Confounding Hawks are a game from making Magic disappear
Joe Johnson: A big game at a big time. (AP photo)
Say what you will about these Hawks, and by now we’ve said it all, usually with a few choice words interspersed. That they’re sloppy with a lead. That they often act as if basketball was a sport scored on degree of difficulty. That they lead the world in keeping both teams in the game.
But here’s something we haven’t been able to say about any Hawks team since 1970: That it leads a best-of-seven series 3-1.
Also this: That it’s one game from winning a playoff series in which it didn’t hold the homecourt edge for the first time since 1996.
Also this: That in taking Game 4 on Sunday it made you want to tear out your hair.
The Hawks are so much better than the Magic that the wonder isn’t that Orlando is facing elimination; the wonder is that the Magic still have a game to play. The Hawks have led by double figures four times running, and in Game 4 they jumped ahead by 16 points on a night when Jason Richardson, Orlando’s second-leading scorer, didn’t play and when Dwight Howard, the only Magic man worth his wizard hat, was in foul trouble inside the first six minutes.
Orlando never led, but inside the final six minutes it was tied. And you noted that the Hawks had limited the Magic to two 3-point baskets — Orlando would finish 2-for-23 — on treys, and you thought, “How in the name of Jumpin’ Joe Caldwell is this even close?”
Had the Hawks blown this one, we’d have cussed and fussed and damned them with the enduring kiss-off: Same Old Hawks. But they didn’t lose. They steeled themselves and let Joe Johnson earn some of his $120 million and saw Al Horford again turn Hedo Turkoglu to jelly with the game on the line.
Said Larry Drew, the coach: “This team has shown it can respond to adversity.”
Never mind that much of the adversity is self-inflicted. Never mind that the Hawks haven’t yet found a jump shot not worth taking. Never mind that Josh Smith had one of the least impressive near-double-doubles in playoff annals. Never mind any of that.
Playoff basketball is a bottom-line entity, and the scoreboard tells us that the Hawks lead 3-1 over a team that finished six games ahead of them, the same team — well, the same but different — that once embarrassed them. Should we quibble over style points when these Hawks were beaten by 101 real points over four games by Orlando only last spring?
Said Horford, who poked the ball from Turkoglu on the Magic’s final possession and rendered the subsequent 3-point try another forlorn hope: “The only thing was disturbing about this was that we weren’t able to hold the lead. During the year, we’d probably have lost. That shows poise and growth.”
It does. It also shows that the Hawks, who couldn’t figure a way to match up with the Magic a year ago, now enjoy mismatches all over the place. Horford on Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson? Johnson on Jason/Quentin Richardson? Jamal Crawford on anybody?
Crawford had 25 points and six assists in Game 4. He has scored at least 20 points in each of the four games. He has become almost as tough a take for Orlando as Howard is for the Hawks. Even as the lead was diminishing and the Hawks were doing their usual goofy stuff, there was one ray of hope: Surely Crawford would think of something.
“Jamal gave it to us for three quarters,” Smith said, “and Joe said, ‘I’ll take it from here.’ ”
Johnson scored the Hawks’ final 10 points, giving lie, at least for this night, to the notion that he’s a small-game player. And now the team almost nobody liked 10 days ago is within 48 minutes of the Eastern Conference semis. It’s a team that has profited against the one worthy opponent it proved it could handle this regular season, but that’s part of the charm of the postseason. Sometimes you get a break.
Credit the Hawks for taking their break and wringing three victories from it. A fourth should be forthcoming, but here we emphasize “should.” Because these are the Hawks, and they’re a strange crew. They’re so strange the 50-win Magic haven’t yet found a way to handle them.
By Mark Bradley
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116 comments Add your comment
IceColdATLien
April 25th, 2011
12:07 am
A round 2 loss in game 6 or 7 to the #1 seed would be a decent finish to the year. I even think we might have a fairly good chance to beat the Bulls… given what they’ve shown against the Pacers. They’re one Rose injury from being out, with the Hawks in the Eastern Finals. Who would’ve thought that? Can you imagine if it’s Boston? Wow.
Agent Negative One
April 25th, 2011
12:08 am
I had a pretty good game tonight, time to celebrate. Anyone know where the nearest Krispy Kreme store is?
IceColdATLien
April 25th, 2011
12:10 am
Let’s just play silly right now. If, say, Rose gets injured and we get to the East Finals, would that mean Drew gets an extension? Is that a good thing? I’m confused as a Hawks fan. Win and we keep Drew. Lose and, well, you lose. This sucks.
DP
April 25th, 2011
12:13 am
I don’t care that all the games in this series have been close, they have been brutal to watch. This is a series to determine which team stinks the least. Dwight Howard is the only Orlando player who has had a good series. It’s amazing how much Orlando has declined since last season. Down the stretch it appears the only thing the Hawks know how to do is give the ball to Johnson or Crawford to beat the ball into the floor before launching a prayer at the shot clock buzzer while everybody else stands around.
And If I see Joe Johnson dribble it between his legs 3 or 4 times in a row while going nowhere one more time, I think I’m going to vomit.
IceColdATLien
April 25th, 2011
12:14 am
Drew does deserve some credit for the strategic decision to change up coverage on Howard. It was obvious we needed to do something given last year, but he did choose the right thing.
TruthSeeker
April 25th, 2011
12:14 am
It’s hard to know what to make of this series. The Hawks are clearly better than the Magic, which sounds strange to say considering the way Orlando has dominated them in recent years, but there’s just something off about this Magic team. They have a lot of good players, but it’s like they don’t know how to play together. Even though the game was tight throughout the fourth quarter, I never felt the Hawks were in any danger of losing, although they did their best to screw around and give Orlando hope.
I don’t want to downplay the magnitude of this for the Hawks, because I really am ecstatic to be up 3-1 in a series we weren’t expected to win. Assuming we put the Magic away, I could even imagine us taking the Bulls to 7 games. Then again, I could also see us getting swept, because the Bulls, unlike Orlando, are a team that will make you pay for not stepping on their jugular when you have a chance.
bigstack19
April 25th, 2011
12:15 am
Going back I believe I said the Hawks would lose this series so if they manage to finish them off I will gladly eat my words.
Sleepy
April 25th, 2011
12:18 am
DP I take it you u havent ever watched a nba playoff game . Please tell me one team in the playoffs who down the stretch doesnt give the ball to its best offensive players and ask them t make something happen ? .
Do you understand that by the end of game two after having played each other 5-6 times that we know the magics plays and they know ours . It all comes down to how good your best players are at creating something out of nothing .
IceColdATLien
April 25th, 2011
12:21 am
Sleepy, you’re right, but I do think they could be a little more creative (maybe more guard-guard screens to accentuate mismatches?) Just taking a guy straight up is only going to work so many times, but with guys like JJ and JC, you can understand how Drew wouldn’t want to get in their way.
IceColdATLien
April 25th, 2011
12:22 am
good for you bigstack!
Tom
April 25th, 2011
12:23 am
Get the ball inside? To whom?!?!?!?!
Josh Smith? The lane is his Kryptonite.
Al Horford? Every time Horford posts up in this series, he dribbles 3-5 times and when he’s done dribbling he’s farther from the basket than when he started.
Collins? Zaza? LOL!
PMC
April 25th, 2011
12:23 am
The Drew Plan has been a good one. Love the Big Man rotation. Joe Johnson really came through tonight like a leader too.
Sure am glad for Jamal Crawford.
Agent Negative One
April 25th, 2011
12:28 am
Hey, I was one fire tonight! How should I celebrate – pizza or doughnuts?
Atlanta Hawks – The team you thought you knew | Atlanta Hawks: Fan Nest
April 25th, 2011
12:31 am
[...] Orlando truly that bad, despite the dominating performance of Dwight Howard? Just how accurate our incredulity is, is a testament to how confusing this team can be. After losing the final six games of the [...]
Najeh Davenpoop
April 25th, 2011
12:57 am
“I don’t think we can say this season would be a success with a Round 2 loss. A Round 2 loss got Mike Woodson canned.”
A round 2 BLOWOUT — a historic one at that — got Woody canned.
I think if the Hawks can take the Bulls to 6 or 7 games, LD probably stays, in light of the fact that he’s the league’s cheapest coach.
Ryder
April 25th, 2011
1:02 am
Great win. If not for a two minute collapse by Atlanta in Game 2 this series would’ve been a sweep. Is this really more about Orlando not being able to score on offense or it is about Atlanta finally realizing their own talent, Josh Smith notwithstanding?
Hinrich’s presence has gotten this team to play more of a defensive mindset during the playoffs, and I don’t see why it can’t continue in Game 5. Avoid the typical letdown that we’re used to seeing from them and they should walk out of Amway Arena victorious.
tjhook
April 25th, 2011
1:59 am
Enjoyed the article, Mark. The truth about the Hawks is they haven’t met a team that will make them pay for their mistakes; the Bulls can make that happen because they play great D andRose is super quick. We will be witness to Larry Drew’s true coaching ability next round because we will need a lot of players to combat the Bulls’ roster. I hate his offense, BTW
P. Bull Terrier
April 25th, 2011
2:26 am
Now that the fans are excited again, it’s time to pull another disappearing act. Which would hurt fans more: letting the Magic take the next 3 games for another dramatic Round 1 flop, or winning this series, then getting blown out in Chicago? I vote for the first round flop.
csmny63
April 25th, 2011
4:04 am
First, I have to admit I thought it’d be 3-1 Magic at this point. Hawks have shown WAY more fight in this series than I would have guessed they had in them. Chapeau, guys…
I am going to give the Hawks the benefit of the doubt about winning the next game because Orlando looks totally discombobulated and seem to be getting to the point of resignation. They know they’re out of sync. As to the Hawks season being a failure if they can’t win the second round series, that’s a tough call.. It was only a week ago LD was genius for getting the team to buy into his scheme for dealing with Howard…It’s not been pretty, but we’re AHEAD! I think that’s enought for now…
MitchC
April 25th, 2011
4:40 am
Again, I only saw parts of last night’s game. However, it is nice that the Hawks are one win from winning this series.
I believe they will win.. What will probably happen is.. the Magic will have a very sustained effort in Game Five in Orlando, and then the Hawks will finish them in Game Six. I never understood why all the other rounds in basketball, have the extra trip for Game Five. It would probably be more.. prudent to play it like it is in the Finals, or the World Series. Games 1 and 2 in one city, 3-5 in the other city, and then back to the team with home court advantage for Games 6 and 7.
I dont know if the Hawks will beat the Bulls, if both teams get that far.. I think the bloggers on this page are planning for a Heat-Hawks Eastern Finals. We are a long way from that.
It also makes me.. uncomfortable.. when Mark Bradley.. who I jokingly call “Mr Negative”, says that the season would be considered a failure even if we beat Orlando, but end up losing to the Bulls. What he is really saying is.. that he expects us to stare down Boston or Miami in the Eastern Finals. With the way this Hawks team played Jekyll Hyde throughout the regular season, I’m not sure we can expect that.
The Morning After – April 25, 2011 | The Victory Formation
April 25th, 2011
7:14 am
[...] shocker has been how Atlanta has continued their in-season form against the Magic. They’re one game away from advancing (c/o Atlanta Journal-Constitution). Yup, they won their latest without Zaza [...]
bob from account temps
April 25th, 2011
7:34 am
i don’t understand why drew doesn’t just bench smith? this guy won’t rebound, go to the basket with howard in foul trouble and thinks he is a great shooting guard. he is a primary cause of the quarterly breakdowns the hawks have every game. can nobody on the team get thru this thick skull? he could be such a great player, but his mental shortcomings will keep him from making the all star team he so thinks he deserves.
phil
April 25th, 2011
7:38 am
Bradley was at his zenith in the late 80s when the Braves and Falcons were about as wretched as could be. Also had the Hawks to jump on for managing to blow the Celtics series in ‘88 and don’t even get me started on the Moses Malone/Reggie Theus face plant. At any rate, it didn’t get much worse overall for Mark than it was back then. He loved it.
As happy as I was to thankfully see the final 3 pointer miss, I was quickly overcome again with disgust at this team for the way it plays. They are beyond frustrating with the terrible, stupid things they do to try to give games away. One missed free throw down the stretch and we probably would’ve lost. Thank goodness JJ decided to focus for a change.
Smith just stinks in general. He’s so dumb that it overcomes his talent. Overwhelms it in fact. Wild, crazed shots. Stupid, stupid fouls like trying to tackle Howard to draw a charge. Are you kidding us Josh? And JJ in general just heaving wild shots at the basket is almost more than I can take. At least Jamaal’s wild, undisciplined shots mostly went in, except for the horrific three he tried late in the game that drew air. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
3-1 lead and people now thing we’ll take the Bulls? Put away the drugs and the liquor and try waiting to see if we actually win THIS series first. Orlando has as much given this thing away as we have won 3 games. If Orlando shows up in the last 3 games, we’ll lose all three the way we play. Idiot Josh, lazy JJ, worthless and absent Marvin, can’t make a tip in collins, etc, etc….Horford is the rock for this team. thank goodness for him.
Walker, Texas Ranger
April 25th, 2011
7:56 am
The Magic beat the Hawks at their own game….of being Mediocre
phil
April 25th, 2011
7:57 am
And I said Magic would sweep us. I eat those words gladly but do not believe we win the series until we actually do.
Of course what about those 6 straight losses to end the year would give one any confidence?
Paddy
April 25th, 2011
8:12 am
rally…….it is correct to question the integrity of the NBA. It is so wrong to blame the entire referree staff. NBA basketball is nothing like high school or college in the way the game is called. They enforce the rules they are supplied. It is not basketball the way I remember it but it is the NBA game. You either like it or hate it. It is what it is!!!
Billdozer
April 25th, 2011
8:25 am
It’s never a success unless you win it all. Plain and smiple.
Atticus
April 25th, 2011
8:26 am
They still have 0 chance to advnce past this. Orlando is playing horribly and yet almost tied the series. That offense at the end of the game was pathetic and typical Hawks. Even Steve Kerr couldn’t understand why they stood around for 20 seconds and then took a poor shot at the buzzer. If this team ran the offense and had more discipline the sky would be the limit. The Bulls will school this team 4-1 if they play the way they have played Orlando.
Nick
April 25th, 2011
8:30 am
well they did win 3/4 against orl during the reg season so not sure why there’s so much a surprise
Joey
April 25th, 2011
8:33 am
Like Fredi says, “you gotta tip your cap,” to Joe Johnson. Swishing those free throws under intense pressure, while D Howard clanked 3 of 4 under the same pressure, was great to see.
We Hawk fans are being treated to a sight that we all knew could happen, if only the team would all play like they care.
Whatever the reason, they obviously care now, and it is fun to watch.
Go Hawks!
Joey
April 25th, 2011
8:37 am
phil, you make me as sick as the Hawks apparently make you.
Change your channel dufus!
NoleinDC
April 25th, 2011
8:50 am
Go Hawks!!!!!!!!!! heating up at the right time..this is OUR time!
Van Gundy flopped again
April 25th, 2011
8:56 am
Be a man Van Gundy, ……… quit the flopping.
Peter
April 25th, 2011
8:58 am
When the ball stops moving and JJ and Crawford want to dribble out the clock and then shoot, we are the Hawks of old.
The coaching is not to blame for the team behaving badly. I enjoy watch Boston when they have a team down, they apply the pressure to keep them there.
I don’t see the same type of attitude with the Hawks….when they have a team down, they turn to ISO basketball, and lose their momentum.
We should beat Orlando, but the next round has to be different, or they get blown out.
Sir Slamalot
April 25th, 2011
9:00 am
I saw several times a player got shoved to the floor and no foul was even called. Did Stern see the pushing with no calls ? A slap on the wrist is a fould but pushing a guy out of bounds isn’t ?
Sir Slamalot
April 25th, 2011
9:02 am
If the Hawks will double D.Howard (on defense) in the paint then the Magic can’t score. Force them to shoot perimeter shots which they’ve missed the whole series thus far.
Sir Slamalot
April 25th, 2011
9:04 am
I also hated seeing all the jump shots taken by the Hawks with no Hawks under the basket for offensive rebounds. That happened all night. But luckily the Hawks hit a majority of those jumpers.
Sir Slamalot
April 25th, 2011
9:06 am
I hated seeing all those Hawks jump shots with no Hawks players under the basket for rebounds. That happened all game. But luckily most of those jumpers went in.
Go figure
April 25th, 2011
9:09 am
When the pollen count is high, I am fine. But when it gets below 100-200 I sneeze like crazy
Sir Slamalot
April 25th, 2011
9:12 am
Gilbert Arenas is actually alive ? I know the Magic are sick about trading away Rashard Lewis and how poorly Arenas has played. But Arenas showed up last night. I’m tired of all the credit to Hawks big men for slowing down Howard. They aren’t doing anything really. Howard is getting his points and rebounds. Its just that Jameer,Turkoglu,and Bass aren’t helping Howard.
Sir Slamalot
April 25th, 2011
9:14 am
You can retire can’t you Mark ?
john
April 25th, 2011
9:14 am
Another great win for this hawks team, and for the hawks fan base. I have not seen Jamal come out with this much intensity and fire since last year. Let’s put the magic out on their own court and hope their own fans boo them all the way out the building. The hawks are riding high on their momentum, and nothing is sweeter than revenge.
Steve
April 25th, 2011
9:22 am
Drew is very smart coach, but I wonder if he will ever be able to get these players to listen.
no justice
April 25th, 2011
9:42 am
We lead 3-1 and you guys still don’t believe we are good enough to win this series. Did you go to church on Easter Sunday? Did you hear that story about believing? Haven’t you seen a big enough sample to believe that the outcome will be a positive one for the hawks? Do you choose to believe that the magic is bad by themselves or do you believe that hawks are making them look bad? I see every night those experts trying to justify ignoring the hawks. I say to all of you don’t make that mistake. We expect better of our FANS?
Glenn
April 25th, 2011
9:58 am
I’m glad we’re up 3-1 and all but what is up with us blundering 4th quarter leads . We need to be smoother late . This series is anything but over .
Man Man
April 25th, 2011
9:59 am
But everyone wanted to trade jamal!Um!He is the X-Factor
phil
April 25th, 2011
9:59 am
Joey – Sorry i make you feel ill…..get your head out of the sand, cross your fingers, and hope that the same stupid play we’ve been seeing is somehow miraculously absent on Tuesday so we can close this thing out….
I think we have every reason to doubt the hawks given 40 plus years of doing little….
Glenn
April 25th, 2011
10:07 am
To funny , Jamal has made some clutch shots but boy has he missed a ton as well .
Tale of Woe
April 25th, 2011
10:13 am
I am not surprised that the Hawks have handled the Magic up to this point. We played them well during the regular season. The post-season is all about match-ups and the Hawks match up well against them… It would be more surprising if we lose to them (though, really, that wouldn’t be that surprising). I don’t think we should make this out to be more than it is. The Magic are not that good and the Hawks just match up well against them. Watch the Hawks offense is tough to do. It is abysmal. Where is the ball movement that Drew spoke so highly of? Did we pay Joe Johnson $140 Million just to make a couple of free throws? This team isn’t going anywhere and LD needs to get fired as soon as the Hawks are eliminated. We need a coach who can light a fire under Joe’s butt and get J Smith to understand that he belongs on the low block.
I was pulling my hair out last night watching this team play. It was atrocious (and we somehow won which is really beyond belief)
jesse
April 25th, 2011
10:38 am
GOOD LUCK IN GAME 5