The Hawks lose on a night when losing seemed impossible
Mike Woodson and Jason Kidd after the bizarre bumping. (AP photo by Gregory Smith)
I kept asking the question, and nobody really had an answer. How do you lose this game? How do you lose on a night when you led by 13 points with 5 1/2 minutes left? How do you lose on the night you had played some of your best basketball in two months if not 20 years?
Said Al Horford: “We were at home. All the factors were lined up. I don’t think we’re the kind of team that blows a lead, even though we blew one at Golden State [on Sunday].”
They blew this 13-point lead even worse than they blew that 18-point lead. They blew this one as bad as a good team ever blows a game. They blew this because Dallas coach Rick Carlisle waited until the end to throw up a zone defense, and the Hawks’ coach waited until the final two minutes of regulation to get called for a personal foul.
OK, so technically it was a technical foul, but it involved a collision with a player. Mike Woodson bumped Jason Kidd while the Dallas guard was dribbling down the left sideline with the Hawks leading by two points. Kidd stuck out his elbow to draw contact, but there was no question Woodson was in the wrong.
Said Mike Bibby, who had answered two of Kidd’s three fourth-quarter treys with 3-pointers of his own: “[Woodson] was on the court.”
Said Woodson: “[Kidd] made a heck of a play. I’m not going to get into a [spitting] match with him … He did what he had to do, and it didn’t favor our team. I’ve got to take the hit for it.”
Instructive choice of words: Take the hit.
Horford again: “It was tough. Jason Kidd really changed things for them.”
Kidd is 36, a half-dozen years past his prime, but he willed his team to this victory in a way reminiscent of a young Earvin Johnson. Kidd’s line: 19 points, 17 assists, 16 rebounds. He shrugged off a wretched third quarter — he took eight shots, missing seven — and over the final five minutes of regulation had nine points, three assists and four rebounds.
And where were the Hawks? Missing their shots, missing their composure, missing in action. Over the game’s final 10 1/2 minutes (counting overtime) they scored 13 points. The Mavs dusted off their zone — Jamal Crawford: “They saved it for the end; that was smart on their part” — and the Hawks could do nothing against it.
Horford: “They couldn’t guard us one-on-one.”
But that’s the point. The Mavs overrode their weakness. As Woodson noted, the Hawks “controlled the game until the six- or seven-minute mark.” Then they threw it away.
Let’s not sugarcoat it. This was a bad, bad loss. Aired on ESPN, it offered the Hawks a chance to prove their bona fides against one of the best teams from the West, and they played really well up until the point where they fell flat.
“We’ve been blowing some leads,” Woodson said, and the inability for a basketball team to close out a game is as crushing as a baseball club that hands the ball to its closer and watches him blow the save.
“We’re a team that can handle adversity,” Crawford said. “We’ll bounce back.”
As bold as those words were, they rang hollow this night. A really good team doesn’t lose games like this, and that’s what the Hawks aspire to become and, for tantalizing stretches, seem to be. But how do you lose on a night when a technical foul against your coach for brushing the opposing point guard is the difference between winning in regulation and walking off with various manifestations of egg — scrambled, poached, everything except sunny-side-up — on your face.
Said Josh Smith: “You can’t lose a game like that.”
No, you can’t. But they did.
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222 comments Add your comment
todd grantham
February 26th, 2010
9:47 pm
your loyal blogger, todd
todd grantham
February 26th, 2010
9:47 pm
i wasted some great material on the blog.
todd grantham
February 26th, 2010
9:50 pm
Mark, what’s with all the boxing analogies?
todd grantham
February 26th, 2010
9:54 pm
you must have expected Woodson and Kidd to square off.
Athens local
February 26th, 2010
9:55 pm
Kidd must have mistaken Woodson for Joumana. Looked like he was trying to break ribs again.
Done with GA sports
February 26th, 2010
9:56 pm
It’s amazing how there are no good sports teams in Georgia. Not in college and definitely not in the Pros. It’s sickening and I think it’s time just to move out of this state after 30 years. What a joke. Every team we have CHOKES. How is that possible?
tyler
February 26th, 2010
10:01 pm
Another embarrassing meltdown on national tv. Besides the Cavs- we are the most talented team in the East and yet we won’t be any higher than a 4 seed (although I’m thinking 5). If we bow out in the 1st round this year- is that all she wrote for Woodson? Should be……
todd grantham
February 26th, 2010
10:02 pm
Mark, dont let the naysayers get you down. woodson cant hang this loss on you.
TechMan
February 26th, 2010
10:03 pm
First of all Woodson was out of bounds when he was hit. How was that a technical. on Woodson. Secondly, did they review the play to determine if Woodson was on the court, I didn’t think that was a reviewable play. Should protest. I hope the NBA suspends Kidd for the rest of the season. That’s what happened to the last player(Ron Artest) that attacked someone that wasn’t a player in the game
Ree Roe
February 26th, 2010
10:04 pm
Mark,
I pin the blame for this loss on a lack of a developed bench that outside of Jamal bears no impact on the game, an extremely worn out starting 5 who all played a ton of mins tonight & Mike Woodson, who I believe is coaching his way out of ATL. What say you Mark?
-REEally it’s Roe!!!
jeffrey d
February 26th, 2010
10:07 pm
It was a heads up play by Kidd and a stupid play by Woodson. Even if he was out of bounds, he should have never made it that close.
Hate Kidd for it if you want, but if Bibby had done the same thing we’d all be praising him.
LY Munz
February 26th, 2010
10:08 pm
That loss was even worse than the Golden State loss. Blowing a 13 point lead in the span of 90 seconds in the 4th quarter is absolutely inexcusable. Just such a disgrace. Mark, please give me some reasons why we should be behind this team when it is so clear where their deficiencies are and when it is so obvious that they will once again flame out in the 2nd round of the playoffs. Anybody seriously considering a trip to the Eastern Conference finals is fooling themselves big time.
Woodson’s lack of a brain hurt this team again even if Kidd’s actions were bush league, if Bibby had done that to Carlisle we would be praising him. Never calling a timeout during their run was so atypical of Woodson that I was shocked, and of course this time it hurt us whereas when he does call to’s they normally hurt us.
Marvin once again did nothing but hit some wide open shots. Anytime he attempts to penetrate I would be willing to in game wager my house on him losing the ball or getting blocked.
Crawford missed numerous wide open 3’s. Bibby got shy after hitting 2 huge ones in the 4th.
JJ once again failed to show up when the game was on the line.
Woodson once again failed to draw up proper plays. Smoove and Horford our the only guys on our team who you know will give you certain things every night, even if they struggle every now and then I can live with it.
The rest of this team is useless, and as Hubie said, Joe smith needs more minutes as do numerous others on the bench(See: Teague, Jeff; Evans, Maurice) . Just a brutal brutal loss.
Mark, if you do write a column on this game, please ask Moron Sund how he can be confident that this core can ever compete for a title. I am so tired of this city’s organizations being content with a good but not great team. This team has ZERO chance of a title in the next 5 years especially after JJ leaves, yet Sund likes to say “we like our core” as if there is some future success readily apparent. SO disgusted and so disappointed.
I will never lose faith in ATL teams, but at the same time, I hope people stop bashing the fans here and start understanding that we have been conditioned to not get to high about any team and basically realize that they will eventually accomplish nothing.
GTALLDAWAY
February 26th, 2010
10:10 pm
if Bibby had done it then he would have been the one with the technical foul…
Mark Bradley
February 26th, 2010
10:11 pm
I’m adding quotes and stuff to this post for print purposes, but I’ll be back with you soon. Players are stunned, you should know. Woodson is stunned.
toni
February 26th, 2010
10:13 pm
i said and now repeat need a new coach or they will be out in the first round of playoff.
GTALLDAWAY
February 26th, 2010
10:14 pm
actually kidd was just doing a heat check
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans
February 26th, 2010
10:15 pm
Hawks don’t have the toughness, mental or physical, to go to the highest level. They need a bruiser, an enforcer, first and foremost.
jeffrey d
February 26th, 2010
10:15 pm
Woodson is stunned.
I think it was a week ago that he said he underused his bench. So what happens over the next few games? Overworked starters and 4th quarter collapses! This is getting worse than Bobby and Greg Norton.
Thekid2Kill
February 26th, 2010
10:18 pm
I don’t see my comment, why?
Not Don Waddell
February 26th, 2010
10:19 pm
Another loss pissed away. This team has peaked out with Woody at the helm. He usually loses games with mental errors. Tonight he physically lost the game. What a boob.
dub366
February 26th, 2010
10:20 pm
I’ve been saying all alone we need a coach Rick I don’t know what you are waiting on. Keeping Woody is a big mistake. Harford was Having a bad night ,but he log almost 50 min while Joe Smith only 7.Why did we pick him up just to ride the beach
cdog
February 26th, 2010
10:20 pm
TIME AFTER TIME I HAVE DEFENDED MIKE WOODSON BUT TONIGHT I SAW PLENTY OF STUPIDITY ON HIS PART AS A COACH ALONG WITH RICK SUND AS AN OWNER.FIRST OF ALL, I’M SEEING TIME AFTER TIME, LEADS ARE BEING LOST ON STUPIDITY ON WOODSON PART AS A COACH.TIME AFTER TIME I’M WONDERING WHY EITHER H. O.R.S.E. TYPE SHOTS ARE THROWN UP BY CRAWFORD, JOHNSON, AND HORFORD.THEN IN CRUCIAL MOMENTS, JOSH SMITH ALL OF PEOPLE IS LAUNCHING THREES IN CRUNCH TIMES WHEN POINTS ARE NEEDED.HE IS NOT A JUMP SHOOTER.WHEN TEAMS GO TO ZONES YOU HAVE TO ATTACK INSIDE BUT BECAUSE STUBBORN RICK SUND DOES NOT PROVIDE A BIG MAN WHO CAN SCORE INSIDE I GUESS THEY WIND UP LAUNCHING LONG SHOTS.THIS IS WHERE THE COACH NEEDS TO FIND A WAY TO GET THE BALL INSIDE.TONIGHT, I GIVE THIS ONE TO WOODSON.
todd grantham
February 26th, 2010
10:22 pm
I’m stunned at my alacrity at being first.
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans
February 26th, 2010
10:22 pm
It’s one’a them phantom-comment deals, kid.
dub366
February 26th, 2010
10:22 pm
what
dub366
February 26th, 2010
10:24 pm
why my comment wasn’t posted.
scottbravesfan
February 26th, 2010
10:26 pm
Woodson has got to go. In the NBA and the NHL that is the easiest way to light a fire under your team is to get rid of the coach.
ET.
February 26th, 2010
10:26 pm
Ummmm…Dawgs2010, I’m not sure that’s really a good thing to say. What did Jasons wife have to do with him throwing an elbow at Woodson, who by the way should have decked Kidd and kicked him in the balls and then went after his dad and kicked him in the balls also…
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans
February 26th, 2010
10:28 pm
Y’all don’t like J Kidd, do you? You’re being kinda vague..
tony
February 26th, 2010
10:29 pm
@ dawgs 2010….stay classy.
The reason the technical was called, even though woodson was out of bounds, is because he wasn’t in his designated area.
I dont agree with the call at all, and I am as mad as any hawks fan at Kidd, but what dawgs2010 just said is horrible.
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
10:29 pm
Mark, maybe Woody and Hewitt could switch jobs. How’d you like that?
joeBjoe
February 26th, 2010
10:30 pm
actually ET somebody should kick Woody in the balls for being so dumb. he should never yell at anyone ever again after that bone head move, interfering with the game in progress. even a moron knows you can’t do that.
Thekid2Kill
February 26th, 2010
10:30 pm
Nice ET.
NBA'er
February 26th, 2010
10:30 pm
That technical call was horrible. Woodson had successfully retreated to the sidelines and Kidd threw a forearm into him. The gutless ESPN announcers, even with the benefit of replay, couldn’t make the right call. Truly pathetic officiating.
dub366
February 26th, 2010
10:30 pm
I said all along that Woody need to go. Horford had a bad game ,but log all the min. about 50.where Joe Smith only 7. what you got him to ride the beach.It just don’t make any sense to me woody this fool DON’T KNOW HOW TO WIN .Bottom line
Jesse
February 26th, 2010
10:31 pm
Maybe if we played some subs in the 4th quarter our starters wouldn’t have been so worn out that their jumpers in OT would be short. Joe Smith, Mo and Zaza should have got at least a couple of minutes to spare the starters. And why did it till the end of OT to realize they need to penetrate the ZONE?
NBA'er
February 26th, 2010
10:31 pm
Nice call dogs2010….NOT. Way to keep the thought alive that Dog fans are redneck.
Im sund too
February 26th, 2010
10:32 pm
looooooooooooooool @Dawgs2010
Bangkapi Ajarn
February 26th, 2010
10:32 pm
Watching this game on TV in Illinois, my immediate reaction was thinking that Woody may have blown a close game. Which turned out to be the case. The other teams POINT GUARD had a higher Basketball IQ than the hawks coach!!! When your coach loses you games, creating a negative synergy, it must cause thought by ownership – assuming ownership is not STILL locked in such a paralysis that inertia makes most of the key decisions that involve money.
Sad.
Vol4ever
February 26th, 2010
10:32 pm
Hawks are lacking mental toughness. That is two blown big leads in a week.
TechMan
February 26th, 2010
10:34 pm
Yeah I’m disgusted with Kidd as well but Dawgs2010 comment should be removed as well as Thekid2kill. Also that’s fine if he was out of designated area, but did they have to review it to to make the call, if so that wasn’t a reviewable foul. Finally Shouldn’t Kidd have been given a technical for elbowing someone out-of-bounds.
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans
February 26th, 2010
10:35 pm
Shoot, I didn’t even know that ESPN announcers were officiating games now. What’ll they thank of next?
UGAKev
February 26th, 2010
10:43 pm
I BELIEVE THE HAWKS NEED TO BRING IN A COACH THAT WILL TAKE US TO THE NEXT LEVEL.WE LET SOME GAMES SLIP AWAY WE SHOULD WIN.
PJ
February 26th, 2010
10:43 pm
I did not see the game but heard on the Radio that the hawks were up by 11 with 8 mins to go, yet I went to AJC.com to see if they held on to win while all the time I was doubting they would. It is so difficult to be comfortable with a big lead by any of our teams, take Georgia a night ago and all season the same with the Hawks and whenever Tech losees it is by two points. I don’t believe this can be blamed on coaching, it is a case of the super stars on these teams not stepping forward in the clutch.
Stop Crying '10
February 26th, 2010
10:53 pm
Lets go mavs. it was only a matter of time before ur strategy of jackin up 3s cost u. hawks??? more like a bunch of hummingbirds
Mark Bradley
February 26th, 2010
10:57 pm
You can’t bump a player when he’s inbounds. Period. Even if he sticks his arm out. You just can’t.
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
10:59 pm
Actually, the Hawks have been very resilient this year. I’m pretty sure that they have followed just about every really wretched loss with a win (including the most recent debacle against the Warriors).
But let’s face facts, the game was lost with our inability to solve a simple zone defense… not because Kidd got a blocking foul called on Woody.
dstdeelite
February 26th, 2010
11:01 pm
Way to kick them when they’re down, MB…..You’re making it sound much worse than it actually was. It was a very good game. We came out on the losing end, but what’s the used in harping on. Golden State was a whole different ball game that I care not to discuss.
Mark Bradley
February 26th, 2010
11:02 pm
I’m sorry. I don’t think it’s possible to make this one sound worse than it was. It was an awful loss.
dstdeelite
February 26th, 2010
11:03 pm
Well said Astro Joe…..That’s what we should be angry about….the inability to counter the zone defense. It isn’t the first time we’ve been defeated in this manner.
hirsutedawg
February 26th, 2010
11:04 pm
FIRE MIKE WOODSON
Mark Bradley
February 26th, 2010
11:05 pm
That’s the way more and more teams are countering Iso-Joe — with the zone. Can’t back a man down if the man isn’t guarding you one-on-one.
dstdeelite
February 26th, 2010
11:05 pm
Stop crying…..Mavs took just as many 3’s and were bricking them all before Kidd caught fire. Save it.
todd grantham
February 26th, 2010
11:06 pm
Mark, Athens?
Mark Bradley
February 26th, 2010
11:07 pm
Hawks lost on a night when they made only seven turnovers in 53 minutes. How do you manage that?
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
11:07 pm
Only an “awful” loss if they don’t win the next two games. Again, the Hawks have shown thus far thee ability to brush off debacles. Heaven forbid that they believe that the NBA season is a marathon and don’t hide in a cave after every “awful loss”. We’d much rather see them have react in a way that allows columns to be written that says “I was there when the spiral began” as opposed to “dealing with adversity is a trait that should help them come the postseason”.
Hawks and Celtics have “awful losses” in consecutive nights. Let’s see who has the better response over the next 48-72 hours.
hirsutedawg
February 26th, 2010
11:08 pm
Woody has taken us as far as we’ll go. Golden State was bad enough, this was worse. Is there some law that says you can’t attack a zone by any means other than hoisting up bricks?
Astro Joe
February 26th, 2010
11:10 pm
Hawks have shown resiliency so far this season. If they believe that this is a marathon and refuse to hide in a cave, would that be a bad thing? Seems to me that fighting back after these types of debacles (as they did in the Jazz game) is a trait that will serve them well during the postseason.
Let’s see who survives their most recent debacle best… Celtics or Hawks.
Mark Bradley
February 26th, 2010
11:10 pm
It’s also a home loss. Hawks now have seven of those. They had 10 last season.
Stop Crying '10
February 26th, 2010
11:13 pm
Dont get mad cuz ur team isnt clutch and has no heart. what happened was that a couple of hall of famers stepped up when it mattered most.
David in Seattle
February 26th, 2010
11:17 pm
Hey, folks, what you saw tonight was a very experienced team schooling an up-and-coming team. I’m a Mavs from the beginning, and not all that familiar with the Hawks, but they’ve definitely been on the uptick. It just takes time.
Everybody always talks about how old the Mavs are, but if you look at most NBA champions, they’re old. It takes more than talent, which the Hawks have a lot of.
My only observation about the Hawks is you don’t really have a superstar. You’ve got a lot of excellent star-quality guys, but no superstar. No Dirk, or Kobe, or LeBron. If you can figure out a way to put someone like a D-Wade on your team, look out.
But, you’ve got to have that one guy that you can always go to when the heat is on and he’ll deliver. The Mavs have Dirk, but most important – they have the smartest point guard in the game. That makes a huge difference.
BigTimeTECHFan
February 26th, 2010
11:18 pm
Just a shame to see such a good team wasted by a sorry coach.
Section 303
February 26th, 2010
11:18 pm
Would have been worth the suspension for Woodson to knock Kidd out.
Another tough loss…I’m starting to get concerned about the inability to score down the stretch. February is like the Dog Days of August in baseball. It is the blah time of year. Hawks have to snap out of this.
Crawford? Anyone seen this guy lately? He is M.I.A. Starting to see why he has never been in the playoffs.
Mafia
February 26th, 2010
11:21 pm
Enter your comments here
chadwick
February 26th, 2010
11:21 pm
straight up blatant move on jason kidd..completly changed the momentum of the game and the refs made the wrong call..big shocker..the integrity of the game to me was shattered even more so than gilbert arenas using guns signs..david stern should step in on this one..hawks played lazy in the end, seven game series with that team and we know who the better team is just based on match ups..mavs cant play a matchup zone and expect to win against good teams in a seven game series and thats what it comes down to in the end..well that is if you know the game..caron butler is a big addition for them but they still have mathcup issues..kidd lost all my respect tonight..if i was the commish id accept a protest by the hawks, no different than a coach being on the court with no contact by a player than kidd blantantly running after woodson..i was personally at the game behind the basket in sec 120 and could tell what he was trying to do
Mafia
February 26th, 2010
11:23 pm
Wait is heart sticking your arm out to draw contact and getting a tech called on the coach? Cuz yeah in that case, they do.
dstdeelite
February 26th, 2010
11:23 pm
Stop Crying 10…Who was clutch on the Mavs team when they mustered up 75 points at home against the Hawks in December? Who’s mad? It is what it is….a loss. Nothing more nothing less.
Swole
February 26th, 2010
11:24 pm
Awful loss and Woodson is not a good coach; but he was NOT on the floor when Kidd made contact.
But hey, Kidd wouldn’t be great if you don’t give him the call, right?
Mafia
February 26th, 2010
11:24 pm
303 I think we’ll see Crawford again sooner or later. If it weren’t for him who knows what our record would be.
Hawks go up (Jazz win), Hawks go down (blown lead losses)
February 26th, 2010
11:25 pm
“Would have been worth the suspension for Woodson to knock Kidd out.”
agree, I’d like to see what an assistant at the helm could do with this team. Anything to get Woody away
Anthony
February 26th, 2010
11:27 pm
I’m adding quotes and stuff to this post for print purposes, but I’ll be back with you soon. Players are stunned, you should know. Woodson is stunned.”
They might be stunned…. But it will not stop them from repeating this process time and time again.
Mafia
February 26th, 2010
11:28 pm
You really gotta hand it to Carlisle though. I mean I know Woody gets outcoached pretty often, but man, pulling out the zone at the end was what won them the game.
hawks fan
February 26th, 2010
11:28 pm
woodson blew it for the hawks with that technical but the hawks had it even when we went into overtime the hawks were tired and didnt even score till about 1 second left they shoulda had this one and why do they let josh smith shoot is beyond me his postion is to dunk and block if they wanna make it far something gotta give cause this shoulda been our game they always letting teams come back and that is not what we need were now 36-21 come on hawks smh..
BoroHawk
February 26th, 2010
11:29 pm
Rick Carlisle should give Kidd the gameball and then suspend him for a game.
Freddy
February 26th, 2010
11:30 pm
Hawks are losing it. Wheels are coming off. Panic has set in.
Hawk Str8Talk
February 26th, 2010
11:34 pm
I really can’t tell you how angry I am about losing this game. On a day when I blogged about the possibility of making Teague and Evans starters and Bibby and Williams bench players to shake up the team and the players who aren’t playing well – they go and for a few quarters make me feel dumb. Then, we turned into Loyola Marymount behind the arc (not the good LMU) and next thing you know – I’m screaming for a TO for oh about 5 straight posessions only to see us lose and see my coach damn near fighting with a guy who at 36 has one of the most prodigious triple double lines I’ve seen in a while…I mean did this really happen.
OldTimer
February 26th, 2010
11:34 pm
The Hawks just don’t cut the mustard. Time to move on.
todd grantham
February 26th, 2010
11:38 pm
Mark, no kudos?
quickwitt
February 26th, 2010
11:39 pm
How could they lose? C’mon Mark. A team with some good players and a middling coach, that’s how. Unfortunately for the fans, ownership can’t afford anyone better to coach so it is what it is. Probably a first round win and a second round loss. As good as it gets with the Hawks. At least they’ll make the playoffs unlike the hockey team which is granted fewer resources than the hoops team and thus doomed to absolute failure.
Dark Knight
February 26th, 2010
11:39 pm
I though that things could not get worse after the GS loss…I was so wrong. I was at this game and can’t believe what I saw. First it was Dirk…then Jason Terry and finally Jason Kidd. At no point was the defense able to slow down any of them. Woody, I’m calling you out on your failure to call the time out in the 4th to slow down the Mavs momentum. It’s obvious you wore out the starters (and Jamal Crawford) because they couldn’t throw it in the ocean come OT. In OT the offensive execution was just that…offensive. At this point, I expect more from my team and I certainly expect more from my coach. I expect to beat the teams we are supposed to beat. And I certainly don’t expect to lose double digit leads in the 4th quarter. Woody, if you can’t get it done, just say so. I’ll take the day off and come pack your things for you.
Tron5000
February 26th, 2010
11:40 pm
I just got home from work and have to be back in the morning. Wasn’t even gonna turn on the TV. Saw the Hawks up by 10 at work and figured it was sealed. Now I read this, have to sit around and watch SportsCenter so I can actually see the nonsense that occurred, and screw up my sleep for tomorrow.
Thanks, Hawks. Been on ESPN twice in the last week, and managed to look a fool both times with both games firmly in hand. Fool me once, shame on me…
You want us to believe in this team? Give is a reason. 7 games against the Celtics in Year 1 + 4-game sweep by the Cavs in Year 2 + 4th quarter meltdowns in Year 3 = I ain’t got a whole lotta optimism. And I’m no young buck when it comes to this team. Not a bandwagon-jumper. I had a Hawks Starter jacket in 1993.
JRR
February 26th, 2010
11:42 pm
You idiots who think that Woodson wasn’t on the court should read his post game comments. He, himself has said that he was on the court! During play, a player can go anywhere on the court that he wants and Jason Kidd doesn’t have to explain to anybody why he wanted to go to that partiicular spot! It doesn’t even matter if Kidd initiated the contact because the coach isn’t supposed to be there! PS – I’m not sure why Carlisle should suspend Kidd. Odd post, makes no sense.
Mark, quit freaking out
February 26th, 2010
11:43 pm
Do you remember the Hawks of the last 10 yrs? . .of Ira Newble . .of Chris Crawford . .of Cal Bowdler . . of Roshown McLeod . . i could go on, but I’d like to forget. The Hawks are relevant now . .the Hawks are growing up as a team . .and on the way to becoming a great team you learn to win games like this . . and here’s the kicker . . . .you learn by losing some of them and learning from your mistakes. Maybe if it was late March going into the playoffs . .or if we show we can’t beat the Magic or the Cavs at home here later in March & April . .then lets start freaking out a little bit. But for now, just f*%^ing enjoy this. Enjoy the Hawks in some relevant,fun games. Enjoy watching them mature . .or just b%$## & moan, its your prerogative.
Tron5000
February 26th, 2010
11:43 pm
Matter of fact, I believe that Starter jacket is still hanging in a closet in Mama’s house next to the ol’ HS letter jacket. Probably a lot of dust on those 2 articles of clothing.
OldTimer
February 26th, 2010
11:45 pm
I never had a Hawks Starter Jacket, didn’t have the ego for it. The last time I think I saw a Starter Jacket was on DOB, of course it was a Braves jacket. As for the Hawks, this isn’t a team Furman Bisher would be fond of.
Paul Hewitt
February 26th, 2010
11:45 pm
Well said.
suicidalhawk
February 26th, 2010
11:46 pm
Kidd’s move was bush league at best!!!! as soon as he got possesion of the ball he ran over to woodson. im all about being fair, woody is an idiot for letting that happen but, lets call a spade a spade and say that Jason Kidd was acting like a child, if the rule is as states I would like all of the hawks to constantly be looking for contact on opposing coaches every game…. or give all NBA coaches an immediate technical when the touch the floor…………. thoughts MB??
Anthony
February 26th, 2010
11:47 pm
The Hawks don’t have the talent or the balls to be a great team because they’re losers.
Tron5000
February 26th, 2010
11:47 pm
YOU quit freaking out, we’re OK. We know what this team is: Not Good Enough. Good enough to get into the playoffs, not good enough to get to the Conference Finals and certainly not good enough to advance beyond that. They will win a lot of games, but tonight and the Golden State game show what this team really is. Good, but not good enough.
And I used to park Roshown McCloud’s car at his attorney’s office. Dude used to tip us with a homemade pizza from down the block. He sucked in the NBA, but that extra cheese was off the hook.
Mafia
February 26th, 2010
11:55 pm
losers…with a record above .500?
Anthony
February 27th, 2010
12:02 am
losers…with a record above .500?’
What have the Hawks ever done of importance since being in Atlanta? How many playoff series have they won the last 15-20 years? How many finals have they been too? Last year they barely got by crappy Miami in 7 games and that was one of the worst playoff series in the last 10 years.
Yeah, they’re great alright.
hawkfan
February 27th, 2010
12:04 am
I follow both basketball and soccer on a regular basis. Interestingly, both the Hawks and the Argentina national soccer team have a lot in common. Argentina’s soccer team is loaded with talent, perhaps even the best in the world. Unfortunately, their head coach, Diego Maradona, is stubborn, incompetent, and an awful tactician. As a result, the team is underachieving, unorganized, and unmotivated.
The Hawks are also loaded with talent and could easily be as good as any team in the NBA. But just like Diego Maradona, Mike Woodson is stubborn, incompetent, and an awful tactician.
His team is also mismanaged, underutilized, and underperforming.
These comparisons reflect how in any sport, and perhaps in life in general, a team is only as good as its leader, of course.
Section 303
February 27th, 2010
12:05 am
Mafia, I hope you are right. Guess Crawford did have 18 tonight, but no where to be found at the end of the game. To be fair, so was everyone else.
Just a crap loss, though. These are the defeats that may come back to haunt them when they are getting ready to go on the road for Game 1 of the 2nd round.
Just Saying
February 27th, 2010
12:09 am
How do we lose this game? One word….. WOODSON.
Does anyone really think this team is going to do anything in the post season with him running the show? Just saying.
O'Brien
February 27th, 2010
12:10 am
Mark,
Players and coaches have to share the blame for this. And the Kidd-Woody incident should not have been much of a contributor to this loss. And to think, the Mavs also played without Caron Butler.
So the Hawks blow an 18 point 4th quarter lead to a team that dressed 8 players and is ranked near the bottom of the league in defense. And 3 games later, they blow a 13 point 4th quarter lead with 5 1/2 minutes left.
Also, can you ask Woody why Horford played 50 minutes, when it was obvious he was struggling (he went 4-16), and only had 8 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 16 by himself.
And besides Crawford, all other bench players combined for 25 minutes. Maybe our starters got tired down the stretch.
One possible problem for the Hawks is the more often you lose these kind of games, is the easier it gets to lose these type of games. Or maybe they will learn from it. I know the season is a marathon, as AJ puts it, but pretty soon the Hawks will be coming down the stretch.
I hope Woody and the players will be better prepared next time they face a zone.
Section 303
February 27th, 2010
12:10 am
Anthony, why don’t you just go be one of the d-bags with a Kobe or LeBron jersey, then? That way you can demand excellence all the time. Have fun.
Hawks are fine. People need to stop with the extreme reactions. Agree this loss sucks, though. Should not have happened.
Kevin
February 27th, 2010
12:11 am
Hey Mark,
What’s more embarrassing? The Woody-Kidd Incident or Kidd’s 16 rebounds?
Section 303
February 27th, 2010
12:11 am
Mafia, hope you are right. Though, to be fair, Crawford did have 18 pts tonight. He was just no where to be found late. Been a pattern for him lately.
dstdeelite
February 27th, 2010
12:13 am
and yet those losers make more money than you’ll probably ever see in your lifetime….Sign me up
Anthony
February 27th, 2010
12:18 am
and yet those losers make more money than you’ll probably ever see in your lifetime….Sign me up”
Only because of the stupidity of the general public. These hoodrats don’t deserve squat.
Anthony
February 27th, 2010
12:19 am
I won’t be paying to watch these lowdown thugs play.
dstdeelite
February 27th, 2010
12:22 am
LMAO@ Anthony…It’s really not that serious. Name calling is so elementary school.
suicidalhawk
February 27th, 2010
12:30 am
CHEAP GHETTO MENTALITY WIN FOR THE DALLAS MAVERICKS…… YOU HAD TO FOREARM SHIVER A COACH TO GET A FREE POINT… go bounce on one Jason Kidd
Anthony
February 27th, 2010
12:32 am
It’s not that serious? You got people struggling to survive while these thugs are getting millions to play a GAME. yeah, it’s a big deal.
Dominic
February 27th, 2010
12:36 am
My thing is Jamal Crawford took way too many 3 point shots and too many dumb shots period but we know any other night those shots sink. It didn’t help that Horford and Josh were completely missing in action underneath the post. This again is why we need a true Center. He doesn’t have to be 7′5, he just needs to be able to box out, block shots, and rebound. My dilemma is that Josh has to know he has no business taking a jump shot, he just plain isn’t a jump shooter. I appreciate what Josh Smith did earlier in the game but that’s it that is his game and whenever he feels like acting like Chris Bosh or Lebron James is when he blows leads. He needs to box out, rebound, steal the ball and get easy lay ups and dunks. Eventually if Josh doesn’t grow into this roll and what the Hawks need him to be Al Horford will move back to his natural Power Forward position and the hawks could trade away Josh for a Center. This isn’t so far fetched because Josh has a nice big contract attached to him and ask yourself who would you rather have Josh Smith or Joe Johnson?
Avery
February 27th, 2010
12:40 am
Can we fire Woodson now? Maybe we will have have a chance to clear the second round and develop players if we do.
irishmafia
February 27th, 2010
12:41 am
Cmon lets be honest despite numerous #1 draft choices and past and future ALL stars the Hawks are vastly overrated. Fans have waited so long for a decent TEAM they have gone hog wild on a team that can finish over 500 .The sad truth is that Mike Woodson is a horrific coach even with the talent around him, check the facts no coach with over 100 games in the NBA has anywhere near as bad a record as this loser. The Hawks are among the 15 -20 top teams in the league but is that saying much with teams like the Nets around?
Avery
February 27th, 2010
12:41 am
Dominic, we won’t have Joe Johnson in another 5 months anyway.
dstdeelite
February 27th, 2010
12:42 am
It’s your God given right not to support any professional team. If everybody tuned them out, then the product wouldn’t sell and they wouldn’t make millions. I see you follow them very closely. That lets me know that you haven’t completely tuned them out. Good luck with changing the world. Shouldn’t you be leading by example?
Dominic
February 27th, 2010
12:48 am
haha avery you may be right but i think that Joe wants to stay honestly but it makes it even more important to get rid of Josh if we cannot sign Joe that means we would have to get extremely lucky in the draft or we have to get a good center or a nice small forward because i think i speak for all atlanta fans the hawks need to take the next step as a team and i dont think woodson can take us there i think avery johnson shouldve been hired as the coach because the lack of develop of marvin williams and josh smith isnt just their faults
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SWATlantadolfan
February 27th, 2010
12:54 am
Some of you posters really suck…it was a bad loss, but its not the end of the world. yeah, Woody sucks, and that is why he has no contract beyond this season.At our best we cant beat the Cavs or Magic. As bad as Woody is, Phil Jackson couldnt get us into the Eastern conference finals this year. If we somehow get Big Z, maybe, but we are STILL a couple of players away from being legit.Like someone said earlier, i am a Hawks fan since about 1985, so after the last 10 years of being awful, Im STILL enjoying my Hawks at least being relivent…most of you posters who are badmouthing the Hawks arent real fans anyway.
UGAKev
February 27th, 2010
1:05 am
did the hawks ever think of blocking out they let kidd run around like he was shaq
BirdDawg
February 27th, 2010
1:13 am
I think Astro Joe is really Mike Woodson.
freshd
February 27th, 2010
1:16 am
WOODROW has not been the same since he shaved his eyebrows off. And may I say that our #2 pick, Marvin Williams is stealing money. When is the last time he finished a game on the floor.Its a shame when our #1 pick, TEAGUE rides the bench and a guy out of the D-league, Sundiata Gaines is balling for the Utah Jazz. Thanks WOODROW.
BirdDawg
February 27th, 2010
1:18 am
@ Anthony…maybe these people struggling to survive should learn to play basketball, LMAO!!!
TheAntiMe
February 27th, 2010
1:23 am
Woody has to go. (Are you paying attention, at all, Rick Sund?) It’s bad enough that his refusal to adjust to his opponents tactics to the point where it is obvious that Woody just doesn’t have a clue. But his inexcusable lapse of letting himself get played for a technical foul in crunch time by an opposing player, really is just beyond belief.
In spite of his inability to adjust to the zone D that the Mavs were using to get back in the game, the Hawks still would have won in regulation. Instead, because of the tecnical foul on the Hawks coach, they had to go into OT where they were shamed, once again.
Woody doesn’t even coach. He mostly just stands around and yells at his players and hopes that they will know what to do. If all you can do as a coach is stand around and yell, then at least have the common sense to not be standing on the court in crunch time.
I’m always going to stick by my Hawks but, still, I can see what everyone else does, and that is, more than a few of these losses comes down to poor decision making by a certain coach.
If only we could re-hire Hubie Brown.
TechMan
February 27th, 2010
1:39 am
if they dont make a rule a coach is going to get seriously injured because players will be throwing bows right at their chests
HAWKS SUCK
February 27th, 2010
2:15 am
The Hawks are the worst team in the NBA. It was bad enough to blow a huge lead at Golden State, but there is no way they should have lost at home to the Mavs after leading by 15 in the fourth quarter. This team is the biggest bunch of chokers in the league.
I hope Josh Smith and Joe Johnson both tear their ACL the next game after they let the Mavs win this one.
JeJe
February 27th, 2010
2:23 am
SMOOVE IS NOWHERE CLOSE TO BEING A DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR. HE LEFT DIRK OPEN FOR SHOTS THE ENTIRE GAME. HE DIDN’T EVEN TRY TO MAKE HIM DRIVE. EVERY SINGLE SHOT DIRK TOOK HE HAD 3 FEET OF SPACE. WHAT A JOKE. JOSH IS OVERRATED AND HIS NUMBERS DON’T MEAN !@#$. HE CANNOT DEFEND 1 ON 1 AND IS IMMATURE. GOOD JOB GIVING DIRK 35+ POINTS U MORON
Born2Buzz
February 27th, 2010
2:27 am
Simple…coaching.
David Smith
February 27th, 2010
2:34 am
Thank God i didn’t see this game tonight or I would have had a fit. Mike Woodson proves time and time again that he is not the right coach for this team. How can you blow a 13 point lead? by simply allowing Woody to let his inability to adjust to defensive changes and to let a 36 year old coot to out fox him by simply dribbling near him. I’m more worried now than ever how we will perform in the playoffs when we can’t even seem to put teams away when we have them on the ropes.
Cowboyfan80 r
February 27th, 2010
2:47 am
Y’all wanna bang on Kidd for a legal play? Go ahead, losers. I also lost a lot of respect for JJ, When he decides to throw a retaliatory forearm, who’s it at? Berea, the smallest dude on the floor. That showed a lot of guts and toughness, lol
Ted M
February 27th, 2010
2:50 am
It was bad, but I still don’t think it compares to the Tech/NC State game even tho Tech won that game.
The Hawks lose on a night when losing seemed impossible | Mark Bradley Help
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Anthony
February 27th, 2010
5:02 am
Some of the people here will always be butt kissers… And for what, all the championships the Hawks gave given you?
lame.
Conyers Hawk
February 27th, 2010
5:44 am
These last two 4th quarter meltdowns (GS and last night)are nothing new. It is a consistent pattern of
playing well for 36 instead of 48 minutes caused mostly by forgetting how to score in the 4th quarter.
I blame the coach and the players but mostly the coach for not using his bench when starters are tired.
Joseph Allen McWhorter
February 27th, 2010
5:47 am
Mark, to tell you the truth, personally, as long as the Atlanta Hawks are coached by Mike Woodson, they will never be in the same league with the Cavs or the Lakers! They need another coach to take them to that level! And those teams wouldn’t lose games like this!
Maxx
February 27th, 2010
6:28 am
Mark, I’ll tell you how we lost that game. We lost that game by having a coach that refuses to call timeout in the 4th quarter while we have a 13 pont lead dwindle away before our eyes. The only way we get a timeout is if we get a technical foul called on our coach after the other team goes on 15-1 run. It was a cheap stunt by Kidd, but it worked two-fold, as Jason Kid got right into Woody’s head, and Dirk got to shoot an automatic Free Throw for Woody’s Tech. We lose by our Coach refusing to play our bench and by not preparing our team for a Zone Defense. Mike Woodson single-handedly lost this game for us in the 4th quarter. Another reason we lost is that we need a 7ft Center, as Al Horford is playing out of position, and Brendan Haywood was playing catch with himself against the rim all night. We need to hopefully sign Big Z, and bench Marvin Williams for Maurice Evans. After the season, we need to draft a 7ft Center like Jerome Jordan, Center, Tulsa, and hire a new Head Coach like Mark Jackson
benadawg
February 27th, 2010
7:04 am
Gosh i hate Jason Kidd, that being said he was smart enough to take advantage of a coach foolishly wandering on the court. The zone defense will haunt Atl throughout the rest of the year because we have very little outside shooting, and one and done shots.
Do NOT re sign Woodrow
February 27th, 2010
7:24 am
Outsmarted by a veteran player who is older and still way more effective than the one Woodrow keeps starting.
Can not solve a zone defense. Has no clue how to whatsoever.
Can not adjust during a game no matter the opposition did to change their approach, or how simple it was.
Is good at apologizing for everything afterwards.
Does not have the right answers. Can not keep the team together and focused when things get rough.
Can not initiate any sort of leadership and confidence, even with three veteran guards on the floor at the end of every game and a veteran forward on the bench.
No sense in getting a mean, big body in the paint. That will not beat a zone either.
First round of the playoffs will be against a tougher and more complete team this year. Hawks will lose if Woodrow keeps doing what he does. And he will. So they will lose. Forget winning 50 games.
This Just in
February 27th, 2010
7:26 am
JEJE IS AN IDIOT OF GLOBAL PROPORTIONS. THAT IS ALL.
al
February 27th, 2010
7:27 am
JeJe,Dirk scores on anyone who tries to guard him.Probably the best shooting big man ever.The reason the Hawks lost this game is not Josh’s defense on Dirk,it was Kidd getting hot,and playing a great over all game.
Saint Richt
February 27th, 2010
7:49 am
Fire Mike Woodson…….this team wins despite him. This team has had the same problems for 5 years and this year has added a new one, the 2nd half swoon. The inability to score points in the second half (see Orlando/Thanksgiving, the Suns last week, last 5 minutes/overtime vs. Dallas, etc, etc, etc).
That my friends is coaching, this worthless “coach” cannot properly motivate this team, they are inconsistent, they lack focus on defense and still have no half court offense. When this team plays D to the level they are capable, they are one of the better teams in the league. They’re defensive EFFORT is inconsistent at BEST……that is coaching.
Move it on
February 27th, 2010
7:55 am
Until the hawks get rid of woodson, they’ll keep choking in games against inferior talent. The hawks will beat some creampuff in round 1 but will go out in the second round of the nba playoffs—mark it down.
JeJe
February 27th, 2010
8:00 am
SMOOVE IS NOWHERE CLOSE TO BEING A DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR. HE LEFT DIRK OPEN FOR SHOTS THE ENTIRE GAME. HE DIDN’T EVEN TRY TO MAKE HIM DRIVE. EVERY SINGLE SHOT DIRK TOOK HE HAD 3 FEET OF SPACE. WHAT A JOKE. JOSH IS OVERRATED AND HIS NUMBERS DON’T MEAN !@#$. HE CANNOT DEFEND 1 ON 1 AND IS IMMATURE. GOOD JOB GIVING DIRK 35+ POINTS U MORON
JeJe
February 27th, 2010
8:02 am
Kidd getting hot my @$$. The guy missed a ton of 3’s.
We lost for reasons:
1) Smoove DOES NOT box out on defense. I don’t give a !@#$ what his numbers show. All I see on defense is him standing there and get owned on the glass
2) We SUCK in the 4th quarter. Jesus. Does Woodson tell the team to lay an egg? Every single 4th quarter we let teams back in the game or collapse or both. We almost freaking lost at home to MINNESOTA for crying out loud
JeJe
February 27th, 2010
8:03 am
3) Smoove did not even scout report Dirk. How the hell can you give someone 3 feet of space to pull up and shoot? Yes, I know Dirk can shoot – he’s my favorite player in the NBA. Make him work for his baskets. And Smoove has the nerve to double team Jason Kidd in overtime to leave Dirk open?
Pete
February 27th, 2010
8:06 am
Games like this and Golden State are why Woody does not deserve a contract extension
typical
February 27th, 2010
8:13 am
Recurring theme….Atlanta as a city has everything going for it yet it continues to be losersville, usa.
ltdbrave
February 27th, 2010
8:16 am
Woodson just plain needs to go. Also, the team needs a big man in the paint. For Kidd to have a triple double just shows the Hawks are complacent. The team consistently blows big leads, Golden State and now Dallas lately in games that they need to win. How a team can build up a nice lead and then think they can coast just shows you that the coach knows nothing and the players have not reached championship caliber. Woodson better go regardless of where the Hawks go in the playoffs.
dap01
February 27th, 2010
8:17 am
Jason Kidd is a turd!
Woody is not the coach to take us any further. He is out of ideas.
JJ shooting a 30 footer with 10 seconds to go on the shot clock is terrible. He was lazy, he made no effort to drive, he was never going to pass and he hurt us during Dallas run to catch up.
Woody not calling a time out is not what a PRO coach should do.
Josh Smith was amazing.
The player rotations were terrible.
The offense was stagnant.
This is as good as it is going to get with Woody in charge!
dap01
February 27th, 2010
8:21 am
Dallas was dictating everything against our defense in the 4th quarter, we were totally outcoached!
ltdbrave
February 27th, 2010
8:22 am
These guys get paid a ton of money to play a game that they call a job while we, the fans, pay a fortune to watch them become lazy and blow big leads. Why Sund resigned Bibby, Williams, and ZaZa is beyond me. What a waste of the fan’s money. None of them are contributing and ZaZa is so lazy as is Williams. Pay me and I will give a heck of alot more effort then some of the players on this team.
Angus
February 27th, 2010
8:25 am
Trying not to be a homer, but that was a low-class, bush league move by Kidd. He did everything he could to make contact and then stayed in front of the Hawks bench running his mouth. I’ll be shocked if the league doesn’t get involved.
What’s worse though is that no Hawk defended Woody. Next possession a Mav (the coach, Kidd, or whoever) should have gone down. Cowards.
McCann Fan
February 27th, 2010
8:26 am
Sick, just sick. This team is going NOWHERE in the playoffs playing like this. An NBA game still lasts 48 minutes, right? I thought maybe they were confused with the college clock.
You start to believe in a team and then they regress right in front of you. This is the first time I’ve said it, but this needs to be Woodson’s last season.
Dr.Warren
February 27th, 2010
8:56 am
Hawks won 47 last year. Probably be 48 this year. They’re close to .500 since the fast start.
As they say in Shanghai, 老鹰队是高估.
NBA'er
February 27th, 2010
8:57 am
Mark, I don’t understand your comment about “you can’t touch a player on the court, ever.” Woody didn’t touch Kidd. Every coach wanders on to the court yelling instructions. Woody jumped back off the court and Kidd threw out his forearm into Woody. Perhaps you didn’t have the benefit of replay like the TV watching public, the refs, the ESPN crew did.
PMC
February 27th, 2010
8:58 am
This could be one of the reasons Woody is not being resigned.
ksiujgth
February 27th, 2010
9:04 am
if sund can’t see he has an inept coach that can’t use a bench, time out or vet players in a real nba style game, he needs to go with woodson. woodson has screwed the pooch many times, but the mavs game has to be one of the worst coached games of his career!
JeJe
February 27th, 2010
9:06 am
I told you all this too: No one on this team commits a hard foul. No one will send a message to the other team that we aren’t scared.
The Mavs have guys like Caron, DAMPIER, and Haywood who will commit that hard foul. We have Joe Smith who looks like he is fasting
jeffrey d
February 27th, 2010
9:12 am
Every coach wanders on to the court yelling instructions
But not when a live player is right next to him. Woody should have never made it that close
PMC
February 27th, 2010
9:15 am
You had better be careful mark… some of this could be perceived as “negative”. You wouldn’t want to wind up on the wrong side of some Tweets….
ajw
February 27th, 2010
9:16 am
Starting Sunday – 5 games in 7 nights. gonna have to use the bench.
JeJe
February 27th, 2010
9:24 am
WHY CAN’T THIS TEAM EXECUTE IN THE 4TH?
doc
February 27th, 2010
9:37 am
aj, you have officially lost it on your 11 pm post?
we have talked on about how we dont have an answer to a zone most nights. no offense, now is that because of the players? it is also one of the long pet peeves of woody standing on or near the court in his wooden indian stance affectionately called the BWAF by our manny t for years. like what is he doing on the court ever much less on a night where he cost us momentum and got out smarted by an all star guard as he calls it and a coach that has had coy honors as well as a few winning seasons?
i want so to believe in him but he is choking like a dog down the stretch dude. admit it before your condition worsens and you become as much of a mockery as woody might. no answer in phoenix was it? no response against golden state and now no response in 10 minutes to a zone plus having a very stupid call made on him. how can you really defend it? i want our coach out smarting someone not being out smarted.
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans
February 27th, 2010
9:40 am
JeJe, kinda hard to execute while being executed.
Ken Oliver
February 27th, 2010
9:42 am
so you still feel the hawks are a legit team. which team will show up. the one that loses to underlings of one that loses to the big boys.
Mike I like black, but if you can’t do it then “hit the road Mike and don’t cha come back no more no more no more” Plus you got your money. “go head take the money and run” IF HAWKS’ FANS DON’T KNOW IT THERE IS A MUTINY, WOODY DON’T KNOW IT YET. HE’S ON THE PLANK. AND CAPTAIN BLIGH AIN’T PLAYING JUST LIKE BLACKBEARD. MIKE DONT KNOW HOW TO BE A NUT CUTTER, EVERY COACH, HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE, PRO GOT TO HAVE SOME NUT CUTTER IN HIM. MIKE’S AFRAID. DON’T BE MAD WITH ME I’M JUST SAYING
To AJC Senior Editor
February 27th, 2010
9:44 am
Why do the AJC continue to allow posters, such as the “Anthonys” of the world, to name call using such language as “Hood Rats and “Thugs” but don’t get band from the site. Yet, if someone should call either the Falcons/Braves/Hawks GMs clueless or dumb they get band. You do know that “Hood Rat” and “Thug” is the new “N” word?
Ken
February 27th, 2010
9:49 am
KIDD DID NOT DO BUSH LEAGUE STUFF. THAT’S WHAT REAL BALLERS DO. ANYTHING TO HELP THE TEAM WIN. HE SAW A EASY POINT AND POTENTIAL GAME CHANGER AND MADE IT HAPPEN. ANYONE WHO BLAME JASON MAY AS WELL COACH ON MIKE STAFF. PLUS WOODY NEED TO SIT HIS ASS DOWN HE AIN’T DOING -HIT BUT SHOWING OFF HIS SUIT. AND IT DON’T APPEAR THE HAWKS ARE LISTENING TO HIM ANYWAY. KUDOS TO J-KIDD, MAYBE MIKE BIBBY CAN LEARN FROM HIM. JOSH IS NOTHING LIKE HIS UNCLES AND DAD, PETE, BOOKER AND AL, THOSE WERE REAL KILLERS WITH A BALL
Panther08
February 27th, 2010
9:53 am
Here is the problem with the Hawks…..We don’t have a Superstar!!!! Some may say Joe Johnson is our superstar…no he is not. I agree that he is an All-Star..but he doesn’t have what it takes to be a superstar. Example…where was he in the 4th quarter of the game last night. When the Mavs went to the Zone Defense, he should have been penetrating the zone. Ask yourself this question…Do you think Lebron, Kobe, or Dwayne would have stood outside the 3 point line against a zone? Joe Johnson is simply not as aggressive as we need him to be. I don’t blame Woodson because he can’t go on the floor and play for them. A lot of rebounds the Mavs got the Hawks simply did not box out at all. Message to Joe Johnson: GET AGGRESSIVE OR LEAVE TOWN!!!
Trey
February 27th, 2010
9:54 am
Stunned why? Because they lost again with a late lead? Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Hello.
Dan Kolb's Mom
February 27th, 2010
9:57 am
who freakin cares. its the Hawks. Even when they do well they are a joke. You can thank the Atlanta Spirit organization for running this franchise into the ground and keeping it there. As long as they are pulling the strings I will never support the Hawks or the Thrashers.
jay dubu
February 27th, 2010
10:08 am
The Hawks looked tired and worn out last night on defence, and some offensive set as well. There were several times that they allowed Dallas players to take uncontested shots. On offense, they stood around a lot.
Sometimes,
Sutton's Fro
February 27th, 2010
10:16 am
Kidd’s move WAS bush league, even if he was technically correct. But coaches are on the court during play ALL THE TIME!! Carlisle was, just like Woody. It’s like line lane changes in hocey: each team lets the other make line changes, so that they’ll get the same respect in return.
Kidd manipulated a situation that is generally given mutual consideration in order to get a free throw, and he shoved Woody into the scorer’s table to boot! It was a punk-ass move and totally unprofessional.
Having said all that, I don’t think it had any bearing on the outcome of the game. What lost this game was the Hawks’ inability to push back against the Mavs’ zone D. I’m sitting there watching 4 Hawks players standing outside the 3-point arc, screaming “Cut!! Move!! Break to the Hoop!! Do SOMETHING!!” They not only gave up on inside scoring, they were also totally out of position for offensive rebounds.
Until they get a new head coach (or the NBA shortens games to 3 quarters), this is the best the Hawks will ever be. They’ll usually beat the bad teams, and occasionally beat the good ones. Fifty wins, make it to the 2nd round of the playoffs — maybe even conference finals, and then go home.
Bangkapi Ajarn
February 27th, 2010
10:19 am
I see lots of anti Kidd remarks here, but lets be fair – he made a smart play, analogous to the UGA center hiking the ball before the snap count is completed IF he sees encroachment to draw an offsides penalty. Mark, I doubt your readers (or at least bloggers) would complain so much then (well, maybe the Techies–)
Heads up play by a top flight PG, bottom line. I wouldn’t be adverse to see this draw more leaguewide aggressive issuing of T’s when coaches go onto the court during play for any reason!
Regards Woodson, if he really wanted to put his stamp on the game, instead of being outsmarted by KIdd he should have called a TO when the lead was evaporating, change the personnel on the floor, something to deflect the momentum of the Mavericks.
Hawkman
February 27th, 2010
10:20 am
Like I say, this team probably won’t win a championship as currently constructed. Either they need to make a coaching change or find better players – or both. A coaching change may or may not be the answer, and adding a true stud would seem unlikely given their cap situation and draft position this year.
I love these Hawks and want to believe they can win but it is what it is. These Hawks lack enough discipline as a group to close out games and noone on their current roster can take control of a game – much less a series…i.e, Lebron, Wade, Kobe, etc…
Mid-Morning Buzz: Saturday, February 27 | Outdoor sports, camping, tenis, golf
February 27th, 2010
10:26 am
[...] Hawks lose on a night when losing seemed impossible, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Mark Bradley The Buzz: Bradley wondered, how do you lose that game? [...]
bruce mac
February 27th, 2010
10:38 am
Who cares, NBA is boring and goes on forever. LA and Cavs play for Championship by July 4. At least the Braves and Falcons are competitive and well managed. Have the Thrashers left town yet, please take the Hawks with you.
j
February 27th, 2010
10:51 am
i still dont get how this was an awful loss? All great teams are going to come back from huge deficits. The hawks came back after the first quarter and the mavs came back down the stretch. The Mavs just took out the Lakers earlier this week, was that an awful loss for the Lakers … no, Mavs are playing well right now. Does our coaching suck, yes. we all want the Hawks to win every game but in an 80 game season, thats not going to happen. They’ll snap back from this. You guys analyze things way too much. the game was exiciting all the way through and, win or lose, thats what i want to see. you can blame the loss on anything you want (just like that loss on the road to the Cavs two months ago where the officials DID screw us on that one) but there is still plenty of basketball left and a bigger test against Orlando coming up.
Lets not analyze this … it was a loss against a great team that went down to the wire. Move on and Go Hawks!
j
February 27th, 2010
10:52 am
bruce mac, a little biased huh? and baseball doesn’t go on forever either? that really is a jackass comment made by one
willwalker
February 27th, 2010
10:55 am
From Dallas: Don’t whine, folks… and be glad you’ve got one of the best young teams in the league. You got snookered by a crafty old vet tonight, but you’ll get past it. Your time is coming, and soon, so lighten up. Kidd just gave you a great story to tell your grandkids.
j
February 27th, 2010
10:56 am
Marvin is a waste of money and space … how does he start for this team? i hope they use him as trade bait this summer
freshd
February 27th, 2010
10:57 am
Billy Knight was right, the hawks should have fired WOODROW two years ago, but the so called SPIRIT cheerleaders were in love with their below average coach. It does not matter who Rick Sund brings in to play for the hawks, Mr. Potatohead Woodson will not play them. Its pathetic when J Kidd gets 15 or 16 rebounds over the hawks so called big men.
JeJe
February 27th, 2010
11:09 am
Marvin as trade bait? Who the hell wants this guy?
he can’t even break 10 ppg lately. If he has 14, people think he had a good guy
The worst part is that Marvin problem isn’t even upset that he sucks
Worst contract ever
crabapplejoe
February 27th, 2010
11:14 am
How do you write an article wondering about how the home team lost a basketball game and omit the fact that someone from the other team put in 37 points? Who was covering Dirk? If Kobe or Lebron put in 37 against the Hawks would you omit their names from the article? geez
JeJe
February 27th, 2010
11:46 am
I would say we have a favorable schedule coming up, but knowing the Hawks, we’ll lose to Miami and the Knicks and probably every other team that’s owned us this year
Skydawg
February 27th, 2010
11:58 am
It’s very easy to see how they lost this game. Mike Woodson is the coach. Enough said.
JD
February 27th, 2010
11:58 am
I am going to be the point on this: Jason Kidd is a punk beotch.
lexluther
February 27th, 2010
12:00 pm
I’m sick of their #@$!
lexluther
February 27th, 2010
12:03 pm
I learn in pop warner ball that the way to beat a zone is to attack it. Penetrate and dish. What in the hell do you have to do to become a coach in the NBA. There is no excuse to the way Mike Woodson coach this team. No excuse. Getting him out of Atlanta would be in a word HUGE!!!!!!
CapedCrusader
February 27th, 2010
12:06 pm
It wasnt just Woodsens fault the Hawks lost. Woodsen did not score any points. Woodsen wasnt a player who failed to put the ball in the basket. Woodsen was one reason but the Hawks team lost the game last night but he wasnt the main reason. Woodsen didnt blow a 13-point lead with about 7 minutes to play. Kidd should have been thrown out of the game for purposely trying to hit woodsen and cause the technical foul. The Hawks were so foolish that they thought they could sit on a 13-point lead without 7 minutes left in the game. Seven minutes is an eternity in the nba. Whoever is coaching the Hawks should have made them aware of that fact. An nba team can score 30 points in minutes. Ive seen teams score 40 in a quarter. For some strange reason when the Hawks had a comfortable lead, THEY STOPPED EXECUTING (what gave them the lead in the first place). In addition, they suddently went cold and you could tell by the way they were running their offense (THEY WERE IN PANIC MODE). I knew the Hawks were going to lose that game as soon as Woodsen drew the technical foul, i knew it was going to be a Hawks loss. That was a smart play by Kidd, but it should have been nullified because Kid purposely went after woodsen and Kidd should have been thrown out of the game at that point, with the Hawks shooting a technical foul. The hawks will never amount to anything as long as they have Mike Woodsen as their coach. Mike Woodsen can coach the Hawks to 37 wins but that it about as far as he can go. Woodsen was lucky the Hawks won 47 games last season and had nothing to do with it. The Hawks need Avery Johnson, Hubie Brown, Mike Fratello or Don Nelson to coach them with the current players that they have on their roster. Woodsen is not a good fit for the current group of Hawks players. The Hawks did play like hoodrats last night and its true THEY DONT DESERVE ANYTHING, but to be swept out of the playoffs in the first round!
rICK sUND
February 27th, 2010
12:06 pm
JEJE WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND BASKETBALL. THIS IS OBVIOUS.
PaulWinchester
February 27th, 2010
12:13 pm
If Jamal Crawford wants to sit back and hoist 3-pointers all game he should just start launching from half court. As soon as he comes across the time line at the half court, mid court line just start launching your missiles from there. Crawford thinks just because he sometimes makes a few pretty rainbow 3s he can continue shooting them all game. He needs to understand that a 3-pointer is a “LOW PERCENTAGE SHOT”. Drive to the basket and use a shooting range of 0-20′. 30′ out is too far out unless you have unlimited range like LaBron James, Kobe Bryant or George “Ice Man” Gervin. If you are not one of these three players, you need to shoot within your range without making a fool of yourself.
daddydog1988
February 27th, 2010
12:21 pm
Nothing wrong with Kidd’s actions. He was helping his team win. This play was just a snapshot of Hawk’s coaching weakness. The Hawks win on their talent. When they need coaching help, it is nowhere to be found.
Mitch
February 27th, 2010
12:25 pm
Does Coach Woodson deserves credit for steadily improving the team or is it more because the players have grown up more each year?
The repeated meltdowns in the 4th quarter can no longer be seen as a coincidence. There are several common reasons why the team wilts and these need to be fixed or the Hawks may not even get past the Raptors or Bulls in the first round. Here are some of the reasons:
1. The Hawks play almost every 4th quarter as if they are playing the first game of a back-to-back…in short, they start resting on both ends of the floor, which is why even lowly teams like the Knicks and Warriors go on scoring tears and win the games. This team is mentally soft and that falls on the head coach and his staff.
2. The Hawks have one of the worst defensive guard tandems in the NBA in Bibby and Johnson, which is why the Nate Robinsons, Stephan Currys and the Jason Kidds can take over games and win them. Bibby is a phantom defender and Johnson is a lazy reacher who commits senseless fouls down the stretch that cost the team at some of the worst times.
3. With the game on the line, both Coach Woodson’s and Josh Smith’s collars get extra tight. Woodson lacks the authority and seemingly the wisdom to insist that the team play extra hard on defense and that it doesn’t go into the “prevent” offense (all 1 on 1s and no ball movement). As for Smith, he can be scoring well for three quarters, but when the team does finally move the ball in the 4th quarter it invariably winds up in Smoove’s hand and he rushes and forces shots and goes “aw shucks” and trots back on defense. What he should be instructed to do is set up in the short corner and off the catch, take one power dribble and dunk the ball…that’s it in the 4th quarter. Especially on last possession inbounds plays, Smoove is allowed to camp out beyond the three point line and how many times does he get the ball? A lot? Yup. Why? Every team in the NBA wants him to throw up one of his patented hoisted bricks with the game on the line. But, Woody enables this.
The other reason to put Smoove in the short corner is that when shots go up he can crash the boards…dunks and putbacks, dunks and putbacks. That’s it for now in the 4th quarter.
Honestly, even though you hate to take him off the floor for defensive reasons, Woodson really needs to take Smith off the floor late in games until he can stick to a simple short corner role he can produce in.
4. Marvin Williams, while now mostly a forgotten option on offense, which IMO has set the team back a little because Marvin was driving and shooting with more authority at times in the past, and now looks tentative, but he MUST at this point in his career be a better and stronger defender and rebounder, yet he is still not there. This is where I question Woodson and his staff, for not at least bringing this part of his game along. He is the key defensively for ever beating the Cavs…who else can guard LBJ?
5. Because Woodson’s substitutions are so erratic from game to game, he often overplays the starters and they look fatigued in the 4th quarter.
6. The Joe Show. It worked in the Boston 7 game playoff series becuse the team had little options then and Joe was on fire, but now it has backfired on Woody and the team. The rest of the team stops in its tracks and becomes spectators…and it puts a screeching halt to the flow and momentum of the game. Plus, Joe’s empty expressions do little to fire anyone up, unlike LeBron and others who electrify everyone around them, like Jason Kidd did last night.
7. The best defensive guards need to play at times. Jeff Teague could be a very good defensive guard, but Woodson can’t see beyond his own eyebrows the reasons not only to play this kid, but to give him confidence. Look at the way D-Coll is playing in New Orleans. Reality: he wouldn’t get any PT with Woody. If you don’t come to Woody as a rookie starter, he will sit you and give you every reason to doubt your game.
j
February 27th, 2010
12:33 pm
i think it is time to see woodson gone … this team deserves better … too much talent to be wasted on this type of coach.
j
February 27th, 2010
12:34 pm
i’m sure some team will take marvin, same as how we got rid of salim, sheldon & acie
Michael Adams
February 27th, 2010
12:42 pm
The hawks blew this game by being lazy in the last 6 minutes and with yet again bad coaching by Woodson. The hawks settled for jump shots instead of attacking the basket and dallas played harder and got all the rebounds in the last 6 minutes. Woodson should have called some time outs to get his team focused and to run some plays inside instead of being a fan watching his team take jump shots. And Joe Johnson should have been called for atleast 3 fouls for throwing elbows. The refs gave us every chance to win this game and we still blew it. Mark its easy to see why we lost this game. Im digusted with our Atlanta sports teams. They have no heart in crunch time.
Trey
February 27th, 2010
12:50 pm
Why no gt basketball blog today? I wanted to laugh at ph’s claim they are playing the best bball and barely beating lowly bc.
Anthony
February 27th, 2010
12:55 pm
The Hawks will always be a joke. It’s easy to look down on them for their lack of fan support on it’s own. But when you add that the Hawks as a frachise hasn’t ever won anything worth talking about, it makes me feel stupid that I’ve watched them at all hoping for something difference. This team is going down the same road that Smith/Deke teams went… Squeaking by or losing in the first round only to get whipped by a 2nd round team just like Charlotte and NY whipped the Hawks in the playoffs back in the late 90’s.
It will always be the same old thing with this team. 2nd round playoff whippings at best.
LOSER COACH
February 27th, 2010
1:17 pm
I HAVE A FRIEND IN A DIFFERENT SPORT(FOOTBALL) WHO WON A CHAMPIONSHIP! YEAR’S LATER I BECAME ANGRY WITH A CERTAIN COACH WHO REMIND’S ME ALOT OF WOODY! MY BUDDY ASK ME ONE SIMPLE QUESTION THAT I WILL NOW ASK OF THE PEOPLE ON THIS BLOG…..WHAT HAS WOODY EVER WON??!! AS A PLAYER OR COACH WHAT HAS HE WON??!! NOTHING IS THE ANSWER!! THAT SAID IT’S B/C HE’S NEVER WON ANYTHING HE DOES NOT KNOW HOW,THEREFORE HE WON’T!!!
LatrelleSpreewell
February 27th, 2010
1:18 pm
I know a lot of fans out there today are MAD as hell about the Hawks and rightfully so. The Hawks had a chance to salt away two games in February (Golden State) and (Dallas) in games they had big leads in but blew the leads in the fourth quarter to take defeat. It hurts because we are desparately trying to catch Orlando who rarely ever loses and these games that we have in the bag just to give away are games we can never get back or make up in the standings in order to make up ground on Orlando. When you look back on this season, its a season we SHOULD have won the southeast division, but were going to lose the division crown to Orlando because we cant hold onto to games that we have won, but CHOKE AWAY in the fourth quarter just to hand the games over to teams we should have beaten. Sound like a familar recipe? The Hawks did this 20 times a couple of seasons ago the year they first made the playoffs under woodsen when they won 37 games. That year, they could have won 57 games but blew at least 20 games that they had leads in the third and fourth quarter just to distintegrate like gun powder in the final quarter. IT LOOKS TO ME THAT THE HAWKS HAVE GONE BACK TO THEIR OLD WAYS OF BLOWING LEADS AGAIN LATE IN BALLGAMES. If they continue this, they wont ever win 40 games this year. They’ll probably finish below .500 at 40-42 or 39-43, when they EASILY COULD HAVE WON 60 GAMES THIS YEAR with the way they started out at 19-6, had they just not choked away the season!
Kelvin
February 27th, 2010
1:46 pm
I don’t see the Hawks making it to the Eastern Conference Finals as some have suggested they might earlier in the season. I would not be surprised if they don’t make it out of the first round of the playoffs. But even if they do this team is clearly not good enough to beat either Cleveland or Orlando. I think it should be clear by now to anyone with even a slight knowledge of the game of basketball knows that Al Horford is better suited at the 4 spot, but so is Josh Smith, this team gets very little offensively from the 3 spot (Marvin Williams) and even less defensively, and Mike Bibby, a decent outside shooter, but gets abused on the defensive end of the court. This team was built to make the playoffs, which in a weak conference like the east is not saying a lot, but not built to go any further than that.
Jacovny
February 27th, 2010
1:57 pm
Hey cry-babies:
Your coach admitted he was on the floor. Your point guard admitted your coach was on the floor. You’re the only ones living in denial. “Bush league”? Kidd didn’t hurt anyone or break rules; rather, he took advantage of rules which he evidently knew better than YOUR coach. That’s what great players DO. If Tony Romo snaps the ball when he sees a Falcons player jump off-sides and draws a penalty out of it, do you call that “bush-league” as well? Grow up.
ReverandRight
February 27th, 2010
2:14 pm
What was Woody Woodpecker doing on the floor last night? He should have known to stay off the court unless he was going to suit up and try to help the Hawks win the game. Woodsen should be replaced by Avery Johnson. Avery is the best coach available right now and would do wonders with the Hawks roster. He coached the Spurs to a title with Tim Duncan and is a marvelous basketball mind, the best of unemployed ex-coaches right now. He would make an immediatate impact on the Hawks and would elevate the Hawks instantly to an elite status: on the same level with Denver, Dallas, Lakers, Orlando, Cavs and Boston. That is what Avery Johnson will do for the Hawks. Put them on the same level as those teams and really compete against them instead of always getting blown out by them all the time.
Dirty Red
February 27th, 2010
2:34 pm
Haters please don’t come to the game when the playoffs start you may deliver some bad luck.
So please stay home!!
E43
February 27th, 2010
2:52 pm
this fanbase needs to calm down. im a life long die hard fan of atlanta teams even through the hawks 16 loss season and i appreciate all the hawks on the roster. from all horford to randolph.
were still on pace to win 50games even with the Alleged shortcoming of bibby marvin and the bench. bibby is paid to spread the ball and shoot threes which he does very wel.l hes deffense when he came and today hasnt changed.i don think this fanbase understands how (get blown out by the clippers)horrible the hawks are without him. as for marvin, hes paid to play F. not sf or pf. The bench doesnt even see enough minutes for you to earn the right to blame anything on them. there was a time joe was sitting on the bench while his counter part was getting all the praise.calm down fanbase. i think that these hawks have given the fanbase more wins than they can handle. too many people are just getting too picky. kind of like the lakers when kobe is playing then he goes down and their fanbase looses all hope.
Sam
February 27th, 2010
3:18 pm
Didn’t see the game or anything…but keeping up with the Hawks for years….
Yeah Woodson…overall sucks….he needs to go…..he’s had enough time to prove himself……but he hasn’t.
Marvin Williams is a SUCKY BUST!!!! He needs to go too!!! So do Zsa Zsa “Gabor” Pachulia and Joe johnson..Joe Johnson is soft)
The Hawks can do good things with the right mindset…but as of right now they are soft…..this has to do with the coach and the mindset of the fans.
The fans see the winning record numbers and jump on the bandwagon…
The players read their press clippings and go to Magic City.
Too many whorish loose women in the ATL…and the ATL pro athletes are all over them.
That’s what’s wrong with the Falcons and the Hawks.
GT/Falcons fan
February 27th, 2010
3:28 pm
Question….where were Horford and Josh Smith tonite….they sure werent in the paint on either end.
IREPATL
February 27th, 2010
3:46 pm
BOSTON JUST LOST TO NEW JERSEY!!!! LOOOOOOOOOOOL
sam'l
February 27th, 2010
4:20 pm
Mark: We must have watched different games. Woodson didn’t “brush” Kidd. Kidd purposely ran toward Woodson and stuck his elbow out in effect, attacking Woodson. The, Kidd pretended on screen that he was the injured party…This happened it was obvious (at least to the commentators)that the coach had signaled for a timeout. The Hawks should protest this game. The rule obviously was formulated for the case in which a player is clipped or hampered by someone off the court. This didn’t happen. Kidd ran out of his way to jab an older man. . In general, I don’t like the way Woodson has coached this team. Quite frankly, his lack of creativity has hurt this team. But in this case, Woodson would have been justified by decking Kidd…and I would feel the same way if Bibby had crashed into Del Harris or Phil Jackson……
Against Golden State, we lost because the refs decided to let the Warriors shove Crawford out of bounds and he stuck up for himself. .He was shoved a la Rudy Tomjanovich (sp?) with one Warrior rushing full speed at him with outstretched arms.
Against Cleveland, we lost because the refs decided to let us have 10 seconds instead of 24 and we didn’t know what to do about it and nobody cared anyway because it was the Hawks.. .
As for the zone debacle, the obvious thing to do is chant Fire Woody, Fire Woody, but the smart thing to do would be to study that zone to see why it was effective and see if somewhere within there is a key to beating Orlando.,
doc
February 27th, 2010
4:26 pm
blog dropped a few comments today.
nique
February 27th, 2010
4:28 pm
would be nice to have a coach that could make an in-game adjustment to the opposing team’s strategy. woody is worthless.
lewis halp
February 27th, 2010
4:29 pm
Mike Woodson is a complete and total bust. The people on this forum, even those with nothing new to contribute, know more about what needs to happen for the Hawks to win than Woodson. Constantly I find myself wanting to write long rants about why and how Hawks aren’t living up to their potential, but it seems useless. Re-signing Bibby, Zaza and Williams is pretty much like vomiting all over your fanbase. I used to be a Hawks fan in the mid 90’s and gave up until I recently jumped on the bandwagon once again. I live in Cleveland now, and the way they love Lebron makes me jealous, wanting to get more behind my own team. The potential that Josh Smith and Al Horford possess is exciting to watch, but without coaching, a former star big man like Patrick Ewing is to Dwight Howard, they will never live up to it. Joe Johnson is an excellent player, but he lacks the confidence of a real superstar. Blah blah blah, repeat everything everyone else has said, etc,
i just want to emphasize this point once more:
Bibby is 31 years old. He’s slow, can’t play defense, does not come up with creative plays, and simply isn’t athletic enough to run with his own team. I could care less about the few three pointers he makes each game. He’s a bore to watch, and when down by 10 points, with him moving down the court like molasses, you know we have no chance. He doesn’t have the energy. Watching Jason Kidd at 36 play 28 times better than Bibby in his entire career with the hawks was difficult to watch. When your 31 year old point guard can’t do shit against a 36 year old Kidd, you sit his ass down on the bench and let someone who can keep up (teague) give it a shot. Teague doing nothing is better than Bibby bouncing up and down the court doing that stupid little move he does to compensate for lacking speed.
That said, go Hawks, even though we know exactly why you will fail in the second round of the playoffs, I will watch anyway.
Josh Smith and Al Horford are the only ones who seem to show any signs of life, and that’s not saying much. Without a coach to help direct that energy, the Hawks will once again lose in the first or second round of the playoffs.
Chas
February 27th, 2010
5:26 pm
The Mavs were also short handed.
NBA'er
February 27th, 2010
5:29 pm
Jacovny, nice retort. The only problem with your explanation is that Woody wasn’t on the floor when Kidd got to him. He jumped off and then Kidd hit him with the forearm. Or are you too blind to see what was shown over and over on the tube last night?
Chas
February 27th, 2010
5:31 pm
Also, how do you lose to a short-handed team when they’re on the road?
tp
February 27th, 2010
5:34 pm
Hire Avery Johnson, sign Chris Bosh, Raymond Felton and draft Xavier Henry to replace JJ.
Jo
February 27th, 2010
6:08 pm
Look at the replay, woody didnt bump Kidd, he went OUT of his wat to hit him and wody was OUT of bounds when that happened (look careful). Not to sugarcoat woody for bing on thr court but that 1 point was the difference in the score…
E43
February 27th, 2010
6:11 pm
i put 16 loss instead of 16 win season earlier.
theres not many solutions being presented that fix the hawks problems.
1)if we fire woody then who will replace him? there are teams with actual coaching issues to adress.
2)marvin bibby and zaza are all under contract. the hawks are one of the healthiest teams in the east. loosing any of these guys means loosing depth somewhere wich wont hurt unless someone gets injured.
3)jamal crawford saw double teams a few games back and he played just horrible
4)if joe is in the top five guards and kobe obvously wont come to atlanta then i highly doubt that theres an upgrade that can help the hawks.
5) the only upgrades that are possible for the hawks in the offseason is either drafting a 1st round center or a G-F to replace maurice evans cause i dont think the hawks can put up the $ to keep him nor will he want to return given his minutes to perform.
for a 35 loss team last season,the hawks are just fine. they just need a small tweak here and there to work things out.
Now I'm in for it: John Smoltz, United States Congressman? | Mark Bradley
February 27th, 2010
7:43 pm
[...] AJC’s political insider Jim Galloway is reporting that some Republicans are interested in drafting my favorite pitcher to run for the House seat John Linder announced Saturday he’ll be leaving. I don’t live [...]
rusty
February 27th, 2010
8:05 pm
how could we bring back woody,everyone knows he is being out coached every game. he is also so
damm stubborn.he brings nothing to this team.also jj has to go he is soft offensively & d
efensively,the team will never have a ball movement offense.with him here.he is not a clutch player.
i think he is really vastly overated even tho he has talent. i am so tired of him running away from players going to the basket. what the heck was he doing throwing deliberate elbows.
cdog
February 27th, 2010
11:34 pm
i still say mike woodson should be the coach of the hawks for a long time.he just need to re evaluate himself and his players in different situation. i believe he is the man for the job.
bakerman
February 28th, 2010
8:31 am
Woody again prooved he is an idiot.
RulesBook
February 28th, 2010
11:03 am
>wody was OUT of bounds when that happened (look careful)
It doesn’t matter if he was out of bounds when the contact happend. He was on the court and that’s a technical. The contact was made by Kidd to force a ruling by the refs. The fact that Woodson was on the court is a T.
nique
February 28th, 2010
12:02 pm
to focus on woody getting hit or not by kidd is missing the point. hawks lost the game because woody couldn’t draw up a strategy that they could execute to stop the bleeding with a 13 point cushion in the fourth at home. that’s what cost us the game.
BeetleBailey
March 1st, 2010
1:22 pm
I DONT CARE WHAT ANYONE HAS SAID ABOUT THE HAWKS UP UNTIL THIS POINT. I UNDERSTAND THE NBA GAME AS WELL AS ANYONE. THE HAWKS HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON RIGHT NOW. MOST LOCAL FANS UNDER VALUE THE HAWKS AND UNDER APPRECIATE THEM. I KNOW THAT ON A NATIONAL SCALE, THE HAWKS THIS SEASON ARE CONSIDERED AMONG THE NBA’S ELITE AND THEIR RECORD SHOWS THEY ARE THERE. OUT OF THIRTEEN TEAMS IN THE CONFERENCE THE HAWKS ARE IN THE TOP 4 ALONG WITH (CLEVELAND, ORLANDO AND BOSTON). The Hawks are currently third in the conference behind Cleveland-1st, Orlando-2nd, Hawks-3rd and Boston-4th. Folks the Hawks are currently AHEAD of the Boston Celtics in the conference standings. Over the weekend, the Celtics lost to the lowly new jersey nets. At least when Dallas beat us the other night, Dallas had just beaten the Lakers. I think the fans take the losses too hard and they shouldnt. The Hawks are a legitimate threat this season to either a) finish in the Eastern Conference finals or b) represent the East in the Finals. The Hawks can make it to either of those spots. If the Hawks represent the East in the Finals, they will have a chance to win the championship. This is how good the Hawks are playing this season, but people are treating the Hawks as if they are the new jersey nets. Come on people, get your playoff tickets now and rally behind the Hawks. The Hawks have their best team since the Hubie Brown/Mike Fratello days. These are the glory days again to be a Hawks fan so enjoy it while you can.
northcyde
March 1st, 2010
11:23 pm
Beetle . . the local fans SUCK. They proved that Sunday night, when about 3,000 of them walked out of the arena when JJ missed the game winning shot. The game goes to overtime, but I guess those 3,000 fans didn’t want to see the ending, so they left.
Every one of them should just stay at home then from now on. Ungrateful fans. I can’t imagine any other fan base in the NBA that would see 30% of their crowd walk out on a game, before the game was over.
Some of these Atlanta fans think they’re owed something. They’re not owed JACK. I feel sorry for you loyal Hawk fans, because the bandwagon ATL fans give all of you in metro ATL a bad name. That was pathetic to see all of those people walk out of the Milwaukee game.
******************
But now look at the Hawks.
All of a sudden, we’ve won 4 of our last 5 games. No doubt that it could very easily be a 6 game winning streak if we didn’t blow the Golden St and Dallas games. But since we’re not “elite” yet, we’re still prone to bad losses, even against bad teams.
JJ struggles shooting in Chicago, but the rest of the team stepped up for once ( even the sorry bench ), and we win going away.
I bet Bradley won’t write an article about that though.
Hawks are 17 – 9 since the bad Miami loss back on January 4th. During that same time period:
Cleveland: 19 – 5
Orlando: 17 – 11
Boston: 12 – 13
Awww . . . boo hoo if we’re not playing as good as Cleveland these days. But we’re definitely not Boston. But let these sportswriters and fans talk, we’re the team that has been 12 – 13 since January 5th.
FACT: The Hawks have only had one 3+ game losing streak all year. The stretch in which this team lost 6 out of 8 games during the Christmas/New Year holiday, is still the low point of the season. The rest of the way . . . we’ve pretty won 6.5 out of every 10 games.
Hawks still on target to win 50 – 55 games . . . and people are constantly complaining and crying like we’re a .500 ballclub.
But the fact that these sportswriters cite our record since the 19 – 6 start, as their grounds for the Hawks struggling, show that they have a negative agenda against this team and this organization as a whole. If they wanted to be positive, they could easily cite the mark where I start from, and spin the Hawks situation as being one of the real good teams in the NBA.
But they go negative . . . they always go negative. We’ve won 4 of 5, but nothing will be said about that. But wait until we blow another game that we should win. They’ll pop up with another article either bashing the Hawks, or asking a question as to “what’s wrong with the Hawks?”
I’m just glad a few people see right through these cats.
northcyde
March 1st, 2010
11:28 pm
cdog . . .if we win the division, Woody WILL win Coach of the Year.
54 wins and a division title pretty much seals Coach of the Year for Woody.
northcyde
March 1st, 2010
11:30 pm
I guess my very 1st post is being reviewed. Let’s see if they post it. Not up yet though.
SilentAssasin
March 3rd, 2010
4:31 pm
The Hawks have nothing to worry about. They will win the NBA championship this year because I have seen nobody in the league better than they are. I will explain what I mean: #1-the world champs (Lakers) got worse by getting rid of Trever Ariza. Ariza got key steals in the Denver series last year and in the finals that sealed the victories for the Lakers. Ariza should have been the MVP of the finals; so the Lakers got worse by bringing in Ron Artest. #2-Cavs got worse with Shaq being injured and losing Ilgauskas. The Hawks can beat the Cavs in the playoffs in the Cavs current state, even with the addition of Antoine Jamison. This means the Hawks may win a title. #3-Orlando got worse by getting rid of two hall of fame players in Rafer Alsten AND Heido Turkulu and compensating for those losses by bringing in the old, washed up veteran Vince Carter; a definite downgrade for the Magic. #4-Boston, The Hawks have owned them this year; undefeated against them 4-0. So the Magic, Cavs and Lakers are worse while the Hawks are considerbly better. I do believe I think this means the Hawks are now the favoite to win the NBA world championship. Hawk fans get ready for the impossible because its about to happen in the next couple of months.