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 13th, 2011
12:14 am
“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.”
Bye LARRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ceeCee
May 13th, 2011
12:15 am
“Are we satisfied? No,” said Drew. “But I thought we made tremendous strides from what happened to us last year and where we are this year.”
REALLY?? STRIDES?? We r not a team looking to make strides…We r not a team in a rebuilding mode!!!! We r looking to contend for a championship..hell, at least the ECF. LD sounds like Woody! Who sets goals to just do a little bit better than last year and we r satisfied…..only the ATL!
THIS CITY AND SPORTS IS A JOKE! So is the Media! NO way L.A and New York Media let this type of team and coach get away without harsh critcism. HELL….LA won 2 Ships in a row..dont make it back to the Finals and they say BLOW IT UP. We cant get out of the 2nd round and u guys say keep the core together..add peices! Its the core thats killing us!
Slimjr
May 13th, 2011
12:15 am
iso=JOE Buckles
Rusty
May 13th, 2011
12:17 am
Larry Drew ,you are horrible, if you are here next year, who will follow the hawks
Harry Hawk
May 13th, 2011
12:18 am
The Hawks are what they are. A better finish than this would have been a fluke or dumb luck.
It sucks to be a Hawks fan now. We know what our ceiling is. We’ve been bashing our skull against it the past three seasons. We are right where the Smitty-Deke-Mookie teams were, but not quite as good as the Nique-Doc-Willis teams. Oh well. C’est la vie.
Slimjr
May 13th, 2011
12:18 am
woody lite under coached and it finally caught him………………
Ole Hawks Fan
May 13th, 2011
12:18 am
Here are the Hawks Salaries:
Atlanta Hawks Player Salaries
Player 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Joe Johnson $16,324,500 $18,038,573 $19,752,645 $21,466,718 $23,180,790
Josh Smith $11,600,000 $12,400,000 $13,200,000
Jamal Crawford $10,080,000
Kirk Hinrich $9,000,000 $8,000,000
Marvin Williams $6,712,500 $7,500,000 $8,287,500 $7,500,000
Zaza Pachulia $4,251,250 $4,750,000 $5,248,750
Al Horford $4,537,381 $5,953,044
Jeff Teague $1,476,840 $1,579,920 $2,433,077 $3,469,568
Jason Collins $1352,181
Etan Thomas $1,223,166
Josh Powell $1,042,320
Hilton Armstrong $992,680
Pape Sy
Damien Wilkins
Buddy Grizzard
May 13th, 2011
12:21 am
“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 are you saying the Hawks should have used their mid level exception on Shaq? Who do you think they should have got? Not using 20/20 hindsight on Shaq because I would have been excited if they had signed him.
But I think the bigger issue is that the Hawks clearly have the talent to go farther than the second round, the team just needs the right coach to get the most out of that talent. If ASG doesn’t eat the $1.5m and fire Larry Drew for his obvious incompetence then go get a real coach, this team is doomed. We still have a window of opportunity in the next two seasons. Only a legitimate NBA head coach can help the Hawks reach their potential and exploit that window to the fullest.
Terry Stotts
Lon Kruger
Mike Woodson
Larry Drew
Make it stop ASG! Hire Adelman, Casey, Lawrence Frank… any legitimate NBA coach. Make the nightmare come to an end.
Buddy Grizzard
May 13th, 2011
12:25 am
Grandad
May 12th, 2011
11:21 pm
1st order of business:
Joe to LAL
–for–
Pau Gasol
Co-sign.
TheAntiMe
May 13th, 2011
12:27 am
And I guess, Outsider, with your logic that your team won because you and your great fans are so much more deserving. If that’s not one of the most conceited, self-serving and extremely ignorant statements ever made, then I don’t know what is.
Just one more thing to say to you. Since you are already outside, I would suggest that you eat dog feces and bark at the moon! I mean that sincerely.
Wabe
May 13th, 2011
12:41 am
Buddy Gizzard,
Not saying they should’ve signed Shaq. I wasn’t really too big on signing Shaq to be honest with you. That paired with the fact that I didn’t really ever see him settling with Atlanta when other title contenders were on the block looking for his services.
My point would really be, this organization doesn’t seem to invest in areas of need to help us get over the hump. Whether you think we’re short on personnel or we don’t have the right coach, they both speak to the same issue. ASG has not and don’t seem like they will ever run the organization in a manner that satisfies the fanbase. They don’t come off as a group willing to invest the dollars needed on personnel or coaches to get this team where fans want to see them, in contention.
From a personnel standpoint, this team is flawed. A bunch of jump shooters. I don’t think it’s all on the coach, even though you can make the argument that his offense wasn’t as successful as some might’ve hoped. I might be in the minority here, but I thought Drew actually had himself a good showing for his first time as a headcoach in the playoffs. Sure, there are definitely other coaches who could possibly do a better job, but, this serves the overall argument of what I think of this organization. Forget what I wrote about going over the luxury tax for players. What I’m really getting at is this organization’s too cheap, regardless of whether we’re talking players or coaches, to get what we need to get us over the hump.
TIME TO MOVE ON
May 13th, 2011
12:44 am
ceeCee – THIS CITY AND SPORTS IS A JOKE! So is the Media!
I agree but it will never change. Welcome to the worst sports city in the nation.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
May 13th, 2011
12:45 am
LAME DUCK LAS VEGAS LARRY DREW is not a coach his is an observer.
Can him for his stupidity of giving Marvin all the minutes at the expense of Wilkins – let alone his persistent mistreatment of Teague.
Al Horford is a funboi, scare to give and receive contact. It did not help that suffered that injury at the hands of Blake Griffin – Al went further into his turtle shell.
TIME TO MOVE ON
May 13th, 2011
12:46 am
Drew looks like my pastor. Not a NBA coach. He always looks scared. Sucks Doc signed on to stay in Boston. Love his passion.
Wabe
May 13th, 2011
12:47 am
Of course, if we could get ourselves a headcoach that’s clearly an upgrade, I’m all for it.
But, if we’re going to fire Drew to pick between more unproven assistants, I’m not really feeling that. Not unless the assistant is in the mold of Chicago’s headcoach, Thibs. This guy is considered one of the top defensive minds in the league, and has been long before he was a headcoach. LD isn’t in that category. If he were, many teams would’ve already been courting his services.
But, this is the frustration you put up with if you’re a Hawks fan. This organization will not get what we need.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
May 13th, 2011
12:49 am
Big cosign Buddy Grizzard – Observer Drew must be removed and replaced by a seasoned COACH if we are to move forward.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
May 13th, 2011
12:50 am
HE is an observer – my bad. and baby sitter
mykhalc
May 13th, 2011
1:06 am
new blog up
drmaryb (*_-)
May 13th, 2011
1:09 am
JeJe
NBA TV
Ole Hawks Fan
May 13th, 2011
1:33 am
Marivin William salariees:
2010-11 2011-2012 2012-13 2013-14
$6,712,500 $7,500,00 $8,287,500 $7,500,00
Who besides the hawks, will pay this salary for a player who isn’t worth a third of this. Marvin brings nothing to the court to justify these monies. No NBA will take on these salaries. So the hawks is stuck with Marvin. Fire Rick Sund!
Buddy Grizzard
May 13th, 2011
2:27 am
“From a personnel standpoint, this team is flawed. A bunch of jump shooters. I don’t think it’s all on the coach.” – Wabe
I don’t think it’s all on the coach but I think he demonstrated incompetence by not correctly deploying the personnel that were available, i.e. Teague and Zaza. Collins did a great job against Orlando, and we couldn’t have made it to the second round without him. But he had no role against Chicago’s young, quick, athletic front line. It was inevitable that they would go at him and exploit him. They needed Zaza in there for big minutes to counter hustle with hustle.
terrell
May 13th, 2011
7:34 am
When your low 1st rd picks(Josh,Teague), have more heart and desire than your lottery picks(JJ, Jamal,Marvin, and yes Big Al Horford, your’re asking for trouble. Especially considering Teague is damn near a rookie, and Josh couldnt lead his way out of a cardboard box. NO LEADERS ON THIS TEAM = FAIL!