Atlanta Hawks at Bobcats: No. 82
Charlotte–The regular season ends anticlimactically for the Hawks tonight. They didn’t practice yesterday and I didn’t make this morning’s shootaround in Charlotte so no word on who will play and for how long. I will update pregame, in case anyone cares. . . .
PREGAME UPDATE: Hawks-Magic Game 1 is Saturday at 7 p.m. The rest of the schedule comes out later tonight.
Twin is out but his status is still a go for Saturday. “I think he will be fine,” L.D. said. “He got some work in yesterday. He came over today early and got some work in. He should be ready to go.”
Starters are Hinrich, Joe, Josh, Al and Zaza. Armstrong, Rolle and Twin are inactive.
Drew said he plans to play the starters “a few minutes.”
“I won’t have anybody in the 30s,” he said. “I will try to keep them in the low 20s.”
L.D. wasn’t talking as much about trying to use this game to gather momentum: “Just looking at what happened to the Lakers last night, Chicago had a couple of guys hurt–that’s always a fear in this particular situation. Hopefully we can get out of this game as injury-free as we can and move onto the playoffs.”
- The signing of Magnum Rolle is unrelated to Twin’s injury, which L.D. still say says is a “minor” sprain. Twin was walking around without a noticeable limp before the game on Monday. The Hawks, like a handful of teams, signed Rolle with an eye to the (possibly lockout-disrupted) summer.
- I predict that if Zaza helps the Hawks beat the Magic while leaving a trail of carnage in his wake he will become a beloved folk hero. I also predict that if the Zaza helps the Hawks forge a competitive series against the Bulls, and this in turn inspires the team to start talking about “continuing to grow the core,” then the feelings about Zaza would become bittersweet.
- Smoove, asked why opponents become so irritated by Zaza, said: “Have you seen that head?”
Now for some linkage . . .
- Sebastian Pruiti at NBA Playbook breaks down Hawks-Magic in a series of posts.
- Tom Ziller at SB Nation wonders if the Hawks can take advantage of Orlando’s high turnover rate.
- Bret LaGree at Hoopinion (accurately and depressingly) describes the futility of trying to drawn any analytical conclusions from these last four games, particularly since the task was not much easier over the first 78 games.
- HawkStr8Talk, true to form, predicts the Hawks “are not winning a playoff game, much less a playoff series” in a post at Peachtree Hoops. However, he did express a bit of joy following the reserves’ rally against the Heat and even managed some begrudging admiration for L.D.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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384 comments Add your comment
Luke Cage
April 13th, 2011
8:38 pm
northcyde
hopefully Howard will get a Tech, then we can draw another one in the series and he has to sit out, maybe we can steal that one lol
cp
April 13th, 2011
8:38 pm
Damn Etan has come in before Teague
Paradise Lost
April 13th, 2011
8:39 pm
Josh Powell. +4/leading scorer with 7. Did I tune in to the right game?
lewis
April 13th, 2011
8:39 pm
Dude should give Zaza a break he’s the only one who tried after the all-star break
Paradise Lost
April 13th, 2011
8:39 pm
FINALLY. TEAGUE!!!
lewis
April 13th, 2011
8:39 pm
Teague is not in because LD is trying to get Etan hot before the playoffs start.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 13th, 2011
8:39 pm
After 11:23 of game time, our dear leader decides to put in Teague.
bigdave
April 13th, 2011
8:40 pm
Jeff Teague gets to play?
northcyde
April 13th, 2011
8:40 pm
LOL . . it’s almost like Drew is purposely limiting Teague’s minutes in this game, for fear that he might have a real good game, and make Hinrich look even worse.
Somebody in this organization isn’t telling all they know about this LD – Teague situation. There’s something going on. I said back in November that I thought LD just didn’t like Jordan Crawford. Now I’m starting to think the same thing about he and Teague.
Sleepy
April 13th, 2011
8:40 pm
Northcyde I know its meaningless but a mature playoff team understands that when the opponent starts there scrubs you smack em in the mouth and then go take your seat and laugh the rest of the night from the bench.
bigdave
April 13th, 2011
8:40 pm
and as soon as he gets in Nique is on his nuts..
Najeh Davenpoop
April 13th, 2011
8:40 pm
Or 14:23 or something, whatever.
J from the A
April 13th, 2011
8:41 pm
A scrub just blew by Teague, but Teague gets a pass because he is not Kirk.
Source
April 13th, 2011
8:41 pm
Word on the street is that LD is an alcoholic
J from the A
April 13th, 2011
8:41 pm
Hinrich gets beaten off the dribble and he is horrible.
Teague gets beaten off the dribble and he is an all star defender.
terrell
April 13th, 2011
8:42 pm
To be honest, I’d fire LD after the game. Wouldnt even let him coach the Playoffs. But that’s just me.
Luke Cage
April 13th, 2011
8:42 pm
Don’t expect much out the starters tonight but like Nique said “try to get sharp”, they instead played like Poo Poo LOL
Booo!
April 13th, 2011
8:42 pm
9:37 in the 2nd quater????
F-LD!!!!
We will NEVER get off to a good start again as long as Kirk Hinrich is starting!!! SMDH!!! All Kirk does is chuck jumpers on a starting lineup full of chuckers! Is anyone going to take the ball to the basket????!!
Woody-Lite is EVIL just like his predecessor! Prepare to get SWEPT!!
northcyde
April 13th, 2011
8:42 pm
You mean 14:23 @ Najeh . . . Teague sat the entire 1st quarter, and was the 10th man off the bench.
Score was 25 – 37 when he came into the game. Mark that score.
I don’t think the kid is a PG, but let’s see if he can be a difference maker on the court. Provide a spark Teague.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 13th, 2011
8:42 pm
“A scrub just blew by Teague, but Teague gets a pass because he is not Kirk.”
Or because his overall defensive impact is good enough to where one bad defensive possession isn’t indicative of his overall performance.
cp
April 13th, 2011
8:44 pm
lol@Nique getting on Teague for taking a wide open shot
JJ Sucks
April 13th, 2011
8:44 pm
Does anybody have Larry Brown’s phone number?
northcyde
April 13th, 2011
8:44 pm
And it’s time to stop calling Drew “Woody Lite”.
Drew is nothing like Woody. That Sekou radio interview the other day pretty much stated that Woody was a “hard azz” on the players, while Drew is “laid back”.
Woody would make guys on this team uncomfortable when they didn’t do what he wanted them to do. I’ve yet to see Drew give Josh, or JJ, or even Teague one of those “Woody WTF” type faces.
Paradise Lost
April 13th, 2011
8:45 pm
“I said back in November that I thought LD just didn’t like Jordan Crawford. Now I’m starting to think the same thing about he and Teague.”
JC2 and JT0 rolled LD’s house on Halloween.
O'Brien
April 13th, 2011
8:45 pm
Luke Cage,
Dwight’s technicals reset to zero in the playoffs. And it will take 6 (or 7) before he gets suspended in the playoffs.
northcyde,
Ken Strickland used to say LD didnt play Teague because he was afraid he would show up Bibby. I always disagreed with Ken. but the way LD handles Teague sometimes, it makes you wonder what is going on in practice…
J from the A
April 13th, 2011
8:46 pm
No it’s called belief confirmation bias.
You think Teague is a great defender, so you confirm this by focusing on what (or when) he does well and by discounting what (or when) he doesn’t do well.
You believe Kirk is a horrible defender, so you confirm this by focusing on what (or when) he does well and by discounting what (or when) he doesn’t do well.
Your post above justifying your criticism of Kirk, but a free pass for Teague is but another example of this.
Melvin
April 13th, 2011
8:46 pm
Is Jamal playing 1 on 5 b-ball???
terrell
April 13th, 2011
8:46 pm
This clown puts in Teague, but leaves in Jamal to run the point. lol. What happened to all that player development talk LD was hollering last summer? He must be drunk right now if the accusations are true.
J from the A
April 13th, 2011
8:47 pm
The ‘you’ in the above post wasn’t necessarily pointed at Najeh, but to anyone that clearly hold the two PGs to different standards (because of whatever preconceived notions they have about either).
O'Brien
April 13th, 2011
8:48 pm
J from the A,
I think you are reaching. teague is a second year rookie PG who will have his ups and downs, because he is learning. Kirk is a 8 year vet who we gave up 2 first round picks for, one of the reasons being his defense. So Kirk getting beat and Teague getting beat is not the same thing…
cp
April 13th, 2011
8:48 pm
the Hawks backup bigs are horrible
Najeh Davenpoop
April 13th, 2011
8:49 pm
I really don’t think Etan Thomas is that bad of a player to where he should be lumped in with Hilton and Powell. He can provide something for this team if they let him — if nothing else, at least some physicality and toughness inside.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 13th, 2011
8:49 pm
STFU NIQUE
bigdave
April 13th, 2011
8:50 pm
lol.. “just gotta continue to run the offense”
Kirk can take that shot though..
Melvin
April 13th, 2011
8:50 pm
Nique #1 Teague Hater….
J from the A
April 13th, 2011
8:50 pm
O’Brien,
I can partially agree with what you are saying. I am just so tired of people saying Kirk is horrible, but Teague is great, but on the whole, this simply isn’t true.
Now if you want to say, given what we gave up for Kirk, he has disappointed. Given that Teague is still early in his development, he is showing great promise, then saying this is fine. [I actually fully believe this to be the case.]
Melvin
April 13th, 2011
8:51 pm
Jamal played 1-5 b-ball for 5 straight possession and this fool gonna say something everything Teague take a shot…
Luke Cage
April 13th, 2011
8:52 pm
O’Brien
Tech’s don’t reset just because its the Playoffs, he sat out a game 6 vs Philly years back in the playoffs.
Booo!
April 13th, 2011
8:52 pm
Maaan Nique needs to step away from the mic -_-
cp
April 13th, 2011
8:52 pm
are we really comparing Teague being beat once off the dribble to the horrible defense Hinrich has been playing? Really?
Najeh Davenpoop
April 13th, 2011
8:54 pm
“You think Teague is a great defender, so you confirm this by focusing on what (or when) he does well and by discounting what (or when) he doesn’t do well.
You believe Kirk is a horrible defender, so you confirm this by focusing on what (or when) he does well and by discounting what (or when) he doesn’t do well.”
I actually believed Kirk was a good defender when he was acquired by trade. After the win over Chicago I was convinced he was going to be a defensive difference maker. Since then he has played poorly on defense, and for the first couple of weeks he did that I was making excuses for him. After a point, though, what you see is what you get, and letting Bibby drive by you on multiple occasions does not a good defender make.
As for Teague, honestly, I don’t know what to tell you. If watching him apply consistent ball pressure over the last couple of months whenever he has entered the game, or the fact that he’s tied for the 2nd best defensive rating on the team, or the fact that the Hawks’ by far best defensive five-man unit has Teague at point guard doesn’t sway you, I don’t know what will.
bigdave
April 13th, 2011
8:54 pm
lol yea ETAN!
Luke Cage
April 13th, 2011
8:54 pm
Etan playin angry, I like that, sayin “take that LD”
Najeh Davenpoop
April 13th, 2011
8:55 pm
Why the f-ck are Joe and Al back in this game?
terrell
April 13th, 2011
8:55 pm
Joe and Al back in? Wtf!!
Melvin
April 13th, 2011
8:55 pm
Joe look like he has somewhere else he rather be than playing this gmae tonight…
J from the A
April 13th, 2011
8:55 pm
Also, forgetting the Teague vs. Kirk comparison, all of our starters came out flat and playing no defense (all starters = 5 people), but who gets pointed out by multiple people for being horrible (you guessed right! Kirk!)
If people are sour because the Hawks gave up too much for Kirk and are simply taking out this anger on Kirk, then they should admit so much.
bigdave
April 13th, 2011
8:55 pm
is anyone staying in front of DJ though when he makes up his mind to attack.. he has that Lawson step..
cp
April 13th, 2011
8:55 pm
why is Al and Joe back in… wtf LD
terrell
April 13th, 2011
8:56 pm
LD hoping for an injury to save his azz. lol