The Hawks unleash one of the epic collapses in Atlanta annals
Here's one picture. It's worth several hundred million words. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
This was the Falcons blowing the lead against Danny White and Dallas in January 1981. This was Mark Wohlers hanging the slider to Jim Leyritz in October 1996. Only it wasn’t. It was worse.
Those opponents were top-class. The Hawks just blew a 13-point lead and probably a playoff series to Milwaukee, which is a No. 6 seed missing its All-Star center. They trail 3-2 in a series they led 2-0. They face elimination on the road, a place they’ve won once in 11 tries over the past three postseasons.
Yeah, theoretically they could still pull this out, but how can you win in the Bradley Center when you can’t hold a nine-point lead inside the final four minutes with the series lead on the line? How can you put this colossal choke — I hate that word, but it applies here — behind you?
Up nine, and here’s what happened: Josh Smith missed a dunk by hitting the ball on the underside of the backboard; Jamal Crawford short-armed a layup, the first of his five misses down the stretch; the Hawks watched as Ersan Ilyasova grabbed every loose ball and Joe Johnson fouled out on a charge. Nine points up with 3:55 left, the Hawks saw the lead disappear in 116 seconds.
I say again: One hundred sixteen seconds.
There are no excuses for this game, this series. The team with the better players is the one with one foot out the exit door. The Bucks have two chances to win once. The Hawks are down to their final shot.
“We had control of the game,” Mike Woodson said. “We let it get away.”
Then this: “It’s still a seven-game series. We’re going to see what we’re made of.”
We may already have seen it. We may have seen a team of splendid resources hit its ceiling. The Hawks win because they’re talented, but talent hasn’t been enough against a smarter and more dogged opponent. If anything, talent has undone itself. The Hawks have played into the Bucks’ hands for three games now, and there seems no end in sight. The Bucks are now believers; the Hawks really aren’t sure what they are anymore.
“All winning basketball plays,” Woodson said of the two offensive rebounds claimed by Ilyasova that spawned five immense points, the final three coming on a corner trey by Carlos Delfino that put the Bucks ahead by four. But why can’t Woodson’s men make those plays? Why does everything always come down to Joe Johnson, and why, with Iso-Joe rendered inoperative this crucial night, did nobody have a clue? (Unless hoisting a jump shot is having a clue.) This isn’t supposed to be a one-man team, but right now it’s not playing like a team at all.
Said Milwaukee’s splendid Brandon Jennings: “When Joe Johnson went out of the game, I thought we had a chance.”
Nine points up, four minutes left. Four minutes from a 3-2 series lead. Four minutes that will live in infamy on the long list of Atlanta sports collapses. Four minutes that could lead to the dismantling of this roster and perhaps the dismissal of this coach. Four unbelievable minutes.
Really, though, how unbelievable were they? The Hawks blew a fat lead here against Dallas, nearly blew one against Orlando last month. They’re known as the team that can fall to pieces if you keep applying pressure, and on this wretched night they lived down to that sorry reputation. They wasted a lead that should have been safe and are positioned to lose a series that should already have been won.
Technically the Hawks haven’t yet been eliminated. But it sure feels that way.
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414 comments Add your comment
Billy D
April 29th, 2010
3:12 pm
Game 6 will either be: a.) A close game where the Hawks battle and don’t give up or execute poorly or b.) A MIL blowout. I’m sorry to say I’m leaning towards b. I think Skiles will be on his team’s a$$ and not let them go to a Game 7 is ATL. I really really hope I’m wrong and the Hawks will pull this one out
Chucktown38
April 29th, 2010
3:19 pm
Fire Woody, Bad coaching and player playing scared equals failure.
Old devil
April 29th, 2010
3:48 pm
HAWKS FANS: YOUR NEXT COACH IS ALREADY SITTING ON THE BENCH—–MARK PRICE! IF NOTHING ELSE, YOU WOULD BELIEVE THEY WOULD MAKE THEIR FOUL SHOTS…
Big D
April 29th, 2010
3:54 pm
Old devil
April 29th, 2010
3:48 pm
HAWKS FANS: YOUR NEXT COACH IS ALREADY SITTING ON THE BENCH—–MARK PRICE! IF NOTHING ELSE, YOU WOULD BELIEVE THEY WOULD MAKE THEIR FOUL SHOTS…
—–
Mark Price, Paul Silas, hell even Byron Scott. This team has gone as far as its gonna with Woody..
WOW !!!!
April 29th, 2010
4:33 pm
WOW!!! The bucks are one of the few teams that have had more opportunities to get more lottery picks then the Hawks, and they are up 3-2 and probably will win the series and they come on our boards and brag and tell crappy jokes? You guys show so much class, of course your city is hyped up over this series because it has simply been so long since you have had a legitimate chance to make it to the second round, and even though you guys ( and the hawks as well if we make it) will get swept or at the very most will win one game over orlando in the next round you should feel proud of your accomplishments…however, like mentioned, you guys; similarly to the Hawks should have had the players to win a championship a long time ago!!! So what are you guys actually proving right now???? Is it fear the dear or fear the *****????
A Milwaukee Resident
April 29th, 2010
5:56 pm
It’s very telling to me, a Milwaukee resident, who the truly classless individuals are. Those of you who have probably never even been to my city and insist on disrespecting us know who you are.
The Bucks are a TEAM. They play like a TEAM. There are no “superstars”. There are no individuals. There is a TEAM. And that concept wins in a TEAM sport all the time. I don’t care if you’re the #1 seed or the #8 seed, you live and die by your TEAM’s chemistry and willingness to work together.
Congrats on the fabulous season you had. Celebrate that. There are plenty people sitting home watching that don’t have a dog on this race.
Sconnie born&raised
April 29th, 2010
6:09 pm
Just finished reading through all 4 pages of this blog, just wanted to see how ATL fans were taking it. In a typical fashion, like any other fans from any sport, most people are calling for the coach’s head.
As an avid sports fan across multiple sports, I’d first like to say that I know exactly how you feel. The Bucks, for example, have finally started to amass talent that ISN’T that failure Michael Redd. To be completely honest, Redd is like a poor man’s JJ. Also, I know an unsure coach when I see one. Anyone know/remember Ned Yost? He was a lot like Woody. Had the skill set to develop a terrible team into one that makes opponents think twice. BUT, he had no idea what to do with a winning team, so we fired his ass. Woody is in very much the same boat, as far as I can see. He did a PHENOMINAL job turning around the woeful Hawks, but when the heat is on and the pressure rises, he doesn’t know what to call. Especially when his patented methods aren’t going as planned (ISO-JOE, for example). You still have to give him some props though, as he got you here. Would you rather be a 25-30-win team still?
Also, the Hawks are definitely one of the most talented teams this year. You guys have 4 starters who are long, lean, strong shot blockers with the skills to run the floor and make your jumpers when needed. I’m definitely proud of my Bucks for sticking with you guys. Skiles has shown that defensive prowess and hustle still have a place in this game.
Yes, we only have one favorable matchup (BJ-Bibby) and yes, we lost our star center three weeks ago, but we play the game that we need to. The only way to stop the Hawks is to prevent the transition game that you thrive on, crash the boards, and use speed to deal with your bigs, and we’ve done that. Skiles knew exactly what needed to be done, and taught his team such.
I’m not here to rip on ATL, its fans or its teams, but I honestly feel like your team is without a true leader. Your team comes across as selfish and fully dependent on it’s talent. That’s not a fault, per se, but still, the Hawks should’ve figured out during game 4 that they need to ball swing, and can’t just muscle us around. You know what won game 5 for us? The fantastic hustle of Ers and the team dynamics and IQ to make smart plays.
To be honest, I had hoped the Celtics would try at the end of the season so we could play them, as we never seemed to match up right against the Hawks. You guys gave us so much trouble all season long. Plus, I’d wanted to get a little revenge on Ray-ray, but that won’t happen this year.
All in all, my hat’s off to the Hawks for making it this far with some fantastic talent. Without bogues, we pretty much stand no chance next round, anyway, but the trip has sure been one hell of a ride!
Best of luck with the draft, offseason, and future years. See you in the playoffs next year?
One last thing, there’s no need to hate on the cities, they’re irrelevant to the game. Yes MKE sits on a dirty lake and is very blue-collar. But hey, we love our city all the same. Tons of bars, an awesome event grounds, the largest music festival in the world (Suck it Chi-town, Lolla’s no match for Summerfest), and some crazy cultural diversity. I’ve never been to ATL, but I’m sure its a great place. Personally, I’d find it too warm, and I love the winter, but thats just me.
Good Luck and much love,
Wisconsin fans.
hawks fan for life
April 29th, 2010
9:47 pm
this hawks team is very depressing to the fans. i have home game 1 second round tickets but i guess i will be turning those in tomorrow. im not ready for a depressing weekend. bucks have won these games fair. im sick of jj playing with no heart and woodson standing over there being stupid. now i hope we get d wade in the off-season. atl sports have been sorry for a long time this city deserves some titles from any sport.
BucksFan
April 30th, 2010
9:13 am
Fear the Deer!
1996 Choke
April 30th, 2010
3:32 pm
The choke against the yankees in 96 was the absolute worst, especially since I work with 2-3 very obnoxious new yorkers from the bronx and queens who talk yankee stuff all day—it was unbearable after that series.
Random
May 2nd, 2010
9:56 am
Mark Bradley: “The Hawks just blew a 13-point lead and probably a playoff series to Milwaukee, which is a No. 6 seed missing its All-Star center.”
“Probably???
Yer friggin useless.
Random
May 2nd, 2010
4:27 pm
An epic collapse.
Good call, Bradley.
KakNiqueTree
May 2nd, 2010
9:01 pm
Bucks Fan
April 29, 2010
1:07am
Yeah go jump in Lake Michigan after they lose
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Hilarious stuff, have a nice summer. Fear the Deer (snort)
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June 6th, 2010
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