The Hawks proved they aren’t a mess, but they lack a mesh
Al Horford wasn't himself in Round 2. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
The fun part ended four minutes into Game 6. The serious stuff starts now. The Hawks must decide if 12 playoff games, half of which they won, were enough to override a regular season of diminishing returns. They must decide if winning two games in Round 2, as opposed to getting swept, constitutes the kind of progress that can be sustained.
The Hawks did a nice salvage job. Had they bombed out in Round 1, there’d have been no compelling reason to hold this team together or to keep this coach. Larry Drew’s job now seems safe — he did all he could in the playoffs, and much of what he did was inspired — but the question of the Hawks’ core remains.
Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Al Horford and Marvin Williams have been together since 2007. They’ve won three playoff series but never two in one spring. When they play well, as happened against Orlando and for three of the six games against Chicago, they’re an imposing group. (”A quality team,” Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau said Thursday, speaking of the Hawks.) Alas, they don’t play as well as often as they should.
The unscheduled emergence of Jeff Teague gives the Hawks hope that next season, with a real point guard, might be better. (Still at issue is whether Teague is as good as he looked against the Bulls, and if so, why both Drew and Mike Woodson failed to play him before this.) But the Hawks didn’t lose to Chicago because they had lesser players; they lost because their players don’t complement one another the way the Bulls do.
Said Horford: “They were more solid, more consistent.”
Said Smith: “They know their roles. They fit together so well.”
Said Jamal Crawford: “They play hard every second.”
Can we say any of that about the Hawks? The playing-hard part doesn’t fit: The Hawks mailed in Game 5 and Round 1 and Game 3 of Round 2. And we couldn’t really call a team that shoots so many jump shots “solid” or “consistent.” As far as knowing roles: The share-the-ball component of Drew’s offense was taken by too many Hawks as a license to jack up jump shots, thereby lessening dynamic talents like Smith and Horford.
The shifting of Horford from center to power forward and back appeared to affect him. In the six games against the Bulls, he scored in double figures only three times. On Thursday, the day he was named third-team All-NBA — at center, mind you — he made two baskets. For the first time since he became a Hawk, it was possible to be disappointed in Al Horford.
The problem with moving Horford to power forward is that it curtails his back-to-the-basket work, which is quite good, and pushes Smith even further away. It essentially leaves the Hawks without a small forward, which shows us how far Marvin Williams — he had two points in the final three Round 2 games — has fallen.
Loading ...The advent of Teague means the Hawks will have one new starter next fall. To break the staleness that has settled in, they need another. Horford is too solid to trade and Johnson too expensive, and nobody wants Williams. (And Crawford is no lock to be re-upped as a free agent. The Hawks are perilously close to the luxury tax.) By process of elimination, that leaves Smith.
The reason not to trade him is that he’ll go somewhere else and make All-Pro. The reason to trade him is that he has become a hugely gifted distraction. He played very well in Games 4,5 and 6, but it took so much coaxing and prodding from Drew that you had to ask: Should a guy who has been in the NBA since 2004 not yet know where his strengths lie?
Late Thursday the Hawks’ general manager offered this appraisal. “We had a chance to go from good to great and we fell short,” Rick Sund said. “We made some progress, but we didn’t finish it.”
With these same players, is an Eastern Conference finals run likely? The answer, I submit, is no. The talent is here, yes, but the blend — the attribute the Bulls have and the Hawks lack — isn’t apt to form with guys who’ve been together so long. The Hawks don’t need to blow up their roster, but they do need to change it. Even if it means sacrificing a talent of Smith’s magnitude, they must find a mesh.
By Mark Bradley
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274 comments Add your comment
Excellent Article
May 13th, 2011
5:52 pm
Bradley at his best!
Octavius
May 13th, 2011
5:52 pm
The bulls play as a team and have a great point guard. The Hawks too often look like 5 very athletic guys, sharing the same side of the court, wearing the same jerseys, but each playing individually, and who can only win as long as the jump shots are going in. At times, with Teague at the point, they did seem to play more like a team.
Tim
May 13th, 2011
5:53 pm
Thats what happens when you dedicate your whole season to beat one team . the Orlando Magic , the Hawks are losers and always will be. Atlanta = Looooooooooooosers.
lldawg
May 13th, 2011
6:01 pm
management don’t dribble or pass or shoot or even defend…personnel are payed to play basketball…keep Teague, left the rest go somewhre and try to land the home town product D. Howard…NBA’s premier big man or perhaps since the Lakers want to part ways with Bynum, get him move Hortford to his natural position…
nique
May 13th, 2011
6:01 pm
I would love to get Varejao to start at center for us. How about Jamal Crawford does a sign and trade for Varejao? Or is Jamal completely unrestricted. We need a high energy, high effort center. Varejao would match up pretty well against Noah I think.
Time
May 13th, 2011
6:01 pm
Can’t move any of them and get value. If you want to take a loss on a trade of any of them, make it Joe. Eat a couple years of his salary, and see if you can move him to a place that’s desperate for a “big time superstar”. Who knows, maybe paired with Williams the Nets could be good.
Best thing the Hawks could do is replace Drew. He may be a good coach, but not for this team. This team needs someone who will command their respect. Bill Laimbeer is the coach to get the best out of this team. He will be focused on the things we need our bigs to do (defend, score in the paint and rebound) and won’t be afraid to put Al, or Josh or whoever on his butt on the bench if their play deserves it.
Jay
May 13th, 2011
6:06 pm
TRADE JOSH SMITH IS HE TERRIBLE. IF LARRY DREW WAS SMART HE WOULD HAVE SAT JOSH SMITH ON THE BENCH FOR TAKING ALL THOSE TERRIBLE 2/3 POINT SHOTS. ALSO TRADE MARVIN,ZAZA,AND A FEW OTHERS PLAYERS. THE OFFENSE NEED MORE PASSING AND MOVING WITHOUT THE BALL. ATLANTA SHOULD GO AFTER DWIGHT HOWARD.
Tim
May 13th, 2011
6:09 pm
I remember everybody on here talking so much crap about Dwight Howard when they were playing the Magic in the first round , Howard this Howard that and now you guys want him on your team . get a life Howard would never join your loser ass team and thats pretty sad considering that is his home town . Howards a magic man for life and if he’s not , he wont be joining your sorry ass team. trust me .
worse2first
May 13th, 2011
6:22 pm
I can’t believe some of this garbage posted here. We have a true center, a bonafide 3rd team all NBA center who still has considerable upside. We have an extremely talented, but immature PF who is a coach’s nightmare. Drew and his crew have proven not to be up to the task of effectively coaching the front court starters or the SG position, at least not yet. The way they handled the PG position was a disaster until Hinrich got hurt. Double team JJ and JC1 and the team can barely break 80 PPG. You can’t win scoring 73, 77 or 82 pts a game. Make adjustments.
The coaching and front office moves have not met expectations yet, but no need to panic.
The Marvin issue and SF issue needs to be addressed. Smoove is no SF. Guy can’t shoot. He is a beast, especially on defense as a PF. Josh and Horford need to work within the top of the key exclusively. No more playing outside giving JJ an outlet pass after his hold-the-ball ISO play predictably fails. Honestly I am sick of the deer in the headlight looks Horford and JJ gives us when the defense keys on them. Coach the tinmen to move the ball, cut down on hesitation moves, pass the rock, move the ball, show aggression on offense, draw some fouls and move the ball. Did I say move the ball? I said it before, and it is still true, this team is just a piece or two away, but coaching has to improve. Fire Marvin….the guy couldn’t crack the UNC lineup the way he is playing. Oh yeah he never cracked the starting lineup there either.
Gator Man
May 13th, 2011
6:29 pm
D. Howard , D. Howard, we are nothig going to get anything for Al, do what ever it takes to get the big man, keep Joe Johnson, maybe he can play better with a super star, D.Howard, D. Howard”’
Donald Trump
May 13th, 2011
6:30 pm
What? No article about me? But, I’m the greatest!
chip
May 13th, 2011
6:47 pm
Smith and Williams need to be out of here. If Horford is going to play the 4 spot he needs to get better at facing the basket and develope that part of his game because he can’t do that right now. The big stiff white kid is awful, get rid of that (I dislike him so bad I will not say his name)
Joseph Allen McWhorter
May 13th, 2011
6:47 pm
Mark, these Hawks need a proven leader. A true superstar. All great teams which win championships have one. Magic Johnson led the Lakers to so many championships. Michael Jordan did the same for the Bulls. And now those same Bulls have Derrick Rose, who showed in this series against the Hawks why he is the MVP of the league. The Boston Celtics won so many rings led by Larry Bird. Let’s face it. The Hawks don’t have any one player who can truly take over a game and make all other guys around him better. It might require a major trade over the season to get a big name player. You mentioned possibly dealing Josh Smith. The Hawks just don’t have a true leader. That is the main weakness I see at this point.
War Eagle.
May 13th, 2011
6:51 pm
Marvin Williams would likely prosper in Phoenix playing with Nash…but he has got to go. Josh plays best when he uses his versatility as a combo 3-4….but he is no straight up 3 player, and when he takes perimeter shots, he looks like a fool. No doubt that Josh Smith is a keeper…at times, he is electric.
Teezo
May 13th, 2011
6:53 pm
How can you blame JJ for being overpaid like he paid himself, yall need to get over that please LOL…If you move JJ Im pretty sure ATL will not be getting equal value in return…He’s a willing passer and ATLs best passer if you ask me…He’s the only player on the team that gets double/triple teamed…JJ didn’t disappear, the other teams knew that if they loaded up on him, ATL has no other players that can beat them…ATL management needs to put better players around him to where if they load up on him they will pay for it…We need a “No BS” coach and management if you ask me, then go on from there…Like always blame JJ for everything, nobodys doing that to Kobe and they got swept, plus they are far superior than ATL…How about talk to Horford about playing like he didn’t wanna hurt his Noahs feelings by beating him or Crawford for disappearing…Theres a reason why JJ was a top free agent last season, because he’s a top 10 SG with 30 teams in the league, be grateful for what you got because you will never know until its gone…Teams need 2 stars to even try to make some noise and thats what this team and city is missing…GET JJ SOME REAL HELP!!!!!!
Chris Murphy, Atlanta, GA
May 13th, 2011
6:53 pm
@BigTimeTECHFan: thanks for mentioning Dan Roundfield. I think if the Hawks stuck Ol’ Man Dan in a room with “Smoove” (what a pitiful nickname!) and locked the door, Dan would be the one walking out. HE was a warrior, for sure, and brought “it” consistently.
Teezo
May 13th, 2011
6:56 pm
I would trade Smith or Horford, for a stud…Which ever one brings back the most value!!!!
bird
May 13th, 2011
7:00 pm
Why is Al Horford getting a pass?
N.D.T.K.A.
May 13th, 2011
7:01 pm
D-E-F-E-N-S-E wins championships! Now look at the Hawks. Who plays defense? Who cares or plays with passion? I don’t listen to what guy’s say I watch what they do! Who plays defense? Who cares when the team wins or loses?
Hawks need a coach. Bulls did not play that well in Game 1 but last night they played like their coach talked. A coach’s job is too motivate the team. Too many times this season the Hawk’s players have been unmotivated. An indictment of Larry Drew.
1st- Get a quality coach.
2nd- Let Jamal walk. For all of his talent he will never guard anyone.
3rd- Go back to what I said originally and ask yourself who plays defense, who cares about this team with what they do on the floor?
cdog
May 13th, 2011
7:22 pm
the hawks need to start looking for a GM first like the falcons and the braves has.they need a GM who will do anything to win.rick sund is not the answer.he has retarded the franchise since he has been there.its time for a change there first.if they had someone like thomas dimitroff with falcons, you will see them become a champoinship bunch.whatever it takes to bring dwight howard home to the hawks should be done but with sund, this won’t happen.he is too stupid to mold a franchise.until sund is out, you will continue to see the hawks lose
Benny
May 13th, 2011
7:31 pm
Teague can make a good point guard. He has to be the leader, though. Are the veterans going to be aboard when he decides not to pass to JS from 30 feet away? A point guard is the QB, and has to establish control. That is his biggest challenge. A good PG will not pass to JS camped away from the basket. Will penetrate and create easy baskets for teammates if they will move. Marvin, just buy him out, and let him walk–anywhere.
Wink
May 13th, 2011
7:38 pm
The team does not mesh because they are misfits who do not know their roles. I suggest the following transformations for our CORE players who will be under contract next year.
Joe Johnson needs to pattern his game after Ray Allen. He needs to become a catch & shoot player, come off screens & post up smaller players occassionally on the block. All his moves need to be quicker. All that pounding the ball to the end of the shot clock is a waste of his true talent. He is too easy to defend & double when he has the ball. LD needs to take the ball out of his hands…he was a catch & shoot player while with Phoenix…transform into Ray Allen type player.
Jeff Teague needs to become a Tony Parker type player. With his speed he should own the first 5 seconds of every possession and push the pace looking for his shot. He has to perfect his tear drop shot & run with a purpose and not defer to his teammates or coach. LD did not play him most of the season because he played with brakes on and LD uses his tentativeness as an excuse not to play him…should work on his shot and come back as if the starting job is already his…Toney Parker should be his role model for success.
Josh Smith, has got to control his in game decisions. He needs to get his lunch pale and go to work in the paint. He should work in the PAINT like Zach Randolph. Randolph can’t jump 2 inches, but he goes to work in the paint. Josh is the only player we have that can put up triple double stats, he is a stat stuffer across the board. Most nights his stat line will look good in print, but if you saw the game you can also see the negative impact he has on most game, even with good numbers. He has to be consistent in the paint area and stay away from the perimeter…Josh has to play closer to Zach Randolph than Dirk!!!
Al Horford has to pattern his game similar to Tim Duncan. Al has to be stronger in the paint and more fluid with his moves, as his game is somewhat robotic. He has to develop a good handle, be able to go right or left with jump hooks and add the mid range jumpshot. His moves should be determined by the foot speed of his defender…he has to become our undisputed leader and make players accountable…yes he can be our Tim Duncan…our Big Fundamental!!
These four guys represent our CORE player of our immediate future and will be Hawks next year. Would you take a line up of Tony Parker, Ray Allen, Tim Duncan, Zach Randolph in their prime and role with that, provided our CORE guys could make the transformation?
If we could add, in FREE AGENCY, a Tyson Chandler or JaVale McGhee type to man the Center position and protect the paint…would we have a better mesh?
Add Pachulia, to be Pachulia, bringing energy off the bench,rebounding & be the ENFORCER on the team.
Add, Damien Wilkins, as our DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST, to handle any brush fires that develop guarding SF, SG & slower PG. Give him more minutes and make him our designated attack dog…transform into our Shane Battier!!
Take the rest of our contracts and reinvest those asset into:
Veteran Defensive Point Guard…Hinrich can possibly fill this need
Knock Down Shooter… like a JJ Reddick type!
A Young Highlight Talent… like Jordan Crawford
A Atheletic Slasher… like Thaddeus Young
Beef & Lenght for rebounding & fouls (no more Powell, Etan, Williams )
All that said to say: we need player who know their roles. We just got beat by such a team, Da Bulls!
They have one true SCORING talent in D Rose, a supporting SLASHER in Deng,a REBOUNDER in Noah, a Defensive Stopper in Bogans, an Enforcer in Boozer and a bench full of ROLE PLAYERS, with one common agenda play TEAM DEFENSE!!
NO MESHING BECAUSE OF NO DEFINED ROLES OR STRUCTURE!!
THE PLAYER ARE A CARBON COPY OF THEIR MANAGEMENT!!!
Debo
May 13th, 2011
7:38 pm
Bring back Dominique Wilkins and sign Mutombo.
adrain
May 13th, 2011
7:38 pm
we gotta make a play for DWIGHT HOWARD! Trade marvin back to UNC or who ever will take teague is the truth why the hell we didnt now this kid could play is beyond me josh smith’s ass should be traded to for a center
Dwight Howard
May 13th, 2011
7:39 pm
Yo whats up everyone ? just wanted to let you guys know the Hawks are my first choice . now lets keep this on a down low . we dont need this getting out . I will promise you this after my next contract with Orlando is finish , I will be somewhere around 36 years old and my playing days will be almost over , i will not be able to jump anymore or block shots . it might take at least the MLE , but i will be there to support my home town . so be patient my little trolls . out!!!!!!!!!!!!
ATL4Life
May 13th, 2011
7:45 pm
Crawford needs to be resigned. I dont know if trading Josh is a good idea. Maybe some strict coaching in the offseason is all he needs. Trading Marvin and Hinrick for JR would be worth while. Joe could play small forward and teague at point with JR at shooting and al at center with Josh at power.
JR is an explosive player and is excellent from range and could take pressure off of joe. I don’t think we will ever get a better player at power than Josh. His offense is sporadic but is defense is steller. Armstrong should get more minutes and Josh should sit some more so Al can lay power and center. Joe is a good has good perimiter defense and would do well at small because he has size and is physical.
All of these=Championship
ag
May 13th, 2011
7:46 pm
Tezo, I can name a couple of free agents I would have signed before Joe… starting with the three down in Miami, Amare, even Boozer…
FACTS
May 13th, 2011
7:49 pm
Look none the Hawks fan want to admit so I will, we are mediocre squad that has not improve the abilities of it’s young core….we did not try to sign any top free agent other than Joe Johnson, which really told me something about how this organization feels about itself….a person can tell you no to question it does’nt mean that is the end of the world…New York never even made Joe an offer so what does that tell you…young teams all around the league are making a name for themselves…look Hawk fans the Memphis Grizzlies are even passing us by…what good is youth if it is not nutured into maturity, all you have is a bunch of wild younguns…Sund must go his bluprint for the future is awful, we do not even have a 1st round draft pick for next year & traded away young legs in Jordan Crawford….Larry Drew is not head coach material, he is just a capable assistant & commands no respect from this team….same old ATL franchise just fill the seats & make profit, don’t reach for the stars & demand excellence
GT Alum
May 13th, 2011
7:51 pm
Teezo -
I don’t blame JJ for him being overpaid. I blame Hawks’ management for that.
I blame JJ for repeatedly refusing to step up when this team needs him or shoulder any responsibility for this team. “I don’t get all the credit when we win, so I shouldn’t take all the blame when we lose.” Complaining about being double-teamed.
Great players find a way to be effective despite good defense (LD even challenged JJ saying he had to fight through Chicago’s defense). Great players hate losing more than their fans do. JJ’s a skilled player who lacks the heart of a champion. The problem is he’s a 2nd banana, but the Hawks have tried to make them his star. The only way he’ll get to the Finals is if he plays on a team with someone better than him leading it.
FACTS
May 13th, 2011
8:00 pm
WTF up people, the reason Teague was languishing on the pine is because he does not fit into this stagnant offense very well…this guy wants to push the ball & get some real motion to the offense….Larry Drew tried to fool aus at his hiring press conference with that talk of motion offense..we still see PFs & Centers camped out to far from the basket to make an impact on the real game inside….Larry Drew is in way over his head, if a man can’t see that Teague can have an impact on the floor & his still runs Marvin Williams out there every night who gives you nothing at all….I’m dumbfounded!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ag
May 13th, 2011
8:05 pm
In the movie Wolverine, Silverfox cursed Stryker tell him to walk until his feet bleed or something very close. Marvin, we like you dude, but you gotta go!
FACTS
May 13th, 2011
8:10 pm
This team has been running the same stagnant offense the last 4 years….Larry drew may call it motion offense I call Mike Woodson 101…the reason Teague has been on the bench is this sme old offense does not fit a speedy PG at I doubt if CP3 or Westbrook would flourish in this crap…These guys do not I repeat do not respect Larry Drew & never will !!!!!!….they are content because the fill the seats & have not had a good stiff kick in the rear….does any Hawk fan remember when Thibodeau benched Boozer & Noah for 13 straight minutes now that was a coaching exhibition!
Teezo
May 13th, 2011
8:34 pm
GT Alum
May 13th, 2011
7:51 pm
Teezo -
I don’t blame JJ for him being overpaid. I blame Hawks’ management for that.
I blame JJ for repeatedly refusing to step up when this team needs him or shoulder any responsibility for this team. “I don’t get all the credit when we win, so I shouldn’t take all the blame when we lose.” Complaining about being double-teamed.
Great players find a way to be effective despite good defense (LD even challenged JJ saying he had to fight through Chicago’s defense). Great players hate losing more than their fans do. JJ’s a skilled player who lacks the heart of a champion. The problem is he’s a 2nd banana, but the Hawks have tried to make them his star. The only way he’ll get to the Finals is if he plays on a team with someone better than him leading it.
——————————————————-
I hear exactly what you are saying…Im upset at the way JJ plays also, yes he needs to be a more vocal leader and more aggresive on the court…What Im saying is that he’s far from the problem…Its ATLs system, we cannot continue to rely on JJ to get us over the mountain, he’s one person on a team full of nuckleheads…We need players that will take over when JJ is being hounded, Josh and JT did that, but who else showed up??? We need a bonified sidekick for JJ, getting rid of him will not solve a thing…I don’t blame him for his comments because I see a players who is frustrated that management will not do what it will take to make the team better…I would rather it been him starting than having Crawford launching crazy shots all game without even looking to pass…Im pretty sure if there was another JJ type of player along side him, this team would be championship material…
Tia
May 13th, 2011
8:42 pm
Do we have player problems, sure. But what difference does subtracting, adding, multiplying or dividing means? We have the wrong coach because the Hawks have bad ownership. We downgraded at the coaching position. And I am sure that ASG is committed even though the Hawks are worse, not better, this season.
charles robert
May 13th, 2011
9:00 pm
I hate to say it, but i think that somehow Noah was in Al’s mind almost instantly from the time Game 1 started. I think it probably reflects back from them being teammates at Florida and Noah probably abusing him during practice. Just a thought. Al did not stand up against him whatsoever and Noah had his way and he had no fear of Al.
Thoughts?????
Fussball Fan
May 13th, 2011
9:01 pm
Why do fans think that they can trade their ripple or 40 ounce for someone else’s champagne or 100 year old Merlot? Example- Marvin and ZaZa for Odom and Gasol or Odom and Bynum. Really? Really?!! R-E-A-L-L-Y???!!! Hawks fans are coming up with these asinine trade propositions. Do they think that Mitch Kupcheck, Pat Riley, Joe Dumars or any of these other good GM’s (even though he is truly a good GM, maybe they can fool Danny Ainge again, like OKC’s GM did) are part of the ASG or are Billy Knight? Teams with players like the Lakers want players who at their core are winners!! Not whiners. Please stop two things, in no particular order: 1) Comparing Josh Smith (make that 3 things). 1) Calling Josh Smith, J-Smoove, it is a silly nickname that only Hawks fans use. NO ONE IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA CALLS HIM THAT. Do you think that they would call him that in LA, San Antonio, or Boston? No because it sounds silly and he has not proved anything on the court to justify the name. 2) Stop comparing J-Smoove, oops my bad, to LeBron James. They are certain Hawks fans who say that they have the same skill set!!! ROFL!!!!!!!! Sorry, about that, I am up and back in my chair and my keyboard, wheww, that was a really good laugh. Anyhow, what has Josh ever done to make you compare him to Bron, Bron,? Someone…..anyone……..(crickets…….) Finally, please stop making up these silly trades for Atlanta’s gutless players for players who have real heart. The only way this may work is if you get one of these really good GM’s to sign the paperwork while they are at their dentist office and hopped up on codeine OR you have naked pictures of them with llama, chupacabra or Susan Boyle (in no particular order).
Bankrupt Atlanta Spirit
May 13th, 2011
9:10 pm
I hope the Hawks join the Thrashers and move to Winnipeg.
JJ Hater
May 13th, 2011
9:12 pm
GET RID OF JOE JOHNSON!!!! Trade him. Cut him. Bench him. Just get him off the team. He is not a leader, never has been, and never will be. Time to cut our losses and move on. Hawks Management / Ownership already made the HUGE mistake of re-signing him last year… time to stop making mistakes!
JJ Hater
May 13th, 2011
9:35 pm
And one more thing… only a true dumbass would trade Josh Smith (which is why it might just happen!). He might miss shots here and there, but he still has a better field goal percentage than Joe Johnson. Josh Smith is not just a big part of our defense – he IS our defense!!! Trade Williams, lose Johnson, and feel free to trade some of the other half performers / ballplayer wannabes like Armstrong and Thomas that we really don’t rely on. Zaza has a cool name, and I do like and respect him as a player, but he may need to pack his bags too so we can get a good performing Center.
superiorblogman
May 13th, 2011
10:23 pm
Johnson is only too expensive to trade for a horrible management group and GM. Marvin is only too sorry to trade for a horrible management group and GM. ASG sale and let Sund walk, you guys will see the correct changes made.
1 Joe Johnson
2 Marvin Williams
3 Kirk Hinrich
4 Zaza
They should be moved in that order.
B
May 13th, 2011
11:00 pm
I have enjoyed this Hawks team and its players over the past few years. However, the reason the Hawks will never get farther than they have is all due to the overall mental attitude of the team. If this team is to improve a trade is necessary. And it would be worth the risk at this point to give up talent for a player(s) who can help this team believe they can achieve and understand that reaching full potential comes from playing hard every minute of every game, or atleast the meaningful ones.
jj
May 14th, 2011
12:14 am
Fact,you are right.The Hawks problem is they play better when Teague push the ball and create shots for others instead of JJ walking the ball down and everybody else standing around and waiting to see if he can get a shot off or pass it off to whoever is standing outside the 3point line.I do not understand how LD let JJ pull this crap every nite.With Teague pushing and Marvin,Josh,and Al filling along with Joe,this TEAM would not need any trades but just need a cxhange of mind.They have to change if they ever want to suceed.We have a good backup PG in Kirk and if JC and Joe buy in ,just maybe we could see some good basketball in The ATL.We can’t make all these fantasy trades,but we can change the way we play basketball.We got the pieces,we just need to put them in the right places and they be willing to change and stop being the laughing stock of NBA.As Rocky said,”if we can just change”,we would be dangerous.t
Teezo
May 14th, 2011
12:19 am
The team chemistry is not there…Those dudes do not mesh well together, not saying they are bad players, but this team has no identity…ASG needs to be open to all offers this summer including looking for a no-nosense type of coach…Josh and/or Horford can go and replace him with a dominant big man that can comand double teams..I think which ever one would flourish in that situation…Keep JJ and Teague because that would help them out dramatically…Toss Marvin in the dirty clothes hamper and ship him out…Add some shooters and some reliable bigs as role players…But of course that won’t happen because it makes too much sense for the ASG…
Dr. Warren
May 14th, 2011
1:22 am
The problem is, I don’t trust Sund to get equal or better value for Josh Smith. We need a new GM and possibly a new coach, a brand new voice in the locker room—and hopefully a more experienced one.
bigdon
May 14th, 2011
2:29 am
Marvin Williams: JAFN — Just another………..
TheAntiMe
May 14th, 2011
2:58 am
And who didn’t know that these lazy quitters would waste no time before patting themselves on the back for laying down like a door mat in only three games in Round 2 this year instead of all four games like they did last year?
If anyone really considers that to be progress then they can have it. It was much easier for me to root for the Hawks of several years ago who had to fight for a playoff spot because they realized nothing was a given. Those Hawks obviously did not have the talent of the current Atlanta Hawks, but you could count on them to go out there every game and bust their tails without their coach having to beg them to play hard during every freaking time out.
These Hawks that we are stuck with now are just too uninterested to be bothered with anything like playing hard nor would they know what a set of cojones were if a pair jumped up and bit them on the tail. Just make sure that the direct-deposit is working and that’s all that matters to them.
jm
May 14th, 2011
4:46 am
Only three NBA teams have managed to reach the second round in each of the last three years, Atlanta, Boston,& La. This year Atlanta won more games in the second round then La & Boston combined. Early in the first half of game six, with the game undecided,and Hinrich injured, Geof Teague badly sprained his right wrist.(apparently,an event of little merit, in the minds of the AJC writers)
In spite of Teague’s gutsy return, Larry Drew, for all practical puposes had lost BOTH his point guards and yet he still had won two more second round play off games then Phil Jackson and his World Champion Lakers.
tony
May 14th, 2011
5:56 am
ASG need to swallow their pride and admit that they made a bad business decision by signing JJ to a max contract and try to rid themselves of him. I see one possibility.
Send JJ and ZaZa to San Antonio for Manu Ginobili and Richard Jefferson. Ginobili is getting up there in age(33) and Jefferson hasn’t been the same player since he left the Nets. I hear that the Spurs are in the market for an tough back up center. I think Zaza brings toughness. If Sund can somehow convince the Spurs that JJ is a super player when surrounded with other veterans, I think this deal gets done.
My Wish Team:
PG-Jeff Teague…………………Iman Shumpert(undrafted free agent)
SG- Manu Genobili……………Kirk Hinrick
SF-Richard Jefferson………..Marvin Williams
PF-Al Horford……………………Josh Smith
C-Collins…………………………..Keith Benson(2nd round pick)
GT
May 14th, 2011
8:25 am
Josh Smith is the anti Micheal Jordan. Smith came right out of high school, while Jordan went to North Carolina a real university, blending in well still does, learn to play golf. Jordan has friends from this university and real life that are every bit as successful as he is. He doesn’t run in a posse, he pushes the bounties of his life, he is his own man in a positive way. For this Jordan has been greatly criticized by his own culture as a man that does not give back. To me he is a man that gets it, he would be a great model for a Josh Smith or any young man basketball or not. I think that is too late, Josh has fallen into the garden variety of NBA players that have pass through the years, usually ending up in a mess at the end. He hurts a team just like MJ helped one. His competitive spirit is mired in immaturity and selfishness. He even has effected older players like Johnson and Crawford. If he becomes all pro the word means nothing.
Greg
May 14th, 2011
8:32 am
Tony, even the Hawks aren’t dumb enough to make that deal. Gino is too old and Jefferson is irrelevant. On the flip side of things, why would the Spurs or anyone else pay Joe Johnson the insane amount of money that the Hawks have? $20 mil per year for a guy with no leadership qualities.
As for Marvin Williams, I don’t see that he has “fallen”. He has always been a weak player. The Hawks just refused to admit that until thus year because of the ridiculously high draft pick they wasted on him.
Finally, my opinion of Jamal Crawford changed on the Chicago series. He is fun to watch at times, but this series showed that he isn’t tough enough to handle playoff basketball physically or mentally. He was taken completely out of his game on the offensive end and he’s always been a liability on the defensive end.