We’re LIVE from Hawks-Bucks (and is this the end?)
Any thoughts on what the scoreboard will look like when it's over?
MILWAUKEE — There are people with painted faces and antlers on their heads outside the Bradley Center. Inside, all of the seats are draped with souvenir red “Fear The Dear” towels. Just a hunch: It’s a going to be loud tonight.
“That would be something to break 20,000 hearts, wouldn’t it?” Jamal Crawford said, smiling.
That would be a change of pace for the Hawks: breaking the hearts of a road crowd.
Facing elimination and with the backdrop of a 1-10 road playoff record in the last three years, the Hawks play game six against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight. Oddsmakers actually have the Hawks as two-point favorites. But after following a 2-0 series lead with three straight losses — including a meltdown in the final four minutes of game five at Philips Arena Wednesday — they don’t quite project as a safe investment.
“We know what we have to do, so we just need to relax and do it,” said Crawford, who has shot a miserable 6-for-21 in the last two games. “We’ve been pressing a little bit. Just relax and have fun. They’re playing loose. Why can’t we? Now nobody expects us to do it. So maybe the pressure changes a little bit.”
If nothing else, it’s a nice rationalization to get yourself up for a game. Here’s what I see happening tonight: The Hawks will come out strong and try to pound the ball inside. At the outset, they’ll play like they know it’s win-or-go-home. But if the Bucks can get out to a comfortable lead, it’ll be over. It’s difficult for a team that’s down 3-2 in a series and coming off such a difficult loss to bounce back. Resolve is key tonight. But we’ll see how it plays out.
It would help if the Hawks change their defensive strategy because all of the switching doesn’t seem to be working. Exhibit A: Brandon Jennings shot 37.1 percent from the field and averaged 15.5 points during the season. In the playoffs, he is shooting 44.8 percent (39 of 87) and averaging 20.8. Any chance we see a zone tonight?
How do you see things going tonight?
♦
Earlier posts
♦ Hawks down 3-2 but Skiles hardly looks satisfied
♦ Poll time: Where would Hawks’ collapse rank in history?
♦ Gearon is mum on Woodson but expects Hawks ‘to go far’
♦ Frank Wren’s problem: He hasn’t earned benefit of the doubt
♦
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436 comments Add your comment
MenVsBoys
April 30th, 2010
9:28 pm
What is the junk?!?!!?
JohhnyWalking
April 30th, 2010
9:28 pm
TWOOOOOOOOO Minutesss!!!! Come onnnnn HAWWKSSS!!!!!
Jeff D.
April 30th, 2010
9:29 pm
Play to win! Don’t play to not lose!
i_am_soulstar
April 30th, 2010
9:29 pm
come on, we got this
NCBravesFan
April 30th, 2010
9:29 pm
@ATL Fan: Joe is showing us why he does not need to be re-signed.
dawgfan13
April 30th, 2010
9:30 pm
Hmmmm who shoukd the Hawks hire next year as their new coach because his isnt working with this staff. They are all clueless! What about Avery Johnson?
Nick
April 30th, 2010
9:30 pm
Man we gotta get to game 7 at the highlight factory! It will be rockin!!
MenVsBoys
April 30th, 2010
9:30 pm
Bucks are dead tired. So what do we do? Stand around on offense and just dribble the bal for 20 secs so they can catch their breath! FINISH THESE GUYS OFF!!!
ATL FAN
April 30th, 2010
9:30 pm
it seems like joe has been extra selfish this game ive been paying attention, but he has made some key shots, but i dont know what it is he just wont pass
Nick
April 30th, 2010
9:30 pm
What about Byron Scott?
Genius
April 30th, 2010
9:31 pm
2 on 5. Great game plan Woodrow! Johnson sucks!
Hawks Fan For Life
April 30th, 2010
9:31 pm
ATL FAN — that was just a suggestion to make me feel better about our team
ATL FAN
April 30th, 2010
9:31 pm
i think avery johnson would be a great fit for this team, hed get these guys fired up in the 4th quarter when they need it most
Nick
April 30th, 2010
9:31 pm
Get the ball in the post!!!
ATL FAN
April 30th, 2010
9:32 pm
joe johnson just wont pass!!
MenVsBoys
April 30th, 2010
9:32 pm
Dare to hope.
GeorgeC
April 30th, 2010
9:33 pm
Woody ain’t going anywhere. Front office in flux, they wont pay major cash for a new coach.
Jeff D.
April 30th, 2010
9:33 pm
I can’t watch. I’ll let Steve Holman paint the picture. He just called you out Jeff Schultz.
MenVsBoys
April 30th, 2010
9:33 pm
11 points. Less than 90 secs to go. I’m scared to death.
ATL FAN
April 30th, 2010
9:34 pm
if this team had a solid coaching staff they would be unbeatable for years with this youtch
Hawks Fan For Life
April 30th, 2010
9:34 pm
We can say that we have offically WON this game. I KNOW we can’t blow an 11 point lead with less than 80 seconds to go.
GO HAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nick
April 30th, 2010
9:34 pm
Scott Skiles on NBA Jam could shoot the lights out!
Hawks vs Bucks
April 30th, 2010
9:34 pm
Redemption Sunday!
ATL FAN
April 30th, 2010
9:34 pm
that salmons miss sealed it
GeorgeC
April 30th, 2010
9:35 pm
Bucks stunk tonight. I think we’ve got’em.
dawgfan13
April 30th, 2010
9:35 pm
So Bibby, Woody, Johnson will be gone next year> Who will replace those guys?
Mystikal
April 30th, 2010
9:35 pm
When Jamal goes one on one it’s fluid and he even went to the rim. When iso-Joe rears its ugly head its just slow and wastes the shot clock (advantage other team when he misses).
Nick
April 30th, 2010
9:36 pm
Gotta play with a purpose Sunday! Fear the ATL!
ATL FAN
April 30th, 2010
9:36 pm
bibby=teague, woodson=probably some unknown coach, and johnson wont leave
gcs
April 30th, 2010
9:37 pm
JEFF,
The guys on Hawks radio just said that the Hawks about to ruin YOUR night – like you were rooting against them or something. You might want to have a talk with them.
.
Mystikal
April 30th, 2010
9:37 pm
What does it say that Crawford is a better closer than Joe Johnson???
Hawks Fan For Life
April 30th, 2010
9:37 pm
Did the crowd just chant Jamal Crawford sucks??? LMAOOOOOOOOO
Genius
April 30th, 2010
9:38 pm
Joe is slow. Let him go.
Hawks
April 30th, 2010
9:38 pm
Are they chanting “Josh Smith sucks” ???
ATL FAN
April 30th, 2010
9:38 pm
joe is pro, whos to replace him?
MrHughes
April 30th, 2010
9:39 pm
the chant was josh smith sucks.
Hawks
April 30th, 2010
9:39 pm
What were those homo yankees chanting?
Jeff D.
April 30th, 2010
9:39 pm
We live until Sunday!
ATL FAN
April 30th, 2010
9:39 pm
LMAO john salmons asleep
Hawks Fan For Life
April 30th, 2010
9:39 pm
Joe is not slow. He is clutch. I just think he needs to get a higher salary to motivate him. He is underrated and needs to start getting the media coverage he deserves. The man feels ousted.
Show me state
April 30th, 2010
9:39 pm
Great win Hawks!!!!!!!
ATL FAN
April 30th, 2010
9:40 pm
smoothe shot delfino
Mystikal
April 30th, 2010
9:41 pm
If we did all this and come back and lose at home Sunday, I don’t even wanna…
Hawks
April 30th, 2010
9:41 pm
Their throwing s#$@ on the court!
ATL FAN
April 30th, 2010
9:41 pm
O MAN JAMAL!!!!!
Hawks Fan For Life
April 30th, 2010
9:41 pm
Those idiots throwing things on the court — not very sportsmanship like from those fans.
ATL FAN
April 30th, 2010
9:41 pm
LMFAO JENNINGS!!!
Kane337
April 30th, 2010
9:42 pm
Hawks were fortunate the Bucks shot bad tonight but we’ll take it anyway we can get it. Great road win Hawks. Way to not give up.
St. Bernard
April 30th, 2010
9:42 pm
2-11 on the road in the playoffs!!!! When can we re-up Woody???!!!
Hawks vs Bucks
April 30th, 2010
9:42 pm
Hey Jeff you do the live blogging on Sunday.
you’ve done 3 games (2 at home, 1 on the road) and they those games. Bradley did both road games and then the home game and they lost those 3.
PLEASE JEFF BLOG LIVE ON SUNDAY!!!!