Atlanta Hawks at Pistons: Getting started (Update: ‘Big’ lineup tonight)
Auburn Hills, Mich.–The cabby showed up this morning and couldn’t start his car because of a battery issue. He didn’t listen when I told him it’s not a good idea to pop-start an automatic transmission. Hated to leave him like that but I had a flight to catch.
So that’s how my 15-night Hawks road trip/All-Star weekend trek started. I will spare you an attempt at some lame metaphor about how the cabby’s car is like the Hawks, who are looking to get out of their “rut” on this trip.
Me? I’m just trying to perfect the art of hitting the 50-pound limit on my luggage.
Anyway, before the Hawks headed up to Michigan, they talked about the collapse against the Bobcats, which followed the beatdown to the Sixers. Mo usually sounds the alarm about those kind of things but he’s taking the long view:
“I don’t think we need to panic. We had a bad game against Philadelphia when Al was out. They had a great night. [NOTE: Sorry, but this is the part where I've got to point this out again.] [The Sixers] went home and beat the Spurs. [Saturday] night we were up 20 and again our defense and offense failed us at times. A guy who has 30, he’s already feeling great, we let him get comfortable and he hit a tough shot to win the game. I don’t think that’s anything to panic about. We could have easily won that game, and had we won that I don’t think anyone would have been raising their hands and saying that everything is cured. Again, it is a long season. These last 30 games will be telling.”
L.D. also addressed the L to the Bobcats but, really, he could have been talking about any of a number of his team’s losses. Not sure exactly how many times I’ve heard some variation of the following this season:
“We had individual defensive breakdowns. Individually, we stopped defending. We didn’t do a good job on the ball. Our transition defense, we had some bad possessions with that. And then offensively we had some bad possessions with our shot selection. The combination of those three things, when you watch the tape you can clearly see the reasons that we lost the game. it was so black and white it was unbelievable.”
And my follow-up question was, I’m sure, the same one I’ve asked several times this season: Since those things have been issues pretty much all season, what can L.D. at this point to solve them?
“You have got to stay on them. I have got to keep pointing it out. I have got to keep challenging each individual player. We can’t get into a situation where we are going out and trying to outscore people. Everybody in this league can score. You have got to have some kind of defensive presence. If you don’t, you can go up 20 but teams can get back in it just like that. It’s something I’ve been harping on from Day 1, and I will keep harping on it. And I have got to keep challenging guys individually. We have got some guys that are not taking the defensive challenge and I am going to challenge those guys. I know some of these guys can score, I know that. But they have go to get it done at the other end.”
And so that naturally (and repetitively, I’m sure) led to questions about his lineup. L.D. said he doesn’t want to make a change before the All-Star break, so that (probably) means the Hawks use the “regular” lineup tonight against the Pistons and Wednesday at New York (Drew says Al is good to go).
(UPDATE: L.D. is using the “big” lineup tonight, so we get to see what it looks like against a team that doesn’t pound the ball to the post. “With both Wallace and Monroe I just felt it might be best for us to go big against those guys. They are a physical team and they really do a good job rebounding, so we have got to make sure we have enough beef in there to combat that.”)
Drew did say that he still likes the big lineup though he’s still hesitant to use it all the time:
“You are big at four and three. That gives us an advantage. It may open up a can of worms at the other end. Josh Smith is not really used to chasing threes off of screens, that kind of thing. He has the athleticism to do it. I like the pros of it more than I [dislike] the cons. It has been good to us so far. Thinking about doing it all the time it just puts [Twin] out there against anybody that would play. For example, if I decide to do it against New York, it will be a matchup problem with Gallinari and Amar’e. I’m not going to be pigeonholed into doing same way every time. Not right now. It may be something that we have to tweak.”
And so begins the journey, blog people. Just like the cabby needed jumper cables to get going, the Hawks . . . aw, hell, forget it.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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362 comments Add your comment
Rufus1
February 14th, 2011
3:06 pm
“How can one expect a 2nd year player to become the leader on a team, when the coach doesn’t live upto his stated principles or hold everyone similar standards. THIS BEHAVIOR CREATES A LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY IN HIS YOUNG PLAYERS AND IT SHOWS ON THE COURT…(Just like like Woodson did)
slimjr
February 14th, 2011
3:07 pm
LD “insanity is doing the same thang over and over again and expecting different results.” Quote from Einstein..
Rufus1
February 14th, 2011
3:09 pm
Section 303
No one blames Bibby…We blame LD and Sund.
newkid
February 14th, 2011
3:12 pm
I hear you AJ, but that’s not what’s on offer by LD. What’s on offer is ‘not before the All-Star break’.
Section 303
February 14th, 2011
3:19 pm
Rufus1, why LD? I understand Sund.
I left the meeting with Gearon expecting there to be no trade at the deadline. If that’s the case, than what’s the point of the remainder of the season? We all have seen this script before. We know how it ends.
Rufus1, I’m no fan of Sund, either. I actually liked Billy Knight a lot better.
Rufus1
February 14th, 2011
3:23 pm
LD and Sund to blame for PG situation
LD has watched Teague and Bibby all year and decided to use our last roster spot for Damien. We could have signed a D-league player at the PG.(Sundiata Gaines)
If our situation is this bad, they should have made a change.
Lol… Woodson didn’t develop BK’s PG and LD isn’t developing Sund’s PG…I wonder what Sund is thinking.
Oj
February 14th, 2011
3:31 pm
The HAWKS will NOT make any moves before the DEADLINE. we must accept that. I Think part of the problem is that i dont see a leader out there on the floor i dont see a player willing to get into the face of one of his teammates when they are BS’ing around. except for when they are winning i see no emotion from the hawks. besides Josh complaining or crying DURING the game.( how many times have u seen josh complaining or crying to a ref or a coach while the other team has the ball driving to the basket) Just by watching them play obviously Horford is the heart and soul of the team. we can win a game with any one of the other starters OUT but can not win without horford. JJ wanted and got the “I’M THE MAN MONEY” but he doesnt want to be the leader on and off the court WTH? when ever the press talks to joe after a loss like this his 1st response is always ” I dont know what happened” u are supposed to be the leader and as long as he doesnt act like it the hawks will not be acting like a real contender. and everyone with these trade ideas. WE”D HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT ANOTHER TEAM WOULD WANT in order to make a trade JJ not going anywhere AH Nope, all we got left is JS u think the spirit have enough nerve or even enough smarts to pull of an equal trade? no. we’d end up getting earl boykins for JS in a 3 team trade LOL
Sautee
February 14th, 2011
3:36 pm
What’s needed is NOT hope that things will get better. That’s fool’s gold, unless someone takes Joe’s contract.
What’s needed is for this team to tank enough for Gearon to fall out of love with the core. Until / unless this happens, then we ALL need to temper our expectations. Because this ownership group doesn’t apply any critical thinking to their overall plan.
Therefore they are convinced of their “greatness” and fool themselves into thinking that we are somehow “elite” and they are giving a great gift to the Atlanta area.
LMFAO.. As If ……..
doc
February 14th, 2011
3:37 pm
astro, you know i didnt like this roster as it was coming into the season. i thought and said it was 6 deep and now 5 deep as bibby has tanked lately. no amount of gibberish could convince me otherwise. lost summer of ‘10 is the way i saw it and still see it that way.
no moves this summer were effective outside of collins losing weight. no, i still dont see him as a legit big unless he is the last one after all are hurt, not starting games or pinch centering for the big boys. the celts bulked up and beat down the heat along with rondo hounding laqueen looking like a mario west with a purpose. that is without several players hurt and on the sidelines such as daniels, shaq and jon. we need bulk and zaza is not bulk, collins is too one dimensional to even be included in the conversation but he is. zaza must have used up all his best moves in the summer league in europe or in the boxing ring. sad to see a young big not improve or at least stay the same.
mo done, jamal slumped, teague(who) and bibby having his woes. it is amazing this team is where it is. wonder why? my answer is al and josh are the only ones to bring something new or consistent. ohyeah and we have pape sy for the future. when do we as hawks fans get to live in the now instead of hoping out to the future?
Sautee
February 14th, 2011
3:37 pm
slim, somehow I can’t even imagine Einstein saying “thang”, LOL.
Sautee
February 14th, 2011
3:48 pm
AJ,
“Sautee, do you ever wonder if Lester Connor (defensive coordinator) or Nick Van Exel (position coach for young guards) feel like they are being heard when Bibby & Jamal continue to get the bulk of the minutes?”
No, because LD at least seems to be more of a communicator than Woody. I would guess that they at least have discussed it and the defensive coaches understand the decision whether or not they agree with it.
” Has LD’s schemes been so undeniably effective that you scratch your head wondering why his previous boss failed to heed his advice?”
Undeniably effective? Um, no. But how much of that is players yet having a full grasp? Don’t know, and likely never will.
“When he suggests that the players are too comfortable, would you categorize him as an agitator or a Snuggly?”
LOL, somewhere in between. He’s still Uncle Larry, but there’s also no doubt that, despite the poor results, Bibby and Crawford are giving more effort on D, as an example.
If they were being snuggled, I don’t think you’d see that.
But, as I said in my first post today, I’d STILL like a sterner approach to accountability.
slimjr
February 14th, 2011
3:55 pm
“Uncle Larry”
Enough said…………………………………………..
Astro Joe
February 14th, 2011
4:00 pm
doc, you nailed it early on. I initially predicted 50-odd wins (then backed down to 48) but stayed consistent with a 7 game first round loss. I figured we lose some exciting, high-scoring games (like 113-109) because I didn’t like the lack of discussion about the defensive scheme. “Guard your man or else” with the same poor individual defenders didn’t make sense when discussed in the summer and still hasn’t evolved into anything sensible. Watching them lose while scoring in the 80s is just down-right maddening.
Sautee, I have always hoped (maybe out of desperation)that with the new CBA in place, the ASG would find a path to success that would actually bear fruit. I still believe that they will resist any urges to react now and possibly hurt any chances to gain financial footing once the CBA is finalized. For example, trading Jamal for an extra year at $8-10M probably wouldn’t make sense to them (which is what would happen if they tried to acquire Mo Williams or Hinrich). I’d be shocked if losing the next 2-3 games leads them to take on more salary in the 2011-12 season. But man, do I hope that I am wrong.
Astro Joe
February 14th, 2011
4:06 pm
Sautee, he’s a talker for sure. Let’s hope that he is a communicator (whichimplies listening on the other end). One way or another, I’m fairly sure that he is a short-timer and that hopefully the GM will be able to hire the next head coach and the ASG will stay out of it. If LD is calling for cultural change half-way through his first season, then hopefully the owners will recognize that need (that existed last summer) and actually hire a legit agitator and not someone that the players want in the job. I’ll be starting my “Bill Laimbeer in 2012″ t-shirt business this time next year. I’ll be campaigning for the polar opposite of Uncle Larry.
Sautee
February 14th, 2011
4:12 pm
AJ,
See my 3:36 post about hope.
I’m very afraid that the ASKG looks at Jamal’s expiring contract as their lifeline going into the CBA talks. As soon as they re-signed Horford, the writing was on the wall that they would simply let Jamal’s contact expire to make up the difference in Horford’s salary. That, and Mo’s expiring contract are their “headroom” for next season.
dsee
February 14th, 2011
4:18 pm
Give some team whatever it takes to rid yourself of Joe. The hawks need salary flexibility and vision. The free agents will be avaliable. Deandre Jordan and Aaron Brooks are RFA. Dump Joe & Jamal so this summer we can get what we really need. The Clippers are cheap and Houston does not value Brooks. Jordan/Al/Josh is a mean front line. Joe can be moved.
KevinM
February 14th, 2011
4:23 pm
northcyde, I 2nd your comments on the Tony Allen signing by Memphis. The guy is just a competitor. You have to have that on the bench. I will do you one better: Glen Davis. Remember how the C’s held out offering him anything significant? This team like many others had a chance to go out a get him and he has turned into a solid piece in Boston.
OB, man, those Sund interviews are killing me! I just cannot listen to anymore of his justifications as to why this is an elite team and its too soon to break it up. Well, Sund has not only killed this salary structure signing Joe, Zaza, Marvin and Bibby to those numbers, he has continued to say how elite a team this is with the cap limitation. Well, Sund, you put us at the cap with your terrific re-signings. All you have done is continue the Billy Knight model of versatile players at every position. What a crock!
We still have no PG, and if we wanted to get one, like a Devin Harris, I guarantee you it would cost you Josh Smith. You aren’t getting someone’s starting PG for an expiring and a late round draft pick. This is the big boy’s league!
So we keep our 41st ranked PG as the starter, and just suffer through Larry’s rendition of ‘Groundhog Day’….”I just have to keep getting on them about their mistakes and making them accountable”….blah, blah.
We have gained no ground with this coaching switch. We are still fighting for 4th, with Chicago and Miami blowing right by us.
MC, ask Sund how does a team like Chicago just waltz right by you in the standings? New coach (unproven)…new players that haven’t played together before…..Sund looks foolish with his comments.
303, I feel for you man, they are getting your money again this year. I learned after Knight brought in Shellhead that there has to be a better way to show my disapproval with the decisions Gearon and his GM make.
I have quit coming up with trade sceanarios, because Sund isn’t going to do anything that will help this team get a defensive perimeter presence or a low post defender. There are plenty of guys available…he just doesn’t see giving up anything of significance.
Now, MC, explain this to me…with all the talk about the ‘BIG’ lineup, what does that really do for us when Collins plays 14 minutes, gets 5 fouls and contributes little to nothing? That’s 1/4 of a game with the ‘BIG’ lineup. I just think there is too much of this being talked about….you put Smoove on the perimeter, your team is worse, offensively and defensively.
What does Bibster have to do to lose minutes? Does he have to get into a fight with Larry? Nope, didn’t hurt Marvin….Does he have to quit playing defense? Nope, that’s not working.
How about we just slide Bibby out of the rotation, and let ’someone’, ‘anyone’ else give it a run? It can’t hurt going forward.
Sautee
February 14th, 2011
4:30 pm
doc,
As you and I talked last year, signing Joe was only necessary if you thought that we were very close to becoming a title team. Both of us at the time thought we were too far away to invest max money in any one player. I HATE being right, in this case.
At any rate, now it’s oh so obvious and you are correct that we will be hindered on every side as long as we have that amount invested in a single player who has not shown to be the difference come playoff time.
At this point, I’d rather do whatever it takes to get a balanced roster (including moving either Josh or Al, if necessary) without paying any one player max money. I’d rather watch a 40-42 win team that played it’s @ss off every night then watch a schizophrenic talented team play one night and take the next one off while winning 46-48.
Michael Cunningham
February 14th, 2011
4:31 pm
@newkid: “MC, what’s so sacrosanct about the All-Star break? What’s this ‘not right now’ nonsense? Is this LD/Sund gibberish for ‘I’d prefer to wait until after consummated trade(s) to tinker with the first five for the stretch run’?”
i asked him that (though i didn’t use a cool word like “sacrosanct”). his answer was in the story linked in this blog post: “I don’t want to do anything with two games to go when we are about to take a three-day break. Let’s just see if we can regroup for these last two games before the break, and if we can’t and I still don’t like what I see then I will look at possibly making some kind of change to possibly shake things up a little bit.”
Michael Cunningham
February 14th, 2011
4:32 pm
@steve brown: “Why does Mo even talk? Why do you quote him?”
ha . . . well, he’s a vet contributor and usually has something interesting to say. i was surprised he was so positive considering he usually calls the team out.
ATL FAN
February 14th, 2011
4:38 pm
Its going to be Orlando and ATL in that 1st round… just gotta battle for that home court advantage… tonights a good night to start!!
Sautee
February 14th, 2011
4:40 pm
MC,
Once again, if you get a chance, please ask LD why, if the motion offense makes “every player a threat to score” (as he said) do we not use it more in crunch time?
It just seems to me that isos in crunch time make us predictable and therefore easier to defend.
Thanks
slimjr
February 14th, 2011
4:40 pm
Mo was humbled the other night by that jumpshot against his everything I got defense!!! LOL
Astro Joe
February 14th, 2011
4:41 pm
I wish we could leave Detroit with Ben Wallace wearing a Hawks uniform. I’ve given up on acquiring a player who would excite the fanbase, just give me someone who would get in their teammate’s face and break limbs when they “lack energy and effort”.
slimjr
February 14th, 2011
4:44 pm
My remote is ready to go to work. NBA TV is on the bench and ready to be called to duty if our guards decide to take off the 4th quarter again…..
lewis
February 14th, 2011
4:44 pm
PG – JJ
SG – JC1
SF – JSmith
PF – A Horf
C – Zaza/Collins
Bench: Bibby, Marvin, Mo, Teague, Powell and Zaza or Collins depending on who starts.
I’m ready to see something different. anything
slimjr
February 14th, 2011
4:49 pm
LD will start Marsh mellow, Iso, Duck,Magic Jr,and Undersized wants to play PF….No Panic….Yet….Yawn….
Good luck with bench play tonight.. Just roll the dice…………….
KevinM
February 14th, 2011
4:54 pm
Bibby and JC1 are the combo for disaster. Keep them rotating for each other. That gives Bibby 20-25 and JC1 23-28 minutes….one defensive weakness on the court at a time.
Smoove needs to go back to the 4 and stay inside. Let Damien fight with Marvin for the 3 spot minutes. Marvin at 30mpg=7/5.
Al is our C, give him what rest you can give him. Zaza and Collins should be able to split 15-20 mpg and be adequate. Can Collins play 10 min before committing 3 fouls? Talk about a limited resource…big lineup, yeah, right!
JJ gets all the minutes he needs; Mo can come in and work up a sweat, but don’t leave him in there too long.
Show me JC2 and Powell in the 2nd quarter. You have them Larry, why don’t you find a slot for them? What’s wrong with actually incorporating the bench you have?
Teague? You tell me, his future is a sinking ship with ‘Uncle Larry’ LOL.
Keep on them Larry; they’ll eventually start listening to you.
Phoo
February 14th, 2011
4:57 pm
Did the cabby get the car started?
Samuel
February 14th, 2011
5:25 pm
Sautee,
You just don’t get it. 82+ games@ 48 minutes. Who’s gonna do all that running around when they’re dog tired? ISO is not the problem. It’s passing out of the ISO and shot selection that we haven’t grasped yet. Coaches want the ball in their best players’ hands in crunch time. That will never change.
Harpie
February 14th, 2011
5:27 pm
How can anyone say that Teague sucks? It’s impossible to know whether that is true or not – he hasn’t been given a chance!!!! Drew is the one who sucks!
HoosierHawk
February 14th, 2011
5:37 pm
So both Portland and New Orleans are in the trade market.
How about JC1 and Evans for Camby and Fernandez
Then Pachulia for Marcus Banks
We get a shot blocker on the inside and good rebounder, young scorer off the bench, and a PG that can play better defense.
Portland gets a guy who picks up some of the slack from the skeleton of Roy, but also 2 expiring contracts.
New Orleans- does not have any good back up big men, and not that Zaza is, but they don’t need a backup paid 4 mil when they have Chris Paul.
Vern Troyer
February 14th, 2011
5:39 pm
Some of you people just don’t get it. Larry Drew doesn’t have to worry about job security because the team owners and GM are too pathetic to take action regardless of badly the team is struggling. Mike Woodson was not fired. Get that straight, people. So many people keep saying that he was “fired”, but it never happened. The ASG simply waited until Woodson’s contract was up and did not give him an extension or re-hire him. The move to hire Larry Drew was not a move to improve the team, it was a minor financial move to cut salary, and a PR move to help quiet the angry fan base. It wouldn’t have mattered if Drew was the worst coaching candidate by far, the simple fact that he was willing to take less money than any other coach is the sole reason why he was hired.
Hence, he does not need to worry about losing his job before his contract is up, no matter how badly the team tanks. Most people would argue that L.D.’s contract is so small that it is easy to absorb, making him easily replaceable if the team wanted to replace him before his contract expires. However, it’s obvious that management will not even consider replacing him until his contract expires. This is not a proactive organization. Just like the fan base, management is passive and apathetic, and fails to show support for the team. Don’t count on any blockbuster trades or coaching changes to improve the team while this franchise is under the control of the ASG and Rick Sund.
Sautee
February 14th, 2011
5:52 pm
Samuel,
That’s totally disingenuous (look it up). No one on the Hawks PLAYS 48 minutes so you are being less than frank.
If, as you say, they aren’t playing the motion offense anyway, then why would they be too tired in crunch time?
And I’m counting “crunch time” as the last 5 minutes in a close game. For the last possession, yeah, put it in the hands of whomever you think gives you the best chance to score OR draw up something (as Drew did vs. the Clips) that fools the defense and forces them to foul.
I want to know what Drew thinks about his motion offense during crunch time, so that’s why I asked.
And if ISO was SO effective for these Hawks, Woodson would still be the coach. And we would have won some 2nd round games.
ryan
February 14th, 2011
6:09 pm
The Hawks are bridge to no were its never going get better it going to be same old boring team for ever .
Najeh Davenpoop
February 14th, 2011
6:21 pm
“why are so many hard on Bibby? You want to get mad at someone? Get mad at Jeff Teague for sucking. The plan was for Bibby to be playing a backup role by now. He can’t because Teague is awful. So, lay off. Pointing your finger at Bibby is just stupid. ”
I think it’s fair to hold Bibby accountable for clearly being so poorly conditioned when veterans who are much older than him are able to contribute at a much higher level. But besides that, I blame Sund for signing Bibby to a 3rd year and making him untradeable this year more than I blame Bibby himself. Imagine if Bibby’s contract was expiring this year along with Jamal… that’s $19 million in expiring deals (if you also include Mo) that could be getting shipped out for talent upgrades this team so desperately needs.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 14th, 2011
6:26 pm
““I don’t want to do anything with two games to go when we are about to take a three-day break. Let’s just see if we can regroup for these last two games before the break, and if we can’t and I still don’t like what I see then I will look at possibly making some kind of change to possibly shake things up a little bit.””
Yeah, and possibly if I possibly run into Eva Angelina and Jada Fire tonight I might possibly be in the middle of a possible double decker sandwich. LD really does sound sure of himself, doesn’t he? I’m not counting on this happening.
Michael Cunningham
February 14th, 2011
6:27 pm
Blog updates with L.D. starting ‘big’ lineup.
Michael Cunningham
February 14th, 2011
6:28 pm
@Phoo: “Did the cabby get the car started?”
not sure. i had to bounce to Hartsfield. he was looking for a jump when i left.
Michael Cunningham
February 14th, 2011
6:29 pm
@Sautee: “please ask LD why, if the motion offense makes “every player a threat to score” (as he said) do we not use it more in crunch time?”
sure
Najeh Davenpoop
February 14th, 2011
6:32 pm
“Coaches want the ball in their best players’ hands in crunch time. That will never change.”
You’re right. The difference is, good coaches want the ball in their best players’ hands in a position that caters to their strengths. Good coaches don’t put players who lack quickness and explosiveness on the perimeter and tell them to break people down off the dribble, when this clearly is not one of their strengths. Joe should be getting the ball in the post and off screens. Giving him the ball on the perimeter and asking him to do something with it, when his lack of quickness and explosion is the major weakness in his game, is asking for him to shoot a contested jumper.
“Dribble dribble dribble, dribble dribble dribble, dribble dribble dribble, shoot” — Kenny Smith, on Woody’s offense
WLOC
Najeh Davenpoop
February 14th, 2011
6:34 pm
Maybe with Marvin and Jamal both coming off the bench, the Hawks are in better position to counter the Pistons’ bench scoring, which killed the Hawks in their first meeting. Or maybe not.
WLOC
Najeh Davenpoop
February 14th, 2011
6:35 pm
Five points to the first person who can guess what WLOC stands for.
WLOC
cp
February 14th, 2011
6:52 pm
smh@LD. How can he continue to talk about defense yet plays Bibby and Jamal during situations where you need defense and not offense? LD’s interviews are starting to become as baffling as Woodson’s used to be. LD seems to be all talk and no action.
Tremaine
February 14th, 2011
6:53 pm
“Rodney Stuckey and Bynum should have a good night tonight.
WLOC
February 14th, 2011
7:01 pm
What a Load of Crap???
kaminari
February 14th, 2011
7:07 pm
After witnessing the last two debacles, and many seasons of “almost”, I suggest the Hawks get rid of the entire team and coaching organization except for Al, and build from there.
Now that’s out of the way, Go HAWKS!!
John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith
February 14th, 2011
7:13 pm
“Five points to the first person who can guess what WLOC stands for.”
Are you thrilled that you learned something new in psychology, Najeh? Couldn’t wait to share it with all of your e-friends?
honest_abe
February 14th, 2011
7:15 pm
MC: why does LD always refer to the hawks needing to play better d when all he does is play guys that are stronger on offense? damien always seems to bring positive energy on the defensive end but he gets inconsistent minutes. mo for the most part has been a nightmare on both ends of the court yet still gets alot of p.t.
we all know teague doesn’t seem ready yet he’s at least a decent defender and all he does is ride the pine. you can preach assignments and x’s and o’s all you want but when your five is bibby, crawford, jj, al and josh you’ll have the same problems night in, night out. non existent perimeter d.
bigdave
February 14th, 2011
7:17 pm
LD says “1st inside then out”
we’ll see..