Live from Game 6: The Hawks look to book a Chicago return
Nobody figured it would be this tough for the top-seeded Bulls. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
It’s win or go home, except that the Hawks are already home. But you get the picture.
The series in quick review: Hawks shot great, played hard and won Game 1; Hawks did neither and lost Game 2; Hawks appeared ready to succumb in Game 3; they refuted such a notion in winning Game 4 and in clambering from 15 points down to take a brief lead in Game 5.
Larry Drew on his Hawks, speaking a few minutes ago: “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.”
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau on his by-now-familiar opponent: “This is a quality team. They have quality depth. They have a lot of guys who can put it on the floor.”
This was reminiscent of what Dwyane Wade said after the Hawks beat his Heat in a Game 7 in 2009: “They’ve got five guys they can throw it to and have them make a play.”
Along the way, we’d lost sight of that. The epic Round 2 collapse against Orlando last spring skewed our view of these Hawks, and this middling regular season did nothing to make us remember. But these playoffs have made us recall why it was we got excited about these Hawks in that giddy Boston series of 2008, and the giddiest of those nights came in Game 6.
The Hawks fell behind by 15 points early and you figured, “That’s that, done and dusted.” Then Josh Childress — remember Josh Childress made a tip-in that hung on the rim forever and cut the lead to one after the third-quarter horn — and the rest was astonishing.
Spanning the third and fourth quarters, the Hawks scored on 17 consecutive possessions. They did it against the Celtics, who would become NBA champs. “They thought they had us,” Josh Smith said, speaking of that star-spangled night.
But they didn’t, at least not in Game 6. And Chicago, like those Celtics a No. 1 seed, haven’t yet gotten a real handle on this bunch. The Bulls have won three games in the series, but their biggest lead in any game has been 15 points. If we return to the regular season, the Bulls led the Hawks by at least 19 in all three games.
Yeah, these are the playoffs, and they’re different. But the Hawks are also different. They’ve gotten good again. They can take this back to Chicago. They really can.
And with that, I turn it over to you. Another tight deadline looms tonight, so I’ll be flitting forth and back, but I welcome you company as we hurtle into Game 6. And if the Hawks score on 17 consecutive trips this evening, just recall who put a little bug in y’all’s ear.
By Mark Bradley
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505 comments Add your comment
Worm
May 12th, 2011
9:48 pm
In honor of Dandy Don, “turn out the lights the party’s over”!
Calm Down
May 12th, 2011
9:49 pm
Joe Johnson’s dribbling is killing the tempo… he just holds the ball dribbliing and then instead of shooting, he just passes. I think he’s afraid he will show just how bad he is in pressure situations.
d.carter
May 12th, 2011
9:49 pm
AL HORFORD IS A TOTAL LIABILITY ON DEFENSE
wayxbulldog
May 12th, 2011
9:49 pm
Why is Jason Collins still in the game? I understand the rebounding concept but he isn’t even do that. At least get some offense in there or somebody that can jump over 1 foot.
AD
May 12th, 2011
9:49 pm
I hate the Hawks
d.carter
May 12th, 2011
9:50 pm
WE JUST DONT SHOW UP IN BIG GAMES AT ALL
Tech Man
May 12th, 2011
9:50 pm
Bulls are calm and confident with the big league as if they are at practice. Everything is going in.
Duck
May 12th, 2011
9:50 pm
This Joe Johnson performance is reminiscent of Matt Ryan in the home playoff game with Green bay.
Live NBA blog: Bulls up by 10 on Hawks at halftime – USA Today (blog) | Locs Basketball Store
May 12th, 2011
9:50 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Jay Dubu
May 12th, 2011
9:50 pm
Everybody afraid to shoot, except Josh.
rob
May 12th, 2011
9:51 pm
Bulls hitting all their shots, Hawks missing everything
d.carter
May 12th, 2011
9:51 pm
REALLY REALLY SUX
Coach Dooley
May 12th, 2011
9:52 pm
I can’t stand watching johnson and crawford at the 3 point line, dribbling the ball , between their legs, running the clock down- give me a break I’m not impressed that you can dribble between your legs
AD
May 12th, 2011
9:52 pm
This is so typical ATL sports
marc
May 12th, 2011
9:52 pm
nice, broke 50 before the end of the quarter
rob
May 12th, 2011
9:52 pm
Its over
Mark Bradley
May 12th, 2011
9:53 pm
Not over yet. Getting near, but not yet.
rob
May 12th, 2011
9:53 pm
I really cant stand this BS
rob
May 12th, 2011
9:53 pm
There is no coming back from this, well at least there is a lockout next year
marc
May 12th, 2011
9:53 pm
it has been
Mark Bradley
May 12th, 2011
9:54 pm
Be intriguing to see if the Bulls use their bench. Starters still in, save Noah
Cousin Vicker
May 12th, 2011
9:54 pm
This performance shouldn’t detract from the Hawks strong post-season showing overall, but clearly this team needs a legit center and another scorer.
Coach Dooley
May 12th, 2011
9:54 pm
good defense will get it under 10 going to the 4th
Jackets 2011
May 12th, 2011
9:55 pm
Jon Barry has a Jon Barry agenda.
Nice second career for the ex-Jacket and NBA player.
What about this game should make Barry give the Hawks a compliment?
Bulls look the better team.
Ben
May 12th, 2011
9:55 pm
WHO THE **** IS OMER ASIK??
REALLY? I mean, REALLY???
AD
May 12th, 2011
9:55 pm
Well thats it. Stick a fork in it. I am so sick of being a fan of ATL sports teams. Always a let down. They can never show up when it means the most. They are just perfect at crapping the bed. Uggghhhhhhh, how can a city punish its fanbase worse
Calm Down
May 12th, 2011
9:55 pm
I think some knee pads are in order for Hubie and Trico. After the game they can just have the Bulls line up.
BravesFan79
May 12th, 2011
9:55 pm
Anyone else sick of seeing the Hawks defenders run at the guy 2 seconds after hes already shot the ball.. to make it look like there playing defense?? NO EFFORT! sad
ATL Professional Sports Futility
May 12th, 2011
9:55 pm
And just for fun, Alex Gonzalez just turned the GW Home Run into getting thrown out at second down the street at Turner Field…following sports in this town is as futile as trying to navigate the traffic from Hell that keeps fans away from the venues many a night…
Dan
May 12th, 2011
9:56 pm
Bama 13
I was cheering Hank Arron when he hit 715 so yeah I’ve seen lots of crappy teams in Atlanta.
rob
May 12th, 2011
9:56 pm
The Hawks lost the game in the 1st quarter, pretty much they were even until then
AD
May 12th, 2011
9:56 pm
ATL is the worst sports city ever. I cant handle any more of this. We just Crap our pants whenever it matters most. This is just punishment
Coach Dooley
May 12th, 2011
9:56 pm
jump shots- always jump shots
Ben
May 12th, 2011
9:58 pm
You’re dreaming Coach Dooley.
It’s over. The Hawks simply don’t have the ability comeback from these kinds of deficits.
I don’t recall one in recent memory at least.
matt
May 12th, 2011
9:58 pm
120 million does not buy what it used to
Jay Dubu
May 12th, 2011
9:59 pm
Send in the clowns, Send in the clowns…don’t bother, they’re already here!
NagoyaHawk
May 12th, 2011
9:59 pm
Typical ATL performance. I think I’m done with ATL sports. Good luck people.
Salsedo Chris
May 12th, 2011
9:59 pm
hey Mark Bradley—ya want me to invent a time machine so you can go back and rewrite today’s column ?
(it’ll make ya look smarter )
AD
May 12th, 2011
10:00 pm
have we ever gotten an off rebound. Eff Schmo johnson
Matt from MN
May 12th, 2011
10:00 pm
Hahahahahahaha….burn in hell, ASG!!!
bamaboy1
May 12th, 2011
10:00 pm
Kind of quiet in there…
Coach Dooley
May 12th, 2011
10:00 pm
at times they don’t play well together as a team- just pass it to Johnson or Crawford and let them create
playmeortrademe
May 12th, 2011
10:00 pm
Another shining moment for another Georgia sports team in a big game…think they’ll break 70?
AD
May 12th, 2011
10:00 pm
UNCLE
Coach Dooley
May 12th, 2011
10:02 pm
Hawks shooting .352 for the game
Murph
May 12th, 2011
10:02 pm
I hear Florida Evans now…”Damn, Damn, Damn!”
Coach Dooley
May 12th, 2011
10:02 pm
only 19 fgs for the game
BK
May 12th, 2011
10:03 pm
53 points after 3 quarters, On national TV.
Keith
May 12th, 2011
10:03 pm
I thought we needed to keep Jamal Crawford, but seeing him in this series made me realize what a terrible defender he is. Also, when Teague is in we run plays, when Crawford is in it seems like we get that ISO crap again.
DF
May 12th, 2011
10:03 pm
What this series has taught me:
-Josh Smith is easily our best player when he sticks to his game
-Teague is going to be a great PG
-JJ is aging. He can play great when he’s fresh but he just looks tired out there.
-Horford has something seriously wrong with him right now. It could be an injury or it could be something psychological. He’s been outplayed by the Bulls main four frontcourt guys (Boozer, Noah, Asik, Gibson)
-Marvin sucks and needs to be traded ASAP