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Home > Jeff Schultz > Archives > 2008 > April > 12 > Entry

Hawks give little cause for optimism

If the idea Saturday night was to gauge how the playoff-bound (still, probably, we think) Atlanta Hawks might have a prayer in the postseason against the potentially title-bound Boston Celtics, we didn’t get an answer so much as a headache.

They went from even midway through the second quarter to 11 down at halftime in part because 220-loss coach Mike Woodson chose to rest Mike Bibby with two fouls. (Woodson in hindsight: “I goofed,” or words to that effect.)

They outscored Boston, 21-8, to start the third quarter to take the lead and make a game of it — only to lose a six-point lead and the game, 99-89, despite the fact the Celtics kept their starters on the bench the entire fourth quarter. The game meant nothing to the Celtics, but that didn’t stop Sam Cassell from channeling the energies of those senior citizens who swam in the magic pool in “Cocoon.”

Bottom line? The Hawks’ magic number to reach the postseason is down to one, only because Indianapolis lost at home to Charlotte. But when a win is sitting there for you on your home floor and the opposing coach isn’t moved to put a starter back in the game, what does that say for your chances in a potential first-round matchup?

When asked if this loss was deflating, Woodson said later: “You can’t put it like that… . It’s not discouraging. We’ve just got more work to do.”

The Hawks went to Indianapolis Tuesday night knowing a victory would all but clinch a playoff berth and eliminate the Pacers — a potential four-game lead with four games remaining. Instead, they got smoked. They trailed by 25 points in the third quarter and lost by 14. The lead for the eighth seed was down to two games.

The organization, as one would expect, has been trying to fire up the masses for this late-season run, putting playoff tickets up for sale and running a blur of radio ads to promote this new era. The long playoff drought would soon be dead, yes?

A win Saturday would’ve ended this suspense. Instead, we merely have prolong speculation. Woodson is aware his job is on the line. The scrutiny and the playoff scramble must be getting to him. Before Saturday’s game, I attempted to ask him a question in a group setting about trying to clinch a spot. But he cut it off.

“I’m not taking no comments from [you],” he said. And then he turned to the others, saying: “Go ahead guys.”

There was no further explanation. I can only assume it’s because I had not yet put down a deposit for playoff tickets.

Some of the players tried to paint Saturday’s loss as no big deal, but Josh Childress said: “This was definitely a game we should’ve won.”

Little things would’ve helped. How about doubling on Cassell? Woodson later said only, “We didn’t have an answer for him.”

Of having Bibby, his starting point guard, on the bench early in a relative must-win game, he said: “If I had it to do over again, I probably would’ve had his butt on the floor.”

The last time the Hawks played an extended season actually came in a shortened season. An owners’ lockout limited the 1998-99 season to 50 games. The Hawks made the playoffs at 31-19. They won a five-game series over Detroit, then got swept in round two by the New York Knicks.

The Knicks series turned out to be significant foreshadowing. Atlanta tumbled to 28-54 the following year. It was Lenny Wilkens’ exit song. The Hawks haven’t had a winning season since.

Still, probably, we think, they will be in the playoffs this season. But the foreshadowing for round one didn’t get any better Saturday.

Permalink | Comments (53) | Post your comment | Categories: Hawks/NBA

Comments

By Big Red

April 13, 2008 12:15 AM | Link to this

It’s very clear that Mike Bibby is a shadow of the player he was in sac town. Al Horford is a beast. The way he plays is unreal for a rookie. The real bad thing about this game is we can’t even beat the celtics bench. Once we get a seven foot beast in the middle, we’ll be good to go.

By Jimmy

April 13, 2008 12:28 AM | Link to this

Looks like Mr Schultz’s ego can’t handle the fact that someone would dare not answer one of his loaded questions. And why exactly is this fact important to your readers…What a crybaby. Talk about the team and please stop taking cheap shots because of personal vendettas.

By CRYSTAL

April 13, 2008 12:44 AM | Link to this

Jeff i am not defending woodson but in all honesty i wouldnt want to answer any questions from you either. I have never seen writers always focusing on the negative all the time and then you think they should do interviews with u at your beckon call. I know it comes with the territory but we are only human as bad as the falcons were last year we would still every now and then get 1 or 2 postive stories but for some reason in your eyes and terence moore it is always stepping on a guy when he is clearly down. The hawks gave great effort 2nite but i feel the starters got a little tired at the end I am a hawks fan and i will continue to root for them and Boston is just a great team but the hawks overall played well. I Would love to see a nice story on joe johnson or anybody if terence moore can write a story about joey bum harrigton of the falcons i know u can come up with one about the players no matter how u feel about the coach or the GM. I may not like all the things Billy Knight or Woodson have done but i still enjoy watching this talented group of players. I dont care that the hawks will have to play Boston if they are able to get in the playoffs I will still support them to do well. It is just like the stupid war Even though ignorant Bush started it and i dont agree with it I will support the troops. Go Hawks i got love 4 u!!

By JSS

April 13, 2008 12:48 AM | Link to this

See, I told you!!! Finally, the truth is out and you (Jeff Schultz) CAN NOT handle it!!! A NO TALENT HACK, a shrewish shell of a man… Good for Mike Woodson, I actually respect his no coaching butt some now…

By Buddy G

April 13, 2008 1:04 AM | Link to this

Get off Jeff’s nuts.

By ray

April 13, 2008 1:42 AM | Link to this

Jeff has nuts?

By Brandi

April 13, 2008 2:14 AM | Link to this

Maybe once the ASG gets rid of Woodson and Knight, the AJC will get rid of Jeff. I guess Jeff hasn’t heard of that phrase, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

By Eric

April 13, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this

CALL ME CRAZY, BUT I AM GLAD THE HAWKS DIDN’T WIN THAT GAME SATURDAY. I THINK BOSTON WILL GET A LITTLE OVER CONFIDENT, AND I BELIEVE THE HAWKS CAN CATCH THEM SLIPPING IN THE FIRST ROUND. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME GREAT 1-8 UPSETS IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS. REMEMBER DENVER OVER SEATTLE AND JUST LAST YEAR GOLDEN STATE OVER DALLAS, WHEN DALLAS HAD THE BEST RECORD IN THE N.B.A. THE HAWKS HAVE TO STAY POSITIVE AND CONFIDENT, GO HAWKS!!

By arff

April 13, 2008 8:26 AM | Link to this

The real cause for little optimism is the continued employment of Jeff Schultz. He is like most sports columnists, no talent guys that never played a sport and probably lost the women they wanted to the jocks. Anybody can quarterback on Monday morning and it seems that the AJC has some of the best out there. Terrence Moore, Mark Bradley and Schultz should all be shown the door.

By NCBravesFan

April 13, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this

You read columns like this and it sounds like the AJC is determined to suck whatever small bit of joy this playoff run means to the team and city. OK, so they didn’t win against Boston - they aren’t supposed to! They are a very young team that has some key holes relative to the NBA elite.

But they’ve pretty much taken care of business down the stretch and played their best ball of the year when it mattered most.

Can’t we enjoy this even a little, without having to expect this team to be the second coming of the “Showtime” LA Lakers?

By LL Cool Scott

April 13, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this

I really like your column, Jeff. It usually makes me laugh out loud once or twice. That being said - a word of advice. NOBODY cares how coaches/athletes/GM’s/owners treat sportswriters. Seriously, NOBODY. Every time one of you complains about it - you lose respect and credibility with your readers. Other than that - keep up the good work and keep putting out funny columns.

By gastr1

April 13, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this

Gee, Philadelphia wasn’t supposed to go 22-9 over the second half of the season, either, and New Orleans wasn’t supposed to be in first, second, third, or even fourth place in the West. Look at their rosters compared to the Hawks.’

Doesn’t seem like they have a lot more talent, does it? I wonder why they win anyway?

By Dwight

April 13, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this

Way to go Coach Woodson. Good for you for taking on the “bully in the pulpit”. Jeff Schultz, Terrence Moore and Mark Bradley are rarley objective and should be banned from reporting on sports. Maybe tabloid reporting is best suited for them. As a fan I want to read balanced stories. AJC is not getting their money’s worth with these guys. Perhaps we the fans should petition for them to be fired. Go Hawks!

By gastr1

April 13, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this

Actually, Dwight, those guys are pretty objective—it’s homers like you that believe a loser like Woodson should be allowed to continue that are the problem. What do the national media or the rest of the league think about the Hawks? Probably pretty much what Schulz and Bradley think.

By John

April 13, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this

The negativity from all three of these writers really is overwhelming. When they write anything slightly positive, they always add more negative aspects. Yes, the Hawks did lose last night, but to me, they played better against Boston’s starters than they did the bench at the end of the fourth. A positive is that the team could have rolled over, but they fought back and played with real intensity. I love it that Horford did not back down from KG. However, I still find the disparity of questionable fouls called against the Hawks unbelievable. Anytime another team’s star misses an easy shot or is blocked, there is a foul called. JJ can never get a call. I hate it how it hurts him that he does not complain all the time like other stars in the league. Why not have a positive column about what a great player he is?

By Henry Chinaski

April 13, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this

Try as we might, who can stay with Kevin Garnett? They were playing for nothing, and still seemed to turn it on and off at will! Too many weapons, too good a bench, and the best defense in the league. I’m happy to see the direction the Hawks seem to finally be going in, and stranger things have happened in sports, but…

By Henry Chinaski

April 13, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this

Try as we might, who can stay with Kevin Garnett? They were playing for nothing, and still seemed to turn it on and off at will! Too many weapons, too good a bench, and the best defense in the league. I’m happy to see the direction the Hawks seem to finally be going in, and stranger things have happened in sports, but…

By Henry Chinaski

April 13, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this

Try as we might, who can stay with Kevin Garnett? They were playing for nothing, and still seemed to turn it on and off at will! Too many weapons, too good a bench, and the best defense in the league. I’m happy to see the direction the Hawks seem to finally be going in, and stranger things have happened in sports, but…

By ATLplayer

April 13, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this

gastr1

forget the national media! I live in Atlanta. That’s what matters! The local media sets the tone. The National media feeds from the local media. So if the local media is always negative then the national media will follow suit. The Hawks are the 8th best in the east and deserve a playoff spot. The NBA will give very positive press once the Hawks clinch their spot.

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April 13, 2008 10:49 AM | Link to this

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By Darrin "The Vent King"

April 13, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this

I agree with these bloggers. From Jeff Schultz to Terence Moore to Furman Bisher, you all are the most negative, vibe killing, playahating, vindictive, rain on every parade you can writers I’ve ever seen in one paper and I don’t even like the Hawk’s coach. It’s a wonder you all haven’t off-ed Mark Bradley for being the only one who can at least be somewhat positive sometimes. Try taking some freaking Midol, it might help with those cramps.

By gastr1

April 13, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this

“The Hawks deserve a playoff spot”???

Since when do losing teams deserve playoff spots??

THIS is the height of homerism—when we think our lame losing team deserves anything!!! Yes, they are going in the right direction and I am glad to see it. But do not try to tell me that this team deserves the playoffs!! They can;t even be competitive at a bunch of losers like Indiana when it really means something!

Try telling that BS to fans of Golden State and Denver.

By psychranger

April 13, 2008 12:25 PM | Link to this

That’s right boys. Blame the sports writer for the fact that we have a idiot for a coach, a moron for a general manager, and one of the worst ownership teams in history. Poor drafts, poor performances when things are on the line, misjudgements during the games…If the Hawks had not gotten lucky on Al Horford, this team would have been absolutely awful. Maybe if the Hawks reach the .500 level in the next 5 years, the writers will be a little more generous.

By Derrk

April 13, 2008 1:07 PM | Link to this

THIS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE POLL QUESTION. HOW COME THE POLL QUESTION HAS THE FIRST ROUND LOOKING LIKE A BEST OF 5 GAME SERIES? NOWADAYS IT’S BEST OF 7 GAMES.

By Derrk

April 13, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this

THIS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE POLL QUESTION. HOW COME THE POLL QUESTION HAS THE FIRST ROUND LOOKING LIKE A BEST OF 5 GAME SERIES? NOWADAYS IT’S BEST OF 7 GAMES.

By Rutuger

April 13, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this

Woodson acts like a damn fool yet again, on and off the court. Is anybody really surprised? As if it weren’t enough that he and Knightmare are failures, they are both embarrassingly unprofessional.

Playoffs or not, these two have got to be fired. It should have happened two years ago, and if the Atlanta Spirit truly cares about this city and its fans, they will bring in a coach/GM duo with the ability to win and respect for the fans.

By Joseph Allen McWhorter

April 13, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this

Jeff, The Hawks will probably make the playoffs as the number 8 seed, but they still need to fire Mike Woodson as head coach. It is obvious that this man clearly doesn’t have a good strong mind for the game of basketball. The Hawks need an established veteran coach who can lead them into the direction of the two elite teams in the Eastern Conference-Detroit and Boston. The Hawks, as was seen last night, are not in the same league with the Celtics. The Celtics will undoubtedly sweep the Hawks in the opening round. The Hawks do have a good nucleus of young talent and Al Horford will probably be named rookie of the year. Mike Bibby is the outstanding point guard which they have long needed. But, the Hawks are capable of playing well over .500 basketball and challenging for their division title and even in a few years the conference title but it will not happen, in my opinion, if Mike Woodson remains as the head coach. It is time for the Hawks to have new direction. Playoffs or no playoffs this season, Woodson needs to be fired!

By Neil

April 13, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this

Jeff,

I feel this team needs to develop a better rotation. The coach needs a 10-12 player rotation in order to be effective in the league. Coach Woodson only plays about 7 players per game. These guys are going to be burned out in the playoffs. Woodson should know that by now. If he doesn't he needs to go!!!

By Hock

April 13, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this

To all of you guys who think Woody is wise to battle the local press, here’s a news flash: Only a complete idiot picks fights with the press.

By Elvis

April 13, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this

I’m a Boston fan and I’m just looking doing some reading on the Hawks as we prepare to play ya’ll in the playoffs. I gotta say, yes, we probably will sweep in the first round and the four games will probably be really ugly. I have tickets to both home games and I almost wish I had saved my money. THAT SAID, I don’t understand why there is so much negativity surrounding this team. YOU’RE GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS!!! While yes, this means nothing in the large scheme of things, this is the first step to getting where you need to be. You guys are young and feeling the atmosphere in the Garden for those two games are going to be invaluable for them. They will probably soil themselves in the first quarter of the first game or if they manage to keep a game close, but they should be good after that. This will be good for them goin into next year. They’ll have a taste of what can be and I expect them to come out hot next year. With a few additions here or there I think they should be in that 4-5-6 area in the standings and have an opportunity to make some noise in the playoffs. But this is where you start, gaining experience and coming together as a team unless you have a miracle trade in the works. And stop saying they dont deserve to be in the playoffs. No other team deserves it more. Yes, its a shame a 50 win team will miss the playoffs in the west but as the rules are currently constituted the Hawks are the 8th best team in the east and deserve to make the playoffs. Is there any other team not in the east playoffs deserves to be there? NO!!! The Hawks have done just enough to deserve that spot. Will they be goin home quick? Yes, but so will other teams. You deserve it Atlanta. Enjoy it and stop the negativity.

By Najeh Davenpoop

April 13, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this

So, to summarize, Jeff Schultz’s latest column tries to make two points:

  • Mike Woodson sucks.
  • The Celtics are gonna destroy the Hawks in the first round.
  • Wow, what groundbreaking information! What would we ever do without Jeff Schultz’s insightful commentary! Surely nobody else has ever reached these conclusions! If only we poor misguided souls posting on Sekou Smith’s blog would read Schultz more often we would have figured these truths out by now! Thank you for enlightening us, Jeff Schultz, now we can all make sure we don’t waste time watching the Hawks in the playoffs for the first time in nine years, since they are gonna get swept anyway.

    I’m not a Woodson fan, but if he is gonna cut your no-talent azz off during press conferences, maybe he deserves that extension after all.

    By honest_abe

    April 13, 2008 5:08 PM | Link to this

    lol. all these shultz haters = vick lovers.

    so bitter. move on people.

    By O'brien

    April 13, 2008 5:51 PM | Link to this

    In Sekou’s article published on 04/10, Woodson said he needs to do a better job of managing guy’s minutes when they get 2 fouls in the first half, because when they sit till the 3rd quarter, its hard to get back into a rhythm. And Big Al said the same thing after he sat most of the first half with 2 fouls in Indiana, and thats when the Pacers made their run. So what does Woodson do? Sit Mike Bibby with 2 fouls in the 2nd quarter. In 4 years, Woodson still does not know how to substitute effectively.

    By Najeh Davenpoop

    April 13, 2008 5:59 PM | Link to this

    The difference between Jeff Schultz and Sekou Smith is that Sekou analyzes in detail exactly what Woodson is doing wrong, while Jeff Schultz sobs and wails that Woodson won’t talk to him in the post game press conference.

    Sekou provides unbiased, detailed analysis. Jeff Schultz provides lame attempts at humor and obvious observations anyone can make.

    Take the dental floss off your eyes and you’ll be able to see that much easier. Nobody brought up #7 but you.

    By JSS

    April 13, 2008 6:21 PM | Link to this

    No, only a “fool” does not know that a “journalist” never puts himself before the “story.” It is not about being homers or Polyanna’s. Grown people can deal with the realities of the games and the humans that play them on our behalf. It is not about “lovin’” Michael Vick (a code word for disturb and biased amongst us), or being some other type of either psychopathic or sociopathic behavior. It is clearly about just right and wrong in doing the job within the tenets of journalism.

    When one takes their first journalism class and you open the AP Stylebook, you are told to never make that mistake. Jeff Schultz does it regularly, and it is clear now that it is intentional and a matter of malice. You keep making excuses for him, but he knows it, unfortunately his few acolytes continue to demean others instead of calling him and John Kincade for their disgusting displays of shoddiness that are thinly veiled as commentary.

    By Tyrone

    April 13, 2008 10:25 PM | Link to this

    The Hawks are a joke. This is a black town with a sorry team. The brothas here deserve a good team. We need some brothas to buy this team and make thangs happen. We need a rap concert after the games. We need to be poundin 40s on Peachtree. Bring back Eddie Johnson.

    By Rock Preston

    April 14, 2008 12:26 AM | Link to this

    Fire Woodson and hire Rick Carlisle.

    By Yocka Tocka

    April 14, 2008 8:35 AM | Link to this

    Quite frankly, at this point I hope they don’t make the playoffs. Woodson and Knight both need to be gone for this team to rise past awful. Not making the playoffs would ensure that happens. Right ASG?

    By Jim Osterman

    April 14, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this

    The Hawks are a sub-.500 team that is marching toward the playoffs like a troupe of baggy-pantsed comedians and the ASG is selling this as “progress.”

    If not for the fact that the NBA playoffs are like Little League, where everybody gets to play, we’d be a day or two from this farce closing down for the season.

    The Hawks are a playoff team much the way a $20 fake Rolex is a fine timepiece. They both look the part, but what’s inside is cheap and unreliable.

    By MA

    April 14, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this

    Why is commenting still available on all the articles like this one but is now closed for Terrence Moore’s biased and basically racial attack on Trevor’s Immelman’s astounding victory at the Masters? Could it be that the AJC recognized that the article was so prejudiced and racial that the powers that be knew they had to stop the mass of opinions it was receiving. If a white writer wrote the junk that Moore gets away with, he/she would have been labeled and fired a LONG time ago! Dangerous thing to know that the AJC supports prejudice and sub-par reporting from its sports department.

    By MA

    April 14, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this

    Why is commenting still available on all the articles like this one but is now closed for Terrence Moore’s biased and basically racial attack on Trevor’s Immelman’s astounding victory at the Masters? Could it be that the AJC recognized that the article was so prejudiced and racial that the powers that be knew they had to stop the mass of opinions it was receiving. If a white writer wrote the junk that Moore gets away with, he/she would have been labeled and fired a LONG time ago! Dangerous thing to know that the AJC supports prejudice and sub-par reporting from its sports department.

    By EJH

    April 14, 2008 11:48 AM | Link to this

    I say again 13,24,30, and probaly either 38 or 39; the number of wins this team has made with woody the past 4 years; improvement, I say yes. Whether Woody can do a better coaching job I do not know, but I do know the team has improved each year and has not gone backwards in wins neither year. As a fan we are passionate about our team, but you also have to step back and look at the overall picture, and I do. (1) this is the youngest team in the playoffs with the oldest guy in Bibby just turning 30 years old with Joe Johnson being the next oldest at 27. When woody inherited this team four years ago that means J-Chills was 20, J-Smooth was 19, Joe was 23, Marvin came in next year at 19, what do you people expect these guys to do when your are playing guys with experience that has almost 10 years on these guys. This is a mans game not a game for freshmen and seniors, that is what the forementioned guys would have been when this ride started. So I am in the minority, I think the Hawks have progressed better than most think, as a fan would I like for it to be even better ? Of Course, but I am also a realist about this game. I have my hawks playoff tickets and I am excited as can be. And if you look at the teams who are behind the hawks that are not going to make the playoffs, all of them were expected to be in the playoffs with their veteran laiden team (Chicago, New Jersey, Indiana, and they are all going home.

    By Chikara

    April 14, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

    While we are all excited that the Hawks will qualify for the playoffs (hopefully by tonight) there will be plenty of time to debate what they should and shouldn’t do in the offseason.

    I remember that CNNSI had the Hawks finishing 13th in the conference this year. Of course that was before the Bibby trade.

    That said, let’s all root for the Wizards to beat Indiana so that the starters for Atlanta can get some rest and we can see the bench get some PT heading into the playoffs.

    Tyrone, since when did they let you access the internet from the county jail?

    By Bias sport media need help

    April 14, 2008 2:06 PM | Link to this

    John kincade and Jeff schultz two pea in a pod both bias when it come to black stars!!

    By whammer

    April 14, 2008 6:13 PM | Link to this

    WOW WAY TO GO BLOGGERS! EXCEPT FOR A FEW SUCK UPS TO J.S. YOU HAVE IT RIGHT. THIS TEAM HAS PLAYED THEIR BEST BALL TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEASON TO EVEN MAKE A RUN. I WAS AT THAT GAME, AND THEY PLAYED GREAT, YES GREAT AGAINST THE BOSTON STARTERS. IN THE END FOWL TROUBLE AND AN AMAZING EFFORT TOOK ITS TOLL AND WE ARE GOING TO CUT THEM DOWN FOR THIS. J.S. ONCE AGAIN WRITES CRAP THAT ONLY SERVES TO HURT A TEAM, COACH, MANAGER AND OWNERS THAT HAVE PUT A FUN, TALENTED TEAM ON THE COURT THIS SEASON BECAUSE HE HAS A PERSONAL GRUDE. BAD REPORTING, WRITING, AND ETHICS - CONGRATS TO THE BLOGGERS AND THE FAN AND MOST OF ALL THE PLAYERS. GO HAWKS - GO AWAY J.S

    By gastr1

    April 14, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this

    Got to look out for that FOWL TROUBLE. Those chickens will get you every time.

    By Dr. Warren

    April 14, 2008 9:41 PM | Link to this

    I was in town last week and was fortunate to sit on the 2nd row on the floor, where everything seem so obvious. Against the Sixers, the Hawks revealed themselves to be a three-person team. The Sixers were more organized—their plays were run smoothly and effectively. The Hawks basically relied on Bibby and Horford and, most of all, Joe Johnson, who exhibited the “give me the damn ball and I’ll just make something happen” philosophy. Anyone beyond these three seems expendable.

    By Dr. Warren

    April 14, 2008 9:42 PM | Link to this

    I was in town last week and was fortunate to sit on the 2nd row on the floor, where everything seem so obvious. Against the Sixers, the Hawks revealed themselves to be a three-person team. The Sixers were more organized—their plays were run smoothly and effectively. The Hawks basically relied on Bibby and Horford and, most of all, Joe Johnson, who exhibited the “give me the damn ball and I’ll just make something happen” philosophy. Anyone beyond these three seems expendable.

    By Chase

    April 15, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this

    Hawks will be like the BRAVES “ZOOM, ZOOM” and its over 1st round. Then brag how great you are to make play-offs. Woodson will be great like Bobby Cox and Knight like Big John S. How sweet it is.

    By Supes

    April 15, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this

    When there maybe a 50 win team to NOT make the playoffs out of the west, it’s hard to get excited about a sub 40 win team from the EAST.

    Same old Hawks, they are just lucky the EAST is so weak this year compared to the WEST and they can make the playoffs with their crappy record, only to get swept in the 1st round by Boston Celtics.

    Well, Billy Knight will somehow be able to “spin this” season’s mess as progress and keep his job…yet again!

    By Ronald

    April 15, 2008 5:38 PM | Link to this

    you know i wish that the hawks would’nt have not made the playoff because they did’nt desire it the way they play with know kind of efford they had chances to do it on their own they fay and it was any unliking here us fan or concern that it will not be a game at all

    By jay

    April 16, 2008 1:33 AM | Link to this

    what can schultz really say here? the hawks make the playoffs for the first time in 100000000000000 years and they’re facing the best team in the nba in the first round. the hawks didn’t make the playoffs in impressive fashion either. in fact, they got in by default. there is nothing to be optimistic about here, especially if the spirit group uses this worthless playoff spot as justification to keep woodson and knight on board. i think jeff would look a lot dumber if he tried to put a positive spin on the playoff run, like all you morons on this blog are trying to do. seriously bloggers, you are so stupid.

    By Robert E. Leigh

    April 16, 2008 10:03 PM | Link to this

    This is about how I feel about WACHOVIA. VERY DISGUSTING. Get rid of the CEO…Ken Thompson. Wachovia is nothing more than a few Investment Banking Bond salesmen at the top and Savings and Loan morons in GA….Decatur Federal and GA Federal morons trying to run a Commercial game. WHAT A JOKE! SELL THE FRANCHISE!

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