Live from Game 4: The Hawks have it going but can’t let up
It'd be nice if the Hawks didn't need another shot quite so outrageous. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Let’s not get ahead our ourselves. The Hawks must beat Orlando twice more to reach the Eastern Conference semifinals, and it’s possible the MRI on Derrick Rose’s ankle could show nothing beyond a sprain. But, as we speak, the playoff prospects of these Hawks are looking somewhat better than they did nine days ago.
Ten ESPN analysts picked the Magic to win Round 1. Four SI.com writers likewise tabbed Orlando. None of the watchers on either site took a flier on the Hawks, who are, let’s note, the No. 5 seed. The 4-against-5 series is usually a toss-up thing. (The Hawks needed seven games to beat Miami in one of those two springs back.) But the Hawks were playoff-picking poison when this postseason commenced, and now they’re halfway to a Round 1 victory.
Before tonight’s Game 4, Hawks coach Larry Drew was asked if his team’s sudden success was a function of playing better than it had in a disappointing regular season or a reflection of a specific matchup. “I’d say it’s a combination of both,” he said, and he’s surely correct. The Hawks were 6-16 against teams that won 50 or more games this regular season — but three of those victories came against the team they drew in Round 1.
Much of this has to do with Drew. Even if his players stopped heeding him against certain teams, they pay attention when Orlando’s in the house. “What we were doing against Dwight [Howard, the Orlando center] in the past wasn’t working,” Drew said. “It opened up two cans of worms.”
Meaning: In trying to double-team Howard, the Hawks weren’t denying him much of anything and they were absolutely clearing the perimeter for the Magic shooters. And by switching on every screen — a Mike Woodson staple — the Hawks were left in a never-ending lurch. They couldn’t handle Howard, couldn’t rotate onto shooters, couldn’t stop Jameer Nelson from driving. No wonder they lost a playoff series by 101 points.
The Hawks no longer switch on every screen. The switch only on what Drew calls “same-size” screens. No longer will you see Al Horford trying to shadow a little man like Milwaukee’s Brandon Jennings — this actually happened during a late-game possession in Game 4 against Milwaukee last April — and looking lost.
It doesn’t hurt that the Magic shooters aren’t as skilled as they were a year ago. Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter and Mickael Pietrus might not have been capable of hoisting the Magic to a championship — that’s why they were traded in December — but they were better standstill shooters than the imported Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson and Gilbert Arenas. Better defenders, too.
The Hawks have been the better team in this series. They’re capable of winning it. They showed in Game 3 they were also were capable of wasting a double-digit lead. They won anyway, but subsisting on a banked 3-pointer at the end isn’t a diet for continuing postseason nutrition. The Hawks need to keep the Magic in backpedal. They need to win Game 4 and force Orlando into elimination mode. And if they get to Round 2, who knows how Rose will feel?
The Hawks have again caught our eye. They need to hold it this time. They need to win this series and see if they can carry Round 1 into Round 2 against the Bulls.
Game 4 will go some distance toward deciding who prevails in this one, and we’ll be here to monitor the doings. Please consider joining the online festivities. You’ll be sorry if you don’t.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
445 comments Add your comment
MAD-DONNA
April 24th, 2011
9:43 pm
Missed shot, but we didn”t get the rebound…..sad!!
Mark Bradley
April 24th, 2011
9:44 pm
Board was wrong. Magic had one left.
Hawks by 3.
am
April 24th, 2011
9:44 pm
pick n roll….this time for three…watch what I say!
rob
April 24th, 2011
9:44 pm
Johnson cool at the free throw line
Ryan
April 24th, 2011
9:45 pm
who takes the 3?
AlpharettaGuy
April 24th, 2011
9:45 pm
It’s a BARN BURNER!!!! Hang on, i gotta get a bucket of water
rob
April 24th, 2011
9:45 pm
The magic finally get a three this time 2-22 they are due i hope im wrong
IlliniDawg
April 24th, 2011
9:45 pm
Just don’t foul! That means you, Josh!
Mark Bradley
April 24th, 2011
9:45 pm
Turk misses again. Hawks prevail.
Ryan
April 24th, 2011
9:45 pm
HAWKS WIN!!!!!!!!!
chipontheroad birdsrus
April 24th, 2011
9:45 pm
history
AlpharettaGuy
April 24th, 2011
9:46 pm
BALL GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mark Bradley
April 24th, 2011
9:46 pm
Horford nearly stole the ball. Messed up the play.
Ryan
April 24th, 2011
9:46 pm
Where are all you haters?
Michael Purvis
April 24th, 2011
9:46 pm
Way to go Hawks!
Ando
April 24th, 2011
9:47 pm
This just in…Josh finally learns how to play in the post and the Hawks go on to win the NBA Championship!!!! Dreams do come true!!!
Chas
April 24th, 2011
9:47 pm
Yikers. Good W but we got lucky that the Magic were off tonight. We need to get better shots somehow. We really need a good post up threat.
eelibug
April 24th, 2011
9:47 pm
And, that final play was NOT coaching; a talented and all star making a superb play on the ball…
am
April 24th, 2011
9:48 pm
I think there are less haters and more of us that realize this team isn’t playing to their potential. Joe and Jamal should exchange paychecks for the playoffs.
Joe
April 24th, 2011
9:48 pm
Would have loved for us to have paid Crawford and let Joe go – at this point, I don’t see the Spirit Group keeping him. Joe isn’t a leader and isn’t worth half the money he gets.
AlpharettaGuy
April 24th, 2011
9:50 pm
Magic is pretty much 1 man team but if the Hawks could get that man…oooohhhh….Dwight at the 5, Horford the 4….ooohh…we’d be competin in the East then
michael m.
April 24th, 2011
9:51 pm
clutch free throws by jj. came thru when he had to in end. great job hawks. but it wouldnt bother me if u put the magic away earlier than the 4th qtr when opp is there lol, but great job getting the W! next one will be the toughest though, hopefully our guys do not let up. i still have my concerns bout that but so far, so good
TRADE JOSH SMITH AFTER SEASON
April 24th, 2011
9:52 pm
I TOLD YALL 3-1
The Falcon Jedi
April 24th, 2011
9:59 pm
Series aint over yet. But if the Hawks win this series they will blow it in Round 2
chalkdawg4
April 24th, 2011
10:01 pm
Great game Hawks. Always tough to prevail against John Holmes and company.
Hoops
April 24th, 2011
10:01 pm
The pressure is clearly on the Magic now! I have said Hawks in 6, but they could seal the deal in 5 if the Magic are tight! We’ll see. Go Hawks!!!
LakeDawg
April 24th, 2011
10:01 pm
Losing Zaza almost cost us the game. Hawks had to play J Smoove the whole game. How many boneheaded plays can one man make. Anyway, kudos to the Hawks for playing hard (if not always playing smart) and not choking down the stretch. I gotta give it up to JJ. He had a horrible game, but made the clutch free throws down at the end.
The Falcon Jedi
April 24th, 2011
10:04 pm
Im not convinced yet
Gwinnett Fred
April 24th, 2011
10:06 pm
Whew. Haven’t been listening to the games on radio – but I bet the over-under on our veteran PXP man Steve Holman saying “gutty gritty Hawks” is about 27 1/2 per game – and that’s just how they’ve played this series! My hats off to the team.
Just got offline from buying tickets to the game at Phillips Thursday I honestly hope isn’t even played – but if it is by God – me and 19,000 of my closest friends will BE THERE!
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
blazerdawg
April 24th, 2011
10:13 pm
!!!!!!
PMC
April 24th, 2011
10:16 pm
3-1 awesome.
Catch you in the second round
April 24th, 2011
10:16 pm
Haha the dumb nelson is looking more and more dumb each day.
Van dundy is whining about some calls. Goes both ways stan and for you to whine when you have a player that gets every call is a joke.
Hummon
April 24th, 2011
10:19 pm
I’m not convinced either, but I appreciate the victory. Where the Hawks are concerned, too many have gotten in the habit of turning up their noses at what successes there are. I don’t envision the Hawks going far, but they’re up 3-1 on a team that humiliated them last year. Time to just enjoy it, at least for the evening.
Joehawk
April 24th, 2011
10:22 pm
No one makes me yell at my tv set more than Josh “never saw a 3-point shot he didn’t like” Smith! How could a man with such talent and athletic ability play so stupid sometimes!!
J Clay
April 24th, 2011
10:24 pm
I’d have to say if they go on to win this series, regardless of Round 2 outcome season would be a success. Yes it would be nice to keep run longer but really how many people thought they had a chance to compete in the series, much less win it in almost a sweep and hopefully in 5…Win this series and anything beyond is icing…
Gamer
April 24th, 2011
10:25 pm
Smith…..killing me dude, every game with your bone headedness. Why are you the only one in North America who doesn’t see it.
The Falcon Jedi
April 24th, 2011
10:26 pm
No real article from AJC on the Hawks victory. The AP sports writers already have articles written.
sean
April 24th, 2011
10:28 pm
How good could the Hawks be if Josh Smith stayed within 12′ of the basket. I used to hate to see him go to bench but now its like a blessing sometimes…
puff
April 24th, 2011
10:29 pm
The close wins are disproving the “no heart” theory. On the other hand, when a team is as cold as Orlando from the outside, you would like to win going away. But I’ll take it.
The Falcon Jedi
April 24th, 2011
10:30 pm
I hope the Hawks beat Orlando and get revenge from last year. But this team wont get past Round 2. Moral victories are cool, but it would be nice to Win something more.
Billdozer
April 24th, 2011
10:30 pm
i want to be first for once
M
April 24th, 2011
10:32 pm
Way to GO HAWKS!!!!! GOOD JOB JOE, Be the leader. The next game won’t be easy. We may have to bring it back here to Atlanta. You guys are defeating the giant like David and Goliath. One more sling shot to go guys.
cdog
April 24th, 2011
10:45 pm
i said it all along, if rick sund had went out and brought in the missing puzzle pieces instead of sitting with a cell phone stuck in his ear doing nothing.the hawks need a GM for next season who will go after say, dwight howard.howard would all but guarantee the hawks a spot in the championship round.with sund, the only things he will bring to the hawks are cheap retreads like himself.hopefully, the hawks will advance in the playoffs but not with sund as GM
Roger
April 24th, 2011
10:51 pm
The best move Hawk’s management could make is to hire a sniper to shoot Josh Smith through the heart if he ever again takes a 3-point shot; and “wing” whoever makes the pass to him. Josh is always the best athlete on the floor, but never the best basketball player.
Oh, and he apparently has the brain of an armadillo!
Kelvin Frazier
April 24th, 2011
11:05 pm
The Hawks win, but the game should not have been this close. The Hawks at times don’t seem to have a high basketball IQ in some of the shots they take that allows a team to hang around and possibly steal a victory. That didn’t happen tonight fortunately, but the Hawks need to make better decisions with the ball if they are going to make any noise in the playoffs.