Atlanta Hawks at Rockets: Clinching seed is the carrot
There’s a juicy carrot out there for the Hawks tonight.
Beat the Rockets and they clinch the No. 5 seed in the East. Clinch the No. 5 seed and then all of their tired bodies and minds might get a break over the final five games.
“I want to clinch before I even think about doing that,” L.D. said.
That’s some pretty good incentive.
“It should be for the guys,” Drew said. “A couple of weeks ago we were talking about it but kind of looking at how we were playing, looking at the schedule, it wasn’t a sure lock. Here we are with an opportunity to clinch it.”
No one can be blamed for not trusting the Hawks. A season’s worth of questions were not suddenly answered by two good efforts that included likely outliers like J.J. getting to the line, Josh draining tough jump shots and Zaza wrecking the team he likes to wreck most.
What L.D. thinks can most be duplicated is the focus and determination that allowed the Hawks to win ugly against good opponents.
“Probably the grind-em-out presence that we played with in both games,” Drew said. “Against Orlando, I thought we did a really good job in matching their physicality. I thought we did a good job in playing physical. Those type opponents, that’s the type of effort you have to have against them. I thought it was the same thing against Boston. Both games turned into half court games, we turned them into grind-em-out games and we played with a physical toughness.”
Game notes
- “Regular” lineup for the Hawks: Hinrich, J.J., Marvin, Smoove, Al.
- The Rockets seemingly were done after they traded away Aaron Brooks and Shane Battier at the deadline. Instead they’ve surged and are desperately trying to make the playoffs. Henry Abbott at TrueHoop reported that the Rockets are motivated to stick it to fans, media, and the team’s front office, and I’m wondering if that might work for the Hawks, too.
- The Rockets are a better offensive rebounding team than the Magic and Celtics. Impressive work considering they aren’t a big team.
- “Scola bangs inside, Hayes bangs inside, Hill comes in and bangs inside, Patterson comes in and bangs inside,” Drew said. “They play extremely fast, they get up and down the floor, but yet they play with a physicality. I am hoping that the way we played the last couple games will carry over into tonight’s game.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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418 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
April 3rd, 2011
8:56 pm
Seems like a lot more than a 5 point deficit for some reason.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 3rd, 2011
8:57 pm
At 7:03 in the 4th quarter, Nique drops his first “Nimbers” of the game.
bigdave
April 3rd, 2011
8:58 pm
you heard it from me i believe.. hmmmm… the last Chi game that Al was soft. his male groupies jumped me for it..
i like Al.. but if he refuses to accept his role, and the mentality that comes w/ it, he hurts us just as much as Josh taking jumpers. people just refuse to accept it..
we have a team full of guards.
Prison Mike
April 3rd, 2011
8:58 pm
I am witnessing teague finish off the 4th, oh my.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 3rd, 2011
8:59 pm
Teague creating open shots for Al on offense.
bigdave
April 3rd, 2011
8:59 pm
Nique keeps saying the same spot.. when Al was short on that jumper he was a foot inside of the 3 pt line..
gotta love Nique..
cp
April 3rd, 2011
9:00 pm
looks like LD is going to take Teague out and go back to Kirk although Teague has been the better player this game
Art Vandelay
April 3rd, 2011
9:00 pm
Penetration and dish with Teague. It works. Use it!
Wabe
April 3rd, 2011
9:00 pm
Jeff Teague should be starting for this squad.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 3rd, 2011
9:01 pm
I love how Bob and Nique criticize the other team when they take bad shots but never say anything when the Hawks do the same.
O'Brien
April 3rd, 2011
9:01 pm
Teague playing meaningul minutes in the 4th? Is Hinrich injured?
Wabe
April 3rd, 2011
9:02 pm
The only thing about Teague’s game that isn’t at Kirk’s level is his jumper. Everything else about his game is as good or better than Kirk Hinrich.
bigdave
April 3rd, 2011
9:02 pm
big shot..
Najeh Davenpoop
April 3rd, 2011
9:02 pm
Ball runs through Smoove in the high post, and Joe gets a good look coming off the curl.
I prefer Smoove in the low post, but still, it seems like a good plan to run it through the most willing passer on the team.
Sautee
April 3rd, 2011
9:02 pm
“i like Al.. but if he refuses to accept his role, and the mentality that comes w/ it, he hurts us just as much as Josh taking jumpers. people just refuse to accept it.. ”
Biggest of co-signs there, bigdave
Wabe
April 3rd, 2011
9:02 pm
And as cp called it…
Teague out. Hinrich back in.
Will never understand it.
Art Vandelay
April 3rd, 2011
9:03 pm
omg Kirk back in the game. I hate LD.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 3rd, 2011
9:03 pm
As poorly as they played for most of this second half, they are still in this and have a very good chance to win. Just gotta keep getting stops.
bigdave
April 3rd, 2011
9:04 pm
um.. why does Joe keep flexing his elbow?
O'Brien
April 3rd, 2011
9:04 pm
If Adelman is let go by the Rockets (I think his contract is up), I would be ok with him replacing LD (if LD gets let go this offseason).
Najeh Davenpoop
April 3rd, 2011
9:04 pm
“The only thing about Teague’s game that isn’t at Kirk’s level is his jumper. Everything else about his game is as good or better than Kirk Hinrich.”
I actually like Kirk and I still agree.
bigdave
April 3rd, 2011
9:04 pm
take us home Jigga!
cp
April 3rd, 2011
9:04 pm
big shot Joe
Najeh Davenpoop
April 3rd, 2011
9:05 pm
3 straight buckets for Joe, all coming off setups from Smoove.
For the first time this season, the Hawks’ zone defense seems to be working.
Wabe
April 3rd, 2011
9:05 pm
It makes sense no matter how you think about it…
Prison Mike
April 3rd, 2011
9:05 pm
http://www.tv9sports1.info/2011/03/c2.html
houston feed
Rev in Tampa
April 3rd, 2011
9:05 pm
I thought that Teague may be earning a starting role tonight but then I remembered Teagues 18 point fourth quarter a couple of weeks back. LD is too stubborn to change his 7 man rotation in any meaningful way for the long term.
Teague made the most of his minutes tonight
Art Vandelay
April 3rd, 2011
9:06 pm
Anyone besides Drew.
I mean, the Hawks aren’t a terrible job from a coaches perspective, I’m assuming. Talented, young team. Obviously has potential under a good coach.
But I guess that starts with a good FO. Sigh…
Rev in Tampa
April 3rd, 2011
9:06 pm
Josh out-flopped the flopper
cp
April 3rd, 2011
9:07 pm
smh Hinrich
bigdave
April 3rd, 2011
9:07 pm
as well as Teague has been playing, i dont enough know why he’s in the game..
Sautee
April 3rd, 2011
9:07 pm
Back to back wasted possessions. We don’t deserve to win this game.
bigdave
April 3rd, 2011
9:07 pm
*even
Melvin
April 3rd, 2011
9:08 pm
LD needs to go back with Teague. Hinrich is struggling. Will LD have enough guts to put Teague back in….
superiorblogman
April 3rd, 2011
9:09 pm
This is some bullshi+. This team is better without Josh. On a positive good to see Teague play half of the 4th and helped Hawks get it back under control
bigdave
April 3rd, 2011
9:09 pm
Melvin
NO
Najeh Davenpoop
April 3rd, 2011
9:09 pm
Smoove has done a good job setting up the offense from up top, but I’d like to see them get it to him in the low post down the stretch. Houston is adjusting to the play the Hawks have been running.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 3rd, 2011
9:10 pm
And Smoove does what he does best.
Prison Mike
April 3rd, 2011
9:10 pm
Teague is the truest point guard on the team, kirk is a lost tweener out there, finally a block.
bigdave
April 3rd, 2011
9:10 pm
thats how you protect the d@mn rim..
bigdave
April 3rd, 2011
9:10 pm
wow. imploding.
doc
April 3rd, 2011
9:10 pm
self destruction
bigdave
April 3rd, 2011
9:11 pm
Josh tell LD to put Jeff back in the game..!
Melvin
April 3rd, 2011
9:11 pm
My goodness, these Refs….
O'Brien
April 3rd, 2011
9:11 pm
Hawks going with the ISO JJ. he pounds the ball until there is 12 seconds left, and then he gets called for carrying,,,
cp
April 3rd, 2011
9:11 pm
yea good move going back to Hinrich smh
Najeh Davenpoop
April 3rd, 2011
9:11 pm
Iso-Joe never fails to disappoint.
Sleepy
April 3rd, 2011
9:11 pm
selfish selfish selfish play
bigdave
April 3rd, 2011
9:11 pm
yea J!
Najeh Davenpoop
April 3rd, 2011
9:12 pm
That Smoove lefty hook has become pretty reliable.