The Hawks beat Boston and say they still believe. Should we?
"We can beat anybody! (Except for those times when we get blown out.)" (AJC photo by Hyosub Shin)
Admit it: You were surprised the Hawks beat the Celtics on Friday. But why should anyone have been surprised?
These same Hawks, give or take, beat the same Celtics, give or take, three times in six days at Philips Arena in spring 2008. Last season the Hawks swept the Celtics in the regular season. And the Hawks, as the Atlanta Spirit is forever reminding us, are still this Hot Young Team. Why, at this late date, should the sight of a youngish team beating an old one — an old one that played the night before in San Antonio, we must note — serve to shock?
Because we’ve stopped believing in the Hawks. Maybe those Round 2 beatdowns the past two postseasons induced us to say, “See there? Same old Hawks.” Even though they weren’t the Same Old Hawks. (Rewind to 2000, or 2002, or 2004, or even 2006 — those Hawks were wretched.)
Maybe we never truly believed in the first place. Maybe the civic skepticism that has surrounded this franchise since the failed Moses Malone/Reggie Theus experiment of 1988-89 has never been overridden. But the cold truth is that these latter-day Hawks took the champs-to-be to a Game 7 in 2008 and then won a first-round series in each of the next two seasons, and still we weren’t sure if we were seeing their best. Ownership gave basis to that suspicion when, last May, it fired the coach who’d made the Hawks a winner and promoted the assistant who’d been alongside for six years.
Even by Hawks’ standards, this has been a weird season. They’ve won some games, but not many you care to recall. They’ve lost 15 home games — they lost only seven at Philips last season — including six in the course of 18 March days. Three home losses have come by 30 or more points, two more by 20-plus. And now, because they finally won at home against two good teams, we’re supposed to believe anew?
After Friday’s victory, the excellent-as-ever Al Horford suggested the Hawks are beginning to “figure it out,” but this correspondent would be insincere if he suggested he saw much figuring. This team has no idea what it’s going to be from night to night: In Wednesday’s narrow victory over Orlando, Jason Collins had his game of the year; two nights later he didn’t play. To beat Boston, the Hawks banked on Zaza Pachulia, whose bullishness was the difference, and didn’t deploy Josh Smith in the fourth quarter. Yeah, it worked. But is that the formula for lasting success?
After Friday’s victory, Smith said: “We’re as good as anybody — when we put an effort to it.”
Loading ...First: Do the Celtics ever feel the need to remind anyone how good they are? They just know. That the Hawks ascribed so much weight to two late-season victories tells us they still aren’t sure what’s what, and how could they be — on to Part 2 of Smith’s proclamation — if effort isn’t a constant? Do you know how hard it is for a team with a winning record to lose three home games by 30-plus points? In the history of the NBA, it had never ever happened. Until now.
We’ve stopped believing in the Hawks because we’ve stopped trusting them. This remains one of the NBA’s most gifted teams — on paper, it’s clearly better than the Magic, its sure-to-be Round 1 opponent — but then you check the numbers and you note that, after 76 games, the Hawks have outscored opponents by eight lousy points all season. What have they been doing?
We on the periphery don’t know, and the Hawks surely don’t, either. Sometimes they play hard, sometimes not. Often they get embarrassed, but sometimes they rouse themselves and make a stand. “Some reporters might write us off,” Smith said, “but we’re a playoff team and we know it.”
And there it was again, the reason we no longer believe in these Atlanta Hawks: Because they’ve gotten better at telling us how good they are than at showing us. Maybe they’ll make all of their skeptics look silly when the real season commences. Maybe, but I’m skeptical.
By Mark Bradley
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92 comments Add your comment
bill
April 2nd, 2011
10:48 pm
You are kidding right? boston was tired from a tough game the night before…this game is meaningless. Hawks will get killed in the playoffs
bill
April 2nd, 2011
10:55 pm
boston had a tough game the night before..this game was meaningless as boston was tired and not into it. Hawks will get destroyed in the playoffs
BirdDawg
April 2nd, 2011
11:06 pm
Playoff teams go out and play hard every night, win or lose. If they “know” that they are a playoff team, they have yet to show it on a consistent basis. An even bigger issue is that they appear to be satisfied with just being a playoff team. They’ve been a playoff team for the past three seasons. When do you suppose they will make the leap to becoming a championship contender?
Dr. Warren
April 2nd, 2011
11:24 pm
Hawks cannot “remake” the team. They are bound by Joe’s contract. Maybe they could shuffle some parts around, even trade Josh. But that contract has already become their albatross.
Runner-
April 2nd, 2011
11:47 pm
Playoffs is totally different than the season. Hawks gave it their all these past two games, while the Magic were barely trying, fearing to reveal their plans to their future playoff opponents. A smart loss by them will translate into a 1st round blowout for the Hawks
JOSH SMITH FOR 3!!!
April 3rd, 2011
12:37 am
This team is toast, and the sooner they get swept, the sooner a new owner steps in.
LOSE! LOSE!! LOSE!!!
Atlanta Sports Fan
April 3rd, 2011
12:58 am
I believed in the Falcons and the Braves…………………………………?
MitchC
April 3rd, 2011
2:43 am
Mark, how the Hawks fare in the playoffs, will depend on who their opponent is in the first round. If it is Orlando, they are going down. Come to think of it, I dont like their chances against Boston, Miami, or the Bulls either.
The problem is: The Hawks are not.. the Lakers. They cant sleep walk through the regular season like the Lakers did most of this year, and then turn it on at the end. The Lakers may not win the Finals again this year, but they have as good a shot as any.
As for the Hawks, I think they will bow out in Round 1. I hope I’m wrong.. but.. looking at the potential competition, and how they have played until recently, we can’t have high hopes for them.
James Adams
April 3rd, 2011
3:14 am
What was Paul Mokeski’s line for that fateful game? The only games I really allow myself to remember were games 2-4. Game two because I spent the whole game screaming at Jon Koncak, and games 3 and 4 because I remember them both being great overtime thrillers. If I’m not mistaken those games were both on WGNX 46, called by John Sterling. ” Dominique…magnifique!”
Mark Bradley`s Booster
April 3rd, 2011
5:23 am
Mark: Like you and most other responses, I am very skeptical of the Hawks. Inconsistency, has been the pattern all season. You never know which Hawks team will show up. Last year they won 53 regular season games and fired Woodson. This year they will not win 50 and likely netloss of 5 more games. This can hardly be called progress.
No Woody for Me
April 3rd, 2011
5:53 am
The Hawks may have won the Celtics game, but they played horribly on offense. Joe is absolutely horrible. He clearly peaked in that 2008 playoff series and has significantly eroded since then. Can’t believe we are stuck with him for 5 more years.
Josh was just as bad. He stands out in the perimeter and throws up bricks. The team did not start to play well until Josh was out of the game for most of the fourth quarter. I have come to the conclusion that the Hawks can only get buy with one of the fools (Joe or Josh) on the floor at any given time. Put two me-first, brick-throwing numbskulls out there together and the team has no chance.
I am glad Joe adopted the headband look, like Josh. So now, when I watch the game, I can know that whenever the ball gets near a headband, it is soon going to be launched in an errant shot.
Get rid of these two guys.
JASon
April 3rd, 2011
7:39 am
Mark, you raise several interesting points. Isn’t it interesting how well we know this team. Why? Because they are the exact same team they were 3, 4 years ago. Honestly, it all comes down to Atlanta, and the philosophy of the ownership of our teams. We generally fall short of truly competing because we do not have competitive coaching. We do not budget for that. I would be interested to see more articles like this one, further examining these issues.
Paddy
April 3rd, 2011
8:10 am
If the team does not play hard it is the coaches fault. Have seen alot of lackluster games this season under Coach Drew. And the team has still not bought into his offense like he promised they would. My guess is, out in the first round. CD will be back next season because he is the only NBA HC that the ASG can afford. Not a very good pair to draw too.
Ted M
April 3rd, 2011
8:36 am
I’m more then skeptical. I’m certain they’re out in round 1. But I’m hoping.
5150 UOAD
April 3rd, 2011
9:11 am
Is anybody really excited about the Basketball National Championship Game on Monday?
JSS
April 3rd, 2011
9:50 am
“give time to Jc2 save all that money for a good pg or center when you found”
Classic drive-by Hawks blog comment!
dap01
April 3rd, 2011
9:57 am
We are a poorly led, poorly coached, poorly managed and poorly owned team. Other than that, the Hawks are fine.
ATl Sports
April 3rd, 2011
9:58 am
To much individual play on this team. A lot of individual talent but no chemistry. Need to trade Smith and move Horford to his natural position power forward. Josh cannot figure out that he is more valuable to the team using his power on the inside and not jacking up 3’s. Lucky to beat the Celtics. If you listened to the national announcers the other night they were not very complimentery of the Hawks. We have something like 30 of our wins against sub 500 teams and are behind last years win total. This team will compete for the playoffs but not an NBA title.
DMR
April 3rd, 2011
10:08 am
Should the Hawks believe? They should. It should be ingrained in their psyche before the season starts. Should the fans believe? No. Fans should live in the real world instead of the million dollar marketing hype that goes into a sports franchise every year. It is the job of the team to believe. It is the job of the marketing team to project the best image. Fans need to be smarter.
The Hawks have been woefully inconsistent this season. They will make the playoffs, yes. Will they advance beyond round 1? I don’t believe it. But then again, it is not my job to believe.
heartofdarkness
April 3rd, 2011
11:36 am
Listening to Hubie Brown on ESPN during the Celtics game was an opportunity to get a Hoop Doctor’s opinion on the Atlanta patient. Hubie can still distill more out of four or five possessions with regard to how a team is functioning and responding to coaching than most of the coaching staffs in the league. His analysis suggested the Hawks do not make good decisions on offense, remain too committed to isolation offense on the perimeter, lacked movement, solid screening and consistent low post offense.
That assessment didn’t change as the Celtics collapsed down the stretch. Boston had no answer for Pachulia’s energy in the game’s last minutes and continued to work themselves into better shots in the half court than Atlanta. The fact that they missed those shots explains why Boston lost the game.
The lone encouraging development auguring in the Hawk’s favor this year, is that the Eastern Conference appears markedly weaker this year and the eventual champion will be hard put to take a game in the Finals.
ant banks
April 3rd, 2011
12:19 pm
MARK BRADLEY,
the hawks win over the celts was an aberration or anomaly. the celts shots weren’t fallin’. it wasn’t anything in particular that the hawks were doin’. josh was hoisting ill advised jumpers. jj was poundin’ out the shot clock. blah, blah, blah.
over 7game series, we would lose in 6games.
Ed
April 3rd, 2011
12:19 pm
Hawks still believe huh….. That statement is as meaningless as the games left in the regular season…. “PROVE IT”
Anthony
April 3rd, 2011
1:20 pm
All I know is Jordan Crawford is averaging 28 points a game the last3 games. How smart does ASG look. We wouldn’t even let him get off the bench. Terrible trade for us. We gave up way too much. what ya think/
Mark Bradley is a hater
April 3rd, 2011
2:04 pm
ONCE AGAIN HERE WE GO Y DON’T YOU GO WRITE AN ARTICLE ON HOW THE FALCONS ALWAYS WIN A PLAYOFF GAME. OOPS THEY DONT GOLDEN BOY HAS CHOKED THE LAST 3 SEASONS GIVE ME A BREAK!!! YOU SIR TRULY ARE A HATER SO WHAT THE CELTICS PLAYED THE NIGHT BEFORE ALL TEAMS DO. THE HAWKS FRUSTRATE ME A T TIMES BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY A WIN IS A WIN BY 3 OR 30 TALK TO ME WHEN THE BELOVED FALCONS WIN WON PLAYOFF GAME
cdog
April 3rd, 2011
2:57 pm
no way we believe in the hawks.they are put together by rick sund who don’t know the back of his hand from his front. anything sund is associated with will fail plus the hawks never play hard for larry drew but the real blame is on sund and not drew for the failure.they will be swept in the first round and then hopfully we see sund for the final time with the hawks.i would love to see them bring in a GM who wants to win a championship unlike sund who is all about saving money by taking the cheap way out.
MJC
April 3rd, 2011
3:58 pm
Once again, we have the posters going “OMG LOOK AT THE POINTZ JORDAN CRAWFORD IS SCORING!!” Yeah, and he is averaging about 25 shots to get those points… that ain’t good.
BoneCrusher
April 3rd, 2011
6:49 pm
(Michael) Jordan Crawford next year will be the MVP of the entire league!
tremaine
April 3rd, 2011
6:54 pm
The hawks not fooling anybody but themselves.
“GIVE TEAGUE A CHANCE!”
gomabman2
April 3rd, 2011
9:25 pm
Larry Drew has got to be the worst coach in the NBA. Hats off to the scrappy Hawks players, but Drew has got to go. He was outcoached in the Boston game, and luckily we won, and then had a huge lead in Houston and gave it up. Fire him now!
brenda
April 3rd, 2011
9:56 pm
ahem, ahem! cough!
Whopper Dawg
April 4th, 2011
1:43 am
Would be gleefully stunned if they get to round 2.
Atlanta Hawks – decidedly devisive | Atlanta Hawks: Fan Nest
April 4th, 2011
4:42 am
[...] AJC’s Mark Bradley queried whether or not fans should have some faith in their team. On Sunday night, the Hawks gave the answer they’ve been giving all [...]
Paddy
April 4th, 2011
6:51 am
Teague is now toast with the Hawks. They just don’t believe in him!
joe
April 4th, 2011
7:46 am
hows that trade with Washington looking? You get another guy that isn’t a difference maker and you trade your first round draft choice from this year( Crawford, who is lighting it up by the way) and your first round from next year. So we are stuck with what we have. How does Sund still have a job?????
Col. Angus
April 4th, 2011
8:31 am
I believe they will lose in the first round. Next question.
PMC
April 4th, 2011
9:17 am
NBA Regular Season…..nearly completely meaningless.
bascogcjs
April 4th, 2011
10:22 am
Too bad they never gave Jordan Crawford a chance.
I’d take him over Joe Johnson right now.
BoneCrusher
April 4th, 2011
11:04 am
Jordan Crawford scored 39 points againt the Miami Heat last week. Jordan Crawford OUTSCORED the singular efforts of LABRON JAMES, D-WADE and CHRIS BOSH. I’m not saying that Jordan Crawford is better than any of the THREE KINGS OF THE HEAT, but right now Jordan Crawford is playing than ANY ONE PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE. If the season had begun the night Sund pulled the trigger on the trade, JORDAN CRAWFORD WOULD BE WINNING THE MVP OF THE LEAGUE BY A LANDSLIDE over anyone. I believe that next year JORDAN CRAWFORD WILL BE THE BEST PLAYER IN THE NBA. This is who the Hawks felt could not help them at all so they kicked him to the curb like he was a pile of garbage. The Hawks also got rid of money players Mike Bibby and Mo Evans who are better than average potential all-star players for Captain Kirk Hinrich who has yet to have a good game for the Hawks. The Hawks also drafted Marvin Williams ahead of FUTURE HALL OF FAMERS CHRIS PAUL and DERON WILLIAMS. The powers that be that are the management team of the Hawks couldnt find their butts with both hands.
ChuckMuncie
April 4th, 2011
11:08 am
Right now I would take Jordan Crawford over Joe Johnson, LaBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Dirk Norwinski.
WreckingBall
April 4th, 2011
12:28 pm
Jordan Crawford has become the BRETT FARVE of the Atlanta Hawks. Crawford was sitting on the end of the bench languishing similarly to what happened to former falcon and benchwarmer Brett Farve until Farve was traded away and became a star and a household name. The same thing has happened to Jordan Crawford. Jordan was at the end of the Hawks bench not getting any playing time at all, but he was skilled and talented and had the potential to be an elite player if given the chance. Now that Jordan has gotten his chance, he has made the most of it and is now one of the elite players in the game along with LaBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and Dirk Norwinski. Jordan Crawford is now in their class as he has been discovered as an ALL-WORLD STAR by the Washington Wizzards. Too bad. The Hawks could have really used Jordan Crawford in the playoffs this year.
Dirk Norwinski
April 4th, 2011
2:38 pm
Love my new name, thanks WreckingBall.
Boon
April 7th, 2011
10:23 am
The Hawks are garbage…..and this is why:…..Joe Johnson is overrated & overpaid; The best player on their team (offensively) is their 6th Man who is being sued for doing $30k worth of damage in a rental house in Buckhead (exclusive area of Atlanta)….Al Hortford is soft as Country Crock butter…….the Hawks only responds to HYPE ….crowd coverage of BIG games and then you may see them play with some heart to impress fans….other than that, they couldn’t beat Boston (really) with a 15 point advantage in the first quarter …especially in a 7 game series …PERIOD