Live from the Hawks: Even John Hollinger is impressed!
Get off to a 9-2 start and you'll have a lot of friends. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
We’ve had some fun with our Facebook friend John Hollinger of ESPN.com. We’ve noted more than once that he picked the Hawks to win 31 games in 2008-2009 — they won 47 — and declared their bench “a FEMA disaster zone.” (It was actually pretty good.) More recently we’ve noted he predicted the Hawks will slide from those 47 victories to 44.
Well, fair’s only fair. And if we we tweak Big John for his less-than-glowing appraisals, we must also recognize him when he says something nice. And here it is: In his first power rankings for ESPN’s Insiders (link requires registration), Mr. Hollinger has the Hawks No. 1.
If you’re counting, that makes the third set of ratings that puts these Hawks at the top. Hollinger’s ESPN colleague Marc Stein and John Schuhmann of NBA.com made the same call earlier in the week. (Chris Mannix of SI.com is the contrarian: He has the Hawks No. 2 behind Phoenix.)
With early success comes, as day follows night (or is it the other way around?), increased media attention. I’ve noticed correspondents from ESPN.com (Hollinger again), NBA.com (esteemed former colleague Sekou Smith), CBSsports.com and Yahoo! Sports on hand for tonight’s game with Miami, and it wasn’t so long ago you’d go to a Hawks game find rows of empty chairs in the press gallery.
I’m not going to tell you I’ve been here for every game of the past few years, but I’ve seen a few. And not since the middle ’80s have I seen the Hawks playing at such a high level. (The Lenny Wilkens teams of the ’90s were never quite this good.) I expect the Hawks to win again. I expect them to win every game the rest of the season and finish 80-2.
Yes, I’m kidding. But I’m also excited in a strictly professional way. I love basketball. I love being able to see good basketball without leaving town. And you’re welcome to join me as we chat about Game No. 12 in what has already been a blissful season. To borrow the catchphrase from the Hawks’ failed 1994 postseason: Bring it on!
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356 comments Add your comment
Kane337
November 18th, 2009
9:07 pm
Someone tell Beasley corn rows aren’t in style like they used to be.
Mark Bradley
November 18th, 2009
9:08 pm
Marvin with an extremely fortunate tip. Which he might or might not have touched. But he gets the points.
preston
November 18th, 2009
9:08 pm
hey hey…..good for Marvin!!
Kane337
November 18th, 2009
9:09 pm
Hey there’s Ilya
Kane337
November 18th, 2009
9:10 pm
Kovi that is
Mark Bradley
November 18th, 2009
9:10 pm
Evander Kane is also here. And Nic Antropov.
Mark Bradley
November 18th, 2009
9:11 pm
Marvin with a three. Lead’s 15. Killshot.
Elliptical Logician
November 18th, 2009
9:11 pm
14 for Marvin!
Kane337
November 18th, 2009
9:11 pm
Would be nice to see Kovi back on the ice.
Dawgs2009
November 18th, 2009
9:12 pm
That was nasty.
preston
November 18th, 2009
9:12 pm
ok, now its safe to say that this one is over!! But I am sure D-Wade is gonna get his 20pts.
BugKiller
November 18th, 2009
9:12 pm
Kovi IS back on the ice
Mark Bradley
November 18th, 2009
9:13 pm
Came back a week ago against the Rangers, if I’m not mistaken. Thrashers haven’t lost since.
Mark Bradley
November 18th, 2009
9:14 pm
Bugkiller is right. This team is fun to watch. As much fun as the Hawks of the ’80s.
Kane337
November 18th, 2009
9:14 pm
Thats ballgame!!!!
Elliptical Logician
November 18th, 2009
9:15 pm
JJ with a TREY!
Zach
November 18th, 2009
9:15 pm
good for marvin. I’m glad that he’s got double digits tonight. Hopefully it’ll be a boost for him going forward. We need him to play well when Al and Josh have a bad game.
Mark Bradley
November 18th, 2009
9:15 pm
I’m not trying to sell tickets — the Hawks have a whole marketing department for that — but seeing these guys on TV doesn’t begin to capture the experience. Just watching Josh fly after rebounds is a treat to see.
Kane337
November 18th, 2009
9:16 pm
My bad. I been out of the sport scene for about a week.
Zach
November 18th, 2009
9:16 pm
was that an alley to MIKE BIBBY????
Mark Bradley
November 18th, 2009
9:16 pm
Five Hawks in double figures, and Bibby with nine.
preston
November 18th, 2009
9:17 pm
Wow….Hawks live to be number one again!!!!!
Kane337
November 18th, 2009
9:18 pm
I’ll definitely be getting tickets soon. Co-workers and I have been talking about getting some tickets. Just tough to make games during the week.
BugKiller
November 18th, 2009
9:18 pm
I think there really needs to be some public accolades for the teaching job that Woody has done with these players.
He’s like Edward James Olmos as Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver: I have to reach deese keeeds!
Seriously though, let’s be honest, he wasn’t helped out very much by the thankfully departed Knight. Marvin Williams should have NEVER been a top-5 draft pick, but in the last two years, Woody has been able to maximize Marvin’s potential, which was never a match for his athletic gifts.
Let’s not even talk about Candace Parker’s husband.
But look at what Woody has done.
He’s finally broken through to J-Smoove, which was the biggest thing. He’s done the best that could be done with Horford at the five. He’s made Zaza into a super-sub who uses his emotionality positively.
And now that he has a one he can trust, the team flows so organically on the court, hitting the glass, making the outlet pass, hitting the timely three, instead of jacking up wild threes.
Good job, Woody.
Mark Bradley
November 18th, 2009
9:18 pm
The Hawks actually threw a lob to Bibby on Monday, and I said to Dennis Felton — he was sitting next to me, scouting for Phoenix — that I bet it was the first lob Bibby had received in his career. But maybe it’s a play.
BugKiller
November 18th, 2009
9:19 pm
check the filter, yo
Zach
November 18th, 2009
9:20 pm
well now he’s gotten two lobs. Josh Smith to Mike Bibby for the layup just sounds wrong, I think its supposed to be the other way.
Kane337
November 18th, 2009
9:22 pm
If I still have a complaint about the Hawks is that during close games when it’s late they still do the “4 guys stand around and JJ go one on one” play. It seems like that hasn’t changed for a few years now.
BugKiller
November 18th, 2009
9:23 pm
They’re trying to get him to double digits so they can have five for five.
There’s not but two other teams in the NBA who can say that when they have all five starters healthy that they can get five starters into double figures every few games.
The Lakers and Boston. And the Hawks are the only other team that can say that, for all five starters, that is.
Maybe Dallas or Phoenix, too. Just because they score a lot.
Kane337
November 18th, 2009
9:23 pm
Hey, there’s Teague in mop up duty.
BugKiller
November 18th, 2009
9:24 pm
The Hawks can also get six regulars into double figures because of Crawford.
Guy likes to shoot, what can we say?
Tech Fan
November 18th, 2009
9:24 pm
You’re losing by 16, inside of 2 and you have a shot clock violation.
Kane337
November 18th, 2009
9:25 pm
So how did the Hawks play so terrible against the Bobcats? I know it was a long west coast trip but geez.
preston
November 18th, 2009
9:25 pm
BugKiller if Woody has maximized Marvins talents, then he definately shouldnt be a starter. Marvin was definately top 5 on more teams draft board than just the Hawks……….he just hasnt panned out to be the player that he was projected to be.
Mark Bradley
November 18th, 2009
9:27 pm
The Charlotte game was a travel loss. Every NBA team has those.
Hawks win by 15. Another impressive night. It just gets better and better.
Going to do the print column now. Be back in a few minutes.
Kane337
November 18th, 2009
9:28 pm
Nice division win. Miami down, bring on Orlando.
seed
November 18th, 2009
9:29 pm
Man… These power rankings ain’t bad…
24 hours at the top and we start gettin’ a few calls on our home court… I felt a little guilty about some of those calls
Just a little though… Goodness knows we’ve had our share of the short end at home and on the road
seed
November 18th, 2009
9:30 pm
Bradley…
Is Jason Collins injured?
What’s the deal
Zach
November 18th, 2009
9:31 pm
how many times in the past 5 years have you said, “wow the hawks just cruised to victory over one of the top teams in the conference.”? That was an impressive win that looked way too easy.
jake
November 18th, 2009
9:32 pm
i wanted to see more of teague.
willie martinez
November 18th, 2009
9:34 pm
Mark, i cant believe it. you missed some of my best material on the earlier blog today.
ever have writer’s block?
willie
Mojo
November 18th, 2009
9:45 pm
It’s about time…We have a long way to go but boy does it feels good…
seed
November 18th, 2009
9:47 pm
hey y’all…
We might have to sit a can or somethin’ outside Phillips arena…
I really don’t see Lebron coming back to Cleveland next year… They gettin’ smoked again…
Loosen your purse strings Katie… We gotta raise some cash!
BugKiller
November 18th, 2009
9:52 pm
preston… notice I said his POTENTIAL has never matched his athletic talent, which is prodigious.
Marvin has worked hard to get hear, because sometimes, you can have all the athletic gifts in the world, but it will never all come together to lift you to that next level.
In basketball, you can take risks on guys like that, and NBA benches are riddled with guys like that: big talent, or “upside” as they like to call it.
Who had bigger “upside” than Marvin coming out of college?
What upside usually means is a ton of talent, but we don’t have enough tape on him to know if he’s a “player.”
J-Smoove is a player. He’s a Wilkins. He can do amazing things. Marvin is supporting. He’s a Steve Smith. Every team needs a Steve Smith, a steady hand who can hit the big shot if needs be. He can get 12 or 15 with regularity. But he’s not gonna do amazing things, like Josh can do with his blocks and dunks.
Munzir
November 18th, 2009
9:59 pm
I am very proud of the Atlanta Hawks, Keep up the great work. You are making us proud and those of us who were loyal fans even in the Lon Kruger years. Thank you Atlanta Hawks! Never Give Up! You are an inspiration!
Charles
November 18th, 2009
10:04 pm
And yet though all that the Hawks have done, the poll on NBA.com a few days ago still had more people thinking Orlando and even Miami would win the Southeast over Atlanta (by quite a sizable margin). Haters never change I guess, but I’m glad this year the Hawks will be able to throw something back in their faces!
Herschel Talker
November 18th, 2009
10:13 pm
FIRE MARK RICHT!
FIRE MIKE BOBO!
FIRE WILLIE MARTINEZ!
FIRE BOOBY COX!
IT’S TIME TO CLEAN HOUSE!!!
Isaac
November 18th, 2009
10:14 pm
Hawks are off to a 10-2 record already. Just imagine what we’ll finish at the end of a year. Watch the Hawks win the Championship. Joe Johnson is UNSTOPPABLE. I don’t think anyone should beg to differ on that one. So far, since the Phoenix Suns were tied with us at a compiled 9-2 record, we are now the best at 10-2. Suns play tomorrow I think at 8, anyone who can watch it, watch it. I can’t. It won’t come on my TV, maybe if it’s on ESPN, yes. 8:00 PM Tomorrow. Let’s see how the Hornets wil beat them.
Robert Nephew
November 18th, 2009
10:16 pm
What happened to Sekou Smith? Why did he bolt the AJC? I always thought he was your best beat writer (no offense to the others). Is he getting more $$$ at nba.com? Was this another cost-cutting move by the Rapidly Downsizing Newspaper Industry? Can you give me any scoop here at all?
Terrell
November 18th, 2009
10:24 pm
Isaac. The Suns are 10-2. They beat the Rockets on Tuesday, making them the first team to reach 10 wins this year, but it’s all good.