Magic at Atlanta Hawks: Meaning and matchups
The Hawks sure do sound confident about playing the Magic. Not that I thought they’d say they are worried or anything but a more measured tone might be expected after last spring’s beat down, the extenuating circumstances surrounding the three previous meetings this season and Atlanta’s issues since the All-Star break.
It’s that last part that had Smoove playing down what tonight’s game might mean for the likely rematch in the playoffs.
“The playoffs and regular season are completely different,” he said. “We just want to play consistently right now.”
L.D. and J.J., meanwhile, obliged media types looking for that playoffs angle.
Joe: “We’ve played them pretty well during the regular season. Obviously the playoffs are a lot different but
we know we can play this team.”
Drew: “I think it’s definitely a carryover. We want to approach this game like it has true meaning, which it does. Win, lose or draw we have to come out and establish ourselves and compete and play hard. The last thing you want to do in a game like this is not play with an aggressive instinct. The way we gave played in the month of March we don’t have any room for that. We have to come out and we have to be the aggressor from start to finish. ”
Al’s view falls somewhere in between: “I think it will be a good test for us. I don’t think that determines everything but we have to come with that [playoffs] mentality.”
This is all just talk, of course. The Hawks generally executed a sound plan against the Nets and Cavs which, while certainly better than the alternative, did little to answer questions about this team’s ability to do so when there is more resistance.
So the talk about the Magic must be backed up with action, though I’m sure my blog people welcome such talk if it increases the chances that the Hawks will be ready for this.
“I think we got embarrassed so bad in the postseason last year when we play this team we know what to expect and I think we tend to play a little harder,” J.J. said.
Game Notes
- L.D. is using the Hinrich, J.J., Josh, Al, Twin lineup. Jameer will play for the Magic.
- L.D. and Hawks players all seem to agree that the big lineup has made the difference vs. the Magic: “I think big Jason Collins has done an unbelievable job on them each time we have played,” Joe said, adding that he was a little unsure about the alignment at first. “I didn’t know how it would work but it has really played into our hands.”
- Al on Atlanta’s increased confidence vs. Orlando: “It’s all about match ups. I feel the time we have played them our bigger guys like Zaza and Jason have done a good job on Dwight. He’s obviously having an MVP-type season but we have been able to play better with a bigger lineup.”
- Josh on one benefit of the big lineup: “Defensively it helps a lot because with Dwight setting those mean picks, I can guard him fairly well. I mean, not as well as big men, but probably better than most threes when make the switch.”
- Drew on the plan: “Obviously with Dwight, he’s a load. You have to really be refined on what you are doing against him. This team is a really good 3-point shooting team. Our game plan going in it won’t change from the first three times we played them. We have to do a good job with Dwight [and] we have to do a good job defending the 3-point line.”
- Drew on the post-trade Magic: “They’ve gotten some rhythm. The guys they’ve gotten in the trade have certainly gotten acclimated to what they do. That was just going to be a matter of time. We knew that. Turkoglu can cause a lot of problems with his size and ability to handle the basketball and make plays. Arenas is very capable. Richardson seems to be playing at a high level. They are a tough ball club. They have got weapons all over the floor. We can’t let Dwight go crazy and at the same time we have to do a good job defending that 3-point line.”
- Orlando media types tell me Arenas has lost much of his explosiveness in addition to struggling with his shot. So much for rejuvenation: Arenas’ player efficiency rating, offensive win shares and field-goal percentages, already at or near career lows with Washington this season, have declined even further with the Magic. Sounds like a job for Teague.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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466 comments Add your comment
The Game Has Changed
March 30th, 2011
10:01 pm
@O’Brien-Eventhough he had 5 turnovers, they only scored off one of those turnovers.
jeremiah
March 30th, 2011
10:01 pm
you should get jordn crawrod back becuse he hit 39 points
O'Brien
March 30th, 2011
10:08 pm
Man, Bad teams find a way to lose. This game was there for the Nets to win, and they are taking some bad shots…
drmaryb (*_-)
March 30th, 2011
10:10 pm
OB
Of those 12 misses, if Jordan has passed a few of those, maybe they win?
What was the final score?
jeremiah
March 30th, 2011
10:11 pm
you should get jordn crawford back because he hit 39 points
and you need to frider the coach
drmaryb (*_-)
March 30th, 2011
10:19 pm
* had
richbrave
March 30th, 2011
10:21 pm
For those of you who think all CRAWFORD does is jack up airballs and gets his points on volume check out his stat line for tonight.
J. Crawford G 45:43 minutes, 12 MdFG-24 AttFG, 10 AFT-10 MFT, 5 M 3Pt-8 Att 3 PT, 3 Reb, 4 Assts, 0 Blk, 0 Stl, 5 TO, 3 PF, 39 pts
Rusty
March 30th, 2011
10:21 pm
I don’t care what anyone says jc2 will be a star in this league.
Rusty
March 30th, 2011
10:23 pm
Again poor coaching by ld.
richbrave
March 30th, 2011
10:25 pm
drmaryb (*_-)
March 30th, 2011
10:10 pm
OB
Of those 12 misses, if Jordan has passed a few of those, maybe they win?
What was the final score? No chance. 123-107
He played great. With WALL dismissed, he had to take over the point. Do you know how hard it is to get dimes with the ‘ZARDS? First you got to have players capable of a-catching the pass, and b-finishing the play. The coach has green lighted him. He’s not out of control up there in D.C.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 30th, 2011
10:27 pm
The kind of things you notice when you are five rows back from the Hawks’ bench:
A good four possessions before LD called timeout to bring Collins back in during crunch time, after Dwight hit a hook shot over Al to cut the Hawks lead to 4, Smoove ran by LD yelling at him to get Collins in the game, yelling “He’s too tall!”
Good win for the Hawks, but there was no reason whatsoever for LD to go small in crunch time. I will never understand his affinity for playing Jamal. Not that it was Jamal’s fault that Orlando made their comeback — Al’s inability (through no fault of his own) to guard Dwight was the reason for it — but if LD didn’t inexplicably think so highly of Jamal, one can presume he would have gone with Collins much earlier in crunch time.
Make Smoove the coach.
richbrave
March 30th, 2011
10:28 pm
O’Brien:
However…he also had 5 turnovers
Rookie mistakes. He had to run the point.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 30th, 2011
10:30 pm
“Hey Najeh! Did you enjoy the game? Did you hold up the kryptonite to the paint? ”
It was a good game. I had amazing seats. I didn’t have to do any kryptonite holding, thanks to the crazy motherf-ckers decked out in all green in the cheering section.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 30th, 2011
10:32 pm
Also, all that iso-Joe down the stretch reminded me an awful lot of Woody. Not a whole lot of motion going on late in the game.
James on Pharr Rd
March 30th, 2011
10:35 pm
Najeh
Why is it you think we couldnt find a taker for JC expiring contract last month? It hurts me to think we could have got someone out there or a draft pick, but we wasted our opportunity.
Your’e right about LD-The dude is a gym instructor-a different version of Woodie in a suite that folds easily… No disrespect intended though.
James on Pharr Rd
March 30th, 2011
10:37 pm
That isso is unfortunatle the only way we can play to JJ strength because as most fans have noted on this blog, JJ doesnt work off the ball very well and he needs time to get a good shot. Sometimes they drop, and other times they dont.
James on Pharr Rd
March 30th, 2011
10:39 pm
I would have loved to see the coach take a chance on JT not because I think he is good, but because we need confirmation that we made another bad pick for the nth time. I bet you Rick Suund goes the Woody route this offseason….
James on Pharr Rd
March 30th, 2011
10:41 pm
For the record,I want everyone to remember where they heard this from 2/1/2 months from now-The Magic will play for the Eastern conference Finals and shock themselves, and many- to the Finals again.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 30th, 2011
10:43 pm
Wow WTF… someone apparently attacked Nique after the game and got arrested. I am resisting the temptation to make a possibly funny but certainly tasteless joke until I hear confirmation that he is OK.
an atl fan
March 30th, 2011
10:50 pm
jc2 goes for 39… every point he scores for washington makes me cringe… rick sund may have traded away a star
cp
March 30th, 2011
10:56 pm
good win tonight but i still dont like how long it takes LD to make adjustments. Hinrich and Jamal could not defend Nelson
this Mc Donalds all american game is pretty good. Teague’s little brother is quick as hell and Doc Rivers son looks like he is going to be a good player.
Grandad
March 30th, 2011
10:56 pm
I’m not knockin’ JC2, but;
I’m assuming he guarded D.Wade this eve:
D.Wade = 33 pts. & a +19 (+/-)
JC2 = 39 pts. but a -11 (+/-)
JC2 actually raised his shooting %’s:
to 37% (overall) & 22% (3 pt range) = not good.
What does this mean?
He is a high volume gunslinger with poor shooting %’s.
He is a mediocre defender at best / giving up as many as he gets.
However, does this excuse Sund for giving up too much?
Absolutely…..No…..It does not !
I would be okay with the trade had we not thrown in the 1st round pick.
In other words, I’m fine with Hinrich and also Armstrong.
[just not JC2 + the pick]
Najeh Davenpoop
March 30th, 2011
10:56 pm
The only thing that gives me pause in anointing Jordan as a future star (or at least a future solid contributor) is that Mo Evans, a certified bench player if not an outright scrub, has put up some impressive totals as a Wizard as well. If the Wiz are playing loose enough to where Mo can put up point totals in the 20s with regularity, it stands to reason that Jordan probably wouldn’t be putting up eye-popping totals in a more structured scheme.
With that said, he certainly looks like he could match what Jamal has done for his career, even if/when he lands on a better team.
Blue
March 30th, 2011
10:57 pm
@ an atl fan
I’ve been checking JC2 stats since they traded this kid. This kid is sick. We all knew he had skills if he could just get some PT. I’ve been screaming this to anyone who would listen. The Hawks will live to regret trading this kid. Barring injury, this kid will blossom into a perinial all star. Real Talk.
MJC
March 30th, 2011
11:01 pm
@Blue
Are you sure you have been checking JC2’s stats? Did you see the stat labeled “FG%”?
James on Pharr Rd
March 30th, 2011
11:08 pm
JC with the Wizards is exactly like former NBA journey man point guard Anthony Johnson lighting it up when he was forced to take 20+ shots after the Brawl for the Pacers. A lot of players in this league, and I dare mention Marvin William, can post such numbers if they get the shots and the flexibility from a coach like Flip Or Don Nelson….
terrell
March 30th, 2011
11:09 pm
Holla at me when Jordan Crawford makes an all-star team. Hell, Jamal could score 60 a game, if he was on the Wizards and had the green light. And thanking us for Mo Evans are you? lol Your’re welcome.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 30th, 2011
11:11 pm
It’s too bad the Hawks had to suck so bad for the last few weeks. With this win, if the gap was closer and Orlando’s schedule wasn’t so soft, one might say there’s a realistic shot at catching Orlando. But after the hole the Hawks dug after the All Star break, it is virtually impossible for them to make up 4 games with 7 remaining, even after clinching the season series (and playoff tiebreaker) against them.
James on Pharr Rd
March 30th, 2011
11:11 pm
Yes I saw his FG%
Have you seen Perkins or Marcian Gortat’s too? There are lies, damned lies and Statistics
Najeh Davenpoop
March 30th, 2011
11:12 pm
Really, as bad as the month of March was, the Hawks did have three quality wins during that otherwise dismal stretch: vs. Chicago, vs. Portland, and now vs. Orlando. It’s too bad they couldn’t stretch some more of them together.
If they can beat Boston on Friday (which is entirely possible given how vulnerable Boston has looked post-Perkins), maybe they can put that stretch behind them and work towards building some confidence going into the playoffs.
Section 303
March 30th, 2011
11:13 pm
Good win by the Hawks. I can’t get too excited, though. I’ve sat through too many blowouts/no shows this season. A win on Friday might just get me back on the bus.
Najeh, hope you enjoyed yourself tonight. Wish I had known you were there. Would love to meet you sometime.
Good game by Josh. Still too many jumpers, however. Tonight they just happened to go in. That is not usually the case.
Jason Collins continues to do to well against Howard. Van Gundy said it was the best defense played on Haward all year.
Rusty
March 30th, 2011
11:15 pm
He is only a rookie. Who the hell on the hawks can create there shots inside or out like jc2. JJ certainly can’t drive to the hoop like this kid.the only way jj can match this kid in scoring would be to take a high volume of shots also,even then he can’t get to the hoop. JJ game is slow while jc2 flies.JJ is on the way down while JC2 is on the way up. I would take jc2 over JJ at a fraction of the cost.
James on Pharr Rd
March 30th, 2011
11:15 pm
Najeh
I would have loved for that to happen to the Hawks-any path other than the Magic. I still maintain that Woody is still coaching the Hawks if we play the Cavs and not the Magic last year. (And not because they folded to the Celtics) We have always matched better against the other East elite compared to the Magic and I dont see that changing in the playoffs.
James on Pharr Rd
March 30th, 2011
11:18 pm
Hey guys: we begged for a point guard and in desperation we ended up giving away a lot of pieces. But, dont say, Rick Sund did not respond to your posts? lol
James on Pharr Rd
March 30th, 2011
11:22 pm
I cant wait for that Bulls Miami Series- and LA/Thunder…….
drmaryb (*_-)
March 30th, 2011
11:23 pm
Najeh!
WOW! I can feel the excitement in your voice. I sure wish I could meet you in person one day. I picture you with locks and that goode!
I sure would love to hang out with a cool basketball head like you!
LOL! I’m gonna have to send my Limo driver to come get you one day and get us some courtside seats for the ECF if we go that far! And Grand-Daddy too! WOW! Man you just say a low-scoring play off type game 5 rows behind the bench!
Did you see ZaZa balling? And Jason Collins (the real JC2) intimidate Dwight? I saw either Tyrone Hill or Van Exel jump up and punch him in the chest when he came out of the game one time. It was a dark blue suit, the camera showed the assistant only from chest down though!
JC2 blowing up in Washington, IDK what happened to Wall but they may have won with him? Seems like no defense over there though.
Maybe we can get Jordan to come back when he is free?
I always sd he was a little DWade clone myself!
I just so happy we won, so excited. 4th Spot? Hmmmm …
Mac-Town #maconchevyrider
March 30th, 2011
11:26 pm
wtf? Nique got attacked? I wonder why
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-hawks/hawks-fan-attacked-wilkins-892407.html?cxtype=rss_news_81963
James on Pharr Rd
March 30th, 2011
11:27 pm
LMAO
drmaryb (*_-)
March 30th, 2011
11:29 pm
I hope Nique “whupped” that trick!
Don’t they know what Nique means to Atlanta?
He is our ELVIS! You mess with Nique? You messing with a child of God!
These crazy people on crack or what? How do they even get inside the arena?
Mac-Town #maconchevyrider
March 30th, 2011
11:29 pm
“The Hall of Famer Wilkins was not seriously injured in the incident.”
they said my boy shook it off….didnt even phase him.
Lionhearted
March 30th, 2011
11:33 pm
Nique prolly said Heatcheck and the guy lost it
Mac-Town #maconchevyrider
March 30th, 2011
11:39 pm
Rathbun must came out of nowhere and blind sided the fan. I know he had his boy’s back.
Hawk n the Ham
March 30th, 2011
11:40 pm
Nique > Chuck Norris
Didn’t this guy know??
Melvin
March 30th, 2011
11:43 pm
Watching Marques Teague (Jeff younger brother) play with that inner dog in the McDonalds HS All Star game….
bigdave
March 30th, 2011
11:43 pm
you know Bob wasnt having that $hit..
Lionhearted
March 30th, 2011
11:45 pm
LOL @ Mactown
I know Bob got in on that scrap lol
Lionhearted
March 30th, 2011
11:45 pm
I can imagine Bob acting like Tommy off of “Belly”
“U think this is a fuggin joke”
drmaryb (*_-)
March 30th, 2011
11:46 pm
What happened with Arena Security. I thought they kept a body on Nique and Cellini! They need to tighten that up.
Grandad
March 30th, 2011
11:48 pm
John Wall was ejected for a scuffle with Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
Big ”Z” elbowed Wall so Wall punched ”Z” in the ribs.
[a pretty good haymaker]
Then everyone danced and a good time was had by all.
[Juwan Howard was also ejected]
Mac-Town #maconchevyrider
March 30th, 2011
11:48 pm
just let Zaza be Nique’s body guard
“Nothin E-Z”