Atlanta Hawks: Videos: Wild finish, fight fallout and press conference
Sorry for the lack of the usual post-game writeup last night, blog people. Technical issues threw a wrench in those plans.
Here is my post-game report with CineSport’s Noah Coslov and Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Game highlights and press conference also are posted below.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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113 comments Add your comment
shizz
April 23rd, 2011
9:38 am
first!
shizz
April 23rd, 2011
9:39 am
all around good game. Not great. Two down, two go. lets get it! LETS GO HAWKS!!!
NUNNA!!
April 23rd, 2011
9:45 am
1st!!
Great shot Jamaal!!
Great win Hawks!!
And im so freaking proud of our fans for showing up like we did!
LD,u know i still have issues with u but congrats on da win..
Heading back to da ATL now..
NUNNA!!
April 23rd, 2011
9:46 am
My bad..I was third if u count shizz twice lol
Iceman
April 23rd, 2011
9:52 am
Enter your comments here
Iceman
April 23rd, 2011
9:55 am
My bad on the previous post. ZAZA never backs down from the battle, we need to show other teams that we are tough and will bring it. Great win, GO HAWKS!!!
JeJe
April 23rd, 2011
10:02 am
Honestly,
The only time I see this team get the ball inside is when Joe does that floater (which he is s uccessful at) or Smoove drives and does the hookshot. Other than that, it’s all jumpshots.
It may be nice watching Jamal hit fadeaway 3s, but that won’t happen much vs teams like Chi, BOS, or Mia
WE NEED EASY BASKETS
WE WILL LIVE AND DIE BY THE JUMPSHOT
And if z is suspended, so should Dwight. Remember Kobe throwing those elbows a few years ago and getting suspended a game each (one was on Manu)? Suspended Dwight’s @$$ or don’t suspend anyone. What ZaZa did is the exact same as what he did to KG a few years ago
terrell
April 23rd, 2011
10:03 am
Did anyone else see Josh calling for the ball at the 3pt line? Glad Jamal ignored him. lol
JeJe
April 23rd, 2011
10:15 am
The league CANNOT suspend Z for that. His headbutt was THE SAME THING HE DID TO KG 3 YEARS AGO. IT WAS HARDLY A HEADBUTT
J-RICH’S SLAP IS WHAT SHOULD BE SUSPENDED. HE INSTIGATED IT. DWIGHT THREW THE ELBOW. ZAZA’S ARM WAS DESTROYED FROM DWIGHT’S ANNOYING PLAY.
CAN WE PLEASE BENCH MARVIN FOR DAMIEN? PUT IN SOMEONE WHO WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE GAME. MARVIN JUST STANDS AT THE 3 PT LINE
SO DOES JOSH
JOSH WAKE UP
Section 303
April 23rd, 2011
10:16 am
I can’t stand Dwight Howard…what a douchebag.
Gotta assume Zaza gets suspended, but I don’t think he should. J-Rich was the cause of all that. The play did not involve J-Rich at all. He stays away and the altercation never happens. The league should take that into account before handing down any punishment.
Let’s hope Thomas is back from his Grandfather’s funeral. I think he can help. And, of course, hope Twin can play. After that…I don’t want to see Hilton Armstrong on the floor again. Powell did OK in Game one. Hawks can still make Howard work, even if Zaza has to sit.
Biggest thing for Game 4 is decision making. Josh Smith was awful in the 2nd half. Between stupid shots and horrible passes, LD had no choice but to sit him. Josh continues to drive me nuts. He has all the tools and when he is locked in, like he was early, he’s really good. But that does not happen often enough.
I watched the replay of the game this morning. Jon Berry put it well regarding Josh: “You look at his numbers, and they look good. But, when you watch, you see the numbers do not tell the whole story.” Couldn’t have said it better myself.
drmaryb (*_-)
April 23rd, 2011
10:19 am
Did yall see Kirk refuses to pass Josh the ball outside the 3?
He looked him off several times last night. Totally, ignored him camped out there.
Did yall see Kirk, pull Josh away from SVG and Ref, while arguing a fouls call, while Magic was shooting the FT’s?
Captn Kirk, like Jamal may have found a team where they actually fit solid roles and needs! Kirk finally has new life! Great Move by Sund, brilliant to get him here. We don’t need any more #20 picks for this team. If not a Top 5? We need some Vets people!
Ben Wallace
Tayshaun Prince
Type talent is needed. We ned some 30 year olds now!
The youth movememt is done here! Please shop Marvin, we could use his money to sign Jamal! Get Teague ready this Summer!
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
April 23rd, 2011
10:22 am
Terrell,
what a fool believes he sees, no coach has the power to reason away.
doc
April 23rd, 2011
10:23 am
richardson made first contact on zaza, soft but in the heat of the moment talking trash he got off ligh and was fair game for soft head butting emphasis to the talkt. not much of a fight as both guys held back a bit. would like some statement about the elbow tech dwight got. in a fair world all three would be open game for either no or all getting some consequence as the whole cant be separated into individual events. my guess or hope is they are not going to do anything against dwight therefore nothing more except a fine to all three and let them play rather than a suspension. if there is a suspension it means stern wants to exert editorial influence to how the story turns out. it was more girlie action than a real fight.
drmaryb (*_-)
April 23rd, 2011
10:32 am
Super Man?
More like Diaper-Man. What is this guy crying about, all the time?
He is getting 10 fouls per game as it is.
Mighty Mouse? More like Mighty – Mouth! What a loser.
His first game presser was pathetic, he sat there, hung his head and said nothing! No Shows for games 2 & 3. And, he’s the co-captain?
Dwight pressers are equally pathetic, he had turrible body language after both losses, he is not any type of leader. Conversely, CP3 loses, brings his son to the microphone and speaks intelligently re: their loss and held his head up like a classy young man!
Kobe’s presser shows what a jerk he really is, very sarcastic and arrogant demeanor as usual.
_______________
Great Team Win. If ZaZa gets 1 game (and he shouldn’t) then JRich should get 2! Dwight deserves a one game suspension as well for his instigator antics! What is difference in throwing an elbow -vs- a fist.
And, he actually feels it is OK to throw elbows? Really?
What a Loser! But, hey … If he’s available? I’ll take him!
We could have him if he wants to come home, I wouldn’t touch that core-four though:
Joe
Al
Josh
Jamal
wordsmithtom
April 23rd, 2011
10:42 am
DrMary,
I couldn’t have said it better. Kirk provided a role….the seasoned vet to direct traffic and play solid defence. In time, JC2 may prove a better player. Now, however, JC2 can’t do what Kirk did last night. To win in playoffs, you need veteran leadership and savvy. Kirk gave that. No, he’s not the point guard of the future, but he’s sure a good point guard for NOW. Who knows what the long term brings us.
Marvin, if he can bring us a solid center, I’m all for it. But, don’t give him away, certainly to an east coast team. Much of his disappearance is due to where the coach puts him on the floor. His value is much greater than most of us fans appreciate. He could really help Portland, Denver, or Sac. A change of venue could help him as well. He is not our problem, but he could bring a better fit if we can get a center and keep JC1 at the same time.
drmaryb (*_-)
April 23rd, 2011
10:48 am
Girly Man!
“it was more girlie action than a real fight.” -doc-
________________
JRich bytch slap was definitely girlie.
But, that Head-Butt was brutal! Real Man stuff there.
Evander Holyfield mastered “The Head-Butt of GA” and that caused
“The Ear Removal of Iron Mike” This Head-Butting is a thing of beauty!
Very Georgia-Esque, heh? I never saw a girl use The Head-Butt, The Butt maybe, but never the Head-Butt.
That thang can cause concussive headaches.
Rev in Tampa
April 23rd, 2011
10:52 am
dr mary,
I saw you bringing the hotsauce on the Magic blog. They didn’t know how to respond since all they’re used to is Wal-Mart brand ketchup.
ML
April 23rd, 2011
10:54 am
I have noticed game-changing plays that usually revolve around Josh Smith. During the season, the game will be close. Josh may drive to the lane and fumble the rock or get fouled and not get the call. What does he do? Spend crucial seconds arguing with the refs while the opponent start a 5 on 4 to break open the game. Other times it is his propensity to stand beyond the arc, rendering himself as the no-need-to-guard weak link in the offense. The offense plays 4 on 5 and we end up shooting a jumper because there is no low post threat since Horford is already surrounded. Thanks a lot Josh! Please take your talents to the low post for a change!
lewis
April 23rd, 2011
11:01 am
where are all the Hinrich haters?
where is Teague?
lol.
We’d be 0-3 with Bibby.
It was not a bad pick
April 23rd, 2011
11:04 am
@Jeje
Marvin is 20x better than Damien..i thought Marvin was solid last night on the boards and made a couple of nice passes and steals…I can’t wait until the Hawks free him..He should start over Josh easily..
Sleepy
April 23rd, 2011
11:07 am
JeJe – Why wont jamal hit the fadeaway threes against the Bos,Chi or Mia ? People were saying the same thing about Orlando.
Mia- go read the Heat boards when we play them Jamal is a well known heat killer lol . The guy dropped 50 on Dwade at one point making I think 15 shots in a row or something like that.
Bos- again his exploits in a Hawk uni against Bos and Ray Allen are well chronicled . When you are on the court with Bibby and Joe johnson and they take Allen off you and put Rondo on you .Youve moved past the point of possible being able to do dame against them to be a serious threat.
But those guys are much further down the road
As or the Bulls both Kirk and Jamal will be wired for that one and so will Al . Can you imagine Kirk and Jamal beating the Bulls best team since Jordan left with there new golden boy in Rose and getting into the ECF ? I wouldnt have it any other way .
The playoffs are the time where execution reigns but also where the team that has the most guys who dont need everything to go just right to score baskets are even more important
93 – 88-84 are the point totals for the magic this series . They average 99 ppg in the regular season.
Ill take us grinding it out on defense and riding the jumpshots against inferior perimeter defenders in this series .
You them make adjustments for the next one as thats whats the playoffs are all about
doc
April 23rd, 2011
11:08 am
funny thought, i wonder where “fear the deer” is this year? heh heh
Rev in Tampa
April 23rd, 2011
11:14 am
It was not a bad pick,
I can’t argue with you. Marvin was two points and two rebounds better than Wilkens last night.
But Wilkens had one thing that Marvin didn’t have – a dnp-cd.
drmaryb (*_-)
April 23rd, 2011
11:16 am
Teague Time!
I’ll say this about Teague, he is a shoot first guard. We already got three of those ahead of him and that does not bode well for his chances.
If Teague wants to be like Rondo? He needs to get every one involved first and foremost! Run like a deer and get easy shots for his running wings and center. Rondo had 20 dimes and is a great, strong finisher at the rim – Teague is not that nor a true PG.
Also, blazing speed can kill you, if you can’t change gears and hesitate to go, cross-over and dip too. Teague has terrible handles, turns it over in traffic and does not pass well. He has no PG vision (see Nash, Rondo, Rodman). He does not see the play before it happens and he does not see the game in slow motion, like the ZONE players do who can get into a zONE. The Zone is preserved for the HOFers in Bball, Football, Hockey – basically, all sports.
IDK if Teague can be special, or if he has that IT-FACTOR within him.
That is a Gift and a Blessing. IDK if he is blessed like that.
I doubt it. I hope I’m wrong, if not? We need to find that PG and quick!
It’s been 17 years already, that would catapult the Hawks to super elite status and solve a ton of offensive issues for the next 10 years!
Find a way to get CP3 or Deron. Right our Wrongs!
Thanks a lot – Billy Knight! Thanks a helluva lot! Punk!
Section 303
April 23rd, 2011
11:22 am
Gotta say Teague did nothing to impress last night. Someone forgot to tell Jamieer Nelson how good of a defender Teague is. In Teague’s short time on the floor, Nelson totally shook him twice.
I go back-and-forth on my take on Teague. Last night made me think that my initial take was the correct one: He’s really not that good. Doubting we see him on the floor again, excepting any crazy injuries or foul trouble.
leo
April 23rd, 2011
11:27 am
It was good team win. Dwight played a dirty game. For all the Marvin Haters. He had 3 consecutive rebounds in traffic and two assist to help win that game. Say what you want, but he was very helpful. ZaZa should not be suspended. If he is Dwight Howard should be also. He actual punched ZaZa in the face.
Rev in Tampa
April 23rd, 2011
11:32 am
Section 303,
I did not see Jameer shake Teague. I saw Teague playing tenatively, not knowing whether to give help defense or stay on the perimeter with Jameer. He split the difference and covered neither. He also hesitated on that offensive rebound before he shot. And on offense he stood around and watched Jamal. He was not the Teague that we have all witnessed since the trade deadlline.
no justice
April 23rd, 2011
11:33 am
Hey! cp3, d. williaws, rudy gay will not be on our bench this year. They belong to other teams, so get behind our present players. We all know their short comings and inconsistences. Please stay focus on the present. How do you expect your team to stay focus if you can’t
Rev in Tampa
April 23rd, 2011
11:34 am
leo,
Marvin could not have had 3 consecutive rebounds since he only had a total of 2.
Happy Hawks Fan
April 23rd, 2011
11:34 am
Great win, but the Hawks need to improve their decision making. LD told them multiple times to stop settling for jump shots, but yet they continued to shoot from the outside. Josh Smith is a head case. for the life of me I can’t figure out why after all these years he still can’t figure out to stop shooting jump shots. PLEASE let the Hawks keep Crawford.
Hoops
April 23rd, 2011
11:38 am
drmaryb,
Hinrich knows how to win. He will not pass Josh the ball on the three point line. I LOVE IT!!! Finally we have a leader! Zaza was huge last night. He brings a toughness that we have to have to win in the playoffs! A win Sunday would be HUGE!!! Go Hawks!!!
prison mike
April 23rd, 2011
11:44 am
JS deserves criticism for his second half decisions, no doubt. But 15 and 10 exclusively at sf while holding down turk and keeping an eye on dwight counts for something.
Teague hasn’t played in 9 days and only got 1:43 minutes in. You are suppose to be ready at all times but drew is playing duck, duck, goose with him.
KevinM
April 23rd, 2011
11:46 am
DMB, good stuff as always….and I am in the same camp with you about Marvin, especially how much he costs this team. But I will say, when he contributed in the 2nd half, it helped with the flow of the game.
You saw Josh just kill any momentum in the 2nd half and got benched not once, but twice! If that doesn’t give you a hint, then Josh isn’t learning anymore. He flat out almost killed this win last night in the 2nd half.
Now for these 2, you get rid of one, you keep the other. Pick your poison and I know Josh contributes more, but Josh at the 3? Man, its ugly outside of 15 feet.
I was in Section 312 last night, and I gotta say, if you can get to Philips for this series, you must! That was a great battle last night.
And, if the ASG doesn’t see the value in JC1, then look stupid once again and let him go. It would not surprise me in the least. With the exception of Joe, no one can throw a dagger like JC1. And we need 2 late game threats, minimum!
Hoops
April 23rd, 2011
11:46 am
Rick Sund,
Watch your team. Look at the players that are game changers. We must keep these players IMHO:
1. Joe
2. Crawford
3. Hinrich
4. Horford
5. Zaza
Everybody else should be used to improve the team. I would like to see a trade for a high draft pick so we could draft the guard from UConn.
KevinM
April 23rd, 2011
11:47 am
And the more you see CP3 and the class he exudes and his production, the ASG should be ashamed of themselves by going with the ’sure’ thing.
Even at 16M/year, CP3 is a perfect fit to this team.
The Truth
April 23rd, 2011
11:52 am
NBA Rules & Regulations
“A flagrant foul 1 is committed when a player makes unnecessary contact with an opponent. A flagrant foul 2 is more serious and occurs when the contact is excessive and unsportsmanlike. This type of foul warrants immediate ejection, a possible suspension and a fine not more than $35,000″
Read more: NBA Rules & Regulations | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_4777628_nba-rules-regulations.html#ixzz1KMJSITlB
Drmaryb – “Dwight deserves a one game suspension as well for his instigator antics!”
Agreed Since Dwight started it, Stern should end it with Dwight included in the mixes especially since his contact on Zaza was around the head and neck area. According to this rules, they should upgrade his technical to a “flagrant foul 2″ and take the appropriate action.
Kudus to the Hawks on a gutsy win; LD in particular for making better coaching decisions down the stretch like momentarily setting Josh and Jamal in the 4th when both were slumping showing the love fest with their jumpers. Finally, he shows some balls.
Though I’m not a big fan of Brent Berry as he is definitely a Hawks Hater, he did make an observation that is worth noting. He noted that if Josh is going to be camped out on the perimeter as a passing outlet during a trap or double-team, he should be on the “weak-side” instead of on the “strong-side” since he is not our best perimeter shooter. The “strong-side” should be reserve for our Alpha/Beta shooters. On the weak-side, Josh would be in a better position to do what he does best, making cuts to the basket and using his athleticism.
KevinM
April 23rd, 2011
11:52 am
MC, let us know about Collins and see if he is able to go for Game 4. He was taking a beating last night….I am sure he has an imprint or 2 to prove it.
darrell starks
April 23rd, 2011
11:53 am
Great game last night.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Section 303
April 23rd, 2011
11:53 am
prison mike, it’s called being a professional. Guys have to be ready when/if they’re called upon. Teague’s not the only player in the league who gets random spot minutes. Stop making excuses for him, If he wants to play, he has to make things happen when his number is called. Otherwise, he won’t have chances to get on the floor.
KevinM
April 23rd, 2011
11:54 am
Having Josh or Marvin ‘camped-out’ is just wrong and dumb. Any of us have seen and don’t need stats to prove this fact.
Section 303
April 23rd, 2011
11:57 am
Rev in Tampa, happened twice. Right in front of me both times. First time, Nelson faked right, but turned left and Teague was standing in his wake. Second time, same play, but Nelson went the opposite directions. Teague was not able to stay with him.
Sorry, we all want Teague to do well. But, no one is going to sit around in a playoff series and wait for a guy to magically “get it”. He is either capable of playing or he’s not. And, if the answer is “he’s not”, he’s not playing. Not that hard.
darrell starks
April 23rd, 2011
11:59 am
Josh smith did you smoke weed last night bro get your head in the game and stop loping, this the playoffs josh get your a$$ in the post and stop jogging up and down the court, man he look like he didn’t want 2 be there last night, great decision by taking josh out of the game LD.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Barton
April 23rd, 2011
12:03 pm
JeJe – in Marvin’s defense he came in the second half and grabbed 3 or 4 key rebounds when the hawks were battling back to shake off the Magic’s 3rd quarter run
Lp
April 23rd, 2011
12:03 pm
yeah, great game, got to enjoy it in the lower 100’s the fans around were in the game which made it even better, joe got them the first half jamal finished them. good game.
O'Brien
April 23rd, 2011
12:04 pm
Section 303,
Didn’t jameer make Kirk look really bad in one of the regular season games? So are we really going to give teague, our second year player, who has not played in a week, a hard time because he looked lost in 2 minutes of PT?
He needs repitition. He Will improve. Don’t give up on the Teague Party Movement as yet.
Sleepy
April 23rd, 2011
12:04 pm
Section 303 you are exactly right . I said this during the game yesterday that Teague JOB is to be ready . HES A RESERVE !! If he wants to make it in the NBA then he needs to be ready to play whenever his number is called because until he establishes himself every single game is a audition for more time .
prison mike
April 23rd, 2011
12:06 pm
Even Jon Barry said if you insist on running that iso set play, have either al or hinrich at deep elbow. Josh is actually a decent shooter on the wing.
That long distance elbow shot is the hardest shot to make and horford made it at a crucial time at the 0:46 mark.
I’m convinced drew drew up these iso plays as an assistant and is too stubborn on changing things.
Rev in Tampa
April 23rd, 2011
12:06 pm
Section 303, I stand corrected.
darrell starks
April 23rd, 2011
12:07 pm
The hawks where very lucky last night again, to many jumshots not enough ball movement, like i said the hawks will not win this series unless teague starte, but so far i have been wrong, hinrich have played okay so far, but this is why teague should starte because you have the balance the team out everybody want 2 shoot jumpshots, collins and teague make this team dangerous if coach LD learn how 2 use them.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
April 23rd, 2011
12:10 pm
Barton im sorry but marvin sucks.
GO HAWKS!!!!!
Section 303
April 23rd, 2011
12:12 pm
Rev in Tampa, wasn’t trying to correct you.
And, I hate the negative tones of my above posts. Not feeling negative about the team at all today. I/we spend so much time complaining. Need to enjoy the good moments. Right now is a good moment for Hawks fans.
Can’t wait for tomorrow night!
O'Brien
April 23rd, 2011
12:12 pm
I’m thrilled for the win. And hope we can take the commanding 3-1 lead tomorrow.
However, if Jamal misses that shot and Orlando scores, we would be crucifying the hawks today, specifically Jamal. He dribbled out the shot clock, and then threw up a contested 26 footer. Horrible possession.
Sports is such a fickle thing. If he misses, he might be the goat. But the shot went in, so he is a hero.
Rusty
April 23rd, 2011
12:15 pm
I can’t believe how everybody now talks like ld is doing a good job, he still sucks & is the worse coach in the NBA.
moboman
April 23rd, 2011
12:16 pm
drmary is right on in her assesment of Teague. In his limited minutes last night he was a liablilty on defense, and on offense. LD is right to keep him on the pines in this series. Im tired of seeing the opposing PG blow by him, and Im tired of seeing him lose the ball in traffic in the lane. We cant play 4 against 5 on offense if they are gonna dare him to shoot the ball and back off of him. He came in last night and our level of play dropped off immediately. Cant let that happen again. He looks like a kid in a MAN’s game.
prison mike
April 23rd, 2011
12:16 pm
I believe the key the rest of the way is defending the pick and roll/pop. The hawks seem to be one of the worst at defending it. I would rather nelson shoot long threes than driving off it and causing havoc in the paint.
darrell starks
April 23rd, 2011
12:17 pm
I believe josh is hurt because the guy played scared last night with no fire, standing around the three point line all night long, LD have to force josh 2 play in the post period, josh at the 3 can avg atleast 20point a game at smallforward if he play in the post, LD MUST RECONIZE THAT.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sleepy
April 23rd, 2011
12:24 pm
II would also like to say that I dont think Josh camping out is actually by design . I think thats Josh calling the play and deciding hes gonna feed the post and since everyone knows the playcall they simply just properly space the floor because what are they gonna do run over and snatch the ball form him ? LD made this guy a captain lol. Normally thats Kirk or jamal in Joshs spot but when Josh decides to do whatever he wants we see the result .
It goes back to a question I put out there in a previous blog post last week
Does Josh understand what he needs to do in order for the hawks to win ? Does he try and do those things with all the passion and energy that you would expect from a player of his caliber ?
IMO at this pace Josh is playing himself right out of town .
Grandad
April 23rd, 2011
12:28 pm
The Truth
Just corresponding not debating:
If we were running true motion offense
Josh would be moving from
strong to weak, weak to strong, etc.
*[@ - Brent Berry]
That’s the whole problem;
Josh is “camped out” period.
I suppose we are now running “camping out” offense.
However, I do like Josh defending the [3].
Buddy Grizzard
April 23rd, 2011
12:28 pm
Key to tomorrow’s game is going to be JJ vs. Dwight. With J-Rich suspended, JJ has got to have a huge game. Dwight won’t have to worry about Zaza and Collins might be hurt. He’s going to have a huge game so JJ has got to take advantage against Reddick. I wouldn’t expect to see Arenas much even with J-Rich out… everybody but Otis Smith knows he’s done as an NBA player.
The Truth
April 23rd, 2011
12:35 pm
To be fair, if Josh is playing the SF position, shooting jumpers from the perimeter is within his jurisdiction. A bumper-sticker mentality of telling Josh to stay away from the perimeter shooting jumpers doesn’t apply once LD labeled him a SF. Also, players toggling from PF to SF and then back again, will be challenging and will come with some bumps and bruises. With LD revolving lineup, his player’s performance often emulates his inconsistent coaching strategy.
Rusty
April 23rd, 2011
12:35 pm
Section 303 first ld don’t play jt, then he plays him for 2 min.,then he has him in with jc1 who is playing pg,then he knows that ld will pull him as soon as he makes mistakes. I see Nelson getting around jc1,kh & jj as if they weren’t there. Jt has the speed & talent but isn’t ever going to get a real chance with stupid coaches like woody & woody lite. Hell rondo or cp3 would be in the same position with those idiots.
doc
April 23rd, 2011
12:35 pm
teague was on his heels deer in the headlight. i said it was a terrible time for him to get some play time as he entered and he didnt prove wrong. maybe next time jitters wont be as strong as he now has baptism by fire.
northcyde
April 23rd, 2011
12:36 pm
OBSERVATIONS
1) Good Job Atlanta. Way to come out to support the Hawks. By the end of the 1st quarter, every seat in that building was filled. And 98% of the crowd were Hawk fans, something you rarely see. Last night was a foggy, drizzily, cool night that people could’ve used as an excuse to stay home. But ya’ll came out. Good job.
2) Joe Johnson was absolutely brilliant in the 1st half. And plays were actually being called for him coming off screens. As great as he was in the 1st half, he was awful shooting in the 2nd half. But that was mainly due to a major adjustment by Orlando. I’ll get to that later.
3) Jamal Crawford possibly had the most exciting 7 – 19 FG game in the history of basketball. Dude was taking horrific shots. But when we needed points the most, he got those shots to fall. Even on the 4 point play, Marvin should’ve taken that 3, because he was wide open. But he quickly passed to Jamal, who calmly knocked down the 3 + the foul, right after the Magic had taken the lead. And from Section 201, I didn’t even realize that Jamal BANKED that shot in, until I saw it on the replay. LOL . . that was arguably his worst shot of the night, because he should’ve tried to at least get to the FT line. But that’s what Jamal does . . make improbably shots. JJ owned the 1st half. And despite shooting 3 – 9 FG in the quarter, Jamal owned the 4th quarter.
4) Other than a few wild passes, Josh Smith played a steady and consistent game last night. He saved us in that 3rd quarter when JJ couldn’t buy a shot, and everyone else was throwing up bricks. And most of all, he consistently rebounded the ball. That’s what we need from him, more than anything else. Double-digit rebounding.
5) Zaza . . can’t say enough about that dude. He took punishment from Dwight all night, most of which didn’t get called against him. But Zaza hung in there and dished out some punishment of his own. “Fake Toughguy” or not, he’s the toughest we have right now. He is definitely needed in this series.
6) Drew gets a B- last night. He at least tried to play Teague. He rewarded Zaza with extended minutes. And he picked and chose the right times to play Jamal. Even took him out in the 4th to put a more defensive lineup on the floor. Then when the team couldn’t score, he put him back in. But he gets a B- because some of his moves could’ve been catastrophic. JJ playng 44 minutes, plus having to guard Nelson at times, took a lot out of him coming down the stretch of that game. Subbing Josh out of the game in the 4th was a bad decision, seeing that Smith was one of the few people rebounding. I wonder if Smith would’ve finished the game on the bench, had Zaza not gotten ejected. Constantly posting Horford vs Bass isn’t going to work. Al just isn’t efficient down on the blocks like that. Honestly, we may be better off posting Smith, simply because Smith passes better out of the low block.
Sleepy
April 23rd, 2011
12:40 pm
Obrien Jamal has ten years of history of taking and taking shots exactly like the one he made last night. A quick youtube look and you would see all sorts of crazy three point makes so when people say stuff like he threw it up it really is baffling .
When you are the best at history at shooting a three pointer while being fouled and top 25 all time in three pointers made I dont think hes just throwing it up there .
The guy scan simply shoot the heck out of the ball with a hand in his face at some point you have to respect his skills . Just like Reggie Miller or Robert Horry after youve done it so many times how can it be considered luck ?
Now if I was the Magic I wouldnt have never allowed him to size up jameer the way he did . We saw jamal catch and SHOOT from further out to end the quarter just last game so no way especially after the 4 pt play would I have allowed him to get a clean look anywhere . I wouldve sent Kirks man hard at him at the 8 second mark and forced Kirk to beat us .
At a certain point you have to respect what types of shots a players taken and made throughout his career and jamal who even in his press conference talked about his sweet spot and everyone thought from 26 ft out ??????? but you know what go watch youtube and check out what he does in the halfcourt with the ball in his hands at the top of the circle .
So I would say thats a bad shot for me or Marvin but for Jamal he routinely makes those shots .
The Truth
April 23rd, 2011
12:46 pm
Grandad
“I suppose we are now running “camping out” offense.”
LOL, I have always admired your “Andy Griffith” style approach to solving problems. Must be an age/wisdom huh?
The Truth
April 23rd, 2011
12:54 pm
*Must be an age/wisdom thing huh?
moboman
April 23rd, 2011
12:57 pm
I thought LD had the right guys on the court most of the game last night. The game was mano e mano, and he went with the hosses that were getting the job done. Kudos to him.
Nate ArchiBALL
April 23rd, 2011
1:13 pm
Turkoglu – 3 of 11 from the field / 1 of 6 from the three point line / 9 pts / 2 boards / 4 assists, Someone is doing a pretty job on “Ding him up”.
Not a big Marvin fan – but the 2 boards he had were very big
ditto on the box out of Dwight and board by Josh prior to the big three by JC1.
northcyde
April 23rd, 2011
1:15 pm
6) One of the major issues that we’re going to have to adjust to, is that Dwight Howard is coming out more and more to help double JJ out on the perimeter. Orlando is absolutely not worried about our centers scoring. When he passes that ball out of the double team, others have to make plays to make the Magic pay for what they’re doing. In essence, it’s the opposite of doubling Dwight in the post. When teams double Dwight in the post, the Magic shooters are looked upon to knock down 3s. In our case, when people double JJ, the person catching JJ’s initial pass should attack the defense, seeing that Howard may be out of position. To really nullify this, we could play Horford more at center, instead at PF. Let Horford draw Howard out to him, or have that pass go to an open Horford, and have him knock down the jumper.
7) These two teams do not like each other . .at all. I never noticed this on TV, but at the arena, you saw it right from the start of this game. I knew some type of altercation was going to break out at some point in that game. Dwight is dishing out some MAJOR punishment out there. And our guys, even outside of Zaza, are getting tired of it. The next altercation may be between J-Rich and JJ . . or Horford and Bass.
8 ) I think Marvin becomes the x-factor in Game 4. You may see the “JJ Rules” being applied to Jamal as well, forcing other Hawks to beat them. A guy like Marvin, and Kirk Hinrich, for that matter, have to make the Magic pay for doubling our perimeter people by knocking down open shots, or driving to the hole. If we can get a breakout game from him in Game 4, we may take them down and have complete control of this series.
9) It’ll be interesting to see if the league suspends both Zaza and J-Rich. I’m hopeful neither guy gets suspended. The “one punch and you’re suspended” rule in the NBA has always been extreme to me. Throwing one punch isn’t a “fight’. THIS is a fight. And to be honest, it’s the fights that created some of the most bitter rivalries back then. What Zaza and J-Rich did to each other last night wouldn’t have even gotten them ejected 25 years ago.
10) Say what you want about the Hawks, but they’re showing extreme mental toughness in this series. We could easily be up 3 – 0 right now, had Drew not had that brain malfunction in sitting Horford an entire half. This team is NOT scared of Orlando . . at all. And for the most part, they’re not wilting when the going gets tough. They’re grinding it out. That’s what they have to do in the playoffs. Unfortunately though, this series may get even more physical. So even if we do move on to the 2nd round, the Bulls will probably be fully rested to play us, while we’ll be coming out of a 12-round fight. But we’ll address that once ( if ) we get to the 2nd round.
Great game last night. It wasn’t better than the Boston wins in 2008, but I’ll definitely put that #4 on the list of recent playoff wins.
Nate ArchiBALL
April 23rd, 2011
1:18 pm
Enter your comments here
The Game Has Changed
April 23rd, 2011
1:25 pm
@Sleepy-Jamal is one of the best one on one players in the league. What player on Boston, Heat, or the Bulls can check him one on one? None. Not R. Allen, not Rose, not Wade not Deng, not Pierce so I dont know what you are talking about.
The Game Has Changed
April 23rd, 2011
1:26 pm
Can yall imagine how far we could go in the playoffs if we got great play out of Marvin. SCARY
Mike is back
April 23rd, 2011
1:29 pm
Section 303, dude why are people so surprised Teague and Damein showed some rust…give me a freaking break.
LD, has to keep giving them opportunities…they will respond.
JeJe
April 23rd, 2011
1:37 pm
Suspend ZaZa, J-Rich, AND Dwight
The Game Has Changed
April 23rd, 2011
1:37 pm
@Mike is back-I dont think we have time to groom Teague right now. Just like Orlando lost in the championship series to the lakers when they tried to incorperate Nelson into the rotation. It took the entire team out of sync. He will be aight riding the pine for now. Damien wouldnt hurt us as much since he is a different caliber player. He doesnt need the ball in his hands to make a difference.
JeJe
April 23rd, 2011
1:39 pm
Did ZaZa’s headbutts even hit j-Rich that hard? no homo
JeJe
April 23rd, 2011
1:42 pm
If Dwight gets suspended for this, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lz0-HvMNyM
He should be suspended for last night. What he did last night was very similar to Kobe’s elbows a few years ago on Manu and some other guy (don’t remember who)
JeJe
April 23rd, 2011
1:49 pm
J-Rich hit the ref too
Mike is back
April 23rd, 2011
2:01 pm
The Game Has Changed, I agree, the time to groom Teague was in the regular season. Notice I said opportunities…that’s a lot different than saying starting. There will be situations where these guys will be needed.
I didn’t mention the Z word on defense…because thus far…when haven’t seen it…but when it happen…you see my point.
Secondly, Jameer is an All Star…did anyone think Teague…with his limited experience would come in and shut Jameer down…I certainly didn’t…not even Captain Kirk can do that…he looked bad…but don’t give up him.
O'Brien
April 23rd, 2011
2:04 pm
northcyde,
I liked Josh’ effort on the boards. But when JJ gets doubled, Josh needs to be going to the basket. He is 2-9 from 3 in the series. Why does he keep shooting them?
northcyde
April 23rd, 2011
2:05 pm
As for Teague, I’m not going to kill the kid for his poor play last night. But you can’t blame it on “rust” either, especially on the defensive end. Either you can guard a man, or you can’t. Offense is a different story, but how can you be rusty defensively?
Fact is, Nelson made Teague look bad on 2 consecutive possessions. The kid has to be able to make an immediate impact in games. He almost has to play a few minutes though, because we need to be able to give JJ at least 8 minutes of rest a game. If JJ is going to be asked to guard Nelson part of the game, he needs some rest in between doing that, plus being a main scorer in the offense.
But I’m not going to rag Teague now. He just has to understand that he almost has to make something happen as soon as he comes into the game, in order to get extended minutes. The playoffs are no time for experiments. We saw that firsthand with Drew giving Powell and Hilton Armstrong extended minutes in Game 2.
O'Brien
April 23rd, 2011
2:06 pm
From he previous blog;
Rev,
I don’t understand daps on MADE FTs.
And given the Hawks performance so far in this series, you can count on LD coming back next season.
I didn’t see most of the game, but Marvin had 2 rebs in 13 minutes. Were they really that big?
mykhalc
April 23rd, 2011
2:06 pm
AAU basketball at its’ best!!! yeah man!!!
RA
April 23rd, 2011
2:09 pm
Dwight Howard is a thug, bottomline. I think it’s sickening how he laughed and went on at that press conference. If he doesn’t throw an elbow at Za Za at the end of that play, the fight doesn’t happen, and he’s in a position to reap the benefits because Za Za is providing a lot more for us than whatever his name is is doing for the Magic.
northcyde
April 23rd, 2011
2:10 pm
@ O’Brien . . because he’s wide open.
And yes, I know that’s part of the defensive gameplan . . to give Josh those shots. But he is wide open.
And I’d wish that he’d drive the ball when he gets it too, or cut to the basket and get something in the lane. But like someone earlier said, as long as he’s playing SF, he’s going to be out on the perimeter more. And that means he’ll be more tempted to take the jumper.
What I would also like to see when Josh does take those jumpers, is for the player on the opposite side to go crash the boards to help Horford and Zaza. It could be JJ, or Marvin, or whomever. If Josh is taking the shot, he’ll more than likely be already back on defense if he misses.
northcyde
April 23rd, 2011
2:15 pm
Marvin’s 2 rebounds came in the 4th quarter, when the Magic were threatening to take the lead. I don’t know if they were “big” or not. But on one of those rebounds, he snatched it off the rim forcefully, like that was HIS REBOUND.
LOL @ us talking about Marvin grabbing 2 rebounds. Damn.
I want a 11 point – 7 rebound game out of Marvin in Game 4. We need something other than Jamal off the bench.
Female Basketball Fan
April 23rd, 2011
2:30 pm
Marvin & Joe Johnson needs to step up. Joe is not worth the money at all. Josh needs to stop taking shots outside the 3 point line, he needs to focus on the post and scoring down low. That was a lucky shot by Jamal, but I actually like Jamal and he has skills, but they will probably lose him, because they’re paying Joe all the money for nothing. Let’s not be so hard on Dwight, he is a hometown boy, who is a franchise player for his team. How many other hometownn players do we have representing the A? He is Georgia grown & I am proud of his accomplishments.
Mike is back
April 23rd, 2011
2:33 pm
That previous post…should have finish by saying…he looked bad…but don’t give up on him in the playoff…That’s all I was saying.
northcyde
April 23rd, 2011
2:34 pm
Tidbits:
- Jamal leads us in scoring ( 23.7 ppg ) and is shooting 44% FG and 59% 3FG
- JJ is averaging 20 pts – 5.7 rebs – 5 assists. That’s pretty much what we need from him at the very least the rest of the series. He’s also shooting 44% FG and 50% from three.
- For us to be getting almost 45 ppg out of JJ and Jamal is huge.
- Horford is only shooting 44% FG for the series so far and ranks #9 amongst the Hawks in Win Score per 48 minutes. He was easily the leader in this category during the season.
- Smith has been solid. Almost 16 ppg and 8 rebounds, while shooting 51% FG
- Despite Howard destroying us, only one other Magic player is shooting above 40% FG ( Quentin Richardson, shooting 75% FG . . 3 – 4 FG ). And Jameer Nelson is the only one averaging double figures outside of Howard.
Booo!
April 23rd, 2011
2:38 pm
This kid has been Yanked around ALL season while dropping 20pt games and he gets 1 minutes and 43 seconds of “playing time” and now he’s a bust!? Freaking bandwagoners man Smh… one minute you’re singing his praises and the next you’re calling for his head. Grow up.
Meanwhile scrubs like Marvins sorry azz gets plenty of playing time for NO reason! absolutely none! I’m pretty sure Teage has at least as many 20 point games as marvin this season. LD set him up for failure by only giving him a short stint.
I also only saw him get blown by nelson ONCE. the second time, he stayed with nelson who was penetrating and whoever was guarding the peremeter player (probably jamal) sucked in to help (why, I have no idea) Teague recognized this and ran to contest the kickout of the man left open. Not his fault at all.
Smoove is still making boneheaded playes and Jamal still can’t play D but it’s OK for them to get a pass I guess Smh….
You will be crying for JT to get playing time in the next round when Rose steals Kirk and Jamals lunch money.
Booo!
April 23rd, 2011
2:39 pm
“You can’t get better if you don’t play” – Jordan Crawford
I guess he was a bust as well right?
northcyde
April 23rd, 2011
2:40 pm
Female Basketball Fan. Don’t get it twisted. As poor as JJ shot the ball last night, we do NOT win that game without JJ last night. His hot shooting in the 1st half was the big reason why we were able to build a lead in the first place.
JJ averaging 20 – 6 and 5 in this series has been huge, despite the hot and cold shooting stretches. While he may need to do even more, the guy isn’t disappearing so far in the playoffs. He’s doing his job on offense and defense. If we can keep getting that kind of production out of him, while having a few others step up more ( Horford and Marvin ), we may can put a stranglehold on the Magic.
newkid
April 23rd, 2011
2:44 pm
Can’t help but wonder how good these cats could be if they’d allow themselves to be coached.
northcyde
April 23rd, 2011
2:45 pm
Well Boo . . maybe next round is when he should play.
In fact, in the next round, Jason Collins shouldn’t see the floor at all. That’s a different matchup that may call for different personnel to step to the forefront. Against the Bulls, I would re-insert Marvin back into the starting lineup, and keep Collins on the bench.
The Bulls aren’t going to run their offense through Noah, like the Magic do with Howard. So Collins’ defensive services won’t be needed in that series. What will be needed in that series, is someone who can keep Noah off the boards.
In that series, Horford moves back to center, Josh to PF, and Marvin back to SF as a starter. And instead of using multiple big men to deal with a big center like Howard, maybe we use multiple guards to help defend against Rose.
So Teague’s time may very well come against the Bulls, rather than the Magic. Let’s hope we get to see that happen against the Bulls.
The Game Has Changed
April 23rd, 2011
2:50 pm
@Mike-I like Teague but its just a bad match up right now. Maybe next round he can guard Rose backup which I think is Duhon
Sleepy
April 23rd, 2011
2:52 pm
Northcyde I would keep the lineup the same . I would use twin to faceguard Noah and keep him off the boards and this would allow us to get Al on Boozer and Josh on Deng .
The assignment for Josh against the Bulls would be to remove Deng from the series with his defense .
This allows us to start the game with decent size to help clog that lane .
Starting Marvin over Twin doesnt help us unless you think Marvin will somehow match the play of Deng .
One thing to remember is Noah is not a real threat offensively so I would rather have twin using those fouls early on Rose instead of Al or Josh .
J from the A
April 23rd, 2011
2:52 pm
It’s official: Pachulia and J-Rick are suspended for game 4.
Any word on Collins condition for game 4?
J from the A
April 23rd, 2011
2:54 pm
*J-Rich
tremaine
April 23rd, 2011
2:55 pm
I’m happy the hawks won last night but let’s not get carried away folks. The big picture is for them to get out the second round. And as far as the Zaza play goes if you look at it closely Zaza slaps Howard across the arms with one hand then throw an elbow to the ribs with the other.
Booo!
April 23rd, 2011
2:55 pm
northcyde,
I agree. I even said before this series started that with D12 in the middle, this wouldn’t be a good series for the Teager. We will definetly need him against Chicago.
My thing is, it’s just unfair for people to label JT a failure and start piling on him when he only played ONE minute of playoff basketball…..literally. Looking at a larger sample size like his season #’s when getting 20 minutes or more is just more rational.
I do think Jason could help boxing out Noah from those rebounds though. Asik and Kurt Thomas can also be pests if left unchecked so I would like to see jason in some small capacity. Like you said, hopefully we will maki it there. We gotta keep homecourt by taking game four.
Ken Strickland
April 23rd, 2011
3:00 pm
Can you picture the absurdity of JRichardson feeling he had to come to the defense or rescue of Dwight Howard, of all people, against Zaza. What’s even more revealing is Dwights reaction to what Zaza did, but maybe that was because he knew exactly what he did to incite Zaza’s reaction.
Zaza gives Dwight as much physical play as he dishes out, but Dwight can’t take it without some sort of retalitation. If the officials concentrated more on Dwight’s overly aggressive physical play and retalitation, rather than DStern’s protect the Super Stars at all cost policy, Dwight would cease and desist with the overly aggressive play.
There’s no way these officials will make calls against Dwight in the 1st part of the gm like they did with Horford. We are the ones that will be affected most if both players are forced to sit a gm or 2. ZAZA can’t match him physically, but he sure knows how to get into his head and make him do stupid things.
JeJe
April 23rd, 2011
3:02 pm
Joe better drop 35+ tomorrow
If Duhon is activated, I’d play Teague a bit if he gets in so that Hinrich gets some rest
MUST-WIN TOMORROW
If we lose tomorrow, we are !@#$ed
northcyde
April 23rd, 2011
3:25 pm
Sleepy . . that’s good in theory. But the fact is that Collins doesn’t do that. He gets destroyed on the boards. Collins is only good at one thing . . guarding people. He doesn’t box out. He can’t jump. And he doesn’t block shots. Well . . he does have a decent midrange jumper, but he rarely takes that.
You just can’t face guard people. Noah is so much quicker than Collins, that he’d get destroyed even more on the boards, if he tried to use that tactic. In the next round, I’ll even go as far to say that Hilton Armstrong would be a better option to play against Noah and Kurt Thomas, than Collins. Even though Hilton is sorry as well, he will give you a better chance to get a rebound and block a shot while playing center, than Collins will.
During the playoffs, Noah is only averaging 8.3 ppg, while averaging 10.3 rebs and 3 blks. While Kurt Thomas is averaging 3.3 points and 3.3 rebs.
Those guys aren’t going to have any offense ran through them. So the types of centers we need to play against those guys, are the ones who can either rebound with them, or keep them off the boards. Collins can do neither, which is why he shouldn’t play, if we get to the 2nd round and face the Bulls.
Well . . it’s off to Memphis for me. I should get there right as the Griz and Spurs are tipping off. Hopefully the weather will be a little better down there, than it was last night in ATL.
J from the A
April 23rd, 2011
3:29 pm
Lot’s of Bulls fans in Indianapolis … looking a bit like some of those regular season games in Atlanta.
Does Indianapolis have an excuse considering the fact that Chicago isn’t too far away from Indianapolis (e.g., one should expect Chicago fans to travel, it is also reasonable to expect a lot of Chicago fans in Indiana because it is close enough to home)? Or is there simply no excuse? It is the playoffs after all.
Sleepy
April 23rd, 2011
3:30 pm
Sorry Boo! but no one is piling on Teague . The people piling on LD because Teague hadnt played is to blame . They were making it seem as though we had D.Will on the bench or something .
Now you are basically saying that he isnt ready to do his job and somehow no one should say anything about it ?
Sleepy
April 23rd, 2011
3:44 pm
Northcyde are you saying that Noah is quicker than D12 ? I dont think so nor is he more athletic . I think Twin would use that body of his to keep Noah off the boards allowing Al, JOE and Josh to go hard to the boards.
Im not talking about 30 mpg Im talking about the first 5-6 minutes of the ball game . I would most certainly dare Noah to beat us with that jumpshot and straight zone
I just dont see any benefit into taking someone who is playing well out (twin) and putting someone who playing like garbage in (marvin)
JeJe
April 23rd, 2011
3:46 pm
How did Dwight not get suspended for that elbow? He got suspended vs. Philly and Kobe’s elbow suspensions a few years ago were extremely similar.
WTF?
.
Does the NBA want Orlando to win game 4?
And why is Collins so ineffective in this series compared to regular season?
O'Brien
April 23rd, 2011
4:08 pm
Sleepy,
Its a tough decision, but hopefully we will get to the second round so we can talk about it some more.
I can see northcyde’s point. But one reason to not start Al at Center is because D-Rose will get to the rim, and Hawks should foul him when he does. I would hate for Al to be the one committing the foul, especially battling Noah for rebounds and trying to cut off Rose.
JeJe,
The refs are going easier on Dwight now than they did during the regular season (one of the reasons he got as many technicals as he did during the season).
Leffty
April 23rd, 2011
4:10 pm
What a HUGE shot from Crawford at a huge time. He’s just the dynamic type of player you want taking that shot with the clock running down. The key in the game, besides Crawford’s 20+-point effort, was the smart and efficient team play all game long. The Magic got 9 points on 8 Atlanta turnovers. By contrast, the Hawks got 15 points on 10 Orlando turnovers. Jamal & Co. did a better job of taking advantage of mistakes than did Dwight & Co.—and that was the difference in the game. Those 6 points made the difference, and allowed Crawford to seal the game. Check out the stats:
http://sportstatistics.blogspot.com/2011/04/nba-playoffs-night-seven.html
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
April 23rd, 2011
4:33 pm
Stern suspends Zaza and JRich 1 game! dayumDayumDAYUM!!!
prison mike
April 23rd, 2011
6:30 pm
Nelson drove hard to his left, teague forces him to pick up his dribble but he finds redick for a open 3. That was on crawford.
The second position he drives hard to his right and gets deep in the paint and finds an open Quentin Richardson for a 3 that was on teague.
Anyway Qrich is more dangerous than Jrich shooting 3s. Hope this guy doesn’t get off in game 4. Horf has to get mentally ready to guard dwight probably half the game.
jack
April 23rd, 2011
10:55 pm
Just one thing to say,, this team would be WAY the flip better if Josh Smith was wearing a different uniform next year.
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