A stirring Hawks’ playoff run dissolves in a familiar collapse
Another year, another head-in-a-towel ending in Round 2. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
If they’d done nothing else this past month, the Hawks made us recall how it was in 2008, when they took the champs-to-be to a Game 7 in Boston. They’ve reminded us what fun having a good NBA team in this town can be. They’ve allowed us to say the words “playoff basketball” without cringing.
Three years after that improbable Celtics series, the Hawks had again smacked into the East’s No. 1 seed and refused to retreat. They stole Game 1 in Chicago on a flurry of shooting, outfought the Bulls over the final minutes of Game 4 to draw even in the series. And the Hawks’ loss in Game 5 shouldn’t have perturbed them — down 15 early, they seized a fourth-quarter lead before succumbing.
Thursday brought the series back here. Many of these Hawks had done bravura duty in a Game 6 victory against Boston in 2008. The Celtics took a 15-point lead, and that seemed that. But the Hawks converted 17 consecutive possessions spanning the third and fourth quarter and won at the end, and that was the first night of the 21st century that Philips Arena felt like a real basketball building.
This Game 6, sorry to report, started in similar fashion, but this one never got better. The Hawks trailed by 10 after one quarter, by 17 midway through the second. This was the time during the regular season when these Hawks would roll over and lose by 30 or 40, but you shouldn’t roll over in the playoffs. (Although sometimes it happens. Remember last year’s Orlando travesty.)
Over the past month it seemed the Hawks had become a team again, not just a gaggle of wide-eyed jump-shooters. They’d fought harder, defended better, even gotten a bit smarter. But now they were down double figures on a night when the Bulls were guarding better and finding more scorers than at any time in Games 1-5.
For all that had come before, this was the test of the New Hawks: Could they hold themselves together at a time when little was going right? Could they give the home folks — Philips wasn’t packed, by the way — a finish?
Nope. It got so bad the below-capacity throng began leaving with eight minutes left. Just when you thought these Hawks weren’t the old Hawks, they uncorked a stinker. (And they wonder why we don’t take them as seriously as they think we should.)
Trailing 70-53 after three quarters, it soon was 76-55, the Bulls having reduced the Hawks to … er, a gaggle of wide-eyed jump-shooters. Sure enough, the Hawks’ first four shots of the period were standstill jumpers.
And then came the moment when you knew this playoff flurry was finally done. Luol Deng jumped Joe Johnson at the head of the key, and the $120 million man ducked his head and went into one-on-one mode. Deng stole the ball and threw long for Derrick Rose, who dunked to make it a 21-point lead.
Yep. Here was Iso-Joe, the thing Larry Drew had been promoted to help curtail, going kerplunk in a win-or-else game. Once again, a wrenching season-ending loss has called into question what we just saw: Were the Hawks as good as they looked against Orlando, or were the Magic just the right opponent? Were the first five games of this series a function of the Bulls’ relative playoff newness or a indication the Hawks had began to figure things out?
Said Al Horford, who missed eight of 10 shots and took only four rebounds: “You’ve just got to give them credit. You have to really execute on offense well against them, and we didn’t do that.”
Then: “They were the better team. They were more solid, more consistent.”
When you lose Game 6 on your floor by 20 points on a night when you never led, you leave your audience to wonder. For a few bright shining moments, these Hawks made us (almost) forget their tepid regular season, but then, just as we began to hope and maybe even believe, they got blown out.
Speaking before Game 6, Drew had said of his Hawks: “I think people saw us as a team that would make the playoffs and wouldn’t do well … [What his men have done] is truly a testament to their commitment.”
And it was, until finally it wasn’t. For all this team’s talent — and it has a boatload — there’s still something missing. Maybe a full season of Jeff Teague at the point will be the ticket. But it’s clear the separation between the NBA’s elite clubs and these Atlanta Hawks still exists.
The Hawks beat Orlando, and that was nice. They took the Bulls to six games, which was heartening. In the end it was another Round 2 exit, the third in a row, but give them this: At least they weren’t swept.
By Mark Bradley
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245 comments Add your comment
Cajun Crap Talker
May 12th, 2011
11:08 pm
Atlanta really needs some casinos. The tourism commission could use the phrase: “Atlanta. Where visitors come to WIN!”
Big Wally
May 12th, 2011
11:09 pm
Unfortunately athleticism does not equal someone who can shoot the ball.
Eric
May 12th, 2011
11:10 pm
Mark, I grew up in ATL and I’m sick of losing culture. “at least the weren’t swept”! This was the year of all years to step forward. We knocked out Orlando. Boston, the Lakers, the Spurs were all gone. We were playing a flawed number 1 seed with less playoff experience than we had. It’s not supposed to be THAT easy to close out a team in the playoffs. The Hawks have to address the front office and coaching which were exposed by one Jeff Teague and maybe this will be the legacy of this playoffs! No way you give up 3 players and draft pick to fill a need that Teague already fills! How could the experts be soooooo wrong?
Cajun Crap Talker
May 12th, 2011
11:10 pm
Sadly, it all comes back to two words: B i l l y K n i g h t
Joe
May 12th, 2011
11:11 pm
Rabiddog – Yeah the place was full, but it seemed like half were cheering for the Bulls. It was like a high school sectional game, with half for one team and half for the other. I half expected to see the crowd break out in “we got spirit, yes we do…”
NorCalHawk
May 12th, 2011
11:12 pm
Ironic that Jeff Teague, who LD ignored most of the season, saved his coach’s job.
BPJ
May 12th, 2011
11:13 pm
Dwight Howard + the core of this Hawks team = success.
Big Wally
May 12th, 2011
11:13 pm
Billy Knight is the gift that keeps on giving.
Cajun Crap Talker
May 12th, 2011
11:13 pm
Joe Johnson is the NBA’s *M.E.P.* – Most Expensive Player
Moorman
May 12th, 2011
11:13 pm
What are the odds of a team being in a city 40 years and not making it to at least the conference finals? Ok, analysis, the hawks have become the one thing Billy knight was determined to NOT let them be: a backcourt dominated team. The forward play is subpar, weather by design or inability. You could hear hubie brown BEGGING the hawks front court to get involved and take the pressure off the hawks backcourt. In a perfect hawk management world, they would blow up the forward position by sending all ofvthem to Orlando for Dwight Howard and build around him and the backcourt. At least you will have a post presence and have a STYLE of basketball you can build around…..
Rick Sund
May 12th, 2011
11:13 pm
You fans should be ELATED! We met our goal of IMPROVEMENT because we did not get swept. Remember fans, we are ELITE because ELITENESS (if that is a word) is made in the REGULAR SEASON not the PLAYOFFS! Marvin may have had 0 points, but he has UPSIDE. Joe SUPERSTAR Johnson made me proud by scoring 19 points. I am glad we paid him 120 MILLION.
The Falcon Jedi
May 12th, 2011
11:14 pm
And right on cue – every time Mark Bradley writes an optimistic article about any team in Atlanta – they lose.
Joe
May 12th, 2011
11:14 pm
From the Hawks blog about Horford’s third team selection:
“Al said he wants he wants to extend his range this summer…. “To be able to put the ball on the floor a little more–one dribble, two dribble and take it all the way. Those are things this summer I am really going to put a lot of emphasis on.”
Oh, great that’s what this team needs, another guy going one-on-one.
atlanta parrots
May 12th, 2011
11:14 pm
we stunk and stunk bad
Cajun Crap Talker
May 12th, 2011
11:14 pm
Or is it Most Expendable Player?
Big Wally
May 12th, 2011
11:15 pm
Billy Knight, the gift that keeps on giving.
jgsbrids
May 12th, 2011
11:16 pm
tough way to go out hawks! i really wanted to see a game 7 in this series but i guess you guys didn’t really care. no fight again on your home court. we give up a dunk on the first possession. trail 15-8, 27-17, 45-35, 61-45, 81-67 and finally 93-73 in a home elimination game. we didn’t make one single run in this game, not one! we didn’t do squat on the offensive boards again. how hard is it to go toward the glass when a teammate attempts a shot? especially a tough one. i thought you were supposed to always assume the shot is a miss and go after the board. oh well–for some strange reason i enjoyed watching this team. we better make some moves: bye bye marvin, i hate to say but jamal too, hilton, etan and powell–nice knowing you guys. drew–you can go too–i’ve seen enough to realize we have to have some x’s and o’s to win and maybe a center like howard that can get some calls.
Dwight Howard
May 12th, 2011
11:17 pm
I dont know why yall reffering that I come to Atlanta thats like Lebron choosing to stay in Cleveland over Miami lol here I come Kobe showtime is back
Sage of Bluesland
May 12th, 2011
11:18 pm
Our great “leader” Al Horford gives us 7 points. Some of you sheep need to wake up and start seeing there is more overrated to this team than just JJ or JS.
With “leadership” that Overrated Al provides, who needs championships…What a joke. I haven’t seen such an overrated yet undercriticized player in this town since Keith “Ankle-grabs-eight-yards-downfield” Brooking….
Cajun Crap Talker
May 12th, 2011
11:19 pm
Dwight Howard is going wherever Chris Paul goes. You heard it here.
Josh Smith
May 12th, 2011
11:20 pm
Damn first it was the Cavs now we gotta worry about the Bulls and the Heat maybe we can get put out 14 straight years in the 2nd round n be compared to the braves
Cajun Crap Talker
May 12th, 2011
11:20 pm
Which very well may be L.A.
airjordan
May 12th, 2011
11:20 pm
Great defense by the Hawks lol and way to adjust and even consider closing out on Boozer when he was constantly hitting a wide open shot at least for this game. Bulls are a team and play team defense and hustle and work hard. Hawks play as indviduals and will never win in the playoffs without defense!!!!!
once again...
May 12th, 2011
11:21 pm
Blow the team up and start from scratch. Keep Teague and, sadly, JJ (nobody will take his contract). This team clearly has no idea how to play basketball.
Eric
May 12th, 2011
11:22 pm
Mark, as a kid I remember Doc Rivers playing his tail off in a Boston Garden lost one day, and that was a regular season game. He left the court crying after giving his all. Tonight I saw Joe Johnson yuke it up at mid court after a humiliating loss to a team he more than once declared that they could beat. You either have passion or you don’t. We saw Doc’s passion in defeat last night. 2 guys gave us passion this series, Josh & Jeff. We’ve got talent but zero intangibles!
Cajun Crap Talker
May 12th, 2011
11:24 pm
WANTED:
N E W O W N E R
IllinoisRed
May 12th, 2011
11:24 pm
Gentlemen, what you saw tonight was the difference between a team with talent (Da Bulls) that played unselfish team basketball (think of UCLA and John Wooden or UNC and Dean Smith) vs. a team with talent (ATL) who’s egos won’t let them play unselfishly. The Bulls finally got serious tonight. The Hawks, well, to paraphrase the late great Skip Carey (the first ATL play-by-play man for all you youngsters):12 guys, 12 cabs. Bring on the Heat……
Seattle Falcons Fan
May 12th, 2011
11:25 pm
Dwight Howard, Al Horford would be like the Twin Towers… Teague at point…….. That’s what we need……bring Howard Home no matter the cost…….let’s start this campaign now!
Columbus
May 12th, 2011
11:25 pm
Could be worse, BUT this team was put together and was winning and was further along and should have been AHEAD of the Bulls this year. Should of made the conference finals before the Bulls. The BULLS took our spot. They jumped over us, leapfrogged us and what will our answer be? What is the plan to stop the Bulls next year? How can we jump back ahead of them? I think it starts with a center and probably a coach. Their defense was stifling. I cannot remember a defense that good in a long time without a dominant center.
airjordan
May 12th, 2011
11:27 pm
By the way all of you crybaby hawk fans that wanted to blame the officials you got every call this game you were in the bonus for over half of the 3rd quarter and you guys still blow!! The score was not even indicitive of how bad you guys got beaten so please stop the conspiracy theory!!!!!
Joe Johnson
May 12th, 2011
11:27 pm
IM RICH BITCHHHHHHHH
Columbus
May 12th, 2011
11:29 pm
This running team was stopped flat-footed by the Bulls and the coaches or players did not have anything close to an answer. We need a beast at center. A beast and sadly Howard does not have the Hawks on his list of potential teams if Orlando does not get him the help he likes.
Not Don Waddell
May 12th, 2011
11:29 pm
Just hard to compete with the Bulls when scrubs like Deng and Boozer keep lucking jumpers in. Heat will sweep Chicago and beat Mavs in 6 for the title.
Knowing what we know now, wouldn’t be nice to go into next season with Teague as the starting PG and Jordan Crawford being the 6th man. Now they are going to be without Jamal Crawford or any other scoring threat off the bench. Maybe the NHL will just take the Hawks with the Thrashers?
Big Wally
May 12th, 2011
11:29 pm
It’s now being reported that Al Horford has a serious neck injury. He hurt it watching Rose blow by him for all those layups.
Tom
May 12th, 2011
11:30 pm
Hey you Highliters, you didn’t choke, you just got beat by a better TEAM. All you need to do is ID the players that want to commit to a team game and trade away the others, no matter who they are. Talent is there now no doubt – even better on whole than the Bulls, but you just saw how far talent alone gets you…And get rid of that stupid stadium nickname – it means selfish, individual play…
Joe Johnson
May 12th, 2011
11:31 pm
Aslong as my checks say Joe Johnson and my money add up and is on time i could care less
Not Don Waddell
May 12th, 2011
11:32 pm
Look, Illinois Red and other Bulls fans, hate to burst your bubbles, but the Bulls simply are not very good. The defense got to the Hawks because Teague was hurt and Horford did not make a jumper the entire series. Horford is a much, much better player than anyone on the Bulls outside of Rose, and he simply had an awful series. The Heat will easily sweep Chicago. Sadly, it’s going to be the Heat’s world for the next 3-4 years. Everyone else is just playing for second.
Ray
May 12th, 2011
11:33 pm
Everyone named Joe Johnson, Jamal Crawford, and Marvina duck williams can just leave the court and never play basketball again in fact Joe doesn’t deserve an all-star bid next year nor does Horford.
I vote for Josh smith and Teague to be on the all-star ballot instead of those two.
Barry
May 12th, 2011
11:33 pm
Joe Johnson has to go…unfortunately nobody will take him at his salary. Also Josh Smith has to go. He is too inconsistent (like Joe Johnson) and he keeps trying to be a jump shooter (which he is not and never will be). Hawks need a real elite player who can be a difference maker like a Derrick Rose or a Lebron James.
BosnianBaller
May 12th, 2011
11:34 pm
Good luck with us getting Howard.I will settle for Kris Kaman.He is a true center
airjordan
May 12th, 2011
11:37 pm
Not Don Waddell you are as dumb as the hawks management drafting Marvin Boozer was a 20 10 guy all season and is just getting his jumping back and Deng has been doing that all season!!!! Not to mention we are the #1 defensive team all season and you hang your hat on a guy your brilliant coach and team management never played all year except for garbage time. You even made a trade and gave up a ton to take on a big salary for Heinrich who is average at best which is the only reason why Tegue is even playing. Based on your complete lack of knowlege and facts I will choose to not give your moronic opinion any weight lol!!!!!
hawk time v
May 12th, 2011
11:38 pm
JJ and Josh will be wanting big money in the offseason since they had to carry the team in the playoffs. The hawks owners better open the bank vault and pay up a lot more money.
Chpatt
May 12th, 2011
11:40 pm
Chris Webber on NBA tv post game said it best. We all sit here and blame the players, and sure they are to blame for the most part; however, this team doesn’t stand a chance at winning CHAMPIONSHIPS! That’s what the team should be competing for, not reaching a couple more games into the playoffs than last year. The problem is ASG. Management is TERRIBLE. Playing Al Horford as a center is just so unfair. He is not a center and never will be. He is a terrific Power Forward who can run the floor. He needs to play there. Its management’s fault for settling with Al at center. It’s selfish and they aren’t committed to winning championships. If they were they would have made the necessary changes 3 years ago after the loss to the Celtics. We needed a center then, and we STILL need one now. Blame the players for their performance, but blame ASG overall. The Hawks will never compete for an Eastern Conference title unless management commits to this team. Sad, but 100% true. This team is still a playmaker and a center away from competing for a title.
DWillFan73
May 12th, 2011
11:41 pm
Just as I thought, J. Smith is all flash and no fundamentals. J. Johnson like many players got paid big and didn’t deliver. That with a surrounding cast of clowns and a coach with a coaching ability on par with junior high sealed their fate. I’ve seen junior high teams work that much harder than these useless losers. They only put in a concerted effort when their pathetic fan base actually steps up and cheers…and this being Atlanta, that rarely happens. Go Bulls!
Ant
May 12th, 2011
11:42 pm
To the Atlanta owners please sell the team so that a compentent owner can right this ship. 1st fire Larry Drew it was evident that he doesn’t have the skill or the will to coach. Most of the night his player were either standing looking at the game or hoisting up jump shots like they were scared to go it a work with the bulls. The hawks need a coach and owners that will stand up and demand that either Josh learn to shoot or stay inside. They will make sure that a center is developed or bought so that Al can go to his natural position. Joe will be told that if you get the money you are expected to play to that level and learn to pass the ball if two or more folks are guarding you. Marvin bye, Hienrich bye, and Jamal pay cut or bye. As for the supporting cast everyone keep those bags packed.
Defeated and Mistreated
May 12th, 2011
11:42 pm
So does two wins (or not getting swept for that matter) in the conference semifinals constitute a step forward?
P. Bull Terrier
May 12th, 2011
11:42 pm
Did anyone ever doubt that this is the way it would end for the Hawks? We may not have known exactly which game, or even which round, would be the one in which the Hawks quit for good this season, but we all knew it was coming.
Short bursts of effort may be enough to surprise, and even impress, those who aren’t familiar with these Hawks, but anyone who has been paying attention knew that the Hawks weren’t capable of sustaining the amount of effort necessary to play beyond the second round.
ramblinman
May 12th, 2011
11:42 pm
I keep hearing “next year will tell us all we need to know” and “we’ll be better in year 2 under LD next year” and “Teague is going to be our savior next year”. Well, I don’t buy it for a second, at least not with our current stagnant offense with little ball distribution. The talent is there, sure. But the fact that this is an Atlanta Hawks team, I frustratedly submit, just does not give me much confidence heading into 2012.
The Real Deal
May 12th, 2011
11:45 pm
We just saw already great defensive players putting in some hard work and playing as a great defensive team. Anyone who knows basketball can easily see that the result of the game was not the Hawks being bad but the great Bulls defense forcing them into submission. Chill out on the Hawk bashing and let’s give credit where credit is due. On one end the Bulls held us to 73 points on 36% shooting and on the other they had 34 team assists on 41 made shots. A good team that works hard beats individual talent on any level…
Teezo
May 12th, 2011
11:46 pm
Kaman is a true center that stays injured, leave that dude alone…Im ready for the D. Howard rally!!! The owners need to realize that this city needs a SUPERSTAR…D. Rose gets the MVP chant, more Kobe LeBron Wade Howard etc jerseys than our own…ATL is a melting pot and this city needs a star to rally around…ASG needs to basically throw everything ORL would ask for to get Howard…