Atlanta Hawks: Lakers 104, Hawks 80
This was just one of several mismatches for the Hawks. (AP Photo)
Los Angeles–If I know my blog people, I figure you’d rather hear about trade chatter (some hope for the future) than a recounting of this debacle (a depressing reminder of the team’s stasis).
- So, OK . . . Yes, Kirk Hinrich is a possibility and Ramon Sessions remains in play. No to Devin Harris (who is probably headed elsewhere) and Raymond Felton (whom the Nuggets apparently aren’t looking to move).
- Basically, it seems like the Hawks have called about every decent-to-good point guard who might be available. Of course it will take more than a new point guard to fix what ailed the Hawks tonight.
- The Lakers were smarter, faster and tougher than the Hawks.
- “I can go down competing, but we are not competing at our highest level it’s frustrating,” Al said.
- These beatdowns are becoming more commonplace. That’s four Ls in five, with three of them by at least 15 points. It’s also Atlanta’s fifth loss by at least 20 points this season.
- The Hawks are back to their habit of getting down big and staying there. “We didn’t play with an edge; we gave them too much respect,” J.J. said. “We didn’t have that fire, that competitive nature that we need. It’s frustrating, man. I don’t know what to do.”
- They could start by not continuing to jack up jump shots when they a) are challenged and/or b) aren’t making them. Both things happened against the Lakers, yet the Hawks kept firing away.
- Certainly it’s no easy task to score inside against all that Lakers size but it’s not as if the Hawks ever made a focused effort to try it.
- “I don’t think we went to the rim enough,” L.D. said. “I just thought we settled, which is starting to be a pattern with us. When you fall into that type of pattern when you are not making shots you’re going to struggle. We went 1-for-15 from the three, yet we settled for the three. We have to have more basketball savvy than that.”
- The Hawks got handled 54-32 on the boards. Los Angeles collected an astounding 42 of Atlanta’s 62 misses (not counting “team” rebounds) with Gasol and Bynum combining for 21 of those.
- “We didn’t play with physicality,” Drew said. “I thought they really banged us in the half court. I don’t think we responded very well to it.”
- This game showed the limitations of the big lineup. Twin is a good position defender but he can’t hang on the boards against the better big men. The Hawks actually had more success (relatively, at least) going small with Al working outside against Gasol and Bynum.
- The Lakers made 24 of 48 shots before emptying the bench in the fourth quarter. Kobe (20 points on 11 shots) didn’t even have to do anything special in his 26 minutes. Heck Shannon Brown took it to the Hawks and Joe Smith had three blocked shots.
- “They dominated on both ends,” Al said. “We really have some soul-searching to do as a team. It’s discouraging. We had a great practice yesterday, and to come out like that, it’s frustrating.”
- The Hawks botched five fast break chances by my count. Smoove threw a couple passes that smashed the backboard.
- Here was one inept fast break sequence: Mo fumbled the ball away while standing under the rim and missed a layup; Josh Powell tried to put it back only to get his shot pinned by Joe Smith, leading to an alley-oop dunk by Devin Ebanks.
- The Lakers presented Powell with his Lakers championship ring before the game.
- “I actually want to see it,” Al said. “I kind of saw it from far away. I know what it’s like to win. I did it on the college level. We are hungry for that. We are hungry to be in that position and we are not there yet.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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720 comments Add your comment
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
1:07 pm
will anybody take JJ?
mykhalc
February 23rd, 2011
1:09 pm
this team and ownership are really the perfect example of politicians!!! they keep sayin’ the same $.hit thinkin’ that the fanbase doesn’t see thru the BS!!! the good thing about it all is that attendance will continue to drop until their ‘no move is a good move’ approach is abandoned!!! what’s clear is…this franchise has no vision and this team has no leaders!!! well…Bibby is (tho his skills don’t allow it anymore)…Al is (but he should start demandin’a trade startin this summer) and i wish him ALL the luck for gettin’ the hell outta this stupid a$$ franchise!!!
ryan
February 23rd, 2011
1:10 pm
Hell the Braves under Liberty group but they made some decent trades getting Alex Gonzales and Dan Uggla with young studs Jason Heyward and Freddy Freeman Braves and Falcons the only teams in Atlanta that makes move to improve .
superiorblogman
February 23rd, 2011
1:11 pm
I know what to do. Move everyone other than Joe and Al. You can’t move Joe because of contract and you should not move Al. Start it now. They are not going anywhere. Try to get a lottery pick for Josh, take a lesser player if you have to. Don’t get any of these sorry left over PG’s who are only stop gaps. Go ahead and fall back out of the playoffs if called for and be you a team with intelligence and heart. Josh Smith is the problem.
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
1:12 pm
Al you should demand a trade cause its down hill from here Dude……………………………………
man man
February 23rd, 2011
1:13 pm
man wtf?DERON WILLIAMS JUST WENT TO THE NETS FOR DEVIN HARRIS AND DERICK FAVORS!MAN TO POINT GUARDS THE HAWKS COULDV’E HAD MAN I SWEAR THEY NOT WILLING TO WIN.HOW IS GETTING KURT HINRICH MAKE US A TITLE CONTENDER?MAN WTF.GIVE UP HAWKS
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
1:13 pm
josh smith will never get it…………………..Sad………………………
Najeh Davenpoop
February 23rd, 2011
1:13 pm
“Hell the Braves under Liberty group but they made some decent trades getting Alex Gonzales and Dan Uggla with young studs Jason Heyward and Freddy Freeman Braves and Falcons the only teams in Atlanta that makes move to improve .”
The Hawks wish they could draft half as well as the Braves have over the last 20 years.
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
1:15 pm
CP3CP3CP3CXP3CP3CP3CP3CP3CP3CP3CP3CP3CP3CP3CP3CP3CP3CP3CP3C P3CP3CP3CP3CP3CP3…MY FINGERS ARE TIRED……….WHEW………………………..
mykhalc
February 23rd, 2011
1:17 pm
move everyone??…i agree…but even that will show us a D-League version of what ORL did earlier this season!!! this is what the Hawks get for reneging on the sale to the cat in TX…they had to for that too!!! and fans are witnessin’ the continuin’ downward spiral from that move too!!! the ASG…another ATL curse!!!!
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
1:18 pm
43 YRS OF BULLSH$T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Najeh Davenpoop
February 23rd, 2011
1:18 pm
“When does Falcon season start?”
Why, so you can see another team with an overpaid superstar lose in the first round of the playoffs?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 23rd, 2011
1:18 pm
Sorry, that should have been “superstar” in quotes.
mykhalc
February 23rd, 2011
1:19 pm
can the HAWKS apply for expansion franchise benefits??? maybe can get some REAL players that way!!! /sarcasm
O'Brien
February 23rd, 2011
1:20 pm
Can we get Woody to coach the home games, and LD to coach the road games?
With Deron in NJ, I think CP3 will find a way to get to NY in 2012. So in 2 years, the East could have Rondo, Rose, Paul and Deron (all top 10 PGs).
While we struggle to find one that’s top 20…SMH at BK and Rick Sund.
O'Brien
February 23rd, 2011
1:21 pm
I would offer Mo Evans, Bibby and a #1 pick for Hinrich. I would also give them Pape Sy if they want him
mykhalc
February 23rd, 2011
1:21 pm
s/b…..this is what the Hawks get for reneging on the sale to the cat in TX…they had to PAY for that too!!!
drmaryb (*_*)
February 23rd, 2011
1:22 pm
Free Falling!
I’m with Najeh, I like the Pistons pieces a lot. That veteran seasoning and championship pedigree would move the Hawks light years ahead of where the are now.
I would go ahead and target Rip Hamilton to replace Jamal’s spot, even at 2M per two more years over Jamal’s 10M. I would do it only if I can send my bad contracts there and pick up Ben Wallace and Tayshun Prince as well. I would send my 1st picks too!
Especially if we get that PG too. Felton or Sessions or Hinrich.
K.W.
February 23rd, 2011
1:22 pm
I guess the Hawks are going to do what they do best stand there and watch everyone else in the East get better.
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
1:25 pm
THE FIX IS IN!! THE HAWKS WILL NEVER WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP!! I GET IT NOW DAVID STERN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Robert
February 23rd, 2011
1:29 pm
I’ve about had it with the Hawks.The ownership is the worst in the league,LD say’s rhey shouldn’t settle for jumpshots,but he lets them get away with it night after night.Other teams in the league did what they had to do to improve their team without worrying about the salary cap.The players show no fire and are willing to play down to their competition.It’s no wonder that nobody want’s to spend any money to go see them play.We need better ownership,a better coach and players willing to give 110% every minute they are on the floor.Will that happen,I doubt it.Maybe it’s time to support another team!
NCBravesFan
February 23rd, 2011
1:29 pm
Seems like in different ways, Billy Knight & Rick Sund dug a bit of a hole for the Hawks. (Knight through some poor drafting, Sund by signing people to bad contracts.) Now that they’ve both stopped digging, it seems like other teams in the East are now piling dirt in the hole. *Sigh*
Grandad
February 23rd, 2011
1:33 pm
Trade Joe…quick !
bigdave
February 23rd, 2011
1:33 pm
why is Al not movable to some?
hawks_4_life
February 23rd, 2011
1:35 pm
NO DERON
NO HARRIS
LIKE I SAID ILL ALWAYS BE A HAWK FAN BUT I FEEL LIKE IM IN THE DARK AGES
vava74
February 23rd, 2011
1:36 pm
Chad Ford just said that Felton is back to the market and being shopped by Denver.
EmirS.
February 23rd, 2011
1:36 pm
What in the hell is this man……
I wake up at 1:30 pm (during my only day off this week) log onto NBA.com to read that Jazz point guard Mr. Williams is heading to New Jersey!? And I struggle to find any article at all about a trade concerning Atlanta…and I find none.
This is ridicouls. So next season we got to compete with the Heat, Celtics, Bulls, Magic, Knicks, the up and coming Sixers,a possibly healthy Bucks team….and now a New Jersey team……who I’m sure will add some more pieces this off season. To go along with…Mr. Williams.
I’m just in shock atm. Did anyone else see this coming?
EmirS.
February 23rd, 2011
1:43 pm
” NBA.com reported on Tuesday that the Nets, after being spurned by Anthony, would turn their attention to the free agent Class of 2012, including Williams and Orlando all-pro center Dwight Howard. ”
- http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2011/02/23/the-russian-strikes-back/?ls=iref:nbahpt1
………
mykhalc
February 23rd, 2011
1:45 pm
how much do i despise this team right now??? i have FREE NBALP and REFUSE to watch ‘em!!! they STINK and have NO HEART!!! go find some players that are NOT over paid and all comfy…put them on the court. in fact find the last 5 players sittin’ on the end of the bench now and put ‘em in!!! same L but i bet there will be effort and heart!!!
GrymmDaReaper
February 23rd, 2011
1:47 pm
There is not enough curse words to express how I feel about Sund and this group that owns the Hawks. I am jealous of other teams GMs and Owners who thrive for improvement instead of staying pat. As stated earlier by a blogger, next year the east is going to be a complete monster. The Hawks will be bringing the some old bullets to the fight, while the rest of the east have added bazookas. Screw you Sund, screw you Drew, screw you ASG.
KevinM
February 23rd, 2011
1:48 pm
Give Denver what they ask for for Felton…quickly!
You will have to pay more than value at this point….Denver will want young and cheap.
Chris E
February 23rd, 2011
1:50 pm
How about Jordan Farmer & Travis Outlaw for Marvin Williams, Jeff Teague & Mo Evans. Them we get an up and coming pg, fire power off the bench and dump some salary.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 23rd, 2011
1:51 pm
I know all the focus has been on acquiring a point guard, and I know teams don’t like trading within the division, but I wouldn’t mind making a run for Gerald Wallace using Jamal’s contract, if no solution at the point is readily available. Apparently the Bobcats are “shopping him hard” according to hoopshype.
KevinM
February 23rd, 2011
1:53 pm
“O’Brien
February 23rd, 2011
1:20 pm
Can we get Woody to coach the home games, and LD to coach the road games?
The shine is off on Larry…he needs to go back to summer league…OB, when you know something is going to happen, as clear as water, that Larry would not be successful, why does the ASG just simply not have simple common sense logic? Larry is Terry Stotts, is Bob Weiss, is Lon Kruger….they are all in over their head and can’t motivate a group of millionaires to utilize all their resources.
This team needs an arse whippin by a coach in the worse way. These laid back. la-la-la coaches have no energy in them and it shows in their teams.
Gearon has no business running a sports franchise…he is taking 2 down as fast as you can.
KevinM
February 23rd, 2011
1:54 pm
MC, get the scoop on who turned Sund down so far and what he offered. That ought to be doable.
EmirS.
February 23rd, 2011
1:55 pm
@KevinM
Lol, if we know better it’s probally who Sund turned down.
Shake Something
February 23rd, 2011
1:56 pm
EmirS.
February 23rd, 2011
1:36 pm
This is ridicouls. So next season we got to compete with the Heat, Celtics, Bulls, Magic, Knicks, the up and coming Sixers,a possibly healthy Bucks team….and now a New Jersey team……who I’m sure will add some more pieces this off season. To go along with…Mr. Williams.
I’m just in shock atm. Did anyone else see this coming?
If this is true,looks like the Hawks make the lottery…lol
lewis
February 23rd, 2011
2:07 pm
Hawks should be going after felton at any cost
Freshfromatl
February 23rd, 2011
2:07 pm
Warriors In Trade Talks For Nate Robinson
The Warriors and Celtics are in trade discussions that would send Nate Robinson to Golden State, according to a source.
Other parts of the trade are not clear yet and is not done.
Via Sam Amick/FanHouse
…………………………..
Unbelievable!!!! Man, if the Celtics just so happen to somehow acquire a quality player from Golden State. I’M DONE WITH THE HAWKS FRANCHISE!!!!!
terrell
February 23rd, 2011
2:09 pm
DWill to the Nets? Wow! There go’s Harris.
KevinM
February 23rd, 2011
2:12 pm
Wow, Portland trying to dump Miller, Pryzbilla AND Oden……talk about an all out sale!
All 3 interest me, with Oden of course the big risk…..get me the best specialist to examine him and see if he can go forward.
Mark
February 23rd, 2011
2:12 pm
Suns only 2 1/2 point favorites tonight…is Vegas watching a different Hawks team than the rest of us? Suns will win by 22.
lewis
February 23rd, 2011
2:13 pm
the suns kinda suck
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
2:13 pm
“Larry is Terry Stotts, is Bob Weiss, is Lon Kruger….they are all in over their head and can’t motivate a group of millionaires to utilize all their resources.”
WOW….A BUNCH OF REJECTS…ONLY IN GEORGIA………………………………………
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
2:15 pm
SUND JUST COMMIT YOURSELF!! YOU SIR ARE A CERTIFIABLE IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
drmaryb (*_*)
February 23rd, 2011
2:16 pm
David Aldridge and Adrian Warjorkowski
Have reported all the Sund offers and failures. What surprised me was Sund refusing to send Marvin to the Wizards along with Bibby and whoever they were trying send for Kirk Hinrich!
So, I’m thinking .. Why is Marvin holding up anything related to getting a PG in here? Send him and his Grandma from the nursing home too!
What did The Wizards want? Then, Send it Now!
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
2:17 pm
SUND YOU HAVE QUICKLY SURPASSED BILLY KNIGHT THE SELF DESCRIBED “BASKETBALL EXPERT” AS THE WORST GM IN ATLANTA HAWKS HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JoJo the Godfather
February 23rd, 2011
2:17 pm
Dump Joe, Etan & Bibby to Jersey for Murphy, Morrow, Humphries & D. James. We might be worse off this year, but we’ll be positioned better for the future.
Mac-Town, Georgia (urban-macon.blogspot.com)
February 23rd, 2011
2:18 pm
Sportscenter is RIPPING the Hawks defense.
slimjr
February 23rd, 2011
2:21 pm
WE ARE RIPPING THE HAWKS..WHO CARES ABOUT SPORTS FREAKING CENTER………MAN!