Atlanta Hawks: Bobcats 96, Hawks 85
Charlotte–The starters were -53 in this game, a number that’s enhanced by Zaza and Hinrich the entire third quarter alongside reserves. Over the final four games of the season Atlanta’s starters were -215.
- The Hawks finished with 44 Ws and a six-game losing streak. They were 11-20 after Feb. 5.
- The Hawks didn’t put much into these last four games. It’s still not a good look for a group with a history of taking that approach for games in which the outcome does matter.
- L.D.: “I was hoping it wouldn’t end like this. Those couple of games on the road, at Indiana and Washington, I was really hoping the guys would play at a high level but they didn’t respond to that. Now that this thing is over with, we have got to flip the switch. I am pretty confident we will do that.”
- The Hawks say they will be ready come Saturday.
- Al: No question. We were in a different situation since we already clinched. I felt like our focus shifted a little bit because we felt secure. We didn’t feel the need to go out there and play like that. Now it’s different. The playoffs are here and our minds are shifting towards that.”
- “We don’t have much of a choice,” J.J. said. “I am sure we will be ready.”
- “We will be ready for sure,” Jamal said. “Get some practices in, have the proper preparation, and we will be ready to go.”
- “What I saw these last four was not the team I saw a week and a half ago against Boston and two weeks ago against Orlando,” Drew said. “They turned the switch off. Now it’s time to turn it back on.”
- The end-of-bench guys gave a pretty good account of themselves again. Josh Powell, Damien, Etan and Pape Sy all contributed.
- The reserves played the Bobcats even after the starters opened the game nonchalantly. Then Al and J.J. returned in the second quarter and things went awry again.
- Drew finally threw in the towel for his starters after that. “I could have played them the second half but with the energy I saw the first half, it would have just been jeopardizing those guys,” he said.
- After halftime the Hawks made a game of it with their backups. Maybe this means the reserves can take some confidence into the postseason.
- “I hope so,” Damien said. “I don’t expect to get those type of minutes during the playoffs but anything is possible. We will see. All of the guys who have been getting these minutes the last couple games just want to play. At the same time, we have a good group, guys that have been here, guys that have experience in the playoffs. We have just got to find a way to keep winning.”
- Hinrich was the only regular starter to play after halftime and he finally had a positive run: 4 of 7 from the field and he kept Augustin in check. Hinrich appeared to have more pep than he had lately. “My primary focus at the start of that third quarter was to get Kirk in a rhythm,” Drew said.
- Zaza had 10 rebounds. Soon after he left the game in the first half Kwame Brown got going.
- J.J.’s jump shot is still missing. He’s been getting his post-ups and floaters lately but those won’t come so easy with Dwight roaming the paint.
- Josh wasn’t noticeable out there. He says the knee is good.
- Al logged just 10 minutes: “I thought I was going to play a little more but at the end of the day I needed the rest. Just looking forward to having a good practice tomorrow.”
- L.D. said the practice sessions over the next two days would be mostly about “mental work” without much in the way of contact.
- It’s come to this for the Hawks: Twin sat out while the normal starters played because he’s indispensable vs. Orlando. “The last thing we would need is for him to hurt the ankle again or something weird to happen,” Drew said.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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171 comments Add your comment
Willie Coyote
April 14th, 2011
7:44 am
Come on offseason. You can’t fire ownership so here’s hoping they do the right thing. Get together consultants that know what they are doing and go on a GM search. Hire the best person for the job and then sit back and let him do his job.
Section 303
April 14th, 2011
7:46 am
So, I was starting to feel confident. I was starting to think the Hawks had a chance. Reading quotes talking about “they turned the switch off. Now it’s time to turn it back on”, changes my mind. What a bunch of a$$holes.
Melvin
April 14th, 2011
7:51 am
So Hawks Game 3 (in ATL) on a Friday night will be broadcast on ESPN2. This is the only first round game scheduled to be shown on ESPN2 so far. My goodness, you talk about no respect. SMH
Geemack
April 14th, 2011
7:57 am
Memo to the Hawks:
You are not the Lakers! You can not afford to flip a switch. You should be trying to win every game possible. These are 9 games worse than last year..what a joke.
Trojan
April 14th, 2011
7:58 am
The Hawks have become totally irrelevant in such a short time. Larry Drew don’t have a clue and it shows in the whole team.
But Rick Sund, please protect our sacred CORE!
Geemack
April 14th, 2011
7:59 am
@ Melvin with the way the Hawks screwed up rating last year in the 2nd, they should be glad their on TV at all. We all know this series will end in 4 games 3 blowouts and 1 close game.
Section 303
April 14th, 2011
8:05 am
Someone put it well on here yesterday. He/she said that the Hawks season was “86 games….then BOOM!” Meaning the team should be blown up after this upcoming sweep at the hands of the Magic. I’m thinking they could not be more right.
Getting very tired of these same stupid quotes after games like last night. “we didn’t have energy…blah, blah, blah”. Now, they have their new quote “we turned the switch off”. Time to get new blood in here.
Whenever the lockout ends, the Hawks need to make major changes. You can’t keep these same guys here any longer. They simply do not get it. And, they seem to think they are more capable of handling big situations than they actually are.
Does anyone really think the switch is going to get “turned on” by Saturday? And, after we watch the Hawks get pasted on Saturday, will we hear/read quotes like “well, we’re just trying to get the swtich all the way turned on. Just wait until Game 5.”?
Was thinking of making the road trip to Orlando for Game 1. Not anymore. Not going.
Section 303
April 14th, 2011
8:07 am
Melvin, what have they done to earn any respect?
I tell ya…..I was upbeat about this series until I read Michael’s report. Then it hit me. It hit me like a ton of bricks. The Hawks have no shot in this series. If there is a bigger collection of dipsh#ts in an organization, I’ve not seen them.
UGASlobberknocker
April 14th, 2011
8:15 am
awful, pathetic, embarrassing. Lets make it 10 straight losses and get this nightmare of a season over with.
UGASlobberknocker, dreamer
April 14th, 2011
8:17 am
Has anyone seen the new Dwight Howard shoe ad, it was filmed in Atlanta and he represents his home as Atlanta. Not Orlando. When is his contract up.?.maybe we could get him to come back home.
One and
April 14th, 2011
8:26 am
done, Orlando will totall outclass them starting this weekend
a really embarassing team
UGASlobberknocker, dreamer
April 14th, 2011
8:26 am
MC, one good thing about this Hawks team this yr,..we had a great beat writer. You did a great job..despite the negatives..keep up the good work.
Double Zero Eight
April 14th, 2011
8:27 am
Larry Drew had no reason to be smiling for any reason
during the game last night. He had a wide grin on his
face during a couple of time outs in the fourth quarter.
We will be “put out of our misery” soon.
MsDee
April 14th, 2011
8:27 am
@UGA
I agree..getting Dwight in here and moving JJ out to the Nets would be a dream come true to us Hawks fans!! I too want LD out..no way he should have another season with the Hawks. I still kinda say, LD may not have been a bad coach, he just should not have started his 1st year with a team he has been on for 6 yrs. The guys know him too well to respect him enough. The Hawks needed a veteran coach. Remember, Josh Smith is the ONLY player left that has been here when Woody was 1st hired. Therefore, the Hawks, in 6 seasons, now 7 seasons, has had nothing but ROOKIE coaches..THAT’S SAD. We are an elite team but ONLY with an ELITE COACH!! Come on, ASG, do WHATEVER IT TAKES TO LAND JERRY SLOAN HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Double Zero Eight
April 14th, 2011
8:32 am
The Hawks do not have a “switch to turn on”.
They have no electricity. They can only “light
a candle” and pray not to get “blown out” like
they did last year. If they lose all 4 games by
an average of 20 points, they will consider that
a “moral” victory.
terrell
April 14th, 2011
8:42 am
The other day LD said we couldnt just flip the switch on and off, and now he’s saying he’s confident we will. Whatever Uncle Larry. Btw, Pape Sy is more athletic than #2 overall.
terrell
April 14th, 2011
8:45 am
Be happy they’re on ESPN 2. If it were up to me they’d be on VS.
Hawks fan
April 14th, 2011
8:48 am
John kuester Kurt rambis Byron Scott Flip Saunders and Larry Drew should all be fired as soon as their season is over I still would like someone to explain to me why the hawks fired mike Woodson after he won 53 games last year Larry Drew has accomplished a lowly 44 game and ended the regular season with a six game losing streak he obviously has lost whatever magical beans he sold the hawks organization on being that he clearly has not motivated Joe Johnson, Josh smith is back to jacking up three pointers from everywhere and for some reason despite having a very capable center in etan Thomas (I’m not that high on Jason Collins no matter how much Larry plays him) he has continued to force Al Horford to play out of position This is what the hawks fans have paid their hard earned money to see? please fire Larry and get a real coach as soon as they finish getting swept (or if we’re lucky enough to squeeze out a game or two) Atlanta deserves better than Larry Drew period
oldmike
April 14th, 2011
8:58 am
I am not as passionate as most of the posters here. Najeh, dmary, sect303, grandad stevw etal way to go. Sorry for you that this miserable excuse for an organization and this embarrassing collection of heartless gutless whining losers is what you are forced to root for. If either the organization or the players (forget the hapless coach) shopwed the same passion for the games that you all do we would have a title winning team. Maybe we all should gang together and buy out the (there is no word for how awful they are) ASG and run this team on our own. Til then the only way to get anything to change should there be status quo next year is to get the town to boycot a series of games. Wonder how the ASG would take to an empty house for say their home opener. We all know how JJ would feel. Peace out.
drmaryb (*_-)
April 14th, 2011
9:12 am
My Buddy!
Yeah, Buddy G. I would love to meet some blogging fools at the Taco Mac this play off season. Let’s keep this dialogue going.
_____________________
NUNNA!
Thanks for the kind words. We have all been “that guy” at the pump. Either needing assistance or providing assistance. Once, I realized what had happened? I did sort of laugh, because the young fella
“got me”.
What he didn’t know was that, had I had it, he probably could have gotten whatever he wanted. Like a Hawks opponent trolling in the paint on offense. (LOL)
Hey NUNNA, I’ve run out of gas on 285 before and have been bailed out myself. I was being a blonde that day, not paying attention to details, like the low fuel indicator flashing in my face. Hey stuff happens.
We must never lose compassion, that’s what makes the world a better place.
Thank You and G-Daddy for reminding me of what’s really important.
One time I was leaving the club @ like 2AM in the city and this lady came up and said, “Do you have a gas can?” My girlfriend and I said no. The lady said, “My car ran out of gas just two blocks away and I’m 30 miles from home, please help me.” Honestly, we were a little tipsy and were waiting on our Cabbie as well. We gave the lady $25 and the next later that morning, we looked at each other and said, “I think we were scammed by that lady. We should have known she was in search of drugs or alcohol.”
But, that lady was good at her craft. She made a play and scored the basket. Bottom line, we restored her faith in humanity if even for one night. God does want us to help each other. You never know in what form Jesus will return, you really don’t.
________________
Well, here we are! 360 degrees since the FA frenzy and some of you predicted a 47-35 record and pretty much nailed it. Now we will see if the Hawks can actually “flip” that magic switch in round 1.
Either way, a change is gonna’ come.
Hopefully, it will start with the 8 feces throwing Orangutans packing their boxes and waving good bye! And continue on down to the end of the bench. Good writtens.
terrell
April 14th, 2011
9:19 am
I’ll explain it Hawks fan. The Hawks BARELY got by a hobbled Milwaukee squad in rd 1. Took em 7 games. Then they got embarrased by Orlando. Lost by an avg of 30 something points. Forget about the 53 REG SEASON wins. That Playoff debacle wqas totally UNACCEPTABLE. And LD sux, but is it fair to judge LD’s 1st year, based on Woody’s 6th? Just asking.
drmaryb (*_-)
April 14th, 2011
9:22 am
ESPN 2?
Are you kidding me? Isn’t that where they show:
The McDonald’s All American High School Game?
There’s a reason, I stopped watching ESPN years ago.
terrell
April 14th, 2011
9:23 am
And will yall stop it with this” Horford playin out of position crap”. I’ve heard about enough of that. I’ve seen him get outplayed at pf a number of times too. Hell, he got manhandled by 6′5 Chuck Hayes for crying out loud. Josh is the best pf on this team. Al is the best center on this team. Point blank. Use Collins or Etan when necessary.
JeJe
April 14th, 2011
9:36 am
If this team wants to have any shot in going deep into the Playoffs, Joe and Jamal need to combine for at least 45 points every game.
The problem with this team is Joe Johnson. The guy can’t even drop 20 points anymore. He is going against a weak defender (Jason Richardson) in Round 1, but look for another 12 point 4-16 performance from him.
The guy has been awful this year. There was a time 2 or 3 years ago where he was the 3rd best SG in the NBA but WASN’T THAT MUCH WORSE than Kobe or Wade.
Now he is
JeJe
April 14th, 2011
9:43 am
Can we please clear out this horrendous core and get a new coach (either of the Van Gundy’s)? Stan will be gone because Orlando is likely not going to the ECF
JeJe
April 14th, 2011
9:48 am
“So Hawks Game 3 (in ATL) on a Friday night will be broadcast on ESPN2. This is the only first round game scheduled to be shown on ESPN2 so far. My goodness, you talk about no respect. SMH”
At least we are not on NBATV. That is an ultimate sign of disrespect, since most people don’t get NBATV
And LOL @ LD’s comments about how he is confident. Hypocrite
Simjr
April 14th, 2011
9:48 am
up next Saturday night: Orlando by 22…..
LD stay out of the bottle this weekend….
drmaryb (*_-)
April 14th, 2011
9:50 am
Worldwide Clýde!
You woke up to yawn? You better stay off those sleeping pills. LOL!
Hey, how many FIRE ASKG Tee’s can a sister get for 5K? Fire up the screen print machines! -smiles-
The Game Has Changed
April 14th, 2011
9:51 am
@Joe-This is a new season once the playoffs start. Anything is possible. So playboy we are relevant.
JeJe
April 14th, 2011
9:52 am
JOE JOHNSON, PLEASE WAKE UP
FIRE LD
The Game Has Changed
April 14th, 2011
9:54 am
@Terrell-Have you ever heard of win and move on. Well thats what we did last year and the year before. And should I go ahead and say this year as well. Go Hawks
JeJe
April 14th, 2011
9:56 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmPCjRL-32M
I want to see some damn technical fouls, flagrant fouls, and trash talking in this series
This team needs to quit being soft
The Game Has Changed
April 14th, 2011
9:56 am
@DoubleZero8-I dont know who your team is but the Hawks dont need another HATER. Get on the playoff bandwagon or get off. Your choice
Astro Joe
April 14th, 2011
9:58 am
Heaven knows I’m no LD fan and was a vocal critic of bringing in the lead assistant from the very, very beginning. But I do believe that it speaks volumes about the character of the players that they didn’t respond to their new boss. Seemingly, their new boss gave them more rope than their previous boss. These guys aren’t inexperienced players, they are mostly mature vets. And they took that extra rope and tied a noose for themselves (and LD). So while LD deserves more than his fair share of blame, let’s not pretend that these players (Joe, Josh, Al, Marvin, Zaza, Jamal, etc.) are faultless as a unit and individually. When gsome of the previous demands were removed, they acted like 13 YO boys away from home for the first time. I’m not sure that yet another head coach fixes their lack of maturity and professionalism.
O'Brien
April 14th, 2011
10:00 am
JeJe, My keys to beating the Magic;
1) Collins has to frustrate Dwight.
2) Hawks must defend like their life depended on it
3) We need JJ and Jamal to give us 40 pts combined
That being said, I think Magic in 6.
JeJe
April 14th, 2011
10:04 am
O’Brien, great 7:21am post
The keys to this series are:
1) Joe Johnson stepping the F up and actually showing up for once
2) Jamal off bench
3) Hinrich playing defense and hitting shots
4) Defense
The key to this series is JOE JOHNSON SHOWING UP. WE NEED 24 POINTS A GAME FROM HIM
JeJe
April 14th, 2011
10:04 am
Does anyone else feel like there are times when the 2nd teams are in the game (Marvin included), and he doesn’t try to step up and dominate? He is fine with doing nothing
2 FOR JOHN DREW
April 14th, 2011
10:05 am
@drmary ….. Good stuff !!!!!!!!!!
JeJe
April 14th, 2011
10:09 am
The Bulls and Thunder have rosters with players most of us don’t know much about. But they overachieve
Our team is full of underachievers.
NO ONE on this roster has overachieved since joining the Hawks
KevinM
April 14th, 2011
10:15 am
Buddy Grizzard, you’re on! Taco Mac is a good pre-game stop.
Tell me what time and I’ll have my #2 on!
I gotta say that if you had to pick a team who is out in the least number of games, you $$ would be safe on the Hawks.
Someone was questioning whether our guys could just turn it on after an 8 loss streak, which by the way is the worst by far of the season: it got me to thinking about Rocky and his battle with Clubber Lang. When did Rocky go back to Southpaw? After the 6th round…..
We are so far from having a switch that we can flip…then lights seem to just go out on their own for us….no one on this team can tell us why when something doesn’t go the teams’ way.
worse2first
April 14th, 2011
10:19 am
Coach says the team has to flip on the switch? How?
JJ and Al are sleep walking these days. JC is moribund in a contract year. Hinrich forgot how to play the point. Teague is disrespected. There is no offensive cohesion. Pass the ball to JJ or JC and never get it back. Reminds me how the team looked in Woody’s last days. Selfish play, blow outs, uninspired effort, tuned out non competitive play. Seems like they want to get LD fired.
Ah it all makes sense now. Until LD is gone and Rick Sund earns his pay this what I have become – tuned out.
O'Brien
April 14th, 2011
10:20 am
AJ,
Co-sign your 9:58. Which is why I think regardless of whether or not the Hawks make a coaching change, they should shake up the roster.
Slimjr
April 14th, 2011
10:21 am
My keys to beating the 2011 HAWKS:::JUST SHOW UP!!!!!!!!!!
KevinM
April 14th, 2011
10:22 am
JeJe, we have the least attractive matchup in the playoffs…compared to Denver/OKC….not even close. We might finish the season with a 12 game streak, and not the kind of streak you want to be reminded of…but if it causes major changes here, including sending LD to watch LDII at UCLA, then I’m all for it.
Being a UK fan, my expectations are higher than what Sund and the ASG deem as a successful season.
Coach Cal could come in and rep this team better than what we saw this past year.
The legend of Woody just grows with each passing loss and befuddlement of comments that spew from LD.
Slimjr
April 14th, 2011
10:27 am
LD; ALCOHOL AND BASKETBALL THE TWO SHALL NEVER MIX……………
THAT RULE ALSO APPLIES TO ALLSTAR AL AND THE REST OF THE SQUAD…..
YOU TOO SUND…………………RUN,DONT WALK…
GEARON KICK ROCKS…………………………………….
ICECOLD
April 14th, 2011
10:35 am
remember these hawks
sheldon williams
acie law
speedy claxton
othello hunter
anthony johnson
tyrone lue
Joe Smith
thomas gardner
randolph morris
lorenzen wright (r.i.p)
and Josh Childress
this team bench has gotten better and better…. and Im so happy the hawks got rid of these players because none of them was any good… next year.. Im sure we are going to add etan thomas, josh powell, marvin williams, hilton armstrong, zaza , kirk Hinrick ( or he might be the back up vet) to this list … all these players since 2008… all these players since the first playoff run!!!
they got rid of bibby.. now marvin should be next.. slowly changing the core… because to me the core to me is joe johnson josh smith and al horford… and im starting to think jeff teague too..
maybe add dwight!!!! ( lol.. i wish )
thats like
O'Brien
April 14th, 2011
10:38 am
From ajc.com;
With Orlando and Atlanta set to meet in the playoffs, Howard said the series is “all going to start with me” after the Hawks held him to his lowest shooting percentage against any team while winning three of four meetings this season. “The game that we won, I dominated that game and I have to dominate every game in order for us to beat these guys,”
He credited the Hawks’ length and realized while watching film of the games that he was sometimes impatient instead of taking his time when they pressured him.
“They did a pretty good job of having everybody in the paint and forcing me to throw the ball out or rush shots. So I look forward to the playoffs,” Howard said..
If Howard and SVG figure out how to handle Twin, then all we can hope for is that Dwight’s FT shooting is off.
The Truth
April 14th, 2011
10:38 am
“Al: No question. We were in a different situation since we already clinched. I felt like our focus shifted a little bit because we felt secure. We didn’t feel the need to go out there and play like that. Now it’s different. The playoffs are here and our minds are shifting towards that.”
Dear Al Horford
If you expect us fan to believe that piece of BS that came out your mouth, than you have less IQ than we gave you credit for. THE BOSS (LOL), you have been playing like a SOFT WATER BOY the last 6 games. Actually, I haven’t been impressed with your game since the Chicago win. So this notion of turning it back on doesn’t hold weight. Perhaps you need to check yourself into a clinic. You may be suffering from the “Joke Johnson” choke virus that usually comes out this time of the season. It is a highly contagious virus you catch when being influence by the host also referred to as the “JJ fools gold” phase2. Phase1 already killed the spirit of thousands of local sport fans last year in Atlanta GA. Phase2 could potentially be even worse.
JeJe
April 14th, 2011
10:40 am
Had no idea LDII enrolled at UCLA
FIRE LD
KevinM
April 14th, 2011
10:43 am
Stack house says the Magic should have no issue with us.
Anthony thinks the Hawks can matchup and defen the 3 since we will single defend Dwight..
I think hack-a-Howard is not the worse thing. I’m sure the refs will be watching this closely.
I do know the reg season advantage means zilch.