Atlanta Weather

| Traffic

Search
Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta Hawks: Season’s over

12:51 am May 11, 2012, by Michael Cunningham

Boston–The Hawks’ streak of second-round playoff appearances ended at three. After a 40-26 regular season, the Hawks lost in six games to the Celtics in the first round. There will be time to dissect things later but, for now, here’s what the participants had to say. . . .

  • Larry Drew on the season: “Given everything that we went through in the season with all the injuries and not having Al and so many guys missing games, I am very proud of our guys. We could have folded the tent. We responded very well, very professionally. Given 40 wins I’m very happy about that, given all we’ve been through. Tonight was disappointing [because] we didn’t advance. I thought we played a very gutsy series other than the one game. Overall I’m very proud of this bunch for what they accomplished.”
  • Al Horford on if there are any ‘what-ifs’ for the season: “There is. I’m proud of the guys the way they reacted and came out every night and competed. That’s tough having so many injuries and different guys having to fill in. I feel like each guy has had their moment this year. I just kind of came in at the end trying to help us out. Unfortunately for us the run ended.”
  • Josh Smith: “We overcame adversity throughout the season. Obviously it’s disappointing that we couldn’t do something special this season. The road was paved as good as it’s ever going to get for us but we didn’t take advantage of it. That’s the frustrating part. But we can’t hang our heads. We have to look at all the positives this team did this season. Losing Al pretty much the whole season and people counting us out, and for us to be able to do what we did, it’s something special. It’s not all negative. We have got to look at the positives and take this into the offseason and work more harder to be able to better ourselves as a unit.”
  • Joe Johnson: “I thought we did what we could with what we had. It was tough. We are just now getting our full squad back together, what is it here, Game 4 of the playoffs? We still had a chance to win and advance. All we wanted to do was give ourselves a chance to win in Boston and we did that. Unfortunately, we came up short.”
  • Doc Rivers: “You’ve got to give Atlanta a lot of credit. You really do. Especially tonight. I mean, Atlanta is criticized so much about who they are and all that stuff. And they had 10 times tonight where they could’ve went away and said, ‘You know what? We gave it great effort.’ And they just kept putting the pressure on us. And I though that was what this series was more about: I thought they kept putting the pressure on us and we had to answer. Game 2 still was the biggest game. Not having [Rajon] Rondo and winning that game was huge for us. And then down the stretch we won games with execution at times.”
  • Drew on Atlanta’s penultimate possession that ended with Josh’s missed jumper: That wasn’t [the play]. We were in our wrong spots. We did not execute what we had drawn up in the huddle. We can’t have that type of mental breakdown at the end of a game. You just can’t have it. That play is not designed to be at the elbow shooting a jump shot. We did not execute it.”
  • Josh on the fourth-quarter offense: “We were getting the shots we wanted. We got some looks. A couple of in-and-out. We tried to drive the paint and get to the free-throw line but we wasn’t getting the calls. If I had to do it all over again, I’d do the same thing in the fourth quarter. We was getting the shots. This team helps so much on the strong side, they kind of make you live with the weak-side perimeter jump shots. Especially when they know what satisfies them the most is it’s not the star players doing it.”
  • Horford on the foul by Marquis Daniels as Atlanta was attempting to inbound the ball: “I know that I was trying to get through and he was grabbing me and I couldn’t really move. I don’t know if the ball was inbounded or not. I was just trying to cut through. Obviously the ref saw [the play] and didn’t call it.”
  • Horford on not intentionally missing the second free-throw attempt down a point and no timeouts: “I didn’t really think about it. That’s something I probably should have given some thought. The first one felt good. I was surprised I missed it. Looking back I should have missed the second one, not realizing we didn’t have any timeouts. I did [realize it] before but there was a lot of stuff going on through the game.”
  • Josh on what “one or two” things could have made a difference for the Hawks: “Maybe we could have shot a little bit more free throws. It was 24-10. We was being aggressive; we just wasn’t getting the calls. I don’t know what we had to do. We played our hearts out tonight. We fell short. A couple controversial calls. Things like that happen when you are on the road. You have to try your hardest to try not to make it a close game. When you play in an environment like the Garden in Boston, they have some of the best fans in the whole entire league. Like I said before, I was a little jealous because the fans here are so supportive of their team. You go out, look in the stands there is nothing but Celtics jerseys. I don’t see a trace of red in there. Understanding that the fans are that passionate, it adds an extra advantage for them. A bad shot can be as good a turnover when you are playing against a team like Boston, especially with the fanbase they have.”
  • Drew on what went wrong when Hawks blew eight-point lead in second quarter: “Bad shots. We had some bad shots. We had some turnovers and those made it into transition baskets. I told the guys at halftime, looking back at how we defended their sets we did a good job but turned it over and took some bad shots. In this building a bad shot is just as good as a turnover and if you don’t have proper floor balance, they can run you right out the gym. That’s what led to that spurt. We didn’t get into our offense very crisp. They pressured us, they took us out of our sweet spots and it just kind of made it tough for us and we didn’t respond to that.”
  • Joe: “We just got a little stagnant. We turned the ball over a few times, they scored. That’s not where we lost the game. In the fourth quarter, we had a three-point lead with a minute and something on the clock. That’s what hurts the most.”
  • Drew on Kevin Garnett: “‘KG,’ he was an All-Star tonight. He made some big shots tonight. He put them into a great position early. He was really fighting for the low block. We were trying to disrupt his rhythm as much as we could. We tried to double team him at times we didn’t get down there fast enough. He made some big shots for them.”
  • Josh on Garnett: “He asserted himself early in the game. We were supposed to trap him a little bit but the traps were a little passive, not aggressive. He took advantage of it. He got himself started early and made some shots down the stretch for them. He’s definitely their emotional leader. He still has a lot in the tank.”
  • Garnett on Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr.’s comments: “First off, I want to say ‘Thank you’ to their owner for giving me some extra gas tonight. My only advice to him is next time he opens his mouth, actually know what he’s talking about, Xs and Os versus checkbooks and bottom lines. . . . We’re not dirty. We’re firm, we’re aggressive. We’re not dirty. You have to understand the word ‘dirty’ in this game is very defined. Going under guys, trying to hurt guys, ill intent–is not they way we play basketball. . . . We play with a lot of passion, play with force. It’s the playoffs but I’m not trying to hurt anybody, nor has my teammates. I just found that comment to be a little rude and a little out of hand and I wanted to address it. Just because you got a bunch of money don’t mean you can open your mouth.”
  • Josh on feeling like the Hawks didn’t get to show what they could do with a full squad: “Al came back. I got injured in Game 2. I think that was a winnable game. Things happen, man. The margin there is so small in the playoffs. Anything can beat you at any given moment. We had opportunities where we could have won games and we couldn’t get it done. We can definitely learn from that basketball team in that other locker room. The way they play collectively on the defensive end together, they really make you think, really make you work for every point. I think we definitely can take their philosophies and apply it to this basketball team because we are long and athletic. Their philosophies can help us be one of the top defensive teams in the entire league next year.”
  • Horford on returning for the playoffs: “I don’t regret any of that. I feel like I went out and played and gave everything I had.”
  • Horford on playing 46 minutes: “I was dragging, to be honest, most of the game. Then in the fourth [quarter] I had to dig down deep and I was like, ‘Let’s make one more big run at this. Let’s try to win this game.’ That’s kind of what fueled me throughout that fourth quarter. I was fatigued but I knew my team needed me.”
  • Joe on “what-ifs”: “Yeah, it hurts. The last three years we advanced and made it to the second round. After last year, we looked at if like we was ready to make that jump. Give them credit. They are a great veteran team that has been around the block, knows what it takes. They came into our house and stole one. That’s all they needed.”
  • Drew on “what-ifs”: “Man, I’ve been saying that from Day One. If we would have had a full squad, if we would have had Zaza [Pachulia], all the games that Kirk [Hinrich] missed, all the games [Jason Collins] missed, the games Marvin [Williams] missed. I’m proud of these guys for responding the way they did given all the injuries. Everyone counted us out. The other day I saw when we lost Al, they projected us to win 25 games. I think that says a lot about [the players] and about my coaching staff with all the adversity we faced this season and yet we were able to overcome.”
  • Josh on moving forward: “Go into the offseason and try to get better every season. Working out, keep having the same work ethic I’ve been having my whole career. Use this as fuel. That’s a great basketball team over there. They’ve done some special things. When they acquired the Big Three, since then they’ve been doing some special things in the postseason. We can definitely learn a lot from that ballclub. It definitely hurts not being able to get out of the first round. . . . I felt like we had the best opportunity to be able make it to the Eastern Conference final, this year more so than other years. That’s always disappointing but we’ve got to take this into the offseason, be able to work hard and try to get better next season.”

Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat

  • Print

206 comments Add your comment

ryan

May 11th, 2012
6:06 am

@Bravesfan79 and anyone else complaining about Celtics attendance/Josh comments, upper level tickets for this series were available on Stubhub for 10 bucks. Also my row in the lower bowl was full of Green including college kids who got tickets for 50 bucks.

Lower level tickets for the NBA playoffs were too easy to get in this soft market and regular season Hawks especially midweek you can get lower level for 15 bucks on Stubhub or Craigslist.

If Hawks had drawn say Indy, Philly or Orlando Philips may not have looked like a Christmas tree

FRANKZABBA

May 11th, 2012
6:11 am

Not a Hawks fan, but Jeez this team is so hard to watch. There’s good talent on this team (Teague, Horford) but a glaring issue stands: GET RID OF JOE JOHNSON ALREADY. He’s the most overpaid player in the Association not named Carmelo Anthony.

Marcus

May 11th, 2012
6:23 am

thanks Grandad, Wading through all the emotional and irrational commentaries here is fatiguing. I guess the regulars with real b-ball insights () are getting over the last nite’s loss.

I am proud of this team. Despite Barkley’s running commentary, and even the warts on this team, this year was a totally different team. You can call it the ‘vet factor’ but we played with guts the majority of the time and scrapped as if our very survival depended on it. If you weigh in the compressed schedule, there were very few times (in comparison to recent years) where we took games off or were blasie to the point of NUMEROUS inexplicable losses.

We played with heart this entire series, but I betcha the analysts will point to Game 4 as the symbolic of this series because of who we were in the past (thinking the 2010 ORL blowout series) when they were not …. Games 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 were. Those games were hard-fought down to the final minute.

No one on this board, even the passionate fans with insight like Najeh, can tell me that this Hawk team wasn’t more resilient and determined. Execution sometimes, ehhh, shot-selection … (see execution), but we FOUGHT, which wasn’t always the case.

We played with who was here … not who we didn’t draft in 2005, not who we couldn’t trade for this season, not who we let go in FA last year … and although we came up short vs. BOS and, in theory didn’t make it as far as we did the last three years, I do believe we actually witnessed the establishment of a TEAM vs. some gunners all trying to be The Lone Ranger.

Now, I do hope and pray for a new owner, because our $$$ limitations will cause us to start doing a “fire sale” like MLBs Miami (nee Florida) Marlins used to do like clockwork.

LD deserves to come back, I hope Josh stays, and I hope Rick Sund, if he chooses to move on, will pave the way for a dynamic GM to come in and get us to the next level.

Oh well, so long playoffs…..sorry to see my team go and probably won’t watch unless in passing or just to keep up.

Loyal message board members, be safe this summer. As Hawks news pops up, so will I, but will probably lay low until the draft or whatever random news MC pops up on the AJC.

Hawks Fan Down Under

May 11th, 2012
6:24 am

The problem with the players is two fold. Firstly I think the main problem is Joe Johnson. He isnt a leader or a superstar and was lucky to be all-star the last 2 years. He would go really well as a second fiddel to someone like Rose or Williams or Paul etc. He also blames everyone else on the team through the media with little accountability to his own play.

But the other problem is Al and Josh play the same position. I like Al and I think Josh has matured greatly this last season. So much so that I think he is easily the Hawks best player. Still takes some bad shots and passes but overall he’s grown into a true star of the game.

First person I’d lose is JJ but who in this league will take that retarded contract?

If we can trade either Al or Josh for a legit star centre that’d be great and possible.

But as always these changes mean little with LD running the show.

blonju

May 11th, 2012
6:26 am

if joe can be moved, move him.. new GM, new COACH.. everything else is fiiiiine.. if we’re healthy, we win.. sad day in ATL if we move Josh Smith.. He’s had a better field goal percentage than Joe for the last 5 seasons.. Josh is NOT the problem.. Bring in a Jerry Sloan and watch guys get a lesson.

Marcus

May 11th, 2012
6:29 am

Oh yeah,
KG balled, but he has some gall getting mad because the ATL owner called him dirty, when he is one of the oneriest, non-PC trash talking/obscenity-spewing players in the NBA. He get all sensitive for that when he calls out C. Villanueva looking like a cancer patient, has words with Y. Noah, and spews so much cussing on the regular that military recruits take notes before joining the Navy. Get real.

Hope the 76ers run y’alls Methuselah @sses into the ground.

AG

May 11th, 2012
6:30 am

I am very proud of our team. Stephen A Smith bet Skip Bayless that Boston would win by 20. No moral victory though. The biggest play of the night went to the officiating. Instead of Al shooting FT’s with 3.9 secs and a timeout, the ref’s made us inbound again. LD – one of several mistakes called his LAST timeout! If Al went to the line the first time, we would still had a last shot at the buzzer.

I also fault LD for refusing to play Al on Garnett. I did not understand it Game 5 or tonight. He finally switched late in game 5. I still am stratching my head. MC should have asked that question, 6′9″gimpy Josh on KG.

Hawks Fan Down Under

May 11th, 2012
6:30 am

..and to everyone who is saying that the Hawks have won respect and that its so great they didnt give up etc….lets just get some perspective here. We lost to a Celtics team that is over the hill…in 6 games after having home court. We didnt just lose the Finals in a tough game 7. Good teams always fight. It should be a given for any team with title hopes.

And injuries dont matter as Pierce was on 1 leg and they missed Rondo and Allen for games as well.

The ATL needs a major overhaul. I’m betting it doesn’t happen.

steven West

May 11th, 2012
6:33 am

Are you Josh haters crazy? Actually, I do not have to ask you; its apparent from your stupid ass remarks.

Why the hell would any athlete not want to have the support of their home venue? Aside from that, the case can be made that he has been disproportionately criticized locally.

Josh is the one player on this team who is obviously passionate about this game; in addition to that intangible, he is a helluva player. Did you miss the end of season run where he was producing on both ends of the floor, filling the stat sheet, and most importantly, leading this “undermanned” team to victories?

You could not sniff JJ’s jock hard enough if he had done that, but where was he? MIA as usual.

Josh is not perfect, but overall, his positives dwarf his negatives and that never seems to be acknowledged by so called fans.

It is obvious to anyone who can see that JJ is the problem on this team.

To Hell with the Celtics and their future HOFers!

Go Hawks!

AG

May 11th, 2012
6:35 am

I think LD grew a lot this season. Although I am willing to give him another shot, if a more experienced coach is available, you have to upgrade. I doubt it will happen, but a Larry Brown (okay he went back to college) or Jerry Sloan is what this team needs. LD is an upgrade over Woody.

AG

May 11th, 2012
6:40 am

Again, people move from those crappy Northern cities for a better life in the ATL. That is why so many people from Detroit, NY, Chicago etc are here. Then people for Missisippi etc who already joined another team (LA Lakers) all are here. There team plays once or twice a year in Atlanta, so they support there team. Can’t fault them. I am sure there are more Boston transplants in Atlanta than Atlanta transplants in Boston. I think Josh could have kept that comment to himself.

Marvin did show up, but is it really enough to keep him? KH should not unpack, along with Twin and a couple of guys. If we can land a superstar for Joe, yes I would trade him.

Dwayne C

May 11th, 2012
6:41 am

As usual the Hawks coach and players give themselves a pat on the back after falling short in the playoffs. It is this kind of attitude and culture of the Atlanta Hawks that has to change before this team can ever become a serious contender for an NBA championship. Me, I’m not optimistic it will ever happen, given some of the players on the Hawks’ roster, milquetoast head coach Larry Drew, inept GM Rick Sund and equally inept owner Michael Gearon.. Hawks fans can, I think, expect more of the same in coming years from this team: a decent W-L record during the season and then watching the Hawks become fodder for a playoff opponent who is more motivated to win.

KB

May 11th, 2012
6:56 am

Game 2. Game 2. Game 2. One of the worst losses in our team history. That loss cost us the series. No way we should have lost that one. I think we did mIss JC this year but we stil could’ve won. Just think, we could being playing Philly to get to the 3rd round. Golden opp missed. Sigh.

hawks fan

May 11th, 2012
6:57 am

probably the worst officiated game in NBA history. Does that cost you the series? maybe. maybe not. but it should never happen. the officials looked clueless, arguing amongst themselves, clearly unaware of the Shag rule, and generally not being playoff caliber. it’s a shame. they were so out of control that they just gave the benefit of every doubt to the home team. stern even admitted to me it was the toughest year ever for officiating. hopefully their new boss (soon to be named) will have an impact. the game should be won or lost by the players. period.

HawksFansStink

May 11th, 2012
7:10 am

Northcyde-AMEN!

Tn Hawk

May 11th, 2012
7:17 am

Mike (Cunningham),

I haven’t read all the responses here or last night (31 pages!) but sure would like to see for the whole series what the fouls were against Boston and us. An article about this would be great.

Thanks for considering.

Admirable SnAckBar

May 11th, 2012
7:18 am

I’ll tell you what Josh should think when he sees other teams fans in ATL.
he should think that Hawks need to win so they can make their own fans fill the ATL.
Till you win something, Josh, you don’t deserve any damn fans. Losers only get losers for fans.
Time to grow up and join the adults of the world.

Loserville

May 11th, 2012
7:25 am

One fluke title in atl pro sports since 1966—a baseball title in a strike year. Every other team—choke. Maybe the atl owner can call out another player next year in a key game!!!! Come to New York for championships and titles!!! I miss Brooklyn—hopefully I can move back next year.

Tom

May 11th, 2012
7:26 am

I’d like to thank Gearon. Classic example of money but no brains.

kojak

May 11th, 2012
7:28 am

Next for JSmoove….the Olympics…..the Special Olympics!……the dumbest player ever-good riddance

BIG DOG

May 11th, 2012
7:29 am

Keep Josh and Horford it’s a no brainer, Joe can be traded there are teams out there that would take on Joe contract whom feel they need just that 1 player than get them over hump.

Keeping Josh whom can sometime play all three positions SF, PF, C depend on matchup is a diverse player that not many NBA teams can do advantage Hawks, LD who never played there guys to there strength has to go, Josh never had any touches in the paint specially at SF is crazy to me, Josh over the summer lost atleast 20pounds so he could play SF but LD never did so all year long.

LD NEED TO GO ALONG WITH JOE.

BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE

Lucky to Be Here

May 11th, 2012
7:31 am

All things considered, Ownership, coach, Joe’s contract, and J. smoov’s inability to learn or follow directions, I’d day we do pretty good. …….dontcha think?

asg

May 11th, 2012
7:38 am

we pay these guys big bucks and when we get to the playoffs all we get is choking, pouting, bad shots and stupid coaching. we shoud just send nique and smith for some grammar training.

O'brien

May 11th, 2012
7:39 am

Northcyde,

If you’re Deron Williams, and you have a chance to go back home (he’s from Dallas), and play for one of the best owners (Mark Cuban) in the game (imo), a very good coach in Rick Carlisle, and play with Dirk…or come to ATL and play for the ASG and LD…

Deron Williams is not walking through that door.

Dawg

May 11th, 2012
7:42 am

Why no Alvin? He could have gotten under KG’s skin for a couple of minutes. Boston complains to the refs after every call. Yet Josh is call for a tech for excessive complaining.

The offense next year needs to get away from JJ. You can not run ISO Joe and be successful.
We need a big defensive minded center. We need a SG/SF that can shoot from distance.

The Hawks are not that far away but their window of opportunity is closing. Get new ownership and things could happen fast.

Atlanta Spirit Employee

May 11th, 2012
7:45 am

The real problem with this team is ownership!! Atlanta Spirit will continue to make the same promises year after year without results! When ownership is more concerned about the bottom line than building a winner you can expect more of the same! Atlanta Spirit Sux! Hawks fans if you want to see your future take a look at the Thrashers debacle.

terrell

May 11th, 2012
7:47 am

Just saw the highlights on NBA TV.Joe cant even beat old azz Pierce to the rim?? Wow. Now let the excuses to keep LD begin. What a joke of a coach that dude is.. Btw, JJ made us a better team when we signed him, I give him that, but we got worse as a franchise at the same time. We’re strapped. But hey, it aint my money.

Grandmaster JeJe (GM)

May 11th, 2012
7:52 am

Ppl here are pleased with our season and want the core back!!!

LOL!!!

DawgNole where u at homie??

Major shoutout goes to Rod. Pretty much predicted the whole series…OFFENSE was the issue

terrell

May 11th, 2012
7:52 am

Pierce might of fouled Joe, but who’s gonna call that at the end of the game? Especially for a guy who has never complained about anything whatsoever. Hell ,he looked like he was moving in quicksand. Gotta be able to beat a hobbled Pierce to the rack there.

Paddy

May 11th, 2012
7:54 am

Ok ASG, time to sell and get out of our city!

BIG DOG

May 11th, 2012
7:55 am

Every body blame Josh for shooting somany jumshots, when running plays why Josh always outside and never posting up in paint specially at SF is the ? need to be answer by coach LD, 70percent of Josh touches came from perimeter not from post who falt is that, HA

LD has no clue as a coach and should not be hire.

I said yesterday that Josh and Horford can not guard KG in the paint and Doc would explore that, but what this dum coach do play Josh and Horford on KG and scored 26points, if any body think LD has a clue just not no basketball, Collins and Dampier should have played keeping KG out of the paint from scoring easy basket.

BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE

Statick

May 11th, 2012
7:57 am

1. The ASG really need to sell the Hawks. They are incompetent owners. Whenever you have a bunch of non-basketball minds making decisions on how to run an NBA team, well, that’s not good.
2. Fire Larry Drew and get a real coach in here. It’s obvious the players don’t respect him or Josh Smith wouldn’t still be thinking he’s a jumpshooter.
3. Give Josh Smith the trade he so desperately wants. Get him and his Sybill-like, spastic game out of Atlanta. I’ve never seen a player so schizophrenically opposed to getting his points in the paint, like he should. Trade Smith for a first.
4. Trade Marvin Williams, too. He’s an overpaid bench warmer with half the production. He does nothing well and can’t do anything consistently, which shows the incompetence of the management for giving him that new contract. He can’t score on the regular, can’t box anyone out for rebounds, can’t play defense….just useless.
5. Joe Johnson…ugh. Talk about a contract that’s a ball and chain around this franchise’s neck. I don’t know what to do about him other than pray that he finally grows a pair and stop his weekly disappearing act.

Dee

May 11th, 2012
8:00 am

I agree with you, statick. Same old crap year after year. Josh and his attitude should be with another team after this draft.

ohhhhYEAH

May 11th, 2012
8:03 am

The player who was really missed in this series was Zaza. Yeah, I know, he’s terrible offensively, but man oh man does he really get under KG’s skin, and he can play some defense too. The only reason KG gets to open his mouth at our owner is bc he didnt have to see Zaza this time around, otherwise that big Georgian would have had KG crying the whole series.

CHUCK NORRIS

May 11th, 2012
8:04 am

BIG DOG,

Good point, and what do you think about the Mavs? Cuban would be the kind of guy that would take on JJ’s contract. But i dont know what they could provide the Hawks. And its obvious they need to move Al to PF.

Someone said earlier on here that Al and Josh basically are playing the same position. Zaza can play center, he proved that before he went down.

And, bottom line is this team won 40 games out of 66 with all the injuries and inconsistancy on offensive. I will take that everytime.

But Robert “Big Shot” Horry said this morning on NBA.TV that they need to bring in a center. Eventhough this is old news, its still a fact for this unit.

yeahsure

May 11th, 2012
8:04 am

Hawks put on a good show this season. Hopefully enough to attract a wealthy Owner.

Eb

May 11th, 2012
8:08 am

Josh’s grammar is as bad as his jump shooting.

CHUCK NORRIS

May 11th, 2012
8:10 am

terrell,

Flip the situation and let Pierce be the one driving to the basket at the Garden with the game on the line and im pretty sure…no im positive, 100% positvie that the refs would have called JJ for a foul!

O'brien

May 11th, 2012
8:17 am

Props to Marvin for 2 good games in a row. Trade him now, because his value will never be at its highest. If Marvin could put up those numbers more consistently, Hawks would be so much better.

And props to Al Horford, who gave us 46 minutes. However, he has to knock down those FTs. And if you miss the first, shouldn’t you miss the second?

I know it’s his first year starting, but Teague looked bad at times. Hopefully he will be more improved next season.

Steve Nash has a house in NY, and the Knicks might be his top choice, but do the Hawks have the money to go after him?

Rick L

May 11th, 2012
8:17 am

Hawks get mugged and hacked, no foul call. A Celtic player gets breathed on and they cslled a foul. Terrible officiating. No suprise, ATL teams always get the shaft by the refs.

Section 303

May 11th, 2012
8:22 am

I don’t really know where the Hawks go from here. I know the injuries were a huge part of this season. Really do not feel like the better team won this series. Will never convince me that the Hawks at full strength are not better than the Celtics at full strength.

I am so down on the bench…they were good during the season, but totally disappeared in the playoffs. I still say that the biggest play in this series was Willie Green’s missed, wide open, 12-footer in Game 3. He makes that shot, the Hawks win that game, and we get Game 7 here in Atlanta. Instead, he misses and that great effort last Friday is all for nothing.

Everyone seems to rip Rick Sund on here, but I’m not sure what else he was expected to do. The main focus was to build depth and he did that. The bench was a bust in the postseason, but I’m not even sure the Hawks make the playoffs this year without the bench support.

If Sund leaves, do you invest a ton of jack in a new GM? There are some interesting name, like Pritchard, the ex-Portland GM. But, I’m always leary of outsiders coming into this organization. Seems like the Hawks have so little credibility, that it takes outsiders sometime to realize that the team is not THAT bad.

Would be great if there was a way to get from under Joe’s contract, but I don’t think there is. No team is going to take on that kind of dough. We’re stuck with him. He is not going to be an amnesty canidate, either. No way the ASG just eats that kind of money. Marvin, on the other hand…..

Hate the end of the year. I am always down the day after the season ends. Sucks.

CHUCK NORRIS

May 11th, 2012
8:25 am

Hawks from the FT line: 9-10 (Missed that one at the end)
Celtics from the FT line: 19-24

Thats pretty much the story in the playoffs every year when it comes to the major market teams getting past the smaller market teams.

Mister.Earl

May 11th, 2012
8:25 am

Leadership Void

Q. How many points did Joe Johnson score in the fourth quarter?

Rick L

May 11th, 2012
8:30 am

Pathetic mediocre Hawks. Same ole, same ole. Chokers! Turnovers, bad shot selection, defensive lapses, Nothing new! We have seen this every year and it gets magnified in the playoffs

Tim

May 11th, 2012
8:31 am

The sad fact is that with the contract given to JJ, this team cannot improve. It was a gamble that hasn’t paid off. And there’s nothing the team can do really to improve in any significant way. Poor ownership and management of the team have sentenced Atlanta to an “also ran” status for the forseeable future.

IBall

May 11th, 2012
8:32 am

Anybody surprised?? Horford has the heart on this team. Everybody else can go.

St. Bernard

May 11th, 2012
8:33 am

Dear Josh Smith,
Stop throwing the ball away and shooting terrible jumpshots at critical points in the game and your fanbase will improve. Stop whining about the fanbase after you throw away a close-out game on a jump shot from the elbow. Boston fans are Boston fans because Boston wins. No one will cry when you’re traded. It’s not because you’re from ATL, it’s because of the way you play.

Rick L

May 11th, 2012
8:34 am

I will admit if ZA was in there he could have banged in the paint and got some points, which would have made the hawks less one-dimensional

Rick L

May 11th, 2012
8:36 am

Man it is hard being an ATL sports fan! Hawks, Braves, Falcons……. what is the common thread?

MsDee

May 11th, 2012
8:37 am

CHUCK NORRIS
May 11th, 2012
8:10 am

terrell,

Flip the situation and let Pierce be the one driving to the basket at the Garden with the game on the line and im pretty sure…no im positive, 100% positvie that the refs would have called JJ for a foul!

Yeah, JJ would have gotten a foul called on him cause Paul knows how to pump fake to draw the foul, while JJ simply just goes up w/o making the proper contact on Paul to put the pressure on the ref’s to call a foul. This is the difference between a SMART/CRAFTY player like Paul and a Player w/o basketball IQ

« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next » Show All