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
Slimjr
May 12th, 2011
10:55 pm
“Joe Johnson
Al Horford
Kirk Hinrich
for
Andrew Bogut
Corey Maggette
John Salmons
Drew Gooden
Scottie make it so!! AYe Captain……………..
The Real Mandingo
May 12th, 2011
10:55 pm
Hawks mgmt. first offer to JJ last year should have been 5yrs. $82mil.-$85mil…Al only had 7 points. Boss played like the Subordinate tonight. Chris Webber said blowup the Hawks mgmt. on NBA TV.
ant banks
May 12th, 2011
10:56 pm
SLIM JR,
that 2005 pick has set this franchise back atleast 10 yrs. we missed our pg of the future. not sayin’ that woody woulda played cp3, though.
marvin’ came off the bench for north carolina, WHY DID WE PICK A BENCH RIDER NUMBER 2? WERE ANY OTHER TEAMS CLAMORING OVER MARVIN, THEN?
TC
May 12th, 2011
10:58 pm
The Hawks fed kryptonite to the Dwight Howard in round 1… only to be defeated by a Rose from Chicago in round 2.
Why is it, that every time an Atlanta sports team gives us a reason to believe, they take it back away?
Mantis
May 12th, 2011
10:58 pm
Al Hortford was a huge disappointment this game, and Joe Johnson proved that he’s nothing more than a choke artist with a max contract. I knew that he was going to be a liability in this series, and I knew that the Hawks were going to regret the trade with Washington.
1. Joe Johnson has no hunger for putting up numbers. If Jordan Crawford were playing in this series, then he would have been attacking the basket at every opportunity. Jordan was younger, faster, more agile and had a much better 3-pt shot than Joe Johnson.
2. As slow as Mike Bibby was, his clutch 3-pt shooting would have came in handy at various moments. Imagine Jeff Teague playing as a starter with Bibby coming off the bench to play a Steve Kerr type of role.
3. The Hawks gave up a draft pick. So much for bringing in someone fresh from college to fill in the gaps that were exposed in this series.
The most disappointing thing about this series is that the Hawks could have beaten the Bulls. But they fell short.
Dose of reality
May 12th, 2011
10:59 pm
It seemed over in the first quarter, I guess the Hawks listen too much (and believed) what tnt, espn, and all the other phony commentators were saying…. Forget next year ( sick of waiting), I’m done with the hawks and I’m done with the nba!!!!! It’s all about money and politics anyway…. thanks chicago, now you saved us the embarrassment of having to get destroyed by miami, now you will get to feel how it is to get an butt whoompin… heat in 6
ant banks
May 12th, 2011
10:59 pm
JOE JOHNSON, literally, has cost this franchise 500million dollars:
120mill max contract
80mill initial contract
2, 1st round draft picks to the suns, which brought on the lawsuit by belkin. belkin didn’t think jj was worth 2 draft picks, plus phoenix couldn’t resign jj any effin’ way.
court litigation 300million
Wabe
May 12th, 2011
10:59 pm
Why Joe got that towel over his head in that front page shot on the Hawks page?
You’re still banking $126 million.
The only dude that can rob without serving time.
Be happy man.
bigdave
May 12th, 2011
11:00 pm
wabe..
how much could you have realistically expected to get from Al this series.. ive said all year since he wants to play out there on the perimeter, smart defensive teams crowd him and take away his effectiveness…
Joe didnt play as bad as people make it.. chi pretty much ran everyone at him..
it was going to take big efforts from Jamal to get it done this series and he aint do squat..
Slimjr
May 12th, 2011
11:00 pm
“Horford has 0 post game”
Yes AL has “ZERO” post game
Al= Fake Power Forward
Boozer=Real Power Forward
sam'l
May 12th, 2011
11:00 pm
I still think the Hawks could have won this series……..rats!
irritated at Pachulia and what sounded like a senseless foul………
don’t know what to think of drew…….
think the Hawks quit yet again…..
Jose, Pachulia can go….crawford WILL go…..
who will buy this team….and will they go.
Been fun hawks……thanks. But you could have done better…..
ant banks
May 12th, 2011
11:02 pm
i really like d rose. real, real, good humble hometown kid!! i hope he gets a ring before le”bytch” james
Slimjr
May 12th, 2011
11:02 pm
“JOE JOHNSON, literally, has cost this franchise 500million dollars:
120mill max contract
80mill initial contract
2, 1st round draft picks to the suns, which brought on the lawsuit by belkin. belkin didn’t think jj was worth 2 draft picks, plus phoenix couldn’t resign jj any effin’ way.
court litigation 300million”
Guess that why they call him “JOE MAX”?
Wabe
May 12th, 2011
11:07 pm
and i hear you bigdave.
by ‘heavy hitters’, i meant that the guys the hawks were counting on.
i know the hawks don’t have anybody on this roster that can be put up with the likes of durant/westbrook, dirk, LBJ/wade, d.rose…
but, the thought behind it is if the hawks can collectively play well. if joe/jamal/horford show up, we’d be in decent shape. at the least, we wouldn’t get our arses handed to us in a elimination game. but, they didn’t do that. jamal went m.i.a. after game 1. joe played decent, but dudes not getting payed to play decent, dude’s getting payed to be the workhorse. other than game one, he didn’t really have a workhorse series.
i understand they’re running guys at him. but, a lot of times, he was just flat getting frustrated with boguns/deng on him alone. he takes too long making moves. he’s not decisive. his game doesn’t allow him to get to the line. basically, he’s ‘gaurd-able’.
the hawks were running bodies at d.rose, but dude still finds ways to get his. i know it’s senseless comparing joe to d.rose, but when you’re banking that kinda money, you’re gonna be expected to shoot better than what he shot the last 2 games. very average numbers.
Ray
May 12th, 2011
11:09 pm
THIS TEAM HAS NO F***** HEART!!!!
Except Josh Smith, Teague, and Zaza the rest of the team can kick rocks in the hardest way.
Al you got punked by Boozer how that doesn’t make sense when he was playing Center which he still is listed as he was punking everyone, but now at PF he goes soft like melted marshmellows
To the Teague, Josh, and Zaza if you read this job well done you played your hearts out man. To the rest of ya’ll grow some balls cause you lost them somewhere along the way.
drmaryb (*_-)
May 12th, 2011
11:09 pm
O,Brien said, Horford said, “Next year, I will add a 3pt shot.”
Last I checked, Al need to work on his 2pt shot.
Outsider
May 12th, 2011
11:11 pm
You guys got exactly what paying Joe Johnson the max should get you. The problem is that your best player–Josh Smith–is a total nutter and can’t be depended upon. Another problem is that your fanbase (or the transient city of Atlanta as ESPN calls it) doesn’t deserve a winner. Enjoy a couple more years of 2nd round exits before you can finally shed JJ’s contract and rebuild.
mykhalc
May 12th, 2011
11:14 pm
Zaza…13 rebs…
bird
May 12th, 2011
11:15 pm
Outsider, tell us something we don’t know, thanks.
ant banks
May 12th, 2011
11:19 pm
OUTSIDER,
you are dumb as fuq. WE got what WE deserved? trick, WE didn’t pay jj, the ownership group did. most of didn’t think that he was worth that, but the ownership did. why would you blame us, the fans, for what asg did?
Grandad
May 12th, 2011
11:21 pm
I have not read everyone else’s epitaph: [yet]
Kaboom = Now -&- without doubt !
1st order of business:
Joe to LAL
–for–
Pau Gasol
*[more on that later] = *(Pau is gone and I don’t blame him)
Marvin to anybody for a draft choice & a bad contract.
*[just get him outa' here]
Josh for a really good player / players.
*(equal value or a high draft pick)
Sign Shane Battier or Grant Hill;
in order to bring veteran leadership to the locker-room.
Give Teaguer the keys.
Let Jamal go.
Keep Cap’n Kirk.
Sign:
Alexis Ajinca & Hamady N’Diaye to FA contracts
*[we must get bigger and be able to defend the rim]
Somehow get a –REBOUNDER– !
These are initial thoughts / obviously will change some.
ant banks
May 12th, 2011
11:24 pm
GRANDDAD,
what about the coerch? (coach)
Wabe
May 12th, 2011
11:24 pm
Outsider
May 12th, 2011
11:11 pm
“You guys got exactly what paying Joe Johnson the max should get you. The problem is that your best player–Josh Smith–is a total nutter and can’t be depended upon. Another problem is that your fanbase (or the transient city of Atlanta as ESPN calls it) doesn’t deserve a winner. Enjoy a couple more years of 2nd round exits before you can finally shed JJ’s contract and rebuild.”
——-
The fanbase thing gets old. Really. The Hawks have had 2nd round playoff exit after 2nd round playoff exit. The organization does nothing and shows no commitment to get the peices necessary to get this squad over the hump. They’re satisified with being good enough.
So, back to the fanbase, what fanbase would sacrafice their time and commit themselves to following an organization that doesn’t seem to have the same goals in mind that the fans do? If this organization was really seeking a championship, they wouldn’t hesitate to pay some buck to go get players needed. They wouldn’t hesitate to go over the luxury tax if it meant the difference between a championship contending team and another 2nd round playoff exit. But, they don’t invest the money, so why would fans invest their time and money?
Wabe
May 12th, 2011
11:26 pm
And you can say they invested $126 million for Joe, so they are spending money.
But, that doesn’t get us any closer to a championship now, does it? That essentially puts us back into the ‘good enough’ category. With Joe, the Hawks are good enough as far as the organization is concerned.
JeJe
May 12th, 2011
11:29 pm
FIRE LD
FIRE MARVIN ( ARE YOU ALIIVE? JESUS CHRIST)
FIRE JOE (CHOKE JOHNSON)
Brandon
May 12th, 2011
11:30 pm
“The message on the Hawks’ locker room board at shootaround today: “Plane leaves for MIA 2:30 on Tues.””
Were they talking about vacation plans in this bulletin board message? Is this the team flight that they were planning on taking after they lost the series and were ready to relax for the off-season?
JeJe
May 12th, 2011
11:30 pm
AL HORFORD IS IN A RACE WITH MARVIN WILLIAMS FOR SOFTEST PLAYER IN THE NBA
ALL STAR MY @$$
OVERRATED
JeJe
May 12th, 2011
11:31 pm
JOE WANTS TO KEEP ADDING PIECES AND MAKING MOVES
I HOPE
ASG IS HAPPY THOUGH. WE ELIMINATED ALMIGHTY ORLANDO.
MORE MEDIOCRITY AND !@#$%Y TOILET RAGS NEXT YEAR
FIRE SUND
FIRE LD
FIRE ASG
Wabe
May 12th, 2011
11:33 pm
So now, onto next season. Jeff Teague has been freed, and Drew better put that Cage he had Teague in to the side. Dude better be a regular from here on out.
So, I’ll officially start my ‘Free Pape Sy’ campaign.
I truly believe this. We can’t be any worse off with Pape Sy than we are with Marvin Williams.
Free Pape Sy
Brandon
May 12th, 2011
11:37 pm
“O,Brien said, Horford said, “Next year, I will add a 3pt shot.”
Last I checked, Al need to work on his 2pt shot.”
Is Al trying to become Rasheed Wallace or maybe Andrea Bargnani? Perhaps, Mehmet Okur? Personally, I just don’t get it. What has this team done to him? He was one of the most physical players during his days in college and never shied away from contact. He’s been an inside player for the majority of his NBA career. Somewhere, along the way, something went terribly wrong. I just wish we knew what it was.
Ray
May 12th, 2011
11:40 pm
@ Brandon
Me and you both ever since that whole I want to be a PF thing Horford turned into Tim Duncan, but whenever he played at Center he was dominating everyone maybe we should leave him there at center and ignore his I want to play PF.
cp
May 12th, 2011
11:42 pm
Our c/pf hd a sf defending him in the post and threw up an airball yet this cat wants to work on his perimeter game.
Brandon
May 12th, 2011
11:42 pm
Is Al Horford going to become the new punching bag on the blog for the off-season, or are Joe and Marvin going to continue to battle for that role?
Grandad
May 12th, 2011
11:43 pm
ant banks
what about the coarch?
I will have plenty to say on that as time passes.
I expect ASG to fawn over LD and the improvement ?????
LD, is guilty w/o a shadow of a doubt,
of damaging our franchise and the Hawks brand;
by keeping young Teague on the bench this yr.
As a coach this is arrant at best, nefarious at worst.
This is a fireable offense !
My inclination is he has to go !
* For more reasons than Jeff Teague;
but that will do for now.
Rusty
May 12th, 2011
11:45 pm
Ld is just a piece of crap,I thought woody was bad ,he is a diamond compared to that idiot .
Rusty
May 12th, 2011
11:47 pm
Joe Johnson is a loser & choker.
Slimjr
May 12th, 2011
11:48 pm
“what about the coarch?
I will have plenty to say on that as time passes.
I expect ASG to fawn over LD and the improvement ?????
LD, is guilty w/o a shadow of a doubt,
of damaging our franchise and the Hawks brand;
by keeping young Teague on the bench this yr.
As a coach this is arrant at best, nefarious at worst.
This is a fireable offense !
My inclination is he has to go !
* For more reasons than Jeff Teague;
but that will do for now.”
“Preach on” Grandad!! LD should be gone for his abuse of Teague!!! IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brandon
May 12th, 2011
11:48 pm
Sometimes, I really think that Josh and Al just need a change of scenery. I would hate to see them leave ATL, but since management is too poor at making decisions to bring in the right coach to really help them develop, I think they probably need to go somewhere else to really become dominant players. I think both guys have the potentially to be top-5 power forwards in this league, they just need the right people to groom them and guide them. At this point though, I think that both guys probably need to head elsewhere to get that guidance.
Atllll
May 12th, 2011
11:49 pm
Marvin is the worst player in the NBA
JeJe
May 12th, 2011
11:50 pm
This is the only franchise in the NBA with All-Stars who play like garbage in tough playoff series
WE HAD AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW AL LOVES PLAYING CHICAGO.
SO WHY IS HE SO G*DDAMN BAD AGAINST THEM IN THE PLAYOFFS AS WELL AS MOST OF THE REGULAR SEASON
ceeCee
May 12th, 2011
11:51 pm
This team has been together for a while now!!!!!!!! They are not exceeding expectations as far as the fans are concerned. The Thunder is younger than us and they have proven more in the playoffs in two years than the hawks have in four…….This Bulls team has a rookie head coach and a 3rd year MVP with Boozer as their 2nd best option and they are in the ECF already…..A Heat team that was put together in a millisecond and can play better team ball than THE HAWKS….SEKOU says dont blow it up///dont blow it up?? We havent done anything with this same core for darn near 5 years!!
DID we really exceed expectations with 44 regular season wins??? Do we say we really improved because we Beat an Orlando team with only Dwight? Do we say we really improved because we didnt get swept out of the 1st round of the playoffs??? Anyone who vouches for LD should b sent to a mental institution.
I dont think this team lacks Heart..they lack a Leader on the floor and a Direction on the Bench! How can u not adjust in game to the pick and roll with Boozer?? How can u only have a six man rotation(I dont count Collins or Marvin..they barely played) How can u sub Jamal for Teague the whole 3rd qtr and he was the only one trying to get guys involved! This organization baffles me because they do the same things the same way and so dows this sorry AZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ newspaper…We take it light on this team..why….I knw..because u guys arent really Atlanta fans…U just have a job. This city is a joke.
I dont understand how one can coach this bad..how a120 million dollar man can play that passive and how a so called all star forward disappears in the playoffs..how u can continously give NO SHOW MARVIN MINUTES OVER DAMIEN… How u play NO DEFENSE JAMAL The whole game…How ur starters cant even go toe to toe with their BENCH! I was at the game and not 1 offensive set was ran…the bigs didnt even set a decent pick on Rose so Teague or Joe could get a good turn at the basket.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IF we bring back the same core……am I supposed to except different results???
drmaryb (*_-)
May 12th, 2011
11:53 pm
C-WEBB!
C Webb sounded about as pissed as we are:
Dude said Ka Boom! the Front Office.
I already said, I’m going down there bright and early Monday morning -
Any body wanna Ride or Die? I’ll send a car to the house @ 8 AM – be rady to roll!
Sign Up Sheet:
_____________
G-Daddy
SlimJr
JeJe
……….. Well?
Grandad
May 12th, 2011
11:55 pm
LD has some good ideas and some merit that rank him above Wdsn.
*offense / flexibility
*ability to counter attack – both on off & def
*makes adjustments
*in his mind he seems to know the right things to do & say
*use of personnel
_________________________________________________________
I really think Ld is just not cut out to be a Head Coach.
I think he might be a fine Offensive Coordinator.
________________________________________________________
Wdsn was a dip-stick & I’m not real sure he knows any basketball?
JeJe
May 12th, 2011
11:57 pm
DRMARYB,
WHERE WAS C-WEBB SAYING THIS? NO NBA ON TNT TONIGHT, RIGHT?
THE BULLS AND HEAT ARE THE 2 BEST TEAMS IN THE EAST. IT TOOK THEM ONE SUMMER’S WORK TO ACHIEVE THAT.
WE’VE HAD THIS SAME SH*TTY TEAM FOR A BAJILLION YEARS NOW AND WE HAVE A BUNCH OF ISO UNDERACHIEVERS
GOD I AM SO PISSED OFF RIGHT NOW
NO ONE ON THIS TEAM BESIDES TEAGUE OVERACHIEVES.
WELL HE DOESNT REALLY OVERACHIEVE, SINCE WE KNEW HE WAS PRETTY DAMN GOOD AS A PLAYER BUT IDIOT LD DID NOTHING TO HELP HIM PROGRESS
TEAGUE HAD 4, 2, AND 3 TODAY
THAT IS STILL 100000000X BETTER THAN BIBBY
BIBBY IS IN THE ECF AND HE DOES NOTHING
DAMNIT
DAMNIT
DAMNIT
DAMNIT
DAMNIT
DAMNIT
DAMNIT
DAMNIT
DAMNIT
DAMNIT
DAMNIT
JeJe
May 13th, 2011
12:01 am
When C-Webb says we need management changes, does that include ownership? I wish those morons would sell the teams already
Buddy Grizzard
May 13th, 2011
12:03 am
Sautee
May 12th, 2011
10:22 pm
Buddy,
That’s why I said you had a point. But LD can’t win on this blog. Here you are saying he’s too predictable while others say he never settled on a rotation.
I’m NOT saying he did a good job, but damn he gets it from every side “irregardless” of what he does. And he’s a rookie too. Poor overmatched soul.
* * *
So here’s my point, Sautee and blog peeps. Zaza came into this contest with the best +/- of any Hawk in the series. Of Hawks players who played at least 20 minutes tonight, he once again had the best +/-. I feel the Hawks lost Game 5 because Las Vegas Larry played an unproductive Jamal Crawford in the 4th quarter and sat Zaza, who had 13 points in 23 minutes (Crawford had two points in 27 minutes, none in the deciding fourth quarter).
Prior to Game 5 I noted that CHI would use it’s speed and athleticism to attempt to exploit the slow foot speed of Collins. Going into Game 6, I hoped that Las Vegas Larry would either start Zaza at Center or at least get him into the game before the exploitation of Collins put the Hawks in too deep of a hole. Collins played almost the entire first quarter and was predictably attacked by CHI’s quicker front court players.
I’m not an NBA coach. I don’t make $1.5m a season. But I accurately predicted what would happen in the first quarters of Game 5 and Game 6. It is Las Vegas Larry’s poor rotations and inability to adjust that cost the Hawks this series. We lost on coaching, not talent. With a better coach, we would be in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Slimjr
May 13th, 2011
12:04 am
What happen to you ALL-Star AL?..I knew something was up back in March when you said my Daddy is bigger than me! He was a center and I am built more like a Power Forward and should being playing in that position permanently!!
You screwed up your head going into the playoff’s Sir..
You played more like Alice in Heels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
May 13th, 2011
12:10 am
Uncontested jumpers by Smoove > contested iso jumpers by Joe. Just sayin’.
TIME TO MOVE ON
May 13th, 2011
12:10 am
You know the Hawks owners won’t get rid of these scabs. Magic Johnson was on Conan tonight talking about how the lakers need to make changes this offseason. This is the Lakers!
I think (know) this group of Hawks have had long enough to show they can go all the way.
Never happened so finally can we move forward and make some changes? Geez!
Not sure I can take another groundhog day season next year. It’s beyond played out.
TheAntiMe
May 13th, 2011
12:14 am
Al said he wants he wants to extend his range this summer.
Oh great. Just what the Hawks need – another big who thinks he’s Reggie Miller.