For Hawks, Pistons behind, Bulls next
Greetings, all
Hope you’re well. Sorry I couldn’t blog Sunday night. Georgia State is introducing its new coach today (Monday), which I found out last night and so I had to start digging around to find out who it was, right about the time I was going to sit down to blog.
This will be on the brief side, so my apologies again.
- Not sure how much to take from the game. It’s a win, which is the important thing, but a) it’s only one win; b) it was against Detroit. Still, beats the alternative. The Hawks played with a bit more energy. Kirk Hinrich: “We talked about it as a team. We’re aware of it and there’s going to be nights that don’t go our way out there. We have to stick together, rely on each other and just play through it.”
- I counted 40 shots from 16 feet or more, out of 70. The Hawks started out shooting the ball well – they made seven of their first nine from 16 feet and out, and then 11 of the final 31. Off the top of my head, I’m not sure how this compares with a typical game, but it makes me wonder a little if the biggest difference in the game (opponent aside), or at least one of the biggest differences, was that the shots that they took went in after not going in against Miami, Denver, etc.
That said, I did think they were more intentional about running and to some degree played more physically on defense, although the Pistons still shot 50 percent from the field.
- The Jeff Teague update – 11th DNP. Larry Drew’s explanation – he didn’t want to start him because Tracy McGrady was a matchup problem, as well as Richard Hamilton. He said the starting unit got into a flow so he didn’t want to disrupt it. Also, he said he wanted to try to give Jamal Crawford more minutes than he would have otherwise to try to get him going before the playoffs start.
“I’m going to have to get him going and I’ve got to make sure he’s feeling good about himself as we move down the stretch,” Drew said. “He’s a guy we’re going to need down the stretch.”
- Chicago and Philadelphia ahead. Those games, I think we can agree, will be more telling than Sunday.
“We have to mirror this game but play with a little bit more energy and try to get the win against Chicago,” Josh Smith said.
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289 comments Add your comment
jhan
March 21st, 2011
4:29 pm
This team looked good early on when they were dedicated to playing defense & running the new offense. They also looked good right after they got Hinrich – his commitment to defense seemed to rub off on everyone else initially. It seems to me that this team doesn’t feel the need to bring maximum effort & intensity every game. I would like to put that on the coach but I won’t. If a grown man always needs someone to keep him motivated then he is only a man in the physical sense. It is time for the little boys on this team to be traded. I’m not in the locker room so I don’t know who they are but my short list would include: Josh, Marvin & JC1. I would like to see what Josh could do if he really dedicated himself to playing defense & rebounding. I’m pretty sure his offense would increase as well through sheer effort on the boards.
SteveW
March 21st, 2011
4:34 pm
Astro Joe, you said”I’m not thrilled with LD either, but the cards he is trying to play is not a winning hand.”
I way totally disagree with much of this statement. Of course, Sund/ASG could’ve/should’ve brought in Shaq and/or Dampier, but didn’t. That being said:
LD has totally lost any discipline Josh may have had. He’s shooting way worse % wise than last season. He’s gone from 4 three’s all of last season, to I’m afraid to look at how many this season. This has devastated our low post game, that LD said Josh would be doing more of, not less, this season.
LD has mismanaged the rotations and roles on this team, and has def. not held players accountable or changed poor habits they may have.
Teague is not just player development anymore. He’s in helping this team win mode right now with his defense and up tempo style. LD wants to run, and then DNP’s our fastest player who fits with the athleticism of this team.
He played Bibby and Mo to the detriment of the team. And yes, he had other options in Wilkens and Teague.
He continues to play Jamal at Point which clearly hurts this team.
He doesn’t demand the offense run thru Al for no apparent reason.
LD is a worthless Head Coach. He may be a good assistant, I don’t know. And he hasn’t done everything wrong, he’s done some nice things.
But the negatives way out weigh the positives at this point, and he is a total, unmitigated disaster as a Head Coach.
When you see the games, you know….
mykhalc
March 21st, 2011
4:41 pm
@Big Daddy…yep probably ‘coulda’ keep readin’ but that statement zapped any momentum that i mighta had about readin’ his perspective. most of us have been watchin’ this team for 6+years…less time with Al…but bottomline is, it’s ALL been said by the bloggers right here!!! i’ve read it and said it MANY times over the years. KA BOOM PLEASE!!!
Ken Sugiura
March 21st, 2011
4:41 pm
a lot of spice today. i guess you didn’t go for the “the hawks won! all problems are solved!” line of thinking, huh. (joke)
mykhalc
March 21st, 2011
4:41 pm
kept not keep…
Najeh Davenpoop
March 21st, 2011
4:43 pm
“the cards he is trying to play is not a winning hand”
It is not a championship hand, and we all know this, but it is a better hand than this and a better hand than one that should suffer the worst playoff series sweep in NBA history.
SteveW
March 21st, 2011
4:45 pm
Woodson wasn’t renewed because we were told:
The team had reached it’s ceiling with him as the Head Coach
They had tuned him out in the 2nd round of the playoffs
He didn’t utilize Jeff Teague enough during the season and playoffs, and to a lesser extant Jason Collins during the Orlando series.
Under LD:
We have regressed in record, scoring, playoff seeding, player development, discipline, +/-, and competiveness against elite teams. We beat the Lakers 3 straight at home until this season, when we call a 14 point loss good. Same with the Nuggets. Boston slaughtered us.
Many of our losses have been “name your score” losses, where the opposing team could have beaten us as badly as they would have wanted, like LA at LA, the Sixers, the Hornets, the Bucks, Boston, Chicago etc.
And LD still hates Jeff Teague.
LD is making 1.5m regardless. Check to see if there are performance incentives anywhere. It is 1.5m guaranteed for next season.
LD is do not care mode possibly. We as fans are getting there. But we do still care.
And the cat lost us 2 first picks by his negligence also.
LD=Disaster..
Somebody help!
SteveW
March 21st, 2011
4:49 pm
Ken S – I’m in wanting the Hawks to win mode.
But after that I’m in LD needs to go mode!
And I defended Woodson up to the end, and would not have been upset if the Hawks would have kept him. I agreed with Sund on the reasoning for the most part of he and the Hawks parting ways.
But LD is way past time to go. This guys horrid. And that’s not to say Woody was good, but he had improved the record every year, got us to 53 wins and a 3rd seed. LD is horrible as a HC.
mykhalc
March 21st, 2011
4:50 pm
@SteveW…you obviously know more about LD’s contract than i do.
J.J.M
March 21st, 2011
4:57 pm
lol how many times will josh say the same thing “more energy”
Katie
March 21st, 2011
5:00 pm
It’s about time The Hawks jumped on the Charlie Sheen bandwagon, and started winning.
ag
March 21st, 2011
5:08 pm
I was not a big JCII believer, but I am starting to change my mind. For those of you saying he is doing it with a bad team, well Hilton Armstrong AND Kirk Hinrich did not do what JCII is doing! JCII is averaging 24.5 ppg over last three games and has four games this season when he scored at least 20 points. Hinrich has three games over 20. I doubt Hilton has a game over 20 in his career. I guess the worst thing about the trade, was Hilton was a throw in. Why could they not throw in Thorton or Yi Jianlian?
SWAT Native
March 21st, 2011
5:13 pm
@ Katie – I think the Hawks are alredy following Sheen’s example: they’re claiming to be winning when they’re actually losing…
clancy
March 21st, 2011
5:18 pm
@ ag,
Hilton barely saw the floor, and Kirk’s game is not based on chucking up shots. Jordan has a usage over 27% and a TS% of .457. That’s really not good.
Again, glad the kid is getting a chance to show what he can do, but that would not be helpful to Atlanta right now. He’d be sitting, for one, but even if he played that’s actually more in line with chucking than what we get from Jamal.
Rufus1
March 21st, 2011
5:24 pm
No excuses for LD when…
Your coach thinks JC1 guarding DRose of TY Lawson is a sound basketball strategy. When your WORST shooter, take the most shots. When you refuse to play the players you drafted. You don’t get to claim “BAD ROSTER” when you keep making those kind of decisions.
Rufus1
March 21st, 2011
5:25 pm
Correction..”Your coach thinks JC1 guarding DRose or TY Lawson is a sound basketball strategy”
doc
March 21st, 2011
5:28 pm
here you go myk, salary info on LD:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/frank_hughes/06/19/hawks.drew/index.html
“follow the money”, as one of my fav blog people writes and i concur 100%.
Starrman
March 21st, 2011
5:39 pm
LD,is like Stevie Wonder
Rev in Tampa
March 21st, 2011
5:54 pm
wow, doc, that was quite an article. it spells things out with brutal clarity. suddenly the hawks screwy season makes a lot more sense.
(i wrote in all lowercase just for you)
W.R.Terrell
March 21st, 2011
5:56 pm
I started quesioning LD’s decisions when Jordon Crawford rode the bench. Jeff Teague just has to hold on for a few more games and then LD will be gone for good. I am looking forward to next year, with the likes of youngbloods, Teague and Hilton Armstrong. Zsa Zsa will play much better under a coach who knows what coaching is about. We are stuck with ISO Joe but under a firm and smart hand he could blossom into more then he is now. That “smoove” person needs to be in a deal that may garnish us a first rounder, he needs to go because this is the best he will ever be and that is not saying too much. Good coaching can’t help him, the boy has no basketball IQ, and he is seriously basketball iliterate. Marvin is still worth the gamble under a good coach, with some off season tutelage on how to play on the inside and the weight room he could definitely be worth that gamble next season if there is a next season. Al Horford could benefit also with a strong and dedicated effort over the summer, especially in the weight room. Damian Wilkins needs to be signed, just by his hustle alone could be catching and spread to the rest of the team, he definitely has desire and effort. We need not let Kirk go anywhere, he’s a class act and hardcore ball player. Jamal does not need to be resigned, the HAWKS need the money to pick up a few wiley vets. There will be some beef out there looking for a job next year who can still be very productive. We play Chicago tomorrow night and I will watch because I just want this season to be gone. I am looking forward to next year with the players we have, some new additions and a new coach, hopefully, Dominique, someone the players will respect and learn from, afterall, he is and always will be our HUMAN HIGHLIGHT FILM, he would dedicate himself to the job and I think, well I know we would be a team that has skill, desire, heart, never say die attitude and hate to lose kind of team.
mykhalc
March 21st, 2011
6:00 pm
yo doc…thanks for the link my friend!!! i’ll digest it and then force myself to throw-up…which is what i do with all things Hawks related right now…KA BOOM PLEASE!!!
Sautee
March 21st, 2011
6:02 pm
doc,
I had read the article before, but the very end is telling regarding today’s discussion:
“Sund may be able to fall back on some shrewd personnel moves over the past few years to save his job. But the fact that ownership overruled his decision on whom to hire as coach will undoubtedly create a chasm that likely will never be completely bridged; now, one side can always cast blame for a lack of success.”
“These are, unfortunately, the economic realities of an NBA whose financial paradigm is admittedly broken and requires immediate fixing.”
“In the end, whether teams admit it or not, everybody suffers.”
Ouch. So we are suffering because the ASKG “low balls” their entire operation.
And Sund now can tell the owners “I told you so”, though I’m not sure that would help his own re-negotiation.
I agree with myk: Ka-Boom!
Starting with (please God please) new owners.
Sautee
March 21st, 2011
6:03 pm
LOL, myk, I guess I know you well my friend.
I posted my last post without seeing yours at 6:00pm.
Jae Evolution
March 21st, 2011
6:04 pm
Well as far as looking to the offseason for possible moves. We start by not re-signing any of our ‘big’ bench scrubs, Armstrong, Collins, Thomas, and Powell, this clears about 3 million to sign possible FA’s. We trade Zaza to the Nuggets for Mozgov, he is a young legit 7′1 who has shown he can be a quality center (rebound, block, but fouls a lot). We attempt a sign and trade with the Clippers for Jamal, and in return they send over Randy Foye and DeAndre Jordan (he would also have to sign and trade). I think they would do this because they really have limited bench scoring, and this is an up and coming young Clippers team who wants to make noise. Use any remaining space to sign quality minimums and we can be really good next year. Keep in mind, I don’t know if this puts us over the cap or not.
drmaryb (*_-)
March 21st, 2011
6:05 pm
Surmized!
“Astro Joe
March 21st, 2011
2:39 pm”
_______________
Just WOW! That post was brilliant. You just rolled up 10,000 comments into one. Absolutely Brillante!
mykhalc
March 21st, 2011
6:08 pm
@Sautee…yep…LOL
honest_abe
March 21st, 2011
6:14 pm
i’ve never changed my opinion that getting rid of josh is a plus for this team. like everyone on this blog knows, the guy could be one of the fiercest rebounders in the league and one of the best finishers on the break. but no he just continues to be the most stubborn guy on the team. i really think that josh believes that his skill level is on par with lebron, dwade and kobe. what else would explain always leading the break, shooting all those jumpers and acting like a prima donna. come on man.
Sautee
March 21st, 2011
6:16 pm
jhan,
Glad to see you’re still around. Great post at 4:29.
My favorite line: “It is time for the little boys on this team to be traded.”
Big Freakin’ Co-sign, buddy.
Slimjr
March 21st, 2011
6:25 pm
“1) Al Horford’s inability to protect the rim allowing free access at will to quick players and or strong big men.”
Red Alert!!!! MAJOR PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AL for NENE yesterday!
Slimjr
March 21st, 2011
6:41 pm
The Hawks looked good early on because they had the 4th easiest schedule in the league in the first half! Now they are playing playoff caliber teams in the last month and a half of the season.
doc
March 21st, 2011
6:44 pm
rev et. al., folks poo-poohed the article when it came out saying it wasnt true. seems to have spelled out the coming days quite well.
seems the old gang arrived today.
ag
March 21st, 2011
6:55 pm
Astro Joe
I understand you siding with LD and sticking with the same lineup. I understand that it is a bad time to develop young players and Teague should only get 10-15 minutes. You also agree with LD that the team needs chemistry going into the playoffs.
Well, you have bought into the “core” philosophy. Yes, you made great points about how much LD wants Teague to develop and play and only Teague is holding himself back, but really, he has to play. He did have some very bad shooting games, but the alternatives did as well (Marvin & JC).
With the “core” we have been run out the gym. Although he is not a polished scorer, Teague gives us good defense. You also make the other team adjust to us (imagine McGrady bringing the ball up court with Teague defending him?)
Lastly, how far are we going with our “core”? We will be extremely lucky to win a game in the first round, much less win a series. With that in mind are we a little like the Wizards, Clippers, etc. playing for the future? So why not start Jeff Teague?
drmaryb (*_-)
March 21st, 2011
7:15 pm
For Sale! (Please Buy Me … I’m Really Good)
“News
Talks continue in possible sale of Thrashers
Story posted 2011.03.17 at 08:13 PM EDT

By Chris Vivlamore
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Talks are ongoing with three groups interested in purchasing the Thrashers franchise and keeping it in Atlanta, team president Don Waddell said on Thursday. The discussions primarily have been held with two entities, but Waddell said he didn’t want to eliminate the third party yet.
The groups have shown interest in the purchase of the Thrashers — and not in becoming additional investors in the Atlanta Spirit, which also owns the Hawks and Philips Arena, Waddell said. He has dealt directly with three entities, two groups and an individual, and two are from Atlanta.
“There is not much new to report, but talks continue,” Waddell said.
Two other groups have also expressed interest in purchasing the Thrashers, Hawks and Philips Arena from the Atlanta Spirit, as previously reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. One has held meetings with officials from the NBA and the NHL. However, Waddell said he has had no direct dealings with a group interested in purchasing all three properties.
At least five non-disclosure agreements, the first step in a purchase, have been procured by the Raine Group, a New York-based banking firm hired by the Atlanta Spirit to seek a buyer or additional investors for all or part of the three properties.
Last month, Atlanta Spirit co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. told the AJC there was a sense of urgency to find a buyer or additional investors to keep the Thrashers in Atlanta. The franchise has lost $130 million over the past five years, court documents show.”
__________________
On February 28, 2010
The ASKG vehemently denied to all that they were for sale.
Aye ASKG! You Lie! Please leave the keys under the flower plot and just leave Atlanta, GA in the middle of the night. We promise not to press charges if you just go away NOW! Bye Bye – 8 orangutans! No one with a brain cell left wants to partner up and join your feces throwing group.
rusty
March 21st, 2011
7:24 pm
Woody was bad,ld out & out is horrible.. How the hell do you play mb,mo,jc1 at pg over jt & jc2 .the only way this team could possibly do anything in the playoffs would to all out play an uptempo game with jt at pg. It don’t stand a chance playing our slow half court game of shooting jump shots.does anyone here agree with me
ag
March 21st, 2011
7:29 pm
Clancy:
If JCII is giving you what JCI is giving you, why did we trade JCII?
ICECOLD
March 21st, 2011
7:29 pm
Katie
March 21st, 2011
3:48 pm
@ICECOLD
Actually, I have come to somewhat like ZaZa’s gameplay recently, more specifically, since the trade deadline. I think they may have tried to deal him but that didn’t work out. Then he had that DNP-CD against the Warriors and the very next game against the Trail Blazers he balled out. I mean, he was our leading scorer AND had the most rebounds at 19/10(it might have been 9, but i think it was 10).
it’s funny, earlier this season my boyfriend and i went to a game where he bought a Pachulia shirt. I couldn’t believe it, especially while clutching my Horford shirt. I asked him why he was getting Pachulia and he said because he plays his best when he’s pissed off. I think now it’s true.
__________________________________________________
thats what im saying… he looks good sometimes even though its basic.., he does so bad, that when he does something good… you really take notice because you are suprise….. just watch next game… when the hawks are playing.. then watch when zaza get in the game… and see how the score change dramatically for the worst.. but its not just him.. its marvin too.. marvin been doing a decent job lately too.. but still.. the same thing.. when he is in, ( especially at the same time as zaza) watch how the score dramatically change
O'Brien
March 21st, 2011
7:32 pm
From the article about the LD hire being all about the money;
Think about it: If Casey would get, say, $2 million — two-thirds of what he was paid in Minnesota — and Drew is getting $1 million this coming season and $1.5 million next season, with just 50 percent guaranteed during a lockout, as one source indicated, the Hawks would pay out less than half of what they would have paid either Johnson or Casey or even Jackson, the fourth candidate who is making more than $1 million a year as an analyst for ESPN..
O'Brien
March 21st, 2011
7:35 pm
Steve W,
Josh was 0-7 on three point attempts last season. So far this season, he is 46-141 (33%) from behind the arc.
The bad thing is his FG% from 3 has gotten worse as the season progresses.
October: 67%
November: 35%
December: 39%
January: 35%
February: 20%
March: 27%
ICECOLD
March 21st, 2011
7:36 pm
starting five should be
Teague
Joe
Josh
Horford
Armstrong
that should be the starting five.. no if ands or buts about it.. win or lose..stick to something… if you need a big man or play small ball.. you can do it in the process of the game…you dont have to scoop down to they level… you dont c the lakers going small ball when they play golden state.. or any other team.. teams stick to their starting five win or lose… not play down to another team level.. it does something to yo head when you dont know if you are starting or not, or if you think you starting and then you dont,….
STICK TO ONE STARTING FIVE AND GO WITH IT SO PLAYERS CAN KNOW THEIR ROLLS!!!!!!!
vava74
March 21st, 2011
8:09 pm
SteveW
March 21st, 2011
4:34 pm
Vehemently co-sign!
Sautee
March 21st, 2011
8:20 pm
SteveW,
about this: “And that’s not to say Woody was good, but he had improved the record every year, got us to 53 wins and a 3rd seed.”
OK, Steve, how many games would Woody have won this year, given the number of games lost to injuries, Bibby’s further decline, and an unraveling of chemistry?
clancy
March 21st, 2011
8:21 pm
I can’t take anyone seriously who wants Hilton Armstrong in the starting lineup.
Rev in Tampa
March 21st, 2011
8:24 pm
vava,
I agree with SteveW as well. I say the Hawks should cut their losses after the playoffs and find a new head coach. I suppose they should not hire a new coach until after the find out if there will be a lockout.
I can’t believe that Woody’s stubborn style of coaching got the most out of this very athletic team. I believe that this year’s team has a higher ceiling than 54 wins and a second round blowout playoff sweep. Yet they are regressing badly. The team is a mess right now – a HOT SMELLY MESS under Drew’s leadership.
clancy
March 21st, 2011
8:26 pm
@ ag,
I said he’s more of a chucker – Jamal’s usage rate is lower and TS% is higher. But I would have been fine with having either JC next season, and JC2 is cheaper – but your post saying he’s contributing more than Kirk is off-base. Anyone looking only at point totals, without considering TS%, is missing a huge part of the story.
darrell starks
March 21st, 2011
8:36 pm
ICECOLD YOUR 100PERCENT RIGHT, LD have stick with the big line up at all time, and keep horford at powerforward, there for you will see and improvement thru out the course,
4years STARTING JOE, MARVIN, JOSH, HORFORD is not going 2 cut it us fan have seen enough, try something new and stick with it.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
SteveW
March 21st, 2011
8:37 pm
O’Brien – I know, I’ve posted the numbers before. Woody finally had Josh where he needed to be, and where LD said he would be more. Now look at the monstrosity.
Sautee – How do you know the team chemistry would have unraveled under Woody the way it has under LD this season? If Sund would have kept Woody, which i’m glad he didn’t, but would have been ok if he would’ve, he would’ve made a statement to the players that Woody was in charge. And Woody would have put on a Buford Pusser probably in the preseason to get their attention again.
As I stated before Woody was gone, I would be ok with it if I had more confidence in the organization to hire the right guy. You know, the organization that has gone thru Terry Stotts, Lon Kruger and the likes before Woody came along.
And you, or I, or anybody else has any idea how many games Woody would have won if he would have stayed. Anyone that says they do is a liar.
And LD did well when we had the most injuries earlier in the year. The team has been slowly disintegrating throughout the season, even obtaining Hinrich hasn’t stopped it. Disagree?
And it’s LD’s fault, and I could care less whether you agree with that statement or not.
darrell starks
March 21st, 2011
8:38 pm
Teague should starte with the energy he bring 2 the team.
STARTER TEAGUE, JOE, JOSH, HORFORD, HILTON.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
SteveW
March 21st, 2011
8:39 pm
“And you, or I, or anybody else has any idea how many games Woody would have won if he would have stayed. ” In my last post, it should read, “And you, or I, or anybody else who says they know how many games Woody would have won if he would have stayed…”
Sorry for the typo.
Sautee
March 21st, 2011
8:43 pm
SteveW,
Whoa boy, whoa.
I was NOT trying to ask an antagonistic question. At all.
When vava co-signed your post, I went back and looked at it. The statement I re-posted just made me wonder if you had given the idea any thought.
And I didn’t ask how many he’d win. I asked how many YOU thought he would win. I was asking for your opinion on this, NOT trying to make a point. Geez. Cool down a little.
Rev in Tampa
March 21st, 2011
8:45 pm
SteveW,
What is a “Buford Pusser” or do I want to know?