Atlanta Hawks: Larry Drew says lineup change, trades may be needed to disrupt team’s ‘comfort zone’
Larry Drew looking to upset team's 'comfort zone' (UPI Photo)
In the immediate aftermath of another home beatdown, L.D. sounded the alarm about the Hawks and said changes to his starting lineup may be in order.
But after sleeping on it, watching the game video and holding a team meeting this morning. . . well, L.D. basically turned up the volume on the alarm. He said he’s still looking at changing the starting lineup and added that a trade might be necessary before the Feb. 24 deadline to shake up the status-quo.
It seems that team meeting didn’t go as Drew had hoped. He said he asked every player and coach why the Hawks seem to play with more urgency on the road. There were a variety of answers, Drew said, but he concluded the Hawks too often fall into a “comfort zone . . . a safe zone” at Philips.
So Drew has that in mind as he looks at possibly changing up his starters.
“Just to give us a jolt,” he said. “Just to get us out of a comfort zone. We are 50-plus games into the season and I think at this stage we need something to give us a jolt, to wake us up. We have, in my opinion, fallen into a bit of a comfort zone with everything. It may be time to do something just to rattle the cage a little bit. ”
L.D. said he hasn’t made up on his mind about changing the lineup and didn’t get into any specifics about what they might be. He said it’s possible he could experiment with different lineups in practice over the next couple days.
Drew didn’t sound like a coach who was simply ticked at his team for a bad loss. Rather, he sounded like a coach who has come to realize that sending out the same players in the same roles is good enough to be on pace for 52 Ws but isn’t going to lead to a much better ending for the Hawks than last spring.
“I am not one to react on emotions but I have had this feeling for a little while,” L.D. said. “I have been in situations where it has been like this, where a team has had to do something just to shake the cage a little bit. It’s something I’ve been thinking about. Will I do it? I have a couple days to practice and make a decision.”
L.D. already has shown a willingness to be flexible with his lineup, sending out six different groups of starters when all of the candidates have been healthy. But if the right mix of players just isn’t on this roster, then it’s out of Drew’s hands and in the wheelhouse of Hawks GM Rick Sund, who has said he’s always looking to improve the team but isn’t interested in “lateral moves.”
The Hawks are a good team so a blockbuster deal isn’t necessarily in order. But Drew acknowledged there have been internal discussions about how to shore up the team’s weaknesses through the trade market.
“With the trade deadline coming up, there is always discussion about possible trades, personnel changing,” he said. “There is always that dialogue going on about looking to improve the team. ‘Would this be a good fit? Would that be a good fit?’ There is always that possibility. Certainly at this stage we have to continue to explore those possibilities.
“I don’t think at this stage . . . at least I don’t feel comfortable, totally comfortable with where we are after 52 games. We have had some bad losses here at home. That may be a sign, I don’t know. I never want to throw out the possibility of making our team better.”
Atlanta’s weaknesses have been pretty obvious for most of the season. The Hawks struggle with defending dribble penetration, defending in transition, rebounding, and scoring consistently in the post or at the rim when they aren’t making their favored jump shots. The Sixers, hardly contenders, exposed them all last night by competently executing a sound game plan, and certainly the East contenders are capable of doing the same no matter how much energy and effort the current Hawks regulars might generate.
It’s getting late in the season for the Hawks to still be trying to shore up their issues. So it’s understandable that Drew might be feeling that the only way to change things is by drastically altering the way he uses his players or through acquiring different players.
“At the end of the day, regardless of what happens [with trades], we still are going to have to go out there and improve our club,” he said. “After last night’s loss, I do believe we do have to look at our situation very seriously and possibly look at a lineup change, possibly doing something that will jolt this team. Because I don’t want this team to get into a comfort zone. The minute we get into a comfort zone, what happened last night, that is the end result.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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460 comments Add your comment
Trojan
February 10th, 2011
8:11 am
My frustration with the Hawks is their lack of plan for running this team. They are “winging’ it. There is no plan. This offseason, they merely fumbled thru it. The whole rebuilding process has been without direction. We hired the cheapest gm on the market in Billy Knight. Sund was a GM that no one wanted. He ran the most BLAND franchise in Seattle.
Please someone tell me that they have ever heard a word out of anyone associated with the Hawks talk about a direction for our team. We have athletes who could run any team out of the gym in the NBA but we have the slowest PG in the NBA as the leader. We don’t even pretend to have anything other than a minimum contract guy (names really dont matter) as the center every year.
If we were on a direction to being good, we as fans could be happy. I see no light at the end of the tunnel.
terrell
February 10th, 2011
8:13 am
Teague/Jamal/JJ/Josh/Al
Section 303
February 10th, 2011
8:25 am
O’Brien, I’m starting to think we will hear the same from Sund. I can already hear the hand wringing, as he rationalizes why they did not make a move.
jo
February 10th, 2011
8:26 am
Need more energy at point, more focus as a team, and a big man in the playoffs to play the big dogs. Otherwise, sayanara
Atlgent
February 10th, 2011
8:33 am
This blog amazes me! I wonder if a few of you guys have ever played basketball and I also wonder if a few of you guys have ever purchased anything of value in your life!
First, it is the role of the coach and the PG to put players in position. But as I look at games, I notice that J Smith is the most vocal player on the court when it comes to positioning players and assignments. Joe says nothing and Bibby only points toward Joe, passes the ball as SOON as he crosses half court and then runs AROUND everyone until he gets to stand in the corner! Most people are pissed about J Smith taking long jumpers. Watch the game! 95% of the time, Smith has no choice. Because of the stagnant offense and TIME CLOCK limitations, HE is forced to shoot. I do agree that there are times when his shot is ill-advised BUT J.Johnson, M. Williams and Mo Evans probably take more ill-advised shots per 30 minutes than J. Smith. It’s just the visual factor that brings Josh misses to the forefront – they are air balls or clank hard off the glass! Other than that, an ill-advised shot is an ill advised shot. Defensively, NO ONE on the team plays defense like Smith. The reason why I assume that many of you have never played a full court game with referees and a time clock, you would also not get back on EVERY play! There are times when YOU may see a development on the court whereby it is more beneficial for you to not get back across half court both defensively and offensively, especially on fast breaks both ways! Most of you gentlemen sit in your easy chairs and recliners and just speculate based on what YOU think YOU would do in certain situations!! SMH!!! Gentlemen, take the time to analyze the situation objectively and look at ALL facets of the game, negative and positive! Don’t get me wrong, J Smith has his problems but HE is not the problem on the team.
Secondly, although many of you may not recognize it, but, the team HAS reverted back to basically an isolation offense. There is no movement on an inverted arc from just below the free throw line, thru the paint, to the basket nowadays. Once Joe gets the ball at the top, there is isolation but it is not spread out like in past years. Bibby hangs out in the corner now instead of at the top like in past years.
Now on to the problem as I see it! Lets say for a minute that the Hawks get a nice PG, Devin Harris lets say. In the way that this offense is run, it still will not work! NO MOVEMENT! Also, there is no slasher at the 2 guard position. If Devin goes to the rack ( that’s the basket for some of you if you did not know), and passes off to Joe, his game does not suggest to me that he would make a quick move to the basket. It would instead be a slow cautionary move which would give the defenders more time to react! The only slasher on the team is Josh but it can’t happen with BIbby at the point. IMHO, a true point would raise Josh game if LD tweaks the O. BUT, it would hinder Joe’s game! Just my thought!
Lastly, i read these names in a trade- Marc Gasol, Nene, Carmelo, Bynum, Kobe, Lebron, etc…ROFL…..
Where is this world that you guys live in??? Please let me join you..
UNDERSTAND, with what the Hawks have, they will get none of those guys. As a matter of fact, with what a lot of teams have, they will get none of those guys!!!
Hmm…Think of it like this—you got your 3 year old honda accord with car notes and your neighbor has an 8 year old lexus LS 400 no notes, walk over there and say, “hey, i will trade my Honda, my Scooter and my 16 year old Cadillac for your lexus, WHATS Up???
Let me know what he says….
If you and rick Sund can make that trade let me know!
jerrywest
February 10th, 2011
8:42 am
Great post by LethalWeapon3 at Hawksquawk:
http://www.hawksquawk.net/community/index.php/topic/355812-stat-du-jour-and-when-theyre-bad/
That loss margin among the 8 home game defeats so far is -16.8 (88.5 – 105.3). I don’t have time to compare with everyone in the league, but just looking at the sad-sack Cavs, their differential in 17 home game defeats is -11.0 (94.8-105.8).
Time to get my flog on…
There are some NBA organizations who can endure a handful of blowout losses, even at home, or perhaps on the road before a national audience.
The Atlanta Hawks are not one of those teams.
This is the sole returning NBA playoff team that is NOT among the top 20 in home percentage attendance. The team whose relative ranking among NBA clubs for attendance has slid to 25th (down from 18th) after slowly climbing every year since 2006.
This is the team with multiple All-Stars and Almost-Stars that, individually, can not fill any tier of seating in an arena, at least not anymore. Blake’s 19-32 Clippers, Nash’s 24-25 Suns, and Amar’e’s 26-24 Knicks are bigger draws in this town than the 33-19 Hawks.
This is a team who brands its arena as The Highlight Factory, whose leading scorer’s “highlights” generally involve teardrops and turnarounds in traffic, whose flashiest player, now seven years removed from a Slam Dunk title, has become enamored with 20-foot jumpshots.
This is a team almost one year removed from playoff blowout performances so epically bad that they eclipsed their prior year’s second-round drubbings, and the road playoff drubbings from the year before that.
This is the team that, when forced to discuss them solely because of their relative record, provokes faces on national media members worthy of laxative commercials. “C’mon, do we have to talk about the Hawks? Really?”
This is a team whose dispirited ownership only seems to make headlines when they further entomb themselves in lawsuits and inertia.
This is a team that strings along a flawed head coach on cheap contracts, and lets him go only to promote the assistant sitting next to him for even less money. When he was promoted, and when the so-called ‘core’ was brought back in its entirety, this was all presented under a Kool-Aid sale suggesting, with new systems and philosophies in place, blowout basketball and mail-it-in efforts would be mere notions of the past.
This is the team that is the only American pro franchise (MLB-NFL-NHL-NBA) around for at least the last 40 years that has not given its fans a conference final in the past four decades.
Altogether, it takes an awful lot of trust to get thousands of people to stop in on a lousy-weather mid-week night to see the Atlanta Hawks. When a low-profile team like Philly (or New Orleans. or Milwaukee) comes in, and their first-quarter scoring equals the Hawks’ effort for the entire first half, that’s hundreds more people who have made a mental note never to darken Philips Arena’s door again. Other teams can shrug this off. Not this one.
Without splashy maneuvers, high-profile players, and risk-taking management, this is a team that needs to build consumer confidence, rather than erode it, one game at a time.
~lw3
Fundamentals
February 10th, 2011
8:44 am
Amen Rev, Amen!
This meltdown began in the off-season when the Hawks management settled for filler rather than trying to build a team to contend.
We’ve been saying it for years. We need a PG and a C, possibly a SF option. Instead of paying what other teams pay to contend, we get the cheapest filler we can find. No disrespect to them, but there’s a reason they get the minimum and others get MLE money or better. It’s called Luxury Tax. You can’t obtain luxuries like big fancy championship rings without paying the price.
Budget team with definite weaknesses = out in 2nd round or sooner again.
If ASG gives Sund a firm budget do we fire Sund?
If ASG won’t bring in decent players is it LD’s fault he’s undermanned?
If the players see the writing on the wall for 6+ years is it surprising they don’t have a sense of urgency?
It all falls on ownership, their budget and their leadership. We’re getting a great return on what they paid for. Quit trying to promote anything other than what you’ve offered. Decent team with no hope of moving on in the playoffs.
drmaryb (*_*)
February 10th, 2011
8:55 am
“I wonder if Teague plays like crazy in practice the next two days, if he’s the starting PG Saturday?”
_____________________________
Jeff should play like crazy in practice everyday. He is lucky to have one of only 420 jobs in the NBA, the best league in the whole wide world!
Big D
February 10th, 2011
9:06 am
Problem (1). Hawks offense is ISO with JJ
Problem (2). No Big
Problem (3) JSmith not playing around the buckets and taking ill advised 3s (career 29%)
Problem (4) No #3 scorer in the 1st unit. Marvin is too inconsistent
Problem (5) weak bench
Problem (6) Crawford should be starting
Problem (7) Drew is the new Woody
Akintu
February 10th, 2011
9:09 am
Okay, I got it…trade J-Smooth, Bibby and our 2nd round pick to New Jersey for Harris and Lopez, move Horford to the 4 and then trade Marvin to Memphis for OJ Mayo strait up and move JJ to the 3. In the draft take Jimmer Fredette and go get a chip
Big D
February 10th, 2011
9:11 am
Atlgent: This blog amazes me! I wonder if a few of you guys have ever played basketball and I also wonder if a few of you guys have ever purchased anything of value in your life!
—-
LIKE YOU HAVE. Spare us your soapbox bullsh**
JSmith is one of the reasons this team is mediocre at best. His head is not always in the game and he clashes with his coaches when he is pulled from games. He is NO LEADER on or off the court and is at best a 3rd scoring option. His defense is best when he on the weak side, where most of his blocks come from. Offensively he is very limited in the post and dismal on the perimeter. Aside from the occasion highlight thundering dunks, there is nothing exception about his talent
lewis
February 10th, 2011
9:16 am
Big D, you clearly do not watch the Hawks.
Stone
February 10th, 2011
9:22 am
I totally agree with Slimjr. It is totally insane how Hawks management continue to run this team. Hawks fans, we have the power. STOP going to the games. This will cause management to lose money and force them to either sell the team or make much needed roster changes.
Rick Sund
February 10th, 2011
9:29 am
Why are you all so ANGRY?
Can’t you see we are an ELITE team? We made it to the 2nd ROUND 2 YEARS IN A ROW. WE ARE AMONG THE ELITE 8 IN THE NBA
We have Josh Powell, WHO BRINGS CHAMPIONSHIP-LEVEL EXPERIENCE to our team. He won TWO rings on the Lakers
We have TWO ALL STARS. We have 3 players in the top 15 in the NBA at their positions.
We have Mike Bibby, who competed in the 3 pt shootout 2 years ago, making him ONE OF THE BEST SHOOTERS IN THE LEAGUE
Etan Thomas has been compared to Charles Oakley with his DEFENSIVE TENACITY
Astro Joe
February 10th, 2011
9:39 am
Somewhere, Sund started shaking his head when he read that LD thinks the players are “in a comfort zone”. Let’s see, when they had a chance to start with a new head coach and coaching staff that would “shake things up” they opted for Drew, Bender, Ty Hill and Greg Ballard. Guys who have been seen and heard around this team for 4-6 years. Why wouldn’t the players feel comfortable? It is so much easier to change the culture via a coaching change than player trades. You don’t have to worry about matching salaries, finding a GM who wants your players, agents who may interfere with the transaction, etc. You just interview candidates, negotiate a contract and you’re done. And no, I don’t believe in any shape form or fashion that Sund hired LD, I believe the ASG hired LD. LD is right, they are too comfortable and he is a warm blanket making them feel even more comfy-coozy.
Time
February 10th, 2011
9:39 am
@Atlgent – Thank you for proving to me that there is atleast one person with some basketball sense that posts on these blogs. Excellent post.
Most of these fools have no clue just how important Josh actually is to this team winning. Yep, he shoots jumpers. And he’s making a fair amount of them so just shut up haters. He’s also the vocal leader and the only player that gives this team any kind of defensive presence. Only a fool wants to trade Smith, and as we know, due to carpetbagging Yankees infesting this place…Atlanta is full of fools.
Only trade that needs to be looked at is a upgrade at PG. My eye is on Pheonix. I think by the deadline they will be in sell mode. Which if that’s the case, the Hawks should put a guy like Marvin (who also gets bad rap from clueless bloggers) along with Teague and a pick or something together to get Nash. The team needs a PG that can really facilitate the motion offense with the other players. Bibby is a fine backup. Teague appears to just not be good enough, atleast at this point.
Big D
February 10th, 2011
9:50 am
lewis
February 10th, 2011
9:16 am
Big D, you clearly do not watch the Hawks.
——-
Been watching this team for 30+ years and its the same thing year in and year out.
30 years of mediocrity son, aside from the 87-88 season when they made the ECF vs Boston , this team has NEVER been a championship caliber team. Wheels fell off the wagon in 93 in the Manning for Nique trade and the team has never recovered.
Had a few good years with Wilkens as coach, then they dumped that team, and it was 10 years of no playoffs. In comes Woody and its back to the same ole things just good enough to make the playoffs nothing more….Now as you were saying….
drmaryb (*_*)
February 10th, 2011
9:54 am
IDK if I would totally give up on jeff just yet? Haven’t seen enough of him to say all that. Give him some time, he is not the reason we are flailing.
Bibby does need some rest from the bench. Save him for the post season.
Or, trade them for an upgrade or just do something at the PG. Also, the Center position with the glaring hole in it. Aaahhh! How many times must we post the same, before a CHANGE will come.
Make a trade Sund! Do something man, do it now! Keep Josh unless you can get a perennial All-Star at PG. Good luck with a Center! There aint none and yall missed really bad on Shaq!
Later! I’m Gone!
Big D
February 10th, 2011
9:56 am
Time
February 10th, 2011
9:39 am
@Atlgent – Thank you for proving to me that there is atleast one person with some basketball sense that posts on these blogs. Excellent post.
Most of these fools have no clue just how important Josh actually is to this team winning. Yep, he shoots jumpers. And he’s making a fair amount of them so just shut up haters. He’s also the vocal leader and the only player that gives this team any kind of defensive presence. Only a fool wants to trade Smith, and as we know, due to carpetbagging Yankees infesting this place…Atlanta is full of fools.
—-
Only a foolish GM invests in a player that clashes with his coaches, has no leadership skills on the court and averages less than 20/gm for the money he makes. Sorry son bad economics. Same thing in Phila with Iggy and overpaid #3 option, whose best skills are dunking and weak side Def.
JJ and Smith showed all of us fans who they were in the Orlando series last playoffs. Players make a name for themselves in the postseason not regular season.
SteveW
February 10th, 2011
10:01 am
Two points:
If you want energy, play Etan Thomas. That’s his game, play crazy with energy. And the fans would fall in love with him. 15 minutes per night, and he could help your team.
Secondly, if the Suns want Josh Smith, and they should, Smith, Bibby, and Mo’ for Gortat and Nash solidifies your team. We could make a deep run with that team.
PG – Nash/Teague
SG – JJ/Jamal
SF – Marvin/Wilkens
PF – Horford/Etan/Powell
C – Gortat/ZaZa/Collins
Your half court game/Playoff basketball would be immensely improved.
The contracts, both short and long term, work with this deal and ASG’s thinking.
As much as I would hate to trade Josh, this trade makes sense for the Hawks, if the Suns would do it. And I think they would, and rebuild around Josh.
ag
February 10th, 2011
10:04 am
Big D, I don’t care how you put it Josh is NOT the problem. Al playing center is Not the problem.
Rick Sund
February 10th, 2011
10:06 am
Josh Smith is far more mature and better overall than Kevin Love.
Kevin Love does not block shots. He also cannot score and rebound.
Josh Smith is an ELITE 3 point shooter and LEADER who has MATURED TREMENDOUSLY
O'Brien
February 10th, 2011
10:07 am
AJ,
Keep in mind too that when Woody was here, LD was the go-between for the players. So why would they not feel comfortable with him?
Fundamentals,
Hawks could have changed the team dynamics without going into luxury tax.
It was reported that the Cavs had interest in Marvin. If so, Hawks could have done a sign and trade with the Cavs. Shaq ($5.5 mil) and Jamario Moon ($3 mil) for Marvin ($7.5 mil).
Sign Damien Wilkins ($1.3 mil), and pass on Etan ($1.3 mil).
And finally, hire a coach from outside the organization.
Those moves would have changed the team dynamics alot, and salary wise, they would be just about where they are right now. Right below the LT line.
Rick Sund
February 10th, 2011
10:07 am
When I say Kevin Love cannot block shots, this means he is a USELESS basketball player and should not be pursued.
He is not a component of the “economic pie” I speak so highly of.
I have 30 years of experience in this league – trust me, I know what I’m doing
Rick Sund
February 10th, 2011
10:09 am
We could start Teague, since he does play well with the first unit and would put up better numbers than Bibby, but Bibby is IN HIS PRIME and scores TREMENDOUSLY, even on offnights.
He has shut down players like Chris Paul and Deron WIlliams with relative ease, and we may move him to Power Forward, since he is so strong and agile
Big D
February 10th, 2011
10:11 am
ag
February 10th, 2011
10:04 am
Big D, I don’t care how you put it Josh is NOT the problem. Al playing center is Not the problem.
—
LOL a 6′8 PF playing center is not the problem. A 6′8 PF shooting 3’s and is a career 29% from 3PT range is not the problem.
A 6′8 SG with 100M contract who has proven to disappear in come playoff time is not the problem//
Yeah ok, pal give me a hit of what youre smoking
Rick Sund
February 10th, 2011
10:11 am
You might assume teams view us as a finesse team, one that is not tough and that is beatable at home.
However, we are an ELITE ball club with a WINNING record.
SteveW
February 10th, 2011
10:12 am
The above Gortat/Nash trade would give the Hawks a +14 on Hollingers analysis for what it’s worth. Anyway, if we don’t do a trade I say:
Start Jeff Teague
Make Etan a rotational player in the front court 15 mpg or so
Sit Mo’ Evans and give his minutes to Wilkens.
You then have more energy which seems to be what LD is looking for.
If you look around the League, the Hawks are very close to being a bad team. No PG, and no inside presence are a bad combination in the NBA.
Rick Sund
February 10th, 2011
10:14 am
My general “NBA Philosophy” is to focus on the positives, not the negatives.
I see there’s a lot of negativity here – why? We have a WINNING record. We are automatically WINNERS. ELITE CHAMPIONSHIP level teams are built during the regular season. Can’t you all see from my rich history of winning in the NBA?
I traded for Ray Allen years back. I brought in Jamal Crawford. I am clearly an ELITE GM in this league.
SteveW
February 10th, 2011
10:18 am
Sometimes blog people make better GM’s.
I remember this summer, and some of you guys were screaming to get Shaq and Dampier. It looks like you guys were right.
Some of you guys were agitating to sign TMac and/or Stackhouse. Looks like ya’ll were right.
Ya’ll were jumping up and down to get a 3rd PG like Boykins, Dooling, Watson etc. Looks like you folks were correct again.
Hindsight is many times 20/20.
And we could have made all of those moves at little or no cost above what we have currently.
E From tha C
February 10th, 2011
10:19 am
Um,Josh Smith is the only one that gets it done in the playoffs.I swear if u haters were the gms, this team would go back to winning 13 games a season
Rufus1
February 10th, 2011
10:23 am
If Teague starts….
if Teague starts the next game IT WILL BE A REQUEST FROM ASG AND NOT LD.
I said it on e previous blog, that LD was hired because he promised to develop Teague. With Bibby’s current play he can nolonger justify not playing Teague.
There is one common theme in all of our blowout loses(including last year in the playoffs)…PG defense…NOT PG OFFENSE.
If we change the PG from and offensive one, to our best defensive one(I am not saying Teague is a great defender), his speed and athleticism helps him cover-up his fundamental issues.
I also said, LD will not allow himself to be fired because he was a Woodson clone….I believe after the allstar break, there will be 2 changes to the starting line-up.
Marvin will become the Shawn Marion of our bench…A versitile defender who can score and defend multiple positions.
Bibby will become the Eddie house of our bench…veteran clutch shooter, who can run the point.
Jamal will become the Louis Williams of our bench…a scorer.
PS. Louis Williams makes 5mil a year, how much do you think Jamal is worth. So when you talk about overpaid players on this team, don’t forget him.
ag
February 10th, 2011
10:27 am
“It wasn’t a bad pick” said when Joe was hurt, Marvin put up good numbers. He did score over 20 points twice, but against Orlando and Miami he scored 7 points. In the 9 gms Joe missed, Marvin averaged 12 ppg.! For the season Marvin has scored 20 points or more in a game only 3 times.
For the Josh haters, during Joe’s injury, he average 16.4, and he scored his season high 34. He also had a season low 1 point, when he was 0-8 in the loss to Boston.
Rick Sund
February 10th, 2011
10:30 am
Rufus1,
Why would we bring Marvin off the bench?
He is an ELITE player in this league who many GMs compare favorably to LeBron James.
Mike Bibby is the closest thing this league will ever see to Magic Johnson and John Stockton.
Bibby is THAT good. He is very athletic, quick, and intelligent.
Rufus1
February 10th, 2011
10:39 am
SteveW
“Sometimes blog people make better GM’s”
We don’t need any of those players(maybe Tmac)….
-What we need is a coach that isn’t in love with a Old, slow PG.
-We needed a coach who can develop a young PG.
-We need a coach who isn’t trying to model his team after the Lakers(Minus the 3 7fts)
-Finally..We need a coach that can get Josh back to the defensive player he was last year.
oogadala
February 10th, 2011
10:41 am
hawks players have a blood feud with the Hawks fans.
gotta ship some bad apples out to fix.
by by.
Big D
February 10th, 2011
10:42 am
Um,Josh Smith is the only one that gets it done in the playoffs.I swear if u haters were the gms, this team would go back to winning 13 games a season
—-
JSmith shot in the high 30% range and barely made his reg season average vs the Buck and Orlando in last years playoffs…stats dont lie….but in your mind thats getting it done….
ag
February 10th, 2011
10:43 am
Big D,
Not smoking anything, but numbers don’t lie.
Josh Smith
career 14.5ppg 7.7 rb 3.0 ast 46 fg% 28 3p% 67 ft%
10-11 16.3ppg 8.9 rb 3.5 ast 47 fg% 35 3p% 73 ft%
Numbers across the board tell us this is our problem, not Bibster or Maaaaarvin. This kid is 25 and has to be coached up. I will agree he is shooting way to many treys (105). If you look at the year when he averaged 17 ppg, he only took 99 threys, but shot 469 ft. This year, he has shot only 212 ft. He is being lazy and settles for the jumper. The coach has to coach him up. They have these numbers just like I do.
If our center made the All-Star team two seasons in a row, well, I guess our problem is center..again what are you smoking?
I would like a young project center (really Greg Odom) or Thabeet and trade Marvin away (I actually like Marvin as a person, appears to be a good guy). WIth the right team (Phoenix or Memphis), he can have a Boris Diaw kind of season outside of Atl (He should avg 18ppg 8 boards).
Lastly, I promise to never blog AND stop watching the Hawks if the changes DO NOT INCLUDE BENCHING MIKE BIBBY. We can do without those 3 ppg he is averaging over the last 5 games.
SteveW
February 10th, 2011
10:47 am
We could have even of had Kwame for the vet min. – he’s been playing pretty well for the ‘Cats.
And Pape Sy, after a brief surge in DLeague is in a tailspin. I wonder if his back is hurt again? Sy had 5 straight double figure games, and then a 22 point night a couple of games later, but his last 3 have been pathetic.
KevinM
February 10th, 2011
10:47 am
Okay, Rufus, so Marvin to the bench tells me you are okay with Smoove at SF? Smoove is not a SF and he has proven it this season even though I wanted to see how he would fare…..man, that jumper has got to go…it isn’t near Bosh-esque.
I can’t tell you if we get anything with Bibby coming off the bench? Will he and Marvin improve their games enough to justify their salaries?
I think both go the opposite direction and give less than they already are….and I don’t see either with those contracts having any value around the league. That’s 14M better spent elsewhere easily.
That gives this team one of the most expensive benches in the league. The problem is is that the Gearonettes aren’t looking to add anymore salary and we end up limited as opposed to Larry’s view as us being so versatile…that statement just makes me gag….we are so good at things, but not great at any….
Larry being promoted was a huge mistake with this roster. The bench behind JC1 is all questions. You can’t get 2 straight good games from any of them.
This team needs a blockbuster of a change. But you have Sund, so there you go….lots of wishes, not lots of reality.
ICECOLD
February 10th, 2011
10:48 am
I do not know why yall are hating on Josh Smith.. He is the key to this team believe it or not..
Every catergory on that stat sheet, he contributes too. and a lot of the stuff thats not on the stat sheet, like charges taken, altering shots, the pass before the pass that scores, He is also the guy who every time he touches the ball and attack the basket, you stand up and hold your breath… everybody else on this team is too chill and relaxed, he brings the hype.. it would not be a highlight factory without him.. who’s going to get the highlight dunks, al horford!!!!
we need to trade, bibby, and a second round pick for Lou Williams,
then trade Marvin, ZAZA, and a first round pick for Gortat!!
then let our young guns play!!!
starters
Lou WIlliams
Joe Johnson
Josh Smith
Al Horford
Gortat
bench
Jeff Teague/ Jordan Crawford
Jamal Crawford
Mo Evens/Damien Wilkins
Collins/Etan Thomas
yall might say.. oh man this will never happen.. but you wont know until u try!!!
E From tha C
February 10th, 2011
10:50 am
Big D,
Speak on all aspects of the game.Assists,Steals,Blocks,Contested Shots and You tell me who came to play?
See thats whats wrong with yall haters,Don’t know the game of basketball. You don’t have to always have a good game overall to be impactful.What the hell was ya pose to be best player joe doing other that saying f the fans because of his bad a** performance
SteveW
February 10th, 2011
10:52 am
Basically, we’ve got 30 games to develop Teague before the playoffs begin, or we’re toast. I’m talking 1st round toast.
I know the Bulls play a brutal schedule from here on out on the road, but I think we’re looking at a 4th seed at best, and we’ll be playing the Magic probably. Maybe we can beat them this year, who knows? It does look like LD has a better handle on the Magic than Woody did, but again, who knows.
SteveW
February 10th, 2011
10:54 am
I hope I’m wrong, but I really see a 5th seed for us this year, and that means no homecourt. I see us losing in 6 or 7 to the Magic. But that could change with injuries, trades etc. That’s why they play the season.
But it looks like Magic – Hawks, and I would guess Magic have HC. We’ll see.
slimjr
February 10th, 2011
10:55 am
“LOL a 6′8 PF playing center is not the problem. A 6′8 PF shooting 3’s and is a career 29% from 3PT range is not the problem.
A 6′8 SG with 100M contract who has proven to disappear in come playoff time is not the problem//
Yeah ok, pal give me a hit of what youre smoking”
LOL!!!
Sund= GOT PICTURES………31 yrs?? Who is this Buster?????
Rev in Tampa
February 10th, 2011
10:56 am
SteveW,
Your Smith/Bibby/Evans for Nash/Gortat deal makes sense.
However, I haven’t been impressed with Etan’s play when he has made it on the court.
SteveW
February 10th, 2011
10:56 am
Icecold – If the Sixers would give us Lou Williams for Bibby and a 2nd pick, it would be a miracle. But the Sixers were shopping Lou, but alot of these bloggers screamed they didn’t want him. I think he’d fit perfect in the ATL.
I don’t know if the Sixers are still shopping Lou….
SteveW
February 10th, 2011
10:59 am
Rev – I’m going by the past on Etan. He has done a decent job on Dwight when he’s played him. But he is a human ball of hustle traditionally. It was only 2006 when he beat out Haywood for the starting C job in Washington, when the Wizards were pretty good.
I know he’s had knee surgery and open heart since then, but they say all of that is behind him now. But I know what you mean.
ag
February 10th, 2011
11:04 am
More on Josh for you haters… In the playoffs his average was about the same as regular season, except he rebounded better. Across the board, EVERYBODY’s stats were worse. This year, he is second in scoring, rebounding, 4th in assist and 1st in blocks and steals (oh are those defensive categories? (stats amoung his teammates).
Vs. all forwards in the NBA he is 22nd scoring, 12th rbs, 13th steals, 3rd blocks, and 5th ast. 32
slimjr
February 10th, 2011
11:09 am
“Basically, we’ve got 30 games to develop Teague before the playoffs begin, or we’re toast. I’m talking 1st round toast. ”
@SteveW, They were toast last year against Orlando… This should have been addressed over the summer but we have a GM in over his head along with the HC! These 8 home losses which avg pt gap is larger than incredibly the Cleveland Cavaliers will spell disaster come playoff time…The wheels are already starting to loosen up around the hub. It’s just matter of time before they fall off.Lets hope it does not happen on national tv in the playoffs again…But this team will continue to get no respect with the national media or any anybody else until this team starts playing like men instead of a bunch of pu**y’s…Fake professionals. A JOKE…………A BAD JOKE!