Atlanta Hawks at New Jersey Nets: ‘Defense is hard.’ Are the Hawks?
Newark, N.J–Over and over the coach preaches defense. He tells his players to execute the coverages, give maximum effort, and stay after it even when (or especially when) things get hard. Most of his preparation time is spent on defense. Pretty much all of his talks are about stopping opponents.
And yet despite all of this, the coach says his team doesn’t do these things to his satisfaction.
Not, I’m not talking about L.D. This was Doc Rivers talking last night before his Celtics waylaid the Hawks. He was asked if things like defensive intensity and focus come from players and not coaches.
“It comes from both. As good as we are at times, last year we were up and down all year. I think that’s a sell every night. It’s just easier to play offense. Defense is hard, and defense is every possession. Defense is hunger and focus and being down on the weak side every single time. It’s amazing how many times we show film of guys standing straight up. It’s hard. Defense is hard. To do it every night is hard to do. As a coach and your whole staff, we harp on it every single day. We could have an 80-point game [allowed] and I could show you 10 times in a game we got lucky and they missed a shot and we were not right. [Defense] comes from all five doing it all the time, where on offense you can have one guy make a shot and it works out for you. Defense, it is just hard.”
While he was saying that I’m thinking: If Doc Rivers has to constantly prod proud, veteran, tough-minded players to get them to do these things, then what chance does L.D. have of getting his younger, volatile, fragile players to play that way?
Mo had the telling quote after last night’s debacle: “The Celtics know who they are. 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.”
Maybe that’s how it is. Maybe it takes certain kind of players to play the way the Celtics play, and maybe the Hawks don’t have any (or enough) of those players. L.D. says he “very rarely talks about offense” and harps on defense but maybe there’s nothing he can do to make this group of players buy in to that.
“You can look at certain teams with certain players and you can see when the game hits a certain point where players they seem to take over, see certain teams when the game hits a certain point they tighten the screws up,” Drew said before the Boston game. “You can certainly see that. I don’t think we are there yet. I think we have to keep working on it. I do think we can get there. We have the personnel to get there. But we are not quite there.”
The day after
The Hawks players talked after the Celtics game. L.D. said the team met for breakfast this morning and watched video.
“Didn’t want to dwell on it, just wanted to make some points on it and then get ready for New Jersey,” he said.
So I asked Al if he their minds are right.
“We’ll see,” he said. “I’d rather hold all of my thoughts until once we get out here and play. We cant talk about certain stuff but we have to go out there and do it on the floor.”
Smoove took a similar stance on all the talking.
“If that [stuff] penetrates, then we should be good,” he said. “If it gets shrugged off, then maybe not. We are about to see.”
Party time?
L.D. elaborated on his postgame comments last night, in which he seemed to intimate the Hawks are doing too much partying before games.
“I didn’t say party,” he said. “We are not starting the game with a lot of energy. I don’t know if I am practicing them too hard. I don’t know if I am not practicing them hard enough. I don’t know if they are out at night. I don’t know what it is. It is something that is zapping our energy at the very beginning of our ballgame. It is something I have got to figure out what is going on with our team because we are too athletic to start at such a low energy level. Hopefully we will bounce back tonight.”
No rest for J.J.
One of the items the !$%^# blog monster ate last night concerned J.J.’s sore left hand. He got hit on the top of the hand during the preseason and still grimaces and favors it at times.
Good luck trying to get him to reveal how much it’s really bothering him.
“I’ve just got to deal with it,” Joe said. “The only thing that can keep it from hurting is resting but we don’t have time for that. I have to play through it. It’s nothing major.”
The fact that J.J. is wearing that bulky glove on the hand suggests it’s a problem. He said he would continue to wear it (”Got no choice) and that it doesn’t bother his shooting. The hand is not as sore after games when he wears the glove.
L.D. thinks the hand is bothering Joe more than he’s letting on. Would he consider taking the decision from Joe and giving him an extended rest?
“I will consider it, but a high probability of giving him time off? No,” Drew said. “We will probably just try to rest him days that we are not playing, especially when we have a couple days in between. Let him get it treated and keep him out. With those type injuries they always start to feel good and then you get it banged again and it becomes a lingering thing through the season.”
No T-Will for Nets
Nets swingman Terrence Williams (Go Cards) is out for two games due to disciplinary reasons. Dang, T-Will, get it together and rep The Ville right.
MC
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376 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
November 23rd, 2010
10:40 pm
“actually missing the playoffs may not be such a bad thing….we have a chance at the lottery if that happens because we got get some players that are hungry in there”
This is going to be one of the weakest drafts in years. A lottery pick in this draft is like a 15-20 pick in any other draft.
northcyde
November 23rd, 2010
10:52 pm
Patrick . . . the problem is that Mo Evans, for the most part, is garbage as well. He can be as passionte as he wants, but he also has to be effective.
It’s funny. People used to pull their hair out, because they wanted the Hawks to run, run, run.
Heck, we hardly ever run anymore. In fact, I think we’re playing at a slower pace this year, than last year.
O'Brien
November 23rd, 2010
10:53 pm
Josh Smith: 1-6 from outside the paint. And the only shot he made was his first attempt.
I dont know whats wrong with JJ, but he needs to get it going. When’s the last time he had 20+ points? Against Utah. 5 or 6 games ago
Clyde
November 23rd, 2010
10:54 pm
You can’t turn a ho into a housewife and you can’t turn Horford into a center.
Melvin
November 23rd, 2010
10:56 pm
Hopefully the Lakers will beat the Bulls tonight and at least we are guarantee a loss by Orlando or Heat tomorrow..
Clyde
November 23rd, 2010
10:58 pm
Thank you Blog Monster for letting me post. He was eating my posts on this blog and LiL Ray’s blog.
Atlanta Fawkers
November 23rd, 2010
10:58 pm
CLEAN HOUSE NOW AND BUILD FOR THE FUTURE!!!
Because there is no future with present cast of losers. Go get your Tiger Woods on Josh Smith. Bet you a limo is at hotel tonight for players to go out. LOSERS!!!!!!!
~~MAC-ToWN~~ (Area Code 478 Westside Macon)
November 23rd, 2010
10:59 pm
Clyde
November 23rd, 2010
10:54 pm
You can’t turn a ho into a housewife and you can’t turn Horford into a center.
……..
lol
QB
November 23rd, 2010
11:03 pm
First I have been to every game Josh Smith has improved his jump shot and is making it more consistently than last year. In my opinion he is the defense for the Hawks if he doesnt blcok a shot or get a rebound then its over. Horford should get a double double every night but when he outside shooting 18 foot jump shots that takes him away from rebounding. To me the only person that fills up that stat sheet every night is Smoove. Keep in mind he is only 24 so no way do u trade a guy like him. Everuody else beside Horford can be traded for the right deal in my opinion.
Melvin
November 23rd, 2010
11:18 pm
Remind me why we couldnt use T-Mac as Marvin backup again…
http://www.nba.com/video/games/wizards/2010/11/23/0021000205_phi_was_play3.nba/index.html
Ramon
November 23rd, 2010
11:29 pm
Josh and Joe are the only defensive minded players on this team. Joe shot isn’t falling, But he’s still playing great man to man defense. That is overlook when his shooting is failing. I would rather have a roster with players who can stop you from scoring 90 points any given night, over a line up that can score 110 any given night. However, LD seems to feel differently.
It frustrates me game after game, seeing LD go with a lineup of Bibby, JC1, Joe, Josh, Al. No matter how many points this lineup may create. It is almost a foregone conclusion that this lineup will give up more points. Tonight, Teague actually played pretty well. His defense on Harris lead to the Nets going scoreless for long stretches at time. However, in the fourth quarter, LD stuck with his offensive lineup, although the major problem was New Jersey’s back court scoring.
This isn’t the first game in which LD has made such substitution patterns. And LD says he will hold players accountable on the defensive end, yet I still don’t see it. How can you make that statement, and Mike Bibby still records 35 minutes while only having 3 assists, and 5 shot attempts. While the opposing PG goes for 27 and 10 assists. To make it worse, Teague, in limited play, had a +9 tonight. Teague had 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in only 16 minutes. And kept Harris from making so many shots.
I’m beginning to wonder did we trade an all defensive, no offense minded coach for an all offensive, no defense minded coach? When will we have a coach who values both? And doesn’t compromise nor simply makes the easy call?
Also how did JC2 manage to not get a single minute in this game?
One last question, does a half priced coach, get you half priced coaching?
Samuel
November 23rd, 2010
11:31 pm
Told Yall.
Woody>LD
Ramon
November 23rd, 2010
11:39 pm
Samuel, you may be right. However, that doesn’t mean much about Woody, it just describes LD. Saying your D- minus child is better than my F child, may make you feel better. But fact is both of our kids are heading to summer school.
Bailey
November 23rd, 2010
11:44 pm
When can we cut ties with L.D.? It’s not like firing him early is really going to put a dent in the pockets of the ASG, considering that he’s the lowest paid coach in the league. Joe could pay for L.D.’s entire salary with just his pocket change.
uga-brave
November 23rd, 2010
11:45 pm
so at waht point do you realize that josh smith is the problem?
we have the only poward forward in the nba that cant play with his back to the basket.
his idea of defense is the blocked shot.
his footwork stinks.
he plays ZERO off the ball defense.
his idea of defense is let them catch it and try to block it.
well he can jump high.
he is stealing minutes from a true post guy, horford.
he can jump high.
he pouts, how long?
he cant go right.
ever heard of a dropstep and a head fake?
rusty
November 23rd, 2010
11:55 pm
they all suck,will things ever get better with this team
uga-brave
November 23rd, 2010
11:56 pm
i will say it again, what has josh smith added to his game?
AT some point you would think he would improve his game as a poward forward.
back to the basket? a drop step? a head fake? anything?
should rent him kevin mchale’s video about how to play the four.
nothing ZIP.
jumping high and blocking shots with your left hand does not make you a good poward forward.
uga-brave
November 23rd, 2010
11:58 pm
watch karl malone, and his ability to pass inside.
we have a four. horford. play him there.
trade josh.
Von
November 23rd, 2010
11:58 pm
I like Josh, but uga-brave makes some good points. To strengthen your argument, not only does Josh steal minutes, he also steals field goal attempts. Josh isn’t the only problem, but I agree that he is one of them. 21 shots tonight for Josh? What the hell is going on there?
uga-brave
November 24th, 2010
12:03 am
von, josh is a coach killer. woody knew it. babied him.
this team would be better off signing crawford, and trading josh.
uga-brave
November 24th, 2010
12:05 am
von, your best post guy should be a good interior passer. horford is. josh?
hawkfan
November 24th, 2010
2:45 am
after looking at the bulls-lakers game the bulls actually played with heart and effort even though they still lost they actually played defense, when can we say that about our team? I feel we are sinking beyond our control and something needs to happen, bailey maybe national television is what we need to gear up more effort, if we get blown out that game we get embarrased on a larger scale but if we win good then we gain back some confidence, who knows right now
terrell
November 24th, 2010
10:31 am
uga-brave, you wanna trade Josh, but fail to mention Marvin? What’s up with that? If you want Horford at PF, move Josh to sf. Cant be any worse than Marvin. In fact, he showed (when Marvin was out) that he’s BETTER than Marvin at sf.
terrell
November 24th, 2010
10:35 am
And uga, if Horford moves to pf, we wouldnt have a starting caliber center to replace him. Twin? lol! Zaza? Please! Etan? Get real!
steve
November 24th, 2010
9:27 pm
Marvin Williams is garbage it make me sick to see that guy as a starter in the NBA everybody please watch this guy during the game it like he’s scared and this dude has been in the league over five years thats the hawks problem you gets nothing from his spot.
{MAC-Town Georgia 478}
November 25th, 2010
4:08 am
I wish we had morrow