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
todd grantham
December 20th, 2010
10:38 pm
can it be?
todd grantham
December 20th, 2010
10:39 pm
don’t care a thing about the NBA, but do love college basketball. especially when Georgia beats Tech.
bob
December 20th, 2010
10:40 pm
It was a pleasure watching Dwight get banged on, surrounded by a bunch of little guards and a big, slow forward who plays 5 inches shorter than he is.
todd grantham
December 20th, 2010
10:40 pm
Mark, I challenge you to a prediction: will Georgia make the NCAA tournament in 2011?
Mark Bradley is a hater
December 20th, 2010
10:45 pm
y dont u just go away i get so tired of the miami heat, boston celtics, huggers a win is a win and who knows if this really make the magic that much better. The problem this city has is it two enamored with a big name. The Detroit Piston won a champonship as a team lets just let the season play out to many people on the Ajc bash the hawks but make excuses for every other team. GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
todd grantham
December 20th, 2010
10:47 pm
it seems, i see, that the blog needs some grammer lessons.
todd grantham
December 20th, 2010
10:49 pm
Mark Fox: great coach. Paul Hewitt: well….just sayin…
todd grantham
December 20th, 2010
10:50 pm
latest Vick rumor is that Michael is in a fury with Kroger for recalling dogfood.
atlienforlife
December 20th, 2010
10:53 pm
all the trading orlando did sounds good, but the magic are going nowhere in the playoffs and are a worse team then they were last year. There whole game plan was inside out, howard or all the spot up 3’s which they lost in the trade. Arenas and a overrated hedo is getting you nowhere. We don’t need a trade just to have a trade. If something is legit to drastically improve us then fine, and I don’t believe trading josh is it.
A.T.
December 20th, 2010
10:55 pm
And magically the Hawks bashers disappear!
atlienforlife
December 20th, 2010
10:57 pm
As good as boston is playing, I don’t fear them in the playoffs, Atl matches up very well with them. The only team to fear is the Heat, and that’s because we have a habit of lebron gazing.
atlienforlife
December 20th, 2010
10:58 pm
I’m sorry I meant LEBUM! Mr. Overrated!!!
Mark Bradley is a hater
December 20th, 2010
10:58 pm
If u frustraated dwight he will mentally check out
woodie
December 20th, 2010
11:09 pm
Must I keep saying Gators 18 of 21 ? Dawgs please pick on someone your own size.
Teedub
December 20th, 2010
11:35 pm
Don’t forget the win in Orlando a couple of weeks ago. That being said, it looks like Drew has at least figured out this piece. That in itself is more than I can say for Woody.
An Adult
December 20th, 2010
11:38 pm
Ah Hummmmmmm… the article is not about the Dogs, Tech, Gators etc. If you want to blog about that, go to blogs that have that as the subject, otherwise stay off blogs that are not on your topic. Geez, get a life anyway. I’m only here to read Mark’s comments on the Hawks, but couldn’t help notice the first person claiming first, then saying they don’t care about the NBA and going into the old rag about Georgia vs Tech. I have a life, find one.
Mark Bradley
December 20th, 2010
11:42 pm
Kudos to Coach Grantham. Belated kudos, but kudos still.
And I do think UGA will make the NCAA.
KevinM
December 20th, 2010
11:56 pm
The Hawks are still the Hawks and their standard inconsistencies will continue to show up the rest of the year.
They played good tonight against a team who currently has zero identity. The Magic will need some time as well to see if any of the new acquisitions will decide to play defense.
So now the Hawks can consider themselves worthy of a 3 or 4 seed depending on the growth of Chicago. I still wouldn’t want to meet Orlando in the playoffs. This will be a better team come April.
Long way to go, but the Hawks have yet to face a tough stretch in their schedule.
JASon
December 21st, 2010
12:30 am
“They lead Orlando 2-1 on the season”
They also led the Celtics 4-0 last season. Where did that get you. None of these games matter, all that matters is how your team stacks up in the postseason. And that is why no one cares about the hawks.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 21st, 2010
3:15 am
The Magic have a superstar who makes them a title contender with the right pieces around him. The old pieces weren’t working, so they got new ones to see whether the new configuration would work.
The Hawks are not in the same position as the Magic. With no superstar, the Hawks are not serious title contenders regardless of what complementary pieces they acquire. Swapping out 3rd and 4th best players for other teams’ 3rd and 4th best players won’t put the Hawks any closer to a title. Either find a way to add a superstar to the current mix, blow it up and rebuild from scratch, or stand pat with the current core and see what they can do under the new coach. Those are the only real options this team has.
In particular, on the previous blog, you said by process of elimination that the Hawks would have to trade Smoove. Fine, but what superstar are the Hawks going to get in exchange for him that will allow the Hawks to reach elite status? Unless Denver will send Carmelo Anthony here for Smoove and Melo will sign an extension, you’re not going to assemble a core including a superstar by dealing Smoove.
Hawk`s Friend
December 21st, 2010
5:40 am
I agree with An Adult. Why are comments and responses that have nothing to do with the subject of the article allowed? It is pitiful that these people choose to
vent or act like kids with their actions.
As for Hawks vs. Magic strategy of how to build a winner:
I have only an opinion like everyone else who has no real clue of what is best. The Hawks may make a move later
but not as drastic as the Magic did. Long way to go before playoffs.
RA
December 21st, 2010
6:20 am
Okay, lets take a quick look at some of the risks Orlando took. Turkolu, maybe he can regain the form that he had two years ago, maybe not, but he hasn’t shown me anything over the last couple of years that make me think that he can get Orlando over the hump. Gilbert Arenas, okay let’s forget that he faked an injury in the preseason, and then had a real one. He is simply not the player that he was before the knee injuries. Now, maybe he can reagain some of that explosiveness, maybe he can’t, but at this point in his career, I’d hardly see him worth a Reshard Lewis alone. Richardson can score, but whether he’s able to bring the defense every night that’s going to win a championship, I have my doubts. Bradley, was right about one thing, they could get a whole lot worse, but with the resources on hand, I don’t see them getting much better. Btw, Atlanta beat Orlando last time they played, before the trade. What was the excuse then? Oh yea, some of them were…sick. I wonder what they’ll say next time.
As for OUR team, I like it. Maybe we don’t have a “superstar” but if Al Horford isn’t there, he’s knocking at the door, and Jason Collins has really worked on his body, and his game. He’s allowed Drew the flexibility with Horford that Woodson never had. Josh Powell has been awesome off the bench this year. Teague looks like he’s finally figuring it out. I like Marvin Williams off the bench at least some of the time. Etan Thomas has proven that when asked he can come in and defend. Even JC2 has shown that he can score, defense maybe not so much. I’m sorry, I don’t think that the Hawks should make a trade just to make a trade. They CAN’T risk having to go through another five year plan. That would kill basketball in Atlanta. I know that, and Bradley, you should know that too.
MightyQuinn
December 21st, 2010
6:26 am
The Hawks were at the crossroads with the JJ signing, they took the obvious road and signed JJ to a contract that will eventually kill this team, rather than looking at the competition and saying, “We can’t beat these guys with our current guys.” and deciding to blow the thing up and try again. Which, while painful in the short run, probably would have been better in the long run. In the “pay me now, or pay me later” world, the Hawks went with the latter. The Magic have gone with the former.
RA
December 21st, 2010
6:56 am
I submit to you all that this Hawks team has upgraded. Joe was out over two weeks. In that span the Hawks had a winning record. Last night, Jamal Crawford was out and Joe scored under 20. I don’t care what Orlando’s going through, in years past, Atlanta doesn’t win that game. In case no one’s noticed, and it doesn’t look like anyone has, Al Horford is developing into the second coming of Karl Malone. I’m sorry, but anyone that doesn’t see improvement in this team has their eyes wide shut.
O'Brien
December 21st, 2010
7:36 am
Mark,
After what Orlando did to the Hawks last year, any victory against them is good. It gives Hawks confidence that if they play Orlando in the playoffs, they can beat them.
That being said, as constructed, this Hawks team (imo) is looking at a second round loss again. But at this stage of the game, I dont know if there is a move to be made to make them conference finals contenders.
The Hawks should have made moves over the off-season.
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jay
December 21st, 2010
8:01 am
Isn’t this the same article from last night? it’s Christmas week Mark, you should just take a vacay instead retreading the same topics. The Magic made a huge mistake and they’ll figure that out later. The Hawks on the other hand are fine.
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kreedham
December 21st, 2010
8:17 am
This team needs a shakeup, not to make them better, but to wake them up. They’ve been together for awhile and become complacent. Trade 2 guys to a lousy team for their best guy. Then everybody will hopefully step up and play. Don’t want to get traded to the Clippers or Wizards, et al.
Mr. Red
December 21st, 2010
8:20 am
Atlanta has a basketball team? who knew?
Billyboy
December 21st, 2010
8:41 am
Hawks, Magic, all NBA players are boring and over paid. The NBA should only charge for he last 2 minutes of the game. The rest of the game is a bunch of kids playing up and down the street.
Remarkable
December 21st, 2010
8:43 am
atlienforlife: Trading Josh Smith is exactly what we need to do. We could either get a starting point guard or a true center and allow Al to play power forward. Either one would make us a better team.
Joey
December 21st, 2010
8:44 am
Mark, don’t you think the inaction of the Hawks, except for small changes here and there is because of JJ’s franchise-crippling contract?
I loved the starting lineup tonight, by the way, with Josh at SF, Al at PF, and Collins at center. Collins really played well vs Howard.
Dan
December 21st, 2010
9:06 am
Why does everyone want to trade Josh? He plays defense steals block shots scores etc? The thing is I have been saying all along he should play small forward and Horford Power Forward and I always read comments about he cant play the 3 but have you watched the games he has done great at the 3? Because of Johnson contract there isnt to much I think they can do on trades but next year sometimes you have to gamble and I would go after Greg Oden he is young and I would do what it takes to get him here and have Oden at C, Horford at PF, Josh at SF, Marvin at SG and Johnson at the PG
PMC
December 21st, 2010
9:06 am
What are they supposed to do exactly mark? They need a young peaking point guard who can play defense and score. They need Dwight Howard to get them where they want to go.
You can’t simply buy Dwight Howards at the NBA mini mart and no one is giving away young talented point guards either.
Change for the sake of change is nonsense. They have Dwight Howard. The Hawks don’t.
PMC
December 21st, 2010
9:08 am
The only guys that would be available in trade would be another prohibitive ridiculous contract or someone elses problems.
PMC
December 21st, 2010
9:15 am
The only thing they can do that would really make a difference is to build a time machine, and prevent Billy from taking Marvin Williams and the Slumlord….. Replace those lottery picks with actual superstars.
They are mediocre, Billy doomed them to that.
juice sourcer
December 21st, 2010
9:31 am
Nailed it Mark. One is playing for a championship…the other too get in the payoffs and win the 1st round. Go for Orlando. Atlanta..one and done…again….not a fan.
Jim
December 21st, 2010
9:37 am
If Hawks are looking to change, they should look to New Orleans– i think they are in trouble and have both Paul and Okafor–either one or both could make a difference.
Dave
December 21st, 2010
9:39 am
Dan – you want Greg Oden? All he’d do is up our medical bills. He’d never even get on the court.
Prof
December 21st, 2010
9:40 am
Hey Dan, you said do “what it takes” to get Oden – but then you list him along with our best players.
Um – I know you’re not to good at this – but you’d have to give up some of our good players to get him.
DUH.
RomeDawg
December 21st, 2010
9:42 am
This is a Hawks team going nowhere. One win over a recently assembled Magic team doesn’t mean crap. For every win like that, we get a loss to the Nets like Sunday. Inconsistent, just like the ownership. We are a better than average team that will finish 5th or 6th in the East and be out in the first round.
Dominique
December 21st, 2010
10:24 am
Has you guys noticed my subject-verb agreements is getting better….oops
Elvis the Peacock
December 21st, 2010
10:24 am
It’s obvious, the Hawks must immediately panic and blow up their roster. The Magic did it, so it must be done. Now.
ParkerManwich69
December 21st, 2010
10:43 am
Anyone else read that Dwight is going to pull a LeBron on the Magic? Let me be the first to say come home Dwight.
Orlando Magic and NBA News: Tuesday, Dec. 21 | Ultimate Team Sports News
December 21st, 2010
10:55 am
[...] 10. The Hawks keep standing pat, while the Magic dare to change, Mark Bradley, Atlanta Journal-Constitution [...]
cdog
December 21st, 2010
11:36 am
difference between the hawks and celtics, majic, knicks, and heat, the hawks have rick sund who is satisfied with only being .500,and tight with money which results in never getting better or winning an NBA title while these teams are thinking NBA title.sad, but true.the hawks are stuck with a losing mentality in sund.
Mike
December 21st, 2010
11:53 am
For the record, the Hawks are barely a team that can get to the second round anymore. Remember, they barely beat a Milwaukee team minus Andrew Bogut in the first round last year.
The Hawks need to do something for sure. Everyone else is doing something to improve their team. Miami, of course, got a new Big Three. Boston went out and got Shaq and Jermaine Oneal to shore up the inside. Chicago picked up Boozer and Korver from Utah. New York picked up Stoudamire. Now we get to Orlando shaking up their roster which should be better in the long run.
The result is the Hawks have been passed up, and the East is no longer a gimme first round. If the playoffs started today, the Hawks match up with Orlando in the FIRST round. Anyone really want to put money on the Hawks for that series? Come April it could be Orlando, Chicago, or New York.
Jinx Master
December 21st, 2010
11:57 am
@ Bradley this trade may have ramifications on your Hawks down the road! Magic will be fine off talent alone, they haven’t even had a real practice yet so wait & see. The real problem will be Stan Van Dummy who has proved he can’t coach up to the talent he is given. Dwight is fed up with going thru the motions. This may work out for the Hawks or may not.
The real question is, if this backfires in the Magic’s face & Dwight opt’s out will Sund & Liberty Media do what every person within a 100 miles of ATL would do, sign the homegrown son? If this scenario takes place & Sund can’t get it done he’ll need an escort just to make it to Hartsfield when he leaves town & Liberty won’t put enough people in the stands to pay GA Power
June
December 21st, 2010
12:07 pm
Dwight Howard is headed for L.A.to play with Kobe Bryant and soon to be Carmelo Anthony ….after Ron Artest ,Andrew Bynum for Melo, ??? Deal goes through…..As for the Hawks The Tayshon Prince ,Will Bynum for Jamal Crawford and Jeff Teague deal should be done by the end of the week….We might even see Josh Smith and Mo Evans for Hasheem Thabeet,O J Mayo and Sam young….
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.