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
AG
February 22nd, 2011
11:35 pm
27 points ……..In the first half….wow this offense is working. FIRE LD!!!!!!!!!
slimjr
February 22nd, 2011
11:35 pm
down 20………………………oh know…………………………
Timmy
February 22nd, 2011
11:36 pm
It’s OK. It’s just fatigue from all those back-to-back … oh wait, sorry.
Jae Evolution
February 22nd, 2011
11:36 pm
I’m going to watch this halftime report just so I can hear these guys tear apart the Hawks, hopefully one of them says something controversial so someone gets offended. These dudes are soft as f_ck.
AG
February 22nd, 2011
11:36 pm
Great move IDIOT.. put struggling Crawford back in. How many times have we been blown out?
Tremaine
February 22nd, 2011
11:36 pm
Been at 27 points for the longest. Subbing everybody except Teague. LD for coach of the year.
SteveW
February 22nd, 2011
11:36 pm
I’m about to be out – but once again, it’s LD who utilizes the talent he’s got. He must hate Teague and JC2 for that matter. I’m about ready for ASG to fire him, and get somebody in here who can bring some discipline
lewis
February 22nd, 2011
11:36 pm
im hoping for a huge blowout so maybe they pull the trigger on anything
its such a pathetic ordeal that the opposing commentators have to make comments about the hawks possibly partying too much over all-star weekend
KevinM
February 22nd, 2011
11:36 pm
JC1 back in the game….Marvin and Bibby still in…the lead swells to 22….
squawks
February 22nd, 2011
11:36 pm
_
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(/ \ | ‘ 7,/` | /
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hawks ” | ) | )
=’-’ =’-’
slimjr
February 22nd, 2011
11:36 pm
down 22……………………………………oh know……………..
check that Lakers win by 51…
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
11:37 pm
Hawks bout to end up top highlight on sports center.
Mac-Town, Georgia (urban-macon.blogspot.com)
February 22nd, 2011
11:37 pm
LOL!!!@squawks
I AM RICK SUND
February 22nd, 2011
11:37 pm
Look, I’m the GM here and why on earth would I pick up the phone & try to improve this team, face it, I’m making great bank ripping off the fools doing nothing. “I LOVE OUR CORE”
cp
February 22nd, 2011
11:38 pm
No matter how bad certain guys play LD just refuses to try something new. This dude is Woody Jr.
Jae Evolution
February 22nd, 2011
11:38 pm
I bet Al Horford wants to leave this team so bad right now.
slimjr
February 22nd, 2011
11:38 pm
Hawks might as well drink more and party more to keep from crying……
Nique's Revenge
February 22nd, 2011
11:38 pm
kobe goin out to chill “cmon guys dont make me have to play in the 2nd half”
SteveW
February 22nd, 2011
11:38 pm
Please trade Bibby and Jamal, that way LD can’t play them. He’s like a compulsive gambler. You’ve got to remove the addiction. Get LD Felton and Sessions, and then his rotations won’t matter as much.
lewis
February 22nd, 2011
11:38 pm
no leader, no coaching staff, no ownership, no gm
only so much Al, Joe and Josh can do
Loserville USA
February 22nd, 2011
11:38 pm
Seriously — drug test these morons.
AG
February 22nd, 2011
11:39 pm
Jamal 1-6….and still in the game
Najeh Davenpoop
February 22nd, 2011
11:39 pm
Has there ever been a professional athlete with worse balance than Marvin? Dude carries himself like he’s Manute Bol or something.
Melvin
February 22nd, 2011
11:39 pm
We should have traded Marvin to the Nets before the game. I’m sure they will not want him after watching this game….
Jae Evolution
February 22nd, 2011
11:39 pm
LD you suck, the reason we’re in trade talks for a PG is because you don’t develop the PERFECTLY GOOD ONE SITTING 10 FEET FROM YOU!
Nique's Revenge
February 22nd, 2011
11:39 pm
I know. I very much want Horford to stay, but that is so selfish of me. Fly, Horford! Be free of this team!
I AM RICK SUND
February 22nd, 2011
11:40 pm
Notice how I order LD not to play Teague because he messes up, but also order him to play Bibby n JC1 heavy minutes despite not playing any defense or running any kind of offense even though they are listed as our PG’s………..I LOVE OUR CORE.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 22nd, 2011
11:40 pm
Bibby is so slow that he can’t even get out of Steve Blake’s way.
Tremaine
February 22nd, 2011
11:40 pm
Way to go Bibby!
Nique's Revenge
February 22nd, 2011
11:40 pm
real smooth, bibby
SteveW
February 22nd, 2011
11:40 pm
Sund, not LD is the only hope for this team. LD had 4 days to figure something else, and his solution is, if only I can play Mo’Evans, Bibby, and Jamal more, everything will be alright.
cp
February 22nd, 2011
11:41 pm
smdh. I’m sorry but Teague cant be any worse than Bibby
Shake Something
February 22nd, 2011
11:41 pm
This is garbage.When Josh hits the bench, there is no kind of defense being played..Looks like a college team playing an NBA team..LD is the PROBLEM.Terrible coaching, as he puts what looks to be a small lineup on the court with MARVIN WILLIAMs playing 4?!?!?!?
Tremaine
February 22nd, 2011
11:41 pm
GOT CORE?
slimjr
February 22nd, 2011
11:41 pm
way to go Bibby.will go down by 23 YIKES………………………………………….At the Half..Half way to 51…………Sund= go kick rocks for the next 31 yrs…………………Duffus………….
Jae Evolution
February 22nd, 2011
11:41 pm
Please halftime reporters tear this team apart, someone has to get through to them. I’m sick of hearing the same old BULLSH_T!
Nique's Revenge
February 22nd, 2011
11:42 pm
w3 can haz lotz of trades, or else i haz make all your hawks managers fiyurd!
Loserville USA
February 22nd, 2011
11:42 pm
Dummies have no heart.
Drew is out of his league with this bunch of overrated prima donnas.
Melvin
February 22nd, 2011
11:42 pm
Had Teague committed that foul before the half, he would have been sent back to ATL at halftime…
Shake Something
February 22nd, 2011
11:42 pm
Hopefully this blowout allows JC2 and Teague to play
KevinM
February 22nd, 2011
11:42 pm
Bibby is getting jobbed here tonight!
The only Hawk with fight tonight? Jason Collins
I AM RICK SUND
February 22nd, 2011
11:42 pm
In my 31yrs+ in the front office of different teams I’ve never accomplished anything, never built a serious contender, rarely make good draft choices, I got the easiest job in the world, I get paid to lie & steal……………I LOVE OUR CORE.
SteveW
February 22nd, 2011
11:42 pm
Bibby – -17 +/-, 0 points, 1 rebound and 1 TO
Teague – DNP Coach’s Decision
I would say that Coach is an idiot. Sorry guys.
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
11:43 pm
your veteran pg .
smh.
Bibby just getting his check and having fun.doubt he’s too serious about winning right now given his decline. too silly.
get a competitor in here.. someone who will command the TEAM.
KevinM
February 22nd, 2011
11:43 pm
Woody lost an eyebrow watching that half!
slimjr
February 22nd, 2011
11:43 pm
Playoffs???PLAYOFFS?????
Jae Evolution
February 22nd, 2011
11:43 pm
If I were Josh Powell, I would contemplate leaving the arena at halftime. Just picturing Kobe laughing at me cause this team is so bad.
cp
February 22nd, 2011
11:43 pm
Same ol lineups, same ol rotations, same guys not producing getting minutes.
SteveW
February 22nd, 2011
11:43 pm
Bibby also 0 assists
slimjr
February 22nd, 2011
11:43 pm
I feel like shaving my eyebrows….LOL