Bulls at Atlanta Hawks Game 6: All-NBA Al
Al was named third-team All-NBA. It’s the 24th time a Hawks player made one of the three teams. J.J. didn’t get a single vote from media after making the third team last season.
“I wasn’t really wasn’t expecting it,” Al said. “It’s really a great feeling. I’m very honored, I really am.”
Al had a great year and got plenty of pub for it, so why wouldn’t he think he had a shot?
“When you are so focused on the playoffs don’t really keep up with things like that,” he said. “And when you think about [All-NBA], it’s an elite group. I’m just really honored to be part of it. It just kind of shows the hard work I put in has been paying off.”
As we’ve seen in the playoffs, there’s more work for Al to do. Based on his history there’s little reason to doubt he will put in the hourse and, given that he’s not yet 25, there’s also reason to believe he will improve.
L.D. said Al’s development has been “truly remarkable” but both he and Al agreed he hasn’t reached his ceiling.
“A guy of his size and his ability, one area of improvement he really needs to make is his footwork,” Drew said. “On the block, he can score. He has skills down there but there is improvement to be made in that box area. He has certainly shown his ability, mid-range, to shoot the basketball. Prior to this year people didn’t see as a real pick-and-pop guy. He has turned into one of the deadliest shooters in the mid range.”
Al said he wants he wants to extend his range this summer.
“I haven’t thought about it that thoroughly, but some of the things I want is to be a better shooter, especially branch out a little more,” he said. “To be able to put the ball on the floor a little more–one dribble, two dribble and take it all the way. Those are things this summer I am really going to put a lot of emphasis on.”
Notes
- Same lineup tonight.
- The message on the Hawks’ locker room board at shootaround today: “Plane leaves for MIA 2:30 on Tues.”
- Teague on running the team: “We’ve got a lot of good shooters on this team. I’ve got to give them the ball where they can continue to play hard.”
- Josh on Teague’s feel for when to attack and when to facilitate: “That takes time, with minutes. He’s learning as we speak. We’ve got to be patient.”
- Smoove on being the catalyst: “I understand. It’s not pressure for me. I’ve dealt with it for a while. That’s just the DNA. I have to get off to a good start and be aggressive, especially on the defensive end. “
- L.D. on fourth-quarter offense: “We just have to move the ball. That’s just the bottom line. We can’t start isolating; we can’t start holding the ball. If you just hold the ball and try to play one-on-one you play right into their hands.”
- L.D. on Josh not retaliating against Boozer: “I don’t think there will be a carryover effect at all. Josh is professional enough to know he has to do that. All that does is plays right into their hands. It takes him out of his game, which I am sure they want. He has to be professional. It’s in the past.”
- Chicago media types were asking the Bulls if they are looking ahead to the Heat. D-Rose: “Definitely we want to get it over with but it’s not over with. We still have a game. We are anxious. We can’t look ahead.”
- It’s worth remembering that the Hawks have already exceeded expectations in the playoffs while the Bulls have underachieved relative to their regular season. That’s why L.D. thinks the Bulls are feeling pressure despite leading the series. “Going into the series, no one thought there would be a Game 6,” he said. “I give credit to my players. I think they have stepped up to the challenge. We have nothing to lose. We are going to lay it our on the line.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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772 comments Add your comment
drmaryb (*_-)
May 12th, 2011
10:35 pm
For Sale!
KevinM
If ASKG sells the Thrashers, their new problem will be:
Who will occupy the arena for the other 365 – 41 days and generate revenue to pay the building lease? That is 324 days with the arena blacked out.
The Forum shares their building lease with the clippers.
The Atlanta Dream does not draw anywhere near a light bill from their games.
ASKG please sell these teams and just leave Atlanta.
You did nothing to help this team get past round 2, you 8 feces throwing. Orangutans are the equivalent of a generic tequila bottle –
NOTHING. That’s what you do for this city, these fans.
We don’t need no losers – We deserve a winner!
CONservative Johnson
May 12th, 2011
10:35 pm
All-NBA Al was TERRIBLE in this series . . . but he’ll get a pass as usual!
JeJe
May 12th, 2011
10:36 pm
ASKG please sell these teams and just leave Atlanta.
You did nothing to help this team get past round 2, you 8 feces throwing.
LOL
YES
cp
May 12th, 2011
10:36 pm
looked like the same group who quit on Woodrow last year. changes are needed
KevinM
May 12th, 2011
10:36 pm
4 years of blowouts sure leave a bad taste…yet, we are still building after 7 years.
And here the Heat and Bulls prove you can do it in 1 year.
SMH at the ASG….can we find a buyer?
flea
May 12th, 2011
10:36 pm
finally found our point guard… but found out everybody else is garbarge.
Lp
May 12th, 2011
10:36 pm
Keep Teague Joe and Josh please find a center.
JeJe
May 12th, 2011
10:37 pm
great SERIES MARVIN
YOU ARE A SUPERSTAR
UNDERRATED
MOST UNDERRATED IN LEAGUE
NO
YOU ARE THE WORST PLAYER IN THE NBA
Ms.Chi
May 12th, 2011
10:37 pm
i hate the heat i hope my bulls sweep them like we did this regular season …good series hawks fans
truthspitter
May 12th, 2011
10:37 pm
Slimjr
May 12th, 2011
10:27 pm
truthspitter
May 12th, 2011
8:09 pm
Al is garbage. He never rolls on the pick and roll, just a soft popper.
My prediction by 8:30 you will all realize the truth and that is the season is over for our beloved Hawks.”
So right……………….
Told you Slim. Now I will tell you this Heat in a sweep. Heat will get just as many or more calls and it want even be close
terrell
May 12th, 2011
10:37 pm
Break um up. Go get D12.
Horford/Marvin/Zaza and two 1sts for D12 and Bass.
Teague/Joe/Damien/Josh/Dwight
Kirk/Jamal?/Josh/Bass/Twin
mykhalc
May 12th, 2011
10:38 pm
yep…inexcusable performance in an elimination game!!! THIS is exactly why fans can NOT get totally behind this team. KA BOOM is here at last!!!
terrell
May 12th, 2011
10:38 pm
Hawks sign and trade for Dwight.
Do it! Only way we can compete with Miami and Chicago.
bird
May 12th, 2011
10:39 pm
I used to think Horford was the man, but this series showed that Al is very average at best. Trade Horford for a real Center. If the Hawks had a real center to dump the ball down to, that would open up the perimeter for our jump shooters.
CONservative Johnson
May 12th, 2011
10:39 pm
Al Horford and picks, or whatever it takes, for Dwight . . .
Keep Teague and Josh; plus we’re stuck with Joe “No Go” Johnson . . .
Do not resign Jamal Crawford, he flamed out big time and became a liability both on offense and defense . . .
mykhalc
May 12th, 2011
10:39 pm
gotta go with CHI over the HEAT…
JeJe
May 12th, 2011
10:40 pm
WE DID NOT COMMIT ONE HARD FOUL IN THIS ENTIRE SERIES
THE ONLY TIME WE EVER SHOWED ANY HEART WAS WHEN SMOOVE PUSHED BOOZER
Choosen1
May 12th, 2011
10:40 pm
I was a Al Horford supporter but i truely would choose Josh Smith as my starter at PF Smith has more heart and pride then good ol AL (He never showed up)
bigdave
May 12th, 2011
10:40 pm
just dont have that CF personnel.. depth killed us..
Wade/lebron
Durant/Westbrook
Rose
Dirk
fitting final 4
mykhalc
May 12th, 2011
10:40 pm
and we KNOW D12 ain’t comin’ nowhere close to this franchise…
loy
May 12th, 2011
10:41 pm
A lot of you did not see the talent Josh Smith have. That tell me that you dont know a talented player. An you to Mark Bradley and who ever else wanted to trade him .
Lp
May 12th, 2011
10:41 pm
Horford has 0 post game
KevinM
May 12th, 2011
10:41 pm
DMB, big shoes to fill if the Thrashers leave….Does Glavine have a chance to help keep them here?
If the Thrashers leave…
You can always get Beiber and the Disney money machine to come to Philips right?
Indoor soccer
The American Idol tour
Take away some of the events from the Gwinnett Arena…they are holding their own.
Bring in the Yellow Jackets for next year…they need a home for a minimum of a year….probably 2.
Have a couple of early season basketball tourneys, high school, local college flair…..Kennesaw/Ga. State/Tech/Georgia….call it the ‘can’t keep the top talent in the state’ tourney.
Thrashers leave….lots of opportunities.
terrell
May 12th, 2011
10:42 pm
If we bring back this same ole “core”, including LD, I’m done.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 12th, 2011
10:43 pm
Marvin can’t even stand out in garbage time. Pape Sy > Marvin.
m.Jones
May 12th, 2011
10:43 pm
ASG should dig into their pockets and pay Dwight Howard whatever he wants to come here. Fire Drew and hire an experienced coach. Let JC go. Keep Teague, Josh and trade any of the others if they can get anything of value. Shoot Marvin.
CONservative Johnson
May 12th, 2011
10:44 pm
Braves stink, Hawks might be locked out . . . please save us NFL/Falcons!
Ted Turner sure became visible (interested in buying the Hawks? please? please? PLEASE?I)
mykhalc
May 12th, 2011
10:44 pm
Marvin’s play is just sad…
KevinM
May 12th, 2011
10:45 pm
How about a Hawks’ draft party? oh, wait! We don’t have a draft pick to draft with…..
With the 58th pick in the 2011 NBA draft, the Atlanta Hawks select Jimmer Fredette, college player of the year, BYU.
bird
May 12th, 2011
10:45 pm
Shout out to Jeff Teague for ballin the entire series.
KevinM
May 12th, 2011
10:46 pm
DMB, if there’s a lockout, there are going to be alot more open dates at Philips to worry about than just the Thrashers….
cp
May 12th, 2011
10:46 pm
Al has no post game but dude is talking about working on his range…….Marvin still has weak handles, cant create his own shot,cant finish at the rim.. Real changes are needed.
Slimjr
May 12th, 2011
10:46 pm
@Truth
“Told you Slim. Now I will tell you this Heat in a sweep. Heat will get just as many or more calls and it want even be close”
I co-sign!!
Miami in the Finals……
M.Jones
May 12th, 2011
10:46 pm
To ASG and Sund:
Derrick Rose is a $120 million dollar type player not Joe “slow thinking” Johnson.
MistaGamer
May 12th, 2011
10:46 pm
$126M just doesn’t buy you what it used to…
Inflation???… Or dummies writing the checks???
Wabe
May 12th, 2011
10:48 pm
not really depth big dave.
our ‘heavy hitters’ didn’t come to play this series, and if they did, it was only in moments.
Again, I’ll let Joe’s usual defense team handle the blog vs. Joe case.
Al Horford really lost me throughout the course of these playoffs. He came out lookin mad soft and very expendable.
Jamal is what he’s always been. Streaky, and can’t be counted on in the biggest moments.
J.Smith still has flaws, and still needs to improve. But all in all, the dude came to play. That’s all I can ask. That and cut down on the jumpers, and we’re good.
Jeff Teague, the only real lone Hawk that deserves not an ounce of criticism.
Where they go from here, I could care less. They won’t blow it up. Hypothetically, if they did, I’d be crackin’ up even harder at the trade for Hinrich. You move forward with what you have, but you make a move this offseason. Members of this squad aren’t getting drastically better anytime soon. The upside is there for some of these guys, but look at what you’re competing with in the East. Really, if this organization is serious about moving this team forward (I have doubts that they care), then move a valuable member of this core. Do it.
Slimjr
May 12th, 2011
10:48 pm
WITH THE 2005 #2 LOTTERY PICK THE ATLANTA BLOWOUTS TAKE MARVINA WILLIAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHO????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
May 12th, 2011
10:49 pm
Boy do I wish Drew were through.
ASG sells the team so I wouldn’t this blue.
Sund, catch a jet and fly off into the Sund-set.
JJ needs a change of scenery but he’ll stick around you can bet.
The offense needs to run through Teague just yet.
No more benching our youth for washed up vets.
Choking like Jamal did – man I miss Jason ‘Jet’
G.I. 74FOLK GDN
May 12th, 2011
10:49 pm
How smart can you expect a team to play when Josh Smith admits he still thinks taking jumpers benefits the team, and Joe Johnson fell in love and impregnated a stripper? Bunch of dumb ass Atlanta ninjas.
The Hawks are use just like the pathetic city of Atlanta, wanna be big league city.
- regards from Chicagoland (Gary, Indiana)
bigdave
May 12th, 2011
10:50 pm
i toast to that Bird..
he put my worries about the pg position to bed. the curse of Marvin is over.. now lets cut ties.
Jeff improves his range and look out.. too bad our starting C which is how he’s listed on an Atlanta Hawks depth chart is taking a guard approach to the off season..
Slimjr
May 12th, 2011
10:50 pm
AL FOR JAVALE AND JC2!
vava74
May 12th, 2011
10:50 pm
Rose seems to be a really nice kid.
I would like the Bulls to win it. It would make us look better than we really are
Another fan’s perspective:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Apxz_ooJleVY4m6vxnLPMBpzPKB4?slug=ycn-8452783
Jamal shot .333 from the field and .173 from 3 point land in this series.
Still, he averaged 30 minutes per game.
In his defense, I think the refs stopped whistling any contact he got, but the hard fact is that in many shots he was trying to get the calls so badly that he became so notorious as an in-flight flopper that the refs simply don’t want to reward him and additionally don’t call when he gets really hit.
ant banks
May 12th, 2011
10:52 pm
terrell
May 12th, 2011
10:42 pm
If we bring back this same ole “core”, including LD, I’m done.
TERRELL,
i guess that you are done thing. this is ALL that sund brags about…THE CORE. he always talks about “upside” of our players. we did “better” in the 2nd round, which is somethin’ that we haven’t done in 10 yrs. blah, blah, effin’ blah
truthspitter
May 12th, 2011
10:52 pm
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=3jy95s5
Joe Johnson
Al Horford
Kirk Hinrich
for
Andrew Bogut
Corey Maggette
John Salmons
Drew Gooden
Ms.Chi
May 12th, 2011
10:52 pm
i aint a hawks fan but dont hate on ya team
Najeh Davenpoop
May 12th, 2011
10:52 pm
If Atlanta is wannabe big league, what is Gary Indiana, wannabe T-ball?
terrell
May 12th, 2011
10:53 pm
Sorta glad it’s over in a way.
Slimjr
May 12th, 2011
10:53 pm
“Joe Johnson fell in love and impregnated a stripper?”
No wonder he cant find his shot? He left it at the club???
Miami in a sweep……………
bigdave
May 12th, 2011
10:54 pm
Wabe..
what heavy hitters? did you see those names i put up.. Joe’s my man but we dont have a guy thats on that level..
and i yes.. depth.. we were comfortable w/ what a 7 man rotation.. that aint gone get it done in the physical playoffs.. especially against these horses in the east..
we dealt w/ variations of screens and picks vs. orlando, chi.. and would’ve seen it vs. miami.. you need bodies that you have confidence in.. there were some dead legs out there game 2 and 5 come 4th qrt.
bird
May 12th, 2011
10:54 pm
Jamal Crawford 3-19 FG in the last 2 games.