The Hawks keep standing pat, while the Magic dare to change
Dwight Howard smiles and wonders, "Who are these guys?" (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Don’t look now, but the Hawks have nosed ahead of their nemesis. They lead Orlando 2-1 on the season and by half a game in the standings. Only trouble is, the Magic just told the world they care nothing about the regular season or the standings or anything except the playoffs.
On display Monday at Philips Arena were philosophies of polar opposition: With the exception of their head coach, the Hawks are pretty much the same team they’ve been; with the exceptions of Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson, the Magic aren’t the team they were last week.
The Magic made two stunning trades Saturday, dumping four of their top eight players, importing four new ones and perhaps destroying the precise inside-out blend that carried them to the 2009 NBA finals and to 59 victories last season. But credit the Magic for this: They’re going to win a title or fall to pieces — no half-stepping thoughts of “continuity” for them.
That the Hawks beat Orlando decisively if not easily — the score was tied in the third quarter, whereupon Mike Bibby went wild — had less to do with the home team’s excellence than it did with the visitors’ discombobulation. As Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said beforehand: “The Hawks have been together six years; we haven’t been together six hours.”
Also this: “We haven’t even been on a court … We picked up as much as we could in the hotel.”
Said Hawks coach Larry Drew: “When I heard about the [Orlando trades], I was just surprised. I guess that tells you about their situation, and how they felt it was time to change.”
Let the record show that Orlando stood fourth in the NBA East at the time of its reconfiguration, but the Magic didn’t believe the team it had was or would ever be stout enough to challenge Miami or Boston. (Never mind that they’d won 15 of their first 19 games this season.) The Magic were willing to risk of getting a lot worse for the chance of getting a lot better.
Contrast that with the Hawks, who have proved themselves capable of winning a Round 1 series but not so much as a game in Round 2. Yet they’re trying it again with the same guys and are on pace to win four fewer games than last season. Their idea of change was to promote Mike Woodson’s chief assistant to head coach, and they wouldn’t appear to be gaining on the best teams in the East.
So now the question: Do the Hawks need to make a personnel move themselves? Drew: “We’re always looking to improve our team, but there has been no discussion about reacting to what Orlando has done. If something is presented, I’m sure there will be some discussion. But I don’t see any need to panic.”
There’s never a need to panic. There is, however, a necessity to know what you have and what you lack. As constituted, the Hawks aren’t apt to be much different in April than they are today. The Magic could be much worse — or much better.
Orlando is going to lose a bunch more games in the here and now — it has dropped seven of eight, with the next three are against Dallas, San Antonio and Boston — but that’s not the concern. The Magic are pointing toward the postseason by wadding up one game plan and sketching a different one.
They sacrificed their staple standstill shooting to collect more off-the-dribble creators in Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson and Gilbert Arenas. That would be a major redo had it come over the summer; imagine trying it on the fly. As Van Gundy said: “We might as well get the process going.”
For all the Hawks’ happy talk afterward, let’s not read too much into one game. They beat an opponent that’s essentially starting over. (Van Gundy: “We’re not talking about the first game together; we’re talking about the first day together.”) But it’s an opponent that isn’t willing to settle for being pretty good. Unlike, say, the Hawks.
By Mark Bradley
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65 comments Add your comment
Bravesfan79
December 21st, 2010
12:20 pm
How about a article on WHO the Hawks could possibly trade for that would make them better!
Best option to me: A future trade with the Suns for Gortat, and Nash.
Willy
December 21st, 2010
12:31 pm
The Magic are run by basketball people and the Hawks by entrepreneurs.
Jinx Master
December 21st, 2010
12:46 pm
Mark my words Stan Van Dummy is going to coach Otis Smith & himself out of a job this season. Hawks have nothing to fear other than Boston & the Heat, look at all the eastern conference teams besides the Celtics they all have weaknesses even the Heat. It will come down to talent & coaching which the Hawks have just a little bit of.
Dirty Jacket
December 21st, 2010
12:55 pm
Does Bradley know anything about sports? This is why the AJC is a third rate paper, at best. This is the best opinion blogger you can find, AJC?
Ryder
December 21st, 2010
1:03 pm
It’s nice to see someone within the Atlanta sports media finally call out the Hawks on their desire to remain status quo while not challenging the elite in the NBA.
For all of these people crying out about how the Hawks need to get a real center, tell me, what real center is out there? The NBA is no longer becoming a center league, as there are pretty much no more true centers anymore who play with their backs to the basket. The Miami Heat are pretty much winning with a donut lineup and a PF in Chris Bosh who plays like a 6′11 SG.
As for the Hawks, it’s not so much the lineup that needs to change as it is the philosophy. Al Horford has grown to the point where he should be the number one option on offense with JJ playing at number two where he can become the silent assassin he was in Phoenix.
I think that Marvin Williams is best served coming off the bench and giving them more depth, especially if they don’t plan on keeping JC1. Teague will develop given enough time to play.
However, the mentality of this team must eventually change, and not the talent on the floor.
tony
December 21st, 2010
1:10 pm
Orlando’s GM is worse than Rick Sund in terms of knowing what to do to build a championship team. They had the right pieces when they lost to the Lakers in the NBA Finals, they just have a bad head coach calling the shots. Their coach is worse than the hawks head coach. How they can’t see this is beyond me.
All I'm Saying Is...
December 21st, 2010
1:21 pm
Contrary to popular belief, the Hawks have the pieces to make a run to Eastern Conference Finals.
What they have always needed was an imaginative coach and consistent play from their best players. Despite what some think, Drew is an imaginative coach. Granted, it doesn’t take much to exceed Woodson but, with that typed, at least Drew was smart enough to, for example, stop playing Horford vs. Howard straight-up. Everyone on the planet except Woody knew Horford couldn’t handle Howard without help and still Woody wouldn’t use Collins. At least now, Drew uses Collins vs. Howard and its worked. Plus, the Magic are less of a 3-point threat given who they traded so we should continue to match-up well against them. And Gortat was a solid player who gave us fits because of his size and athleticism.
Second, we need JJ to be a consistent threat in the playoffs and he needs J-Smoove, Crawford, and Horford to show up every night. Bibby will be Bibby which means a good sub off the bench given his offense and 3-point ability and a liability on defense. J-Smoove also needs to keep his head together—remember J-Smoove’s stupid comments about Milwaukee during last years playoffs? I know Horford is ready to and will play a bigger role this time around in the playoffs and Crawford will be incented to show his stuff since we don’t appear willing to sign him to a contract extension. The key, as usual, is will we get anything each game from Marvin Williams? Hopefully, that will happen.
Things are in flux in the East with the Heat and Celtics currently the best teams followed a step down by Bulls, Hawks, and Knicks(!). Magic still a threat but less so until they get their new players integrated. When healthy, I think the Hawks can beat the Celtics and run with the Heat so we’ll see.
(I’m surprised at how poorly Milwaukee has played thus far and now their leading scorer, Brandon Jennings, is hurt so we’ll see what happens with them.)
LET’S GO HAWKS!
Mr. Mojo
December 21st, 2010
3:11 pm
I am a Hawks fan that lives in NYC. I just heard on WFAN in NY that the Hawks are one of two teams interested in renting Carmelo Anthony for the rest of the year. Was wondering if their is any truth to this rumor? They said the Nets are the favorites and are looking to sign him to extension but they also said that Atlantas and Dallas are willing to trade for him without an extension.
Mark Bradley
December 21st, 2010
3:23 pm
I can’t imagine the Hawks taking on Carmelo, Mr. Mojo.
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MitchC
December 22nd, 2010
12:38 pm
Mark, you mention the Hawks needing a “shakeup”, yet, you didn’t offer suggestions about what they should do.
We know one thing they won’t be able to do. Trade Joe Johnson with that contract he has. Whether Johnson averages seventy games a season the next six years, or thirty, he is here.
Do they trade Smith? Bibby? What would you suggest they do?
slim
December 22nd, 2010
6:09 pm
june you sound stupid with that trade scenario.
slim
December 22nd, 2010
6:49 pm
come on hawks fans have some faith, the really have a good team, however there not flawless, but i really think they are going in the right direction. Bottom line the players have to believe in themselves that’s what make you competitive, I think with LD’s coaching the players will soon believe in themselves, and the only bust the hawks have on there team is MO EVANS.
Ken Strickland
December 23rd, 2010
1:53 pm
MICHAEL BRADLEY-You make a big issue of the Magic making those trades, but how has it worked out for them so far? If you believe it’s too early to judge, then why can’t you take the same approach when it comes to the Hawks?
The Magic have the NBA’s most dominant player in DHoward to carry them while they’re trying to work things out. Tell me, who do we have that can carry the Hawks if we disrupted everything by making simular trades? If Marvin continues to produce the way he has the last 4-5gms, if JJ regains his touch, and if JaCrawford returns healthy, the Hawks will be much improved without making a trade.
All things being equal, I’d rather wait until the season ends to make any trades. And, until we know what Sund’s future plans are for JaCrawford, we won’t know what trades are possible. If the Hawks have a successful playoffs, which could involve going to the wire in the 2nd rd, I believe management will spend the money to acquire what’s necessary to get the team past the 2nd rd.