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Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta Hawks: Knicks 113, Hawks 112

6:27 pm April 22, 2012, by Michael Cunningham

  • The Hawks had what might have been their best offensive game of the season against a top 5 defense. At the very least, it was their best offensive game since Dec. 31 at Philadelphia. They lost both games because of lackluster defense and shaky late-game execution.
  • Depending on your view, it could either a good sign that the Hawks showed the ability to score against good defensive opponents or a bad sign they squandered those efforts when they finally got them. Or maybe another way to look at is the Hawks have shown they can play consistently effective defense so maybe not doing it this game was a fluke and their offense is finally ready for the playoffs.
  • Josh Smith didn’t sound too worried. “It wasn’t like we got blown out of the game,” he said. “If we didn’t compete at all, then I would be concerned.”
  • But there is a worrisome disconnect with the Hawks when it comes to their offense. It’s been that way since I’ve been around and it was brought into sharp relief while listening to Larry Drew and Joe Johnson talk about the offense after this game.
  • Drew: “We had enough stuff that I knew we wouldn’t be predictable offensively in what we did. We run things where we put things in Joe’s hands but, for the most part, we had good ball movement, we share the basketball and we get things moving from one side to the other.”
  • Joe: “Down the stretch, I just figure you have got to put the ball in the hands of your playmakers. Point blank. The Knicks did it all game. [Carmelo Anthony] shot 32 times, man. They made sure they got the ball to the right man.”
  • The Hawks didn’t do that? “Naw,” Joe said. “Not when we needed buckets.” So that means he should have gotten the ball more? “Of course. I always want the ball down the stretch.” But weren’t the Knicks forcing the ball out of your hands? “Naw. It was probably more just play-calling.”
  • There are obvious holes in what both Drew and Joe said. Drew’s offense often devolves from what’s working–whether it be the share-the-ball philosophy or post-ups for Josh–into Iso-Joe. And Joe, for all his talents, just isn’t as effective as Anthony in that situation.
  • Witness Joe’s forced, missed fadeaway 20-footer with the Hawks down 113-112. Or look at the next possession, when Joe dribbled out the shot clock in isolation before passing out to Josh for an airballed 3-point try.
  • Joe took three shots in seven fourth-quarter minutes and made three. Marvin Williams, who was hot all game, took five shots and made three in 11 minutes. Josh took three shots and missed them all in 11 minutes. Jeff Teague missed both of his field-goal attempts in seven minutes.
  • I just don’t see Joe’s gripe here. But I do see that this disconnect could be Atlanta’s undoing in the playoffs, and not energy or effort or defense or any of the other things the Hawks tend to attribute to their losses.
  • That’s not to say nothing good came out of this from the Hawks. Aside from 19 turnovers and seven missed free throws, the Hawks were about as good as they could be offensively: 54 percent shooting, 26 fast-break points, 15 of 23 on 3-pointers. The Hawks engaged the Knicks in a high-possession game and nearly matched their output.
  • “We knew they were going to get up-and-down, especially with ‘Melo’ playing the four,” Joe said. “They’ve got so many shooters to spread the floor. We didn’t put no force behind it when we was guarding him. You have got to make it tough. He’s a scorer in this league.”
  • “We was getting [offense] from all different angles,” Josh said. “I loved what I saw from Marvin, especially the outside jump shots.”
  • Marvin was nearly flawless: 29 points on 14 shots, 11 rebounds, three blocks, one steal and just one turnover. He did a really good job with spacing, catching, and shooting with confidence when the Knicks doubled Joe and Josh.
  • His final dunk attempt missed but it came too late, anyway. The Hawks ran a play similar to the one they used to beat the Clippers last season, when Al Horford was decked by Blake Griffin and recovered to make two free throws.
  • “Similar play,” Drew said. “Marvin made the right play. Probably didn’t get there quick enough, but he got to the rim and we got the look we wanted.”
  • Marvin thought Amar’e Stoudemire fouled him. It looked like a clean challenge to me. “I don’t think anyone should complain that there was any contact on that last play,” Amare said.
  • The Hawks didn’t immediately call timeout after Joe rebounded Anthony’s miss, with Joe instead passing to Kirk Hinrich. That cost them 1.5 seconds, which ended up being costly. There didn’t seem to be much situational awareness from the bench or the players on the floor.
  • Marvin did what he could to slow Anthony but it’s tough when Anthony is making those pull-up Js with very little air space. “He’s a tough cover when he’s not making that,” Marvin said. “In my mind he’s top five, top three best scorers in this league. The things he is able to do is unbelievable.”
  • Joe had 23 points on 14 shots but couldn’t consistently take advantage of Iman Sumpert’s tight defense (even if Shumpert got away with a lot of reaching). Joe tried to get around him with his hesitation dribble move but it was ineffective. So Joe often had to resort to making challenge Js, which he can do, but it wrecks the offensive flow when he misses.
  • Josh took some good turns on Melo but never found his offensive flow. In games like this he has to earn more than three free-throw attempts. But it’s hard to do that when he’s so slow to make his move that he allows the Knicks to poke away the ball.
  • Baron Davis should not be able to slip past Teague so easily to get to the basket. Teague should be able to score 23 points on 14 shots, and he did.
  • Hinrich’s line (three points on four shots, four assists in 28 minutes) sticks out on a boxscore where so many others did much more.
  • Jannero Pargo led the charge in the second quarter with nine points on five shots. He’s been pretty consistent with those outbursts. Pargo’s defense has been good this season but not today.
  • Tracy McGrady is having a career-worst season on long 2s. That’s not so costly when he’s playmaking and rebounding but he didn’t do much of either today.
  • I thought Ivan Johnson would make more of an impact in a smallball game like this.

    • Melo’s 39 points on 32 shots weren’t so bad for the Hawks. Basically New York’s offense was Melo in isolation, Amar’e rolling to the basket (until the Knicks forgot about him late) and Landry Fields catching-and-shooting.

  • “He took 32 [shots] to get them,” Drew said. “I’m happy about that. I told our guys before the game, when you play guys who are high-volume scorers and big-time scorers you make a decision what you want to do against them and we carry the same approach against all scorers. Similar to how we play Dwight Howard, we try to defend him as best we can one-on-one and try to lock in on the other guys. Our problem is we didn’t lock in on the other guys.”

Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat

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194 comments Add your comment

Slimjr

April 22nd, 2012
9:01 pm

The guard play perimeter defense was absolutely atrocious!!!!!

12-21

45

Slimjr

April 22nd, 2012
9:06 pm

Captain Kirk wore the cloaking device today..

Slimjr

April 22nd, 2012
9:07 pm

12-21 is abysmal….

ejh

April 22nd, 2012
9:20 pm

I believe that most of these bloggers here do not know the game of basketball. You are young fans who do not have patience and everything for you has to be immediate gratification. That is what is wrong with the young generation today. This was a very entertaining game, but it was not a playoff game. Nobody in the playhoffs scores a 113 or 112 points. This was an entertaining game for the fans. Come playoffs there are no easy shots. The Hawks will have to get used to that and so will there opponents. For the negative bloggers here when this team makes the ECF I hope you continue to blog the same negativity, and don’t use fake blog names to come back as if you were true fans, because you are not.

PDIDDY

April 22nd, 2012
9:25 pm

Spike Lee is a racist and he hates white people….

Not a blogger, just a fan.

April 22nd, 2012
9:27 pm

ejh
April 22nd, 2012
9:20 pm

“I believe that most of these bloggers here do not know the game of basketball.”
________________________________________________________________

We are not “bloggers” just fans…..

Cade99

April 22nd, 2012
9:28 pm

@Pdiddy, DUH everyone knows that…..

Brian

April 22nd, 2012
9:28 pm

ejh… I’ve watched this team since the late 80’s. This team will go nowhere in the playoffs. They’ve proven this time and time again. They will prove it again this year.

This team can’t beat up on the Bobcats and Nets when the playoffs get started. They will be matched up against Boston and they WILL LOSE again. Just like before. They will lose. They will lose because Josh Smith will jack up jumpers and Joe will have more poor shooting performances. And they will blame Al being out of the line up. Only a few people will be buy though.

This team got owned by most of their rivals during the regular season and the samething will happen in the playoffs in a few weeks.

Cade99

April 22nd, 2012
9:29 pm

Didn’t you mean for your username to be Kanye?

PDIDDY

April 22nd, 2012
9:31 pm

@Cade…lol yes I messed that up. Just don’t know why that worthless Spike Lee punk get’s the cover. He is a loser and hasn’t done anything other than tweet the wrong people’s address for the past 20 years.

Seven70

April 22nd, 2012
9:37 pm

Tough loss, good effort though…Lakers Rule baby!!!
KOBE

ejh

April 22nd, 2012
9:44 pm

I have watched this team since Dan Roundfield, Tree Rollins, etc. So I have been a fan of this team for a long time. I just do not believe in negativity. Fans support there teams, not berate and say they can not get the job done. Fans who continue to spew this obiviously only have negative things that constantly transpire in their lives because they never see the positive of anything or any progress. This franchise missed the playoffs for 9 straight years. I was going to games when this team was 13 – 69 where were you. So I understand patience and what it takes to try and win at a high level with limited resources. The Dallas Mavericks were nothing for years until Mark Cuban paitently waited and turned them in to a champion. So for any real true fans they understand that only 1 out of the 30 teams is going to win the NBA title and to do that you first have to be 1 of 16 and then 1 of 8 and then 1 of 4 and then 1 of 2. The Hawks are at least 1 of the 16 that gets the chance and for the past 2 years they have been 1 out of the last 8. Real fans understand that, bandwagoners well they come and go.

doc

April 22nd, 2012
9:45 pm

“OB, did doc suggest Teague was incapable of ever playing well? Just wondering?”

astro, never, i did say i think the celts have jt0’s number and would remember it in a few weeks and pobably continue whatever they did to him on both sides of the court when the playoffs come.

the bar they are trying to get over just got higher.

Slimjr

April 22nd, 2012
9:52 pm

Nice offensive output by Marvin and rebounding to boot..What did his guy score he primarily defended most of the night? Wow…

Does the word torched come to mind? Hmmmmmm

Slimjr

April 22nd, 2012
9:55 pm

Up next Two very Hungry WESTERN CONFERENCE TEAMS? Here we go…

Clippers then Dallas…

Clippers are 8-3 in April!

doc

April 22nd, 2012
9:55 pm

The Hawks didn’t immediately call timeout after Joe rebounded Anthony’s miss, with Joe instead passing to Kirk Hinrich. That cost them 1.5 seconds, which ended up being costly. There didn’t seem to be much situational awareness from the bench or the players on the floor.

bad bb iq there which he really has little. only look to how he hekd the ball several paragraphs up and why it is detrimental to put it in his hands.

not so good on the lock down on the rest of them larry.

Brian

April 22nd, 2012
9:57 pm

EJH…. the playoff format is part of the “Everybody is a winner” crap that’s been going for decades. George Carlin covered this ground pretty well years ago. Most of these teams shouldn’t be in the playoffs. The Hawks included. They simply don’t stack up with the best teams. They’ve proved it by losing to good teams all year that they can’t get the job done.

I’m tired of hearing about “what a real fan is”. I don’t buy the cliche arguments made. Never have and never will… Sorry that you wasted your money on a franchise that doesn’t set high goals. But that was up to you. I’m tired of early 2nd round exits being the most this team can achieve. NOT IMPRESSIVE.

The reality is this team should be ashamed that they lost to NY and they should be ashamed of the season they’ve had.

ejh

April 22nd, 2012
9:57 pm

I also would like to point out that the hawks nucleus of players are still young. When you look at their starting lineup if Marvin is in there. You have Josh at 26 years, Marvin at 25 years, Al at 25 years, Teague at 22 years, and Joe at 29 years. Take Joe out and remove the bench players and all of the key hawks players are just coming into their prime. Boston has KG 36, Ray Allen 37, Paul Pierece 35, and they only have one NBA title, so I say the chances are going to be good that the Hawks will win the title in the next 3 years.

Grandmaster JeJe (GM)

April 22nd, 2012
10:01 pm

ejh
“For the negative bloggers here when this team makes the ECF”

LOL. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Slimjr

April 22nd, 2012
10:01 pm

Josh is gone. The Hawks will not be able to keep him..They better trade him for picks….

Brian

April 22nd, 2012
10:03 pm

lol. ok ejh.

ejh

April 22nd, 2012
10:09 pm

If the hawks win there last two game that would give them 40 wins on the season: There will be only 8 or 9 other teams with 40 wins. Chicago, Miami Indiana in the East. Lakers, Clippers, Thunder, Spurs, Grizzlies in the West. And to do this with an injury pleagued season. The Milwaukee bucks were supposed to be better than the hawks. The hawks lose their starting center and have the 4th best record in the east, the bucks lose their starting center and can’t even make the playoffs. The knicks lost to cleveland the other night the bulls and the heat lost to washington at home. We can play that game all day. The thing is getting healthy and continutity going into the playoffs and I believe the hawks are on that path. This team last year was a couple of free throws away from taking a 3-2 advantage on the bulls in the 2nd round and coming back to Atlanta for a game six clincher. It did not work out then but I believe they will get it done this year.

Isaiah Rider

April 22nd, 2012
10:12 pm

Did you say Hawks will win a title in 3 years…oh my goodness !

DawgNole

April 22nd, 2012
10:16 pm

ejh
April 22nd, 2012
9:20 pm

For the negative bloggers here when this team makes the ECF I hope you continue to blog the same negativity, and don’t use fake blog names to come back as if you were true fans, because you are not.
_________________________

And when this team does not make the ECF, I’m sure you will return to the blog to admit you were mistaken.

Grandmaster JeJe (GM)

April 22nd, 2012
10:19 pm

“_________________________

And when this team does not make the ECF, I’m sure you will return to the blog to admit you were mistaken.”

Thank you DawgNole.

Amidst all the obnoxious antagonistic people here, there’s a few of us who actually see things clearly, and I am thankful you and I are among 2 of them.

Grandmaster JeJe (GM)

April 22nd, 2012
10:21 pm

FTPB

northcyde
“LOL @ Melo screaming “All Day”.

This is good for the Hawks to play a talkative, arrogant team like this. It’ll get them in the right frame of mind for the playoffs.”

LOL. We have played plenty of arrogant talkative teams. We are a bunch of nice quiet timid guys. The team won’t change because of what happened with Melo or Amar’s washed up azz

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing………..

You get the idea. This severely undercoached and flawed roster is not going anywhere

DawgNole

April 22nd, 2012
10:25 pm

ejh
April 22nd, 2012
9:44 pm

I just do not believe in negativity . . . . I was going to games when this team was 13 – 69 where were you. So I understand patience and what it takes to try and win at a high level with limited resources.
___________________

Haven’t won a second-round series in 45 years. And you’re asking for “patience”?!

Dave

April 22nd, 2012
10:27 pm

WHO CARES IF JOSH LEAVES? PLAYERS LIKE HIM DON’T WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS AS STARTERS.

HE’S LAMAR ODOM 2.0… HE’LL NEVER GET RIGHT UNTIL HE GOES TO A BETTER ORG THAT WON’T PUT UP WITH HIS STUPIDITY. OUR FANS ARE TOO BUSY MAKING EXCUSES AND PRINTING UP HIS CLUB POSTERS.

GOOD RIDDANCE. GRAB SOME PICK, AMNESTY JOE MILLIONAIRE AND START OVER.

OWWWW… LOL

Grandmaster JeJe (GM)

April 22nd, 2012
10:30 pm

ejh
“So I understand patience and what it takes to try and win at a high level with limited resources.”

Limited resources? We have a top 10 payroll (not top 5 like the brilliant Gearon Jr claimed).

We are undercoached and still a flawed roster despite a reasonable payroll.

SSDY

Dave

April 22nd, 2012
10:30 pm

BRING IN SOME REAL GOONS WHO WILL LAY SOMEONE OUT IF THEY EVEN LOOK AT ONE OF OUR PLAYERS WRONG. NOT “J-SMOOVE”… SOUNDS LIKE A STRIPPER’S NAME LOL

DawgNole

April 22nd, 2012
10:32 pm

Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
April 22nd, 2012
10:19 pm

And when this team does not make the ECF, I’m sure you will return to the blog to admit you were mistaken.”

Thank you DawgNole.

Amidst all the obnoxious antagonistic people here, there’s a few of us who actually see things clearly, and I am thankful you and I are among 2 of them.
________________

We’re heavily outnumbered, Mr. JeJe, but I believe the few of us on here who fully understand what’s been happening for the past 44 years are strong in spirit–and are in this for the long haul (i.e., until the team finally wins it all).

Dave

April 22nd, 2012
10:32 pm

PATIENCE???? THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE SECOND ROUND AD OUT EVERY YEAR FOR THE PAST WHAT 3 SEASONS? BUNCHA SUCKERS IN THIS TOWN SMH

Lil Fawkers

April 22nd, 2012
10:35 pm

Get the first round over with losers so we can move on. Get a real coach and breakup this group of underachievers finally during offseason.

RA

April 22nd, 2012
10:38 pm

I’m just glad the Hawks played like they had a pair today. For my money, I’d take today’s loss over Friday’s win any day of the week and twice on Sunday. And Joe, I’m sorry, but there are five guys on the floor. If the Hawks are going to win the close ones in the playoffs, sometimes you’re going to need to be the decoy so that one of them can get open shots. Whether they hit them or not is anyone’s guess. Now, here’s the thing, it took two great players playing at the tope of their game to be Atlanta today, and this was the same team that dismantled Celtic (regular) not a week ago. If Atlanta executes on offense the way they did today, and ups the intensity on defense to where I’ve seen them play it, they take out Boston, in less than seven games. If they don’t, they’ll have a long summer to think about it.

B'Red

April 22nd, 2012
10:39 pm

The Hawks get swept in the first round by the Celtics. The Hawks dont have a go to player on their team that can produce when needed.

RA

April 22nd, 2012
10:42 pm

Oh, and if any of the Hawks are reading this blog. Don’t think that you’ll have any type of advantage playing at Phillips in the playoffs. The home crowd is split at best. You’re in it for each other, bottomline.

justahawkfan

April 22nd, 2012
10:42 pm

Jeje if you throw enuff crap on the wall some has got to stick. Keep running those post out some of them are bound to make sense.

Grandmaster JeJe (GM)

April 22nd, 2012
10:42 pm

1st round = have to beat Pierce, KG, Rondo, Ray Allen, Avery and Doc Rivers 4 times.

Those dudes, just like the Knicks and any other team worth a bucket of piss, is not scared of us and will steal a game in our arena.

We are not a scary home team anymore. Sorry folks

Slimjr

April 22nd, 2012
10:43 pm

Retire Sund!!

You cheerleaders are almost amusing..

RA

April 22nd, 2012
10:43 pm

Sorry B’Red, you’re wrong. This Hawks team is better than the one that beat Orlando last year, and Orlando had more talent last year than Bost does now, and that talent was younger. If the Hawks half step, Boston may take the series, but it won’t be a sweep.

Grandmaster JeJe (GM)

April 22nd, 2012
10:45 pm

“Jeje if you throw enuff crap on the wall some has got to stick. Keep running those post out some of them are bound to make sense.”

1) If you are going to call me out, at least show some semblance of knowledge of the English language. While your writing isn’t as egregious as doc’s, it indicates to me your comments are frivolous at best.

2) Please let me know which posts I made which aren’t making sense to you. I’d be glad to clarify.

RA

April 22nd, 2012
10:47 pm

Here’s a real idea for Hawk’s management. Get that team out of Atlanta and give them to a city that is capable of supporting them. As for Coach Drew, fire him if you want to, but with resources in hand, that man took this team within shouting distance of fourth place in the eastern conference. For my money he’s coach of the year. Fire him if you want. He won’t be out of work long.

Najeh Davenpoop

April 22nd, 2012
10:47 pm

“You have Josh at 26 years, Marvin at 25 years, Al at 25 years, Teague at 22 years, and Joe at 29 years. Take Joe out and remove the bench players and all of the key hawks players are just coming into their prime. Boston has KG 36, Ray Allen 37, Paul Pierece 35, and they only have one NBA title, so I say the chances are going to be good that the Hawks will win the title in the next 3 years.”

Bismack Biyombo, Kemba Walker, Byron Mullens, and Gerald Henderson are pretty young, too, but somehow I doubt that they are going to grow into a champion. You either have the talent or you don’t. The Hawks have enough talent to make it to the conference finals. That’s it.

Najeh Davenpoop

April 22nd, 2012
10:48 pm

JeJe in addition to Adblock Plus I would also recommend getting Lazarus Form Recovery to combat the blog monster.

Slimjr

April 22nd, 2012
10:49 pm

Got to get my scroll wheel warmed up…The Fal-con Fanatics are about to peek in and throw the stink bombs again…

Grandmaster JeJe (GM)

April 22nd, 2012
10:49 pm

Joe is 30 and almost 31

SteveW

April 22nd, 2012
10:52 pm

All I got out of today is that we can’t beat the #7 seed who was playing without Chandler and Lin, and we were at Home.

I’m supposed to be pleased by this?

All I saw is what I’ve been concerned about – come playoff time, we can’t beat the good teams this season. Especially not without Al.

Joe Johnson – about 5 years ago you were a scorer that could come close to ‘Melo. You have not been that guy in 4 or 5 years. Quit thinking like you are.

For all I don’t like about ‘Melo – JJ does have it right – he’s a scorer in a scorer’s League. And I dare say if you put him on this Hawks team instead of JJ, we would be better.

And I like JJ.

UGA

April 22nd, 2012
10:52 pm

With a healthy Horford……………this team could very well be the number 2 seed in the East. I honestly believe that. I would bring this whole group back next year regardless after what I have seen. Including Pargo, Green, Ivan, etc. Hinrich may be out, but if he comes back cheap it would be worth looking at.

Slimjr

April 22nd, 2012
10:53 pm

With this ownership the Hawks aren’t winning jack Genius…

Slimjr

April 22nd, 2012
10:56 pm

The Hawks had Robotus all of last year and won 46..

If All whatever was healthy the Hawks would still have a major problem that would not be addressed by him. What?

NO RIM PROTECTOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NEXT……

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