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
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:31 pm
If Chicago had shooters, man, this game might be over already.
Nique's Revenge
March 11th, 2011
9:32 pm
josh no handles, then parks it at the 3 point line and heaves up a brick. sigh
Mac-Town, Georgia (urban-macon.blogspot.com)
March 11th, 2011
9:32 pm
jump shooters
Ra'mon
March 11th, 2011
9:32 pm
Tremaine, Josh is the only one consistently attempting to go to the lane on the Hawks. Remember this is the same defense that figured out how to keep Lebron, Kobe, and Wade out of the lane last season. When the last time Al tried to post up on Noah? Or why isn’t Joe posting up on Bogans, when he clearly has a size advantage?
Nique's Revenge
March 11th, 2011
9:33 pm
josh, there’s a reason the opponents leave you open at that 3 point line
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:33 pm
Time to watch college basketball.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:33 pm
Did LD really think he could replace Kirk with Jamal again and not expect Rose to get loose?
Sautee
March 11th, 2011
9:34 pm
DRose beastin’
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:34 pm
LD is a f-cking idiot for not playing Teague right now, plain and simple. Play Jamal at 2 guard if you want.
Ra'mon
March 11th, 2011
9:34 pm
Nique, right now Josh’s 3 pt attempt > Joe/ Marvin 3 pt attempt.
Sleepy
March 11th, 2011
9:34 pm
Rose is getting loose because our bigs are totally out of the game mentally at this point not because jamal is on him …
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:34 pm
How can LD just sit and watch this shi.? Dumb turnovers, bad shots, etc… Unbelievable!
Nique's Revenge
March 11th, 2011
9:34 pm
at least LD dresses nicely
Sautee
March 11th, 2011
9:35 pm
And LD said the low post was a priority?
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:35 pm
Al, again, not being aggressive. Take the god damn jump shot. You’re a top 10 mid range shooter in the league.
I wish Al had half of Smoove’s confidence.
JaeEvolution
March 11th, 2011
9:35 pm
So we’re going to keep letting Jamal get burned? This is what were going to do…OK.
Melvin
March 11th, 2011
9:35 pm
LD, how dumb can you be… Why play your weakness defender on the league MVP….
Tremaine
March 11th, 2011
9:35 pm
Josh is our savior.
Sleepy
March 11th, 2011
9:35 pm
Theyve got to tighten the double team up and force rose to give it up like we did in the first half .
drmaryb (*_-)
March 11th, 2011
9:36 pm
“doc
personally i dont thing these guys know how to finish at the rim. i am amazed at how they tend to shy away at the end rather than dunking or using the back board. they as a whole are very tentative in close
March 11th, 2011
9:23 pm”
___________________
Like I said, the hawks are playing very measured. Where is the confidence?
Ra'mon
March 11th, 2011
9:36 pm
Its 3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, and after multiple dunks by Asik in the first half (uncontested) and drives to the hole by Rose, Horford finally picks up his first foul. How does our starting center go close to three quarters with no fouls, and the opponents lighting up the lane?
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:36 pm
Joe bricks a 3.
Is Rose going to have to tear Jamal’s ACLs for Teague to get in this game?
Tremaine
March 11th, 2011
9:36 pm
Get Josh back in the game LD.
Sautee
March 11th, 2011
9:37 pm
Horford with 4 shot attempts in 24+ minutes.
Ra'mon
March 11th, 2011
9:38 pm
Am I the only one who is SURPRISED when Joe hits a 3?
welikebaseball2
March 11th, 2011
9:38 pm
#1) Crawford is NOT a PG. #2) He should NOT be guarding Rose.
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:38 pm
I’m bout to give up on this team after all these years. I basically cant take it anymore.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:38 pm
The defensive intensity just disappears when Jamal replaces Kirk, and Teague is still sitting on the bench. This is unbelievable.
Booo!
March 11th, 2011
9:38 pm
You FAIL Larry! You absolutely FAIL at LIFE!!!
Smh….IDIOT!!!
Nique's Revenge
March 11th, 2011
9:38 pm
oh well, another L
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:38 pm
Well, actually, it is very believable.
Mac-Town, Georgia (urban-macon.blogspot.com)
March 11th, 2011
9:39 pm
too easy
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:39 pm
Crawford guarding Rose should be enough to get LD fired after the game. Is he serious?
Melvin
March 11th, 2011
9:39 pm
I’m threw with LD… Get him outta here….
Booo!
March 11th, 2011
9:40 pm
Only an Idiot would Hold Teague out of this Game!
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:40 pm
Sh-t like this makes me think the people who call LD Woody Lite are probably right. This quarter has been an exhibition of horrendous coaching.
Melvin
March 11th, 2011
9:41 pm
No wonder LD has been an assistant coach for 20years. He’s not HC material….
Booo!
March 11th, 2011
9:41 pm
Fire Rick Sund! You Re-sign an Idiot, Let him go only to sign another idiot for a coach. When will the madness end!?
Tony
March 11th, 2011
9:42 pm
Teague really should be playing in this game!
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:42 pm
I blame LD for most of this nonsense. After all, He’s the one that puts up with this mess. What a joke.
UGA
March 11th, 2011
9:42 pm
No more blaming Marvin.
Josh Smith is PITIFUL!!!! Drew is not better to keep playing him. Smith’s shot selection and turnovers have cost us another game!!
Get rid of him this summer Sund!!
JaeEvolution
March 11th, 2011
9:42 pm
This guy LD, he KNOWS Jamal is not known for his defense for the second half of the third quarter he has been getting burned EVERYTIME, not once or every other time, EVERYTIME they come down Kurt sets a hard screen Jamal sits at the three point line and watches Derrick torch the inside, why?
2 FOR JOHN DREW
March 11th, 2011
9:42 pm
DRose reminds me of a running back, the footwork, the fakes, he’s poetric in motion !
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:42 pm
That might be the first time in a couple of months that Joe tried to create contact and draw a foul.
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:43 pm
Always talking bout defense, yet he lets Teague rot on the bench while DRose torches Jamal. Clown!
steven
March 11th, 2011
9:43 pm
10 points in the 3rd. Nice job guys.
welikebaseball2
March 11th, 2011
9:43 pm
Everyone celebrated when we got rid of Bibby, saying “we finally got someone who could guard quick/penetrating PG’s.” Well, what good is that when L.D. assigns Crawford to that quick/penetrating PG until the game is out of hand?!
JaeEvolution
March 11th, 2011
9:44 pm
…and Joe misses 2 free throws, PLEASE LET THEM FALL TO 7TH SEED!
Mac-Town, Georgia (urban-macon.blogspot.com)
March 11th, 2011
9:44 pm
Both ends of the court have too many holes
steven
March 11th, 2011
9:44 pm
Hoe misses his first two FTs of the night.