A breakthrough in Boston for the big-time Hawks
Not to say I told you so, but …
The Hawks just beat the Celtics on the parquet of the new Garden. Yes, it was a regular-season game, but it was as significant as a regular-season game can be in November. The Hawks proved to the NBA — and, more important, to themselves — that they can leave Philips Arena and outslug one of the league’s heavyweights. Armed with this knowledge, who knows where they might wind up?
The world at large has no idea how good these Hawks can be. Heck, until Friday night I’m not sure the Hawks had a clear notion. But they should have an inkling now. They should know they have as many good players — not a superstar, no, but good players across the board — as any team anywhere. They’re 7-2 with victories in Portland and Boston. They’re big-time.
And they’re still relatively young. This is no small consideration. The Celtics and Shaquille O’Neal (Cavs) and Vince Carter (Magic) aren’t going to be any younger come the spring. If any team is built to absorb the undulations of a six-month regular season and still be primed for the postseason, this is it.
Understand: I’m not suggesting the Hawks will win the NBA title in 2010. But I am saying they just took a giant step forward. They won a game that made us sit up and say, “How about that?” They beat Boston in Boston. If you can do that, you can beat anybody anywhere.
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149 comments Add your comment
Kane337
November 14th, 2009
12:17 am
Great win by the Hawks. I’m really digging this team. Crawford was a HUGE pickup. Look out Eastern conference!!!
ATL Sports Fan
November 14th, 2009
12:25 am
Does anyone know anyone who can actually watch an entire NBA game ??
I have tried a couple of times over the last couple of years but it is brutal to try to watch 48 minutes of NBA basketball.
It's Really Sad
November 14th, 2009
12:38 am
Atlanta Hawks and it is still the NBA. Boring. Boring. Boring. Over paid. Boring. Over hyped. Boring. Boring. Boring. Watch the last 2 minutes and you have watched the entire game. Boring. Boring. Boring. Either you get blown out or you win the game in the last two minutes. Boring. Boring. Boring. Give me college anything over pro anything. The NBA is the most boring of all however. Boring. Boring. Boring.
It's Really Sad
November 14th, 2009
12:41 am
ATL Sports Fan…watch an entire NBA game and I guarantee you that you will be brain dead afterwards. What a complete bore the NBA game is. It is almost as bad as watching professional wrestling…almost as fake and the same type of fans.
Stockdog
November 14th, 2009
12:49 am
Its Really Sad and ATL sportsfan, if the game is so boring, then why are you on this blog writing. It must have some excitement for you to stay up until 1241 am to write about it.
Just a thought from us po’ ole dumb profes- senile bak-et-ball, pro rasslin fans
The Grinch
November 14th, 2009
12:54 am
MyView, please back away from the crack pipe. Knight is unemployed and should remain so for the rest of his natural life. This team is good (and even that’s largely due to what Sund has done in the offseason) but if Knight wasn’t the worst talent evaluator the league has ever seen we’d have an all-star at every position. A Rhesus monkey could draft in the top 10 every year for ten years and field a 50 win team eventually (and I’m not entirely sure one couldn’t have done better).
Don’t get me wrong, I love this team. But anyone extolling the virtues of Billy Knight needs to be hanged by their underdeveloped genitalia until dead. He made Don Waddell look like a savant.
oldbird
November 14th, 2009
1:07 am
Well put Stockdog. The NBA used to be boring but now that they allow limited zone defense, the strategy equals the college game, instead of clear out the lane and let the star play one on one. I have enjoyed watching the Hawks develop the last three years greatly. They hustle, and play an exciting brand of basketball. I think that they are really on the rise.
KevinA
November 14th, 2009
1:17 am
Mark Bradley
November 13th, 2009
11:47 pm
I read the same previews about the Hawks plateauing, and I didn’t understand them. This team has improved four years in a row. How is that a plateau?
Silly talk, assume we lose to blazers and boston. now we are 4-5. Our goal this year was to beat he teams we were sapposed to beat. We still have 5 teams in a row that last year we were saposed to lose to. Assume we win 2 because we are at home – now we are 6-7. We would have not been dead – We would still be competive. My goal for this team was 50-54 wins. Even with a bad case seceriono we could have still done it.
We are on our way to the next level. Prob should have taken longer. Aparrently I was wrong. I think 56 wins is now within our reach. Our bench is chomping at the bit and Jamal is playing great. To do this we have to go 4-3 aginst the playoff teams from last year to do this. After Denver, Blazers and Boston = why not.
KevinA
November 14th, 2009
1:22 am
Stockdog, ATL Sports Fan, It’s Really Sad
watch shooting deer. or fishing – redneck.
gasportsfan
November 14th, 2009
1:30 am
Great win …Don’t blow the game tonight with the hornets…Did anyone see Chris Paul get injured in their game so he won’t be available
ATL Sports Fan
November 14th, 2009
1:35 am
KevinA – Actually, I got back from the Thrashers game tonight and I was just checking in to see how the Hawks did because I am an “ATL Sports Fan” and I root for the home team. I have tried to watch the NBA a couple of time over the past couple of years but I just can’t do it. It’s just not fun to watch. I went to a game last year and they were playing music while play was going on. If that ain’t like “rasslin”, nothing is.
ATL Sports Fan
November 14th, 2009
1:38 am
… and by the way, I would rather watch 5 hours of fishing (or hunting or bowling or curling or college football or anything) than 5 minutes of an NBA game.
Kyle
November 14th, 2009
1:48 am
I won’t really be watching the Hawks until after football but I know enough to know they are a way above average team. It will be a good basketball season to watch from an Atlanta point of view but like the Falcons when it really counts I don’t think we will show. That being said, compared to quite a few years gone by it is nice to even be showing signs of heading to the top.
Captain Obvious
November 14th, 2009
1:49 am
ATL Sports Fan – you’re obviously NOT an Atlanta Sports Fan.
This is a team that we can support – I’ll be at the game tommorrow. GO HAWKS!!
Grandad
November 14th, 2009
1:55 am
ATL Sports Fan: Go watch ‘em fly a kite in Afganistan!
MyView
November 14th, 2009
2:32 am
Grinch….you are right. However as I age in life I have learned that we don’t get it right 100% of the time. It seems that Knight was right half the time. When he was wrong, he was waaaaaaayyyyy off!!!! But look at some of the teams that always draft in the top but still never have a contender. And that’s not just the NBA. The NFL has a salary cap and still has teams teams that draft high every year. And they keep drafting high because they never get it right “enough”. All I’m saying is Knight got it right enough to build our core. You make a point though. Sund should get some credit because he took Knights 50/50 drafting, and smoothed out the edges w/o a big budget.
If knight was better than 50/50 at drafting, we could theoretically have CP3 and Brandon Roy, instead of Marvin and Bibby. In a perfect world.
Whopper Dawg
November 14th, 2009
3:14 am
Agreed, nice to be excited about the Hawks again. I DID NOT expect a win. Fantastic.
Dr. Warren
November 14th, 2009
3:47 am
The biggest surprise is that such a dysfunctional ownership group could nurture and produce such a good team.
lawton
November 14th, 2009
4:17 am
Im usually pessimistic about the hawks, because they havent won anything in 40 plus years in atlanta, but i SAW what you are talking about last night. I saw a team, that, FINALLY, has a sense of what they wanna do on both ends of the floor. It all starts with josh smith finally realizing they need him in the post. Jamal Crawford, what more can you say, he frees up everybody and gives bibby and johnson needed rest. They will be alright.
Anthony
November 14th, 2009
4:41 am
People… You got to ignore the rednecks. They don’t know jack about sports. They never did.
Anthony
November 14th, 2009
4:44 am
If the rednecks like watching inferior players (Which is what you mostly get in college sports. Most of those games will be working at Taco Bell like Joe Cox when their career is over) so be it. Their rednecks… They can’t be spending time watching players that listen to that hippity Hop.
Anthony
November 14th, 2009
4:46 am
“… and by the way, I would rather watch 5 hours of fishing (or hunting or bowling or curling or college football or anything) than 5 minutes of an NBA game.”
Bad taste… It’s never something to be proud of. But rednecks are the exception. You stand behind your bad taste tall and proud.
Pinball34
November 14th, 2009
5:33 am
Hubie Brown drove me crazy trying to say Pa-chul-i-a…
David
November 14th, 2009
5:41 am
Got to come home and beat New Orleans or this is for not.
MWC
November 14th, 2009
5:58 am
Hubie Brown drives me crazy, period.
He did’nt start giving the Hawks a little credit till around the end of the first half.It just seems to me every time he does a Hawk game he’s very critical.
Felix the Cat
November 14th, 2009
6:25 am
Great win for the Hawks who I had a dime on and 10 points against Boston.. Yeah i believe I really believe.. Only thing I see missing is a true shot blocking center.. But Pachulia still is a scrappy dude..
Born2Buzz
November 14th, 2009
7:04 am
Give Rick Sund a lot of credit for putting together a solid roster. Jamal Crawford is definitely an upgrade as is Joe Smith. And give Woody some credit for acutally using the bench now. If this team can stay healthy the can challenge for best record in the East.
Maxx
November 14th, 2009
7:04 am
Hubie calls him “Pichoola”
Bill Heller
November 14th, 2009
7:05 am
How long until Crawford starts at SF and Williams comes off the bench?
MitchC
November 14th, 2009
7:45 am
Mark, I confess not to have watched much of last night’s game until the end. Shame on me! I agree with you, though, while it’s only November, last night’s win was a huge win for this team psychologically, to show they can play with anyone, anywhere.
It will be interesting to see what would happen if there is a Hawks-Celts Eastern Finals in May. (Although personally, I think if the Hawks do make it to the Eastern Finals, they will be playing the Cavs)
This team is off to a great start. Let’s hope it continues. We might well see 60 wins or close to it, and then who knows what heights we can reach come playoff time
joe
November 14th, 2009
7:49 am
Mark:
Please use the correct Grammar in your writing.
MitchC
November 14th, 2009
7:50 am
I dont think my comment went up, so I’ll post it again.
Mark, I agree with you. While this was only “November”, last night’s game was definitely a statement win by the Hawks. It proved they can play with anyone, anywhere.
Personally, I’ve always felt that Cleveland was the team that the Hawks would have to get by, to reach the Finals. However, Boston has to be considered a contender for that as well.
If nothing else, psychologically, last night’s game is a huge boost for this team.
Yes, it’s only November, but who knows? The Hawks may well surprise the heck out of everyone, and end up winning 60 games, and just maybe, play in their first Finals, come June.
collegeballfan
November 14th, 2009
8:13 am
Not an NBA fan, but…
Boston usually takes the games in the last 3 minutes. They tried last night & the Hawks just would not let them take the game.
J Clay
November 14th, 2009
8:21 am
Finally have me interested in watching the NBA before the playoffs….for the first time in many years…The overall quality of the league seems to be back with all the young talent
bali smith
November 14th, 2009
8:23 am
great statement game. Maybe the Hawks have grown up. Sure looks that way . It was nice to see the ball movement during the entire game . i know joe is the quote super star of the team but it was fun seeing others take the shot at the end of the game instead of everything running through him
John "Deuces" Drew
November 14th, 2009
8:26 am
Leave my man Hubie alone. He was the most interesting man to ever coach the Aklanta Hocks. He revived the franchise here in the late 70’s with Tree, EJ and me – though I drove the m-f’r crazy.
Hakwsgirl
November 14th, 2009
8:55 am
We owned them with our young legs for like 39 minutes of the 48. I was proud of them to step up and take care of business. The announcers did give us some love but tnt will be the real test. Charles barkleyis forever hating on smooth and the team.
Hawksgirl
November 14th, 2009
8:55 am
Hawksgirl, spelled it wrong
DP
November 14th, 2009
8:57 am
Anybody who wants to read too much into one NBA regular season game should consider that the Nuggets beat the Lakers by 26 last night and held Kobe scoreless in the 2nd half.
However, the Hawks have been very impressive so far. The most incredible thing about them so far to me is the fact that Josh Smith, who hoisted 5.74 3 point attempts per game last season, has not attempted a single 3 this season in 9 games. Whether Woodson asked him to stop shooting them or he decided it on his own, he is playing hard and not sulking. The light has come on for him and he seems to realize that if he keeps his game around the basket on both ends he can be a higher scoring and more athletic version of Dennis Rodman, which would make him an All-Star player. He’s now playing to his strengths and to what his team needs from him. I think he’s the key to this team.
Ed
November 14th, 2009
8:58 am
Terrell was right in his 1141 post. Bibby did not outplay Rondeau. Hubie kept saying it was the Celts’ best matchup, and that Rondeau could school Bibby whenever he wanted. He wondered why they didn’t keep going back to that matchup; frankly so did I. NTL, it was a great win. If Hawks can beat N.O. without their star point guard, it will be a great road trip.
seed
November 14th, 2009
9:04 am
Crawford was awesome, though not as good as Joe. Even though Crawford missed a lot of shots, he kept the threat alive by not hesitating and staying aggressive. Sent the message that “hit or miss this is gonna be a battle to the end” which is a message we haven’t usually sent while on the road in Boston. Can’t forget Horford and Smoove. Never mind Batman and Robin. This is Batman and Karate Man with both guys changing roles any given Knight (my bad). Made the Celtics look old. Made the Rasheed Wallace signing look ridiculous. It’s obvious the Celts would have been better with a young athletic energetic center coming of the bench for back up as opposed to going from slow to slower against the Hawks. Our front line beat them to every lose ball and any awkward rebound…
Still got hate for Billy Knight huh?… Atlanta Hawks win another game and somehow it is viewed as another chance to demonize Billy Knight… Guess it shows why Atlanta has historically been a bad sports town… ie Subject matter ain’t always about winning… BK argument has been pretty much settled on Hawksquawk with BK supporters scoring a scathing victory (BK supporter ends up “suspended” for whipping moderator) LOL
http://www.hawksquawk.net/community/index.php/topic/340915-kudos-to-billy-knight-and-rick-sund/
Beantown Fan
November 14th, 2009
9:06 am
Now lets get serious here for a minute , being a loyal boston celtics for 30 yrs I can say the Hawks won . Who cares its November there are still 70 plus games to go . If this was game 7 of east finals it would be a different story but not game 10 of the regular season . Boston will be fine they are a team geared for a deep playoff run I think they have already clinched there divison lol . If everyone is healthy in june that is what matters , I mean if Boston doesnt go 1-15 at the 3 point line they win the game hands down . An how often with a team of Paul Pierce , Ray Allen , Rasheed Wallace & Eddie House gonna do that not often enough to worry about it . But on the other hand I have said in my circle for awhile now that the Hawks have a great young team but they must resign Joe Johnson this offseason if they are truly go from a middle of the pack team to an eastern contender … Also they did not just win the NBA title , I mean Boston is a top 4 team in the league yes but Portland is no better than 6 or 7 in the west . But kudos to the hawks great win on the road and in NOVEMBER but lets rehash this in june cause we will still be playing and yall will be home watching the Gwinnett Braves …………..GO GREEN
j
November 14th, 2009
9:15 am
the hawks are just too fast and athletic for other teams to match up with.
it was a good decision not to sign jj. he is a complimentary player.
now jamal crawford is the main feature. when you need a bucket he can manufacture one.
for the guy complaining about horford
remember that the celtics and lakers have won without true centers either. horford simply has to develop a low post game.
Big Ten Sleeper
November 14th, 2009
9:16 am
Billy Knights plan has worked? What a joke he drafted marvin and not CP are you kidding me?
Big Ten Sleeper
November 14th, 2009
9:17 am
Enter your comments here
Manny
November 14th, 2009
9:22 am
These guys are very athletic. They simply outhustled the Celtics. The Celtics looked old.
As for Joe Johnson, he doesn’t have to run as hard and take it upon himself to win games. Jamal or Bibby runs it up, Josh Smith is your slasher, and Joe can spot up. If you are spotting up, you gotta get there a little behind the others.
To me, this is the first year where Joe Johnson and Josh Smith looked comfortable. Before this year, they looked scattered and hurried.
But here’s my thought: I think Joe Johnson will be back next year. I think they will not have Bibby next year, though.
freshd
November 14th, 2009
9:22 am
I think Hubie Brown was on point about the Hawks. The best comment he made about the Hawks is that when they spread the floor in that isolation play with Joe, nobody fills the lane and cut to the basket. Woody should watch a rebroadcast and learn a thing or two, because they”ve been running that play for the last four years, and now teams double team Joe.
Outsider
November 14th, 2009
9:30 am
We need to get Marvin going and we should be on cruise control then, Honestly who can run with us?
Hawks on Fire
November 14th, 2009
9:51 am
The statistic that ESPN kept trotting out that amazed me was that the Hawks lead the NBA in points in the paint. For a team that supposedly lacks a true center, that just blows my mind!
Matt
November 14th, 2009
9:54 am
What does for real mean? They played a complete game against a very good team. But before we annoint them as “for real” lets see them beat teams they are suppose to beat. Like Charlotte where they got blown out a few days ago. They got a crap New orleans team next. It wouldn’t surprise me for them to lose this one. Just saying…