Lineup changes could be coming after three-game slide
Vivlamore at practice on Tuesday. Here is your report:
No real news on the Hawks continued search for a big man to help their depleted corp – but changes could be on the way in light of the current three-game losing streak.
In talking with Larry Drew following this morning’s practice, the coach said he is considering a number of changes to get the team’s energy back. It’s something he said has been lacking in the past three games.
“We are not going to panic,” Drew said. “This is not a time to panic. Is it a time for concern? Yes. My biggest concern is our energy. The energy I saw on that road trip, since we’ve been home I just don’t see that type of energy. That is my biggest concern.
“When you get in these types of situations, you’ve got to do something to generate some type of energy. You’ve got to find our mojo back. How we do it, we possibly have to look at some things a little differently and maybe shake some things up. As a staff, we are still talking it. I’m still looking at possibly doing that. We’ll see what happens.”
Like lineup changes?, I asked.
“That is always a possibility,” Drew said. “It’s not just losing the three games, it’s the way we are playing. It’s the energy. It’s the urgency. It’s the combination of players who are out on the floor, starters versus guys who come off the bench. I’ve got to try to find that combination. I’ve got to find whatever it’s going to take in order for us to get that swagger back.”
Stay tuned on that front. We’ll check in Wednesday morning before the game against the Pacers.
* I asked Jerry Stackhouse, who had his contract guaranteed after close of business Tuesday, whether there had been a team meeting to address the current slide.
“We’ve met,” Stackhouse said. “It’s kind of overdue, having a meeting and some sessions about what is going on. The fact that guys might think that they know, but might still have to be prodded and told what to do daily or even on a possession-to-possession basis sometimes. It’s not that guys don’t want to do it, it just has to be reinforced. We have to reinforce some things as far as our principles. I thought there were stretches [in Monday’s loss to the Suns] where we were better in some of those principles but as the game wore on we reverted back to not helping each other, not trusting each other and that’s where we go wrong. Once we find that and get a win, winning is always a cure-all when you are in the midst of a losing streak.”
* On the search for a big man, Drew once again acknowledged the team needs some help at the center position with Al Horford out and Jason Collins on the shelf for two weeks. Drew said there would be another meeting Tuesday to discuss the situation.
“There is a list and we’ve talked about the list but nothing has really materialized as far as a name that really gets us excited,” Drew said. “We are going to talk today, as a matter of fact, and go over some more names. Try to find a name that makes more sense for us, whether it’s a 10-day [contract], whether it’s a player like a Kenyon Martin that is still available, which I don’t think there is. Right now we are looking at the list and see what makes sense for us so we can get some help at the five spot.”
Columnist Jeff Schultz gives his take on the need for a big man.
* Look for my feature on guard Willie Green on ajc.com a little later and in Wednesday’s print edition.
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335 comments Add your comment
jhan
February 7th, 2012
6:44 pm
Josh will never learn – Nique says the same things every game about Josh. You know he’s telling him those same things to his face. Josh knows best – just ask him!
KevinM
February 7th, 2012
6:44 pm
Najeh, that stat about the Hawks having the least amount of fouls in the league tells you they are far from aggressive. And after watching OKC last night, it was obvious OKC is a very aggressive, charging team.
3 guys over 130 FTA this year…..we have? zilch
darrell starks
February 7th, 2012
6:45 pm
WHAT EVER CHANGE TO BE MADE, MARVIN SHOULD NOT STARTE AT ALL.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
February 7th, 2012
6:47 pm
STARTER TEAGUE, JOE, TMAC, JOSH, ZAZA
BENCH PARGO, GREEN, MARVIN, VLAD, IVAN
RESERVE CAPTAIN KIRK, STACK
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Admiral Ackbar
February 7th, 2012
6:48 pm
Where is MC?
ITS A TRAP!!!!
Slimjr
February 7th, 2012
6:49 pm
Need more Forwards! at least 3 more……Yawn
Slimjr
February 7th, 2012
6:50 pm
Pacers by 20…..
Slimjr
February 7th, 2012
6:51 pm
We’ll take Leur….
The core
February 7th, 2012
6:53 pm
crazy_88
February 7th, 2012
6:42 pm
Solomon Jones just got released from the Clippers…not saying he’s a game changer but he’s 6′10 with 5 yrs experience in the league…worthy of a 10 day contract…..
LinkReport this comment
Would be a start, but he’s still a short 6-10 when we need 7 foot beasts!
Mark
February 7th, 2012
6:57 pm
You fans should not EXPECT SO MUCH. There is PLENTY of UPSIDE to this team. I mean you have Joe “Superstar” Johnson and Josh “High Basketball IQ” Smith. I wish you fans would understand that Rome wasn’t BUILT IN A DAY. Just wait when Marvin steps it up because he has plenty of POTENTIAL. Larry Drew does an EXCELLENT job, especially without Horford. I know we spend money, we have the SEVENTH HIGHEST payroll and we wanted to make sure that we kept our CHAMPIONSHIP CALIBER CORE together. Every season has its UPS and DOWNS. Hope to see you all tomorrow for CHIK FILA FAMILY NIGHT. Thats 4 tickets, 4 Sandwiches, 4 Cokes, and 4 popcorns for a low price to watch a QUALITY TEAM
Mark
February 7th, 2012
6:58 pm
Our goal this year was to win THREE GAMES in the SECOND ROUND because around here the key word for each and every season is IMPROVEMENT. We don’t really need a BIG MAN now because we have ZAZA and IVAN. ZAZA is BULLY down in the paint, don’t you see how he BLOCKS PEOPLE OUT WHEN GOING FOR REBOUNDS. You know he is tough, don’t you remember him BOWING UP TO KEVIN GARNETT. That is why we gave him another contract. L.D. is rapidly turning into one of the ELITE COACHES. He makes GREAT IN GAME ADJUSTMENTS and he GREAT ROTATION. I love how he allowed Josh to OPEN HIS GAME UP BY SHOOTING JUMPERS. This has allowed Josh to even be a GREAT AT SHOOTING FREE THROWS. Marvin should be on the ALL STAR BALLOT, because his game has IMPROVED through CONSISTENCY.
Mark
February 7th, 2012
6:59 pm
As my boss Gearon said, we have had MORE SUCCESS in the playoffs than any other team in Atlanta. Remember we are STILL YOUNG and have MUCH TIME TO BUILD OFF OUR SUCCESS. We may look like MUNCHKINS, but we have HEART OF GIANTS. With Josh’s INTELLIGENCE and BASKETBALL SAVVY, we have become a better team especially on FAST BREAKS AND THREE POINTERS. Josh is a 5 TOOL PLAYER. He can DRIBBLE, SHOOT, PASS, HARDLY EVER TURNS THE BALL OVER AND KEEPS HIS HEAD DURING GAMES. Why would you people want to trade him? You UNGRATEFUL FANS! Don’t you realize Josh is a LEFT HANDED LEBRON!
Big Lou
February 7th, 2012
7:00 pm
Lineup change? How about a coaching change? How about you take notes from the Falcons (Hawks cheep freaking owners) and hire some respectable coaches, instead of hiring a crappy coach from within — who also learned from a loser called: Mike Woodson?
Anyone with half a brain knows that Kirk is a defensive liability as of right now. Why is Pargo not getting more minutes?
Anyone who watches the Hawks constantly know that Vlad is a horrible version of Jamal Crawford(streaky shooter, and zero defense). Why is he even on the squad?
Anyone with common sense knows Ivan and Green needs plays called for them. Why can’t LD utilize his players properly?
Why does the offense get stagnant? Oh, let me guess… maybe because LD doesn’t know how to run the offense whatsoever. Even Josh, basketball IQ of a pet rock and part time ball hog, knows that good offense is just as important as good defense. It helps confidence. It helps with energy(gets the crowd involved). Also, why is Ivan and Teague the only guys who drive to the basket? BAD COACHING!
Yeah, the players are making stupid plays, and the Hawks desperately need a big man, but do you really think that fixing those issues would change the outcome again GOOD teams? No. Until they have a coach who knows offense, subs correctly, and utilizes his players efficiently, the Hawks will be an average team, at best. Heck, even the players don’t believe in LD anymore because of his stupidity, and stubbornness. That’s why they are giving up during games, and I don’t blame them.
The Falcons organization realized this, and fired some coaches, spending money on some top names. Why can’t the Hawks do the same?
Examples of LD’s stupidity last night:
1. Jeff Teague is ballin’ out the first quarter. How does Larry Drew respond? Putting Kirk in, instead of riding his starting point guard (like the Suns did with old Nash, and what happened there?). Nash start lighting it up on Kirk, getting the late three right after Joe Johnson’s — talk about a spirit killer. Why didn’t LD keep Teague out there until Nash was subbed? Oh, I’m sorry. That requires thought.
2. Ivan Johnson ( AKA: Ivan the terrible, Debo) is getting rebounds, and causing havoc against the Suns. So, how does LD respond? Oh, let’s take him out and put Josh Smith at center. WTF?!
3. Hawks keep switching on offense, which allowed the Suns to get open threes. How does LD adjust? He doesn’t. Well, until the end of the game when IT DIDN’T MATTER!
4. Suns go Zone. How does LD adjust? He doesn’t. He allows his players to play ISO ball and not drive to the basket(simple way to break down zone), which leads to a stagnant offense and making the comeback futile. Does anyone not see the pattern? It happens against all the good teams.
It’s not rocket science folks. Hawks win in spite of their coach. Do they make stupid mistakes? Yes. But it is up to coaching to fix these glaring issues. Well, that’s my rant. So, let’s just get back to crying for a big man, and picking apart our talent, instead of the glaring issue… Larry Drew.
O'Brien
February 7th, 2012
7:05 pm
Kevin,
We shoot alot of jumpers, and on defense, we’re not very physical (except for steals). That leads to not many FTs.
Rod,
Agreed. Josh, JJ, and Zaza are not going to be benched. And more than likely, Teague will not be benched either. I think the move should be start Ivan at PF, and Josh at SF. That way, both your energy guys are in the lineup at the same time.
The problem is, if you do that, then who comes in for Zaza when he needs a break? Or do you just slide Ivan to Center at that time? but then who plays PF, when Josh needs a break?
Starting T-Mac instead of Marvin is another option. He is a better passer, so that may get the offense going. The problem is, will that take away from Teague’s aggressiveness?
What about starting Kirk and Teague in the backcourt, and slide JJ to SF?
Ultimately, this roster still has too many flaws.
Slimjr
February 7th, 2012
7:07 pm
“Anyone with half a brain knows that Kirk is a defensive liability as of right now. Why is Pargo not getting more minutes?”
Great question Big Lou? Somebody needs to ask Larry that yesterday!
He’ll probably start KH by the weekend at the point….
Retire Priest Lauderdale's number
February 7th, 2012
7:08 pm
Chris Kaman on this squad would have added 2 wins to our total, okafor 3 wins.
D league reclamation project, 1 win
Big Lou
February 7th, 2012
7:12 pm
“Chris Kaman on this squad would have added 2 wins to our total, okafor 3 wins.
D league reclamation project, 1 win”
Really? How so? The players are too busy chucking up bad shots, since we don’t have a coach that knows offense. Why does everyone insist a big man would really make a difference? It’s not going to help the stagnant offense, and horrible substitutions.
prison mike
February 7th, 2012
7:13 pm
Don’t even know what to say here. I didn’t think Teague posting 6 points and one assist was a Josh problem. It’s more like, going out on a limb here, a Steve Nash outclassing a young pg problem.
If JT played up to his averages, the team has a chance to win.
northcyde
February 7th, 2012
7:14 pm
Lineup change? Easy.
Keep the starters as is.
Ivan will be 6th man and sub in for either Zaza or Marvin. T-Mac and Green are nex off the bench. Kirk or Pargo plays the point in spot minutes.
End of rotation.
8 guys should be getting the vast majority of the minutes. All starters should be playing 30+ minutes nightly. Ivan should be getting 26 – 32 minutes nightly. Teague should get no less than 35 minutes. Marvin should get more minutes at the 4 with the 2nd unit.
Drew simply has to shorten the rotation and keep his most talented 8 guys on the floor as much as possible. And if you have to play JJ or Smith 40+ minutes, so be it.
It’s time we stop losing games all because Drew is giving unproductive bench players waaaay too many minutes.
Astro Joe
February 7th, 2012
7:17 pm
OB, as long as you ignore the fact that TMac has already missed some games due to his health and that we’ve read ad nauseum that he can only play so many miutes before he is at risk for more injuries, then sure, go ahead and start him. But again, I don’t personally view the issue being related to who starts the first 8 minutes of each half (TMac always comes in after those first 8 minutes). It could help in the short term, but no one should get all bent out of shape when TMac is forced to miss 2-3 games every 10 games due to one problem or another.
Injuries aside, he could remove some PG duties from Teague and allow him to focus more on scoring, but that may only tick off one of the captains who seems t be concerned about issues related to who is taking shots on the team.
Again, IMO, we’ve got chemistry issues and that can’t be solved by adjusting line-ups.
prison mike
February 7th, 2012
7:18 pm
Rockets sign a young center that is making 67% of his shots.
http://basketball.realgm.com/player/Greg_Smith/Summary/8805
Grandad
February 7th, 2012
7:19 pm
my little half a pea-brain didn’t know it ?
Astro Joe
February 7th, 2012
7:21 pm
One crazy approach might be to see what happens if he plays TMac and Marvin together for stretches. Like when we’re playing an opposing PF who shoots from the perimeter and the normal PF can’t seem to find him out there (ala, Frye and Bonner). Let Marvin check the perimeter PFs.
Likewise, Joe hasn’t played much SF this season…. maybe play Joe and Willie at the same time.
I’m not talking about starting line-ups as much as I am talking about combinations that should play together more than a token minute or two.
Wabe
February 7th, 2012
7:22 pm
Billups out for the season…
How bout dangling a guy like Hinrich to the Clippers?
Big Lou
February 7th, 2012
7:22 pm
“Lineup change? Easy.
Keep the starters as is.
Ivan will be 6th man and sub in for either Zaza or Marvin. T-Mac and Green are nex off the bench. Kirk or Pargo plays the point in spot minutes.
End of rotation.
8 guys should be getting the vast majority of the minutes. All starters should be playing 30+ minutes nightly. Ivan should be getting 26 – 32 minutes nightly. Teague should get no less than 35 minutes. Marvin should get more minutes at the 4 with the 2nd unit.
Drew simply has to shorten the rotation and keep his most talented 8 guys on the floor as much as possible. And if you have to play JJ or Smith 40+ minutes, so be it.
It’s time we stop losing games all because Drew is giving unproductive bench players waaaay too many minutes.” – northcyde
Wow. Thank you for having half a brain. I totally agree with you!
Al Horford
February 7th, 2012
7:24 pm
Deck chairs. Titanic. HA.
Astro Joe
February 7th, 2012
7:24 pm
prison mike, surely Nash didn’t “hold down” Teague to that performance. Sure, he schooled the youngster into foul trouble, but it has seemed like Jeff is confused about his role on the team. One game he is aggressive, the next game, he is passive. I’m not sure the right influences are in his ear.
doc
February 7th, 2012
7:25 pm
jhan, sent you an email. not sure i have your address right as i sent it to two and one came back. send me the new one if there is one bro..
Astro Joe
February 7th, 2012
7:29 pm
northcyde, shorten the rotation? Bloggers around here believe that 17 players should earn at least 15 minutes every game. Shorten the rotation? What are you trying to do, win games???
Slimjr
February 7th, 2012
7:30 pm
“Deck chairs. Titanic. HA.”
Nice one SLB!
Rearrange the chairs while the freaking ship is sinking….Yea…..Wow..
Pacers by 25….Their front line will dismantle the Hawks….
Slimjr
February 7th, 2012
7:35 pm
Hope Vlad will find his shot again and soon! Its desperately needed now….
The team shooting has been pathetic as of late. The offense has been brutal…Same as rebounding..Just getting hammered in that dept.
Grandad
February 7th, 2012
7:38 pm
Najeh
Al is white?
My attempt to show the donkridulousness of the whole
white / black / Al / Kirk / Pargo / Vick / Matty Ice / arguments;
that occur from time to time.
Some do not mask their predjudice;
which we all have, one way or another.
For example – I have a bias against our northern oppressors [yankees].
But new jersey americans are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met.
Conclusion = bigotry is dumb.
-note-
Al is neither black nor white.
He is simply a basketball player.
____________________________________________
I apologize for the interruption in important business;
such as trading Josh to find a Big Man.
I suppose I better start throwing in Kirk with my Josh trades now.
You know ….. for those teams that need a pg.
yodaddybrother
February 7th, 2012
7:43 pm
they need to sign that center that Ivan Johnson played with in the D-League….word has it they dominated every game en route to the D-League championship
prison mike
February 7th, 2012
7:45 pm
AJ, that’s the trial and tribulations of a young pg starting his first year. He’s getting used to how all these good to great pgs around the league do their thing.
Teague’s pg skills are remedial right now. He’s getting assists with guys making jumpshots. It’s gonna take more than half a season before he can get over the hump.
A point like Lin is getting his assists with drive n dish and lobs.
darrell starks
February 7th, 2012
7:46 pm
Somebody said shorten the rotation, you do that you have half of the team on IR.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
February 7th, 2012
7:50 pm
Tmac is a solid option to starte for right now or Green if Tmac not healthy.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Slimjr
February 7th, 2012
7:54 pm
darrell starks
February 7th, 2012
6:45 pm
“WHAT EVER CHANGE TO BE MADE, MARVIN SHOULD NOT STARTE AT ALL.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Mr. Granger will show Marivn how to play the 3 spot tomorrow night..Its going to be down right brutual..
darrell starks
February 7th, 2012
7:54 pm
2 OPTION FOR THE HAWKS STARTING LINEUP.
1. TEAGUE, JOE, TMAC, JOSH, ZAZA
OR
2. TEAGUE, GREEN, JOE, JOSH, ZAZA
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
February 7th, 2012
7:56 pm
Slimjr Mr. Granger is beasting right now.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
Slimjr
February 7th, 2012
7:57 pm
Oh the Flaws of Human Nature…He looks like me, he must be a great guy( antichrist)… et al……Blah Blah Blah….
Slimjr
February 7th, 2012
8:02 pm
darrell starks
February 7th, 2012
7:56 pm
“Slimjr Mr. Granger is beasting right now.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!”
Yea the so call “Basketball Expert” chose that dude with the broke jumpshot (JChills) as a lottery pick over Andre, Deng, and Granger….We’re still hurting at the 3 spot 6 years later…
Thanks Mr. Bill….His decisions will hurt this org for at least 10 years or more….
KevinM
February 7th, 2012
8:03 pm
Prison mike, dead on about Teague’s assists….impossible to be impressive if those jumpers aren’t falling.
And as Barkley says, live by the jumper, die by the jumper.
We don’t need a big man in the middle; we need 2-3 big men in the middle…but Sund doesn’t see thatas critical for this team.
Big Ray
February 7th, 2012
8:05 pm
Lineup changes….
1) This is SO old, and SO retarded. I’m sick of hearing about Larry Drew and his lineup changes. Really, LD? That’s your solution to everything? Just change the lineup?
2) Lineup changes aren’t what is needed. Personnel changes are in order. What idiot does not know that? Oh wait….it’s the idiot who is collecting a paycheck that says “GM” on it….
3) Why did we guarantee Stackhouse’s contract? The man does not play. And when he DOES get on the court, he CAN’T play. We kept him for what reason? Seriously….taking up a roster spot…
4) I can imagine what changes Drew wants – Hinrich starting over Teague. Problem is, Hinrich has shown that he’s not even the guy he was LAST season, when he helped us get past a depleted Orlando Magic squad in the first round of the playoffs. Better off letting Pargo play….wait, did I just say that?
Donte
February 7th, 2012
8:07 pm
You can shorten the rotation all you want, this group of characters currently on the roster still isnt going to work out. Trade someone. Sign someone. Do something.
Get a couple big bodies who hopefully can grab some O boards off of all the bricked jump shots by Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, and Marvin Williams and pull down some defensive rebounds. That is about as good as we can get.
doc
February 7th, 2012
8:08 pm
i think it would be reasonable to see how josh and ivan can hold down the fort together. zaza can come off the bench and he doesnt need as much support behind him as ivan might playing with the backups. you could begin a three man rotation with those three like you do with al zaza and josh. let ivan take over the small center position that al essentially was.
Rent D12
February 7th, 2012
8:08 pm
I agree, start tmac and bring marvin off the bench for energy
Slimjr
February 7th, 2012
8:09 pm
Prediction he will start KH over JT by the weekend if they lose two more by double digits and I’m sticking to it…
There’s his lineup change…
Rent D12
February 7th, 2012
8:11 pm
3) Why did we guarantee Stackhouse’s contract? The man does not play. And when he DOES get on the court, he CAN’T play. We kept him for what reason? Seriously….taking up a roster spot
Boggles the mind. Of all the things we need, signing a guy who only sees time in mop up duty
doc
February 7th, 2012
8:11 pm
yeah big ray, preach … why stack when bodies that canplay not folks taking up space in the frigging showers?
Donte
February 7th, 2012
8:16 pm
You can rearrange your poop by size, shape and color all you want and it’s still gonna be poop.
Additions and Subtractions needed