After further review … the Hawks are in really big trouble
Sometimes you get caught up in a moment, and sometimes it’s a bad moment. The Hawks were so awful Monday night as to beggar belief, but in the interest of fairness I’ve spent some of the subsequent hours reflecting on what I saw/wrote. (Other hours were invested in sleeping.) And in my reflection, I have asked myself: “Marky boy, do you think you made too much of one game in November?”
My now-considered answer: No.
My rationale: When you fire the head coach and promote his assistant, you’re not committing to a new five-year plan. You’re betting on continuity with a few tweaks. There’s not going to be a long shakedown cruise. The change is either going to take immediately or not at all.
That the Hawks started 6-0 offered some indication that the players had bought into the Larry Drew Method, but those six games have been revealed for what they were: The softest early schedule the NBA could possibly provide. When better opponents began arriving, the Hawks, as we say in horse racing, spit the bit.
The twin pillars, such as they were, of Drew’s curious case to become head coach were that the Hawks needed to share the ball on offense and stop switching on defense. The result of the former has been a bit more balanced scoring, which is good in theory, but against the Celtics on Monday the Hawks’ idea of sharing seemed to be allowing Al Horford to shoot more 18-footers. When you have Joe Johnson, in whom $120 million has just been re-invested, is that really what you want?
As for the defense: The Hawks didn’t just not switch Monday — they didn’t guard at all. They were so disinterested against the team that always before has piqued their interest that Drew wondered afterward what the Hawks were doing on their nights off. (What is this? High school?)
Drew also said he didn’t like where his team is headed. He said this three days before Thanksgiving. And that’s the chilling part. If the Hawks have already stopped caring, what does that say for this franchise? Does Rick Sund start making trades to try to assemble a roster more to Drew’s liking? What evidence is there that Drew would know what to do even then? If the guys he was supposed to know best won’t play for him, who will?
But enough. I’m depressing myself all over again. After further review, Monday’s non-effort wasn’t as bad as I thought. It was worse.
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214 comments Add your comment
tip
November 23rd, 2010
2:33 pm
You guys forget that Woody coached most these guys for six years. If you think he likes seeing these guys not doing well you are mistaken. What ever you think about Woody, the one thing you should know about him is he cares about those guys. You just have to know the man, he has a lot of class.
fan
November 23rd, 2010
2:37 pm
should have kept woodson
ben pines
November 23rd, 2010
2:42 pm
it seems as though these overpaid babies really don’t care about anything other than collecting their check. Look at Miami what a joke that is. I hope they do go on strike next year that way maybe the NBA will disappear for ever.
KellieJenee
November 23rd, 2010
2:51 pm
I hate to say it, but I’m scared!! I love the Hawks but I can’t even put into words how upset I was last night. That game was just beyond disappointing. Even with a coaching change and therefore a change in philosophy, I didn’t expect them to play like this! After the success that this team has had, to see them play the way they did last night was just pitiful. They are no longer the youngest team, and they have been together long enough now. For some reason they took a turn in the wrong direction. I hope they get back to making Phillips the Highlight Factory soon.
It’s hard to stomach going out to support your home team, when half the audience is pulling for the opposing team, AND the home team is getting killed. Joe, please find your shot. Josh, please bring back the excitement. Jamal, what happened to the instant offense? Zsa Zsa, defense please. And oh by the way guys, when Joe or anybody for that matter gets in trouble and is double teamed, it’s ok for SOMEBODY…ANYBODY to come towards him to try to get the ball and help him out. Does everybody have to stand around and watch??
Larry, the only plus I see right now over Woody is at least you tried to pull something out of anybody on the bench. You didn’t just stick with the starting lineup who weren’t producing anyway. I thought you would make adjustments to the offense, but the way they are playing not only is the offense looking bad, there’s no defense! What happened to the defense creates offense mentality??????
I’m a female fan and I’ve never played the game, so I get that you don’t know what you’re talking about stare from guys all the time. I’m not claiming to be an expert but, this “motion offense” thing just doesn’t appear to be working. Go back, and it pains me to say it, to the Woody method and then “adjust” from there. They look confused, and to have played together this long, that just shouldn’t be.
Joe, don’t be mad at me and say I don’t care if you show up…as Jamal said that same night you made that famous statement it’s just tough love. The Hawks are still my team, and Joe you’re still my favorite (even though I couldn’t have popped you upside the head for that comment!). I KNOW YOU GUYS CAN DO MUUUCCCHHH BETTER THAN THIS!! LET’S GO HAWKS!! It’s still very early in the season, but it’s got to turn around now!!!
Gator
November 23rd, 2010
2:51 pm
Disturbing, oh yeah, but it’s early!!
Paul Hewitt
November 23rd, 2010
2:53 pm
Mark: You are not being fair. At least give a new coach until mid-season before you cry for him to be fired.
Then you can recommend me to the rescue. My buyout would be cheap.
OkefenokeeDawg
November 23rd, 2010
3:08 pm
Mark, please answer this and be honest.
Have you ever seen such an overpaid professional athlete, in any sport, as Joe Johnson, in your career as a sports analyst?
I wish no ill will on Joe – he didn’t make the Hawks give him this team-killing contract.
Peter
November 23rd, 2010
3:14 pm
Hey OkefenokeeDawg ……… Jon Koncak……..here is a name.
Boooooo
November 23rd, 2010
3:23 pm
This is exactly the reason nobody was excited about the season starting. The hawks didn’t do anything to improve over the offseason. Instead they fired the coach that turned the franchise around and overpaid Joe Johnson. This team will go nowhere. It will be interesting to see what happens next offseason.
Jinx Master
November 23rd, 2010
3:28 pm
Whenever you write articles about our home teams, Mark Bradley you go from one extreme to the other. First you annoint the Braves div winners, now the Falcons playing in the Superbowl, & finally the Hawks will crash & burn.
I for one have figured out everything usually goes against your overboard predictions, which always results in the jinx. Hey Miami is 8-6 as well is they’re season over ? They have a few injuries as well to deal with, there are 82 games in a season you know.
The Heat are telling their fans to, Fan Up, what are you telling our fans that we will lose the next 68 games ? Can we get a real story once in awhile about the home teams, instead of these off the mark opinions, which are always wrong when the seasons end. Thanks again Jinx Master.
Walker, Texas Ranger
November 23rd, 2010
3:30 pm
Mark, this was the biggest understatement since the Captain of the Titanic said “I think we are in really big trouble”. And ASG says “let the band play on”.
Brian
November 23rd, 2010
3:34 pm
I was at the Boston game and I honestly wanted to leave after the first quarter. Signing Joe Johnson for that amount of money was the biggest mistake we could have made. Here are some other terrible mistakes:
We drafted Marvin Williams instead of Chris Paul or Deron Williams. Chris Paul was surprised when we didn’t draft him. He wanted to come here. We drafted Sheldon Williams over Brandon Roy. We drafted Solomon Jones over Paul Milsap. While I have pride for Atlanta sports, I’m really starting to hate everything about the Hawks except for Horford and Josh Smith.
Russ's Revenge
November 23rd, 2010
3:35 pm
“The Thrashers will win more games than the Hawks this year.”
Wouldn’t surprise me if the Falcons win more.
OkefenokeeDawg
November 23rd, 2010
3:40 pm
Come on Peter, JJ is making about 10 TIMES what Koncak made. At least Koncak got a rebound occasionally . . .
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans
November 23rd, 2010
3:40 pm
How does Saskatchewan Hawks sound?
If this team is here in 5-years I’ll be astounded.
Your Breath Smells like Fish Tacos
November 23rd, 2010
3:43 pm
Joe Johnson is laughing all the way to the bank.
Jinx Master
November 23rd, 2010
3:44 pm
Hawks are 5-1 on road trailing only the Spurs who are 5-0, the Showtime Lakers are also 5-1
Maybe if if they got a little more better support at home we can fix that 3-5 home record
Leo
November 23rd, 2010
4:16 pm
I feel you Mark, this is very depressing. I am ready to see trades or people being benched.
GT Alum
November 23rd, 2010
4:18 pm
I didn’t read your blog from last night last night, but I did want to comment that the point you raised was one I had when LD was promoted. We’ve heard multiple times that the Hawks have a fun, loose locker room. While I have no problem with players having fun playing their sport (or anyone else having fun at work), you’re there to do a job. And it was obvious after last season that the Hawks needed a little discipline to make sure they do their job. Since LD was so popular, I wondered if he was the one to provide that discipline, and, so far, it doesn’t look like he is. While I’m not a big believer that it is better to be feared than loved, it is more important for a leader to be respected than loved. And, unfortunately, LD appears to be more loved than respected. If the Hawks can’t play harder and more disciplined basketball, they may get the coach they love fired.
Time
November 23rd, 2010
4:20 pm
Thank you Jinx master for pointing out the obvious that most, including the esteemed Bradley, fail to recognize. 5-1 on the road. The home losses are a anomaly at this point. The team will get better and this type of talk this early is just foolishness.
But it’s foolishness that’s expected given the sources. You’ve got Bradley, who has spent more time trying to get coaches fired than writing positive columns about any Atlanta area team. Then you’ve got a bunch of REDNECK HILLBILLY’S running around using the word “thug” everywhere as racist code for a word they can’t post. Then there’s the fans of other teams piling on with no Atlanta fans to be seen. Kind of like a home game, where the Celtics get louder cheers than the Hawks do. It’s pathetic, this city is becomming the looserville that SI wrote about years ago. Except it’s not the teams, it’s the fans and media.
nique
November 23rd, 2010
4:30 pm
Time, look at the teams they played on the road then look at the teams they played at home so far. I think that should do away with your anomaly argument. This team has the talent to beat good teams but lacks the discipline and drive at this point.
GT Alum
November 23rd, 2010
4:33 pm
Jinx Master -
Maybe if they played worth a sh*t at home, people would come and want to see them. Also, the Hawks have played 1 team that’s 500 (they beat the Pacers) and 1 team that’s over 500 (they lost to Orlando) on the road. They’ve played 1 500 team and 3 teams over 500 at home and lost to all of them.
Not to mention that they’ve had a much easier time winning at home than on the road in previous years, even though fan support at Philips wasn’t any better then than it is now. Face it, this team wilts against quality competition.
tyger
November 23rd, 2010
4:36 pm
3 things in re. Hawks…
1. U are stupid
2. Sund is stupid
3. Spirit is very stupid
yodaddy
November 23rd, 2010
4:43 pm
It’s not that they lose its how they lose
T r u t h S e r u m
November 23rd, 2010
4:48 pm
Al is not as good as josh nor will he ever be. Al is on the trade block not josh..
T r u t h S e r u m
November 23rd, 2010
4:51 pm
And Woodson is the best hawks coach since L. wilkens Whose stupid Idea was it to put his assistant as head coach. Drew cant coach. The problem wasnt offense DUH it was and is Defense.
Hawks need a center not named al horford.
June
November 23rd, 2010
4:57 pm
There is clearly a trade coming soon and Josh Smith and Jamal Crawford are involved….I think it’s with the Memphis Grizzlies because Josh has a Clause in his contract and he doesn’t want to be to far from home….It will involve Marc Gasol or Hasheem Thabeet ,Sam Young and O.J . Mayo….It will be good for both teams …..If it’s Gasol the Hawks could be in the Eastern Conferance finals still….If it’s Thabeet they will be better but will still not be able to get past Orlando or Boston…
GT Alum
November 23rd, 2010
4:57 pm
And Woodson is the best hawks coach since L. wilkens
Saying that someone is a better NBA head coach than Terry Stotts or Lon Kruger is not exactly high praise.
June
November 23rd, 2010
5:06 pm
Al is not on the trade block….He holds no Value…..The Hawks traded away the rights to Pau Gasol years back and now they want Mark…..O.J Mayo is a scoring Guard and Sam young is the Back up small forward they Covet……Sam young is a sleeper …he’s got offensive skills …
Joseph Allen McWhorter
November 23rd, 2010
5:17 pm
Mark, a big name coach is what these Hawks need to take them to the next level. I mean I know getting a Phil Jackson or someone of that caliber is out of the question, but I agree with you. Promoting Drew from assistant to head coach was a terrible mistake and now the Hawks and their fans are seeing it. I concur, they are in trouble and this has long season written all over it.
Al is on the trade block
November 23rd, 2010
5:27 pm
He should be. He refuses to play defense, and you cant win if your center doesnt play defense. There are teams around the league who would love to have him at power forward and would play a good price for him. Package that with a draft pick plus teague and we can get a serious center and turn this around.
Woodson did a great job bring him back!
Al is on the trade block
November 23rd, 2010
5:29 pm
Saying that someone is a better NBA head coach than Terry Stotts or Lon Kruger is not exactly high praise.
Nor a put down…DUH?
the point is hes a good coach as was Wilkins 2xDuh?
jason
November 23rd, 2010
5:37 pm
*dissapointing loss. I knew the hawks would loose, nut not this badly. Hey we still can get the number 1 pick in the draft.
jason
November 23rd, 2010
5:38 pm
I also wanted to kno if rick sund saw that game. Shaq a double double. would have been a nice addition.
June
November 23rd, 2010
5:41 pm
Al is User Friendly…Josh has emotional issues…he’s to close to home….When the Hawks get Marc Gasol or Hasheem Thabeet you will see Al and Marvin Williams get better….O.J. Mayo can break down defenses …I’m 80% sure this trade will happen….The Grizzlies are trying to Dump Thabeet and they used Mayo as a point guard in summer league where he destroyed Jeff Tegue……Sam young is for salary cap ….Believe me AL HORFORD will never be traded…..
scottbravesfan
November 23rd, 2010
5:42 pm
No one cares about the NBA in Atlanta. It’s all about the Braves, Falcons, and college football.
ag
November 23rd, 2010
5:44 pm
For people like Larry, why do you associate braids and tatto’s for thugs and ear rings. Our problem with our Hawks is WE DO HAVE A LOT of character players. Marvin Williams off the court does a lot of things and I cannot say enough about Josh Smith, paying for funerals, feeding women in shelters, Jamal Crawford buying tickets, etc…. Of course money = power and most of you who post that dumb stuff is because you are jealous of their life style
numberonehawksfan
November 23rd, 2010
5:50 pm
I moved to Maryland to take a job in DC that is a higher paying job than my old position in Atlanta. I am a native Atlantan and once I got to Maryland, subscribed to the NFL Ticket on directv and also the NBA league pass so that I could watch my local teams…I am so mad that there is no way to have directv cancel the NBA league pass. I don’t want to watch the Hawks anymore until they move Josh Smith. This guy is uncoachable. I have given him the benefit of the doubt for far too long but it’s obviuos, he has his cheering section at the game that he feels he must impress by throwing up that hideous 18 foot stand still lefty shot and continuing to dribble the ball (you have no handles) up the court and throw it at someone who (if they are lucky enough to handle the horrible pass) may make a shot. I thought that by getting rid of Woodson that the Hawks would do the addition by subtraction thing but it appears that they may have gotten rid of the wrong guy. I was thinking that at the end of last year when Josh first reverted back to these tendencies that normally a coach would bench his starting power forward for doing these things (I thought he was doing it to get Woodson fired). Boy was I wrong, he was getting himself in shape for what he was going to be doing to Larry Drew. I don’t see this ending well. Josh must be gone in February. I know some team with a proven coach will take him and do wonders with him but with his contract in THIS city with a rookie head coach, he’s going to absolutely kill this team. I can tell that the chemistry is bad because you see the other players when Josh is handling the ball and taking those ill-advised shots just looking like the don’t understand what’s going on…He’s killing this team, that is what’s going on…I am and have been a Josh Smith fan but it’s only so many times you can bang your head against a wall before you have to figure that if freaking hurts! Numberonehawksfan now Numberonealeveuser! Thanks Josh!
Barton
November 23rd, 2010
5:59 pm
I was sitting front and center for this game, first game I’ve been to all year because of my schedule and they stunk. Down 29 with 22 seconds left in the third quarter and the Hawks hold the ball for the last shot.. You’ve got to be kidding me. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
ag
November 23rd, 2010
5:59 pm
You cannot put that burden on Josh. He is one of the best players on the team and emotional people do have a lot of heart. Maybe our superstar who does not care is one of the biggest problems. Also, our non scoring SF
Hawks pointing fingers again | Atlanta Hawks: Fan Nest
November 23rd, 2010
6:26 pm
[...] sides of the floor. But even now, the way these guys are playing (or not playing), some people are beginning to question his abilities. Some called for the hiring of Dwayne Casey, Avery Johnson, or some of the top assistants who were [...]
ag
November 23rd, 2010
6:35 pm
I also am starting to realize Woody was not as bad as we thought. I could not understand why Teague did not get burn, now I know! He does not have a killer instinct – it is like he is afraid to play. They need to trade for a point guard.
ag
November 23rd, 2010
6:38 pm
I also was not big on the hiring of LD. Avery would have had the city at least excited. I think he would have been a good fit. Also, Byron Scott would have been a good fit. Look at what they are doing with a lot less talent.
ninja
November 23rd, 2010
7:00 pm
Lebron James heads South, Mom still ridin’ West, Talent stayed put! HAHAHA! What a f’n clown LeBron has become!
For daily LeBron fun!
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/ninja_ninja_
valleyboy32
November 23rd, 2010
7:11 pm
as long we have sorry cheap owners who always take the cheap way out the hawks will never amount o nothing but a middle of the pack team its pathetic the money they have they put it in the wrong peoples hand this crap is man to have a nice arena on the borderline fans in a market in atl for media i dont understand this man as long as we have those owners i’m not a fan of that crap
buckhead benny
November 23rd, 2010
7:25 pm
Bottom line is every body on the team has received their max contracts except Jamal Crawford and I believe it has caused him to lower his play for some reason. he seems pissed and not playing smart basketball. Lets see Marvin got a maxed money for him 2 years ago, same with Josh Smith, same Zaza, Same with Mike Biibby, and oh Yeah Joe Johnson jost got the fattest contract that an NBA player can give, and Al Horford just got a new contract.
One constant here is expereinced NBA players getting paid a ton of money, and experienced players giving less effort than they did before. They are cashing their check regardless of their performance on the court. Next time, need to put some assurances in those contracts that gives the Hawks some abilities to recoup money when they have been sold a bag of bad goods- aks joe johnson, marvin williams is horrible, and Jamal Crawford cares only about his stats now.
There is not team in this and Marvin, and Jamal should go immediately and if you can put Bibby on the bench would be great.
Patman
November 23rd, 2010
8:07 pm
Mark Bradley, you are totally on the money with this one! I can’t believe we got rid of Stan Kasten and Pete Babcock, who needed to go very badly, for what we have right now!
welikebaseball2
November 23rd, 2010
8:28 pm
Soooo…this “new” offense features our 4 & 5 shooting tons of jumpers…wow…
No
November 23rd, 2010
8:52 pm
the 4 is suppose to shoot and drive. Thats nothing new. The center is suppose to protect the rim and block the basket. not be shooting 18-20 jumpers. Thats new.
Absolutely
November 23rd, 2010
8:54 pm
cosign – “You cannot put that burden on Josh. He is one of the best players on the team and emotional people do have a lot of heart”
Im so glad josh plays with his heart, I wish the rest of the team did!