After an egregious loss, we ask: Have the Hawks hit a wall?
Twelve days ago Mike Woodson said of his Hawks: “We’re right where we want to be. We’ve closed the gap on the top three teams, and now we’ve got to make a serious push and be committed. After the All-Star break, we have to really concentrate on trying to win our division … Somehow we’ve got to try to get the second spot [in the East].”
File that under “message not received.”
The night of Woodson’s call for commitment, his team lost by 18 points at home to the sub-.500 Miami Heat. The Hawks have since lost two of three on their Western swing, which can happen. But it shouldn’t happen when the second of those comes against a lousy Golden State team missing Corey Maggette on a night when the Hawks hold an 18-point lead. And now we have to ask: Has this club hit the wall?
After Jamal Crawford beat Phoenix at the buzzer on Jan. 15, the Hawks were 26-13. They’re 8-7 since. They’ve dropped from first place in the NBA Southeast to fourth in the Eastern Conference, which is where they don’t want to be.
Woodson’s point about needing to win the division is self-evident: If you finish ahead of Orlando, you’ll probably be second in the East, which would keep you clear of Cleveland until the Eastern Conference finals and give you the homecourt edge for two rounds, not just one. Instead the Hawks have fallen 2 1/2 games behind the Magic.
Yes, it’s a long season and every team hits lulls — Cleveland is 0-3 since the break — but the Hawks are the youngest of the East’s Big Four, and if any team figured to be fresh after the All-Star Game it was this. But the Hawks were chased down by the Warriors, who are 16-39 and who had eight healthy players. (Then again, Woodson played only nine men himself. No minutes for Mo Evans or Joe Smith.)
Joe Johnson got blindsided by Monta Ellis for a steal and tying hoop with a minute left. Golden State took a lasting lead on a free throw resulting from Jamal Crawford’s technical foul. (T’ed up with 34 seconds left in a tie game? Are you kidding me?) The Hawks mustered 14 fourth-quarter points against the team that ranks last in the NBA in defense.
It was exactly the sort of loss a team positioning itself for the playoffs cannot have. Even if the Hawks win tonight in Salt Lake City, Sunday’s game in Oakland cannot be retrieved. The schedule is about to get softer, but the questions now aren’t about the opponent. They’re about the Hawks. Are they as good as they seemed in January? Or have they gone as far as they can go?
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210 comments Add your comment
Nelson Muntz
February 23rd, 2010
12:41 am
Hey Mark, Haaa Haa.
If the Hawks had won the night before your article would have been entitled “Does this Hawks team have a ceiling?”.
Stay fickle my friend.
Tony
February 23rd, 2010
12:45 am
Nice bounceback? Well, Williams and Kirilenko were out…and the Hawks bearly pulled it out. A win is a win I guess.
northcyde
February 23rd, 2010
2:20 am
Mr Bradley, what was your opinion of our bench tonight?
Big Ray . . . how about some commentary from you sir? (( holding mic in your face )) . . . What did you think about our bench tonight?
northcyde
February 23rd, 2010
2:28 am
And once again . . . JJ saves our bacon on the road. Yet this fan base acts like he shouldn’t be taking the shots he takes. Please. That dude is a poor man’s Kobe, with the tough shots he takes and makes.
JJ in February:
23.6 ppg
4.1 rebs
3.4 asst
51.5% FG
48.6% 3FG
81.8% FT
RESPECT the CAPTAIN of this team.
BeetleBailey
February 23rd, 2010
12:03 pm
The Hawks have NOT hit a wall (which is evidence by their steller win against the Jazz), but the Hawks need a gut check and an attitude check. On some nights, the Hawks seem to have a sort of swagger that they will beat you down, then on other nights (like the Golden State game) there is a complete lack of effort, which was evidenced in the sloppy play and mishandling of loose balls. The Hawks may not have been credited with a lot of turnovers in that first quarter against G.S. but the Hawks surely should have led by more than 1 point after the first and second quarters. The Hawks SHOULD HAVE LED G.S. AT half-time by 40 points. THAT WOULD HAVE ASSURED A VICTORY. As I mentioned previously, the Hawks should make two changes to their starting lineup. Start Teague(the rookie) and find out what he can bring in 30 minutes of play. Also start Jamal Crawford for christs sakes since he has earned it. Sit down Bibby or Marvin and let Jamal start so that we will have more scoring punch throughout the game. Those are the only changes I would make. Bibby is washed up and “Starvin” Marvin should not be starting.
E43
February 24th, 2010
9:48 am
northclyde.
1) you always pick the wrong angle to argue. your the only one arguing about how the hawks bench sucks.
2)everyone else is arguing about the hawks bench getting more minutes. we are all well aware of the shortcomings of the bench.
3)The bench is going to have to get their time in b4 we get to the playoffs whether or not they are effective. the rotation shortens on most teams anyway
4)The bench sucks because… They are the bench. Where do you think your beloved joe johnson came from with a 10ppg or fewer average?
SteveSwivel
February 24th, 2010
3:23 pm
Despite the Hawks recent problems, thankfully they are still only 2 games out of first place in the southeast division behind Orlando, DEFINITELY STRIKING DISTANCE. Orlando has not been able to pull away in the division, so the division is still up for grabs. Lets hope the Hawks can wrestle the division title away from the Magic. When a team wins a division, (DEFINITELY A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT); an NBA title usually is not too far behind or not out of the realm of possibility. In my experience as a fan, a team that wins a division usually is capable of winning a world title. So you can see the Hawks are on the brink of greatness! Its up to Mike Woodsen and the Hawks team to navigate great decisions from here on and it might be the diffence between 1)-[just another ho-hum season] OR 2)-[the Hawks hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy] as world champions at the end of the season in June. As a solid, excited, passionate, knowledgeable Hawks fan I’m hoping the Hawks are closer to the second choice.
Jo
February 25th, 2010
9:37 am
The Hawks need a big man and they can compete. Without, they are 3rd best in the East (sorry Boston, Hawks are better but that is not saying a lot).
TricycleTerrier
February 25th, 2010
5:12 pm
I think the Hawks SHOULD go after Ilgauskas. If the Hawks manage to sign him, WOULDNT IT BE IRONIC IF ILGAUSKAS HELPED THE HAWKS TO WIN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE TITLE AGAINST HIS FORMER TEAM (CAVS). Additionally, if that happened it might catapault the HULKS INTO THE FINALS POSSIBLY AGAINST LAKERS OR DENVER. Then if the Hawks eventually go on to win the title, I know this would not sit well with LaBron James. I know Im getting ahead of myself, but I am delighted that the Hawks are not just standing pat and accepting mediocrity.
jomo
March 11th, 2010
5:55 pm
Too many minutes for the starters. No excuse with that bench. Last 3 losses due to mental lapses on both ends of the court, e. g. missed defensive assignments and simple turnovers via bad passes.