t want to say it…I thought it was just me. heh heh
terrell
November 23rd, 2010
12:06 pm
Same startin 5 tonight. Bank on it!
JeJe
November 23rd, 2010
12:08 pm
FIRE DOC
Mike is back
November 23rd, 2010
12:12 pm
Terrell, dang bro…I having a good time…please don’t wake me up. lol
JeJe
November 23rd, 2010
12:16 pm
THE HEAT ARE WAIVING STACKHOUSE IN ORDER TO SIGN DAMPIER.
SIGN JERRY STACKHOUSE PLEASE.
THIS IS OUR 3RD OPPORTUNITY IN 2 YEARS. HELL, START THE GUY. HE CAN STILL PUT THE BALL IN THE HOOP AND HE IS A VET. I’D TAKE STACKHOUSE OVER MARVIN WILLIAMS AS A STARTER ANY DAY
SIGN STACKHOUSE
terrell
November 23rd, 2010
12:19 pm
Heck, Damien Wilkins > Marvin
Grandad
November 23rd, 2010
12:25 pm
northcyde
I’ll concede the Shaq point you make.
Last eve I was most impressed with the man.
When totally committed he is still a force.
*[from a previous post]
When has Sund ever been “my boy”?
Now about Joe:
He may be injured, but why do you defend him so mightily?
Right now Joe is stealing money.
Money that he selfishly harvested from ASG, while his teammates
took less for the greater good.
Get out the broom & clean house!
Major trade! Blockbuster! It’s time!
Joe + Teague + Marv [pkg] = Value of some kind.
Joe’s contract is less obtrusive now.
Every year older he will become more and more difficult to move.
northcyde
November 23rd, 2010
12:28 pm
Defense
Drew believes that this team can be a top 10 defense. But as currently constructed, there’s no way in hell that this can happen. And because Drew’s strength as a coach isn’t defense in the first place, it simply makes it that much harder for us on D.
I say that because everytime this team struggles to stop people, his response to that is an OFFENSIIVE one, instead of a defensive one. That’s how the team has gotten into even more trouble in some of these games.
If Bibby is struggling defensively, Drew’s response is to take Marvin out ( because he isn’t doing anything ), and insert another scorer ( Jamal ) into the game.
Now you have a situation in which both Bibby and Jamal are on the floor. And if those guys aren’t making shots, the decifit will grow.
If Teague and Mo Evans are your best perimeter defenders off the bench ( and they’re average defenders at best ), they need to be the 1st ones off the bench when the team is struggling on D. Still get Jamal his minutes . . just bring him in later on in the quarter when the team can’t stop anybody.
The same goes for Jason Collins ( even though he’s garbage, but does have a little value as a average man defender ). If a center is lighting us up, don’t respond to that by bringing in Zaza, simply because he’s ahead of Collins in the rotation.
Even by doing that though, we don’t have good overall defensive personnnel on this team.
And defensive rebounding is still a major issue with this team. That’s the major reason why you can’t just name Collins the starter. Yes, he can defend big centers, but he’s a horrible rebounder. Unless a situation occurs in which Collins simply takes up space, so that Horford and Smith can come on and secure the board, he can’t be depended on to start every game.
And as long as this team doesn’t box out and play physical at ALL TIMES, these issues are going to persist. And while Drew can try to coach this, if it’s not in the nature of the player to box out and play physical, they won’t consistently do it.
lewis
November 23rd, 2010
12:38 pm
Dear Hawks fan –
It’s a fair desire, but I have to ask how you propose that be done? Who on this roster (other than the productive and reasonably priced Al Horford and Josh Smith) would any other NBA team want for themselves?
* The one-dimensional starting point guard owed another $6.4 million next season?
* The injured and aging starting shooting guard in possession of a brand-new $123 million contract?
* The injured and disappointing starting small forward owed almost $25 million over the next three seasons?
If you don’t move one of those three to improve the team at the point or on the wing, the team is unlikely to get better.
So that leaves you with trying to improve the team by bartering Jamal Crawford* or Jeff Teague** or Mo Evans. Given the Hawks’ record with second-round picks, I don’t see moving any of those leading to significant improvement.
*There’s still time to deal him. Some team might suffer an injury and the backcourt and be interested in bringing him on for the stretch run.
**Sacramento might have interest in him but the Hawks have constructed their roster in such a way that trading Teague (who’s two coaches deep in disillusionment) for frontcourt depth could actually make the team worse at the point.
Who’s to blame? Rick Sund gets his share of blame and he deserves* some of that. But it’s a fair question how much power he has. He didn’t choose the head coach. It’s unclear how much of the effort to re-sign Joe Johnson was instigated by Sund and how much was Sund carrying out the wishes of his bosses. He’s shown no (useful) imagination in filling out the bench but, again, how much of that is his work and how much is it due to the ownership’s fondness for familiar names. If Sund is prone to having his decisions overruled and if he knows, as he must, that ASG won’t fire him and pay two general managers for even part of a season what’s his motivation to do more than cash the checks until his contract runs out and let ownership’s next fourth- or fifth-choice general manager candidate attempt to clean up their mess. It’s not admirable behavior, but it’s understandable.
*Losing Josh Childress for nothing should be a horrible embarrassment.
The key problems for this team are organizational and they begin with ownership. Until ownership changes*, this team will have fundamental limitations. Limitations that Rick Sund can’t transcend, that Larry Drew can’t transcend, that Al Horford can’t transcend. This a 45-win team with no cap flexibility until the Summer of 2014. They don’t have a stockpile of draft picks or a history of scouting success to mitigate that lack of flexibility. Ownership has quite willingly saddled themselves to stagnation on the court, cut corners off the court, and the financial result for them will be, at best, stagnation.
*Either the makeup of ownership or their behavior.
Hoopinionblog.com
BISHOP EDDIE STRONG
November 23rd, 2010
12:47 pm
THE HAWKS NEED A “DADDY” FIGURE IN THE LOCKER ROOM..VROOM VROOM VROOM
darrell starks
November 23rd, 2010
12:48 pm
HAWKS PROBLEM
1.Horford is not a center
2.Bibby can not play defense
3.Marvin shouldn’t be in the nba
4.Josh need 2 play under control
5.Joe is not a leader and shouldn’t be depend upon
6.Jamal is not jamal
7.Teague should starte he is a better defender than bibby
8.Collins should starte he is bigger and a better defender than horford
9.No defense
10.Defense wins championship that’s the hawks bread and butter they must defend.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe Glotz
November 23rd, 2010
12:53 pm
I know the Hawks really stunk it up out there last night, but did anyone consider that they ran into a really REALLY pissed off Celtics Team? I’m just sayin…
northcyde
November 23rd, 2010
12:56 pm
@ Grandad . . . the only reason why I called Sund “your boy”, is because you and some of the others didn’t severely criticize what that guy was doing ( or not doing ). It’s nothing personal . . . just a figure of speech.
Sund and the ASG are the real villians in all of this:
- didn’t hire Avery Johnson
- sold the extra draft pick for money
- traded Chill and only got back a trade exception
- signed Collins
- signed Powell
- signed Etan
- bought out Pape Sy’s French contract
And some people feel that overpaying for JJ may have been his biggest mistake.
As for Joe Johnson . . did that post look like I was defending him? That guy needs to play better . . . much better. The motion offense is tailor-made for him, because he gets wide open shots out of the offense at times.
But if the dude is trying to play games with an Ultimate Fighter type glove on, I have to assume that one of the reasons why JJ is playing horribly and sometimes tenatively, is because of the hand.
So if the hand is hurt, shut him down.
If the hand OK enough for him to keep going, then JJ needs to play much more aggressively.
But you just want to up and trade a 4-time All Star in which we’d be dead in the water if we can’t get another star in return.
I am not an emotional Hawks fan. I try my best to be as real and as rational as possible about this team. The Hawks lack
- an adequate bench
- rebounding ( especially defensive )
- perimeter defense ( especially at PG )
- a consistent low post scorer
- consistent offensive play from JJ and Jamal
- physical toughness from the frontline
- production from the SF position
Did I miss anything?
cp
November 23rd, 2010
12:58 pm
LD has to trot a different lineup out there tonight. He cant preach about accountability and send the same uninspired group out there. I see a lot of Woodson in him. Both seem to stick to the script no matter the outcome. Jamal gets his minutes although he isnt producing. Marvin still starts although he does nothing. ZaZa comes in before Collins although Collins is a better defender and doesn’t fumble every pass thrown to him………..I just dont understand how you bring the same guys back although they quit in the playoffs last year.. They gave up and instead of holding them accountable you bring them back as if it didn’t happen…… Woodrow had to go because these same characters quit on him. I remember watching that last game against the Magic in the playoffs and seeing how the guys werent even paying attention to him. It was during a timeout and guys were looking at the monitor on the scorers table and tuning him out. They weren’t even hiding the fact that they weren’t listening to him. That should have been a sign that some moves had to be made………Guys have been together way to long to still be talking about energy and getting hit in the mouth and not having an answer… LD is in a tough situation but he has to put his foot down if not then all that he says is just for show.
MsDee
November 23rd, 2010
1:01 pm
Have u guys noticed that we haven’t played an ‘elite/playoff’ team on the road yet other than Orlando, which we ONLY lost by 4 pts?? Let’s not write off the hawks just yet! Like I said in my 8:34am post, all we have done really is turned the location of wins around where we are winning on the road now instead of at home..we can still be a 55+ win team. I think LD will work on his line-up as the season continues to have the CORRECT line-up on the floor at the right time. Teague and JC2 should definitely get more run together cause the chemistry is surely there, while Bibby and JC1 is better suited together. Also, Mo Evans SHOULD DEFINITELY be starting instead of Marvin..not sure what the holdup on that one, LD??? So, if we could make those simple changes right now, we could really see what we are working with and to get rid of those that just will NEVER BELONG..hint,hint MARVIN/JAMEL!!
Rev in Tampa
November 23rd, 2010
1:04 pm
Even if Sund is going to do nothing else to improve this team by trade or signing Free Agents, he had better start inviting himself to the practices and locker room. He needs to find out what is going on with the team.
Drew’s comments about what the Hawks are doing on their off-nights was interesting. What is he going to do to enforce a curfew?
lewis
November 23rd, 2010
1:11 pm
mo and marvin’s knee combined couldn’t hold a starting slot
terrell
November 23rd, 2010
1:13 pm
JJ and Dunta Robinson are robbing the City of Atlanta.
MsDee
November 23rd, 2010
1:17 pm
Hey, after seeing how well we played at home but terrible on the road with Woodson and how we have played great on the road but sucked so far at home with LD…MAYBE, JUST MAYBE LD SHOULD HIRE THE GUY THAT HIRED HIM TO BE AN ASSISTANT COACH so we can even this win thang out..what do u guys think???
terrell
November 23rd, 2010
1:22 pm
LMAO @ Ms.Dee. Now that was funny!
northcyde
November 23rd, 2010
1:25 pm
MsDee . . . So how many road games are we going to win?
We’ve already lost 5 home games, which means that we can only win 36 home games max.
We’re also a team that hasn’t won more than 19 road games in a season since 1998 ( when we won 21 road games ).
So what are we going to do? Win 25 road games?
A 55+ win team looks like how we played in November of last year. This year, the Hawks look more like the 45 – 37 team of 2 years ago.
To win 55 games, the Hawk have to go 47 – 21 the rest of the way. I mean dang. All of those teams that came into Philips and beat us, we still have to go to them.
Let me take those rose-colored glasses off of you, and give you some 3-D glasses, so that you can really see all sides of the Hawks.
The best thing we got going for us right now, is that maybe 48 wins can still land us a top 4 seed.
terrell
November 23rd, 2010
1:26 pm
I’d take Woody over Tyronne Hill and Lester “wheres the defense” Conner all day long. Get him in here LD. lol!
doc
November 23rd, 2010
1:30 pm
rev welcome to the dark side.;-)
the hill looks more like a mountain today doesnt it?
doc
November 23rd, 2010
1:31 pm
northcyde it is the culture that is the problem. yes it is the askg formerly known as basg formerly known as asg.
O'Brien
November 23rd, 2010
1:34 pm
I know it’s early, but so far, it looks like LD and Rick are in denial with this core.
This off-season, one guy i would have liked to see interviewed is Thibodeau. Would he have worked? Would he have wanted the job? I dont know. But he is a defensive minded coach, and he worked under Doc Rivers.
northcyde,
Co-sign. Although he talks a good game, LD can do more than he is doing.
AJ,
Who do you think LD should bench for the game tonight? I think he should start 5 bench players.
But if I had to put money on it, I think he stays with the same lineup.
MsDee
November 23rd, 2010
1:36 pm
@northcyde,
Ok, I’ll bite and take that 48 win but remember how u praised Boston on last season with their great road record but not-so-good home record while ONLY FINISHING WITH A RECORD OF 50 TOTAL WINS??? Look where it got them, an opportunity to NOT have home court advantage, which was their strength, by-da-way, and obviously worked in their advantage by going ALL THE WAY TO THE END WITH A GAME 7 LOST! So, ok..I like our odds with a 48 win season with a better road record cause I would rather have a great road record than a great home record cause what good would it be if you dont have the best record in the NBA going into the playoffs?!?!