Atlanta Hawks at Lakers: Point presence desperately needed
Los Angeles–The following question was put to Al over All-Star weekend: How can the Hawks be a better defensive team when they so obviously struggle to contain the perimeter and opponents relentlessly attack that weakness?
“Our guards have got to do a better job of that,” Al said. “Obviously we [bigs] have to be there on the help side, but we need to have that presence to try and keep the ball out of the paint as much as we can.”
The answer to that has been “not much at all” with the current group and as long as that’s the case it’s going to be too difficult for the Hawks to get consistent stops in the playoffs. L.D. has tricked things up with zones and switches but that’s just smoke and mirrors that teams like Boston, Orlando, Chicago and Miami will exploit.
This fundamental issue explains why they are so desperate to add a point guard like Devin Harris. The advanced stats say Harris has declined defensively–perhaps because of a poor attitude in New Jersey, as reported by the Bergen Record’s Al Iannazzone.
Perhaps a change of scenery would rejuvenate Harris, who has been a good defender in the past. Even if it didn’t, Harris would be an upgrade defensively over what the Hawks have now. He’s also an excellent playmaker who would push the pace in the open floor and allow Josh and Al to run and fill the lanes instead of handling the ball.
Jamal needs a jolt
Jamal is slumping. Perhaps more troublesome than the shots not going in are the long stretches when he’s stopped shooting—six shots against Toronto, two against Detroit–because if he’s not trying to score where is the bench going to find points?
Jamal is in some kind of funk. It happens occasionally and said he’s not sure why.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Once or twice a year I do that for whatever reason.”
L.D. had a talk with Jamal after practice Monday, like he has the other times when it seems like Jamal isn’t into it.
“I’ve got to get him going,” Drew said. “All great scorers go through periods where they go through a little slump. It’s nothing unusual. He just has to work his way out of it and I have to help him out of it. We will try to get him on the right course tonight.”
Status quo
Drew said he will use the “big” lineup against the Lakers but hasn’t made up his mind about a permanent change to the normal lineup:
“I spent these four days looking at some of the possibilities as far as changes within the lineup. Nothing concrete yet. I will keep tinkering with it as we move forward, see how we do [tonight] and at Phoenix on the back-to-back. It won’t be anything [different], I think, on this road trip. I will just decide whether to go with big lineup or traditional lineup [each game] and see what happens.”
High expectations
The Lakers have lost three straight, including an ugly L to the Cavs, to drop to 8.5 games behind San Antonio in the West. These developments qualify as a crisis in these parts, though Kobe was upbeat yesterday after Lakers practice:
“It’s a marathon. You see the finish line, you tend to pick up the speed a little bit.”
Mike Bresnahan of the LA Times offers a four-point plan to fix the Lakers.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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836 comments Add your comment
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
12:35 am
the starters have officially been benched. I would bench their azzes at least in the 1st quarter tonight against Pheniox….
Grandad
February 23rd, 2011
12:35 am
Joe for Devin Harris & Troy Murphy
SteveW
February 23rd, 2011
12:36 am
We’ll never know about Teague with the 1st unit, unless Gearon and Sund give LD an ultimatum. LD is obviously unable to make that decision on his own.
Loserville USA
February 23rd, 2011
12:36 am
Lakers of the 1980s? SHOWTIME
Hawks of the 2010s? GARBAGE TIME
maavelous
February 23rd, 2011
12:36 am
Me Marv says the so called management of this team needs to dump Mr. Smoov. He is one dumb cat. What is a smoov anyway? Sounds like a laxative. So says me, the maaaavelous one.
Grandad
February 23rd, 2011
12:36 am
Joe for Deron williams
Najeh Davenpoop
February 23rd, 2011
12:37 am
“Is any one going to say anything about Al laughing and joking on the bench during a 28 point deficit? If it was Josh three people under 9 aliases would’ve posted by now.”
Real talk.
SteveW
February 23rd, 2011
12:37 am
Please get Mo’ Evans out of the game, just on principle. Is Wilkens alive?
Ramon
February 23rd, 2011
12:37 am
Lol ever since the first quarter when Al hit the referee in the face with the ball on accident, she hasn’t given the Hawks any kind of calls, lol.
Loserville USA
February 23rd, 2011
12:37 am
Giving Joe Johnson a max contract is like giving Bernie Madoff your bank account number.
Grandad
February 23rd, 2011
12:37 am
Joe for Stephen Curry & Andris Biedrins
lewis
February 23rd, 2011
12:38 am
Ramon,
Al works his A$$ off and was efficient tonight. he can’t beat the lakers alone, sometimes you have to laugh at such a pathetic situation
Najeh Davenpoop
February 23rd, 2011
12:38 am
MC’s Tweets over in that column on the right are funny as hell.
The beat writer, the PR guy, the fans… everyone is cracking on the Hawks, while Gearon and Sund jack off to the core inside their little protective bubble.
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
12:38 am
TRADE THE WHOLE DARN TEAM……………………………………………………………………..!!!
SteveW
February 23rd, 2011
12:38 am
Al’s gotta joke to keep from crying. It’s a shame such a professional is part of this situation.
Grandad
February 23rd, 2011
12:39 am
Joe for Kevin Love and the rights to Rubio
Tremaine
February 23rd, 2011
12:39 am
Look at Jamal trying to fill the stat sheet. You still looked like @ss again tonight.
Grandad
February 23rd, 2011
12:39 am
Joe for Shane Battier’s jock-strap
Najeh Davenpoop
February 23rd, 2011
12:40 am
“Al works his A$$ off and was efficient tonight. he can’t beat the lakers alone, sometimes you have to laugh at such a pathetic situation”
The point wasn’t that Al shouldn’t be laughing; it is that Smoove is held to a different standard.
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
12:40 am
“Gearon and Sund jack off ”
Operative words, JACK OFF………………..Sad=Sund
NUNNA!!!
February 23rd, 2011
12:40 am
Teague is Teague.
He’ll show a flash,then look lost on defense,then pass up open shots,then get a steal here a dunk there,then he’ll look lost on defense,then u will see other players on the hawks telling him where to be and stand when we’re playing defense,then jamaal brings the ball up and teague stands in the corner,and..
Need i say more??
He’ll get 5 points,a steal,3 assists and a rebound or 2 and 3 fouls
Grandad
February 23rd, 2011
12:41 am
Better yet Joe for Sasha Vujacic
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
12:41 am
Marvin for Monique Minor…..LOL
Loserville USA
February 23rd, 2011
12:41 am
Drew should start the 2nd team tomorrow.
SteveW
February 23rd, 2011
12:41 am
Why do I care? It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion. You know how to stop it, but the Conducter won’t listen
Grandad
February 23rd, 2011
12:42 am
Joe for Ron Ron & a bag o’ doughnuts
SteveW
February 23rd, 2011
12:42 am
NUNNA – Maybe he would do better with playing time?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 23rd, 2011
12:42 am
“Teague is Teague.
He’ll show a flash,then look lost on defense,then pass up open shots,then get a steal here a dunk there,then he’ll look lost on defense,then u will see other players on the hawks telling him where to be and stand when we’re playing defense,then jamaal brings the ball up and teague stands in the corner,and..
Need i say more??
He’ll get 5 points,a steal,3 assists and a rebound or 2 and 3 fouls”
How is that any worse than what Bibby gives the Hawks at this point?
The widespread support for Teague is not an endorsement of his ability as much as it is a recognition of Bibby’s lack of ability. If the Hawks had a halfway competent starting point guard, you wouldn’t hear so much support for Teague. At this point a lot of us would rather see what the Hawks have in Teague, good or bad, than let Bibby continue to prove he has nothing left.
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
12:42 am
Jamal may have shot his load for the rest of the season…Somethin not right with him……..
Ramon
February 23rd, 2011
12:42 am
Lewis, Josh worked his tail off every night. Many nights Josh is the only player on defense that’s working at all. The only difference tonight was Al shot was falling and Josh wasn’t. But how many assists did Josh miss out on because Joe, Marvin, and Bibby weren’t hitting any shots? And if Al worked his butt off so much, how come him and Josh have the same amount of rebounds? I love Al’s game. But truth is most nights Al is nothing more than a Rip Hamilton shooting mid range jumpers, and that’s all. Here’s to the belief that the Hawks only get blown out when Horford is injured.
bigdave
February 23rd, 2011
12:42 am
oh Al packs it in folks..
people just hate Josh.. again, he gives the most effort out of any Hawks.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
February 23rd, 2011
12:43 am
Al Horford needs more touches from here on out Bibby and Jamal cuttin’ it – The Hawks this year have become the magic elixir to get teams out of their funk.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 23rd, 2011
12:44 am
Teague gets in the lane, draws defenders, and bounces it out to an open Powell who bricks it. Would that play have a different result if Teague was driving and kicking to Horford? I think there’s a pretty good chance.
Start him for a few games, see what he’s got, and move on accordingly. The Hawks should have been doing this before the break, so that they could formulate trades with a better idea of what he’s capable of doing.
AG
February 23rd, 2011
12:44 am
Powell blows another assist
Ramon
February 23rd, 2011
12:44 am
Slim, Jamal, Marvin, Bibby, and Zaza seem to be playing this way because their agents are telling them they are about to be dealt.
SteveW
February 23rd, 2011
12:45 am
Najeh – Kudos, Kudos
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
12:46 am
“Slim, Jamal, Marvin, Bibby, and Zaza seem to be playing this way because their agents are telling them they are about to be dealt.”
Sounds like a plan I guess..
SteveW
February 23rd, 2011
12:46 am
I’m convince that LD has a pathological hatred of young G’s
Ramon
February 23rd, 2011
12:46 am
‘oh Al packs it in folks..
people just hate Josh.. again, he gives the most effort out of any Hawks.’
Exactly. No one is saying Josh is perfect, not even close. But he tries more in the OVERALL game than anyone else on this team.
Tremaine
February 23rd, 2011
12:46 am
Najeh, exactly. “GIVE TEAGUE A CHANCE!”
SteveW
February 23rd, 2011
12:47 am
Wilkens instead of Mo’? I’m shocked
Loserville USA
February 23rd, 2011
12:47 am
Keep the core together….what a crock.
EmirS.
February 23rd, 2011
12:48 am
Whats that about the Knicks being 5 games behind us?
……The Sixers are what!? 7.5 games behind us??
Lol ok well maybe that one is to much, but if we dont pull something out of this trade deadline, I’m sure we all see cloudy, cloudy skies in the next few months for us.
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
12:48 am
next up Phoenix. Its gonna get ugly round here……………………….I’ll go ahead and predict at least a 35 pt. loss…..
Ramon
February 23rd, 2011
12:48 am
Also, I normally take up for Dominique. But in two quarters does Nique not contradict a previous comment he just made 3 minutes before, at least 6 times?
SteveW
February 23rd, 2011
12:49 am
Oh, wait, Mo’s still on the court.
Sund, for the love of Pete, Flag and Country, trade Mo’ and Bibby before the trade deadline. Please!
AG
February 23rd, 2011
12:49 am
ZaZa blows layup
Tremaine
February 23rd, 2011
12:49 am
NUNNA!!! wants Jeff Teague to put up 0pts, 1reb,0ast,1to,2pf (Bibby numbers)
NUNNA!!!
February 23rd, 2011
12:49 am
Hey,im not knocking Teague,he does need more burn,no doubt about it.
But we won’t even see that if he is not designated the true PG when he enters with starters playing.Especially when we have Jamaal Crawford in the game along with Teague.
we won’t see what he is made out of this year either the way LD is playing him.
LD did all this talk before the season and he bailed out on Teague
Najeh Davenpoop
February 23rd, 2011
12:49 am
Again, Teague draws a defender, kicks to an open Powell, and Powell misses a shot Al would have made.