We’re LIVE from Hawks-Magic: Can they make it a series?
Mike Woodson's Hawks have been inconsistent in the playoffs.
There’s a saying in sports that a playoff series doesn’t really begin until a team loses a home game.
It’s understandable if you’re not feeling that way after seeing the Hawks dismembered in Game 1 and fizzle in Game 2 against Orlando, losing two games of this playoff series by a combined 57 points. But back now in Philips Arena, where all is usually well, this is the Hawks’ last chance to show a pulse — and maintain it for 48 minutes.
It has been stated enough times in this corner but here we go again: The Hawks are at the point in their evolution where they shouldn’t be defined by the regular season (53-29) but by the postseason (4-3 over undermanned Milwaukee; 0-2 against Orlando).
Granted, only the most optimistic of folks projected them to beat Orlando in this series. The Magic reached the finals last year. They may win the championship this year. They’re superior at basketball’s two key positions: center and point guard.
But what you wanted to see from the Hawks this series is passion, intelligence and consistency under fire, and too often that hasn’t been the case.
Can they win tonight? Absolutely. In a 2-0 series, the trailing home team tends to play its best game, knowing at 3-0 the series probably is over. (For what it’s worth, Las Vegas has this as a close game: The Magic are favored by 2 to 2 1/2 points.)
The Hawks’ objectives shouldn’t change: pound Dwight Howard inside as much as possible with rotating hackers (Zaza Pachulia, Joe Smith, Jason Collins). Play pressure defense to try and force turnovers. Hope Orlando doesn’t get hot from trey-range. See where you’re at in the fourth quarter.
The Hawks are 37-8 at home this year (34-7 in the regular season; 3-1 in the playoffs). However, Philips Arena is not a cure all. We saw Milwaukee win Game 5 here to push the Hawks to the brink of elimination in the first round.
In fact, since winning four straight home playoff games in 2008 (3-0 vs. Boston) and 2009 (first game vs. Miami), the Hawks have gone only 5-4 at Philips. The breakdown: 2-1 in the rest of the Miami series, 0-2 vs. Cleveland, 3-1 vs. Milwaukee.
So what do you think. Can the Hawks make a series of this? We’ll be here blogging live during the game, but let’s hear your predictions now.
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484 comments Add your comment
Mystikal
May 8th, 2010
6:33 pm
Mr Phil, just getting rid of JJ would not help the hawks. More so we need a coach who actually knows some offense, how to make in-game adjustments, and holds all his players accountable (not giving his “star” special treatment). And a point guard or a center wouldn’t hurt..
Mr. Phil
May 8th, 2010
6:33 pm
At least Josh is still fighting.
Coldwork
May 8th, 2010
6:34 pm
I love how the Hawks fans have to be told to chant DEFENSE…Atlanta has had NBA basketball for a few years now haven’t they?
bball fan
May 8th, 2010
6:34 pm
Although technically the Hawks have six more quarters to play in this season, but for all intents and purposes, their season is over. I hate to be negative, but after a performance like this half, I hope they hear boos nonstop for the rest of the game. Why bother even playing the game if you don’t care and put any more effort forth than these overpaid gentlemen are showing today?
cloudy
May 8th, 2010
6:35 pm
Enter your comments here
RB
May 8th, 2010
6:35 pm
Wow! A Mel reference!! He is becoming bigger than the Atlanta sports teams. Mel can I get your autograph?
cloudy
May 8th, 2010
6:35 pm
Atta boy Smith- get another technical!!! What are you 13 years old??? When will you ever show some maturity????
Mr. Phil
May 8th, 2010
6:36 pm
@Mystikal- Mypoint is that any and all plans that lead to the Hawks getting out of the second round start with dropping Joe Johnson.
harry the hawk
May 8th, 2010
6:37 pm
Hawks down by 18….Woodson stands emotionless with arms folded
Fitten
May 8th, 2010
6:37 pm
Josh Smih is the future; Joke Jokeson is the past, let him go
soldierman
May 8th, 2010
6:37 pm
Alright Joe 2 down 28 to go! here we go. dang another missed shot. oh well.
Mr. Phil
May 8th, 2010
6:37 pm
And Mike Bibby btw
bball fan
May 8th, 2010
6:38 pm
Maybe he’ll soon be standing emotionless looking at his pink slip.
cloudy
May 8th, 2010
6:39 pm
If Josh Smith is the future of the Hawks God help us.
Mr. Phil
May 8th, 2010
6:39 pm
Anyone- What are the odds we can get Jeff Van Gundy to coach?
gmoney
May 8th, 2010
6:41 pm
gutless…
Mystikal
May 8th, 2010
6:42 pm
D-hawks said it, Bosh the only realistic option at an upper echelon free agent. If at all possible I’d love to resign Joe (for what he’s showing he is really worth) and sign and trade Josh Smith for Chris Bosh. With him on board and say a coach like Byron Scott maybe other free agents will want to come here. And Scott would help entrench Teague as the starting point guard. Just saying….
RC
May 8th, 2010
6:42 pm
@coldwork every nba Public Announcer has the defense chant! stop trying to be a smarta$$!
Mr. Phil
May 8th, 2010
6:42 pm
This team is short on heart and as I remember,Jeff was all heart.
UNReal
May 8th, 2010
6:42 pm
Can wait to start all over again.
forget the playoffs lets get in the draft next year and HOPE we land a real SUPERSTAR.
This is the END of the JOHNSON + WOODSON ERA.
soldierman
May 8th, 2010
6:43 pm
man, I tell you what, I’d have been plenty pissed if I were home and had gone to see this game. Whew!
Hawker 8
May 8th, 2010
6:43 pm
Bosh and D-wade—I like that sound—both would look good in hawk uniforms next year!! With those 2 superstars, the sky’s the limit!!
Jeff Schultz
May 8th, 2010
6:44 pm
Nighthawk — I think you’re safe. Joe’s not getting max.
Mr. Phil
May 8th, 2010
6:44 pm
Speaking of Jeffs- where is Schultz?
UNReal
May 8th, 2010
6:44 pm
#2 SUCKS!!!
soldierman
May 8th, 2010
6:44 pm
Man, mike woodson is so pathetic its comical now. “let’s not forget we can score the ball too.” Really. Prove it.
Jeff Schultz
May 8th, 2010
6:44 pm
Musically Challenged — You might want to throw in a six-pack to stir up the market.
Mr. Phil
May 8th, 2010
6:44 pm
Oh there you are
MitchC
May 8th, 2010
6:45 pm
To all the Fire Woodson people: How is it Woodson’s fault that the Hawks are losing to a better team? My problem with this series, is that, so far, the Hawks aren’t even playing competetively. They are being blown away on offense, and smothered on defense.
Maybe we have to accept the fact that this Hawks team has maxed out. They dont have a Dwight Howard/Kobe/Shaq/Lebron superstar that can propel a team to a championship. They are a good team of quality players, that are one of the better teams in the NBA, but not an elite one.
Dominique was here for years. He was part of several very good teams that couldnt get past the second round. Larry Bird, Kareem, and Magic were the elite at the time. All of those guys won several championships. The Hawks seem to me to be like they were for the Dominique years of the 80s, a very good team that just wasnt elite, and couldnt get past a certain point.
Jeffspanker
May 8th, 2010
6:45 pm
Joe blows!…in Midtown.
Brian
May 8th, 2010
6:45 pm
Any chance the Hawks can get Lebron ?
Jeff Schultz
May 8th, 2010
6:45 pm
Cloudy — Can they match up with Orlando man-for-man? No. Can they compete harder, play better and be good enough to maybe squeeze out 2 wins against them? Yes. But they’re not even close.
UNReal
May 8th, 2010
6:46 pm
Woodson shouldn’t even play Joe Johnson in game 4, whats the point he never shows up.
Jeff Schultz
May 8th, 2010
6:46 pm
Boos are raining down again during timeout with 3:40 left. Magic 73-47.
Musically Challenged
May 8th, 2010
6:47 pm
Jeff-
The tix were only $20 apiece. The six pack wouldn’t even let me break even. Anyway, they just need a couple of 15-pointers and they’re right back in this one.
buick59
May 8th, 2010
6:48 pm
at least we are smart enough to not pay big bucks to see this garbage team.
D Hawks
May 8th, 2010
6:48 pm
Bosh is 24ppg, 10.8 reb, 2 ast. A good coach will figure out somewhere to play him. Personally I would play him at the 5 with Horford moving to the 3 on the defensive end. On offense, he would probably play a bit more away from the basket with Josh closer to the basket. Bosh can at least come close to matching points with Howard. No one on the current Hawks roster can do that.
Coldwork
May 8th, 2010
6:48 pm
RC…I’ve never heard it anywhere but Atlanta…especially every time they play it.
soldierman
May 8th, 2010
6:49 pm
Was that a teague sighting. Hell I thought he was injured or something since he hasn;t been in the game.
Athenzdawg
May 8th, 2010
6:49 pm
i love how even when they block josh’s shot clean coming out of a time out instead of hustling down the floor he takes out his mouthpiece yet again….spins around…and slams his hands together.. if this basketball thing don’t work out for you Josh you have a career as a ballerina or perhaps “Dancing With The Stars” Im done blow the whole team up rebuild through the draft if we have to….BUT PLEASE!!! GET A REAL 1 AND A REAL 5~~~!!!!!! PLEASE!!!
Raleigh Dog
May 8th, 2010
6:50 pm
Just tuned in to the game on ESPN. Hawks look pathetic. A completely unprofessional effort. What kind of pro athlete just gives up at home? Also, the low number of comments on this blog show how little interest there is in the Hawks. Braves, lousy as they are, would have about 1400 by now.
Mystikal
May 8th, 2010
6:50 pm
Schultz, we know Joe is not getting the max and Woody should be out the door. What is Josh Smith doing for himself with his turnovers and attitude?
John
May 8th, 2010
6:51 pm
I have defended him in the past, but Woodson is the problem. We don’t RUN an offense. Everything is based off of Joe or Jamal going one on one. We don’t get open looks because our offense is so easy to defend. The only easy buckets we get are off of the break or offensive rebounds. These playoffs have been beyond frustrating. Woodson has to go. I think we should bring back Joe because you know the ownership is not going to bring anyone in to make up for losing him. Bosh is not the answer when we already have Horford and Smith. Once again, we have seen that we have no bench besides Jamal and Zaza. Mo does not bring anything. We need to brink Childress back to be another weapon on the wing off the bench. Look at Orlando. They have Pietrus, Redick, J. Williams all contributing big minutes off the bench and we have Jamal.
UNReal
May 8th, 2010
6:51 pm
If i was at the game I would throw Thrash at Joe Johnson.
Matthew
May 8th, 2010
6:52 pm
What scares me is that the Hawks will give him max-money..when the Knicks lose out on Lebron and yes Knicks fans he isnt going to New York,I’m afraid the Hawks will overpay Joe to keep him
D Hawks
May 8th, 2010
6:52 pm
MitchC – are you saying that Woody had no input into the makeup of this team? Did he not have input into the minutes and plays that guys get regardless of effort and performance? Did he not have a responsibility to develop one of the 3 guards that the Hawks have drafted over the past few seasons (Stoudemire, Law, Teague) instead of forcing them to languish on the bench? Should we not at least know at this point in the season whether or not Teague is a bust or a player?
Greenwave
May 8th, 2010
6:53 pm
Fire Woodson, let JJ go, and get either BOSH OR WADE OR BOTH. Also get the Suns coach
K Town Hawk
May 8th, 2010
6:54 pm
The hawks are going to have to come up with big money to keep woody—-he’ll be looking at a bunch of open nba jobs very soon.
UNReal
May 8th, 2010
6:54 pm
WOW JJ really SUCKS.
buick59
May 8th, 2010
6:55 pm
why would any of the top players come to play for a franchise that has been hopeless for 40
plus years. They want to win championships.