Atlanta Hawks: Pacers 96, Hawks 84
Indianapolis–The Hawks were short-handed, they didn’t play well for two of the three competitive quarters, and Indiana was good. It all added up to a beatdown that Atlanta’s third-stringers made look more respectable.
- Larry Drew said Al Horford will be reevaluated when the team returns to Atlanta. The Hawks said the initial diagnosis was a strained left shoulder. Horford wasn’t in the locker room after the game during my time in there.
- Tracy McGrady said he’s not sure if he will be available vs. Charlotte tomorrow. “This morning, I felt a little tight in my back but I didn’t think it was going to be anything serious to keep me out,” he said.
- Clearly Atlanta’s offense suffers without Horford, McGrady and Marvin Williams. It suffers even more against a good defensive team like the Pacers.
- But the Hawks made a run at it in the second quarter, when they scored 14 of their 30 points in the paint, earned 10 free-throw attempts (making seven) and had just one turnover. It came apart in the third quarter, when they had four field goals, three free-throw attempts and six turnovers.
- “We missed a lot of shots, some easy layups,” Drew said. “We turned the ball over. Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong in that third quarter.”
- “I thought our ball movement wasn’t good enough and our energy was not high enough out there,” Joe Johnson said. “Losing Al hurt a lot. He’s a good low-post scorer for us. He’s also a high-energy guy. He’s a big piece of what we do.”
- Al came out looking like he was going to take it to Roy Hibbert, size disadvantage be damned. That fall on the blocked shot looked bad, though.
- The Hawks actually had nine shots in the paint in the third quarter compared to 10 attempts in the second. But they made just three of those tries in the third after making seven in the second quarter.
- In the third quarter, Jeff Teague missed two shots at the rim and Ivan Johnson, Jannero Pargo and Zaza Pachulia each missed one.
- Some of that was the Roy Hibbert effect. When guys went to the basket, you could see them taking extra dribbles and double-clutching. All that did was give Hibbert (four of Indian’s 10 blocked shots) more time to recover.
- Zaza absorbed most of Horford’s minutes and was good offensively with 11 points on six shots and strong on the boards as usual. But he couldn’t keep Hibbert away from the basket or challenge the many Pacers who sliced into the lane.
- “I think we gave up too many easy points in the paint,” Josh Smith said. “You make it harder to get some stops. Hibbert is a tall glass of water. When you let him catch it around that smiley face and be able to lean in like that, it’s basically a layup. Then they knocked down some open jump shots.”
- Collins did a good job keeping Hibbert away from the basket but the pace in the third quarter was too much for him. He did manage four rebounds in 12 minutes, good production for him.
- While Hibbert was dropping in buckets down low, Danny Granger was lighting it up from outside. “They are playing more of an inside-out game,” Teague said.
- Johnson and Granger always go hard at each other. Granger was the clear winner tonight once Johnson failed to score after halftime.
- Atlanta’s defense overall was bad during the parts of the game that mattered but Johnson was particularly guilty of losing his man on the perimeter.
- I’ve covered a lot of games in this building, always sitting underneath the goal near the visitor’s bench. I never say much about officiating one way or another but I’m always amazed how officials let the Pacers beat up on the visiting team, especially around the basket. Seriously, I’ve probably watched 10 games from that seat and it’s the same thing every time.
- That being said, the Hawks didn’t always stay focused in spite of the contact. Josh especially seemed to let the no-calls bother him and picked up a technical and a couple cheap fouls.
- The Hawks have to know that’s how it’s going to be here. “We was expecting it,” Joe said. “When Al went down, that was a tough break for us. In that second half we didn’t come out with the intensity we needed.”
- I can see why Ivan Johnson is a fan favorite. He provides good energy. But he’s also a turnover machine, takes too many jumpers (and shoots too much considering the company he keeps on the floor) and sometimes is too brazen when he goes the basket.
- However, that was an impressive steal for an and-1 dunk. Dude has wheels for his size. He should have been a linebacker.
- The Hawks may have to figure out how to score for at least another game without one or two of Horford, McGrady and Williams or maybe all three. “We have to preach ball movement,” Josh said. “Stress it and do it. Otherwise we will have another outing like we had tonight. We can’t have isolation all the time. We have got to spread the ball around, spread the love and get everyone involved.”
- Lou Amundson went bush league and tried to score with the shot clock off in the final seconds. Collins came over and gave him a hard foul to let him know that’s not cool. Collins got a Flagrant 2 and an ejection for the move.
- “You dribble the clock out in that situation if you are a true professional,” Collins said. “That was not a Flagrant 2. I gave him a hard foul, that’s all I did. He went in to try to dunk the basketball, first of all. If you are going to stop a dunk you have to deliver a hard foul. That’s all that was.”
- Lance Stephenson, noted head case from his days back at Cincinnati, seemed to be really proud of his career-high 12 points. He kept flexing at Atlanta’s bench in garbage time. Hawks players didn’t like it, though a couple guys just laughed at him.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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138 comments Add your comment
Grandmaster JeJe
January 11th, 2012
11:20 pm
FIRST
FIRE LD
Grandmaster JeJe
January 11th, 2012
11:24 pm
Love the last 3 bullet points, MC.
LOL ppl compared Lance to JJ and TMac when he was in Hs.
Kobe, with his 30 gruesome injuries, had 48 last night. Joe did not even score in the 2nd half
Grandmaster JeJe
January 11th, 2012
11:25 pm
Duck will miss 5 weeks or be extremely ineffective if he returns soon.
He will be timid regardless
Grandmaster JeJe
January 11th, 2012
11:27 pm
MC, watch your comments on Ivan. Need to beware of your own safety when talking about Ivan like that. He could pick up a T in retaliation.
NUNNA!!
January 11th, 2012
11:28 pm
5th Tricks!!
NUNNA!!
January 11th, 2012
11:31 pm
Grandmaster and everyone else,i have one question and i will hang up..
With the off again on again play that we’re doing,do u think its possible that the hawks will be .500 sometime within the next 30 days?
I don’t expect it to be but,u never know with this team..
I say if its no major changes on the roster then YES!!
BRING BACK MAGNUM ROLLE!!
Grandmaster JeJe
January 11th, 2012
11:33 pm
“The Hawks have to know that’s how it’s going to be here. “We was expecting it,” Joe said. “When Al went down, that was a tough break for us. In that second half we didn’t come out with the intensity we needed.”
****
yeah God Forbid our maximum contract player has to set an example and come out with the intensity the rest of our team can follow
1. Kobe
2. Wade
3. Joe
Grandmaster JeJe
January 11th, 2012
11:34 pm
Nunna,
We will stay a few games above .500.
SSDY
Grandad
January 11th, 2012
11:34 pm
Just got here;
quit watching the game;
sometimes you have a game like that.
I did not feel as if the hawks mailed it in.
However, I did miss the 1st half.
3rd Qtr and beginning of 4th the Hawks were scrapping
but were also just spinning their wheels.
Indy was getting away with rugged play inside, but,
thats where we need to man up and play through.
Still – every now and then – you have one of those.
Indy 10 blocked shots and countless others affected,
either by contact or intimidation.
We are woefully undersized.
We must, have to, are compelled, sine qua non, and besides all that;
it’s essential that we get a legit Big !
_____________________________________________
Oh yeah……………….
It seems to me that when Al went out …
maybe, just maybe, we were missing his presence.
_____________________________________________
JaeEvolution
January 11th, 2012
11:41 pm
Zaza, Vlad and Phx 2nd rounder for Mozgof and Faried.
If they say no to Faried, ask for Brewer reunite Al and his buddy ole pal…
JaeEvolution
January 11th, 2012
11:45 pm
Lance ‘Born Ready’ Stephenson clowning on the Hawks for dropping 12, that is pretty laughable.
Ryan
January 11th, 2012
11:51 pm
Kudos to Collins!
JSS
January 11th, 2012
11:53 pm
MC. A little U-C vs U-L hate there?
Prison Mike
January 11th, 2012
11:54 pm
Hawks should have went to big lineup of
JT
JJ
JS
AH
JC
Missing players like Tmac, Marv, and Kirk they needed to maximize the roster but I digress. Teague, Pargo, Rad didn’t show up.
SteveW
January 12th, 2012
12:01 am
Grandad – Did Ajinca ever get signed? He’d be a good “Hibbert Lite” maybe.
SteveW
January 12th, 2012
12:05 am
Not to excuse JJ – But when your down 3 of your top 6 players, it is going to affect you usually. I had a bad feeling about this game anyway. I still think we can beat the ‘Cats tonite.
And only 1 back to back between now and Feb. 14-15 – amazing. I think the rest are basically one on and one off between now and then, besides the 1 back to back..
SteveW
January 12th, 2012
12:06 am
Yea if you count Hinrich, we might have been without 4 of our top 7 players last nite.
Scrooge McDuck
January 12th, 2012
12:08 am
Well, there’s your taste of the Hawks without Horford.
Lottery.
tyger
January 12th, 2012
12:21 am
Enough said:
J. Teague G 27:49 2-10 0-1 1-2 -13 0 2 2 3 0 2 3 1 2 5
Harry Hawk
January 12th, 2012
12:24 am
T-Mac played about 30 minutes against the Heat in that triple-OT game.
He hasn’t played more than 8:45 in the four games (and missed two of those) following that loss.
Scrooge McDuck
January 12th, 2012
12:25 am
Not a good sign when a team is this dependant on a first-year starter (Teague).
Drew is a waste.
jasper
January 12th, 2012
12:34 am
Tmacs body falling apart. its quiet sad. he still has a ton of game but the body just is not letting him to do it. Granted he is also very soft and dosent like to play through injuries
Slimjr
January 12th, 2012
12:37 am
Kobe goes for 48 with a torn ligament in his shooting hand last night? Are you kidding?
NOT HAPPY
January 12th, 2012
12:47 am
TMAC=SOFT
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 12th, 2012
12:48 am
Well there you go Hawks. Could’ve traded for Horford and picks for Leuer and Bogut but no.
You got to see Ivan at the “small forward”. Yeah right, Ivan aint no shooter and Smith was on the perimeter. And you got to see Iso Vlad…
SMDH
Ask for 7′0 Leuer + 7′0 Bogut. Recieve 6′9 Vlad + 6′9 Horford.
Yeah I’m putting Horford at 6′9 because that’s how he plays.
Size disadvantage be damned? Or damning.
MC said it himself. Disadvantage. Taller guy blocks Al and then smacks him to the ground.
Refs reaction? what is this midget doing in the paint?
IF YOU WANT THE CHAMPIONSHIP GET BIGGER, Napoleon complex be damned.
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 12th, 2012
12:53 am
Napoleon complexes be damned. Get bigger.
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 12th, 2012
1:18 am
looks like T-Mac is gonna start up faking injuries
If I had my way
Teague, Johnson, Smith, 7′0 Leuer, 7′0 Bogut
Hinrich, Williams, McGrady, Radmanovic, Pachulia
Tired of this small chickenHawks crap.
JaeEvolution
January 12th, 2012
1:55 am
I thought our loss last Thursday was bad, well it was, but Miami and Lebron are going to get TORE apart for this performance by the media and fans alike…so much hate for this team it’s amazing.
JaeEvolution
January 12th, 2012
1:56 am
Not to mention they choked at the line worse than we did a week ago, damn.
TMACfan
January 12th, 2012
2:01 am
I don’t think you guys understand McGrady. He will NOT play if there is anything wrong with his body unless the championship is on the line. He learned from when he played in the 2008 playoffs even though his knee needed surgery badly and now you guys can see where he’s at now. Cut him some slack, don’t ask him to be the scoring load cause it won’t happen. Keep what you get and be happy. Trust me I miss him more than anyone.
Prison Mike
January 12th, 2012
2:03 am
MC, can you ask why there is no free throw coach on staff. Josh needs to to move a few inches to his right at the line or something because he’s leaving a ton of points out there.
NOT HAPPY
January 12th, 2012
2:13 am
I guess we are only paying him the vet minimum so its not a big loss with his back injury. People got excited over Radman, but the fact is he is nothing more then a shooter. It’s paramount for him that his shot is on because otherwise he brings nothing else to the tabel.
real talk
January 12th, 2012
2:42 am
What yall don’t understand is that tmac is fine. He’s not playing because he doesn’t want to play for LD garbage azz. His body ain’t breaking down. Pay attention, tmac hadn’t complained about backs spasms since being a knick(two years ago). If he was given the respect, which he so kindly deserve, to play big min and crunch time situations, I personally guarantee he would be playing. Read two blogs ago, tmac ” I’ve worked to hard to sit”. That there sounds like an unhappy player. He was brought in to take over J Crawford role but hasn’t at all got the green light to fill in that role. He is disappointed that Vald gets the start before he do. Read between the lines. He doesn’t want to play for LD and will probably seek a trade if LD doesn’t give that Crawford role. And that’s REAL TALK!
real talk
January 12th, 2012
2:52 am
Read between the lines! Al is playing yall. He’s trynna prove to everybody that he shouldnt be playing the 5. So he waits to play a legit center to prove he can’t bang wit centers. If you can’t smell that from a mile away then you just don’t know the NBA and players function.
Dukester
January 12th, 2012
2:55 am
Well for the last 3 years I have complained that we dont have a center. I suggested just about every center we could get either through trade or free angency with out messing up the “core”.
Sports with goals and nets like basketball, hoceky and soccer must have a defender assigned to protect that goal. Look at the teams that make that a priority they are almost always good defensively. Paint protection and rebounding is the most important part of basketball.
If you think this team has a chance with Zaza and twin playing center you will be sadly disappointed. Al Horford wasnt playing center before he was hurt, we had him listed at center but we really play with 3 forwards. This is not an idictment on Al its on management for not addressing this issue. I will watch from afar. Good luck
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
January 12th, 2012
3:07 am
Good coaches find a way to win when people are hurt.
FIRE LD
real talk
January 12th, 2012
3:11 am
Tmac is averaging 19 min through 9 games. Doesn’t look like Jamals 30 min a min a game. Just adding this to my point of view.
Crazy_88
January 12th, 2012
4:05 am
Its still very early in the season fellas so lets chill with the ” witch hunt” If this was the post season Tracy would’ve played but since its just 11 games into a compact season – there’s no reason for dude to go out and try and play ” Hero Ball “. Too many new faces on the team and not enough practice time is the main reason why the new guys have yet to develop steady chemistry with one another. Tracy hasn’t really looked for his offense as much and has been trying to get his second unit guys more into the flow game first and looking for his offense second – dude has a high basketbalk IQ and knows that he has to tone down his game with this group til everybody completely gels with one another.I would like to see LD play Tracy more as a ” point forward” because he is a gifted passer and playmaker along with putting him down on the left or right elbow more. I’m not sure how thick LD offense playbook is but so far everything looks like an Isolation or lob play on either side of the court, I would like to see him run more plays for Horford and Tracy in the pick n roll instead of just having JJ, Josh and Teague dominate the ball for 20 seconds of the shot clock. I get it…he’s trying to coach Teague up at the 1 but there’s no excuse for everybody else to dribbling the air out of the ball at times. I suspect that once we get thru 3/4 of the season (40 games) that he will shorten the rotation to 8 players and that’s when we will see Tracy receive a steady diet of 25-30 minutes per game.
real talk
January 12th, 2012
4:28 am
I sure hope so crazy 88. I just have that feeling that if LD doesn’t show him some proper respect, he’s not going to play like McGrady.
Adam Keefe
January 12th, 2012
4:42 am
The pacers did an excellent job of scouting Jeff Teague and forced him left all night because its pathetic to see a pro who is unable to finish with his left hand.. They kept funneling him left and he kept trying to force awkard layups on the left side of the court with his right hand…I almost puked..
harryia the hawk
January 12th, 2012
6:19 am
Tmacs knee will fall out of it’s socket if he were average 30 minutes a game at this stage of his career. he still has the ability to take over a game, but his body is shot
Grandmaster JeJe
January 12th, 2012
6:44 am
FIRE SUND
Grandad
January 12th, 2012
7:03 am
SteveW
To the best of my knowledge;
Ajinca is playing in France, he signed in Dec with SIG Strasbourg.
I do not know the particulars e g, can he get out of his contract ?
PEDRO EL GITANO
January 12th, 2012
7:03 am
Pobre Al Horford alma de cantaro…tal vez haya que repescar o fichar a un pivot.Zaza puede hacer numeros parecidos,pero tiene las mismas limitaciones de inmovilidad.Son cinturas de hierro.
Los Pacers fueron superiores,en este momento son mejor equipo que nuestros hawks.Por otro lado no me preocupa que T-Mac no juegue ahora,lo que hay que buscar es que este bien en playoffs.Mientras tanto habra que habilitar minutos para Ivan cuando Radman no este inspirado(algo que sucede con asiduidad)
GO HAWKS!!!!
Grandmaster JeJe
January 12th, 2012
7:09 am
Real talk may have a point.
Grandad
January 12th, 2012
7:23 am
I really get tired of picking on Joe;
but last eve was evidence of who Joe is but even more so,
who and what Joe is incapable of doing.
When the team was down, injuries, plus on the road, out-sized,
team playing poorly, refs helping the home team, … yet Joe …
not the kind of guy to put the team on his back and carry.
Unfortunately, we all knew this and did not expect as much.
Joe is going to carry the burden of his contract just as Marv
has carried the burden of being drafted ahead of Chris Paul.
Neither his fault.
None of us would have turned down the $.
But with privilege [$] comes resonsibility.
____________________________________________
We need a legit Big !
The Spook who sat by the door
January 12th, 2012
7:23 am
Slimjr,
To piggyback off your Kobe stat FTPB:
Kobe – 8qtrs.(2 games) – 88pts; 22pts./qtr.
The Spook who sat by the door
January 12th, 2012
7:25 am
Slimjr,
My correction…that should be 11pts./qtr.
drmaryb.[*_*].
January 12th, 2012
7:35 am
The Hawks have been too small inside since Dikembe rolled out. Al and Josh said they need some SIZE help inside – but, ASKG go and get Jason Collins to loose weight instead, this year Twin has muscles.
Last night was not some epiphany … It was just old news. Why does everyone seem surprised. When Al asks for help … His haters want him to man up, play big and they call him soft and whiney! Al should just QUIT on this team. D12 ain’t coming here and I ain’t going to Phillip’s Arena … Not when I can stay home, flip channels and drink affordable imported beers.
drmaryb.[*_*].
January 12th, 2012
7:38 am
* lose weight
The Spook who sat by the door
January 12th, 2012
7:39 am
PEDRO EL GITANO,
You probably make really good points but, unfortunately, I don’t have any language translation software. I am not bilingual. [Yo] Hablo espanol un poquito. Habla usted ingles? Muchisimas gracias y adios.
beejayrufino
January 12th, 2012
7:40 am
Ivan and Collins are banggers inside! go hawks! good luck against the bobcats!
harryia the hawk
January 12th, 2012
7:41 am
Tmac at the shoot around says i’ve worked to hard to get fit to be benched and feel fantastic and less then 24 hours he supposedly is hit with back issues. My guess is Drew took exception to Tmac calling him out and he told tmac you aint playing.
Rasputin
January 12th, 2012
7:48 am
Harriya might be onto something.
O'Brien
January 12th, 2012
7:49 am
I wonder how much of this game was a carryover from the starters playing so many minutes in the Nets game? When you’re tired, you don’t respond very well to adversity (and the Hawks are already inconsistent when dealing with adversity).
I dont mind the loss. I just hated the way we looked/played. But I do agree that the officiating was terrible.
Hopefully, Hawks will put this game behind them, and win tonight’s game against Charlotte. We need Teague to play better, and that should trickle down to the rest of the team. Also, guys will have to step up, since we could be without 3 rotation players.
Section 303
January 12th, 2012
8:06 am
I was kind of wanting the Pacers to have a good year. Not anymore. Clear they are a team of wannabe tough guys. Admundson douche dunk attempt, Stephenson thinking he’s an All Star because he scored 12 pts, and Hansbourgh trying to play tough with Ivan I hope they lose every game when they don’t play Miami.
I thought the Hawks just had an awful shooting night. I understand the Pacer length had something to do with that, but not everything to do with it. Hawks just could not make a basket in the 2nd half. Missed a lot of open looks and close shots around the basket.
I’m kind of thinking the Hawks might be in trouble tonight. They’re going to be short handed without Marvin (made of glass), Al, and T-Mac. Charlotte is not that bad of a team. Hawks are going to need Vlad, Pargo, and Willie Green to contribute against the Bobcats.
Josh keeps playing well. I was actually glad when he glad when he got the T in the first half. Refs were just screwing the Hawks (how could the play Al was hurt on not be a foul!), and refs seem to only respond when guys yell. Just look at how Joe hardly gets any calls, and he’s an All Star player! Good for Josh. Glad he got on the hacks for the sh#t job they were doing. Game last night was poorly officiated.
Also, awful recognition by the refs throwing out Collins. No team in the NBA would have taken an “Eff you” dunk, let alone an “Eff you” dunk from a scrub like Admundson. Refs should have realized that and given Collins just a flagrant 1.
I assume the Hawks will appeal that and wil be interesting to see if the league sides with them. Since their jerseys do not say Heat, Lakers, Bulls, Knicks, or Pacers (since they suddenly get calls for doing nothing for years) I highly doubt the flagrant 2 will be changed.
STRETCH
January 12th, 2012
8:08 am
In the third quarter, Jeff Teague missed two shots at the rim and Ivan Johnson, Jannero Pargo and Zaza Pachulia each missed one.
Im already prepared for Zaza to miss layups cause he is so clumsy, but Teague needs to get his act together. Guy cant hit free throws and blows way too many layups!
The Spook who sat by the door
January 12th, 2012
8:41 am
PEDRO EL GITANO,
I somewhat deciphered that you feel Zaza has a lot of mobility limitations and that Ivan [Johnson] should be given playing time [minutes] when Vlad-Rad is not playing with inspiration [or spirit]. I believe you also mentioned you’re not concerned about T-Mac not playing right now because he is [better suited] for the playoffs. You also said something about “poor Al [Reynoso Horford].”
I’m just curious but are you sympathetic to Al [Reynoso Horford] because he’s Dominican [and/or Hispanic]? De donde es usted? Cual es tu nacionalidad [o de que nacionalidad eres]? [Yo] Soy Africano-American y Cubano.
The Spook who sat by the door
January 12th, 2012
8:45 am
PEDRO EL GITANO,
that should be “…[Yo] Soy Africano-Americano y Cubano.”
PEDRO EL GITANO
January 12th, 2012
9:06 am
Para no vomitar viendo que Teague no maneja la mano izquierda aconsejo una dieta kosher.Ya mas en serio,tomen nota que Sloan hizo mas puntos que Teague jugando solo 5 min.Teague nos agrada,pero no tiene la tecnica ni la regularidad necesarias para ser uestro PG de inicio.Es un gran atleta,pero desde que Cedric Jackson le paso por encima no ha procurado mejorar su manejo de la mano izquierda.Estoy seguro que Hinrich es mejor jugador que el a dia de hoy,y creo que Sloan puede competir con el.
Just Joe
January 12th, 2012
9:09 am
Couple thoughts:
1) I love Ivan Johnson’s energy, but the turnovers, 20+ foot jumpers, and fouls almost counter all of his positives. He has got to learn to play under control. Hopefully this comes from 8-10 minutes of playing time every game. I think with a guy like this, a guy that is so hungry to do well, that he has to know his role (8-10 minutes a game, defense, energy, high % shots). But he also has to believe that if he plays well, he’ll be rewarded with more minutes. This dude is playing for a check. He’s a 27-yr old rookie that knows he may not get another shot if he blows this one. Time on the floor to show what he can do, is all he wants. What he has to learn is that 27-yr old rookies don’t get the luxury of making the same mistakes that a 22-yr old first round pick makes. Turnovers will kill his career if he doesn’t fix them.
2) Vlad got yanked in the 2nd half for not even attempting a run-out at a wide open shooter behind the 3 pt line. Vlad just walked toward him, and then turned his back before the shot ever went up. The shot rimmed out, but LD yanked him shortly after and I don’t think he ever returned to the floor. He’s fitting right in with this core (Joe & Josh both coasted on defense several times when things weren’t going their way).
We need leadership!!!…and another big man!!!
Ken Strickland
January 12th, 2012
9:10 am
Can you imagine how much BS we’d be hearing from MARVIN HATERS had he, instead of Radmanovic, played 27:05mins, scored only 3pt on 1-7 shooting, with only 3rebounds and no steals, assists, or blocks?
After one good gm starting for Marvin, all of the MARVIN HATERS we running off at the mouth about how he was so much better for the team as a starter, and how he stretches the floor with his shooting.
Now that we’ve seen how much of a liability he can be when his shots aren’t falling, and how much he can hurt the team with his DEF, we see why only the MARVIN HATERS see him as an upgrade over Marvin, and why they are suddenly silent on the matter.
wordsmithtom
January 12th, 2012
9:16 am
Dr. Mary,
If you’re going to imbibe on those adult beverages, put some throw pillows on the floor in case you fall off the couch.
Ken, the Haters can’t think straight because they’re locked into an emotional dislike for MW. Note the trade idea yesterday, MW for Ron Artest, now know as WORLD PEACE or WTF he calls himself. He’s a bumm, but he’s = to World Peace, a very solid defensive player. Things that make me wonder.
PEDRO EL GITANO
January 12th, 2012
9:18 am
Soy español,escribo desde España.Temgo 33 años y soy seguidor de los hawks desde los 10.La pagina se puede traducir desde google.Gracias.
Astro Joe
January 12th, 2012
9:20 am
I’m a Vald AND Marvin fan. Vlad was much too tentative last night. Almost like he read the blog about only taking 3s and decided he would try something different.
Disappointing performances all around last night. Josh and Joe looked red hot in the second half but then the wheels fell off in that 3rd quarter. I hate watching Teague fling those free throws at the rim. I’m sure it won’t look so care-free when he is making them but right now it looks like he is indifferent when he shoots them. Ivan is making the typical “rookie” mistakes. We’d be getting the same excessive fouling and turnovers from Keith Benson had he stayed.
doc
January 12th, 2012
9:23 am
hmmm a little bad cardinal blood there at cinncy mc?
we are hurt at yhe thinnest area guard and post if al out for long. ivan is going to have to grow up or twin find the fountain everyone is looking for in the anti-aging era.
hope no one is surprised that the pacers toom up where they left off last year. balanced and play defense a tough combo.
was out of cell range or internet access since the heat game so pleasantly surprised we got by the bulls who were lights out the night before. we are about a game ahead of where i thought we would be with a schizo, best and worst in the east, sched to begin the year with. feel a few more beat downs coming when we play the western conf teams and we cant let too many east teams beat us. overall feel pacers are ascending, not us; real question is who else?
vava74
January 12th, 2012
9:24 am
Stop comparing JJ with Kobe.
Kobe is one of the top 15 ever AND had those two monster games with Pau and Bynum in the paint.
When they are both healthy there is no other PF – C combo at that level in the league.
Also, Kobe and the lakers get calls that JJ and the Hawks don’t even dream of getting.
Astro Joe
January 12th, 2012
9:33 am
And the defense was awful last night. David West and Granger had way too many open looks throughout the game. How does that happen? Again, disappointing performances throughout.
Just Joe
January 12th, 2012
9:33 am
I will say this, it’s hard to expect us to beat Indiana in their gym when 4 of our top 8 players aren’t in the game (Horford, Hinrich, Marvin & McGrady). The effort could have been better though.
Astro Joe
January 12th, 2012
9:35 am
vava, the comparisons are because Joe has a top 10 annual salary (based on current salaries, not historic). I don’t think it is fair, but it is based on the assumption that with superstar pay comes superstar results.
bigdave
January 12th, 2012
9:37 am
Vlad was taking an awful lot of mid range/ pull up jumpers.. stick to the drive and kick, or spot up 3 game.
The Spook who sat by the door
January 12th, 2012
9:51 am
PEDRO EL GITANO,
I agree that, although he is athletic, Teague is not good with his left hand; he really needs to work on finishing at the rim with his off [left] hand. I guess you feel that Hinrich is a better player than Teague and that [Donald] Sloan is just as good as Teague [or is in competition with Teague with respect to level of play].
Najeh Davenpoop
January 12th, 2012
9:56 am
“Well, there’s your taste of the Hawks without Horford.
Lottery.”
Al is good, but this speaks at least as much to Zaza’s ineffectiveness against starting centers as it does to Al’s ability.
Rufus1
January 12th, 2012
9:56 am
The Spook who sat by the door ——- Very good movie!
ag
January 12th, 2012
9:56 am
After one loss, most of you are ready to trade away the team. Josh and Joe said it best, ball movement. It did not happen last night. I watched Indy with crisp passes and open shots. I saw a lot of one -on -one basketball, then a pass with under 5 secs on the shot clock. When the Hawks lose, it is always the same way. They tend to lose when Jeff has a bad game. Again, he is up and down – kind of typical of a rookie – although he is not. Playing him all season last year would have paid great dividends this season! If he makes a 3-pt shot – the Hawks win. In the four losses 0-6. 3pt shots. In the wins 9-14 3 pt shots… again that means the ball is moving!
ag
January 12th, 2012
9:58 am
Man, before last night I was ready to move VladRad in the starting lineup. After last night… 1-7…
Slimjr
January 12th, 2012
9:59 am
I understand Now!
_______________________________________________________
Sund gave ROBIN, Batman money……..
Slimjr
January 12th, 2012
10:00 am
BIG ALL NBA, has to learn you cant out muscle bigger guys!
You have to out finesse em or you’ll get hurt!
SALVADOR
January 12th, 2012
10:01 am
@ The Spook,The correct way would be ´Yo soy afro-americano y cubano´.
And Horford´s complete name is Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso(Reynoso is his mother´s maiden name).
PEDRO EL GITANO is not being sympathetic to Al Horford,on the contrary,he is very critical on his “lack of mobility”, and when he says “pobre Al Horford alma de cantaro” hes talking about Al Horford having no courage,no fire within,a weak soul……
He also recomended a kosher diet to avoid throwing up watching Teague play with his inability to use his left hand.
Behind Enemy Lines: Atlanta Hawks - Pacers Center
January 12th, 2012
10:02 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
Najeh Davenpoop
January 12th, 2012
10:02 am
“Los Pacers fueron superiores,en este momento son mejor equipo que nuestros hawks.”
At full strength? I doubt it. They are good but I wouldn’t go that far. I don’t think they would beat the Hawks in a playoff series.
But this game once again exposed the Hawks’ problems with mental toughness that Charles Barkley repeatedly pointed out on national TV. When Al went out, the defensive intensity went down. If anything, the defensive intensity and ball pressure should go up when Al goes out, to compensate for Zaza’s lack of ability.
Slimjr
January 12th, 2012
10:03 am
All NBA threw his left should into that 7′2″ mountain on his cut to the basket for a stiff layup and just bounced off like hitting a wall! Game, set, and match…
Najeh Davenpoop
January 12th, 2012
10:05 am
BTW, I don’t know how many of you stayed up until 1, but the Hawks game wasn’t even the most poorly officiated game of the night. That honor goes to the Heat-Clippers game. That was maybe the most poorly officiated game I have seen since the 2006 NBA Finals.
northcyde
January 12th, 2012
10:05 am
Lol @ Grandad’s 7:23 post.
You’re one of the main people on the board who doesn’t like it when JJ looks for his own offense.
A Guy that puts his team on his back is also a Guy who will take quick and questionable shots. He’s also a Guy that will look to go one on one in isolation. These are all of the things that people claim that they don’t want JJ to do. LOL but when we need him to do it, and he doesn’t do it, people get mad.
Can’t have it both ways folks. Either you want JJ to be the team Guy. . . . or you want him to be the Big Dog. Don’t flip flop.
Having said that, you are right in the fact that he didn’t do enough offensivein that 3rd quarter. He had it going a little, and should’ve been looking to shoot a lot more. Instead, Smith tried to take the game over and jj only took 2 shots after halftime.
LOL fans need to decide which version of JJ that they want.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 12th, 2012
10:13 am
“Para no vomitar viendo que Teague no maneja la mano izquierda aconsejo una dieta kosher.Ya mas en serio,tomen nota que Sloan hizo mas puntos que Teague jugando solo 5 min.”
Sloan played in garbage time. Garbage time stats are not that meaningful. He is athletic but most of his made buckets were not contested.
Yes, Teague needs to use his left hand better (a lot of Hawks have problems using their off hand) but he still provides more on a regular basis than Kirk does. Teague driving the lane opens up avenues to score for other players that Kirk’s game simply does not, and while Teague had a bad game defensively yesterday, he has overall been pretty good this year on that end.
Kirk is a good backup. Starting him after Teague’s start so far this year — which overall has been solid — would be foolish. Teague has lost enough development time thanks to the mierda-cabezas who have coached the Hawks his first couple of years.
Ken Strickland
January 12th, 2012
10:14 am
WORDSMITYTOM-You got that right. Just a couple of days ago, SMITH.LEUER.BOGUT asked for my opinion of Marvin, then jumped down my throat when it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. Most of these HATERS are absolutely crazy. Have you notice how some of them also have an obsessive MAN CRUSH on certain players that rivals their hatred for certain others? They hate JJ because he accepted the MAX contract he was offered, and can’t carry a team like Kode or DWade. They hate Marvin because he was drafted #2 and isn’t among the NBA elite. They hate Josh because he takes outside shots and is emotional.
They hate Horford because he’s not 7′ tall, isn’t as big, strong, or dominant as DHoward, isn’t as fluid with his postup movers as TDuncan or Dream Shake, and redicules him because he’s a 2 time Allstar, and because NBA players and coaches voted him 3rd team All NBA “CENTER”, WHICH MEANS THEY THINK HE’S THE 3RD(THIRD) BEST CENTER IN THE ENTIRE NBA.
STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES, AND CONTINUES TO DO!!!!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
January 12th, 2012
10:15 am
“Also, Kobe and the lakers get calls that JJ and the Hawks don’t even dream of getting.”
True, but then again, Kobe tries to get calls, which is something Joe frustratingly does not do.
Terrell
January 12th, 2012
10:16 am
Astro Joe
You’re right with superstar pay comes superstar results, but you also have to see that Joe Johnson doesn’t get superstar status. I saw the game between the Clippers and the Heat last night and Wade drove to the basket and Billups may have grazed him, and he missed the layup but the foul wasn’t called with the contact it was call after the Clippers had gotten the rebound. Now when JJ gets those same kind of calls and he still doesn’t perform then we should be critical of him about why he’s a top 10 salary guy, and even with that Wade is only making a couple million less and Kobe is making almost $10M more this year
Ken Strickland
January 12th, 2012
10:25 am
And one more thing. These clowns also admonish Horford for doing what he does better than any other NBA player, and that’s shoot and make midrange jumpshots.
Rufus1
January 12th, 2012
10:34 am
Balance..
The Hawks are a team of OFFENSIVE and DEFENSIVE balance. When you are missing 3 key players, you lose balance.
Marvin- would have guarded the bigger Granger, so Joe could focus on his OFFENSE. Joe got worn down guarding Granger and it showed in the 2nd half.
Vlad- can’t finish off the dribble. Take away his jumper and his is ineffective.
Al- Not having Al to space the floor allowed their bigs to clog the paint and it made Teague and Josh ineffective.
Each player in the TOP 7-8 rotation plays a KEY role in this teams success and to lose 3 of those players is devastating
The Spook who sat by the door
January 12th, 2012
10:37 am
SALVADOR,
Thanks for the translation. I thought that since a black person who was born in [the U.S. of] America is [usually] now called an African-American and no longer called an Afro-American, I was supposed to say “Africano-Americano.” I also thought the Spanish translation of “African” was “Africano” which was why I used the racial term [category] “Africano-Americano.”
Rod from College Park
January 12th, 2012
10:40 am
Rufus1,
“Vlad- can’t finish off the dribble. Take away his jumper and his is ineffective.”
Same thing applies to Marvin.
J-Black
January 12th, 2012
10:42 am
“All NBA threw his left should into that 7′2″ mountain on his cut to the basket for a stiff layup and just bounced off like hitting a wall! Game, set, and match…”
LOL. That 7′2″ “mountain” isn’t exactly the toughest or strongest big guy out there. It’s kind of funny that you are acting as if he is a young Shaq or something. Hibbert is big, but he’s a finesse big. He’s not a power player. Shaq was a “mountain”, Bynum is a “mountain”, Hibbert is a thin tree. By the way, Horford used to push that “mountain” around in the past and dunked on him in the past. You have to give credit where credit is due, but I think Hibbert’s effectiveness tonight was more about the ineffectiveness of the Hawks big men. Hibbert has improved, but I don’t think he’s even as good as guys like Bogut yet. He’s just got a lot of length and is learning how to more effectively use his length. Hibbert is a true center and a good center, but he’s still got a long way to go in terms of becoming a dominant player. Let’s not get carried away acting like he’s the reincarnation of superman (the real superman, not the impostor).
The Spook who sat by the door
January 12th, 2012
10:43 am
SALVADOR,
Thanks for the correction as well.
The Spook who sat by the door
January 12th, 2012
10:51 am
Rufus1
It was a good movie. I’m glad someone has seen it. Thanks.
Rufus1
January 12th, 2012
11:18 am
Rod from College Park
Marvin get rebounds, put backs and gets to the line.
Rufus1
January 12th, 2012
11:21 am
And Marvin plays better defense.
O'Brien
January 12th, 2012
11:24 am
Ken S,
Marvin makes $7.5 mil, while Vlad makes $850k. Shouldn’t we expect more from Marvin?
John
January 12th, 2012
11:24 am
McCarron’s Stats: Completions- 219; Attempts- 328; Yards- 2634; %- 66.8; TD- 16; INT- 5, Eff. Rating- 146.3
Murray’s 2011 Stats: Completions: 238; Attempts: 403; Yards: 3149; %- 59.1; TD- 35; INT- 14; Eff. Rating- 146.4
These stats other than TDs and INTs are very close. Plus, Murray had another game. I am just saying the perception that McCarron is a weakness and Murray is a great SEC QB is wrong. Both are very good QBs. McCarron has the better team so his job is a little easier, but at the same time he misses out on TD stats because Richardson got so many rushing TDs. Saban keeps his QBs on a tight leash. I think if McCarron was given the green light like Murray he would have more TDs and INTs like Murray.
John
January 12th, 2012
11:25 am
Sorry, above post is on wrong blog. Go Hawks.
Slimjr
January 12th, 2012
11:39 am
Like DMB said I aint going down there to watch that ish…
Use a remote..
Rufus1
January 12th, 2012
11:40 am
O’Brien
Vlad just finished a contract making 7mil a year and wasn’t worth it, so now he makes 850k.
If Marvin was a free agent, would he get 7.5mil on the open market? What ever he would get on the open market is value, not his UPSIDE money.
Fundamentals
January 12th, 2012
11:44 am
The big dissappointment to me was none of our starters took control when Al was out. It’s fine to lose when you’re down, but make it a good effort. We showed no leadership, no cohesiveness, no team game when the chips were down. Once again we proved we have no real leader, no real TEAM and no real substance when the ish hits the fan. Maybe they’ll learn and grow…I guess Smoove was too tired, became too frustrated and crumbled. Teague can’t handle the pressure of family…he always cracks in Indy. Joe is just Joe, really hot and awesome…when it doesn’t really matter, but fades when the game is on the line.
MC – What’s the prognosis on Al?
Grandad
January 12th, 2012
11:46 am
northcyde
When did I say Joe should have looked for his shot last eve ?
I said “put the team on his back” or some such.
When a “Real” -money- player puts a team on his back
it does not mean shoot more / unless you’re Kobe.
It does mean:
* get important rebounds
* get more than two assts.
* do not turn the ball over
* shut your man down on defense
* inspire your teammates
* and knock down open shots when you get them
Where in Heck did I say -shoot more- {or go} -Iso Joe- ?
Although That is what a “pseudo” star would do …..
and or his spokesman with superficial acuity.
Don’t bring that dime store crap at me.
Slimjr
January 12th, 2012
11:49 am
Betcha Al will be gone for several games, couple of weeks?
Slimjr
January 12th, 2012
11:52 am
“Just a bunch of nice Guys”
“All role players, no Stars”
“Your team is as good as your best player”
Quotes from Sir Charles…
Grandad
January 12th, 2012
11:55 am
northcyde
” LOL fans need to decide which version of JJ that they want ”
I know exactly which version I want:
* amnesty – too late this year
* traded for a “”legit Big”" – still time
* the Joe that is playing the way he has been playing this yr. !
[if you notice, that for the most part, I've been supportive this year]
I guess you cannot criticize the guy around you / he’s perfect !
He doesn’t catch half the crap on this board as does Al !
Just Joe
January 12th, 2012
11:57 am
If its just a sprain, I expect Al back either Saturday or Monday. He will likely be playing somewhat one-handed though. Raising that left arm over his head won’t feel good for a while.
The Spook who sat by the door
January 12th, 2012
11:58 am
The Crab that Saved Atlanta!
I’m tired of all these intellectual analyses with respect to [player] trades, acquisitions, drafts, movements, et cetera. The Hawks need a[n] Crab or Centaur [Archer] to save Atlanta. Joe Johnson was born on Jun. 29, 1981, and Josh Smith was born on Dec. 5, 1985; that makes Joe['s astrological sign] a Cancer[, the Crab] and Josh['s astrological sign] a Sagittarius[, the Centaur/Archer]. Now, of the two [Joe or Josh], who are we going to pick as our “Moses Guthrie” who was played by Julius Erving in “The Fish that Saved Pittsburg”? I say our “Moses Guthrie” should be Joe Johnson since he’s [Joe Johnson] the highest paid player on the team like Moses Guthrie was. Josh Smith’s attitude is just too volatile. The team should get rid of every player who is not a Cancer [Crab], hold tryouts, and assemble a team full of Cancers [Crabs]. [What irony - a team assembled full of Cancers in order to win a championship!] The Hawks should then change its name to the Atlanta Crabs.
I will take the liberty of being the waterboy as played by James Bond III because he was an Aries as am I.
Lastly, who’s going to be our “Mona Mondieu” [team astrologer] as played by Stockard Channing?
Fish and crabs are both sea [aquatic] creatures; I definitely see a link.
Go Atlanta Crabs! {PS, our NBA D-League affiliate should be changed to the Maine Red Claws}
I think Rick Sund and the ASG should at least give this idea some consideration.
Crazy_88
January 12th, 2012
12:04 pm
” Tmac’s knee wont hold up If he plays 30 min ”
Tracy’s knee is fine – he played a lil over 30 min per game last yr when he started for the Pistons at the point for 35 games last yr and he’s in better physical condition this yr vs. last yr.
Back spasms are apart of the game and very common amongst NBA players. Last night is the first time Tracy has had back spasms in almost 2 yrs and I seriously doubt they are the same as what he experienced in Orlando/Houston.
The Hawks are trying to compete for a ring on a very cheap budget. They don’t have the $$$ to upgrade the roster and dont want to do so at the risk of going into the luxury tax. They’re going to ride this bunch as far as they can go in the post season and Tracy is a very important piece for them and a gem of a free agent signing considering they got him for just the vet min. They are probably too cautious with his minutes but they are doing so to minmize the wear and tear on his body in this short season and want to preserve his health as much as neccessary.
Astro Joe
January 12th, 2012
12:06 pm
Al should play tonight. According to many bloggers, Marvin is the only Hawk who suffers injuries that force him to miss games. Al “Wolverine” Horford should be in uniform tonight beating down the bobcats.
Just Joe
January 12th, 2012
12:08 pm
Joe Johnson rankings among SG’s in the league:
17th in FG%
18th in Scoring Per 48 Minutes
20th in 3pt FG%
45th in Rebounds Per 48 Minutes
38th in Steals Per 48 Minutes
20th in Free Throw Attempts Per Game
To Cleveland for Jamison & Parker.
To New Jersey for Okur & Stevenson.
Hollywould
January 12th, 2012
12:49 pm
I am gonna throw up if I keep watching Joe Johnson. I saw that rookie light him up 2 nites ago and now Granger. He is always a step behind, No scoring in the 2nd half. Poster was right when he says he looks good when it doesn’t matter and fades when it is tight. FRAUD
The Truth
January 12th, 2012
1:15 pm
Another Perfect Storm for The Hawks is Brewing!!
Perhaps the most vulnerable position on the Hawks roster is the center. Al Horford injury now exposes the Hawks in the worse way if protracted and he’s show to recover.
Sund decision to pickup Magnum (non-guaranteed contract) and draft Benson was out of a necessity to strengthen the center position. But something happened along the way during training camp that obscured those plans. His name is Ivan (“The Terror”) Johnson. Ivan certainly earned his stay but unfortunately he is not exactly the prototype that’s needed to replace the bigs we lose. The Hawks can certainly use Ivan’s toughness, but they need an athletic center with length off the bench to shore-up Zaza and Collins weaknesses.
When the dust settled, Sund had added to our roster’s frontline; Vlad Rad, a Stretch-4 who can’t seem to finish around the basket and Ivan, an undersized PF.
Now that Al is injured, Zaza and Collins will be asked to step-up perhaps beyond their capabilities to man the middle for 4 quarters. Both players are foul prone, athletically limited and best used off the bench against certain match-ups. Since LD has no other options, against the “wrong” opponents, the Hawks will be exposed.
Too much will be asked of Josh. I see frustration written all on his face. Hopefully Josh has fully grown to be a professional and show us why he is a co-captain. If the Hawks every needed to make a toughness statement, there is no better time than now.
We Shall See
The Truth
January 12th, 2012
1:17 pm
*he’s slow to recover.
northcyde
January 12th, 2012
1:18 pm
Grandad, when had the term “put a team on your back” meant anything other than making a huge offensive impact on a game, especially when talking about basketball? The player you described earlier is a Shane Battier / Tony Allen type of player. Both are good players. But they have never been described as “putting a team on their back” simply because they played great defense and made a few good passes.
No.
Putting a team on his back is what Dirk did in the NBA Finals. Putting a team on his back is what JJ did in Game 4 vs Boston in 2008. That’s putting a team on your back
JJ had 15 points on 5 – 10 shooting at halftime. With Horford out, and no one else on the team outside of Smith playing well offensively, JJ needed to try to put the Hawks on his back by scoring a lot of points. Vlad and Teague were non factors offensively. That’s why JJ needed to shoot more.
Sorry grandad. I can’t let you change the meaning of “put a team on his back.” I just can’t.
The Spook who sat by the door
January 12th, 2012
1:21 pm
that should be “….The Hawks should then change its name to the Atlanta Cancer.”
Go Atlanta Cancer!
Astro Joe
January 12th, 2012
1:27 pm
The Truth, we have 4 PGs (because of Hinroch’s injury) and 4 SGs (if you include TMac’s ability to play there also). IMO, the lack of a young big man is associated with wanting to keep Stack for leadership purposes, Sloan for insurance if Hinrich doesn’t make a timely return AND the fact that Ivan outplayed Benson and Rolle during the shortened camp. But I think there were mitigating factors other than Ivan the Terrible.
J.J.M.
January 12th, 2012
1:31 pm
horford out a month
The Truth
January 12th, 2012
1:40 pm
AJ
Agreed Stack addition is also questionable considering this team is not exactly young anymore. I would say that Stack and Green are redundant from a skill-set stand point.
With a roster of 15, if Al injury last too long, it will be interesting to see what happens.
O'Brien
January 12th, 2012
1:48 pm
How about them Heat? 3 points in OT last night against the Clips. And LeBron has rediscovered his 4thQ disappearing act.
O'Brien
January 12th, 2012
1:59 pm
When the game is getting out of hand, northcyde wants JJ to have a Kobe like attitude…
From Rick Reilly on ESPN;
Kobe: “I’m a scorer first … I’ll try to make the good play, the good pass, kick it out when my teammates are open, but I’m a scorer first. I may shoot 27 times. I may shoot 20 times. Nobody complains when I shoot 10 times. You don’t hear ME complaining when I shoot 10 times. It just depends on the game, you know?”.
Michael Cunningham
January 12th, 2012
2:09 pm
@JSS: “MC. A little U-C vs U-L hate there?”
haha. . . . Stephenson has a long history of jerkiness going back to his days at Lincoln High. it’s held him back because he’s really talented.
Michael Cunningham
January 12th, 2012
2:11 pm
@Prison Mike: “MC, can you ask why there is no free throw coach on staff. Josh needs to to move a few inches to his right at the line or something because he’s leaving a ton of points out there.”
i’m not aware of any teams that employ a coach strictly for free throws. the weird thing is Josh had a good (for him) season at the line last year.
Astro Joe
January 12th, 2012
2:16 pm
MC, if his teammates decided to share the cost of Collins’ fine based on the flagrant foul last night, is that something that you would expect to hear about?
Michael Cunningham
January 12th, 2012
2:20 pm
@doc: “hmmm a little bad cardinal blood there at cinncy mc?”
Stephenson would be a head case no matter where he went. but, as it happens, i got to see it a few times because he played at Cincy.
bigman needed
January 12th, 2012
2:22 pm
the hornets have a surplus of centers with kaman and okafor and are going nowhere.
The hawks could package marvin and zaza for okafor
Marvin and okafor are #2 overall picks. Both have 3 years left, but okafor’s contract is larger and hornets will be glad to unload. Marvin has more upside and scoring at this point. Okafor gives us a serviceable defensive big to slide Josh to 3 and put Al at 4.
Michael Cunningham
January 12th, 2012
2:25 pm
@Astro Joe: “MC, if his teammates decided to share the cost of Collins’ fine based on the flagrant foul last night, is that something that you would expect to hear about?”
hmmm . . . don’t think i’ve ever heard of that happening anywhere. but, yeah, if it happened i’d think guys would talk about it.
Crazy_88
January 12th, 2012
2:28 pm
My problem with the Hawks is probably the same as everyone else:
1. They don’t have any playmakers or guys with traditonal point guard skills at the 1 position.
Teague, Pargo, Willie Green are all scoring guards who natural instinct is to shoot first. They’re not skilled in creating offense for others. Hinrich is the closest thing the Hawks have to a traditional PG and even he’s more of a shooting guard with some point guard skills.
I see the logic in playing Teague at the 1 besides Hinrich being injured he’s the only one on this team with the foot speed and athleticism to keep up with the Rondo’s, Derrick Rose’s and Chris Paul at that lead guard position but there is a lot that he needs to learn about running a team and setting up his teammates.
2. The Hawks don’t have a legit low post threat.
The Hawks need a guy in the post who is going to take up some space, protect the rim and gobble up rebounds with the plethora of perimeter players they have on this team. Horford is not a player who teams need to double or fear in the paint. Josh Smith is SF trying to play PF because of his hops and athleticism but he just isn’t comfortable playing in the box..
3. They have no offense discipline.
Too much Iso..too much recklessness when driving to the hole…too many errant jumpers
I’ve watched alot of NBA basketball in the last 30 yrs and there’s a few things I’ve noticed and learned over the yrs.
1. If you’re going to play guys out of position than you better have either a really good point guard or a very good offensive system in place. Phil Jackson won 11 rings with the likes of Steve Kerr, John Paxon, BJ Armstrong, Derek Fisher because of the Triangle Offense that doesn’t require you have a tradional PG to run the system. All those guys had to do was go spot up and wait for Jordan and Pippen to find them in the offense.
In Phoenix Mike D’Antoni got away with playing a bunch of guys out of position such as Amare at Center, Shawn Marion at the 4 because he had a great PG in Steve Nash who not only run his system but he was a true PG who can still create plays for others when the system isn’ working.
Slimjr
January 12th, 2012
2:30 pm
J.J.M.
January 12th, 2012
1:31 pm
“horford out a month”
Ouch!!
Well at least he’ll get to spend more time with Miss Universe! VAVA VAOOM!
Astro Joe
January 12th, 2012
2:32 pm
MC, too bad. If I guy “takes one for the team” then the team should ante up.
I wouldn’t expect the Hawks to find a 30+ minutes center if Horford is out for extended time. May have to cut Stack or Sloan and sign someone like Pryzbilla. Then have a 3-headed center to split the 48 minutes (Zaza/Collins/Pryzbilla).
Slimjr
January 12th, 2012
2:34 pm
You guys have been screamin from the mountain top about acquiring a BIG since preseason!..
I believe you prayers and admonitions have been heard and will be answered shortly when All NBA put his left shoulder into a mountain last night and went down like boo got shot!(not funny)…
Najeh Davenpoop
January 12th, 2012
3:08 pm
Al Horford tore his pectoral muscle and is out for the season.
Astro Joe
January 12th, 2012
3:11 pm
SpearsNBAYahoo Marc J. Spears
Hawks center Al Horford expected to be out 3-4 months with torn left pectoral muscle, source tells Yahoo! Sports.
joey
January 12th, 2012
3:15 pm
this kills our chance of advancing in the playoffs we dont not make a big trade to get a good center
Ken Strickland
January 12th, 2012
3:16 pm
OBRIEN-Do you think Radmanovic’s much lower salary figured into him literally quitting on DEF, which ultimately got him pulled from the gm? You can bet Marvin would have attempted to close out on his man, rather than just standing back 5-7′ and giving him an uncontested 3pt attempt. From a defensive perspective, Marvin definitely gives a lot more than VRad, and is more versatile offensively.
Sautee
January 12th, 2012
3:16 pm
How long until TS posts that he did it on purpose?
Michael Cunningham
January 12th, 2012
3:20 pm
new blog posted. shutting down this thread.