Atlanta Hawks: Hawks 101, Wizards 83
- The Hawks held another opponent to lousy offensive numbers but this time Larry Drew sounded so-so about the effort. “There were parts of the game where we lacked defensive intensity,” he said. “You’ve got to put teams away, especially a team like that. They never stop playing. I never felt we had a total grip of the game even when we were up 20. A team like Washington, you have to take away hope.”
- The Wizards do a pretty good job of that on their own. At times you could see John Wall’s frustration as he tried to make plays for his teammates only to see fail to help. Even Nick Young’s 21 points on 6 of 12 shooting were pretty empty since he started 5 for 5.
- Neither the Nets nor the Wizards are sharp offensive teams so it’s tough to judge Atlanta’s defense right now. The Hawks know that, too. But there’s no denying that the talking, helping and energy have all looked good so far. “It’s two games, but I do see some good things,” Al Horford said. “We are starting to trust each other more on the defensive end.”
- Wall got to the basket when he wanted. “It’s tough to guard somebody that has freedom like that,” Jeff Teague said. “At any time he can take off and do what he wants to do. But when it’s like that if we can hold everyone else down we can get wins.”
- Wall met some resistance at the rim, particularly from Josh Smith, who got one of his two charging calls against Wall. Most of his six turnovers came when he got out of control.
- Young buried some 3s. Pogo stick JaVale McGee gave Josh and Al some problems when he got free around the basket. Otherwise, though, the Hawks pretty much held down the Wizards.
- When Marvin Williams (eight rebounds) helps on the glass, the Hawks can do things like hammer the Wizards 45-32 on the boards. Josh and Al had 10 boards each. “He’s being very aggressive on the offensive boards,” Al said. “We need that from him at that position.”
- It was another Marvin Blueprint game: rebound, make the open shots when they come and get to the free-throw line. “Knock on wood, he looks pain-free,” Drew said. “He’s really shooting the ball well when he gets his feet set. When teams double on the block he has to be able to hit those shots. Last year when he caught the ball at times he wasn’t even looking at the rim. Now when he’s catching the ball in his shooting range he’s looking to score.”
- “I just feel better,” Marvin said. “Sometimes before on a back-to-back it was tough to recover. Tonight I felt perfectly fine.”
- Atlanta’s offense benefited from some of their long 2s turning into 3s (9 of 23). Tracy McGrady’s effeicient effort was another positive: 11 points on five shots and four rebounds in 19 minutes. But all of Atlanta’s reserves except late sub Ivan Johnson ended up with negative plus-minuses.
- A lot of that was because the Hawks gave back most of their 15-point lead in the first half as Jannero Pargo missed his first four shots. Both Pargo and Willie Green still look a bit lost. “They are not comfortable yet with what we are doing,” Drew said. “As soon as they get in a comfort zone, I’m confident they will play the way they can play.”
- Teague’s ankle still isn’t 100 percent: “It’s getting better. I can’t jump like I want to but I can play.”
- The Hawks missed their first 11 shots of the fourth quarter but Washington wasn’t doing much scoring, either. The Wizards had five misses and a turnover over their first 11 possessions of the period. Al scored on back-to-back scores at the basket to calm things down. “That’s when we rely on our defense to bail us out,” he said. “We held the lead and hit some key shots.”
- “We got comfortable a little bit,” Teague said. “It happens in games but we recovered and got the win.”
- You can see Al trying to score around the basket more often. He had some success backing McGeee under the rim to neutralize his length and leaping ability.
- Jordan Crawford played just 21 minutes as Young stole his thunder and Joe took him to school. Jordan tossed up a half-hearted airball at the buzzer and quickly scurried off the court.
- As promised, Crawford engaged Teague in some trash talk. “That’s my man,” Teague said. “We held him in check tonight but I know next time we see him he’s going to try to be better.”
- The Hawks get the day off tomorrow.
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
111 comments Add your comment
Mac-Town #maconchevyrider
December 28th, 2011
11:15 pm
Josh Smith isn’t going to be any more than he already is, a high flying shot blocking and dunking machine that is a pretty good defender but lackluster on offense. Bad Handles, Takes too many jump shots for a guy who doesnt have a dependable J, and pretty good passer. Though a totally different type of player, He’s got that Jamal Crawford effect in a way. What I mean by that is one game he can be the solo reason you won, the next he can be the main reason you lost.
Mac-Town #maconchevyrider
December 28th, 2011
11:17 pm
Both Horford and Al were supposed to be 20/10 guys a couple years ago according to some bloggers, fact is both of them are pretty good but they’re never going to be real stars.
Mac-Town #maconchevyrider
December 28th, 2011
11:18 pm
Horford and Josh* I mean…but anyway we’ll see what this team is made of against the Heat and Bulls.
EmirS.
December 28th, 2011
11:20 pm
Hi MC,
Thank you for the great article.
Question: Can you please change your twitter background? :S
Buddy Grizzard
December 28th, 2011
11:22 pm
“Reminds me of Ginobli…”
Still laughing!
YO YO YO
December 28th, 2011
11:25 pm
W.
superiorblogman
December 28th, 2011
11:27 pm
Good game. Not as good as last night but I will take the win. Knew it would not be like last night but I will take it. Teague is showing growth. I don’t know if it is the Teague affect or what but guys are going to the rack more so-far, but it is only 2 games.
Buddy Grizzard
December 28th, 2011
11:32 pm
Wizards playoff bound with JC2 leading the way!
emir
December 28th, 2011
11:33 pm
suti u picku materinu jesi glupan
EmirS.
December 28th, 2011
11:37 pm
^ <3
Hoops
December 28th, 2011
11:37 pm
The Hawks are much improved over last year. I like what I see thus far!
Buddy Grizzard
December 28th, 2011
11:46 pm
Pargo is 3-of-12 on the season… somebody please ask him to stop jacking up shots.
Rev in Tampa
December 28th, 2011
11:58 pm
Buddy, if you check Green’s shooting pct. I believe you will find its similar to Pargo. He was 2-10 last night and had a few bricks tonight. They need to know that their role is to play enegetic D and distribute the ball. Their shot selection is hurting an otherwise effective bench.
Grandmaster JeJe
December 29th, 2011
12:01 am
Solid win.
Too many jumpshots.
Josh, ATTACK the hoop damnit!
And why has it taken Marvin 6 years to realize how long he is (no homo) and that he should be on the glass? Has NO ONE in this franchise ever told him this?
BigTimeTECHFan
December 29th, 2011
12:22 am
Hawks will be a lot better when Hinrick and Sloan come back, current backup guards have not done much
McGree going to be real good player, 23 years old he pretty good now
Buddy Grizzard
December 29th, 2011
12:23 am
Jeez you’re right… Willie Green 3-for-13 on the season… why does this guy have a guaranteed contract?
Buddy Grizzard
December 29th, 2011
12:33 am
Brett LaGree noted that Josh is 2-for-10 on jump shots through two games. Maybe he doesn’t want to make the All-Star team after all.
kwooden
December 29th, 2011
12:36 am
Good game from the starters, tough outing for the bench. Overall very good win, because of how tough the scoring got in the 4th, but the rebounding and defensive was solid. (most of the game)
First of all it was good to see Joe get back to the shooter that we know he is. (%50 from 3!) Marvin played another solid game, clearly the back surgery has made a significant difference. I like the attacking from Al and Josh, they also did a nice job on the boards. Jeff is definitely playing like a guy that is a starter in this league. Hopefully his ankle will get to %100 soon.
The bench had a tough night, Pargo wasn’t shooting the ball well and they just had a rough time with Nick Young. I actually think the bench was tired from playing so much last night. The trap wasn’t as effective, but as poorly as they played we still won by almost 20.
2 less wins we have to get!
GO HAWKS!
Swingman912
December 29th, 2011
12:40 am
Good to see the Hawks START FAST on back to back night when so many times last year they were playing catch up after the first 10 min. Al and Smoove prob would’ve had a 20-10 game if they wouldn’t have missed so many shots…Marvin IS the X-factor though. His productivity is making teams account for him, which gives our other guys more freedom. Teague’s ability to score does this as well…Looking good early, but we always do…this time, for a change, KEEP IT UPPPP!!!!
CHUUUUUUCH
Mac-Town #maconchevyrider
December 29th, 2011
1:05 am
“Contenders” NYK and CHI beaten by the Warriors
Western Conf Finals Media Locks, LAC smacked by the Spurs
Boston 0-3
Heat nailbiter with the Bobcats
Lets GO HAWKS
Big Daddy
December 29th, 2011
1:16 am
Good write-up MC. The Hawks are off to a good start and it was nice to see JT drive the lane and JJ get in a rhythm with his jumpshot. There were a few moments when I thought the Wizards were going to surge ahead but the defense was turned up and they pushed them back. A good win.
Do you think it is really a good idea for the starters to come down the stairs at introduction from the 2nd level? All it takes is for one opposing fan to stick a foot out or one crazy fan of ours who is upset with some player to send him tumbling. Someone could be out for a long period of time if that happen. I did think that it was good marketing for them to have select season ticket holders to come to the floor and get jerseys from the players. That was a nice touch. GO HAWKS!!!!
Wabe
December 29th, 2011
1:23 am
Happy to see the Hawks snag another one they should’ve snagged. The Wizards got some young talent, but that’s all they have at this point. Still don’t know how to win consistently in this league yet.
We definitely need to clean some things up. Felt that there were plenty of portions throughout this game that looked sloppy. But, even with that, we managed to step on a team, and everytime it seemed as though they’d put a dent in our lead, we built it right back up. The bench squad didn’t look as great as they did on opening night, but still very effective. T-Mac gave us what I hope to get from him every night. Right around 10-14 ppg with a couple of dimes sounds good. Between him and Rad, we have a bit more pop on our bench than I thought. Both Green and Pargo are serviceable.
Real quick:
I know folks will use JC2’s performance tonight to try and justify the trade…
And I still say dude would look nice coming off our bench.
He’s a baller, despite his performance tonight.
Wabe
December 29th, 2011
1:27 am
Quick knee-jerk reaction of our performance thus far…
Eastern Conference
1 – Heat
2 – Bulls
3 – Hawks
4 – Knicks
5 – C’s
I think the Hawks really do look like the 3rd best team in the conference. I’m fully aware that it’s pretty premature for me to be suggesting this, but I just like our depth over a lot of the other teams in the conference. We’ll see how they do as the season progresses, and we’ll get a chance to measure where we stand when we play better opponents.
But, as of right now, based not only on our 2 convincing wins, but the different peices we’ve acquired, I say we’re the 3rd best team in the East.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 29th, 2011
2:12 am
I was at the game. A few observations:
The Hawks seem to be making a conscious effort to get to the line more, and it is showing in the box score.
This team is good enough to blow out bad teams even when they play at less than their best. The Hawks didn’t play as well today as they did against New Jersey, but they still cruised for most of the game.
Willie Green is horrible. Jannero Pargo is only slightly better. Zaza and Vlad had lackluster games, but both at least look like they belong on a court, and I think they will probably provide quality minutes more often than not. T-Mac looked good again. I guess 3 out of 5 ain’t bad.
Less than a sellout crowd, but still a good crowd for this game. Thanks to the DASG for the free T-shirts. Also, some Hawks employee outside gave me and my people 4 free tickets, which was probably the coolest thing the Hawks have done since they had the Hawk-A-Licious promotion.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 29th, 2011
2:14 am
Oh yeah, one more observation: The phrase “basketball IQ” is overrated and overused, but if there was ever a textbook example of a team that lacked it, it is the Wizards. There is no excuse for a team with that much talent to play that poorly.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 29th, 2011
2:15 am
And if Marvin keeps playing this well, even Rod is going to have to give him props.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
December 29th, 2011
2:37 am
Its still early. If we beat the Heat by 18 I will start to believe.
superiorblogman
December 29th, 2011
2:42 am
Man, it’s sad that when we win this board is so dry. A bunch of female dogs post around here
jake
December 29th, 2011
2:57 am
McGrady for the Vet minimum is the steal of the year.By mid season he will be even better because right now he is still adjusting to the game plan.Unlike Crawford, if tmac is having a bad shooting night, he can compensate for it by his court vision/playmaking and his versatility. Un like Jamal who was a one trick pony.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 29th, 2011
2:58 am
““It’s two games, but I do see some good things,” Al Horford said. “We are starting to trust each other more on the defensive end.””
They are also being more aggressive, trying to get in passing lanes and denying entry passes more than they used to. That is making a big difference in keeping the opposing team out of sync. A few times they got burned when they were too aggressive, and that will probably be a bigger issue against better teams, but the aggressiveness keeps teams off balance.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 29th, 2011
3:00 am
“But all of Atlanta’s reserves except late sub Ivan Johnson ended up with negative plus-minuses.”
In my opinion this is mainly Pargo and Green’s fault. Pargo was helpless on D against Wall and did very little on O, and Green got torched by Nick Young and didn’t do anything to compensate on the other end. The other reserves may not have been great but they weren’t that bad either.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
December 29th, 2011
3:03 am
Worldwide is still here. No matter how many games we win I will still be on that FIRE SUND. Only a championship can shut me up. Wins against NJ and Washington are good but not impressive.
Scoop
December 29th, 2011
3:04 am
Hawks looked fantastic.
I dont want to sound too critical because the Hawk’s effort is there, the execution is there, along with the defensive focus.
A couple of things to consider for improvement:
-we are taking a boat load of threes.
they are open after our good ball movement, so they’re not bad shots (except for Smoove’s) but its worth noting were living and dying by the three. Can Teague and Marvin continue to knock em down at the clip they’re at? Hmmmmmmmmmm
-Also i don’t want to rag on Smoove, personally he’s my favorite player on the Hawk’s, but every jump shot he takes is like a turnover. Compound that with his already high turnover rate and he’s destined to have a very low +/-. In my humble opinion, he should camp under the basket and attack the glass. That’s where he he can cause the most damage. Teams will just double off of him when he is out on the perimeter and dare him to shoot.
-Also, i want to see L.D. experiment a little with his lineups. He did today but not enough to find a rhythm. This is the time of year to find some wrinkles and play with matchups.
Combo lineup:
TMac JJ Marvin Smoove Al
Big lineup:
Teague J J Marvin/Smoove/Tmac Al Zaza
Wildcard:
(Teague/JJ/Tmac) MARVIN!!!! (Smoove/JJ/TMac) Al Zaza
Maybe the wildcard lineup might be better with the second the unit but LD used a variation of this tonight for about a minute. It resulted in Marvin posting up John Wall, who was defending. Marvin at the 2 is very intriguing, or at least a big lineup featuring TMac J J and Marvin will force mismatches against any team. We should be exploiting this!!!!!!!!!
All in all, impressive start by the home but there is always room for improvement. BTW, i have the Hawks in 7 against the Thunder in the NBA Finals for the CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
December 29th, 2011
3:06 am
The Hawks have looked impressive so far, but it’s unwise to jump to any real conclusions until January 7, which is when they would have finished playing Miami and Chicago twice each in the same week. How well they do in those games (and what their record is after that) is a much better indicator of what to expect from them than these two wins.
That is a rough week schedule-wise too. Five games in six days, four of them coming against the two best teams in the conference.
GaSouthernSmooth
December 29th, 2011
3:14 am
Good Win in front of a good attendance. In typical hawks fashion we have shown that we can beat the bums of the conference and start the season off strong, it is nice to see us get out to quick starts, something not so typical of these guys. The key as Marvin pointed out is that with so many back2backs etc. this season it is Really important to take care of business in that first game so they have the energy to come out the next night and compete. Just two games but im intrigued by this crew with a healthy joe, a fixed marvin and this veteren bench… Let’s just try to not get blown out by the good teams (especially at home) boys and make some noise this season in the east. GO HAWKS!
superiorblogman
December 29th, 2011
3:49 am
I agree, I will not make much out of this, but I am looking to the end of January to really gauge things after the first 22 games. Even with this 2-0 start I still say 14-8 is pretty much what I expect. At that rate we will win 39-40 games. I really thought we would be more like 36-30 so I am satisfied. We play 5 games next week and I am so realistic that I would not be mad at 2-3, 3-2 I am happy. Anything better than 3-2 I might start to overreact, but I caution against that because it is too early that’s why I say end of January when we have played a 3rd of the season.
JaeEvolution
December 29th, 2011
3:58 am
I can’t wait until Kirk comes back so Pargo can be gone, I don’t like this guy at all…
How many more games until Marvin is promoted out here, forget his scoring dude has gotten 9 rebounds in 22 minutes and 8 rebounds in 29 minutes while adding 14 and 17 points in those games, if Marvin can be consistent like the 07-08 season where he was at 15 and 6 I will be very happy.
jd
December 29th, 2011
4:25 am
where is Jason Collins? I know he likes sitting on the bench but isn’t he still a part of this team? And willie green. Crap. He is terrible. Get sloan in there once his” injury” has healed up
Jerome
December 29th, 2011
4:26 am
As many of you have said already, it’s too early in the season to draw real conclusions about the team. However, I like a lot of things that I’m seeing so far. The Hawks are playing like an actual team so far this season. They are not just having one player dribble the ball and isolate while the other 4 players stand and watch on the perimeter. The ball is moving on the offensive end, and guys are being very unselfish as well as selective with their shots. Defensively, the team looks a lot more active as well, and the help defense looks improved.
I see some positive signs from individual players as well. Al looks like he’s not just settling for jump shots on the offensive end. He’s using his jump shot to open up drives for him and doing a good job of driving to the paint instead of just taking the jump shot. Not all of his drives have been successful, but l like that he’s trying to expand his game on the offensive end. Also, as MC pointed it, it looks like Al is trying to score inside more. He’s gotten great post position many times in these last couple of games, and when he’s caught the ball inside, he’s been very aggressive and physical in the post, and tonight he actually looked more effective inside than he did outside. His jump shot has been off in these first two games, but I don’t worry about that. We already know that Al can shoot the ball from mid-range, and I’m sure once he gets his legs under him and gets into the flow of things as the season progresses, he’ll start draining his jump shots at a high rate once again. Also, on the defensive end, Al looks like he’s improved his help defense. He’s rotating over to help others and protect the paint moreso than he did last season. You can see it in the way he’s blocking more shots, and along with Josh, he’s helping the Hawks to contest every shot at the rim.
I see some nice things out of Josh also. He looks very active on both ends, and the loss in weight looks like it’s really helping him out. He’s been everywhere on the court, and has contributed in pretty much every facet of the game thus far. He’s still taking more long jump shots than he should, but it looks like Josh’s shot selection and decision making has improved. I’ve noticed him giving up the ball and making the right decisions rather than taking a lot of the lazy jumpers than he would shot last season. Other than taking a few too many long jumpshots, Josh has looked great. His numbers haven’t been overly impressive, but I expect that he and Al will have increased production this season once things get rolling.
The player I’ve been most impressed with is Marvin. He’s looking a lot more like the Marvin of 2008-09, when he was averaging around 15 ppg and 7 rpg. In fact, he’s looked better. I know it’s early, but this is the best Marvin has looked in a long time. He’s being much more aggressive on the boards and is looking like a legit starter. He’s knocking down open shots and making use of his physical ability and length inside. I’ve always though that if Marvin had a larger role in the offense, he might flourish. It looks like not having anyone dominate the offense (e.g. Joe or Jamal) is really helping Marvin out. Hopefully, Marvin can keep this up.
One more thing. The bench has been so-so, thus far. They were great against the Nets and not so good against the Wizards. However, it does look like the bench will have pretty good chemistry and the pieces will likely complement eachother well. McGrady and Radmanovic look like good pickups, and once Kirk gets back, I think we will have a pretty reliable bench unit.
Obviously, we don’t know if guys are just playing well against bad teams or if we can truly expect good things out of this group. I’m looking forward to the games against the “contenders” next week to find out more about the team.
It was not a bad pick
December 29th, 2011
4:59 am
Ok so here we go again!..Marvin, the almost 1st pick of the whole darn draft is showing everyone why Knight passed on Paul..the only reason his production slipped was Jamal and his 1000 shots coming to ATL…. But will joe and Josh continue to let him shine, or will they start hogging the ball..Thats the ?….Marvin, when used properly is no doubt a top 5 SF in the NBA..LBJ, Melo, Durant…Marvin?…
beejayrufino
December 29th, 2011
5:14 am
Marvin is so impressive, I knew it before the start of the season. I think T-Mac need to score more as well as Willie Green, we are doing good job defensively. No doubt we will become one of the better defensive team this season because our bench is playing well defensively.
Buddy Grizzard
December 29th, 2011
5:16 am
“If Marvin can be consistent like the 07-08 season where he was at 15 and 6 I will be very happy.” – Jae
I have been predicting this all summer based on the departure of JC1. I didn’t even know about his back injury but a return to health coupled with the sudden availability of shots has created the perfect storm for Marvin. As predicted, his trade value will have increased dramaticaly from the start of the season to the trade deadline.
“And willie green. Crap. He is terrible.” – jd
Yeah… Pargo and Green are garbage. They’re wannabe Jamal Crawfords who throw up every available shot. Meanwhile T-Mac, Vlad and Zaza are playing team ball on the second unit, but their efforts are being wasted by sharing the court with this trash. Please get better Kirk.
Prison Mike
December 29th, 2011
5:49 am
Certain things I noticed about the game. Josh the few times he got the ball on the block would INSTANTLY get double teamed. I counted about three times (will watch the replay soon) they gave him alot of respect in that aspect.
Al when in the same position was left alone with Mcgee which made sense. He made them pay for the most part with one on one coverage. Tmac and Marv looked great, just need them to avoid nagging injuries. Teague looked around 90%, he had two breakaway fastbreak chances but came up kinda of lame. He usually yolks those.
Hawks4Eva
December 29th, 2011
6:50 am
One constant thing I keep reading about the Hawks impressive start is the consensus statement that “It’s only two games” or “Its against two bad teams – Nets and Wizards”.
I’m not taking anything away from the Hawks. The fact of the matter is both the Nets and the Wizards both send 5 professional starters on the court same as the Hawks and they both have at least 5 more players in backup bench help.
Bottom line, you play who you play. I find the Hawks efforts impressive because last years team would have “played down” to the competition and those games last year would only be a 4 to 6 point victory, whereas this year they are blow outs.
Just Joe
December 29th, 2011
7:02 am
Just looking at schedules again. This is going to be a crazy season. Celtics lost bad to the Hornets (without Gordon) last night. The age of the regulars, plus so many new faces on the roster, are going to make it tough for that team.
Hawks4Eva
December 29th, 2011
7:03 am
It was not a bad pick
December 29th, 2011
4:59 am
——————————————-
You obviously don’t know basketball that well if yo think Marvin Williams is a top 5 Small forward:
Try these on for size….(other than the obvious Melo, LBJ, Durant)
Andre Iguodala
Paul Pierce
Danny Granger
Rudy Gay
Dorell Wright
Just Joe
December 29th, 2011
7:09 am
Once healthy, there are five holes on this team (IMO):
Teague / Hinrich / ????
Johnson / ????
???? / McGrady
Smith / Radmanovic / ????
Horford / Pachulia / ????
Now I’d love to pencil in Marvin and Ivan in to two of those holes, but I need to see more. Maybe Sloan can grab that third PG slot as well, but I think another center and a solid backup SG will have to come through trade or free agent signing. Michael Redd and Joel Pryzbilla would be perfect.
hawks_4_life
December 29th, 2011
7:14 am
This is truely funny, even though we not only win our only two games thus far we as fans still find reason to grip. Misery loves company and if you call yourself a hawk fan and only dwell on the negative then you are not much of one.
hittman jamillion
December 29th, 2011
7:47 am
Hey hawks forever, marv has the skill set,it’s a difference when you have talent but play in a pecking orderof good players and when you nice but are a coaches decision to be a designated option.
Just look at it like all the picks woody ruined by not developing them. Think about it BK evaluated JJ by based on talent even though at Phoenix his pecking order position was fifth. We now see he was the third best player on that team after stat or maybe second. Duck always had the skill but it’s only one ball pimp,and it’s only so many possessions.
John
December 29th, 2011
7:52 am
MC The hawks looked awesome last night, I was at the game. Im excited about the rest of the season. Watched this game live streaming on this site http://www.mynbatv.com and is actually verry good, they have been streaming every game…
jj
December 29th, 2011
8:10 am
I am glad The Hawks won their two games and are starting to show they are moving from a iso team to a ball moving TEAM and they are playing good Team defence.I know it’s early,but I like what Sund and Drew is trying to do.Iove the way Marvin is playing and I believe he is healthy and he plays better when the ball moves.I wish someone would show Smooth how Dennis Rodman got RINGS and is Hall Of Fame and he played the role that Smooth should be playing for The Hawks.Smooth has better O skills than Dennis,but what he could add to this Team if he cools on his shots and ballhandling and play the tough D that he already do at times and take care of the rim.I like what Marvin is doing by hitting the boards with Al and Smooth.I can’t wait to see how we fair over the next two wks.I believe we will do ok and the League will take notice.I can’t wait until Hinrich returns and team with T-Mac. GO HAWKS
honest_abe
December 29th, 2011
8:27 am
anybody saying pargo is better than anybody needs their head examined. i told everyone yesterday that he’s trash and all i kept reading was how the hawks finally have a legit backup pg. are you guys watching the same player? he has trouble dribbling, can’t pass worth a lick (can’t even make basic passes), an ugly shot, not quick, no size… so what does he bring to the table? nothing. pargo is the worst signing in the history of the nba. that dude is lucky to have a job and hopefully will be cut real soon. get rid of pargo!
honest_abe
December 29th, 2011
8:29 am
about the game last night the play was encourgaging they beat one of the worst teams in the league at home. but the hawks continue to take too many jumpshots. the hawks should’ve won by 40. they got lazy on offense and defense late in the 3rd. guys just jacking up shots. if they think that kind of basketball is going to beat the elite teams they got a rude awakening in store.
KCG
December 29th, 2011
8:30 am
Lets no go overboard on Marvin. He is playing great but to blame Jamal Crawford for his lack of production in the past is crazy. Jamal did not stop Marvin from rebounding and hitting wide open shots. Marvin could have been playing like this since he has been here. Its not like the Hawks are asking him to create his own shot or create scoring opportunities for others (which he can’t do but should be able to do as a No. 2 pick). I just hope that this new Marvin that can rebound, get put backs, play D, and hit open shots remains for the rest of the season. If this happens, I think that most of us would not be critical of him anymore.
doc
December 29th, 2011
8:40 am
kcg, ditto bro and be consistent and drop the magic act of disappearing when times get tough. no one made marvin pass the ball with the open shots last year, especially josh with 2 tics left, no one. the folks saying those things are just trying to say stupid stuff against jc1 rather than intelligent things about the game and marvin. marvin last year was even having a difficult time being a bench player. if it was about his back then keep it there but it is all marvin, a good guy, i would really love to see quiet his detractors, me included as i gave up on him a few years back.
doc
December 29th, 2011
8:43 am
honest, pargo is finding his spot and missing them as well as bibby was last year when he went cold. not what you want of a point guard. green not looking any better. i hope it is heavy rust and they find the k2 quickly.
Pete E. Tong
December 29th, 2011
8:45 am
“I’m fully aware that it’s pretty premature for me to be suggesting this, but I just like our depth over a lot of the other teams in the conference.”
Absolutely. I’m so giddy about our depth if we stay healthy. Hinrich, TMac, Vladdy, Zaza, and Pargo (assuming he stops attempting or at least learns to make 3’s)? I’ll take that bench anyday.
I’m just worried that Tmac’s going to have a stellar season (maybe a 6th man award) and leave town for a new contract with another team willing to pay. I don’t think we have what it takes this year but think we’re going to improve and frustrate A LOT of teams.
STRETCH
December 29th, 2011
8:49 am
Nice game last night.
This could be a top 4 team in the East, thats if they continue to pass the ball. They will be hard to guard. A few things:
1. The balance is there so they can compete for the ECF
2. The Wizards are scary talented!
3. Zaza has the worse hands in the NBA!
4. They still need to add some frontline help.
5. T-Mac can still play the game and contribute.
6. Teague and Marvin seem to have come around.
7. That bench is doing pretty good, hope they keep it up.
8. Please stop bringing up D12, he does NOT what to come to Atlanta!
9. That PA guy sucks!!!
10. When KH gets back, Pargo can get in his Car-n-Go!
honest_abe
December 29th, 2011
8:53 am
doc: i’m with you a 100% on marvin. he’s in the unenviable position of forever being compared with cp3 and dwill, but he’s a good guy who works hard. he’s not good as those guys but he’s proving he’s a serviceable starting small forward in this league and that’s no small feat. i’ll always cheer for marvin to do well.
as for pargo, he’s a straight scrub. i’m sorry. willie green is a smart basketball player who can play some d. he was getting lit up last night but nick young was just on fire. i value the intangibles that willie green brings to this team. but pargo? how many times has he turned the ball over bringing it up over half court. he has shaky handles, he’s slow, his passes are wretched, his shot is broke, since he can’t dribble he has problems getting the team into any kind of set, his d sucks. pargo is not an nba pg. in fact he’d have trouble playing in the d league. to take it a step further he could go to a local gym and people wouldn’t even pick him up. pargo sucks!
doc
December 29th, 2011
9:09 am
@ honest …..heh heh
PEDRO EL GITANO
December 29th, 2011
9:27 am
Todo va muy bien.Marvin esta jugando con dignidad al fin y tenemos una plantilla profundisima.Sabiendo que no hay crecimiento sin critica,creo que Pargo es un base aciago.Green no parece tener muchas luces tampoco.Pero insisto,nuestra medida seran los partidos de la semana que viene.De momento tener a 6 jugadores en dobles digitos es un lujo al alcance de muy pocos.GO HAWKS!!!
J from the A
December 29th, 2011
9:38 am
1. Pargo and Green: We all knew they were not that good, but, even though their shots have not really been falling, they really haven’t been _that_ horrible. (C’mon, Pargo the worst signing in the league?) Once Kirk comes back, Pargo and Green will probably only be asked to play spot minutes. In that role (i.e., back-up-to-the-back-up), I like Pargo and Green.
2. Marvin put together two good games in a row. If he can keep it up, Marvin could be a real difference maker for the Hawks.
3. It’s nice to see that Josh passed up a couple open jumpers when it looked like he really wanted to take them. Unfortunately, he is still shooting too many jumpers. But, Josh is also looking more athletic this year. Come from behind block on Wall – Classic!
4. Al — I am still not sure what to think. He is putting up decent numbers, but he is not really looking All Star efficient on the offensive end. It’s only the second game of the season, though. I am sure he will find his groove soon and will, perhaps, be on his way to a 3rd All Star appearance.
5. Nice to see Joe’s shot falling early in the game.
6. T-Mac is looking pretty good. Great passer and still has some nice moves.
7. Zaza and Vlad Rad look like very serviceable bench players. I have really liked the effort out of Zaza, and Vlad Rad has been pleasantly surprising. (We all knew Vlad Rad could shoot, but he looks like he may be a little bit more than a one-dimensional shooter.)
8. The REAL test come next week.
ILL-Logical
December 29th, 2011
9:39 am
The Atlanta Hawks made a trade proposal earlier this month for Orlando Magic star center Dwight Howard that would include guard Joe Johnson and forward Josh Smith according to espn.com.
See, this is why you can’t trust Mike Gearon et al. Everyone who has a least some knowledge about Dwight and his goals knows that he would like to play with Josh. So when the report says the trade included Josh-sorry MC,maybe they lied to you- I see an excuse: we tried but we couldn’t make it work.
Bottom line is that IF this report is factual; Josh will NOT be offered an extension( the win or break up the core narrative also is the second step in their plan) and the face of the franchise -based on market research that says that atlanta fans of a certain demographic are not repulsed by the presence of this person- is ……. .
Maybe this is why Josh dropped the weight; he is getting ready to hit the road and is traveling light.
J from the A
December 29th, 2011
9:41 am
The Hawks ARE a top-4 team in the East. The question is: Are the Hawks good enough to be able to challenge the Bulls and the Heat for supremacy in the East?
Probably not quite, but the fan in me is holding out some hope …
honest_abe
December 29th, 2011
9:47 am
anyone who says they like pargo couldn’t have possibly seen this guy play.
stat lines for last two games.
vs nj – 24 min 2-6 fg 3 reb 3 asst 1 stl 3 to!
vs wa – 14 min 1-6 fg 1 reb 1 asst 0 stl 2 to!
5 turnovers in 2 games. 3 of those to’s came as he was trying to bring the ball up the court. i’m sorry but anyone that defends this guy can’t be seeing the same person. jannero pargo is a poor man’s tyronn lue. worse shooter, worse dribbler, slower etc. this guy shouldn’t be in the freaking league. like him all you want, he needed to be cut yesterday.
Big Ray
December 29th, 2011
9:54 am
The Hawks have looked impressive so far, but it’s unwise to jump to any real conclusions until January 7, which is when they would have finished playing Miami and Chicago twice each in the same week. How well they do in those games (and what their record is after that) is a much better indicator of what to expect from them than these two wins.
Well said.
Big Ray
December 29th, 2011
9:56 am
Ok so here we go again!..Marvin, the almost 1st pick of the whole darn draft is showing everyone why Knight passed on Paul..the only reason his production slipped was Jamal and his 1000 shots coming to ATL…. But will joe and Josh continue to let him shine, or will they start hogging the ball..Thats the ?….Marvin, when used properly is no doubt a top 5 SF in the NBA..LBJ, Melo, Durant…Marvin?…
Sigh ….that was the absolute best way to ruin perspective on everything we’ve seen from Marvin so far this year. Please, please, please please, PLEASE…..
….enjoy it for what it is and STOP calling it what it’s NOT.
Rev in Tampa
December 29th, 2011
9:56 am
It was not a bad pick – AKA Marvin’s Grandma,
Welcome back to the blog. Last year I was so angry at Marvin that you were just irritating to me. But now that Marvin is stepping up his game I will look forward to your effusive, possibly incestuous, postings.
Fundamentals
December 29th, 2011
9:56 am
Marvin will get better. No JC1 is the reason. Josh needs to get down low. Al started to at the end of game 2. Both need to listen to the criticism and praise Lebron gets about staying in the post.
Shot selection and poor defense kept WAS in the game. Pargo & Green need to be reminded their role is defense and bringing the ball up.
STRETCH
December 29th, 2011
9:57 am
J from the A,
I think they can challenge both the Bulls and Heat. I still think management should have been more proactive in trying to get a legit center. Can you imagine facing the Heat a team without a legit big man? Thats why they wont beat the Heat. Neither team has a legit center, but the combination of LBJ, Wade and Bosh trumps JJ, JS, AH.
In the case against the Bulls, the Hawks bench is just as good, if not better than theirs, so who knows, maybe the Hawks get past them this year.
The Celtics age is really starting to show and they are 3 games into the season.
I really dont know what to say about the Magic. But they have balance but they dont seem hungry enough. Add that with the Dwight Howard parade and that might be enough to sabatoge their season. So i would go:
1. Heat
2. Bulls
3. Hawks
4. Magic
5. Knicks
6. Celts
7. Bucks
8. Pacers
The last four can go either way in my opinion. But overall its going to be a nice short season!
Jump Shooter X
December 29th, 2011
9:58 am
When Hinrich comes back this team could be scary good.
Jump Shooter X
December 29th, 2011
10:00 am
I’ll say this :
1. Heat
2. Bulls
3. Celtics
4. Knicks
5. Hawks
6. Magic
7. Bucks
8. Pacers
J from the A
December 29th, 2011
10:00 am
Just to be clear, I don’t _like_ Pargo (or Green for that matter). When Pargo signed, I emphatically told everyone he was garbage, but I was reminded by Najeh that (1) Pargo has to better than Wannamaker and Sloan and (2) that Pargo would probably make a decent third-string PG. I actually agree with both points. AS A THIRD-STRING PG, Pargo is OK. Do I think Pargo is good enough to warrant regular playing time on a good NBA team? Definitely not. (Well, only when trying to fill a stop gap when one of your regulars are injured, which is EXACTLY the situation the Hawks are in now.)
Fundamentals
December 29th, 2011
10:01 am
When Hinrich returns we drop Sloan & Green and find a big & 3 pt threat on waivers.
Big Ray
December 29th, 2011
10:01 am
I’ll complain about Pargo when he starts losing games for us. Nothing would have been said if his shot wasn’t off, but then…same thing was said about Bibby.
Until then, I’ll be thankful that it’s not Pape Sy or Brad “turnovers in the preseason against scrubs” Wannamaker out there. And I look forward to Hinrich’s return.
Big Ray
December 29th, 2011
10:03 am
Funny to see Javale McGee always in the NBA highlights. Also funny to note that he never really has a great impact on the game.
Big Ray
December 29th, 2011
10:05 am
J from the A,
Exactly. We act like Pargo is it, he’s our go-to PG for the remainder of the season. Dude is a stop gap and nothing more. I don’t think he and Green even have guaranteed contracts. Between the two, I keep Green, who is a bigger and better defender, and whose shot may come back online to be honest. Fact is, we may let him go as well, along with David Sloan.
Big Ray
December 29th, 2011
10:06 am
Fundamentals,
I don’t know if we’re going to pick up any decent 3 point shooters, to be honest. We have Radmanovich, you know how our management works. We’ll likely stick with that, but what do I know?
Big Ray
December 29th, 2011
10:19 am
I don’t see us getting anymore bigs.
Mike is Back
December 29th, 2011
10:19 am
MC, I am seeing some encouraging signs from the Hawks and LD. When you consider the coaching staff had little if any contact with players during the lockout, and the fact that these new guys only had two preseason games to play with each other…and add to that Pargo and Green didn’t even have that…I don’t know what all the complaining is about…those were terrible matchup’s for Pargo and Green…they are backups…they are gonna have bad outings…no sense throwing guys under bus…when you know Kirk can’t play…we are going to need these guys…UNTIL KIRK GETS BACK!
Thank you for adding LD’s comments about Pargo and Green…I think it’s unrealistic for people to expect these guys not to show some rust with the limited time they have been with the team.
Invariably guys like Josh, JJ, Marvin, and Al will resort back to some of their bad habits…but now I think there is enough vets leadership on the team to help them work their way through those tough stretches…I also think the LD will hold these guys more accountable than he has in the past…LD just looks like a different guy…he looks like he is on a mission…I think that will transcend to his team.
The biggest thing for me is these guys are coming out and competing and playing better team defense…will they have to get better to compete with the elite teams in the league…of course they will…that goes without saying.
However, what’s that ole saying…a win is win…even when you are suppose to win…I will take every win we can get.
KEEP IT GOING HAWKS…LET’S GO…LET’S GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
KZ
December 29th, 2011
10:22 am
Went to season opener last night. Product on court was awesome. Off the court was an issue. New ownership is needed immediately, it is obvious Atlanta Spirit is going to nickel and dome fans to death. First trip to bathroom, raw sewage was backing out of drain leaving customers to hop over a stream of yellow. In seats, we noticed a weird assortment of college and 2 NBA scores being flashed on screen. No updates on any of plethora of other good games going on – thanks for updating us on the UK – Samson game. We the were looking for player point totals fouls, team fouls. Then at halftime something I’d never seen at an NBA game which was NOTHING – no halftime show. Nothing going on on the court. Really weird. New ownership can’t arrive soon enough, like I said great on court product. Hopefully the fans get some more bells and whistles next game.
Ken Strickland
December 29th, 2011
10:31 am
Can anyone remember the last time the Hawks had back to back blowout wins, not to mention in back to back gms? Our rebounding has definitely improved, and here are the reasons.
1-No more dependence on the SWITCHING DEF, which was designed to cover for JCrawford and MBibby’s DEF liabilities.
2-By not having to switch and end up on the perimeter guarding backcourt players, our frontcourt players are able to remain with their man, blockout and get solid rebounding positioning. I believe I’ve made the point several times that our rebounding would improve as a result of this.
3-Having a healthy Marvin has really made a big difference in his performance, particularly his rebounding, as well as the teams.
honest_abe
December 29th, 2011
10:31 am
pargo is playing alot of trash minutes against other scrubs. he’s just really bad. he might be the worst player in the nba. ya i said it. anyone with at least some potential would make me feel better than to watch that scrub go play like a fool. he know’s he has no business being on a nba roster. the joke is on atl. eventually those 1-6’s will turn into 3-6’s on his great nights. but the to’s won’t stop because he’s slow, with no athletiscm and bad handles.
honest_abe
December 29th, 2011
10:33 am
btw when will the hawks stop this stupid business of players walking down the steps in the season home opener? it’s dark and only a matter of time before one of those guys turns their ankle. not only is it dangerous, it’s freaking tacky as hell.
give ryan cameron the boot too. he is the most annoying announcer in the nba. dude nobody goes to phillips to hear your voice. cut out the bs and just call out guys names. please.
the drum line? talk about cheap. can we please raise our game in terms of an in game experience?
terrell
December 29th, 2011
10:36 am
Worldwide Clyde said
“Only a championship will shut me up”. So basically, you’ll be talking smack for most of your adult life. NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE. Shoulda just moved to Dallas last year, or LA the year before. Anything to shut you up. lol
JM
December 29th, 2011
10:47 am
Good game last night. Hawks not on their A game and still beat the crap out of the Wiz. I love ZaZa, he’s kinda like the junk yard dog on Toronto’s playoff teams back in the day. You gotta have a hard hat guy. But please, somebody get the man some shoe grip to put on his hands. Damn butter fingers. Like a turnover waiting to happend. Anyway, better bench (minus pargo’s night) this year and better D means at least the eastern confrence finals, I hope.
Go Hawks!
It was not a bad pick
December 29th, 2011
10:48 am
Rev in Tampa
December 29th, 2011
9:56
Yeah man, I told everyone last year that marvin production only went down to Jamal 1000 shots a year coming to ATL…Marvin has a chance to do some very special things this year…
@BIG RAY
If the Hawks continue to use Marvin right, at the end of the year You will realize that he is a top 5 small foward in the NBA, Too much size, too much skills for him to just be average…
SteveW
December 29th, 2011
10:49 am
Al Horford playing nearer the rim has been the most encouraging thing to me so far this season. More encouraging than Marvin, TMac, or Teague.
Forget Horford’s stats right now. Let’s see where he’s at after 25 games or so.
JM
December 29th, 2011
10:50 am
Oh, and what’s with all the Ryan Cameron hate. Dude is just trying to pump up the place. Go Hawks!
SteveW
December 29th, 2011
10:51 am
And the Heat have sure looked human the last 2 games.
Against the ‘Cats last nite, Magette shot 1 for 10. Ty Thomas was out injured. And they still were in the game for the win on the last possession.
Norris Cole came back down to earth.
SteveW
December 29th, 2011
10:54 am
KenS – I would guess sometime during Woody’s last year we had back to back blowouts – but I none just come readily to mind. I’m sure somebody could look it up though.
SteveW
December 29th, 2011
10:55 am
Biggest Surprise to me has been Marvin however. Dude just looks different. Fluid running down the court, jumping. If he develops, he could be a difference maker. 2 games is too early to tell though.
Rev in Tampa
December 29th, 2011
10:59 am
The Nets come into town on Friday after playing the Magic in Orlando tonight. So we get them again on a back-to-back on the road.
It is worse for the Rockets on Saturday. They will be playing Atlanta after a BACK-toBACK-to-BACK. They play the Spurs tonight in Houston, the Grizz on Friday in Memphis, and the Hawks travel to Houston on Saturday.
Rufus1
December 29th, 2011
11:03 am
Wizard Starting Front Line….6′10, 6′11 and 7′0= 19rebs
Hawks Starting Front Line…..6′9, 6′9 and 6′10= 28rebs…Rebounding is about mentality and scheme(no Bibby bad scheme or Jamal bad mentality)= Addition by Subtraction
I predict that Al and Josh will average 10rebs a game, because of the defense of Teague and the scoring of Joe and Marvin.
wordsmithtom
December 29th, 2011
11:06 am
I hope T Mac and Vlad both play so well we can’t afford to sign them next year. For if they do, they will be like the hired guns that propelled Dallas last year.
honest_abe
December 29th, 2011
11:12 am
“Oh, and what’s with all the Ryan Cameron hate. Dude is just trying to pump up the place. Go Hawks!”
if that’s the reason he has a job he needs to be fired. the crowd last night looked half asleep.
SteveW
December 29th, 2011
11:15 am
From ESPN:
“Atlanta is the third team in the last 20 years to outscore its first two opponents by a combined 50-or-more points, joining the 2002-03 Kings and the 2008-09 Lakers. Sacramento would finish the regular season 59-23 and lose to Dallas in the second round of the playoffs. Los Angeles went 65-17 and went on to win the NBA Championship.”
SteveW
December 29th, 2011
11:19 am
2 Game stats can be massively skewed. Consider:
Right now our leading scorer, and rebounder is Marvin Williams. His PER is 33.7.
Let’s reevaluate after 10 games or so..
KZ
December 29th, 2011
11:20 am
“Went to season opener last night. Product on court was awesome. Off the court was an issue. New ownership is needed immediately, it is obvious Atlanta Spirit is going to nickel and dome fans to death. First trip to bathroom, raw sewage was backing out of drain leaving customers to hop over a stream of yellow. In seats, we noticed a weird assortment of college and 2 NBA scores being flashed on screen. No updates on any of plethora of other good games going on – thanks for updating us on the UK – Samson game. We the were looking for player point totals fouls, team fouls. Then at halftime something I’d never seen at an NBA game which was NOTHING – no halftime show. Nothing going on on the court. Really weird. New ownership can’t arrive soon enough, like I said great on court product. Hopefully the fans get some more bells and whistles next game”
Co-sign.
What happened to the player stats board?
Rufus1
December 29th, 2011
11:20 am
We still won by 18pts….
After going 0-11 in the 1st half of the 4th…That is an ELITE STAT.
Rufus1
December 29th, 2011
11:21 am
I don’t if this quote was posted…
” I’ve got my body in better shape, and I feel better. I was never going to make excuses, but my back was bothering me the last two or three years. I had a discectomy [June 8]. Basically, I had a disk pressing up against a nerve and it was making my leg numb. A lot of times I would be out there, and my leg would just start tingling. Man, [the NBA lockout] was a blessing for me. A lot of other guys wouldn’t say that, but having that much time to get healthy really helped.”
– Marvin Williams.
Rufus1
December 29th, 2011
11:21 am
Know^^
kwooden
December 29th, 2011
11:25 am
Steve, I agree with you on Horford. Someone wrote earlier about him doing a better job of setting-up his drives with his jumper. But I think the play of Marvin on the boards is really helping him. There have been months, if not years that Al was the only guy on the boards, I think that really began to wear on him as the season went on. These last few games Marvin has been getting his hands on balls which is making other guys really worry about him, give Al more time to rest. Al has more energy on the offensive end. He’s also making quicker decisions.
I have to comment on Pargo and Green. I think the blog has gone over board on these guys. Pargo and Green had bad games but nothing more. Those guys play hard and are NBA quality bench players. Pargo and Green had tough matchups and overall I think the bench was a little fatigued from playing so much the night before. Those guys are professionals and will bounce back tomorrow night. I really like what our bench brings to the table and they are probably the only advantage we have over Miami and they matches up well enough against Chicago. Chicago’s bench is deep and Gibson can dominate, but Vlad can make him stay on the perimeter.
GO HAWKS!!
zachdahater
December 29th, 2011
11:31 am
Things to work on
REPLACING WILLIE GREEN AT THE SG POSITION!!! Nick Young lit him up SOOOooo easily, and he doesn’t make any shots.
He has a decent teardrop though!! Let him teach the teardrop to Jeff Teague and LET HIM GO! Well, we eventually have to upgrade here, I would’ve rather had PAPE SY behind Joe because he’s athletic, he’s aggressive, and GOOD ON DEFENSE!!
YES I BE YELLING WHEN I CAPITALIZE, AND YOU SHOULD IMAGINE A SAMUEL L. JACKSON VOICE WHEN YOU READ IT!!!!!!
Anyways, WE ALSO NEED A BACKUP CENTER GUYS!!!!
I do not want ZAZA PACHULIA getting injured playing garbage minutes! He was out there too freaking long. And I also don’t want that old fart Jason Collins out there injuring himself either.
(What if we got Twin’s twin Jarron Collins on the team, lol)
But we do need a 2nd backup rotation center. I’d LOVE to get Etan Thomas back as a backup for that position. He’s a thug on the boards, and plays aggressively.
BESIDES THAT, GO MARVIN!!!! This is what I’ve been saying he needs to do, HIT OPEN SHOTS! He’ll be open. Make your 3 pointers and that’ll help us MONUMENTALLY!! Our defense is CRAZY as far as the starting lineup. Tracy’s great on defense too. NO MORE EASY PENETRATION from Jamal or Bibby, and if they get through, they’ll get stopped by Smoove and Horford. We our VERY balanced and built to potential beat the Heat who have weaknesses. We should be 3rd in the East this season, screw whoever was on this blog and said the Knicks will be better, NOT WITH BIBBY LETTING THE DEFENSE SLIPPING BY, I saw them last night.
GO HAWKS!!!!! BUY MY BEER!!!!!!!!
KevinM
December 29th, 2011
11:33 am
Nothing needs to be said about the team taking care of business. Drew is going 10 deep into the rotation, trying to save guys for the next game. He is handling the rotation well.
Seeing T-Mac at the point may tell you how we will look if JT gets into foul trouble. I don’t mind that big lineup, but it might not be successful during long stretches. And kudos to JT for having 2 good games out of the gate against Deron and Wall.
Did anyone mention how JC2 looked last night? He did not appear to be into the game at all. You would have expected more from him against his buds.
Looking back on last year, I wanted to see how Marvin did during our 6-0 start last year:
@ Memphis – 15pts/7reb in 31 min
@ Philly – 6/5
Wash – 0/4
@Cleveland – 22/4
Detroit – 11/8
Minny – out with a bruised knee
He has had 2 consistent games for the 1st time in recent memory, and I give him accolades for showing aggressiveness so far this year. As I said earlier, he is the key to the success of this team.
Bench was more the norm against the Wiz, but they gave us 29 points for playing 1/3 of the game. So far, Jamal has not been missed.
A true test of this team will come next week with CHI and MIA in place.
We will know a lot more about this team after that stretch.
KevinM
December 29th, 2011
11:35 am
Thumbs up Rufus; I had never heard the details of what Marvin was playing with. I gotta think he stayed out of the lane more than he should have last year.
Good energy this year.
Ken Strickland
December 29th, 2011
11:37 am
HONEST ABE-You’re not so subtle dig at me isn’t unexpected. You putting words in my mouth is, because I’ve never compared Pargo to anyone. I said he was the 1st backup PG we’ve had with the speed and quickness to provide the kind of pressue that Teague provides for our starting unit. You also CONVENIENTLY ignored the fact that he just joined the team, he’s rusty, as is WGreen, and is still relatively unfamiliar with his teammates and our OFF and DEF systems.
Come on ABE, you’re acting like a troll cruising the blog looking for any lame excuse to create an argument, or bash a blogger, or a player you don’t particularly like, and that’s not you man. I did notice how you waited until after the Wizzard gm to voice all of this about Pargo, rather than making it an issue after his performance against the Nets. No player is perfect, and we’ve managed to do pretty good with him so far. He’ll improve as his conditioning improves, and he becomes more familiar with his teammates and our OFF/DEF systems.
He’s on the active roster now, and last nights gm was his 2nd gm with the team. You should know as well as anyone that it’s foolish and a total waste of time to make an issue of a veteran player being on the roster at that point. He’ll likely remain on the active roster until Hinrich returns, so what was your point?
Rufus1
December 29th, 2011
11:39 am
@KevinM
Who wants to REBOUND or ATTACK the RIM, with a bad BACK….
zachdahater
December 29th, 2011
11:44 am
Actually, Keith Bogans would’ve been a better backup, but I’m not really losing sleep over the SG position. Green can pretty much hold his own for now. Pargo’s a good replacement for Hinrich and a reliable 3rd backup for when TEAGUE EVENTUALLY TWISTS HIS ANKLE AGAIN, you KNOW it’s gonna happen! But no matter what, we are so deep that no injury should hurt us anymore. We are at least 3 deep at every position. NEED A CENTER THOUGH!
Man…..the CELTICS SUCK!!! Guys, this is our moment. We are built to beat the Magic, the Celtics have a WEAK bench and their starting 5 isn’t athletic enough to keep up with us. We are clearly a top 3 team in the East this year. We CAN beat the Bulls, WE CAN beat the Heat, in fact I feel we’re the best team for that job in the East. This could be a great year, to early to tell though, but I’m excited!
Go Hawks man
Michael Cunningham
December 29th, 2011
11:48 am
new blog is posted. shutting down this thread.
ATL Hawks Win In Home Opener vs. WAS Wizards: All You Need To Know - Soaring Down South
December 29th, 2011
2:46 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution: (First and Second) [...]