Atlanta Hawks: They sure do take bad shots sometimes
From what I’m hearing, the TNT talkers spent a lot of time last night ragging on the Hawks for their poor shot selection. This just in. . . .
I can imagine the collective shrugs of my blog people who know this team and have become accustomed to (if not totally accepting of) its weaknesses. I also figure you are annoyed by the national nit-picking of those warts by people just now paying attention to the Hawks and who hadn’t bothered to take a moment to look at numbers which clearly show they love jump shots (and are pretty good at making them).
I assure you it’s nothing personal. The same thing happened at this time last year. People who hadn’t watched the Hawks all year and/or analyze their tendencies were appalled to discover that Joe spent a lot of time dribbling on one side of the floor as his teammates watched or that Josh gets frustrated by calls and loses focus.
I remember my response to puzzled Orlando media types querying me about those topics: “Um, yeah. That’s the Hawks.” And whenever I would make an observation about the team they cover regularly, they would say: “Um, yeah. That’s the Magic.”
So here we are again. The Hawks are getting roasted for being the Hawks. We’ve seen it the last three games: The Hawks built a sizable lead by generally taking good shots and making them, then lost it by generally taking bad shots and missing them (or missing more of the good ones).
It’s not as if the Hawks don’t understand what’s going on.
“We have to be smarter with our shot selection, especially when we are up,” Al said. “I think guys want to put it away with one play, one big three or something. But it doesn’t work that way. If you are not hitting you have to do something different. Attack more, change it up.”
How long have we been hearing that from these guys? It’s April 25 and so it’s doubtful they are going to change their habits now. And, really, oftentimes the Hawks are only encouraged to keep jacking Js by their early success.
Consider Game 4. According to Synergy Sports Technology, the Hawks had five isolation plays in the first quarter and scored a robust eight points, all on jump shots. In the second quarter they scored three points on two isos. In the third they scored three points on five isos. And in the final period, they scored seven points on eight isos.
In all, the Hawks scored 22 points on on 20 isolation plays in Game 4, with all but four of those points by way of jumper. I’m guessing the TNT talkers weren’t ripping the Hawks for shooting too many Js when they had it rolling early.
The problem isn’t that the Hawks can’t score that way but, as Al points out, they still don’t seem to be able to grasp that when that way is not working and then find another way (though J.J. getting to the basket and to the free-throw line in the fourth quarter was a positive step).
“The last couple games then third-quarter shot selection has been a problem,” L.D. said. “Not being patient enough in moving the basketball. When we do move the ball and have been patient we’ve gotten good things out of it. When we start pounding the ball and we start playing a little one-on-one it gets a little stagnant.
“We watch film every day and point these things out. You hope that, particularly in the playoffs, these guys can see where they do get stagnant and they can say, ‘OK, here is what we need to do here, here is what we need to do there,’ because we have shown in this series when we do move the basketball we become tougher to defend. But when we start standing around and pounding the ball and start settling for 3-point shots, we become easy to defend.”
L.D. knows it, the players know it, you know it, I know it . . . hell, anyone who pays attention to the Hawks knows it. And now the national talkers know it, too, since they are watching the Hawks.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
244 comments Add your comment
JeJe
April 26th, 2011
3:03 pm
Fundamentals, good to see you here. Where you been brotha?
Great point by drmaryb about The Lakers shaking it up.
To add Blake, Barnes and Ratliff is huge (even if Ratliff is nonexistent). All they have to do now is get rid of Luke Walton (useless basketball player. What’s he make? 6M a year?).
MUST-WIN mentality tonight. Even if we win, we won’t shut up anyone because the Magic are pretty wack.
Let’s WIN tonight and get ready for Chicago, BEAT THEM and then maybe we get some respect.
MUST-WIN MENTALITY TONIGHT
JeJe
April 26th, 2011
3:04 pm
It’s weird that you see Smoove make good calls on bad coaching (leaving Horford or whoever on the bench a few weeks ago which cost us the game), yet he is the one making the idiotic comments like “they did what they were supposed to do and won homecourt.” Hope he is focused tonight
I don’t see any reason in the world to think Smoove or Marvin will step up tonight since this whole series has been about our guards and our big defense in general. I really thought Smoove would step up the other night
Najeh Davenpoop
April 26th, 2011
3:05 pm
“If the Hawks had drafted CP3 or Deron? Common sense says they WOULD have gotten pt! Why? Aaaah. Duuh …
1. They are lottery picks! That means you are one of 5 worst team in the NBA who had no PG ahead of them.”
Acie Law was a lottery pick and Woody wouldn’t play him over Tyronn Lue and Anthony Johnson. Of course in 2005 the expectations for the Hawks were lower than they were in 2007, so presumably one could make the argument that Woody might have been more willing to give CP3 or Deron playing time as rookies. Even if that was the case though, how good would either player have turned out with Mr. I-don’t-give-a-sh-t-about-offense coaching them instead of Byron Scott or Jerry Sloan? Who knows.
mykhalc
April 26th, 2011
3:05 pm
and i stand by my KA BOOM…no matter how far they go!!! tired of watchin’ AAU ball…PERIOD!!! been doin’ it for the last 3 seasons…at least…
JeJe
April 26th, 2011
3:06 pm
Good thing for Lakers is they never have to worry about who will be their next PG since I’m pretty sure any PG in the NBA would love to play there
Najeh Davenpoop
April 26th, 2011
3:07 pm
True story — when I was at Game 4 and Marvin checked in for the first time, two people sitting in front of me got up and started walking around with their ass sticking out Marvin-style. The legend of Duck just continues to grow.
mykhalc
April 26th, 2011
3:09 pm
Barkley summed up my feelings about certain players on this team…tho he wasn’t specifically about the Hawks. to paraphrase…’people always talk about this and that player’s potential and the next thing you know is their career is over/nearly over and you’re STILL talkin’ about their ‘potential’!!! PLEASE see Josh and Marvin…
JeJe
April 26th, 2011
3:12 pm
Najeh, I have no idea what happened with Acie.
I watched his gamewinners from college on YouTube a thousand times before the draft and even after and never understood how someone who stayed 4 years, who was mature and strong, could be so awful.
His wrist has always been awful too.
I’m pretty happy with Kirk though. Hope to see some Kirk altercations in round 2. The altercations really fire this team up – the technical fouls too (I’m not talking about the T’s Smoove gets when it’s a 4 point game and he’s arguing about some BS or hitting the net)
Najeh Davenpoop
April 26th, 2011
3:12 pm
“if this happens, it would validate 1.teague DID NOT need any pt ”
Even if the Hawks win the NBA Finals it doesn’t validate not playing Teague. Kirk is good, but he is still not a long term solution at point guard. Maybe Teague is a long term solution (I certainly think he can be), maybe he’s not, but refusing to develop your young players is poor asset management regardless of how good you are as a team, especially if you refuse to go over the luxury tax.
TC
April 26th, 2011
3:13 pm
210th!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
April 26th, 2011
3:15 pm
^^not playing Teague in the regular season, that is. In the playoffs, you go with what’s working, and as long as the current three-guard back court rotation is working I’m not going to get too caught up over Teague not getting playing time now. But in the regular season, there is no excuse.
JeJe
April 26th, 2011
3:15 pm
I hate when players always use “try” when talking about road games. Will never forget Hawks vs. Boston in 2008 when Woodson said “let’s try and win one here.”
How about “let’s go out there and win this one” or something more CONFIDENT?
LD said we will “try” win tonight. Why would you “try” vs a team you have owned this year?
JeJe
April 26th, 2011
3:16 pm
Woodson said that during a huddle shown on Nat’l TV
mykhalc
April 26th, 2011
3:16 pm
oh yeah…the ALPHA dawg has shown himself..Jamal!!!! so what does the ASG do with their newly, self-anointed alpha dawg come this summer??? just wonderin’?? of course i’m hopin’ there is new alpha ownership come summer….
Najeh Davenpoop
April 26th, 2011
3:19 pm
“Najeh, I have no idea what happened with Acie.
I watched his gamewinners from college on YouTube a thousand times before the draft and even after and never understood how someone who stayed 4 years, who was mature and strong, could be so awful.”
Same here. I thought Acie was as close to a sure thing as there was in that draft. I was at the draft party that year and I can’t remember seeing a single person who disapproved of that pick. Even the Al Horford pick wasn’t universally liked (I remember there was one really vocal fan with a “Draft Yi” sign) but from what I remember the Acie pick got a standing O. Dude was a beast in college. No idea why he didn’t pan out.
JeJe
April 26th, 2011
3:21 pm
It sucks Mike Conley didn’t have more bad workouts and didn’t fall to us.
The good thing is Acie is still rotting in the NBA (if he manages to stay in the league), so it’s not like we’ve drafted a bad PG yet
As long as Kirk keeps hitting shots and playing solid defense, I could not be happier
mykhalc
April 26th, 2011
3:23 pm
always liked Kirk as a player…
SteveW
April 26th, 2011
3:30 pm
One of the most amazing stats I’ve ever read. From Hardwood Paroxysm:
‘According to NBA StatsCube, in 72 minutes with Jason Collins on the court, the Magic have scored 76.5 points per 100 possessions. The Milwaukee Bucks ranked last in the NBA this year at 99.0″
So we’re holding the Magic to 22.5 pts per 100 possesions less than the worst team in the NBA had in that category when Collins is on the court.
Unbelievable.
James Tracy
April 26th, 2011
3:35 pm
they have to take bad shots cause none of them can get to the rim! they need this guy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hSa3kL5Ig4&feature=channel_video_title better than teague and is from atlanta..
Rev in Tampa
April 26th, 2011
3:40 pm
Four more hours til tip-off. I’m really looking forward to tonight’s game.
I’m actually surprised that I am so eager to watch the game since that 2nd and 3rd quarter really turned my stomach last game. I’m hopeful that the Hawks will take care of business tonight.
drmaryb (*_-)
April 26th, 2011
3:48 pm
Romulin! (Star Trek – The Next Generation)
“@doc…LOL doc, NOBODY has a build like Marvin…cross between a duck and penguin…then again it’s probably some undiscovered species!!! well i know i NEVER seen one before Marvin!!!LO”
_________________________
I told yall, mykhalc! Marvin has a fore-brain and a hind-brain.
He looks like the Romulin species on Star Trek. That hind brain is so big, I can’t tell if he is coming or going. I’m so confused.
doc
April 26th, 2011
3:53 pm
myk take another look the next time they play hilton.
drmaryb (*_-)
April 26th, 2011
3:55 pm
Glenn Beck! LOL! Good Stuff!
We really needed a laugh out loud on the blog this week.
Everyone is so nervous, because we want our Hawks to win so bad.
It’s us against the world – like TuPac said in that song.
Tonight is a win my fellas – trust me: I’m a doctor. LOL!
Seriously though, the same obstacles the Magic have are still there.
Their back court hasn’t gotten any taller since Sunday and they didn’t become better on perimeter defense over night.
Its A wrap!
mykhalc
April 26th, 2011
3:57 pm
@drmaryb…LOL if you’re confused bein’ a doctor i KNOW i don’t have a chance figurin’ it out!!!LOL
doc, i will but i hope you ain’t right!!!
KevinM
April 26th, 2011
4:06 pm
Northcyde: “This is what Hubie was talking about last year during the playoffs. Figure out where your guys are most efficient, and try to get them shots in those areas.”
I wonder what LD is doing if he isn’t emphasizing this…perhaps he is, but if he was, then we will have seen the last JSmoove jumper in the playoffs. That one trip down the court to end in that jumper just does me in….like I have said before, I am an advocate of JSmoove as a must-have on this team, but if he continues to jack up those missile launchers, I dumb myself down for supporting him. Its possible that JSmoove leads us in wasted trips down the court when he has the ball in his hands….whether its a bad pass, a bailout shot, or just Curly Nealing it with the ball.
And JSmoove at the 3 is only beneficial if he is active on the offensive glass. That is definitely a Marvin weakness. Can’t LD see that going on? My high school coach would be drilling that into me all practice to get his point across….and high school was 3 decades ago.
KevinM
April 26th, 2011
4:11 pm
SteveW, I couldn’t believe that stat either….talk about a wake up call for us! LD should be made aware of that, and have Collins ready to go for 30+minutes.
Can he avoid fouling to make it that long?
JeJe
April 26th, 2011
4:15 pm
We’ve had an 8-10 point lead in every game.
Orlando has NOT beaten us in a week.
Let’s get that lead in the 2nd, GET SMART SHOTS OFF, and build the damn lead.
So ready for ZaZa to be back tonight. Just hope he stays controlled and doesn’t do anything stupid offensively.
Also, did anyone else notice we passed the ball into the post to Collins 2-3 times in game 4? WHY? One or two of the plays ending up being idiotic turnovers
drmaryb (*_-)
April 26th, 2011
4:16 pm
Purple Stuff!
Hey mykhalc!
isn’t KA BOOM that purple stuff the sell on TV info-mercials and at
Big Lot’s? That stuff is really hard to find. I wonder if it really works.
If I find some? I send a case of it over to The ASKG Corporate Offices.
They’ll probably have the ATF come out and sniff it, before they dare open the shipment. I’m just saying.
KevinM
April 26th, 2011
4:17 pm
JeJe
April 26th, 2011
3:21 pm
It sucks Mike Conley didn’t have more bad workouts and didn’t fall to us
Jeje, now you know good and well what Woody would have done to the psyche of Mike Conley Jr? His agent dad would have blown a fuse watching him rot on the bench and only appearing in summer league games.
It really didn’t matter, and as we know, CP3 wasn’t even considered…what does that tell you about the braintrust here when that was your biggest need at that time and still is?
J-Smoove
April 26th, 2011
4:21 pm
I wish Coach Drew would tell Josh that if he shoots a 3, then he will be joining him and the rest of the coaching staff on the bench for the next 4 to 5 minutes. The only time Josh should ever take a 3 is if the ball happens to be in his hand at the end of the shot clock or quarter and he happens to be behind the 3 point line. GO HAWKS!!!
mykhalc
April 26th, 2011
4:28 pm
@drmaryb…now that you mention it you could be right!!! it would be fittin’ if it is at BIG LOTS…would match the kinda penny ownership they are
JeJe
April 26th, 2011
4:38 pm
I guess if we want Smoove to stop taking jumpshots, we need to stop putting him at the 3. WHen he is posting up and getting in the lane, he is much more effective.
We should use our regular lineup vs. Chicago WHEN we advance, and trade Smoove this offseason.
Would trade Smoove for Al Jeff in a heartbeat, but too bad Utah has a thousand good PFs/Wings
drmaryb (*_-)
April 26th, 2011
4:40 pm
Bringing Down The Law!
“Najeh Davenpoop
“If the Hawks had drafted CP3 or Deron? Common sense says they WOULD have gotten pt! Why? Aaaah. Duuh …
April 26th, 2011
3:05 pm
1. They are lottery picks! That means you are one of 5 worst team in the NBA who had no PG ahead of them.”
“Acie Law was a lottery pick and Woody wouldn’t play him over Tyronn Lue and Anthony Johnson.”
_________________
But, at the same he DID play Josh and Marvin. Clearly if Acie could not beat out the re-treads ahead of him in practice, because he had no reliable shot, nor in games when it really mattered.
Surely, you are not suggesting that the #10 pick has shown anything remotely close to the brilliance of CP3 or Deron in the NBA thus far?
nd, we are still yet to witness Acie crack any roster’s rotation at all. Be it, Memphis and clearly not over in The Golden State – Oakland, CA.
The real question is: Where is Acie Law not Green now?
Answer: They are both probably at home watching the flat screen tonight.
________________________
Clearly CP3 and Deron’s talent would have been undeniable for any fool to see? Yes, even the foolish Mr. Woodson. He would have discovered they were GREAT in a divine dream or by pure accident.
Come on Najeh …. I mean, really? -wink wink-
Ron Jeremy
April 26th, 2011
4:42 pm
I like it when guys stand up and fight like men,” Van Gundy said Saturday. “I think that is what the game is all about. The one thing that frustrates me is all the flopping.
Ron Jeremy
April 26th, 2011
4:43 pm
The one thing I learned is our guys are a lot stronger than I thought they were
drmaryb (*_-)
April 26th, 2011
4:45 pm
mykhalc
Sorry, about all those typos. This B-Berry is so small, it’s hard to type and proof read. But, yeah! That KA BOOM stuff is probably the stuff ASKG would go for, price-wise. The do skimp on the good-stuff!
LOL!
Ron Jeremy
April 26th, 2011
4:45 pm
Zaza Flopchulia is a disgrace to the league
Jay Dubu
April 26th, 2011
4:50 pm
Magic will win tonight, and the Hawks will close it out back at The Highlight Factory!!
Chicago can be beat, and the Hawks are capable of getting it done.
drmaryb (*_-)
April 26th, 2011
5:05 pm
Purpose!
SteveW, stats don’t lie – true. But, they don’t apply here.
Collins – Purpose Driven Life – is not to wow us with stats, his sole purpose is to occupy and bother Dwight, while our perimeter guards defend the 3 point shooters.
How’s that working?
Answer: Brilliant!
drmaryb (*_-)
April 26th, 2011
5:15 pm
SteveW
I don’t think I understand that Collin’s stat you posted?
Can you explain it to me like I’m a 3 year old. I read it six times and I can’t figure out if it’s a good thing or a bad thing?
drmaryb (*_-)
April 26th, 2011
5:18 pm
JeJe
We led by 18 in game 1 and by 16 in game 3 as well. We were blowing the doors off, before the silliness began.
sam'l
April 26th, 2011
5:26 pm
I think you can expect…….Turkoglu (sp?) and Richardson will be fired up to prove themselves……Howard will put some power in his shots……that there will be an altercation before 6 minutes in the game…..someone may well get hurt…..Orlando will shoot a lot better if they’re open and they will give it an all out shot because of the desperation factor……also the zone that showed itself against the Hawks will pop up again at a critical time
Those guys aren’t dead yet…..and they seriously believe they are better than the Hawks in every way……they still will think that way even when they lose the series…
sam'l
April 26th, 2011
5:28 pm
Clarification….Orlando will be more accurate on shots this game……correcting above
C’mon Hawks…..
Barry
April 26th, 2011
5:52 pm
HeyY’all:
What are you guys talking about “BAD SHOTS”. There are bad shots taken by teams all over the NBA. Some teams prefer long shots and some prefer layups. Our HAWKS are more adept to jump shooting than layups. You look at Orlando taking long shots. Now, are they called a bad shooting team? Now our HAWKS shoot the long ball, and making them,and now we are called “taking bad shots.” RAY ALLEB OFTHE CELTICS DOES IT. IT’s A BAD SHOT WHEN THEY MISS IT, CONSISTANTLY. CHARLES BARKLEY NEED TO “SHUT HIS MOUTH ON THIS.” HE WAS NOT A GUARD SO HE DOES NOT KNOW THE BEUATY OF GUARDS SHOOTING AND SPECIALIZING IN THE LONG BALL. I say it’s a bad shot if you miss it, as with any shot in Basketball. If a guy can shoot the long ball on a consistant basis, that’s his shot. Reggie Miller was not called for taking “bad shots’ in his NBA career because he makes them on a consistant basis. Joe Johnson, Jamaal Crawford, and Hinrich all make their long shots on a consistant basis. Why stop shooting it if they miss one. Folks that are crying “bad shots” never played basketball!!! These are the bar room guys who in high school and college only wathched the game from the stands. Basketball players know how to shoot. They all have their particular shots that they prefer. A bad shot to one player may be a “GREAT” shot and an easy shot for someone else. Therfore, HAWKLS, SHOOT THE DAMN BALL. Y’ALL DOING A DAMN GOOD JOB. THE HECK WITH THAT BAD SHOT PROPAGANDA FROM ARM CHAIR NON HAWK FANS. PLAY BALL!!!!
NOW!! ARE YOU READY TO RUUUUUUUUUUMBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LET’S GO HAWKS!!!!! LET”S GO HAWKS!!!!! “SHOCK THE WORLD!!!! LET’s GET A KNOCKOUT!!! AND WE DID NOT EVEN DO “THE SHUFFLE” YET!!!!
“TAKE THAT SHOT!!!” IT’S YOURS!!!!!!
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
This is a SECRET from a HAWK FAN! TELL EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
…………………….”SHOCK THE WORLD!!!…………………