Game thread, Hawks-Bobcats
Charlotte – Greetings, all. MC is taking the day off. Watching, literally, one of the worst performances of NBA basketball in league history can take its toll. (Just kidding. It was planned all along to give him a break.)
Some stunning numbers from the number crunchers at Elias Sports Bureau, via ESPN:
It was the first time in NBA history that a team that was at least 10 games over .500 going into the game lost at home by 40 or more points.
It was the team’s second-lowest point total in club history in the shot-clock era, going back to a 1955 loss to Boston when they were the Milwaukee Hawks. I think that was Jason Collins‘ rookie year.
It was the fewest points by a home team since Miami scored 56 in a loss to Utah Dec. 2001.
The Hawks’ 29.1 field-goal percentage was the lowest by an NBA team this season and the team’s lowest in any game since moving to Atlanta.
Yowzers.
Let’s see what basketball-reference.com can tell us about the games following those majestic collapses. After the Milwaukee Hawks lost to Boston in 1955, they lost the next game (a back-to-back) to Philadelphia 101-84.
After the Heat lost 95-56 to Utah, they lost the next game 86-81 to Cleveland in overtime. The Cavs shot 37.5 percent and the Heat shot 35.2 percent. Goodness gracious. I believe that was the year the NBA experimented playing games with yoga balls.
After the Hawks lost 118-74 to Phoenix in March 2000 – the last time the Hawks lost by that many points at home – they followed it up going on the road and losing to Houston 115-93 on their way to a nine-game losing streak. Your starting five against Phoenix –Dikembe Mutombo, Alan Henderson, Jason Terry, Roshown McLeod, Jim Jackson.
Sorry I don’t have more information to offer you right now. I’m in my hotel room right now and will be on the way to the arena in a little bit.
About the Bobcats – they’ve won their last two and six of their last nine. Guard D.J. Augustin went for 31 in their 100-97 win over Philly Thursday. Hawks tormentor Gerald Wallace – he had 11, 25, 20 and 28 last year – only had six against the Sixers, so he might be ready to pop a little bit. He missed the Hawks’ first game with Charlotte this season.
This is totally not relevant to the discussion, but Wallace killed it last year against the West. He had 45 in two games against Denver, 48 against Golden State, 49 against the Clippers, 50 against Phoenix, 66 against Sacramento and 57 against Utah. But, anyway, his 21.0 against the Hawks was tied for second highest of any team in the East.
Joe Johnson’s 16.7 ppg against Charlotte last year was tied for third-lowest of any team in the league. (Orlando, then Philadelphia and tie with Toronto)
Josh Smith did fairly well last year against Charlotte – 52.8 field-goal percentage, 15.8 ppg and 7.8 rpg. Interestingly (well, you can decide that), Smith is having his best scoring and rebounding month thus far in January at 16.9 and 9.8, but his worst shooting month, 40.6 percent.
O.K., enough nerding out. I’ll be back in a little while.
Ken Sugiura, Hawks writer
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221 comments Add your comment
JSS
January 22nd, 2011
7:22 pm
Hey Ken are you to get the Dream and Ga State from now on?
Kitchen Sink
January 22nd, 2011
7:22 pm
Anyone else think that last night’s blowout was on purpose as a message from the team to the owners after the revelations yesterday?
Ken Sugiura
January 22nd, 2011
7:23 pm
two possessions in a row poor clock mgmt.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 22nd, 2011
7:23 pm
From the point of view of someone who wants to see good basketball, this game is even worse than last night’s game.
JSS
January 22nd, 2011
7:27 pm
@ Sink…
No, this team has no built-in sense of “an opportunity.”
Paradise Lost
January 22nd, 2011
7:27 pm
Rev: My apologies for not reading your post correctly. However, it did pique my curiosity about the power of an NBA coach (vs a college coach who has absolute power) to deal with player conduct and performance. LD has repeatedly mentioned accountability for performance throughout the season, and has touched on rumors of player conduct after-hours, so I’m wondering how far his power extends to effectively deal with those issues (beyond benching and limiting minutes).
Najeh Davenpoop
January 22nd, 2011
7:33 pm
In the immortal words of Clyde… yawn.
Melvin
January 22nd, 2011
7:33 pm
It sure would be nice to see the Hawks guard the other team PG with a PG…
Melvin
January 22nd, 2011
7:35 pm
I guess the Hawks should have call up Sy for tonight’s game….
Najeh Davenpoop
January 22nd, 2011
7:36 pm
Damn, Eduardo Najera would have stumped the hell out of me in a game of Who He Play Fo.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 22nd, 2011
7:38 pm
Damn Etan, even Zaza wouldn’t have missed that dunk.
Mr. PJ Johnson
January 22nd, 2011
7:38 pm
When is Josh Smith going to stop taking Jump shots, Larry Drew needs to be more strict and bring order to this dysfunctional team.
Melvin
January 22nd, 2011
7:38 pm
Ken,
Stephen Jackson got his tech…lol
Rev in Tampa
January 22nd, 2011
7:39 pm
Paradise Lost,
You are probably right about the limited authority of the professional coaches. I was venting rather than thinking when I posted. A man in my church who is with a professional baseball organization tells me that when the coach is really needing to exercise his authority he will call the player out in the media. Other than that they don’t have a lot of authority.
O'Brien
January 22nd, 2011
7:39 pm
northcyde, Najeh,
My guess is Josh Powell was promised consistent PT to sign with the Hawks. But that has not been the case.
*Disclaimer: Part of his lack of PT is due to his performance though, not due to LD.
northcyde
January 22nd, 2011
7:39 pm
I kind of wished Drew would’ve taken out JJ before the end of the quarter, to get him a little more rest. He may have to go 42+ minutes tonight. Josh too.
Ken Sugiura
January 22nd, 2011
7:42 pm
melvin – pretty funny, huh.
JSS – probably not the dream, probably georgia state. at least football.
Sink – i doubt it. the players are getting paid. i’m not sure they have anything to complain about. plus, the issues are more with thrashers
northcyde
January 22nd, 2011
7:45 pm
Keep it simple Jamal. No need to go for the homerun ball every other shot.
drmaryb (*_*)
January 22nd, 2011
7:45 pm
Enter your comments here
bigdave
January 22nd, 2011
7:46 pm
lol @ how Etan just animatedly grabbed the board..
like he was so high in the air.. smh.
Ken Sugiura
January 22nd, 2011
7:47 pm
a remarkable number of airballs tonight.
livingston making a nic elittle run on bibby.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 22nd, 2011
7:47 pm
Worst 3 on 1 break ever.
Melvin
January 22nd, 2011
7:48 pm
WTF, MO….
Rev in Tampa
January 22nd, 2011
7:48 pm
That was ugly.
Sautee
January 22nd, 2011
7:48 pm
Mo could f_ck up a wet dream. Damn!
bigdave
January 22nd, 2011
7:49 pm
FAIL.
Sautee
January 22nd, 2011
7:49 pm
Livingston was VERY available in the off season. Anybody else think he’d be starting for us? Or at the very least playing more than Teague?
Najeh Davenpoop
January 22nd, 2011
7:52 pm
Here comes the late 2nd quarter run, just like last night.
Hawks lose this one by 9.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 22nd, 2011
7:53 pm
That’s exactly what the Hawks need.
bigdave
January 22nd, 2011
7:54 pm
bumped knees on the way down..?
Najeh Davenpoop
January 22nd, 2011
7:54 pm
Joe can barely move.
When you only have four good players on your team, it’s not a great situation when two of them are injured.
Ken Sugiura
January 22nd, 2011
7:54 pm
wally blase checking jj’s injury.
drmaryb (*_*)
January 22nd, 2011
7:54 pm
Sautee
LOL! Wet Dreams! ROF!
Rev in Tampa
January 22nd, 2011
7:54 pm
I hope JJ is okay. If not it will be interesting to see JC2 get some quality minutes with the better players.
O'Brien
January 22nd, 2011
7:55 pm
Sautee,
Livingston is making $3.5 mil. no way the hawks would pay him that much, especially since they were hoping Teague would play more minutes.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 22nd, 2011
7:55 pm
Looked like he just came down hard on his left leg and his knee took the punishment. Hopefully he just jammed it or something. At least he could walk off the floor.
Ken Sugiura
January 22nd, 2011
7:55 pm
jj has big wrap on right knee, testing out flexibility.
bigdave
January 22nd, 2011
7:56 pm
Bibby just gives Josh the ball to do whatever w/ it.. he had nothing. 2-3 cats in lane.. drove to kick it to Wilkins for a brick attempt ends up w/ a charge.
need better pg play Mike..
Sautee
January 22nd, 2011
7:57 pm
O’B,
Yeah, I checked his salary after my post and realized that very thing.
drmaryb (*_*)
January 22nd, 2011
7:57 pm
Damn! I thought joe knocked knees with Wallace. But, he is writhing in pain!
OMG! I hope he is ok and didn’t sprain it or tear an ACL! Fingers Crossed!
Pray Yall! Pray!
hbcuclassics
January 22nd, 2011
7:58 pm
2011 HBCU Draft Board – WRs (1-5)
1. Raymond Webber 6′2, 218 WR Ark-PB
AP/FCS All-American, Walter Payton Award Finalist
led NCAA 101 rec. 1,429yds 10TDs 129.9ypg.
only receiver w/ more receptions is Jerry Rice.
Coach: Monte Coleman (don’t be stupid on this one)
2. Ricardo Lockette, 6′3, 199 WR/KR FVSU
2009 DII 200 Meter Champion
23 rec./232 yds. 4.39-4.41/40yd. dash
Mentor: Terrence Mathis – track guy
3. Ronnie Childs 6′2 195 WR Albany State
BASN All-American, All-SIAC, SIAC Champ 11-1
45 rec./ 22ypc./12TDs – (all he does is catch TDs)
4. Jeremy Franklin 6′3, 199 WR/KR JC Smith
3x All-CIAA, JC Smith All-time leading receiver
55 rec/823 yds/5 TDs – fierce, beats up DBs.
5. Larrone Moore 6′0, 185 WR/KR Delaware St.
25 rec. 450yds 4TDs, 18.8ypc – another track guy
2x Maryland 4A 100m champ, 55m Maryland State champ
4.29-4.36/ 40yd dash (has Deion-like speed)
http://www.hbcuclassics.com
Najeh Davenpoop
January 22nd, 2011
7:58 pm
Hawks have been slow as hell on rotations all game long, and they are lucky the Bobcats suck bad enough that they haven’t made them pay for it.
Ken Sugiura
January 22nd, 2011
7:58 pm
nomination – ugliest possession that earns points.
bigdave
January 22nd, 2011
7:59 pm
Damien gave Wallace the baseline to his dominate hand.. dont understand that. kicked it to Jack for 3.
Melvin
January 22nd, 2011
8:00 pm
Bobacats doing a good job of finding the open shooters against the Hawks zone.
bigdave
January 22nd, 2011
8:00 pm
DJ uses his dribble well.. sets the table.
Sautee
January 22nd, 2011
8:00 pm
Bob just quoted an amazing (and not at all surprising) stat. The Hawks attempt the 4th fewest shots in the paint in the league.
We need to slash more out of this offense. God, I wish we had G. Wallace.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 22nd, 2011
8:01 pm
The Hawks are if anything playing worse tonight than they did last night. Lucky for them they are going up against a really bad team. Of course they are still down by 5 against this really bad team.
bigdave
January 22nd, 2011
8:01 pm
ZaZa would rather be @ a fashion show.
Rev in Tampa
January 22nd, 2011
8:01 pm
I am watching on the computer so maybe the computer got slow for a moment, but the english on Jamaal’s layup was crazy. It was on the play where he walked. The ball seemed to climb over the rim from beneath.