Hawks lose again — and it’s clear they need some help
Joe Johnson and the Hawks have fallen flat the last three games after a 16-6 start. (AP photo)
One week ago, the Hawks won a game by 23 points in Toronto. They went 4-1 on a road trip — their most successful trip in 43 years — and held one of the best records in the NBA at 16-6.
Then the team came home, and it was like watching Sybil change personalities.
The Hawks lost to the 9-14 Phoenix Suns, 99-90, on Monday night at Philips Arena. That makes three straight home losses to Memphis, Philadelphia and Phoenix. They’ve trailed by 20-plus points in all three games.
The one thread in the three losses has been a mixed effort.
There are several reasons why this may have happened. The most obvious: Being undersized without two centers, Al Horford (potentially out for the season) and Jason Collins (sidelined for two weeks), has led to physical fatigue, which has led to mental fatigue.
Players are not nearly as aggressive as they were earlier in the season. They’re not sharing the ball as much. They’ve probably has lost some confidence.
“We didn’t respnd well to their runs,” coach Larry Drew said after the Phoenix game. “I just don’t see how we can respond as if the game’s over.”
Here’s what has become obvious: This team needs some help.
General manager Rick Sund’s ability to make a trade is hamstrung by payroll issues. Any significant acquisition would put the Hawks into a tax situation, and there’s no indication that ownership is willing to pay that premium. But Sund can’t afford to sit back and do nothing, but to assume these problems are just going away is a dangerous game.
The Hawks were just starting to get some deserved attention. But after three straight flat performances at home, they’re threatening to slip off the landscape again.
On that note: pitchers and catchers report in two weeks.
I’ll have more on this tomorrow after speaking to Drew, Sund and some players. But I wanted to get your early thoughts on this team.
The floor is yours.
By Jeff Schultz
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140 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
February 7th, 2012
12:51 pm
“Najeh Davenpoop, please don’t be like them. Tattooing does not make person a thug. Tattooing correlates with the word hippie”
It was just a joke dude. Just my way of making fun of them.
Tree Rollins
February 7th, 2012
12:58 pm
Gimme a call Drew, I can still box out round da rim and block shots with my branches !
kbb
February 7th, 2012
1:00 pm
Yea! the NBA is just a bunch of THUGS with tattoos that smoke weed and steal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…….now im off to watch the Angels and Boys Choir laden Georgia Bulldawgs or what will be left of them when the season starts!
*chugs Pabst Blue Ribbon
Anyways as for the topic, the ASG needs to sell. There are like 3005 of them and they are all broke. They are so cheap that we have someone starting who would be a third stringer (zsa zsa) and literally nobody behind him. Even Twin when healthy was pretty much useless.
Dan Roundfield
February 7th, 2012
1:01 pm
I’m the best shooter this team has ever had. Only Dominique was a better Hawks player than me. No team can win starting 1 guard and 4 forwards.
Dan Roundfield
February 7th, 2012
1:03 pm
Shut up Tree ! You barely could run the floor in 1979… Hawks have never had a scoring center like Shaq,Olajuwon,T.Duncan,D.Howard,Ewing,etc. Why the hell-o not ?
Tree Rollins
February 7th, 2012
1:04 pm
Dan, I didn’t know you was still alive ?
NATIVE SON
February 7th, 2012
1:04 pm
AND OFF THE BAND WAGON THEY GO!!!!
Tree Rollins
February 7th, 2012
1:05 pm
I use to put up 2 pts,0 assists,3 blocks,2 free throws a game. I was good.
Dan Roundfield
February 7th, 2012
1:07 pm
Yeah Tree, I used to score more points in first 40 seconds (3 pointer) of a game than you did all game…
Dan Roundfield
February 7th, 2012
1:10 pm
We used to get beat like 107-79 and I’d have 39 points…
Baller4Life
February 7th, 2012
1:12 pm
Jeff, you gonna ask Drew about trading for an impact center ?
The core
February 7th, 2012
1:22 pm
Phoenix is going to win some games this year. Nash is still an mvp type candidate. Michael redd is a key for them. If he can give them outside shooting from guard spot they could make playoffs and make noise.
Al’s injury and this losing streak is perfect cover, an opportunity to blow up this core, get a true superstar in here or get some big guys and a scoring center.
Donald Sloan
February 7th, 2012
1:25 pm
Yall been losing since i got cut, hahahaha
Jarrett Storm
February 7th, 2012
1:28 pm
Why would we EVER trade J Smoothe? Keep him, Teauge, and Horford. Try to unload Joe and Marvin, start over building around Smith, Horford and Teauge. The team is built to make playoffs but not much else.
Hawks2012
February 7th, 2012
1:34 pm
braves will actually be amazing this year. hope hawks can do something…. i’m not worrying yet.
Megan
February 7th, 2012
1:39 pm
Jeff, not only are your columns boring, but they are often fraught with very poor grammar! Please go to a new city!
alashab
February 7th, 2012
1:56 pm
Is it the team or the coach? Larry Drew quit coaching last night in the 3rd period. Alvin Gentry was up & actively coaching his team with a 20 point lead. There aren’t any tax penalties for getting a better coach on board – and that time is now!
Harpie
February 7th, 2012
2:08 pm
This team would be doing great if they had a coach – Drew STINKS!
jase
February 7th, 2012
2:09 pm
lose 3 games and u all start whining and giving up. we’ll be just fine. geez have some faith or just dont watch the games and do something else. but quit crying already.
Kelvin
February 7th, 2012
2:12 pm
As I keep saying this team fails miserably when the face stiff competition. The Hawks have only four wins against teams with .500 or better records. The up and coming team to watch this year are the 76′ers.
tony
February 7th, 2012
2:15 pm
Najeh Davenpoop
February 7th, 2012
12:51 pm
It was just a joke dude. Just my way of making fun of them.
_____________________________________________________
It is wrong dude.
Lil Fawkers
February 7th, 2012
2:16 pm
If our owners were smart they would finally clean house of these bums. They peaked in 2007 against the Celtics and it’s been down hill since. I actually wish they would leave Atlanta so we only have the Falcons and Braves to let us down each year.
Lil Fawkers
February 7th, 2012
2:17 pm
jase – You are the reason why people think Atlanta is a loser town. You accept losing. Good luck with that glass half full logic.
heartofdarkness
February 7th, 2012
2:31 pm
Keep everything just as it is, and bring in Charles Barkley to do game commentary on TV. It will be entertaining and you will learn something about professional basketball. If I am to interpret Coach Drew’s post game comments, I hear him saying the team does not maintain momentum when they are on a run, and they do not effectively break the opponent’s momentum on opponent runs. Last night, the small lineup, largely of reserves, started a run in the fourth quarter by getting high percentage shots, playing zone and changing the tempo. The Suns had to call a time out to break the Hawk’s momentum. The better teams make adjustments at these points and force the opponents find new weaknesses to exploit. Many times, there are players who specialize in running a certain offense, or come in to slow down a player who has gotten hot and raise the energy level of the team defense.
Too often, I see the Hawks revert to one on one offense leading to a fall away three attempt and barking at the ref after the opponent has scored.
They're gassed
February 7th, 2012
2:31 pm
All those tattoos are starting to weigh them down on the court.
They're gassed
February 7th, 2012
2:40 pm
When are they gonna realize, no matter how much you try to forcefeed NBA or hockey, it’s the same results as trying to forcefeed soccer….Most of America doesn’t care and never will. If a local team (anywhere) wins a title now and then it will celebrated as a novelty and then go back to the apathy closet.
How many years have they shoved soccer now?….Only ones watching are all the illegals, and that’s another story in itself.
BillS
February 7th, 2012
2:41 pm
This team has a history of under-achieving, being poorly coached, miserably funded and — understandably — supported half-heartedly. And there’s no change coming in the forseeable future. so what’s the reason to support the Hawks any longer?
stizz
February 7th, 2012
2:57 pm
It’s really painful to see a team with so much potential suffer due to the faults and mishandlings of ownership and managing. Did they not think injuries could happen?
Ted M
February 7th, 2012
3:24 pm
Jeff – What has been the actual attendance of these last 3 games? Thanks, Ted
Wink
February 7th, 2012
3:28 pm
Hawks Management does not want to spend any money, afraid of luxury tax
Hawks Fan should not spend any money, afraid team want compete, waste of wages.
Hawks Coach can’t coach, mess up a winning formula, had bench playing well. Hawks Fan knows that inserting Hinrich has messed up bench production. Pargo, Green, Rad, Zaza, & McGrady were playing well together… the staters would dig a hole & the bench would get them out…fast forward to 4th JJ, Teague, Horford (Zaza after Al got hurt) & McGrady would close game out.
Hawks Players are soft, short, and now complaining about offense or Iso’s. Hawks Fan knows the only Iso play should be for Teague. He has ability to get to rim. Josh wants his shots back and he could get them if he gave the ball to Teague after rebound and run a lane. They can only win if they stay out of half court offense, period.
There is no player development, they are really leaning hard on a 27 year old rookie who taught himself. Ivan is beasting all the time…by the way if Horford was undersized…Ivan is even more so…you would think management would try to get help…Keith Benson is available for 10 day!!
JoJo Dancer is no All Star, he does not deserve to be in Orlando, Josh has at least tried to up his game & control his in game shot selection.
Marvin is a bust…he’s just a backup, but he has always been a 2nd teamer, how we draft him ahead of not only CP3, his entire National Championship team, he was the 6th man!
All this to say…the Hawks, players & management, are exhausting!
Hairy Dugless
February 7th, 2012
3:49 pm
Whoever brought up the ‘08 playoff series against the Celts raises an excellent point in regards to generating fan interest. Ownership has completely obliterated any good will this team built up by opting to flounder in mediocrity and pursuing no one but our own players in free agency. Gearon likes to brag on the Hawks’ top 10 payroll or whatever it is, but that doesn’t mean flip if you can’t spend it wisely. ATL should be a major market in the NBA; all the players love coming to party here, but nobody wants to play for such an incompetent ownership group. And this very newspaper has acknowledged Atlanta is the black capital of America.
Let’s start a petition to get Tyler Perry to buy the Hawks! His pockets are trolling the depths of the Chattahoochee right now, you guys would play for him!
joey gt1
February 7th, 2012
4:11 pm
being a longtime hawks fan is hard… they are so frustrating to watch…one game they look like championship contenders and they other they look like a lottery bound team..al horford being out has been harder for the hawks then expected bc while the hawks were winning it was against smaller teams..look the last thre games we have faced 3 bigger teams as in pf and the c postion and we got dominated.. sund we need to get a competant big in here pronto.. if not this losing streak with the hawks will get worse
tyger
February 7th, 2012
6:28 pm
- I knew February would make or break this team…
- Without Horford, crew abandoning ship…
- 0-3 for the month and no heavy hitters yet…
- Now comes the Heat, Magic, Lakers…
- No leadership whatsoever from our Lil’ 3…
- Jury is in, verdict: Marvin is a bust…
- More minutes, shots, opportunity, he has withered…
- Has the physical attributes, but 10/5 mini-mid-level guy…
- Kirk Hinrich hasn’t bolstered chemistry or second unit…
- Teague’s reverted after couple of good spurts…
- 6′10 Radmanovic plays 5′10…
- Short season limits moves, but this team going nowhere..
- Celtics, Sixers, Heat, Bulls, Magic, Pacers (Hawks, Bucks, NYK, Cavs) for 7/8th spot…
- JR Smith can score on anybody, anyday, anywhere..
- Randolph Morris is a true center that knows team…
chokeville
February 7th, 2012
6:57 pm
like the falcons and hawks, the braves will choke again and not even make the playoffs—book it!
blame game
February 7th, 2012
8:33 pm
i’ll blame another sucky hawks team on the “short season!” yes–that’s it–that’s the ticket.
yodaddybrother
February 7th, 2012
9:23 pm
I’m completely in favor of tanking the season to get a lottery pick and then letting contracts walk and trading our “core”.
Al Horford has to go…Zaza, Marvin, Kirk……all of em get em out of here. Larry Drew needs to be fired….lookin like an old confused Deacon chewing gum and yapping about energy. Hell yeah bring in J.R. Smith
I love Josh Smith but if we can get a lottery pick for him then get him out of here.
spudrick22
February 7th, 2012
9:36 pm
Born in GA…currently rooted in Tampa. I try so hard to represent all GA sports down here but its hard. I’m disappointed in all of our pro and college teams (even the high school teams can’t seem to win outside of the state). We are so mediocre and blah in the pro sports. The Hawks, Falcons, Braves and even the Dream, yea the Dream, get us on a high at the beginning of their seasons but end up disappointing us.
R. Royce
February 8th, 2012
2:08 pm
Back in the day, Clyde and Pearl (Earl) were responsible for bringing the ball up court. Clyde was an excellent ball handler and so was Pearl. The only time other players who were excellent dribblers brought the up the ball to midcourt-was when other teams had the full court press on. We had backup points like Dean Meminger, whom Teague sort of reminds me of. The Hawks have a dreaded history of messing up draft pick status as they did in 2005, when they passed up on and Deron Williams and CP3 for Marvin Williams-can you believe that? This is the reason all Atlanta transplants and basketball spectators who love the game should look up Atlanta Hawks draft NBA draft team history. Atlanta probably would’ve had acquired Lebron James if they were smart enough at that time to build their team around one player. Throughout the Hawks history, they have been known to bungle up their draft opportunities. They passed up on Pau Gasol, David Thompson, Andrew Bynum, Danny Granger, David Lee, Brandon Roy, Rudy Gay, J.J. Redick, Rajon Rondo, Hedo Turkoglu, Jamaal Magloire, Micheal Redd, Tyrone Hill, Jayson Williams, (well maybe not) Elden Campbell, Antonio Davis, Cedric Ceballos, Robert Horry, Malik Sealy, Hubert Davis, Latrell Sprewell, (maybe not) Chris Mullin, Detlef Schrempf, Charles Oakley, Karl Malone, Joe Dumars, A.C. Green, Terry Porter, Michael Adams, as well.
In one of the best drafts in NBA history, the Atlanta Hawks chose Southern Methodist University’s 7 foot center John Koncak over future Hall of Famers Karl Malone, Detlef Schrempf, and Joe Dumars, along with a host of other All-Star caliber players.
To make matters worse, Koncak was eventually signed to a $13.1 million dollar contract in 1989. At the time, this gave him a higher salary than Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. Considering that he was averaging a mere 6.2 PPG and 6.1 RPG (and coming off the bench) back then, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who thought he was worth the price the Hawks were paying for him. The Hawks contract to J.J. (Career Earnings: $91,313,901 ) when it’s all said and done will be higher than Miami’s big three, Kobe, and the rest of any NBA player in history that I know of.
Koncak eventually developed a reputation as a reliable defender during his career, but his low scoring combined with his ridiculous draft position and salary gave him an infamous spot in Atlanta Hawks lore than many fans would rather forget. Joe Johnson is the Hawks modern day 21st century Koncak or the modern day Allen Houston. We can see how many years was before the Knicks had any money to draft or acquire quality players in that era. I’d give the Hawks 5 to 6 years from now, if they survive in Atlanta as a franchise-to get to that level of having money to actually get a superstar on the court. Management (a new owner) will have had to change hands, a new arena would have to be built, and maybe, something positive can take place in this non-basketball progressive city called Atlanta.
Fan
February 9th, 2012
1:19 pm
Really? You think the Hawks can’t win because Jason Collins is out of the line up? They took a vacation that’s all. When they want to step up and play they can play with anybody. That is exactly why I don’t spend my time and money going to see them. You never know if you are gonna get an effort or a bust.
Jerry Thomas
February 9th, 2012
9:43 pm
I saw the Hawks for the first time against Indianapolis. They had good game with good effort and won. I can’t put my finger on it but they are not real exciting to watch. Josh Smith can add a little excitement. Is it the NBA in general that is boring? Lack of a big man? Maybe it’ also because Joe Johnson is solid player but not real flashy. Hawks can also upgrade the experience. A couple cheerleaders were pretty hot but the pickings were lean. Funnest part of the night was watching “Kiss cam” and “dance cam” when the camera peered the audience for some excitement.