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
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:45 pm
7th seed, here we come. Hawks-Bulls 1st rd.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:45 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?!”
This is why Jamal should have also been traded.
JaeEvolution
March 11th, 2011
9:45 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?!”
I can finally point out LD for this terrible coaching decision, I am seriously questioning what the fu*k is he currently thinking, this whole lead was because Jamal was guarding Rose, simple as that.
Melvin
March 11th, 2011
9:46 pm
Joe just put a on Bulls jersey….
omar
March 11th, 2011
9:46 pm
Where’s Woody? Just kidding!!!!
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:46 pm
Wonder what Sund is thinking right now?
Tremaine
March 11th, 2011
9:46 pm
Yes, Josh back in. Get ready for the comeback hawks fans.
Sautee
March 11th, 2011
9:47 pm
How to have a 10 point quarter? Two shots in the paint (made one)
4-15 overall. Turnovers galore.
UGH.
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:47 pm
I say Keep Al, and maybe Kirk and try to move everyone else. IF POSSIBLE
Nique's Revenge
March 11th, 2011
9:48 pm
ugh
Tremaine
March 11th, 2011
9:48 pm
Let’s go Josh.
Nique's Revenge
March 11th, 2011
9:49 pm
LOLOLOL hawks suck
Tremaine
March 11th, 2011
9:49 pm
Zaza with the jumper. Nice!
Melvin
March 11th, 2011
9:49 pm
Why cant Marvin be productive/play like Deng
steven
March 11th, 2011
9:49 pm
this team is done. break em up after this game.
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:49 pm
Kirk prolly wondering what in the hell he’s gotten in to?
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:49 pm
“I say Keep Al, and maybe Kirk and try to move everyone else. IF POSSIBLE”
Al has been as much a part of the problem in this game as anyone else. The one guy on this team who should take more shots is too f-cking scared to put it up.
Booo!
March 11th, 2011
9:50 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.”
Damn Straight Poop,
LD (Woody-Lite) is a FRAUD
F-LD!
Sleepy
March 11th, 2011
9:50 pm
We are not losing because jamal is not a pg or because he is guarding Rose we are losing because more of the Bulls players (even without Boozer) showed up to play than the hawk did .
All this pg talk is just a tired excuse
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:50 pm
Portland by 15 tomorrow night.
Ra'mon
March 11th, 2011
9:50 pm
Terrell, you don’t think Al’s lack of an inside game, is part of the problem?
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:50 pm
Good thing Teague is still on the bench, or else the Hawks might lose even worse.
SteveW
March 11th, 2011
9:51 pm
Put this one Ld guys. He’s no NBA Head Coach. No Teague on the fastest guy in the League? What a joke
JaeEvolution
March 11th, 2011
9:51 pm
“He couldn’t score a bucket in an empty gym with a ladder.” – Stacey King
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:51 pm
But Al brings it more than he doesnt.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:52 pm
Jamal is STILL playing point guard. Unbelievable.
a sund er
March 11th, 2011
9:52 pm
_
(’,')
_ _ / /) hawks
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(/ \ | ‘ 7,/` | /
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hawks” | ) | )
fans =’-’ =’-’
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:53 pm
Fire LD. There, I said it.
Ra'mon
March 11th, 2011
9:53 pm
Terrell, Al brings a bunch of jumpers and uncontested defense in the lane. Al’s game against Chicago last week was the first game we can remember where he ‘brought it’. Why doesn’t he play with that intensity more? And why when Amare walks in the building Al becomes timid?
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:53 pm
Bill Lambieer anyone?
JaeEvolution
March 11th, 2011
9:54 pm
Finally big boy, damn.
Booo!
March 11th, 2011
9:54 pm
Teague should be starting becuase JT doesnt play well with Jamal but Hinrich does. He can guard SG’s and he will demand the ball from Jamal unlike Teague.
JT solidifies the Starting unit. He is the oly person who consistantly draws fouls on the opposing team. He’s the only one who does not constantly chuck jumpshots, and honeslty, he will probably end up being our best post player A la Tony Parker. Besides, Offensive production is not needed at the start of the game, defense is.
Kirk, Jamal, and Marvin should be coming off the bench while Collins and Teague should be starting with our captains.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:54 pm
Nice move Joe.
Everyone on this team thinks they are a jump shooter, but Joe, Smoove, and Marvin are all at their best on the low block.
Tremaine
March 11th, 2011
9:54 pm
Damn, looked like the old Joe Johnson for a second.
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:55 pm
So maybe we shoulda passed on Al, and took Mike Conley at 3, and moved up a spot and grabbed Noah?
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:55 pm
Al passes up an open jumper AGAIN.
Tremaine
March 11th, 2011
9:57 pm
LD why didn’t you play Teague “We wanted a more offensive look.”
welikebaseball2
March 11th, 2011
9:58 pm
@Najeh: I too am amazed at the time Jamal has clocked at PG this game. L.D. has got to take a chunk of the blame for this one. As for Al, I don’t know if it’s a lack of plays being called for him or his reluctancy to shoot, but it’s a definite problem & only ads to our schizophrenic excuse for an offense.
terrell
March 11th, 2011
9:58 pm
Just imagine Marvin waddling in the room, after you just watched Chris Paul work out. That woulda sealed the deal for me. And we still went with Marvin. Are you kidding me?
SteveW
March 11th, 2011
9:58 pm
LD – Team in disarray
Philly just beat Boston
We are in trouble guys. LD is worse than Woody at this point.
Nique's Revenge
March 11th, 2011
9:58 pm
LOLOLOL nice one
Tremaine
March 11th, 2011
9:59 pm
Damn it Joe. Nice pass Josh.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 11th, 2011
9:59 pm
Am I the only one who can’t remember the last time the Hawks played a game where an opposing player wasn’t the best player on the court? The game against the Warriors, maybe?
JaeEvolution
March 11th, 2011
10:00 pm
I didn’t think it would happen but that 6th or 7th seed is coming up a lot faster than I thought.
brigadierjerry
March 11th, 2011
10:01 pm
What the heck has happen to Horford?It is like this guy got shook the other day and get get out of his funk. He isnt even looking to take shots.. Wonderful pass there Josh Smith right into the 1st row
Wabe
March 11th, 2011
10:01 pm
bunch of bums…
football season can’t come back quick enough.
welikebaseball2
March 11th, 2011
10:02 pm
Was watching the Lakers last night & the camera caught Kobe giving Odom & his coach an earful…expletives & all. Oh how I wish we had someone that showed that passion. Gee, if only we had a “star” guard making max money that would open his mouth during games like these. Oh well, I can dream can’t I?
J.J.M
March 11th, 2011
10:02 pm
this team is a complete mess. pure garbarge. please trade everyone except horford.
Sautee
March 11th, 2011
10:02 pm
Najeh, it’s hard to remember when the crowd WASN’T chanting MVP for somebody OTHER than a Hawk.
terrell
March 11th, 2011
10:03 pm
Hawks-Bulls 1st rd.