Atlanta Hawks at Kings: Good team, bad team
Sacramento–Lester Conner’s pregame board has a different look tonight. The offensive and defensive keys are each labeled with “good teams.” As in . . .
Defensively, good teams: box out, defend one-on-one, defend in transition and play hard. Offensively, good teams: take good shots, make the extra pass, execute the offense, put away bad teams.
At the bottom of the keys: “REALIZE We are a good team.”
The Kings, who own the worst record in the league, qualify as a bad team. Sacto has won two of its last three, though, and the Hawks haven’t truly crushed a “bad” team on the road since Nov. 28 at Toronto.
“We don’t even look at the record,” L.D. said. “You have got to respect all opponents. Anybody can be beaten on any given night. They are a team that’s capable. I watched their game against Phoenix, and if you would have stopped the tape at the five-minute mark you would have thought that Phoenix was going to come away easily with a win. Sac kept playing, they made some shots and they ended up winning the game.
“In this league, anything can happen. We have got to play with that consistent effort that we have been searching for for a few games now.”
Going big
L.D., influenced by Kings rookie DeMarcus Cousins, is using the big lineup again.
“He is a load,” Drew said. “I didn’t want to put Al on him at the very beginning. At some point Al will be at the five but I didn’t want to start with Al banging with him because he is a presence in the low post. He’s a big body. He’s been playing pretty well.”
Cousins is averaging 21.7 points in his last three games. . . .
It doesn’t appear JC2 is joining Pape Sy in the D-League anytime soon.
“His name came up even before Pape went,” L.D. said. “That hasn’t been anything solid as far as that is concerned. We brought his name up weeks and weeks ago. We are just going to leave our options open with that.”
MC
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220 comments Add your comment
Randolph
January 4th, 2011
11:10 pm
Bill Walton made some great points about the Hawks during the broadcast. He pointed out what I consider to be the team’s biggest problem – mental toughness. He mentioned that the Hawks have to personnel to be a contending team, but they fail to progress mentally and don’t play smart basketball. He also called out how infrequently we go to our bigs in the post, which makes almost no sense. He also called out the fact that we try to over-dribble and go 1 vs.1 too often. I agree with all of these points. Walton knows what he’s talking about.
JeJe
January 4th, 2011
11:13 pm
Had no idea Walton was the Sacramento guy. Was always wondering why he didn’t go National TV Broadcasts anymore
honest_abe
January 4th, 2011
11:13 pm
not everyone deserves to play…. home boiiiiiiiii.. heh don’t hate just a failed attempt in being hip hopish? heh.
bigdave
January 4th, 2011
11:13 pm
before the irony guy gets me..
*two
honest_abe
January 4th, 2011
11:17 pm
wow randolphy. you praise walton for pretty much what this blog has been screaming for the past several years. in fact it’s been a screeching redundant theme of this blog.
bigdave
January 4th, 2011
11:17 pm
what do Joe, Dunta, and Dan have in common..?
good grief.. 5 yrs Braves.. really?
honest_abe
January 4th, 2011
11:18 pm
good job blog! great insights!!!
they say crack is wack i say tic tac?
JeJe
January 4th, 2011
11:18 pm
HEY LARRY DREW U DON’T NEED TO COACH FOR YOUR JOB.
YOU WILL NEVER BE FIRED.
ASG CAN’T AFFORD TO PAY ANOTHER HO-HUM ASSISTANT COACH MINIMUM WAGE SALARY TO COACH THE TEAM. SO USE THE BENCH. EVEN IF IT COSTS US GAMES, YOUR JOB SECURITY IS EXCELLENT
honest_abe
January 4th, 2011
11:19 pm
gnite my children until next time …………….
Najeh Davenpoop
January 4th, 2011
11:23 pm
“The next person who mentions the “motion offense” would somebody please slap em. Same ole, same ole.”
Maybe the Hawks are not running an entirely different offense, but the Hawks this year are definitely sharing the ball better (as evidenced by the fact that they are assisting on a higher percentage of made baskets) and playing inside-out more instead of having the offense flow through the perimeter. Both of those qualify as significant improvements.
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2011
11:25 pm
Bibby has another rebound
J.J.M
January 4th, 2011
11:27 pm
dont give them life
honest_abe
January 4th, 2011
11:28 pm
one last thing.
pad those stats josh. pad those stats because you sure as hell ain’t goin to put up any numbers against utah except maybe 5 turnovers. josh smith’s athleticism with paul millsaps drive and you have a hall of famer right thurr.
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2011
11:29 pm
What is Bibby doing with his passes. just gave the ball away
bigdave
January 4th, 2011
11:29 pm
if Joe can make a conscious effort to drive the ball so can Josh..
J.J.M
January 4th, 2011
11:29 pm
wtf is going on…
Randolph
January 4th, 2011
11:30 pm
Horford is having a nightmare of a game shooting the ball. A lot his shots have been good too, they’re just rimming out.
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2011
11:31 pm
Hawks are out-hustling the hapless kings.
Ramon
January 4th, 2011
11:33 pm
Honest, you do realize Josh went 20 pts (8-11), 13 reb, 5 ast, and 2 blocks compared to Milsap’s 11 pts, 6 reb, and 1 assist the last time the Hawks played the Jazz?
J.J.M
January 4th, 2011
11:34 pm
lol@josh cryin face
bigdave
January 4th, 2011
11:34 pm
i see why he doesnt..
just go hard left Josh..
J.J.M
January 4th, 2011
11:35 pm
all that and joe missed
Najeh Davenpoop
January 4th, 2011
11:37 pm
Not one of Horford’s best games, on either end of the floor. Good thing it’s coming against a sh-tty team.
J.J.M
January 4th, 2011
11:37 pm
choke…
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2011
11:38 pm
Hawks are asleep on defense
Najeh Davenpoop
January 4th, 2011
11:41 pm
That last “awful shot” by Tyreke Evans is one Joe took at least 5 times per game last year.
Ramon
January 4th, 2011
11:44 pm
Its so refreshing to hear Walton call the game.
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2011
11:44 pm
I just don’t understand this lack of rotations for the Hawks on the front end of a back to back
Najeh Davenpoop
January 4th, 2011
11:46 pm
Another Woody-esque game when it comes to minutes distribution. Jamal and Mo are the only bench players with double figure minutes.
Ron
January 4th, 2011
11:46 pm
I don’t know what’s up with Horford tonight. He’s missing shots that he seems to make in his sleep. I wonder if it has anything to do with his hand or he’s just having an off-night shooting the ball. If he would have made those bunnies that he missed, we’d probably be up by 20+ points right now.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 4th, 2011
11:47 pm
Hawks actually getting some respect from officials. Nice phantom foul call there. Kings fans have every right to boo.
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2011
11:49 pm
give me a break Mo.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 4th, 2011
11:51 pm
Zaza with a… dunk?
J.J.M
January 4th, 2011
11:51 pm
omggg zaza
bigdave
January 4th, 2011
11:52 pm
Jamal is playing out his mind right now..
as if he’s found a complete game..
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2011
11:53 pm
HEy Samuel, the Kings announcers are really impressed with the motion in the Hawks offense.
Ramon
January 4th, 2011
11:54 pm
Rev, the Kings announcers are impressed with everything the Hawks are doing, even the defense.
J.J.M
January 4th, 2011
11:56 pm
come on josh dunk that thang
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2011
11:56 pm
nice game for zaza
Najeh Davenpoop
January 4th, 2011
11:57 pm
Damien deserves more minutes.
Melvin
January 4th, 2011
11:57 pm
up 20 with 7mins left take Josh out…
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2011
11:59 pm
still no teague in a blowout on the road with the Jazz tomorrow night.
Melvin
January 5th, 2011
12:00 am
Up 20 with 6 mins left on the front end of a back to back, take Josh and Jamal out…
slimjr
January 5th, 2011
12:00 am
Worst team in the NBA!!! Yawn… Lets watch the Hawks lose by 25 in LA to the Lakers every time…Sund start packing this Summer..
J.J.M
January 5th, 2011
12:01 am
lmao get josh out
Najeh Davenpoop
January 5th, 2011
12:02 am
LMAO @ the last two Kings possessions. Wow.
bigdave
January 5th, 2011
12:02 am
gotta love Demarcus Cousins..
slimjr
January 5th, 2011
12:03 am
come on ISO Joe. Let those jumpers rip!! Ya’ll need to beat this team by 35 tonight.. Josh just sit your a@@ down so you dont screw things up…
EmirS.
January 5th, 2011
12:04 am
Yea I’m a bit suprised Teague hasnt come in at all in this game.
Melvin
January 5th, 2011
12:05 am
Why is Jamal and Josh still in the game? What is LD trying to prove?