Having blown Game 2, Bizarro Hawks are in … good shape?
Don't dismay, Coach Drew! You've got 'em where you want 'em! (AJC photo by Hyosub Shin)
As we’ve again been reminded, the Hawks are unchallenged masters of the cosmic flop. Less widely realized is this: Once the Hawks get their collapse out of the way, they tend to play some pretty good ball. Citing cases:
Game 5, Round 1 against Milwaukee, 2010: The Hawks blew a nine-point lead in the final 3:55 at Philips Arena in Game 5, handing the sixth-seeded Bucks their third consecutive victory and leaving the Hawks facing elimination in the Bradley Center. They won Game 6 on the road by 14 points — the intractable Mike Woodson even threw up a zone defense — and Game 7 by 21 back here.
Game 4, Round 1 against Indiana, 1996: With a chance to close out the higher-seeded Pacers at the old Omni — Round 1 was best-of-five then — the Hawks managed 11 fourth-quarter points and lost to force a decisive game at Market Square Arena. They fell behind 6-0 in as a loud a building as I’ve ever experienced, prompting me to tell colleague Jeff Denberg: “They’re gonna get murdered.” The Hawks won Game 5 by a basket behind the 3-point shooting of the legendary Matt Bullard.
Game 6, Round 2 against Boston, 1988: This one we know. The Hawks had taken games 3,4 and 5 and were poised to eliminate the mighty Celtics on a Friday night at the Omni. The home side played as if the game was too big for it, the end coming when a shot to tie was taken not by Dominique Wilkins or Doc Rivers but by the sub Cliff Levingston, whose touch was so deft he bore the nickname “House.” (Because he tossed up enough bricks to build one.) Everyone expected the Hawks to lose Game 7 by 30 in the Garden; they lost 118-116 in maybe the proudest moment in franchise history.
The Hawks in the spring are more difficult to handicap than the 3-year-olds running at Churchill on the first Saturday in May. This team handles adversity, much of self-inflicted, more adroitly than prosperity. If the comic-book Bizarro World — on which the credo is: “Us hate beauty! Us love ugliness!” — had an NBA franchise, this would be it.
Which brings us to current events. The Hawks had a chance to take a 2-0 lead on a night when the best Boston player was suspended. Being the Hawks, they blew it. As tempting as it is to suggest the Hawks have blown the series with it, they really haven’t. Josh Smith, hurt at the end of Game 2, figures to miss Game 3 but no more, and it would be just like the Hawks to win in Boston on a night when their best player doesn’t play.
Asked Wednesday how crushing the misdoings of Tuesday night had been, Marvin Williams — who has done nothing in the series, FYI — shrugged. “It stinks, obviously,” he said. “But it’s a seven-game series. You can’t get too high on the wins and too low on the losses.”
That’s boilerplate stuff, but it happens to be true. The Hawks aren’t out of this. They’ll need to blow three more games to be eliminated. (Wait. That didn’t sound right.) Their mission is the same as Boston’s was in games 1 and 2: Steal one and flip the home-court edge. The Celtics did the deed, but the Hawks are not incapable of winning at TD Garden. Especially when nobody expects them to win at TD Garden.
The Hawks could have packed it in when Al Horford was lost in the season’s 11th game. They could have slid to the No. 7 or No. 8 seed — although with Derrick Rose gone, being No. 8 doesn’t look so bad — and been content just to make the playoffs. They finished with the East’s fourth-best record, which was better than they did last season with Horford, and they’ve hung (relatively) tough even after backup center Zaza Pachulia hurt his foot.
The Hawks’ own Bizarro credo: They never take the easy way in, and they never take the easy way out. They confound supporters and detractors — at the same time! If you were among the few who liked the Hawks’ chances in this series coming in, you shouldn’t dismiss them now.
They did, let’s note, beat the Celtics with Rajon Rondo on the floor. It was only after he was suspended that they wobbled. They should have Smith back for Game 4 and maybe Pachulia for Game 5, and any Game 7 would still be played here. Even after the ritual collapse of Game 2, it would be no great shock if the Hawks won this thing.
Neither would it be a surprise if they didn’t. (How’s that for waffling?) Of the Bizarro Hawks, nothing is so deceiving as your most recent impression of them. Given that the last impression was horrid, better days must be ahead. It makes no sense until you remember that these are the Hawks, and then it makes perfect sense. Or not.
By Mark Bradley
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87 comments Add your comment
Eisendawg
May 3rd, 2012
8:59 am
Maybe we need to hire Bobby Petrino. He’s available and is an offensive genius! Of course, we would have to outfit the Hawks cheerleaders with chastity belts. lol
DawginLex
May 3rd, 2012
9:10 am
Game 3
Celtics 98
Hawks 73
It won’t even be that close
Game 4
Celtics 94
Hawks 87
Game 5
Hawks 92
Celtics 76
Game 6
Celtics 88
Hawks 83
BYE
Ted M
May 3rd, 2012
9:32 am
Mark the overall jist of this blog seemed to be that “you can never tell with the Hawks…a lot of times they lose but sometime they win when you don’t expect it” But the Hawks never “win” in the playoffs.
The bottom line is: The Hawks are the better team but they are gonna lose anyway.
joey1
May 3rd, 2012
10:10 am
all the negativity bc the hawks lost one game is unreal.. we are the better team we will win the series against the celtics.. it is a best of seven not of one or two games… when we count the hawks out the always impress us… lets wait til after games 4 til we start makeing assumptions…
Max
May 3rd, 2012
10:17 am
let josh and max joe take over the game—jack 3s and take control—the hawks should win easy!!
heartofdarkness
May 3rd, 2012
10:34 am
BREAKING NEWS: NBA Manual entitled “Play Winning Playoff Basketball” discovered spray painted on overpass underneath CNN Center.
“The game flowed, back and forth. The ball moved beautifully up and down, side to side, in and out. Despite the Nuggets’ best effort, the Mavs spaced the floor and continually found open men, for 33 assists on 45 buckets. Players ran, cutters cut, everyone passed and shots fell.
The Denver fans were in the game too, because their Nuggets were also racing down the floor, cutting and dishing. For much of the game, the crowd was making the whoosh-whoosh sound more familiar to great tennis rallies.
After the game, Dirk Nowitzki testified, “We’re really shooting the ball well, moving the ball. It’s fun to play out there. When we were doubled, we passed it out and we made shots. It’s a fun way to play if everybody touches it.”
Coach Rick Carlisle couldn’t hide his pride and joy in his team’s ball movement: “It was one of the smartest played games I’ve seen in the league all year long. Very disciplined, aggressive, but not frantic and moved the ball the way we had to.”
This is one of the bigger goals of HoopIdea: to encourage a style of play that (a) is well coached, (b) gets more players involved and (c) allows talented players to do their thing.
Fun to play, fun to watch … that’s what basketball should be.”
Working smart involves five players using foot and ball movement, legal obstruction, and cunning to find defensive weakness and produce high percentage shots on offense. On defense, the same five must confuse offensive players by varying pressure, trapping weak offensive positioning, making adjustments as a unit so that offensive players must beat multiple tiers of defenders to score each time and to discourage opponents into taking shots they don’t want to take do to mental fatigue. In many cases, it is the willingness to concentrate longer than the opponent.
Hope the Hawks have read the manual.
bali
May 3rd, 2012
11:04 am
think the hawks are toast..
Eb
May 3rd, 2012
11:29 am
South Ga Boy: Hawks in top 10 for team salaries, but largely because they significantly overpay players like Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, and Josh Smith. these owners rank at the top of the stupidity charts in professional sports history.
Brian
May 3rd, 2012
11:45 am
WOW proudest moment in franchise history is LOSING game 7 by 2 points in ‘88 to an aging and depleted Celtics team? That speaks volumes. Game 2 was given to ATL by Marc Davis and David Stern and they refused to take it. Pierce skewered them for 36 when everyone knew that was only way Celtics could win. Now your going to face an inspired and motivated Rajon Rondo for two straight games on National television after he’s been getting raked over the coals in Boston for losing his composure. Hawks will not stay within 20pts Fri or Sun and it will take more heart than they’ve shown so far to stretch this series to six games.
falCANS
May 3rd, 2012
11:45 am
i understand the frustrations but honestly guys we played a pretty good game. Nothing to b embarrassed about especially with zaza horford AND Josh Smith out
rock
May 3rd, 2012
11:55 am
Coach Drew blew the game. He left the non-starters in too long in the 4th quarter. The non-starters were not productive and played poorly. This allowed Boston to re-group and gain control of the game.
JayInAtlanta
May 3rd, 2012
12:20 pm
I’ve been a Hawks fan for over 30 years. Being a season-ticket holder and Hawks fan in Atlanta is easy. But I’ve sat in the most fanatical opposing stadiums — including the REAL Boston Garden — worn Hawks gear, and shouted my ass off cheering for them. There are few Hawks “fans” who could say that.
And I’ve got two things to say.
1. We are the better team, and we’re going to win this series.
2. If there’s something I’m sick of — other than the Hawks blowing relatively easy opportunities — it’s Marvin Williams being called one of the worst draft picks in history.
Folks, there are dudes in the top three picks who collected a check and basically never played. Or left the league a lot earlier than 6 years.
And then there’s Marvin. He’ll give you about 10 points and maybe a double-double if you’re lucky. But this year especially, *** I do not believe we would not be seeded this high — with home court advantage — in the playoffs *** if it weren’t for Marvin.
He missed five games with injury, but he stepped up and had some very nice games that kept us in the hunt or arguably gave us home-court (e.g. New York in late April). He also had a few games this year very near his career high. Plus, he’s a percentage shooter who’s pretty damn good from three, not bad from mid-range, and close to automatic from the stripe.
Very few days go by without me thinking what this team would have been like with CP3 instead of Marvin. But I don’t hate on Marvin for what he DOES give us. More important, I certainly don’t think he’s anywhere near the worst decision the HAWKS have ever made, never mind the entire NBA!
Let’s go Hawks. Time to dig even deeper in a very tough year.
JayInAtlanta
May 3rd, 2012
12:33 pm
Response to recent comments:
Brian – your comment is laughable.
a) Rajon Rondo handed Game 2 to Atlanta by himself. Blaming an official or Boston-loving David Stern (who gave Rondo an All-Star slot almost immediately after assaulting another ref) is beyond childish. And by the way, Rondo SUCKED in that All-Star game, whereas if Josh Smith had been given his rightful slot, the East would have won.
b) I really wish I could bet you about the ridiculous assertion that the Hawks will not stay within 20 in the two games in Boston. But betting is illegal and I’m not sure whether could afford to lose such a stupid bet.
falCANS is not far off, though I admit I was pissed at the time. Josh Smith’s knee had been bothering him for much of the game, and he left at the right time to at least ensure that he’d be healthy for later in the series. I was there, and when he left, we were down by 2. For the next five or so minutes, had he been in the game with an unaffected knee, we’d have won and none of this sniveling would be necessary.
I agree with ROCK’s well-stated comment, except that he didn’t have all the options in the world after Smith left. In any case, Coach Drew probably cost us this game.
tom
May 3rd, 2012
12:44 pm
it’s better to get kicked in the face early in a series than later. Hopefully this jolts the team into playing with some desperation. It’s the absolute truth when people say “you’ll never know what you’re going to get” with this hawks team.
South ga boy in the atl
May 3rd, 2012
4:26 pm
Eb. My point with the owners was that they have been willing to spend money, BUT YES I AGREE THEY HAVE SPENT IT STUPIDLY, and then they compound it by going with the cheapest coach they could find. Spending 70 mil on salaries but not willing to spend an extra 2-3 mil on a coach is THE HEIGHT OF STUPIDITY. And Falcants- josh was not out. He played in this game and was brilliant and stupid all in the same game. As Coach Mike Fratello said last yr “He just doesn’t GET IT .” And he plays such dumb basketball that he doesn’t even REALIZE THAT HE DOESN’T GET IT
Howard
May 3rd, 2012
5:39 pm
I think it is interesting how so many fans have finally come to realize the value of Josh Smith. Seems like this time last year everyone was wanting to get rid of him. Now, if he doesn’t play we lose. I have always thought he was the best player on the Hawks even if he does take some bad shots,
On the other hand Joe Johnson is what is killing this team. He thinks he is an elite player and the Hawks reinforced that with the contract they gave him. So, when the game is on the line he wants the ball and dog gone it, even if he is double teamed he’s going to try to score. He tries but he fails. Hawks lose. If he would play like just another player he might actually be good. But he is determined to prove he is the man and he isn’t.
John
May 3rd, 2012
6:37 pm
Solid column. I think the Hawks steal one in Boston and then who knows what happens.
John
May 3rd, 2012
6:39 pm
JayInAtlanta,
I agree with you when it comes to Marvin. He did have a bad game Tuesday, but he is solid most nights and would be better with more minutes.
Eb
May 3rd, 2012
6:45 pm
South Ga boy: we’re on the same page with regard to the owners.
Howard: I don’t agree with your assessment of JS’s value but am onboard with your take on JJ not being an elite player. I thought it interesting that LD said in his game 1 presser that the Hawks don’t have any superstars. I wonder how JJ took that.
Loon
May 3rd, 2012
6:55 pm
Fire LD!!
MattInAtl
May 3rd, 2012
8:47 pm
I was hopeful coming in, so I guess Hawks lose the series.
Anton
May 3rd, 2012
11:28 pm
Hawks have a solid defensive team. Sund has done a great job on our second unit… so we have a court of much more reliable shooters then Smith, rebounding could be a wash if Marvin locates the paint and then Pargo, Green, Rad & McGrady play like they have all season [an outstanding bench] Dont tune out Hawks fans…ps try not to destroy stuff around u when the refs screw us on the road as they surely will
Dbo
May 3rd, 2012
11:47 pm
Dbo
May 3rd, 2012
9:12 pm
Surprised and shocked you haven’t said boo about concussions in football in light of Junior’s death.
What is going on?
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will
May 4th, 2012
7:24 am
look you can stop talking about josh. he do make mistakes but at the same time you don’t have a power forward in the league with his skill set. josh produce if u haven’t notice when playoff come. jj choke everytime. it time to run the offensive through your point and not joe he use too much time on the clock to get things set up. the hawks are a better team when they pass the ball around. and not watch joe play one on one. they have too many veterans on the bench that knows how to get it done. why pay them and you dont use them
theoilchannel.com
May 4th, 2012
8:10 am
Bottom Line; NO HEART
NO BACKBONE
Not the Team that you would want in a FOXHOLE with you.
South ga boy in the atl
May 4th, 2012
8:18 am
Will- when it comes to Josh, I would say yes that he does produce. But that just tell half the story Will. Josh giveth and Josh taketh away ! Josh will make an incredible dunk and then he will let his man run right by him on the way to a fast break dunk because wait for it…..Josh is still back down court CRYING to the official that he got fouled. Josh will make an incredible “thread the needle” pass to a teammate for an easy layup and Josh will throw the ball away twice for every one time he gets the pass thru. Josh will make a beautiful drive to the basket, make the shot and get fouled and Josh will jack up a 22′ jumper (well he really doesn’t jump) with 15 sec to go on the play clock and no teammates near the basket only to brick it off the back iron. Josh will make a great steal for an easy dunk (unless he tries a reverse) and Josh will get burnt going for a steal and his man goes in for an easy layup. You see, Will, Josh is all about THE LOOK AT ME PLAYS. HE’S NOT ABOUT TEAM AND THST WHY YOU CAN’T WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP WITH THE JOSH’S OF THE WORLD.
Kelvin
May 4th, 2012
10:49 am
Wait, the proudest moment in franchise history is a loss by 2 points in game 7 to the Celtics because everyone thought they were going to lose by 30? That statement just symbolize just how pathetic this franchise has been over the years and it is continuing to this day and into the foreseeable future.
chris
May 4th, 2012
11:33 am
Mark you make me laugh…..You want so bad to believe the Hawks are finally going to do something. We had an 11 point lead at home with the Celtics two best players on the bench and could not win it. This team is too inconsistent and they can’t handle prosperity. This team isn’t going anywhere….They are not worth getting excited over because all the fans know the end result.
Tim
May 4th, 2012
12:16 pm
@south ga boy in the atl
Please dont tell me you are another negative ass sucker! I know the dunk that josh tried to do was was bit goofy at that time..but he has been really outstanding this season for them.So dont start trying to say all the negative things he’s done this season and think otherwise.I dont think he goes out there and does look at me plays and is not about team,he’s been a pretty mature and improved person this year and you can win a championship with JOSH SMITH ON YOUR TEAM HES A PHENOMENAL TALENT SO JUST FALL BACK ON THAT CAUSE YOU HAVE NO CLUE.Its just hard when dont have a respectable coach on the sidelines operating things.I think this team can BEAT THE MIAMI HEAT WITH A HEALTHY AL HORFORD AND ZAZA PLAYING THEY PROVE THEY COULD ALREADY THIS SEASON.
South ga boy in the atl
May 4th, 2012
12:47 pm
Tim Tim Tim. Read my post again, sir. I said josh does a lot of positive things but because he’s immature and wants to make the spectacular play ( do you like that characterization better, I feel like I know his motivation “look at me” because he’s done the same things for 7 years now and continues to make “BONEHEAD PLAYS” every game) he follows up the great play with a STUPID play (ie the ridiculous dunk attempt the other night). It’s not just about talent Tim. If it was, then Lebron would have gotten his first ring last year but HE DIDN’T, and the reason why is because the Mavericks played SMART BASKETBALL. Yes they had talent but they were the smarter team. Smart is not the first adjective people think of when they hear the HAWKS. AND, UNFORTUNATELY JOSH IS THE FIRST HAWKS PLAYER EVERYONE THINKS OF WHEN THE HEAR “HAWKS” AND “IMMATURE” IN THE SAME SENTENCE. And don’t pull that “you don’t have clue” juvenile argument card. I watched “sweet” Lou Hudson and “pistol” Pete Maravich in the old Omni.
yodaddybrother
May 4th, 2012
5:31 pm
I have a strange optimistic feeling about this game.
However, Larry Drew will fail to make adjustments and matchup decisions. At least two starters need to be in the game at all times.
Bradley Curse
May 4th, 2012
9:50 pm
“Having blown Game 2, Bizarro Hawks are in … good shape?”
down by 11 with just over 6 min to go in the 4th (need we be reminded how game 2’s 4th went?), good shape indeed. MB with the great call as usual
Bradley Curse
May 4th, 2012
10:33 pm
Hawks now in really good shape …. just a couple of games from elimination
coacht
May 5th, 2012
10:12 am
With depleted roster…..is Stackhouse not able to do anything?. 16 years experience…I’d like to see him on the floor. Great Hustle and Intelligence. Always seems to make something good happen…why is he not playing more in the playoffs?
rt hawk
May 5th, 2012
1:44 pm
with josh back in game 4, the hawks will tie the series, win in atlanta and finish it off in game 6—book it. JJ can’t be stopped!
andrew
May 5th, 2012
3:16 pm
This article was spot on with every sporting team in this state! WE HAVE A CURSE ON SPORTING TEAMS IN THIS STATE!!!! That is why atlanta fans are the way they are, because each time a team gets close to winning it all they fall. The Hawks are not a good team they are a OK team. Josh Smith is the biggest baby in professional sports! All he does is turn the ball over, and whin about getting fouled and not getting the call! If he would stop playing to his weakness and play to his strengths he would be a better basketball player! And then maybe make the allstar team! 93 million to Joe johnson is a complete waste of money! The Hawks are terrible!!!!!
Rickster
May 7th, 2012
9:29 am
Having blown Game 2, Bizarro Hawks are in … good shape?
3:48 pm May 2, 2012, by Mark Bradley
If 1-1 was in good shape… being down 3-1 should make them unbeatable!