The Hawks haven’t grown up, and now they’re in trouble
Turns out there is something to do in Milwaukee, Josh Smith. Lose twice. (AP photo)
Milwaukee – Remember the Hawks? Leading a playoff series 2-0 since 1970? They’re not leading anymore. They’re tied with a team minus its center. They’re tied and they’re reeling. They might still win this series, but there’s no longer a guarantee.
One misstep at Philips Arena and the East’s No. 3 seed will be relegated to the dustbin of playoff flops. Because we can’t really see these Hawks winning on the road in any round of any postseason, can we?
Give the Hawks a smidgen of credit. For a change, they made the home team work. They were down three after one quarter, down four at the half. They’d done what a road team needs to do: They’d given themselves a chance. Then they threw it away.
They threw it away in a wretched third quarter, in which the Milwaukee Bucks spread out the Hawks and sliced them to confetti. And let’s say it again: The Bucks have no center, and they have a rookie for a lead guard, and they have journeymen like Kurt Thomas and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Carlos Delfino not just in their rotation but in their starting five. And they’re now tied with the Hawks, who have …
Two All-Stars. A third guy who should have been an All-Star, and a fourth who’ll soon be named the NBA’s best sixth man.
But here’s your difference: The Bucks play in a way that maximizes every part and the Hawks, at least when outside the Perimeter, play in a way that minimizes their resources. Some of it is coaching — Milwaukee’s Scott Skiles has worked a nice series — but more of it is simply the nature of these Hawks.
They don’t like it when it gets messy. They don’t react well when the opponent spaces the floor and forces bigger men to guard quick guards. They do it anyway, but in the two games here they’ve done the switching thing so poorly that they’ve blown their chance to make quick work of a diminished opponent. They’re in a real fight now, and the Bucks believe they’re every bit a match for the presumed heavyweight.
Back to that third quarter: The Hawks came out of the dressing and yielded two quick layups to John Salmons. The Bucks would make seven layups in the period. This is in the playoffs, where the motto of every defense is supposed to be, “No layups.” But the Hawks kept allowing the smaller opponent driving lanes, and this is one team that knows how to find the open man when he’s cutting to the hoop.
A four-point halftime deficit became an 11-point hole in 12 minutes. The Bucks scored 31 points in the third quarter, making 12 of 19 shots. (It’s easy to shoot 63.2 percent when you’re shooting from two feet.)
The Hawks made it interesting in the fourth period, but this team should be beyond the point where we praise it for not quitting. The Hawks won 53 games this season. This is their third playoff run. They should be all grown up.
Alas, they’re not. They still do the silliest things. Josh Smith got into it with the officials early and was never himself. He scored 20 points, but they were jump-shot points, disjointed points. Al Hoford got two early fouls and finished with four baskets before fouling out. Mo Evans lifted the Hawks with his defense but shot them out of it at the other end. (He took seven shots, missing five.)
And Mike Woodson took the better players and again allowed the opponent to control the game. He got Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford and Mike Bibby going in tandem, and it didn’t matter. Because the Bucks are making the Hawks pay for deploying Bibby and Crawford, neither of whom is a strong defender, and those mismatches out front have leveled what seemed a lopsided series.
Yes, the Hawks can still win. Yes, they should still win. But they’re facing another trip to Josh Smith’s favorite city and their margin of error has been reduced to nothing, and there sits Orlando, already in Round 2.
This is not the way a grown-up team handles Round 1. If the Hawks don’t grow up fast, they might not see Round 2.
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179 comments Add your comment
truthspitter
April 27th, 2010
12:18 am
The Bucks are pure trash and don’t deserve any credit. There fans are trashy also, I never go to anyone other teams forums or boards after we win. We sweep Boston a legit team unlike the Bucks and I did not do that. The problem is the Hawks are also trash and will not proceed until they rid themselves of there curse which is Marvin Williams they got rid of all the other clear-cut mistakes except for this bust
Angie
April 27th, 2010
12:18 am
Is there one reason not to dump every one of these lazy millionaires and get some players who give a sh*t about anything except getting the season over with as fast as possible?
Seriously. Start over.
MrHughes
April 27th, 2010
12:19 am
RC in ATL,
It would be great to see Childress come back as a rotational player.
Like you said we need a vocal leader, but i think need we two. One on the court and one on the sidelines(Coach). We need a tough coach to whip these guys into shape. For us to be playing this way on the road is really embarrassing as a hawks fan. Remember that they aren’t even playing with their best player, and they are making us just look like crap.
Someone call Avery Johnson, It looks like Mike Woodson’s career here is over.
TheAntiMe
April 27th, 2010
12:21 am
Wow, MrHughes, you are definitely the biggest Hawks fan around. While I agree that it would be way cool to have D. Wade in the Hawks backcourt, I’m not quite willing to trade in any of my original equipment.
truthspitter
April 27th, 2010
12:22 am
Angie: Why does everyone talk about money so much with athletes? Noone is stopping you from getting a better job than being a cashier at Fred Dollar Store
Peter
April 27th, 2010
12:23 am
How do you tweak the roster with guys signed for so long…….ZAZA….Marvin ?
Plus what most folks do not realize…..the Spirit is running in the RED BIG TIME……. loosing hockey team, can’t sell the Hawks, and the stadium is not selling for other events as well.
POOR ownership, and may mistakes will set this franchise back a few years, especially after JJ leaves……and really can you trust them to pick the next coach ?
ryc30078
April 27th, 2010
12:24 am
Hey Mark; Tell me how does a #2 draft pick who stands 6′9 and weighs 250lbs only have 4 points in 20 minutes with Carlos Delfino! I’M SICK OF MARVIN WILLLIAMS; HE IS A BUST; HE IS ONE OF THE MOST UNATHLETIC PLAYERS IN THE NBA TODAY!! HE CAN BARELY DUNK; HE MOVES LIKE AN EDERLY PERSON!! HE HAS REGRESSED TERRIBLY THIS YEAR; AND RICK SUND REALLY NEEDS TO CUT BAIT WITH THIS GUY THIS OFF-SEASON.
chem
April 27th, 2010
12:27 am
When the team gave up in Game 3, it was not only embarrassing but it certainly emboldened the Bucks. It’s a playoff game, and it’s only 48 minutes. — If your career is basketball, you make millions of dollars doing so, and it’s the playoffs, why do you need homecourt to motivate yourself to play full out for 48 minutes?
TheAntiMe
April 27th, 2010
12:27 am
Marvin Williams is the new Speedy Claxton. At least Speedy was injured and had an excuse.
Buckfan
April 27th, 2010
12:27 am
Bucks fan reading this board because I am interested in other team’s viewpoint. Seems like a lot of overreaction. Hawks are good, not great. Never were great, and never will be great with this cast of players. Very talented. Certainly better than the Bucks (at least without Bogut), and will likely still win, but probably now in 7. Hawks biggest issue is lack of chemistry and lack of a legit point guard, they don’t have any playmakers, just scorers. How the Hawks fans watch the non-stop isolations without going insane is beyond me…that’s not basketball, it’s a glorified game of one-on-one. Give the Bucks a little credit, they are undermanned and don’t have a lot of talent, but they play hard and the right way.
Aaron
April 27th, 2010
12:30 am
Mark, any comments about Adrian Woj’s article claiming the Hawks will ditch their draft pick in an effort to re-sign JJ to a max contract?
Aaron
April 27th, 2010
12:31 am
Mark, any comments on the Yahoo Sports article (Adrian Woj) claiming the Hawks will ditch their draftpick in an effort to re-sign JJ to a max contract? Has Woodson really manage to “cool” Sund’s offce, too?
Moxie
April 27th, 2010
12:31 am
Man it sure is frustrating to be a fan right now. It seems like fans want them to win more then they want to. I just dont get why they lay a big ‘ol egg on the road all the time! Its not like this is something new. They have now played 43 games on the road, but they cant get right!They say the same old tired comment: “i dont know why we dont come out with energy”, “we are still learning how to win”. WTH! After you won 53 games, I think you know how to win pretty well. They are complacent. They dont think they are going to win a championship, and who are we kidding, do we really think they are going to win the Finals? Do they have the mental toughness to win 16 games this postseason? No.
lewis
April 27th, 2010
12:32 am
pathetic performance again. Bibby is the worst 31 year old defender at the point in the NBA and it’s completely and totally embarassing to watch. Mo never plays so its impossible for him to get into rhythm shooting. I wouldn’t put up with Zaza or Josh’s attitudes for a second. I’d have benched them instantly. Don’t need a phenomenal coach to win a championship, but without a player leader, we’re screwed. Hawks really fooled me this season I thought we were going to step it up in the playoffs. Chris Weber and Charles Barkeley just said they were disappointed in the Hawks and no longer believe in them. I agree.
TheAntiMe
April 27th, 2010
12:32 am
I hate to burst your bubble, Buckfan, but for the last couple of years the Hawks have a very nasty habit of playing down to their competition, especially on the road.
Peter
April 27th, 2010
12:32 am
Speedy……that would be an antonym for Marvin……… not a synonym !
One blogger said it best he is pulling a Casper.
keno
April 27th, 2010
12:32 am
After watching the press conferences, I think they should send Woody packing. What the hell was that? I could of gave better answers than the nonchalant BS he was talking. Seriously? I can’t believe he condones “bickering” amongst teammates during the game (he said they’ve been doing it all season and it’s good for them to work out the grievances with each other). And then the Joe Johnson answer made no sense at all. I don’t think this team takes on Joe’s personality. I think they take Woody’s personality. How many times can the answer be, “we fought all season for homecourt and we took care of our business”. So that means that he doesn’t expect to make it out of the second round since the Hawks will not have homecourt for that series.
ryc30078
April 27th, 2010
12:33 am
Buckfan; Good game by your Bucks tonight; but the Bucks favorite play is letting Brandon Jennings dribble around the baseline for 24 seconds and hitting lucky shots just as the shot clock is about to expire. I blame Mike Woodson for not adjusting to the Bucks pick n roll involving Carlos Defino. Both teams can’t operate a half-court offense.
Big Ray
April 27th, 2010
12:35 am
Mark Bradley ,
Of course the Hawks don’t like it when their bigs have to guard the opposing team’s guards. No team in this league has to do it as much as the Hawks do. This is what happens when:
1) You draft a college team’s backup forward and ignore two very good point guard prospects
2) Sign three straight broken down veteran pgs to address the position, with the last one managing to play less than 25 full games in two or three seasons.
3) Trade two lottery pick draft mistakes, a popcorn loving idiot, and one of the aforementioned broken down veteran pgs for another pg who is about to break down, not realizing that the team you are trading with is glad to have the “trash” that you are trading them in return…helloooooo….
4) Ignore the best point guard propsect that you’ve had since Billy Knight came to town, ensuring that you are stuck with no backup point guard in the playoffs (and nobody outside of Joe Johnson, who can actually guard the opposing pg), and the guy who is doing that job just happens to be a talented, but streaky-shooting journeyman shooting guard who has never been to the playoffs before.
5) Staying in a Holiday Express won’t help, even. Lose this series, and the bald one is gone, while his boss scrambles to find some answers before he follows him.
PlusSizeModel
April 27th, 2010
12:36 am
The only thing good that will come from this completely unlikeable Hawks team winning this series is so I can watch them get swept by Orlando.
Signed,
A Hawks Fan if the product was worth a flip.
The ownership is a joke.
The coach is an embarrassment.
The co-Main Guy (Smith) may have the lowest basketball acumen in history.
Seen-a-lot
April 27th, 2010
12:36 am
Ownership in the red? Yes, and that’s why everyone can’t own a pro team. You can’t be short on cash flow and make bad decisions.
Peter
April 27th, 2010
12:39 am
Signing Marvin to a Big Contract was a BAD decision…….and will bite them long term.
corrina252
April 27th, 2010
12:39 am
Gosh Mike Bradley you sure are an arrogant jag-off. Mbah a Moute is not a journeyman but rather a 2nd year player from UCLA drafted by the Bucks. I guess a “big-time journalist” like yourself should probably know something like that. Secondly, Skiles, who finished second in coach of the year voting, is putting on a coaching clinic and to not realize that shows how little you truly know about the game. FEAR THE DEER. Bucks win the series in 6. Since atlanta has terrible sports fans it will be interesting to see what a morgue the phillips arena is on wednesday. FEAR THE DEER.
Al Einstein
April 27th, 2010
12:40 am
Hawks BB: Get a lot of talent, don’t play together, take turns playing one on one, act cocky, play no defense, mouth off about the other team’s city not being up to your standards, and then go out and LOSE to a team that was happy just to be in their first play-offs in 8 years. TWICE !!!! Oh, and talk smart about bring on Orlando. Orlando can’t wait to get a hold of their next opponent be it Hawks of Bucks. At least the Bucks know it and would put up the good fight. Hawks will crawl away after a quarter or two. NO HEART.
Buckfan
April 27th, 2010
12:42 am
TheAntiMe, there is no bubble to burst. I don’t doubt the Hawks play down to their competition, and I think they’ll probably win the series anyway, the Bucks are just not there yet from a talent perspective. The Hawks are a reasonably talented team without a legitimate playmaker who can create shots for not only himself, but also his teammates. Look around the NBA and tell me which teams are winning in the playoffs that don’t have a good point guard…Nash, Kidd, Westbrook, Williams, Kobe, LeBron, etc.). Tough to win playoff basketball against good teams without a really good playmaker.
Udahman
April 27th, 2010
12:42 am
Fear the Deer! We’ve got you in our sites…AND…we have momentum!
Peter
April 27th, 2010
12:43 am
Buckfan is correct……..trade Marvin for a one !
ryc30078
April 27th, 2010
12:43 am
Corrina252; Atlanta fans will be ready Wednesday. Don’t brag too much about those Bucks fans; I still saw SEVERAL EMPTY SECTIONS IN THAT DUMP THEY CALL THE BRADLEY CENTET\R
Buckfan
April 27th, 2010
12:45 am
Peter, if Jennings and Bibby switched teams, Hawks are a legit contender. And the Bucks are thinking about drafting John Wall.
Udahman
April 27th, 2010
12:48 am
truthspitter, so tell buck fans where it says we can’t comment on “YOUR” board?! AJC says nothing of the kind…do you sign their paycheck?
corrina252
April 27th, 2010
12:48 am
FEAR THE DEER. Most be frustrating being a hawks fan. FEAR THE DEER. I could give a rip if you think the bradley center is dump it had more electricity than you atlanta bozos could ever create. FEAR THE DEER.
Udahman
April 27th, 2010
12:49 am
truthspitter, or are you just afraid of the truth? Did you see in your own ajc newsrag that local atlanta fans are now predicting a BUCKS win…taking the series? Great fans you have down there…backstabbing your own team…so we thought we’d bring a little class to your board
Udahman
April 27th, 2010
12:49 am
FEARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR THE DEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Will
April 27th, 2010
12:51 am
SickandTired – that WAS a sick comment, and pathetic. Your strategy for the Hawks to win a series is to root for them to injure an opposing player? Loser.
PlusSizeModel
April 27th, 2010
12:52 am
The Hawks re-signing Marvin Williams to a new five year deal is the definition of mind-boggling. I thought Billy Knight got fired.
ryc30078
April 27th, 2010
12:54 am
Corrina252, Don’t make me laugh you bandwagon buck fan. The Bucks is in the bottom third of the league in attendance! Funny how all “These Bucks Fans” are all coming out of the woodwork now lol!
corrina252
April 27th, 2010
12:56 am
FEAR THE DEER.
ryc30078
April 27th, 2010
12:57 am
Udaman; Stop with your lies; No Atlanta fan is predicting the Bucks to win this series; The Hawks will win the series period. Btw quit acting like you from “Milwaukee” lol!
Loc
April 27th, 2010
12:59 am
If I hear the words “we like our core” from this moronic ownership group and GM one more time, I will puke. A good core is one like that of OKC, where there is still room to grow and put other pieces around it. This core has already maxed out it’s ability and will not sniff the finals or anything close to it.
I ask again, why the hell did we give Marvin’s duck butt a 5 year deal when nobody else wanted him? Completely inexcusable and a lazy job by Sund. I hate to say it, but we are headed for more rebuilding if JJ leaves and Marvin and Horford continue to regress.
What a pathetic organization.
Feer the Deer and the Beer
April 27th, 2010
1:00 am
Hey Atlanta, quit stealing our teams (the Milwaukee Hawks and the Milwaukee Braves) and we might stop stomping your Southern arse. What, you want the Packers too? Falcons (snicker)!
corrina252
April 27th, 2010
1:00 am
Wow the hawks averaged about 1200 more fans per game during the regular season than the bucks fans, IN A CITY 4 TIMES THE SIZE! Face it, atlanta fans are clowns.
Loc
April 27th, 2010
1:02 am
Sund’s offseason moves may have helped this team during this year’s regular season, but they did nothing to bring us closer to a title. We are now hamstrung by Marvin’s contract for 4 more years, Bibby for 2 more, and Zaza for 3 more. And for what? To win 53 games, have another useless 7 game first round series, and then get blown out in the 2nd round by a superior team? Just such a disgraceful organization and ownership group. Thank god for Arthur Blank, TD, and Mike Smith. Without that group, all 4 major sports teams in this city would be massive disappointments.
Kurt Thomas is definitely
April 27th, 2010
1:10 am
in Al’s head a little bit. Al needs to step it up in Game 5—-and the team needs to make a concerted effort to get him the ball in the post early & often, so Al can play with the reckless abandon we’ve seen before.
Also, lets show an adjustment for once & stop switching on screens so our bigs don’t get caught on the perimeter watching guys blow by them.
Lets Go Hawks!!
TS2
April 27th, 2010
1:11 am
woah
corrina252
April 27th, 2010
1:12 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYkgIrGMUcY
FEAR THE DEER.
Fear the Deer
April 27th, 2010
1:16 am
I think not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DzzmeoRmrQ
TS2
April 27th, 2010
1:16 am
damn you and the deer
JSS
April 27th, 2010
1:21 am
Freakin’ American Antelope, come home, get right, and then wipe them out! Sorry PETA!
blonju
April 27th, 2010
1:28 am
kurt thomas only sets illegal screens, yet because he’s 900 years old, the refs cut him slack on most of them … hawks brought the effort tonite, but were outshot by a team who thinks it has the momentum … 3 game series with 2 @ home … bucks “fans” really think they have a chance?! hawks still win in 6 … it’s just embarrassing that we’ve wasted all this energy on such a pitiful playoff team … if bogut was playing, we might be up 3-1 because he actually gets called for his fouls … the refs treat kurt thomas like he’s tim duncan or something .. see YOU wednesday! GO HAWKS!
TheAntiMe
April 27th, 2010
1:30 am
Actually, I think that most of the Milwaukee fans are good fans with some measure of class. Unlike the bandwagon jumping trolls invading this blog who act as if their team has never won a playoff game before. You Bambi’s show an extreme lack of class. You really should Fear the Beer!