Heat at Atlanta Hawks: Williams injury shows risks of gearing up for meaningless games
Marvin turned an ankle at Washington and may not play tonight. I remember Marvin limping a bit during the game but he ended up playing 29 minutes and I don’t recall him getting treatment after the game.
In any event, Marvin’s injury provides a (admittedly after-the-fact) counterargument to the notion that the Hawks need to use these games to get ready for the playoffs.
“You are hoping your team looks at is an opportunity to gain momentum going into the playoffs,” L.D. said. “Looking at the last couple games, that’s not the case and I am concerned about that. But at the same time, keeping things in their proper perspective, we want to try to get to the playoffs as healthy as we can. What happened to Marvin the other night is the one thing you don’t want to happen where you get a starter or key guy hurt in a game that has very little meaning.”
Josh will return to the lineup tonight. L.D. said Josh will play limited minutes with the main goal of getting him some work after sitting out a week.
“I feel good,” Smoove said. “The swelling is down. I am going to play tonight and see how it feels in game action.”
Even after the injury to Marvin, J.J. still says the starters need minutes before the playoffs.
“It’s just a gamble you have to take when you are trying to get some chemistry and rhythm,” he said. “It happens, man. Guys are going to get injuries and nick nacks. You hope it doesn’t happen but it does.”
Better effort?
The Hawks mailed it in against a marginal playoff team and a lottery squad that played three D-League refugees. Maybe they will find some inspiration in playing the Heat.
“Especially the way they beat us here last time,” Jamal said. “They have a lot of momentum [after] beating Boston. We feel like we can get the momentum going towards the playoffs. I think we will be fired up for tonight.”
J.J. said he’s not sure about that.
“I have no clue. I don’t know,” he said. “The last few games we have played have been unacceptable. With us being back home maybe we will come out and play better.”
The Heat are trying to finish a game ahead of Boston to earn the No. 2 seed in the East. The Hawks could help prevent that, which would have no effect on their path through the playoffs but it would be something.
“No question there’s that,” Al said. “But at the same time we have to come out and play for ourselves.”
Iso-Kirk?
At Washington on Saturday there were several possessions in which Hinrich dribbled to every area of the half court while the rest of the Hawks stood and watched. He would make a move, dribble through traffic and then look up to see his teammates still standing.
It was unclear exactly what Hinrich and Hawks were trying to accomplish.
“There’s times when offensively we get a little stagnant,” Hinrich said. “It’s just one of those things we have to guard [against]. I think it all comes back to defense. If we are getting stops, the game is so much easier for us. We have got so many energy who can make plays and I think that is where our strength lies. So we will focus on that.”
Is Hinrich still learning his teammates’ games?
“I feel more and more comfortable every day,” he said. “I’ve very excited about what lies ahead of us. I think we still can be a very dangerous team and I think every guy in here believes that.”
Jameer takes a jab
It seems there is some buzz in Hawks fandom about Jameer’s comment to D-Rose that he would “catch you in the second round.” AJC wise guy Jeff Schultz asks: “Is it wise for the starting point guard on the Orlando Magic to just be assuming victory over Atlanta in the first round?”
I guess the Hawks can put that quote on the bulletin board. Come to think of it, they don’t really have a bulletin board as far as I can tell. Does any team, really? I see lots of grease boards, no bulletin boards.
Anyway, the Hawks do have a bunch of signs with inspirational slogans hanging in the locker room and hallways. Those didn’t inspire them to avoid taking a historic L from the Magic last spring or three 30-point beat downs at home and one to the Wiz this season so excuse me if I’m skeptical that something like Jameer’s quotes will have much effect on this group.
Al honored
The league awarded Al the the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for March after he donated $23,000 to Direct Relief International to assist Japan and the Pacific region following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. I ran into a Japanese reporter friend while I was in Houston and he says the people in his country are very appreciative of Al’s gesture.
Hawks sign Rolle
The Hawks today signed forward Magnum Rolle.
The Thunder selected Rolle, 25, with the 51st overall pick in the NBA draft before trading his rights to Indiana. The 6-foot-11 forward was in training camp with the Pacers last summer but ended up playing 15 games this season with the Maine Red Claws of the D-League.
Rolle, a native of the Bahamas, played at LSU and Louisiana Tech.
Atlanta now has 15 players on its roster.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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487 comments Add your comment
Astro Joe
April 11th, 2011
4:30 pm
Rufus, this guy won’t even dress for the games (maybe the Charlotte game but not likely in the playoffs). The Hawks HAVE to have 3 guys wearing suits in each game… Pape Sy, Rolle and probably Powell (or maybe Hilton) will get to wear street clothes during the Magic series (assuming Collins is healthy). And frankly, I’d rather see Powell tangle with Dwight than Hilton. 1 blocked shot a game in 25 minutes doesn’t sound like much of a shot-blocker to me.
Slimjr
April 11th, 2011
4:31 pm
@O’Brien ,
Remember Billy Knight wanted to fire Woody 3 times I believe in 07 but Gearon would not let him do it..So he resigned at the end of the season….
doc
April 11th, 2011
4:33 pm
woody is probably asking where was sund when i needed him last year for a few mobile bigs? well not so much mobile i guess but tall. could we say to sund we need bigs not skinnies in the next memo.
we really need this as i thought this is what al might look like as he grew up. notice k perkins aint that big but he does exert his game:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AmxksuABDkxnaxko8bjmacW8vLYF?slug=jy-ludden_perkins_gives_thunder_shot_against_lakers_041111
Slimjr
April 11th, 2011
4:35 pm
“we wait until game 81 to sign another big – I mean Hilton, Etan and Josh Powell don’t have enough company as it stands. That’s a joke, right? ASG never ceases to amaze.”
Sund is nervous!!!!!!!! A sign of desperation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rufus1
April 11th, 2011
4:37 pm
AJ…I know he won’t play.
I don’t want to see Powell on the floor at all. I agree 1 block a game isn’t much, but that is about what Josh has averaged in the last 25 games. He has the rep of a shot-blocker and I will take that, because we only have Josh with that rep now.
Slimjr
April 11th, 2011
4:38 pm
“JUST SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHATS COMING UP IN THE PLAYOFFS, I THINK THE ORLANDO MAGIC WILL BEAT THE HAWKS BY 50 POINTS IN EACH OF THEIR CONTESTS. THIS SHOULD SET A NEW RECORD FOR MARGIN OF DEFEAT THAT THE HAWKS SET LAST SEASON. THE HAWKS WILL BE SWEPT IN FOUR GAMES BY LOSING BY OVER 200 POINTS. THIS IS A BOLD BUT ACCURATE PREDICTION. HATS OFF TO JAMIEER NELSON FOR LETTING US KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN.”
WOW……………LOL
Astro Joe
April 11th, 2011
4:38 pm
doc, Sund has yet to deliver an effective back-up big. Joe Smith, RandMo, Collins, Etan, Powell and Hilton are his legacy. Collins has been serviceable this season. That’s not a particularly great ratio, even if you are dealing with strictly the minimum wage for NBA vets. Maybe next season he can try to bring in the Swift Brothers (Stromile and Robert).
Rufus1
April 11th, 2011
4:43 pm
@Slim
You are wrong about this one. The Hawks have one objective this year and that is to beat the Magic. They have played harder against them, than any other team. Our problems usually start with effort, but we bring the effort against the Magic every game.
We are going to win this series slim, because we are better than the Magic.
Astro Joe
April 11th, 2011
4:46 pm
Rufus, I guess. 4 fouls in 25 minutes of action against D-League talent. Dude will likely foul out in 3 minutes against Orlando (or leave due to a concussion after Dwight knocks him senseless).
But it does make sense to find a warm body for that last roster position. Better to have that 15th slot filled out and not need it than… But if dude is dressed in a Hawks uniform (other than against Charlotte) that likely means that the end is very, very, very near.
MannyT
April 11th, 2011
4:48 pm
Signing Magnum Rolle seems like the Hawks equivalent of the Applebees halftime show when SkyHawk knocks down the rib guy just before he wins the obstacle course. It changes things, but few people are moved because they weren’t watching before the move.
I’m sure Danny Ainge is attacking his Rick Sund voodoo doll as we blog…curses, foiled again!
mykhalc
April 11th, 2011
4:52 pm
Magnum is Hawks version of Durant!!!
Astro Joe
April 11th, 2011
4:55 pm
mykhalc, that California smog ain’t no joke, huh?
mykhalc
April 11th, 2011
4:57 pm
yo Joe…that was a perfectly clear-headed deduction of Hawks thinkin’!!! we keep it fresh and breezy here in the Bay!!!LOL
The Game Has Changed
April 11th, 2011
5:01 pm
Yall can sit here and try and dog my Hawks all you want. But we love them. We support Drew all the way. Yall treating him the same way yall treating Obama. They both inherited a bunch of crap. It is up to the players to execute the plays. Stop Hating. The Hawks record was better than 17 other teams and he hasnt even scratched the surface on his entire plan. It takes time. Give the man another year. This is chess not checkers. The Nets got rid of Byron Scott after taking them to the finals. And its safe to say they will never return
The Game Has Changed
April 11th, 2011
5:03 pm
Lets me add one more thing. Forget about this C. Paul and D. Williams crap. What have they done the last five years in the playoffs. And they have both had a better supporting cast. We gonna be aight. Go Hawks
Astro Joe
April 11th, 2011
5:03 pm
Well, his physical attributes suggest that he could be the victim of blunt force trauma if he has to go toe-to-toe with Dwight or Brandon Bass. Again, I like the signing of a 15th player, I just hope that we won’t have to see the young man in action during the playoffs. Maybe he can attend our summer league camp once the CBA is quickly signed (he said wishfully).
Najeh Davenpoop
April 11th, 2011
5:14 pm
Why does every highlight video on Youtube use “All The Above” by Maino as the background music?
northcyde
April 11th, 2011
5:21 pm
Nah Game
There’s pretty strong evidence that Drew’s system just doesn’t work for this team. It has rendered our two main scorers to be simply complimentary players, taking away from the strengths they bring to the table.
Most of us knew it would affect Jamal, but we didn’t think it would affect JJ as much. He is not the spot up shooter that he was in Phoenix 6 years ago. He misses a ton of open jumpers from 3 point range. Meanwhile, he’s been one of the better isolation scorers in the NBA for years.
Less looks for JJ and Jamal = more looks for everybody else. Problem is, the other guys are shooting jumpers too. And instead of them being in the pain to rebound JJ’s and Jamal’s misses, no one is in the paint to rebound the misses from our bigs.
So there is a domino effect that stems from that.
Drew isn’t totally to blame. The players do have to play better and try to be tougher. But right now, Drew is definitely part of the problem.
Watching Hawks 360 right now. Etan is a deep brotha. A great human being. Just wish he could rebound and defend a little better so that he could contribute on a nightly basis.
Slimjr
April 11th, 2011
5:23 pm
“Lets me add one more thing. Forget about this C. Paul and D. Williams crap. What have they done the last five years in the playoffs. And they have both had a better supporting cast. We gonna be aight. Go Hawks”
NEWSFLASH!!!! Everyone knows but you that the Western Conference has been stronger for years…Denver and OCK would dismantle the Hawks as of now!! Add Orleans too player……LOL
Slimjr
April 11th, 2011
5:23 pm
^^^^^^
Know
steve brown
April 11th, 2011
5:30 pm
The Hawks have become meaningless as has some of your reporting. The other night you mentioned JC2 had little impact on the game due to early foul trouble. He wound up with 8 assists-I dearly wish we had a guard who get us 8 meaningless assists per game.
Slimjr
April 11th, 2011
5:34 pm
The Nets tanked after Jason Kid talked management into firing Scott…..They had previously gone to two finals…How many finals have the freaking Hawks been too player???
Drew does not equal Scott by any stretch of the imagination…Scott has 3 rings as a player and two final appearances as a coach… Nice try PLAYER………….
Grandad
April 11th, 2011
5:47 pm
Is Magnum even eligible for play-offs ? [serious question]
*Intresting workout vid* :: *[Magnum Rolle]*
Some of you may enjoy !
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CDIQtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DsLRBajfq6xE&ei=DnGjTcu5FKaB0QG_pP2XBQ&usg=AFQjCNEuY1ta2gf5um9GDJ-ybqGnXI2IbQ
Slimjr
April 11th, 2011
5:48 pm
Why did you have to bring up the prez?? He’s busy with 3 wars now….and 15 trillion dollars worth of debt on his watch?…..I wouldn’t want his job…..LOL
Hire Mike Brown
April 11th, 2011
5:55 pm
No Pun intended or sarcasm with the Nique question as coach… I was serious and wanted to know your expert thoughts on it based on what I hear in the mic when he is calling games… Nique Keys to the game prior to the jump appears to be on point and he is not afraid to call out the players that is screwing up.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 11th, 2011
5:59 pm
I’m sure the Hawks’ nimbers would improve with Nique as head coach. Come to think of it, they could also use him to inspect those fire shooting things above the baskets.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 11th, 2011
6:00 pm
“Is Magnum even eligible for play-offs ?”
Good question. I was wondering this too.
Grandad
April 11th, 2011
6:01 pm
northcyde
I’m not disputing anything you said in your last post.
“Having Said That”
Please, Please, Please;
don’t anyone out in “Blogland confuse the *LarryDrewSystem*
as anything remotely resembling true motion offense.
The “LDS”
*(or as I dubbed it this AM as) ["LD & the Headless Fowl"]
Grandad
April 11th, 2011
6:11 pm
Slimjr – Co-Sign
No correlation:
I’m firmly behind our Preident of these here United States of America.
Hawks are fun and games = nobody’s life at stake.
Sports are a diversion from the real world.
Another topic for another day.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 11th, 2011
6:13 pm
Seeing as how the Hawks players have made it very clear they have no intention of going all out in any of these final regular season games, what’s the point of playing Smoove and Marvin at all tonight? Or Joe and Al for that matter?
The Game Has Changed
April 11th, 2011
6:17 pm
@Slimjr-Just like Josh and Woody kept coming to blows . Same thing bro. Yes I remember the Nets went to back to back finals. Josh didnt like Woody because he stayed on Josh az. His system just needs a few adjustments. A player like R. Hamilton is missing. We dont have it. Jamal and Joe are scorers not shooters. Give the man time. Drew and Obama
O'Brien
April 11th, 2011
6:20 pm
From espn.com and Marc Stein’s Power Rankings;
I know Jason Collins is the supposed Dwight Stopper. I’m also well aware of Atlanta’s 3-1 edge in the season series. I just can’t forget how uninspired the Hawks, 10-15 since the All-Star break, have looked for weeks..
The Game Has Changed
April 11th, 2011
6:20 pm
@Grandad-Im just saying they are in the same boat. Cleaning up some ones elses mess. First Drew had to clear there thinking from the previous 8 yrs just like Obama. lol
lewis
April 11th, 2011
6:30 pm
nothing to say
mykhalc
April 11th, 2011
6:38 pm
nothin’ to watch…even worse
steve brown
April 11th, 2011
6:42 pm
Just watched Magnum. 7 foot, can dribble and shoot a real jump shot. Sign him quick for 6 years at $60 million. Sund is a boy genius.
W.R.Terrell
April 11th, 2011
6:51 pm
We play Miami and after the 32 point blistering by Washington I wonder why show this game period. I am going to watch because the Hawks are my team and I am very disappointed in the effort these millionaires put forth. The good news is that LD’s sorry behind is gone after the playoffs and maybe some of the useless baggage will be shipped out with him. Who can say a 50 point defecit tonight?
I hope not but who the hell can figure this bad, bad team out. Very disappointing season and the fans of Atlanta do not deserve this at all, no fan base should hav to watch a bunch of guys who just don’t care. I have heard that the fans do not show up for the games so they need not bitch. The thing is that these guys are getting paid to perform, case closed.
cp
April 11th, 2011
6:52 pm
I remember watching Rolle play in the summer league. He was solid but it was the summer league.
O'Brien
April 11th, 2011
6:53 pm
Since Marvin injured his ankle against Washington, why not hold him out of this game (to rest), and let Marvin play some minutes in the last game of the season?
Rev in Tampa
April 11th, 2011
6:54 pm
“Lets me add one more thing. Forget about this C. Paul and D. Williams crap. What have they done the last five years in the playoffs. And they have both had a better supporting cast. We gonna be aight. Go Hawks.”
Let this be a warning to you kids out there. Drinking and blogging is not safe.
Keith Helms
April 11th, 2011
6:58 pm
They are already beat because the owners, management, and leadership are not trying to win. Yes, that includes some of the players.
northcyde
April 11th, 2011
7:02 pm
Come on Hawks . . at least make this game competitive until the very end. Make Lebron beat you on a 3 pointer at the buzzer.
Roy
April 11th, 2011
7:03 pm
“This is irrelevant. The conference is stronger by virtue of the top teams having improved. Yes, your stat holds true because the bottom teams correspondingly are worse this year than last year, but from the point of view of a playoff team, the bottom teams going from bad to worse is irrelevant since they were easy wins anyway.”
Incorrect. This stat is very relevant as it a simplistic means of identifying the quantitative struggle of the Eastern Conference, as a whole, and you mentioned before that the “conference has improved”. Well, clearly, the conference as a whole has not improved. If the teams in the East individually improve and provide greater competition for one another, then the inter-conference wins/losses would balance out, since a formerly elite team may have less wins, while a formerly poor team may have more, however, the total losses in the conference would remain about the same. In this case, the number is almost the same, but it is going to get worse, which provides evidence of one thing – the Eastern conference, as a whole, has done worse against the Western Conference this season. Whether or not you want to cite that as evidence of the Western Conference being stronger or the East being weaker is up to you, but this is still evidence, as a whole, that the East is not tougher, overall, than it was last season. The regular season records, the playoff standings, the collective losses, etc. all provide evidence of why the East, as a whole is not stronger this season than last.
Also, the bottom teams have not gone from bad to worse. I’m going to assume by “bottom teams” you are referring to teams that did not make the postseason in the East last season. In that case, you are referring to the Toronto Raptors (40-42 last season, 22-58 this season), Indiana Pacers (32-50 last season, 37-44 this season) , New York Knicks (29-53 last season, 42-38 this season), Detroit Pistons (27-55 last season, 29-51 this season), Philadelphia 76ers (27-55 last season, 41-39 this season), Washington Wizards (26-56 last season, 22-58 this season) and New Jersey Nets (12-70 last season, 24-56 this season). As those stats indicate, only 2 of those 7 teams are worse this season than they were last season, based upon record. This is evidence, that if anything has improved in the East it’s been the bottom half of the conference which has mildly improved, while the playoff teams have, collectively, regressed in terms of combined record. In fact, even the worst team in the conference this season (Cleveland at 17-63) is not quite as bad as the worst team in the conference last season (New Jersey at 12-70). So, clearly, your argument for the “bottom teams going from bad to worse” doesn’t hold up here. And, yes, this is very relevant “from the point of view of playoff team”, since if what you are suggesting is true, we would see a very top-heavy east with the top teams having inflated records based upon beating up on the bottom feeders in the conference. You don‘t see that this season to as much of an extent as you did last season, since the bottom teams are slightly more respectable this season. The, overall conference is near equal, but the greatest improvements, have actually been amongst non-playoff teams from last season, along with Chicago.
“Put it this way — a playoff team is going to beat this year’s 21 win Wizards team just as easily as they beat last year’s 26 win Wizards team. It’s going to show up the same way in the standings. Are they going to beat this year’s 60 win Chicago team as easily as they beat last year’s 41 win Chicago team? No way. Are the Magic and Hawks, who each play the Heat four times, as likely to do as well against them this year as they did last year? No way.”
This is not put into proper context since you fail to look at the bigger picture. What you are saying here is correct, but look at the flip side of it. Are teams this season going to have as tough of a time defeating this year’s 17 win Cleveland team as they did defeating last season’s 61 win Cleveland team? Obviously, no, they are not. Cleveland is now the conference doormat. Similarly, are the Magic and Hawks, who each play the Bobcats four times, as likely to have difficulties against them this year as they did last year? No, because Charlotte has regressed significantly. Similarly, are teams going to have trouble facing the Bucks this season, the way many did last season. Of course not, not to the extent that they did last season. The point is, you can pick out one or more scenarios to try and improve your argument, but when you put things into context and look at the big picture, things balance out. I’ll repeat it again, for each team that is stronger, another one is weaker. This illusion of the “conference being better” is simply the result of the balance of power shifting in the East. Teams which were formerly elite (the Cavs) have fallen, while others whom were formerly mediocre (the Bulls) have taken their place.
“Comparing last year’s standings to this year, the Cavs, Hawks, Bucks, Raptors, and Bobcats have gotten significantly worse. The other 10 teams in the conference are either improved or at roughly the same level.” There is a significant difference between winning 59 games and winning 50 games, and the Magic are currently on pace for winning 52 games at best. I know that 7 wins is not a huge deal when you think about it, in general, but making the jump from 52 to 59 wins is quite impressive. It becomes very difficult to improve once you hit that 50+ win plateau. I just thought I’d point that out, since I don’t consider the Magic to be quite at “roughly the same level” as last season. I, personally, think they are worse to a noticeable degree. Also, your argument here strengthens my initial one by showing that the power in the conference has shifted, but in the end, it all balances out. Some teams took meteoric collapses, while others had meteoric rises, and still others made minor improvements while others slightly regressed or stayed “roughly the same”, but in the end, it all balances out.
“And anyway, there is a qualitative aspect to this that goes beyond simply looking at records. I think it’s fair to say, for example, that this year’s Knicks team — on pace for about 43 wins — is a much more dangerous playoff opponent than last year’s Bobcats team, which won 44 games.”
What exactly are you basing this Knicks argument off of? Personal opinion? Because without some sort of statistical evidence, there is nothing to really back this up. I can understand you thinking that the Knicks would be more competitive due to the fact that they have more talent than the Bobcats had (that is also simply a point-of-view), but talent does not always equate to success (take the Hawks, for example). The Bobcats were actually a very respectable playoff team last season. They had one of the league’s top defenses, and played unselfish team basketball. They had a few very significant factors going for them that made them a legit threat to anyone. Sure, they got swept by the Magic, but the Magic were a juggernaut at the time, and would have swept most teams in the East in a series. The Bobcats lost every game in that series, but the games were competitive. I can’t say that the Bobcats weren’t dangerous. Against a team like the Hawks, they may have won the series, and even though the Hawks had a superior record, they were no competition at all for the Magic, whereas the Bobcats at least made the Magic work. As for the Knicks, what have they got going for them? They have some media-deemed “superstars” on the offensive end, but when you look at their team stats following the trade, they are not at the top of the league in any key area that shows positive signs of them being a legit threat. Based upon what we have seen from them so far following the trade, they are an inferior team to last season’s bobcats, and they are no more of a threat to any playoff team than the Bobcats were to any playoff team last season. The media can tend to give that impression and brainwash casual viewers with the idea that Knicks are an elite team and/or contender in the East, but that is primarily just to increase the viewer base and ratings. It doesn’t hold true in the basketball world yet. At this point, the Knicks are just another mediocre playoff teams with a couple of players with oversized egos. Until they prove that they are a legit threat, I will continue to view them as a team with talent and a bright future if they start to enforce defense and learn to utilize talent, otherwise they will continue to just be an average playoff team.
cp
April 11th, 2011
7:04 pm
I was hoping I could get the Heats feed but it looks like im stuck listening to Nique
tremaine
April 11th, 2011
7:10 pm
HAWKS FANS MAKE SOME NOISE!
YAWWWWWWNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
northcyde
April 11th, 2011
7:11 pm
Less of the starters = Jamal needs to score 35 for us to win
northcyde
April 11th, 2011
7:11 pm
LOL @ Roy . . . I know I write a lot, but damn. You wrote a novel.
northcyde
April 11th, 2011
7:12 pm
Teague will have to play well too.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 11th, 2011
7:12 pm
“I’m going to assume by “bottom teams” you are referring to teams that did not make the postseason in the East last season. ”
“As those stats indicate, only 2 of those 7 teams are worse this season than they were last season, based upon record. ”
Well, you’re assuming wrong. I’m talking about the worst teams in the conference collectively last year vs. the worst teams in the conference collectively this year. It’s not relevant whether those teams are the same this year or not. Just because a different group of teams sucked last year as compared to this year doesn’t mean the bottom teams as a whole are not worse. This year there will be at least three, and possibly four teams under 25 wins in the conference. Last year there was one. This is what I mean when I say the bottom of the conference as a whole has gotten worse.
“The point is, you can pick out one or more scenarios to try and improve your argument, but when you put things into context and look at the big picture, things balance out. I’ll repeat it again, for each team that is stronger, another one is weaker.”
When five teams in the conference get worse while the other 10 teams stay the same or get better, this is not true.
northcyde
April 11th, 2011
7:13 pm
Wow . . well blow me down.
JJ misses a jumper, and a BIG is there for an offensive rebound and putback.
Balance