Atlanta Hawks: The doubters are back
The Hawks are a hard team for their own fans to trust even when they are going good. So it’s not surprising that the first sign of the Hawks going bad again brings out the skeptics among NBA watchers.
The Hawks had a sample of that doubt placed in their lockers today: Printouts of this column from the Orlando Sentinel’s Mike Bianchi. The more inflammatory passages were underlined for effect.
First, understand that caustic columns are part of Bianchi’s schtick. He’s a funny dude whose goal is to write provocative columns that generate buzz. And he’s not above making a full flip-flop in advancement of that goal.
For instance, before the playoffs started, Bianchi wrote the Magic should “Beware of the Hawks.” After Atlanta won Game 1, he wrote: “This was not a fluke, ladies and gentlemen. This is a trend. The Hawks have now beat the Magic four of five times this season. And let me tell you something: The Magic are in trouble. Big trouble. . . . In fact, a case could be made that the Hawks are simply better than the Magic and should be favored in this series.”
And, finally, after Atlanta’s W in Game 5, Bianchi wrote: “The Magic are now down in this series 3-1 and it’s all but over. Does anybody out there really, honestly believe the Magic can rally back from 3-1 against a talented and athletic Hawks team?”
Apparently Bianchi now thinks they can.
Jamal was the only Hawks player still around when I noticed the printouts. He was more amused than annoyed. He also apparently already is familiar with Bianchi’s flexible opinions.
“He changes with the wind,” Jamal said.
Jamal also was not impressed with the “Birdbrains” insult: “That’s a good one, huh?”"
Now all of the Hawks have heard it.
“It wasn’t my idea but I heard the article got passed around,” L.D. said. “Certainly we can use bulletin-board material. But at this stage of the game it’s just about us coming ready to do battle. I told the players after last night’s game we are still in a great position.”
It seems there aren’t many outside of Philips who still believe that. When I got home from practice, I flipped on the television to find the PTI guys doubting the Hawks.
Wilbon set it up the segment by noting that Dwight promised that if the Magic won Game 5 they would go on to win the series:
Wilbon: The Hawks appeared to treat this game like one in December. Now that’s it’s 3-2 and Atlanta has reverted to its dog form from last year’s playoffs, do you think Dwight Howard is right about that?
Kornheiser: I really don’t know about that. I am struck by the oddity of Dwight’s Howard’s performances. His team is 18-3 in games where he takes 10 or fewer shots. He took four shots last night. Then he goes and has a Wilt game with 46 and 19 and they don’t win. So I can’t get a handle on what Orlando can do and can’t do with Dwight Howard. I don’t get it.
Wilbon: That is a crazy stat and is hard to explain. But here is what matters with Orlando: They give effort. They might not play well, they do something that infuriates their coach, Stan Van Gundy. But they are paying attention and they give effort. And the Atlanta Hawks, last night, where was the effort? What were they doing? Is it because they get a home game in Game 6?
Kornheiser: Do you have them done? Do you have them losing?
Wilbon: I had Orlando winning the series and now, more than ever, I have them going to Atlanta and winning Game 6 and then taking the series.
For my blog people who also may be losing faith that the Hawks can close out this series, take solace in history–and not just that only eight of 194 NBA teams have come back from down 3-1.
Mike Prada of SB Nation says just because Game 5 was a blowout doesn’t mean the Hawks will lose the series. In fact, recent playoff results suggest they will win Game 6.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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198 comments Add your comment
NagoyaHawk
April 27th, 2011
10:31 pm
I’m just happy I can watch the game live. Thank Goodness I was working the last game. I’m not expecting much. We all know the Hawks have potential. But the best team will win the series regardless. And the Magic have found a weakness. What’s interesting is if LD can respond. I hope so but would put my money on the Magic if I were a betting man. But I stink at gambling, so Ho Gawks.
brigadierjerry
April 27th, 2011
10:39 pm
In a lot of ways Joe Johnson is a good player but he is a second tier player that is paid as if he is a 1st tier player. He isnt that type of player that will carry the team on his back on a consistent basis. He has moments but it is few and far between.Although not as good defensively and on the open court, JOhnson reminds me a lot of Scottie Pippen, especially mentally. IF you remember Pippen used to have mental issues against the Pistonsand Knicks and had to go through that but what made him go through that is he had Jordan to push him to make him a better player. The Hawks dont have an alpha male player to hold teammates accountable. Even if Joe was on an average team such as the Pacers or the Sixers he would play the same way. He needs an alpha male type player so he can blend in similar to what he was in Phoenix where he doesnt have to be the lead dog. If you think about it Johnson has better stats but he isnt that much better that say Granger .
When watching the New York Boston game 2 the other day with Carmelo and bunch of average players when stat was out he carried him on his back that team even though they still lost, you see when a team struggles and you need to grind out a win Joe Johnson really isnt that type of player.
Regardless of what happens in the playoffs for the Hawks, outside of them making the Finals, changes will have to be made.
Drew will be back because of the impending lockout. He still has one year left on his contract. They are going to fire Drew and pay for 2 coaches.
The makeup of the team will have to change and the question will be whether or not is worth trading, Horford or Smith?I think one of them will be traded. They both are power forwards but one is always playing out of their natural position. Smith should play closer to the basket and pattern his game after Zach Randolph. The only way really this team personality is going to change is for the team to acquire a star player an alpha male type personality so Joe Johnson can play the background role so to me it comes down to getting the chance to go after Howard or Paul. Have to at least try and attempt to acquire either of those two players. That will change the complexity and personality of the team. Even if they dont acquire one of them they have to try.
cp
April 27th, 2011
10:54 pm
I dont know if I have ever seen a so called “good” team lay down as much as the Hawks do. Hopefully they remember this is the playoffs and close this thing on out…. Im also hoping the Falcons draft a playmaker and not another average azz player as they have done the past few drafts ( not including Ryan)
superiorblogman
April 27th, 2011
10:55 pm
This storm will keep it from being a full house 2morrow night. The Hawks will need the fullhouse but they will still lose. This team does not deserve to win a series. You can’t just sleepwalk through the season and turn it on. I just would not be fair if you look at what we are all taught to do as right and wrong. I am a Hawks supporter but they will and should lose IMO.
cp
April 27th, 2011
11:01 pm
great game between Memphis and the Spurs.
JeJe
April 27th, 2011
11:02 pm
Horford says he feels no pressure tomorrow. He must feel we’d actually have a chance in a Game 7.
SMDH
mykhalc
April 27th, 2011
11:08 pm
for those that make excuses for the Hawks…PLEASE see MEM on how to close-out on the road!!! the effort was outstandin’!!!
mykhalc
April 27th, 2011
11:09 pm
great shot by SA!!! great game!!! WHOA!!!
JeJe
April 27th, 2011
11:09 pm
Storm could screw over our crowd tomorrow .SMDH
terrell
April 27th, 2011
11:11 pm
Spurs window has officially CLOSED. Wait a minute, it just reopened. Neal with the 3. Wow! Damn Grizz. Howd you let that happen?
terrell
April 27th, 2011
11:13 pm
Mykhalc, close out? What close out? lol
mykhalc
April 27th, 2011
11:15 pm
oooppppssss….lol
mykhalc
April 27th, 2011
11:16 pm
ok…how bout close-out effort???
drmaryb (*_-)
April 27th, 2011
11:19 pm
A Little Nugget!
This Memphis team reminds me of when The #8 Denver Nuggets and Dikembe upset the #1 seeded team (?) back in the day?
Was it ‘94 or ‘95? It was some years before Dikembe became a Hawk in a blockbuster trade. I’m pretty sure it was the beginning of The Billy Knight. era.
Can someone help me out? Any old timers still awake? LOL!
SteveW
April 27th, 2011
11:19 pm
JJ = Robin
Al = Robin
Josh = Two Face
Jamal = The Joker
Marvin = The Penguin
Teague = The Invisible Man
ZaZa = The Riddler
Etan = Solomon Grundy
Jay Richardson is Catwoman for that slap he did on ZaZa
SteveW
April 27th, 2011
11:21 pm
After the Lakers this season and probably next – the two teams to beat in the West are going to be the Thunder and the Griz. Been saying that since last summer, and I stick to it.
drmaryb (*_-)
April 27th, 2011
11:21 pm
Twin!
Dang! Mike Bibby looks just like his old man. Asst. Coach for Grizzlies.
terrell
April 27th, 2011
11:22 pm
Think it was 94. I still remember Deke laying on the floor in disbelief. lol
drmaryb (*_-)
April 27th, 2011
11:24 pm
Real Coach!
Popovich. Period.
terrell
April 27th, 2011
11:24 pm
*lying*
mykhalc
April 27th, 2011
11:26 pm
yep…
mykhalc
April 27th, 2011
11:27 pm
to be clear…co-sign drmaryb
mykhalc
April 27th, 2011
11:28 pm
MONEY Mano too!! along with Neal..
Melvin
April 27th, 2011
11:28 pm
If OKC win, then all the home teams would have won their game 5. Just a thought as so many Hawks fans are disappointed with the game 5 road lost.
SteveW
April 27th, 2011
11:30 pm
And I’m going to go ahead and call out maybe my favorite player, Al Horford.
Dude needs to quit whining about playing C, hit the weight room hard over the summer and put on about 8 lbs of solid muscle. He then needs to do the same the next summer, and the next.
He’s big enough to take all but about 5 C’s in the League. But if he wants to be a PF, he needs to learn that there’s alot more to being a PF than shooting 15-20 foot jump shots. He still needs to bang in the post. He still needs to develop some handles. He still needs a low post game.
So let ZaZa/Collins start against a few teams next season – against Bynum, Shaq (if he’s still around), Dwight and maybe a couple of others. Al can still punk Bogut, either Lopez, Bargnani and the likes. Hibbert also probably. Noah.
Al, man up and play C 75% of the time. Work out. Work on your game. Right now you don’t have the low post game, handles, or quick decision making ability to be a good PF in this League.
And did I mention your not quick enough to be a great PF in this League? If you go to PF, no more All Star games for you. 15 and 9 don’t cut it as an elite PF.
But it does as a C in the NBA right now, because we are severely lacking in Center’s in the NBA, and I don’t see many coming down the pike either.
The Real Mandingo
April 27th, 2011
11:32 pm
@drmaryb (*_-) and terrell…that Denver Nuggets team defeated the former Seattle Supersonics now Oklahoma City Thunder.
SteveW
April 27th, 2011
11:40 pm
Man, I know I was harsh on Al, but he really isn’t anything spectacular as a 4. Can’t really create his own shot either.
Find Noah’s personal trainer. Ya’ll seen the pipes that dude is growing? Al used to tower over him, but Joakim is doing the time in the weight room.
And Josh’s detriment to the team doesn’t show up in the box score, which is usually pretty good for him. His whining more than Kobe and those dudes really costs the team. Taking plays off more than the average player does also. How do you stat those things?
Yes, I know Kobe and LeBron whine. But Josh sure looks like he whines more to the detriment of the team. And most all NBA’ers take some plays off if they play alot. He just seems like he takes more plays off, or walks up the court more than others. Most everybody around the country who catches Hawks games notices it.
But his statline does look good, but he still hurts the team sometimes.
But in fairness, the only 2 Coaches Al and Josh have every known are Woody and LD. Maybe if we got a good Coach in here, Josh would be different. The guy knows the game, he just doesn’t always play it with a high IQ.
drmaryb (*_-)
April 27th, 2011
11:42 pm
terrell (don’t call me Te-Relle)!
Yeah! That was ‘94? Dikembe on the floor crying and kissing the ball!
Man, he looked so young back then, with that Dominque fade.
What a memory! That’s when teams played for the Love of Basketball!
Bobby Brown had the fade too! Them were the good ole’ days!
These Grizzlies remind me of that nuggets team. I hope the do that in their game 6.
Thanks Terrell. Mmmmmwah!
drmaryb (*_-)
April 27th, 2011
11:48 pm
The Real Mandingo?
Man you wild with that handle? Mandingo? For real?
(I better slip you my digits then).
LOL! You a straight up fool for that one!
_____________
Yeah! Seattle Supersonics … WOW! Did they have Cliff Robinson on that team and Sam Perkins and Pervis Ellison? Can you recall that starting 5 off the top of your head? (Look up boy! Your other head.)
ROF-LMBAO! I needed a good laugh tonight. As you can see, I’m refusing to talk about these Hawks today, I’m on hiatus until they give me
something to talk about.
SteveW
April 27th, 2011
11:49 pm
Nuggets are fighters. I’d like to have Karl as Coach here. I think he could do something with this team.
That Perkins trade may be one of those win/win deals. I think Green helps the Celts, especially into the future.
And Perk helps OKC now and later alot.
Slimjr
April 28th, 2011
12:13 am
Hawks have fair weather busters for players..And we so called fair weather fans can see through the bullsh_t Billy Knight and Rick Sund assembled and put on the floor..
Then you add a guy who should be coaching high school players and what do you get???
Highly overpaid busters playing pickup basketball
Najeh Davenpoop
April 28th, 2011
12:16 am
Kevin… motherf-cking… Durant.
mykhalc
April 28th, 2011
12:19 am
just saw one of our many former answers at PG on OKC sideline…Royal IIIIIIIIIIIIIvey!!!!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
April 28th, 2011
12:24 am
LMAO. Royal Ivey. The one rookie point guard Woody would start.
The Real Mandingo
April 28th, 2011
12:34 am
drmaryb (*_-)…I don’t recall the starting five for the Sonics that year but I think they had Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Hersey Hawkins, Sam Perkins, Detleff Schrempf, an old Ricky Pierce, maybe Michael Cage, Coach George Karl, maybe Alton Lister, Vincent Askew, maybe Nate McMillan, etc…check out basketball-reference.com
mykhalc
April 28th, 2011
12:36 am
aaahhhh…now i get it. the Collins start was formerly called the Ivey start!! got it!!!
Slimjr
April 28th, 2011
12:40 am
Allstar Al playing like Mr Softie……He’ll be fishing come next Allstar weekend..
This dude is overrated big time…Almost 6′11″ and no post up, cant take stiffs off the dribble, no drop step. cant shoot a turn around jumpshot, must i go on????? Technically he has what is call a set shot and he shoots it well but ALLStar material…NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! imho….
Hey Allstar AL why dont you step up carry the team..Make believe your a real Allstar for a change??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Sleepy
April 28th, 2011
12:44 am
After watching Ibakas nine blocks and 22 in 4 games ……..wow
Slimjr
April 28th, 2011
12:45 am
Congratulation to OKC for advancing on!!! Denver put up a valiant fight!!
OKC is for REAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Slimjr
April 28th, 2011
12:50 am
DeAndre Jordan and Derrick Williams would look great in a Hawks uni????
Add Tony Parker???
honest_abe
April 28th, 2011
12:53 am
royal with cheese. please.
mykhalc
April 28th, 2011
12:56 am
man…we have really had some Colonel Klinks in charge…SMH
The Truth
April 28th, 2011
1:02 am
Simply put, the Hawks loss Game 5 because they couldn’t stop Orlando’s dribble penetration created by either Nelson getting in the paint or Redick curls off screens and then passing to open shooters. If the Hawks clean that up and stay home tightly guarding their man, then the proper adjustments would have been made. At the end of the day, winning is about defense.
The reason why the Hawks should win is because Orlando’s offense is not new to them and will not change. They should know it like a book by now and should make the proper reads and adjustments. If they don’t win, then LD didn’t do his job during preparations or the players didn’t execute or both. Most of what they do offensively is through “set plays”, something that can be game planned against. They can control what they know; it’s what they don’t know that kills them. After Carter left, they really don’t have effective ISO players other than Dwight who can create his own shot in the paint. Given the Hawks familiarity with them and their predictable offense, they “Should” be able to make effective adjustment. They are basically a team that run different screens and “stunt plays” (dribble penetration by the guards or Dwight inducing a double-team) to create space for their shooters.
The Hawks, mostly an ISO team, on the other hand, is just the opposite of Orlando. Their offense is really predicated on spontaneity and improvisation. As bad as they can like at times, they can look equally as good. Game planning against them can be easy or difficult depending on whether the players are “hot” or “not”. Most of the Hawks so-call set-plays are really set ISO plays. LD basically rolls the dice and hopes he comes up with a winning hand on offense. If he does, then its “jack-pot” that night, if he doesn’t then it’s a bust. In other words, it’s feast or famine. SVG likely has to make more “on-the-fly adjustments as the game on-folds than LD. The problem, however, is if too many Hawks players get into a groove on ISO plays, they can be difficult to defend against. Playoff Game 1 was a good example. Yes Orlando was flat, but often times, Orlando defense had no answer for the Hawks “hot” offense in that game. I repeat, in that game.
Given the magnitude of game 6, I expect the Hawks to at least be the most focus in front of the home crowd. Predicting anything further beyond my previous comment makes me a bigger gambler than LD.
We definitely shall see
The Truth
April 28th, 2011
1:07 am
*as the game unfolds
The Truth
April 28th, 2011
1:10 am
*The Hawks can control what they know; it’s what they don’t know that kills them.
Slimjr
April 28th, 2011
1:12 am
ISO and JC1 will get it done.If you waiting for Allstar Al, Josh and Marvin to carry a team..You’ll be waiting alllllllllllllooooong time…………..
Eric
April 28th, 2011
1:21 am
Most of the criticism I read here in regards to Horford is really pretty off-base. He’s not perfect, but he’s by far the most valuable player on this team. He’s solid and consistent, just about every night, and he almost never makes dumb decisions that hurt the team. People on this blog will nitpick about every single flaw in any player’s game when it comes to this roster, but the fact of the matter is that you just don’t appreciate what you have. You can talk trash about Al, Steve, but you and I both know that you can’t name 5 players better than Horford at either the C or PF position. When you factor in his high IQ, offensive and defensive contributions, as well as his intangible qualities off the court, it’s tough to come out with many better big men in this league.
There’s a reason why the national media, which thrives on poking at player flaws, praises Horford as much as they do whenever they write about him. It’s because he deserves it. There’s a reason why the coaches vote him onto the All-star team and openly admire him. It’s because they know how valuable he is on any team. Also, I’ll take the opinions of people who have actual NBA experience and whom have played/coached against Horford over the opinions of couch critics on this blog who have never played a second of NBA basketball.
News flash, not every player in this league has flaws, some more than others, but sometimes you don’t appreciate what you have until it’s gone. Sometimes I wish that guys like Al were traded to another team so you could see what it would be like without them.
Eric
April 28th, 2011
1:23 am
Correction on my last post – *EVERY* player in this league has flaws…
Ignore the not in that sentence in the original post.
The Hawks Are (A puzzling team)
April 28th, 2011
3:06 am
“take solace in history–and not just that only eight of 194 NBA teams have come back from down 3-1″
yeah but I doubt many people were picking the hawks to get beat as badly as they did last year. Numbers mean nothing when it comes to this team.
Heck as bad as game 5 was I’m inclined to believe that games 6 and 7 will be much of the same, with the Hawks reverting completely to last years form and the magic blowing them out and advancing. I’d like for them to prove me wrong but I really don’t think they will.
“But at this stage of the game it’s just about us coming ready to do battle. I told the players after last night’s game we are still in a great position.”
the thing about talk is that’s all it is .. talk. Talking is easy, backing it up is something the Hawks also find difficult to do.
Grandad
April 28th, 2011
4:12 am
1993-1994 Supersonics Roster:
Gary Payton
Shawn Kemp
Nate McMillan
Detlef Schrempf
Michael Cage
Kendall Gill
Sam Perkins
Vincent Askew
Ricky Pierce
Steve Scheffler
Ervin Johnson
Rich King
Chris King
Alphonso Ford
Coach George Karl