We’re LIVE from the Hawks’ . . . final game?
This series has been a laugher for Orlando, while the Hawks ...
We’ve all witnessed playoff disappointments before. Two weeks ago, I listed what I believed to be the seven greatest postseason flops in Atlanta pro sports history. The Hawks were on the verge of joining the infamous group at the time, only to show some resolve when down 3-2 against Milwaukee and win the next two games to make it to round two.
This second-round series against Orlando isn’t a playoff flop. It’s just an embarrassment. It would leave fans with an ugly hangover, sort of
like when the Falcons made their
... are hiding their faces after losing three games by 87 points.
miracle run to the Super Bowl, only to have Eugene Robinson get arrested on the eve of the game.
Nobody — at least no rational thinking person — really believed the Hawks would defeat the Magic in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
But most of us figured they would at least compete against the Magic and had a chance to win one or two games. Instead, they’ve played hard for three quarters in Game 2 in Orlando and were comatose for the other nine. They’ve not only have been blown out twice, including Saturday’s Game 3 at home, but Joe Johnson showed little concern for the Hawks’ disgruntled fan base.
Tonight at Philips Arena, there’s a good chance it will end. The Magic have won the first three games by deficits of 43, 14 and 30 points. The Hawks are only the fourth team in NBA playoff history to lose two games of a playoff series by 30 or more points (nobody has suffered that distinction three times).
Tonight could be Johnson’s final game as a Hawk. It also could be Mike Woodson’s final game as head coach.
What happens? Do they get blown out again, or do they show a little pride — and possibly lose any way? And is it in them to actually win a game?
When asked how difficult it would be to rebound off a game like Saturday’s 105-75 loss, guard Jamal Crawford said bef0re the game: “It’s hard. It’s harder the same night because you can’t sleep and the game just replays in your head. After you see the tape, you feel a little bit better but it still lingers with you. This game can’t come fast enough.
“We just have to have some pride. This is not a No. 1 vs. No. 16 seed in the NCAA tournament. This is a No. 2 seed and No. 3 seed. We knew we were on a possible collision course. We just have to go out and play hard.”
That would be a nice change.
How hard do you believe the Hawks will play — and do you think it would make a difference in the result?
♦
Follow me on Twitter @JeffSchultzAJC and on Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
492 comments Add your comment
Woodys No Goody
May 10th, 2010
10:14 pm
Hawks are not playing to win but to not get spanked by 20+.
GO BRAVES!
May 10th, 2010
10:14 pm
Here’s hoping we’ll be over .500 this year.
Hawks vs. Magic
May 10th, 2010
10:15 pm
ok forget what I said earlier about them putting up a fight … down by 20 once more
*why couldn’t you have won game 7 Bucks, you could have prevented this!!!
-_-
May 10th, 2010
10:15 pm
When is Al Horford going to be announce as the new team leader? he was the only one in this whole series that played with heart.
Josh is my favorite player but we need to start all over
its time for everyone to go except for AL HORFORD!!!
Vick Supporter
May 10th, 2010
10:15 pm
welp…looks like the broom has been rammed up our ….
Vick stinks
May 10th, 2010
10:15 pm
Why would anyone still be talking about that waste of space?
Billy
May 10th, 2010
10:16 pm
General Custer, save yourself, leave the building right now and head for Simpson Street.
MenVsBoys
May 10th, 2010
10:16 pm
cheshire@10:12. You just summed up 40+ years of Atlanta sports perfectly. It almost makes you want to cry how Atlanta teams fall into a cycle of failure.
buick59
May 10th, 2010
10:16 pm
Cheshire, or that the Florida Marlins have 2 World Series Championships and how many do the great Atlanta Braves have? Just learn to laugh at this silly cities sports teams, makes it bearable.
Vick Supporter
May 10th, 2010
10:17 pm
let it rip, Schultz. This article should be a good one
Jimmy
May 10th, 2010
10:17 pm
I just tuned in…so sad.
What happened here?
Why the collapse?
Dead Hawk
May 10th, 2010
10:17 pm
I hear the fat lady singing….well she has been singing for awhile, but now she is at full volume.
No, I am mistaken. It is only Jeff Shultz’s wife I hear.
Greg
May 10th, 2010
10:17 pm
Snowman says the Hawks aren’t that far away….as they close in on losing two home playoff games to the Magic by 50+ points. Woodson has won 2 playoff series in 6 years and he wouldn’t win any more than another two if he had six more years. He’s gone and so is JJ whether you like it or not.
Matt Welk
May 10th, 2010
10:18 pm
THIS IS SICK AND THE OWNERS SHOULD TRADE ALL OF THESE LOOSER AND START OVER!!! INSTEAD OF PLAYING HARD, JOE’S THINKING $$$. I BET YOU, AFTER JOE’S CAREER IS DONE… MY SIXTEEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WILL HAVE MORE MONEY THAN JOE. ATL DOESN’T DESERVE THIS!!!!!!! THIS IS WRONG!!!!!!!
Ted Nugent
May 10th, 2010
10:18 pm
rock and roll
hoochie coo
these Hawks sure light my fuse!
-_-
May 10th, 2010
10:18 pm
Jeff Schultz
After the GAME can you ask JOE JOHNSON how does it feel to be HATED by the WHOLE city of ATLANTA?
Jimmy
May 10th, 2010
10:19 pm
Man…airball?
take a breath snow?man
May 10th, 2010
10:19 pm
yeah second round embare-assing,done deal dog,jj woody,gbye
todd grantham
May 10th, 2010
10:19 pm
jimmy, jimmy, jimmy.
DawgBoi
May 10th, 2010
10:19 pm
Flop. Embarrassing. 2 straight 2nd round sweeps. Hope for change.
Greg
May 10th, 2010
10:19 pm
I feel sorry for the poor souls who paid to see these two games. Hard to imagine a bigger waste of time and money.
Reid Adair
May 10th, 2010
10:19 pm
As the Magic lead by 19 (90-71), we’re hopefully seeing the last five-plus minutes of the careers with the Atlanta Hawks for Mike Woodson and Joe Johnson.
Nice airball on the three-pointer by Johnson, as I type this.
Hawks vs. Magic
May 10th, 2010
10:20 pm
Joe has 14 points, doesn’t even lead the team.
I hope he blew his chances at a big contract with his play this post season … that would be called “getting what you deserve”
MitchC
May 10th, 2010
10:20 pm
Hawks down by 19. Bye-Bye Hawks, Joe Johnson, and Woodson. The Hawks were completely humilated in this series. Sometimes even series sweeps can have competetive games. These games weren’t even close!
Jeff D.
May 10th, 2010
10:20 pm
Snowman, you’re over the top.
Alien in ATL
May 10th, 2010
10:21 pm
Anyone watching stats? JJ: a torching 5 – 14 (hey, his best performance so far!) from the field, just over 50% FT (3 – 5 -> Shaq is shooting better!) and a top -19 (MINUS!!) in the +/-, the worst of the team. But it will be the fans who didn’t support him of course!
Major League Downer
May 10th, 2010
10:21 pm
The idiots who own the hawks will likely give max money to joe johnson and bonus / contract extension to the clueless woodson. That’s how things are done in atlanta—loserville for a good reason–all the teams suck!
MenVsBoys
May 10th, 2010
10:21 pm
Waves of nausea…
Vick Supporter
May 10th, 2010
10:21 pm
+84 points from the 3pt line for the magic
Snowman
May 10th, 2010
10:21 pm
Greg, if Woodson had the Orlando team (and GM, Otis Smith) and Van Gundy had the Hawks team, who would win?…
Woodys No Goody
May 10th, 2010
10:21 pm
Josh Smith has given up.
-_-
May 10th, 2010
10:21 pm
Joe Johnson is a piece of SH!T
cheshire
May 10th, 2010
10:21 pm
ha, great points. thanks for trying to make me feel better guys. i literally am just depressed as hell right now. i know it’s just sports, but i love this stuff and i don’t understand how with 4 professional sports teams year after year SOMETHING good can’t happen. it’s incredible. it makes you believe there really is such a thing as sports curses.
Mtn Hawk
May 10th, 2010
10:22 pm
Joe Johnson is trash..Fire woody while ur at it..
Jimmy
May 10th, 2010
10:22 pm
I don’t hate JJ.
I don’t want the team to pay him what he thinks he’s worth.
Maybe if this group had a new coach…
I think I’d try to work a trade for JJ…sign and trade deal.
Or let him hit the free agent trail.
I don’t know…this is just tough to take.
-_-
May 10th, 2010
10:23 pm
RICKY RUBIO ANYONE?
Michael
May 10th, 2010
10:23 pm
I have to agree with Snowman. No one believes the Hawks are better than Orlando and went 0-4 against them in last year’s sweep. Even Cleveland got Shaq to try to fight Dwight Howard in the dream next round. So why all the hate for Woody when the Hawks did not even attempt to get someone to counter Howard? Fire him for 53 wins. You are all crazy. Must be college football fans.
PMC
May 10th, 2010
10:23 pm
Well they tried hard tonight anyway. They are just a long way away from being an elite NBA team. Nice regular season.
maybe the stars will align and they can find an elite guard somehow and a true 5 would be like Christmas.
Vaya con Dios Woody and Joe Johnson.
Woodys No Goody
May 10th, 2010
10:23 pm
I posted this before playoffs even started. One more time with special shout outs to Woody and Joe Johnson. C-Ya!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsaTElBljOE
Vick Supporter
May 10th, 2010
10:24 pm
here’s goes josh smith with his crying
MenVsBoys
May 10th, 2010
10:24 pm
Send ‘em back to St. Louis. This is a franchise killer.
Hawks vs. Magic
May 10th, 2010
10:25 pm
3rd seed in name only … 3rd seeds don’t constantly get beat like this
the 4th seed is playing better than the 3rd seed
Vick Supporter
May 10th, 2010
10:25 pm
16 threes,lol
DawgBoi
May 10th, 2010
10:25 pm
Fans booing Joe. At this point I am confident that we would be better off with J-Chill instead of Joe and a new coach. Please go pay DWAYNE WADE whatever he wants! Larry Brown had Charlotte close to these guys. Mike Woodson made the hawks worse. Find someone who will demand defense.
Atlanta Dismantla
May 10th, 2010
10:26 pm
Man, our D got an early start on post-season vacation. O not so hot either. Magic deserves to advance. We got to get true low post presence and point guard for next year.
buick59
May 10th, 2010
10:27 pm
Cheshire, feel your pain. After sitting in Fulton County Stadium in freezing weather collapse against the Cowboys in Jan 81 and flying home from Minneapolis in Oct.91 knowing we had probably lost the World Series and watching Leyritz hit hat homerun in 96 I just started laughing at them. AND not wasting my money on them.
Snowman
May 10th, 2010
10:27 pm
Greg, If I go to war with a sling shot and some rocks and I face bazookas and tanks, who do you think would win…c’mon everybody let’s keep it real. Woody must be one heck of a coach to have won 53 games this season with this roster huh?…By the way, has the Magic lost in the playoffs yet and are they the defending east champs? Do you think Cleveland is really going to beat them? P-A-L-E-A-S-E!!!
Vick Supporter
May 10th, 2010
10:27 pm
Hawks Management:
Pay Larry Brown Whatever He Wants
MenVsBoys
May 10th, 2010
10:27 pm
If you’re a player on this Hawks team, don’t you have to look yourself in the mirror and ask, “Am I really cut out for this League?”
Woodys No Goody
May 10th, 2010
10:28 pm
This is when these Hawks peaked AND ITS TWO YEARS AGO!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKaYwtuF4xc
what happened?