The Hawks lose Game 1 by 43 points, and it seemed worse
The Hawks tried to stop Dwight Howard. Fail. (Photo by Gary W. Green, Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando – The Hawks really believed they had a chance to steal Game 1, but the only crime committed here was fraud. The East’s No. 3 seed performed as if it were back in its glory days of Billy Knight burning lottery picks on guys named Williams.
The Hawks were tied after 14 minutes. Ten minutes later they trailed by 20 points. And it would — oh yes, it would — get doubly worse.
It’s no easy feat to trail a Round 2 playoff game by 41 points having played only 36 minutes, but the proud conquerors of Milwaukee managed it. They were down 85-44 after three quarters. And I say it again: This is why so few folks outside Atlanta, and many folks in Atlanta, don’t take seriously a team that won 53 games this season and has survived a Game 7 in each of the two springs.
The Hawks tried really hard those first 14 minutes. Then the home team got going, and the visitors decided trying to play sound basketball really wasn’t worth the effort. So they ceased and desisted.
Joe Johnson kept losing the ball. (He had four turnovers against five points the first half.) Jamal Crawford looked scared. (His first half: Two points, two points.) And Mike Woodson’s grand scheme to control Dwight Howard worked for a little while, but the sheer weirdness of it — deploying the forgotten Jason Collins before the NBA’s sixth man of the year and the ancient Joe Smith in the first quarter — undid the team it was supposed to bolster.
The Hawks were so consumed by trying to bump and bedevil Howard they stopped running any semblance of an offense. (Collins made a basket and seemed shocked.) They scored 23 points in the first quarter; they managed 21 in the next two. They tried to go Iso-Joe and that didn’t work, so everyone decided to hoist jumpers. And the lead grew — it would peak at 112-66 — and the humiliation deepened, and the East’s No. 3 seed became something a No. 3 seed should never be: pitiable.
Joe Johnson wasn’t the only Hawk lacking this night — the line forms on the left and stretches to Daytona Beach — but he’s supposed to be the go-to guy, and he wasn’t. Not for lack of trying, though. He looked off an open Al Horford on the baseline in the second quarter to take a fadeaway jumper, which missed. In the third, the game long gone, Johnson started to pass to Jeff Teague and then, for the heck of it, shot another. Missed again.
To reiterate: This is the No. 3 seed, not the No. 8. Even if the Magic are superior — certainly a prima facie case can be made to that effect — they shouldn’t be 43 points better. But the Hawks keep going on the road in postseason and laying these dinosaur eggs and then wondering why we don’t give them credit for being a big-time team.
“This was uncharacteristic of us,” Johnson said afterward, but it was perfectly in character. This is a team that has played 13 road games the past three postseasons and has lost 11 of them, 10 by at least 19 points. Even if this was the most egregious, it was simply the continuation of a regrettable pattern.
Just when you think the Hawks have a chance to do something really good, they offer up a loss that makes you wonder if they’re any good at all. Yeah, yeah – it’s only one game and it still could be a long series, but the more the Hawks keep doing this the harder it is to write off one bad loss. Because there have been so many.
“It was frustrating,” Horford said. “Guys were trying, but we got a little distracted. We should be past that. We’re a good team. They’re not 40 points better than us.”
No team should be, the but Magic were in Game 1. Numerically, it was the worst playoff loss the Hawks have absorbed since moving to Atlanta. The only surprise was that it wasn’t the worst loss in the history of basketball. Because that’s how it smelled.
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219 comments Add your comment
MagicRocks
May 5th, 2010
9:41 am
To Game 1 Fluke:
This is NO fluke. Hawks sucked and they knew it after the second quarter. The only way Hawks win big (or win period) in Atlanta is when 3 or more of our starters aren’t playing. They can’t stop Howard and you guys know that. That joke of a player Za-Za Pa..whatever his last name is can’t do anything other than flop hoping refs will blow the whistle. Hartford…well let just say he’s more of a forward than a center. Like I said before, Hawks lost the regular season series 3-1. It’s going to be the same outcome in this series.
ladyhawksfan
May 5th, 2010
9:41 am
This is one of those performances that really have me scratching my head.The Hawks almost played a perfect 1st qtr.Then what happened next?Let me see here.Well first Jamal Crawford started hoisted up bad shots.Then Howard started to dominate with a few thunderous dunks.At that time we are probably down by 13 or so.Then thats when the same old Hawks begin to show up.Thats when they decided to go iso everything on offense,no ball movement,no screens,no pick and roll,no attacking the basket,and a whole lot of turnovers.Their defensive performance was even worse than their non existent offense.Thats called a snowball effect.When they cant score,they stop competing ,and their defense suffers,Why?Because they gave up.Why havent they learned that no matter how bad youre shooting the ball,when you maintain your defensive intensity and stop the other team from scoring you still give yourself a chance to at least be competitive.This is getting to old and there are no excuses.There is no way Orlando is 43 points better than us.They r deeper.more skilled and more polished.But in no way should they be more hungrier than us.Its all about will and desire and passion and the Hawks dont play with any on the road.In reality we dont match up well against Orlando but thats still no excuse to get ur butts kicked in a playoff game.If Joe continues to play the way he has,this series will be over in the next three games.Woody has got to make some major adjustments.Here is one that i suggest he try.On offense when we post J.J or Smoove,instead of Bibby making the entry pass why not use Hordford.That why maybe u can suck Howard out of the paint.Has he realized that Dwight is coming to double every time and the Hawks have no spacing,so how can they find the open man.If they use Al as the entry passer,maybe they will find some open shots.You will not beat Orlando with stagnant offense.Thats playing right into their hands.And another thing,why not try Joe on Nelson next game.Bibby is no match for him.
dawginDC
May 5th, 2010
9:42 am
joe johnson = overrated ball hog…………………
Roto Rooter
May 5th, 2010
9:47 am
@BBgenie – your name is appropriate. The Hawks need a genie to win. You said, “the series doesn’t start until we lose @ home.” I think you meant, the series doesn’t end until we lose two at home. GTFOH!
Gamer
May 5th, 2010
9:58 am
Only game#1 folks. No surprise that the Magic would take game#1 with a statement to the Hawks of their NBA championship quest…No postseason team would have beaten the Magic last night, not the Lakers or Cavaliers…They made some big shots and they ran the floor like generals…NO TEAM CAN BEAT THEM WHEN THEY PLAY LIKE THAT…
Now the Hawks must bounce back with a statement of their own…that the Hawks are not only here to play postseason ball but to win seven game series to reach Eastern Conf. Finals!!!!
The Hawks big reservemen will figure out D. Howard by game#2..Watch tapes of Howard foot movement…he leans to angle of his movement,,hint hint..
Joe Johnson and Jamal need to staple their midrange and penetrating game, the long ball will be there…Jamal can take his defenders off the dribble…Joe can post-up his defenders…These two must give their defenders difference looks, offensively.
Horford and Josh must continue to take the ball to the rack with strong physical play to make baskets or draw fouls from their defenders…
Bibby is a craftsman, he will find his way….
Woody need to settle down Jeff Teague because the boy got game…He just need to settle down and see the flow of the game with his teammates….
Marvin Williams need to use his atheleticism by not being afraid to take it hard to the rack…
Hawks got what it takes to defeat Magic in Orlando…
HAWKS PLAY STAND-UP STELLAR DEFENSE…LEAVE IT ALL ON THE COURT, HUSTLE, SWEAT AND DOMINANCE….
MAKE BEDLAM HAWKS!!! STRIKE FRIGHT INTO YOUR OPPONENT!!!
Ben
May 5th, 2010
9:59 am
Mark, here are some more supporting facts for people outside of Atlanta not taking this team seriously:
1) 2 games of the Hawks/Bucks series weren’t broadcast nationally (this is before it went past 4 games). They were broadcast regionally but not nationally. That is UNHEARD OF for an NBA Playoff series. Seems they felt there was ZERO interest outside both teams respective markets.
2) The lead story on Sportscenter today was the Lakers/Jazz. THIRTY FIVE MINUTES later, after “Pacman Jones to Bengals”, “Calipari in talk for new contract”, among others, we get the Hawks/Magic highlights. I think that speaks volumes to the national interest.
Most just view the Hawks as something the Magic have to get through to play the Cavs. By last night’s performance, they are 100% correct. This team is CLEARLY not a contender and they don’t deserve contender press.
jeff
May 5th, 2010
10:05 am
Just a thought- Why not use a 10 man rotation ( I know slap me I am dreaming) and sub every 6 minutes to have fresh bodies and JJ can only ISO for 12 minutes a half not 24.
Group 1.
Crawford, Teague or Bibby
JJ
Collins
Smoove
Za-Za
Group 2
Bibby, Crawford or Teague
Horford
Williams
Joe Smith
Evans
Brandon Jennings
May 5th, 2010
10:07 am
My mission was to wear out the Hawks, and I did.
Sav Fan
May 5th, 2010
10:13 am
The problem is not all Woody. Sund did not try to get a big man in the middle. Waiting to see what the guy from Cleveland was going to do and then not go after someone else was stupid. Please give Marvin his walking papers, he has no hustle.
82Dawg
May 5th, 2010
10:19 am
I was hoping this would be good series, but I am now thinking Orlando will sweep, but now I am thinking the Hawks will win one game.
DirtyDawg
May 5th, 2010
10:21 am
Joe Johnson’s head, and, I hope soon, his a$$, will be in New York. And as for his ‘40 minutes of hell’ upbringing, forgetaboutit. He was only there a year – or maybe two, I forget, plus I wasn’t paying much attention. All I do know is that as a freshman at the SEC tourney here, he was smooth and cool – he could put it up from the cheap seats and that’s all that was needed. Now it’s – JJ dribbles for most of the 24 seconds – standing still of course – then either loses the ball trying to penetrate or ‘puts it up from the cheap seats’…and that’s your ‘A’ player.
As for Josh Smith, I suppose you have to say he’s getting better, but I still can’t help but recall his ‘performance’ at an Addidas Allstar week/weekend in Knoxville when he and Dwight Howard were both graduating seniors – JS (and his pretty much his whole family) moped around for the entire time, mule-lip in evidence, pretty soon after they realized that Howard was ten-times the player he was – Howard got the MVP for the event, and Smith got the, deserved, reputation of a petulant punk.
KB
May 5th, 2010
10:36 am
Gamer makes a great point. This one-on-one ball playing is not going to work. Move the ball around to find the open man. Play defense. If you shoot two jumpers that have not gone in, then go to the hoop. You can get the shot blocker in foul trouble and you can get some easy points at the line. This is pee wee rules that these guys should know about. This is not the time to let your ego get in the way of winning. If this team have these selfish members on the team, then the team should get rid of them.
Greg Jones
May 5th, 2010
10:43 am
This was a beat down that no one saw coming. I think the Bobcats played better than the Hawks did. This game was a joke. The Hawks are a talented team and can give any team problems, but they just laid down last night.
Haul Pewitt
May 5th, 2010
11:18 am
Dear Atlanta Spirit Group,
Please accept this post on Mark Bradley’s blog as an application for your head coaching position. I cannot reveal my real name at present, but am head coach at a major university, possibly in Georgia and likely in the nation’s premiere basketball conference. I am successful, send a lot of players to the NBA and am in demand in the New York metropolitan area. But my family wants to live in our current city, which is within commuting distance of Phillips Arena. You can meet me tomorrow at the Varsity south dining room at noon. I’ll be sitting in one of those school desks, wearing gold. Thank you for your consideration.
Best,
Haul Pewitt
Eric
May 5th, 2010
12:11 pm
Go JJ and take Woody with you!
pluckthehawks
May 5th, 2010
12:22 pm
“This was a beat down that no one saw coming.” Magic won 3 games this year by 22 plus against the Hawks….was I the only one who saw it coming? My Magic 8 Ball says next time we should buy you dinner 1st.
pluckthehawks
May 5th, 2010
12:24 pm
This just in, Hawks will send message game 2….They will go to tip off waving the white flag.
Top Magic and NBA News: Wednesday, May 5 | Outdoor sports, camping, tenis, golf
May 5th, 2010
1:01 pm
[...] The Hawks lose Game 1 by 43 points and it looked worse, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Mark Bradley The Buzz: Atlanta thought they could win Game 1, but [...]
Suckville
May 5th, 2010
8:35 pm
Which team sucks more: hawks, thrashers, braves??? I’ll have to do some contemplation to discover the answer, while drinking some strong stuff.