Atlanta Hawks at Bulls: Drew says low post is priority
Chicago–Plan A hasn’t been working for the Hawks’ offense.
What does L.D. want to see tonight instead of jumpers?
“First, establish ourselves in the low post,” he said. “If the ball does come on the kick out, everything doesn’t have to be a three. We are sitting outside, sitting at that 3-point line, [and] we can move in closer. Instead of turning it into a 3, turn it into an 18- to 20-footer. Our drive-and-kick game has to be up to par, force them to not just defend a shot on the closeout but teams have to have a fear about closing out and putting the ball on the floor.”
Even considering their poor 3-point shooting as of late, this season the 3-pointer has been (not surprisingly) much better for the Hawks than long 2-pointers. Then again, Bibby is gone and J.J. is in a slide, leaving Smoove as the team’s best 3-point shooter (not counting Al’s 2 for 4 and Twin’s 1 for 1).
L.D. dismissed Al’s back injury as a factor in his game moving outside.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “I think sometimes players they stay with what’s comfortable to them. Obviously he is making jump shots but both he and Josh have to establish themselves down in the low post still. We run plays to get them involved in the post and they have got to establish themselves in there.
“Just keep mixing it up. I don’t want them to be predictable in what they do. I want their overall offensive game to be hard to predict because they both have the ability to play inside and out.”
Game notes . . .
- “Normal” lineup for Hawks: Hinrich, J.J., Marvin, Josh, Al. Etan and Pape are inactive.
- Boozer is out for the Bulls and Kurt Thomas will take his place. Luol Deng is a game-time decision.
- Even with Boozer out, the Bulls still have Thomas, Noah, Omar Asik and Taj Gibson on the front line. No wonder they managed to keep winning despite Boozer missing 15 games and Noah sitting out 30 (of course it also helps to have D-Rose and that Noah’s absence from Dec. 18 to Feb. 17 coincided with a soft spot in Chicago’s schedule).
- Said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau: “We’ve had injuries before with with Boozer and Joakim out. We feel like we have quality bigs up front and all of them have started.”
- After Al went off for 31 and 16 in the first meeting, Thibodeau said Gibson would be part of a gang effort against him: “At different times he will guard him. All of the bigs will. All four guys give us different looks. He’s a tough matchup.”
- Hinrich was asked how the Hawks held down D-Rose last time: “He missed shots.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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401 comments Add your comment
Mac-Town, Georgia (urban-macon.blogspot.com)
March 11th, 2011
8:34 pm
look at those jump shooters…
drmaryb (*_-)
March 11th, 2011
8:35 pm
Full Force!
I see the fake poster is working full force tonight. Why bother to change the name? “Content reveals Character”.
Blow the Whistle! Throw in The Towel!
___________________
Hawks doing work! Defense!
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
8:35 pm
“people get to the bucket with ease against us”
With Jamal on the perimeter and no Smoove inside, yes.
Melvin
March 11th, 2011
8:36 pm
Do Joe still play for the Hawks?????
Atlgent
March 11th, 2011
8:37 pm
lol@ Melvin
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
8:37 pm
The D was fine until Jamal came into the game. Can’t have him in unless you have someone who can challenge shots at the rim.
The O still needs a ton of work. At this point, any possession run through Joe is a wasted possession.
I’d like to see Teague in whenever Kirk goes out. There is no reason whatsoever why Jamal should be running the point. LD put in Damien to go with Jamal in the back court instead of Teague, which makes no sense since the Bulls don’t have a scoring 2 guard.
lewis
March 11th, 2011
8:38 pm
score-less joe johnson
Mac-Town, Georgia (urban-macon.blogspot.com)
March 11th, 2011
8:39 pm
knowing the ASG there is your next Hawks’ head coach, Lester Conner
Sautee
March 11th, 2011
8:39 pm
Melvin,
Well he’s on the roster.
James
March 11th, 2011
8:39 pm
Wow, L.D. is playing Josh with 3 fouls. That’s very uncharacteristic of him. I can’t say that I disagree with him doing that, but it’s definitely risky.
Melvin
March 11th, 2011
8:40 pm
Oh my goodness, LD is going to play Josh to start the 2nd qtr and he has 3 fouls
Tremaine
March 11th, 2011
8:40 pm
Jumpshot Josh!
bigdave
March 11th, 2011
8:41 pm
great team D.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
8:41 pm
Y’all can hate all you want, but this team is totally different defensively when Smoove is in the game. Way to make up for the botched post up.
lewis
March 11th, 2011
8:41 pm
Josh smith lookin a little healthier..maybe 70%
terrell
March 11th, 2011
8:42 pm
And 1.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
8:42 pm
Smoove only has 2 if I’m not mistaken. I think he went to the bench with 2.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
8:42 pm
The J isn’t falling though Smoove. Time to stop going to that well.
lewis
March 11th, 2011
8:42 pm
get zaza out he is awful
lewis
March 11th, 2011
8:43 pm
he has 3
terrell
March 11th, 2011
8:43 pm
JAMAL CRAWFORD IS NOT A PG!
James
March 11th, 2011
8:43 pm
It drives me crazy when Josh settles for all of these contested jumpers. He’s 1-2 down low, but 0-3 on jumpers, yet he will happily continue to take jump shots whenever he has the chance to do so.
rusty
March 11th, 2011
8:44 pm
hawks suck no matter who on the court
terrell
March 11th, 2011
8:44 pm
Josh gets the and 1 inside, and then goes right back to shooting jumpers.
Sautee
March 11th, 2011
8:45 pm
lewis,
espn box score says 2.
James
March 11th, 2011
8:45 pm
You’re right, Najeh. Josh only has 2 fouls. I thought I heard the broadcasters say he had 3 fouls when he went out. My mistake. It’s a lot less unusual for L.D to be playing him if he only has 2 fouls.
Atlgent
March 11th, 2011
8:45 pm
Well..It seems as if Teague will get a DNP-Coached decision because as soon as JC attempted to go behind his back he should have been taken out the game but he wasn’t…
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
8:46 pm
With Smoove and Al both on the floor, no attempt at all to get either one to post up. Jamal still running the point.
WTF LD
Sleepy
March 11th, 2011
8:47 pm
Its amazing how people blame jamal for Josh shooting jumpers roflmao….. still making excuses . I blame the way josh is on the fans . Why wont some of you allow josh to take responsibility for his own play .
Melvin
March 11th, 2011
8:47 pm
Dont know why LD is playing Marvin extended mins. He’s doing nothing…
drmaryb (*_-)
March 11th, 2011
8:47 pm
Marvin tripped and fell, wth?
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
8:47 pm
Kirk has been a lifesaver in this game.
lewis
March 11th, 2011
8:48 pm
and to hinrich haters, he’s kept us in every game we’ve had a chance in
terrell
March 11th, 2011
8:48 pm
Marvin 0 points, 0 reb, 0 assists in 13 min. Wow! And Teague cant get no burn. Pathetic!
Melvin
March 11th, 2011
8:48 pm
Hinrich may be a better 3pt shooter than Bibby..
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
8:49 pm
Nice setup by Joe. About time he started getting involved.
lewis
March 11th, 2011
8:49 pm
not to discount jamal actually showing up tonight offensively
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
8:49 pm
That Joe/Korver matchup is paying dividends — not with Joe scoring, but with Joe drawing double teams and (for a change) getting the ball out of his hands quickly).
Melvin
March 11th, 2011
8:50 pm
Yall may beat me up for this but I think the Hawks matchup better with the Bulls than any of the top four teams in the East….
terrell
March 11th, 2011
8:51 pm
And we’re stuck with Marvin for 3 more years. Unbelievable!
Mac-Town, Georgia (urban-macon.blogspot.com)
March 11th, 2011
8:51 pm
sure does look like it@melvin
them and MIA
lewis
March 11th, 2011
8:51 pm
for the split second Josh and Hinrich were healthy the other day the D looked like something else, hopefully it can regain that form
Atlgent
March 11th, 2011
8:52 pm
I’m confused by everyone thinking that Josh can just TAKE everybody off the dribble. He has to shoot a jumper sometimes….
lewis
March 11th, 2011
8:53 pm
such a shame that teague gets no run
Melvin
March 11th, 2011
8:55 pm
Josh is dragging that leg…
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
8:56 pm
3 fouls on Kirk and still no Teague.
lewis
March 11th, 2011
8:57 pm
you gotta throw in teague to defend rose of the game is over
Melvin
March 11th, 2011
8:57 pm
Ok I was confuse earlier. I thought Josh had 3 fouls b/c the Bulls broadcast crew kept saying he had 3 fouls….
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
8:58 pm
Smoove sinks the jumper, but Al has to be more aggressive and take that shot himself. Dude needs to start playing like the most efficient offensive player on the team.
Melvin
March 11th, 2011
8:58 pm
Why would LD have Jamal guard Rose…