Atlanta Hawks: Ten deep thoughts
Ten random off-day thoughts, which means my rotation is deeper than the Hawks’ . . .
- It’s dang near April and I still can’t tell you who’s in or out of L.D.’s rotation. He played seven guys last night on a back-to-back against an energetic opponent a few days after he lamented his team’s nagging injuries. Two guys who didn’t play, Teague and Damien, are healthy and energetic. They can defend, too, which the post–trade Hawks now don’t do well at all. I don’t understand why they didn’t play.
- I don’t know for certain if Teague is a bona fide NBA rotation player. But I think he’s shown enough to get a chance to prove it on this team. And I know for certain he’s one of only two point guards on this roster and the other guy is more of a combo guard. I don’t understand why Teague doesn’t have a regular role. Sorry, there’s nothing else to explain it but coach’s decision.
- I watched Smoove score on a nice right-handed spin move against the 76ers. It was so impressive. Josh is a smart player (yes, he is) when focused and engaged. He could be a load to deal with on the block for most fours if he put his mind to it. I don’t understand why he doesn’t. Or hasn’t.
- The Sixers were the latest opponent to send aggressive double teams at J.J. Opponents did the same even during his awful start to the season. And yet they sometimes seem almost OK with Al stepping out for mid range Js (at least when he’s not being ignored by his teammates). I don’t understand any of this.
- Accountability can be a tricky thing for L.D. His options are limited. His five-time All-Star and Sixth Man Ward winner are inefficient and unproductive. Drew can direct some of their shots to Al (or at least try to and good luck with that) but then who else? If Joe and Jamal continue to struggle, does he give their minutes to Damien and Teague? If Josh keeps bad shooting jumpers, does L.D. yank him and play Al alongside Zaza or Twin?
- Those last two moves would mean increasing the roles of inferior players. Then again, if Drew were to take such bold action it might finally send that elusive message of accountability to the team. And then if the team struggles because L.D. was forced to take such drastic steps, he could credibly go to Rick Sund and Co. and say: “I tried everything I could with this roster. It’s broken. Fix it.”
- All of that assumes that Sund and Co. would have L.D.’s back even if he did take such drastic action. They backed L.D. when they sent out Bibby for Hinrich. They didn’t when they gave him a two-year contract that pays relatively little. Woody had a similar problem when he had to coach this bunch in the final year of his deal. They knew he’d probably be gone before they would if things went badly and that’s how it went down.
- The Hawks’ average scoring margin for the first quarter is -0.3. It’s +0.3 for the second quarter, +1.0 for the third quarter and -1.4 for the fourth quarter. Only the third-quarter margin surprised me.
- I want to say the Nets offer the Hawks a respite from a tough schedule. But, hell, it might actually be a good chance for the Nets to win the season series.
- Will we ever get to actually see Pape Sy? At this point I want him to get in and suddenly go off for 20 just so my blog people will have some kind of hope.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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349 comments Add your comment
doc
March 24th, 2011
5:15 pm
rev, big ray has NO press credentials and this is an avocation for him as a fan giving his perspective and creating space for further dialogue. he has a day job and gets only a very small stipend for the “work” he does which is admirable as far away from the pulse as he really is.
Astro Joe
March 24th, 2011
5:16 pm
The best move of the year was locking up Horford before all of the skeletons came out of the closet doing the dougie.
melvin
March 24th, 2011
5:18 pm
Hawks got problems!!!!
Josh Smith handle ball to much
He plays outside to much(shooting threes)
His maturity sucks
He needs to be coached to play down low he should never be more than 15 ft away from basket
ILL-Logical
March 24th, 2011
5:20 pm
2 FOR JOHN DREW
March 24th, 2011
4:42 pm
Ill-logical
I thought Marvin Gaye’s song said ” I been really trying to hold BACK these feelings for so long ” !!!!!
Thanks-that’s what I was TRYING to say. LOL
mykhalc
March 24th, 2011
5:21 pm
absolutely people can ‘appear’ unintelligent if they are not focused. Josh is probably nowhere near a dumb person. but Josh the basketball player CONSTANTLY exhibits low BB IQ…for whatever reason you wanna attach…
lewis
March 24th, 2011
5:24 pm
Najeh,
what did Horford say on Rome?
doc
March 24th, 2011
5:24 pm
Michael Cunningham
March 24th, 2011
2:27 pm
@Ryan: “Thanks for feeling our pain mc”
it didn’t take me long to discover the eternal disappointment of true Hawks fans.
heh heh for 54 years now MC since my hawks won a championship. yes pain. why did i choose both the braves and hawks in my tender youth even before they came to my home town. i mean why not the yankees and celts? uh, cowboys? NEVER
Najeh Davenpoop
March 24th, 2011
5:26 pm
“what did Horford say on Rome?”
Nothing that you can’t see on his Twitter or that MC or Ken Sugiura haven’t hinted at before. He feels worn down having to play center against bigger players, the players all like each other and that’s sometimes good and sometimes bad, the Hawks just need to pull together and stay positive and turn this thing around. Pretty much nothing we’d consider a revelation or anything important.
carlos
March 24th, 2011
5:28 pm
I want renew my season tickets I cant believe the coach let Josh do what he does he is not a outside player he make everyone play out of position!!!!!The sad part is he thinks he is doing the right thing .he needs to play down in the post an let other guy handle the out side shooting i have seen him several time take shots with no one under or around basket that is stupid an i really question the coach for allowing it!!!!!!!!Mike Woodson an him butted Heads about this!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
March 24th, 2011
5:29 pm
Since it seems like the Teague situation just isn’t going to improve, the only question I would have for LD via MC would be this: does he realize what an enormous liability Jamal is at the point guard position on both ends of the floor, and does he plan on continuing to play Jamal at point guard despite the dramatic shift to perimeter jump shots that takes place when he plays the point and the matador defense he plays against anyone he defends?
slimjr
March 24th, 2011
5:31 pm
Josh #1 problem is his pride, but that is every man’s down fall in this world!!! It will cause a man to stumble and fall…………….
Rev in Tampa
March 24th, 2011
5:33 pm
doc,
If Big Ray can’t help then we have to go with plan B
slimjr
March 24th, 2011
5:35 pm
whether you know it or not your maker “hates” pride and arrogance..
slimjr
March 24th, 2011
5:38 pm
with new ownership in place this summer, within 3-6 years Atlanta could have a legit Championship caliber squad in place!!
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
joey
March 24th, 2011
5:42 pm
again,the problem is joe. he has the talent to be a top 10 player but he is to passive,and he has no killer instincts, he needs to take the team on his shoulders and carry them like he did in 2007 against boston if he does that the hawks have the talent to contend but the problems is he lacks killer instinct that d rose d wade l james, k bryant have, when he starts becoming more aggresive this team the hawks will drastically become better
Westurd
March 24th, 2011
5:46 pm
snoozer….same old same old…..thanks for taking all my angry and frustrations and organizing them into words for me MC. I owe ya one.
2 FOR JOHN DREW
March 24th, 2011
6:15 pm
Najeh Davenpoop
My thoughts exactly concerning the ” TEAGUE SITUATION ”
sounds like a subject Jesse Ventura should be exposing on Conspiracy Theory !!!!
Ill-logical
I figured that- but i do agree w/ ur position!
Hey drmaryb !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jim E
March 24th, 2011
6:22 pm
The Hawks are soft. I would like to see someone hammer one of the hundred guards, forwards, or centers that go right down Peachtree for a layup. Please let them know if you go into the paint, you will pay. Our guys are not invested in winning or preventing embarrassment. How can they allow layups without getting fired up and blasting someone. JJ is so soft, he makes me sleepy to watch him. Get fired up!!!! and maybe your team will get fired up. We need a suspension for rough, (not dirty) play.
cdog
March 24th, 2011
6:43 pm
hopefully, the fans won’t start to blame larry drew.it was rick sund’s over the years blundering that lead to the fall of the hawks.when he was riding with the team with a cell phone stuck in his ear and did nothing to improve the team, led to this fall.everyone even a 2 year old child, knew the team needed a quality center to be able to beat the teams in the east except rick sund. al horford would be a force if he was able to play power forward.everyone knows this except rick sund.after several seasons, he’s still playing out of position at center.the kind of mentality sund has is if he had a choice to sign josh powell or kareem abdul jabbar, he would sign powell because jabbar would demand plenty of money.with sund, its about money first and winning championships never.when this man goes and a qualified GM is brought in only then will the hawks have a chance to play for the NBA championship
Rev in Tampa
March 24th, 2011
6:50 pm
Cdog,
Too late. I’m blaming Larry Drew.
ag
March 24th, 2011
6:53 pm
MB in SC
“cosign” Our team is like sheep without a shepard. They don’t believe in him and we don’t believe in him. We really have a good team, a team good enough to compete every night and challenge teams in the playoffs. Sund gave his BMW to a 16 year old with a learners permit! Drew needs to coach a young team and grow them (wizards, or like Woody did). Woody was released because he grew the team as far as he could. The team needs a seasoned coach, a coach who could tell them I have coached a team to the championships.
I stated earlier in the season, Drew does not have a winning spirit. As a player, he went to the playoffs 2 times in 9 seasons. He also was part of SEVERAL last place teams. Yes, he was an assistant in LA and Detoit (but I am sure not during the championship years because he was not part of Phil’s staff). He also was an assistant with Nj and the Wash.
Despite having the worst talent in the league. the Cavs come to play almost every night as well as NJ. Byron Scott and Avery Johnson would have done wonders with this team.
FIRE LD now, throw “interim” on coach Binder and lets roll
ag
March 24th, 2011
6:57 pm
I also noticed JJ is not catching then shoots. He waits until the defender comes. He needs to make a basketball move immediately. Check him out Friday.
2 FOR JOHN DREW
March 24th, 2011
6:58 pm
I almost rather not make the play-offs- than get beatdown agaiin, & after the game,JJ says ” well, it is what it is ” or LD says ” We’re going back to the fundamentals, & tweet a couple of things. Not even feeling my HAWKS right now !!!!!!!!!!!
Saint Richt
March 24th, 2011
7:04 pm
LOVE the Hawks, HATE this team……really HATE this “core”……
rusty
March 24th, 2011
7:05 pm
There is a night & day difference how jj plays when he is single or double team & him being double or triple teamed falls on him. He is so slow in making a move dribbling all over the place until he has more than one defender on him. He shoots so much better when he isnt forcing his shots. Also when he holds the ball to long the cloak starts running down resulting him either making poor passes or just passing the ball to some one on the perimeter for a last minute jump shot. I actually think he takes the whole team out of rythem. I don’t want jj to be our playmaker. The ball belongs in the hands of a pg. I have always cringed when jj tries to take over the game in the 4 th quarter ,it usually is not good for us. I hardly ever see this team getting easy baskets. We need a fast penetrating pg like jt to create easy inside shots for us. I really don’t consider jj as being a playmaker as he first & for most is looking for his own shot.
joey
March 24th, 2011
7:15 pm
123 the problem is joe. he has the talent to be a top 10 player but he is to passive,and he has no killer instincts, he needs to take the team on his shoulders and carry them like he did in 2007 against boston if he does that the hawks have the talent to contend but the problems is he lacks killer instinct that d rose d wade l james, k bryant have, when he starts becoming more aggresive this team the hawks will drastically become better
Not Sund
March 24th, 2011
7:15 pm
Thanks Mr. Cunningham for giving voice to many of our concerns, preciate ya dawg!!
This season is done, L.D. has failed, it’s clear that the hawks need more personnel. We will soon see whether the ASG is all in to win or if they will sell the team. They have to crap or get off the pot, the status quo is unsustainable.
All in means hiring a strong, respected and expensive coach.
All in means paying the luxury tax in order to have multiple number one players.
All in means playimg the players who deserve to play reguardless of their salary.
The business of sports is complicated, unfortunately what happens between the lines is often secondary to business.
I will continue to watch the games but whatever.
ag
March 24th, 2011
7:18 pm
It was so beautiful a couple of weeks ago when Portland made a run in the 4th and Teague got a couple of steals and easy dunks to keep them out of reach. I was also very exciting watching Teague make a steal and a layup, then steal an inbound pass and shoot a trey to end the first quarter.
I waited to long to enjoy watching our Hawks and LD is killing the team. Even though managment did not improve our team, we still have a great product. We need a GREAT coach.
O'Brien
March 24th, 2011
7:19 pm
Regardless of what happens in the playoffs, I think ASG should fire LD, do not give Rick a new contract, and the first coach I would call to gauge his interest is Jerry Sloan.
If Sloan is not interested, I would wait and see if the Rockets let Rick Adelman go. if they do, I would call him too.
2 FOR JOHN DREW
March 24th, 2011
7:19 pm
I know this is petty, but when I first started seeing the name DREW on this blog, I thought ( I guess I was hoping) ppl were mentioning my all-time fav Hawk, JOHN DREW- But when it turned out to be LD was DREW no longer ….. looks good. That’s crazy !!!!!!
Sautee
March 24th, 2011
7:25 pm
I was talking to Grandad and he asked if I’d noticed that LD wasn’t wearing a tie last night. I said yes, that Mrs. Sautee and I talked about it.
He said “Do you reckon they took his tie away so he wouldn’t hang himself?”
The Game Has Changed
March 24th, 2011
7:30 pm
@2ForJohnDrew-On what planet do you spend most of your time playboy. I would rather get beat down in the playoffs than sitting at home wondering what went wrong. No one knows how the playoffs will pan out. I feel good about playing either Miami or the Magic. We have just as much talent as they do. Lets go Hawks
joey
March 24th, 2011
7:31 pm
34
The Game Has Changed
March 24th, 2011
7:32 pm
@AG-Lets give LD some time. Have you heard of trial and error. If we still looking this confused next year then I can understand pulling the plug on this brother.
The Game Has Changed
March 24th, 2011
7:33 pm
@OBrien-I hear you talking about getting rid of LD and bringing in Jerry Sloan. What did he manage to acomplish with his two hall of famers? That dude is old. Lets give LD a chance.
2 FOR JOHN DREW
March 24th, 2011
7:33 pm
Just conversating my man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Teezo
March 24th, 2011
7:38 pm
I can’t remember but whoever wrote the post about JJ not getting enough shots is exactly right!!!! JJ is the only player on this team that gets the respect from other players and coaches thats why he gets double-triple teamed…When he’s forced out of his game these other guys don’t know what to do and you have an occasional from Smith or Horford where they dominate, but THE TEAM STILL LOSES…I love my ATL Hawks but I refuse to renew my season tickets if this same starting 5 shows up on the floor next season…
K-Dogg
March 24th, 2011
7:38 pm
This team has quit!!!!!!!!!!!!
if the playoffs start and they still have quit on the season then they are doing that on owners who are not willing to bring in what this team really needs!!! Im tired of crying about what they need b/c people in the orginaztion aroudn it everyday see it and know it so the owners just must not want to be willing to pay to bring it in and i cant balme them for doing that just like they cant blame us if we decide to not support what this team is doing now for the rest of the year with watching the games or going to them!!!!!!! I really now i swear see why fans go on strick outside of stadiums or put bags over their heads these owners dont care no more then the ones that dont spend money do!!! What they do to us is a litle here and a little their to keep us smi-nterested and spending money!!!!!!!!!
ag
March 24th, 2011
7:40 pm
JCII 28 points 10 assists.
2 FOR JOHN DREW
March 24th, 2011
7:43 pm
Just conversating my man !!!!!!!!!!!!!
I usually just read,but if a couple of glasses of wine makes me sound like I’m on another planet, then excuse me sir, mission accomplished !!!!!!!!
I’ll just keep reading, but thanks for ur indulgence.
K-Dogg
March 24th, 2011
7:47 pm
I told yall we were better of keeping Crawford 2 and playing him at the point and moving Teague anybody that saw Crawford 2 in college know he although he was not a natural point is 10times more confident a NBA type player then Teague!!!! One thing i loved about Crawford2 is he did not care if he was off or who was on the court with him he goign to get his shots off and be agreesive!!! Cant say the same for any otehr point we have had…
The Game Has Changed
March 24th, 2011
7:55 pm
You Gotta Believe Drew. Have Faith Brother.
The Game Has Changed
March 24th, 2011
7:56 pm
K Dogg- You think LD is destoying Teagues confidence?
cdog
March 24th, 2011
8:01 pm
fire rick sund first
Bird
March 24th, 2011
8:04 pm
LD is a joke! When he got hired, one of the first things he mentioned was that he thought Woody should have played Teague more. This season is over, looking forward to next year. I guess the Hawks front office don’t check resumes before hiring GM’s and Head Coaches.
MistaGamer
March 24th, 2011
8:09 pm
@MC: “because he (Josh) is headstrong and prideful, too. also, that’s where L.D.’s offense of “interchangeable parts” puts him sometimes.”
And this is my main issue with LD and most people’s complaints about Josh setting up at the perimeter. While I don’t want my PF standing out there taking all those shots (and he is open 90% of the time), it is PAINFULLY obvious that he’s standing where he’s supposed to be standing in LD’s offense. So how mad can I really be with Josh standing where he is supposed to be standing.
It is up to the coach to have someone else (JJ, Marvin, JC, KH) standing there. Yet game after game, play after play, LD continues to make me scratch my head.
K-Dogg
March 24th, 2011
8:17 pm
The Game Has Changed
i think Teagues confidence been gone and it will take alot to get it back. I just dont think Teague is that type of player like a Crawford 2 that dont care who on the court he going to do his thing. the leaders of the team have to make it known to him tha he run the show as the point!!! I dont think lD is a bad coach no ore then i thoguht Mike Woddson was a bad one!! They coaching to win i always said only caoch that could win with this rostor is Don Nelson or Mike D this team is too small to do anyhting but get out and run.. Jerry sloan would make them play with more fight ect but they dont match up with alot of good teams.. they still a good team and a 50win team but thats it with this rostor!!!! Like i always say we can be cool with this team winning 50 games for the next 5 years or we can make a more and go for the ring b/c this team has 3 guys that can be all-stars and alot of teams dont have that so move one of them to get a key peice and anotehr role player to get this thing going!!! Josh and Al play the 4 so one has got to go!!! If you move Joe fine i understand and am cool with that too but we have to know Josh can play the 3 to me he cant so him or big Al have to go….
ag
March 24th, 2011
8:28 pm
The Game Has Changed
Really? I would give this idiot the benefit of the doubt, but we have a good team and need a great coach. Why waste time when if we would have had a good coach we would be competitive. The numbers speak for themselves. What IDIOT would play only 7 players on the second end of a back to back and not play the person who was the leading scorer? Also, every time I look at the Wizzards box score you can see how much of an idiot LD is! I cannot blame Sund because he did not see in game action LD potential.
O'Brien
March 24th, 2011
8:37 pm
The Game has changed,
What did he manage to acomplish with his two hall of famers? That dude is old. Lets give LD a chance..
First of all, if it wasn’t for Jordan and the Bulls, Sloan might have won an NBA title, and at least he got to the finals. I agree that he is old, but I think the team needs an established coach who they will respect. Sloan has credibility.
You really think we should give LD a chance? His chance was this season. What have you seen from him to suggest he can help this team fix the issues? The players have tuned him out, his substitution patterns are baffling, he says one thing to the media and does something different during the game, and his Xs and Os leave something to be desired.
darrell starks
March 24th, 2011
8:41 pm
MC let keep it real LD is not good coach, everybody in there grandma no that in order for this team 2 be succesful.
1.you have 2 develop your bench atleast 9man rotation
2.horford strenght is powerford so keep him there at all time
3.teague give this team great perimeter defense and controll the game with his energy
4.you have no superstars on this team 2 take controll and carry them on your back so defense is number 1 priority
5.josh is your best smallforward on the team no body can guard josh on the block at smallforward he would avg 25points a game at the 3 easily
6.rotate collins, zaza, hilton at center you need size in the paint for defense
7.teague should starte and bring marvin, hinrich of the bench 2 make the team deeper and better.
that not hard MC but i feel like LD is trying 2 prove point which is not working at all there for he will be a failure as a coach.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!