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Home > Mark Bradley > Archives > 2008 > November > 01 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USPachulia, Hawks impress
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Hawks’ home opener began as if Philadelphia was Florida and the Hawks were … well, you know. But a funny thing happened on the way to a fairly colossal letdown: From 23 points down, the Hawks roused themselves and delivered a fairly emphatic beatdown.
And now they’re 2-0, having whipped two of the East’s better teams, which leads us to believe that these Hawks might themselves be one of the East’s better teams. “I think we’ve shown something,” said Josh Smith, who had no points in Saturday’s first half but was terrific again late. “We’ve matured.”
“Maturity” wasn’t the first word that seemed to describe the Hawks when Philadelphia led 44-21. “Mediocrity” seemed more fitting, or “maddening.” How could a team play so well in Orlando on Wednesday and lay such an egg back home?
But then, just as everyone was beginning to ponder that metaphysical stumper, the game changed and another question leapt to mind. Namely, what in the name of the Mvktari River has gotten into Zaza Pachulia?
As good as the center from (the other) Georgia was against the Magic, he was better this night. “We gave him the game ball, and he deserved it,” Mike Woodson said. “He changed the whole game.”
Said Smith: “He’s just playing great. He has a newborn son, and that’s made a difference. And we’re loving it.”
Davit Pachulia was born Oct. 9, and let the record show that his father’s team is unbeaten since the blessed arrival. “It’s made all the difference,” Davit’s dad said, tactfully omitting that other life-changing moment of calendar year 2008 — staring down Kevin Garnett in Game 4 of the Hawks-Celtics series.
Eight months ago, Zaza Pachulia had gotten really good at fouling and falling down. Now he’s playing so effectively that you can’t believe it’s the same guy. There came a four-minute stretch in the fourth quarter Saturday when everything the Z-man did was — I ask your forgiveness in advance — zensational.
An offensive rebound and a feed to Smith underneath. A follow after Flip Murray missed. A defensive clearance after Andre Miller missed. A muscled-home layup off a Murray pass to bring the Hawks within two. Was this Zaza Pachulia or Vlade Divac? Zaza Pachulia or Bill Walton?
“Zaza,” said Horford, who closed his day as both a happy Gator and a happy Hawk. “Ah, man. He came out and changed the game.”
Whereupon Smith and Murray and sublime Joe Johnson won it. Johnson put the Hawks ahead for the first time off Smith’s rebound and precise outlet. Then Murray, who’s nothing if not fearless, drove to give his team a lead it would keep. And then Johnson, whose prowess as a last-second shotmaker was doubted by an unnamed NBA scout quoted on SI.com, bounced off Thaddeus Young out high and drained the killing 32-footer.
That’s correct. A 32-footer. Nothing but net.
Said Smith: “It shows the relentlessness of this team.”
Said Horford: “It shows we’re growing as a team.”
Yes, these are just two games, two of 82, and this is but the first week of a six-month regular season. But those among us who wondered if the Hawks had banked anything from their Boston experience now have an answer. They did. They have taken what they learned and begun to run with it, and good for them.
“Team basketball at its best,” said Pachulia, the sudden star. And then, when it was suggested that he has become a major part of this rising team, the bullish Zaza almost blushed.
“When I hear something like that,” Pachulia said, “all I can say is, ‘Thank you.’ “
Don’t mention it, Z-Daddy.
Permalink | Comments (53) | Post your comment | Categories: Hawks/NBA
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By Chris
November 1, 2008 11:04 PM | Link to this
EAT your Crow boy. With all the smack you talcked about Urban and Tebow. You sure look like a fool now hidin over here.
By Chris
November 1, 2008 11:05 PM | Link to this
EAT your Crow boy. With all the smack you talcked about Urban and Tebow. You sure look like a fool now hidin over here.
By Chris
November 1, 2008 11:05 PM | Link to this
EAT your Crow boy. With all the smack you talcked about Urban and Tebow. You sure look like a fool now hidin over here.
By Lamont
November 1, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this
I’m glad to see this team showing some pride and fighting to get back in the game. Our bench little by little has helped this team much more than in previous years. Zaza had a good game. F. Murray too. Of course, we’d be nothing without or man. JJ YOU’RE SPECIAL.
By Crazy Diamond
November 1, 2008 11:32 PM | Link to this
For this team to succeed everybody must step up, like tonight. Keep it up.
By Andy
November 1, 2008 11:34 PM | Link to this
Pretty amazing game from the Hawks team!!!!!
By Da Real Real
November 1, 2008 11:38 PM | Link to this
Just got back from the game…voice bout gone…but I must say that was fun (NOT THAT FIRST HALF) but the game was fun and good atmosphere. I like our team overall, I’m hoping that Marvin was just knocking off some rust or something because the guy that was out there tonight don’t need to be out there for too long. Other than that, I cant say or complain about to much else….I’m a lil out of it after the game
By jeff
November 1, 2008 11:41 PM | Link to this
if they stay healthy and smith keeps his head in the game the hawks might win 47-50 games this year. what do you all think?
By mahjk17
November 2, 2008 12:19 AM | Link to this
all that the hawks did this game u talk about zaza pachulia/ so wat if he gets one good game
By Maurice
November 2, 2008 12:48 AM | Link to this
That’s two good games from Zaza, mahjk17. You missed the one in Orlando. He was great then too.
By lex luther
November 2, 2008 12:48 AM | Link to this
Joe Johnson is the truth, no if,ands,or buts. The guy is money even if there is a wall street crash. Game of two halfs. Defense wins Championships. Way to go HAWKS, keep up the intensity. Marvin Williams….where you at?
By Urban Meyer
November 2, 2008 1:01 AM | Link to this
Dear Mr. Bradley, Good to see that you have so much to say about the Annual UGA Debacle in Jacksonville. Writing a piece about the Hawks? Ha. Silly little man. Your Dawgs got absolutely destroyed. Annihilated. Humiliated. Abused so badly that The Gators will likely be noticing little dawg bits in their poop for the next few days. And oh yes, by the way YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE TOOL. And a loser. See ya next year, loser.
By Urban Meyer
November 2, 2008 1:02 AM | Link to this
Dear Mr. Bradley, Good to see that you have so much to say about the Annual UGA Debacle in Jacksonville. Writing a piece about the Hawks? Ha. Silly little man. Your Dawgs got absolutely destroyed. Annihilated. Humiliated. Abused so badly that The Gators will likely be noticing little dawg bits in their poop for the next few days. And oh yes, by the way YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE TOOL. And a loser. See ya next year, loser.
By urban meyer
November 2, 2008 1:04 AM | Link to this
Dear Mr. Bradley, Good to see that you have so much to say about the Annual UGA Debacle in Jacksonville. Writing a piece about the Hawks? Ha. Silly little man. Your Dawgs got absolutely destroyed. Annihilated. Humiliated. Abused so badly that The Gators will likely be noticing little dawg bits in their poop for the next few days. And oh yes, by the way YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE TOOL. And a loser. See ya next year, loser.
By moboman
November 2, 2008 1:04 AM | Link to this
NO BUZZ without Childress??? I guess having a guy who can shoot on the floor instead makes it easier to play offense! A lot of us knew that.
By gatorSTEVE
November 2, 2008 1:13 AM | Link to this
GO GATORS!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHA Bradley good job, way to pick ‘em
By marc starks
November 2, 2008 1:30 AM | Link to this
I want tp see Randolph Morris play. Damn. Put my boy in……Woodson give Randolph Some time on the floor. What the hell you sign him for.
By Big Johnson
November 2, 2008 2:54 AM | Link to this
Mark, let’s take a TIME-OUT, and enjoy these last few minutes…..just like Urban Meyer did in Jax today,,,,,
By Darrin "The Vent King"
November 2, 2008 2:56 AM | Link to this
As a long time Hawk fan, this emergence is just as good as the Falcons. Zsa-Zsa stole my heart last year standing up to Garnett and it seems to have made him a new man ever since. I’m sure the birth of his son (congrats BTW) has just as much to do with it, but either way- good for the Hawks and us fans. Keep up the good work fellas and next game don’t make it so hard for yourselves. And oh, good grief Joe Johnson that 32 footer was ridiculous!
GO HAWKS!!!
By Laoying (Hawks in Chinese)
November 2, 2008 3:15 AM | Link to this
Friends here Shanghai have following Hawks since Celtic beat. Bought yatalanta shirts and praise them good! Go to Hawks!
By chris
November 2, 2008 5:27 AM | Link to this
Bradley your so pathetic. Who’s crying now? You little man can’t even face how dumb and retarded you are about UGA football. 49-10 Urban ain’t “crying now is he?
By secondguesser
November 2, 2008 7:27 AM | Link to this
Thank you Mark Bradley! You may have single handedly set the leg humpers back another two decades with the smart azz smack the week of the game! You like calling him Urban Crier huh? How bout Mr. Urban “I am his b!#(# ” Crier! Thanks for pumping up the volume! Oh yeah, Matt ” I don’t think there’s any throw I can’t make ” Stafford would like for you to get Mr. Heisman’s autogragh for him if you could. Stafford over Tebow! Only a f******* moron would think that!
By TURTSNAP
November 2, 2008 8:00 AM | Link to this
Gator fans in an NBA Blog. It must be lonely being a Gator Fan. GO BAMA, beat the Snot out of those arrogant Gator pukes
By AJ
November 2, 2008 8:37 AM | Link to this
TURTSNAP - If you read Bradley regularly you’d understand why there are Gator fans writing on this blog.
MARK BRADLEY - Come on! Man up! You are SOOOO biased that when UGA fails miserably you can’t eat some crow. At least Jeff Schultz was man enough to write an article. All you can write is that it’s like the 76er’s are like the Gators and the Hawks are like the Dawgs? But the Hawks won. So I guess in your messed up brain the Hawks winning is like the Dawgs winning? I expected more from you. But then again, based on your previous writings I guess it was my mistake to think you’d write an article about the good old fashioned whooping in Jacksonville.
By 365 days and now nothing
November 2, 2008 8:54 AM | Link to this
Bradley talked weak little girl crap all year about UF and Urban Meyer and his response to his puppies gettin beat down is posting an NBA blog. Bradley you are the BIGGEST COWARD in all of the media.
By HAWKS FAN!
November 2, 2008 8:57 AM | Link to this
ATL HAWKS…….WAS AT THE GAME.GREAT WIN! JOE JOHNSON….YOU ARE THE MAN! IT’S GREAT TO SEE THE HAWKS & FALCONS ON THE SAME PATH. BOTH TEAMS HAVE IMPROVED BY LEAPS & BOUNDS BUT CAN’T GET THE NATIONAL ATTENTION JUST YET! IT COMING. BTW…..I AM A LOUIS WILLIAMS(FORMER SOUTH GWINNETT HS)FAN OF THE 76’S. WATCH HIM THIS YEAR AS HE MAKES THE CITY PROUD ALSO…GO HAWKS & LOU WILL!!!
By Chomped
November 2, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this
Stafford over Tebow? Ha, ha, ha, you should stick to writing about Horford (a good Gator by the way) and the Hawks. You certainly know very little about college football. Enjoy your crow.
By Steven
November 2, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this
I’m gonna try and go to the next home game. Lets hope we can keep filling up Philips and bring the energy for the Hawks. They obviously feed off of it.
By mike
November 2, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this
Well Mark, I smiled when I read your article back in the summer crowning UGA national champions!!!! Now next year when you predict the same thing, remember it goes like this 1. win the EAST first and formost 2. Win the SEC 3. Win the championship. Yea I know… Stafford and Knowshown are coming back for one more try.
By mike
November 2, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this
Well Mark, I smiled when I read your article back in the summer crowning UGA national champions!!!! Now next year when you predict the same thing, remember it goes like this 1. win the EAST first and formost 2. Win the SEC 3. Win the championship. Yea I know… Stafford and Knowshown are coming back for one more try.
By tim scott
November 2, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this
you are amazing you run off at the keyboard all wk about how mark richt is a wonderful human and uga the greatest team of the century. you talk about our coach and call him urban crier. well now that your beloved flea bitten mutts have been exposed as frauds you don’t have a word to say. how freakin typical
By Larry From The Branch
November 2, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this
1st of all, get out of this blog gator fans. This is the HAWKS BLOG! If you want to talk trash to M.B. then send him an email.
Ok, back to the hawks. I didn’t goto the game last night, but I was at all of the playoff games and what i’m seeing out of the hawks in these 1st 2 games are what I saw in them during the playoff’s! I was worried about J chill leaving for europe, but this year our bench is stronger with the additions of Mo evens and Flip. Zaza might in 6 man of the year if he keeps playing like this or atleast most improved. Joe Johnson is a BEAST and he should be 1ST TEAM Allstar on the east this year!
This year could be a VERY special year for the HAWKS! We learned from the playoff’s that we can compete with anyone if we play tough hardnose Defence. DO NOT TRADE MIKE BIBBY! He is the engine that makes this car run fast!
LET’S GO HAWKS!!!!
By Larry From The Branch
November 2, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this
1st of all, get out of this blog gator fans. This is the HAWKS BLOG! If you want to talk trash to M.B. then send him an email.
Ok, back to the hawks. I didn’t goto the game last night, but I was at all of the playoff games and what i’m seeing out of the hawks in these 1st 2 games are what I saw in them during the playoff’s! I was worried about J chill leaving for europe, but this year our bench is stronger with the additions of Mo evens and Flip. Zaza might in 6 man of the year if he keeps playing like this or atleast most improved. Joe Johnson is a BEAST and he should be 1ST TEAM Allstar on the east this year!
This year could be a VERY special year for the HAWKS! We learned from the playoff’s that we can compete with anyone if we play tough hardnose Defence. DO NOT TRADE MIKE BIBBY! He is the engine that makes this car run fast!
LET’S GO HAWKS!!!!
By oldhawkfan83
November 2, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this
The Hawks played good without Williams in the line up. They sucked iwht him starting. That’s a clue!
By Ced
November 2, 2008 10:05 AM | Link to this
I am extremely proud of the Hawks play the first 2 games. Nothing about their play so far has me surprised, except for how sufficating their D has been. The Hawks look like a real legit contender, everyone is playing TOGETHER and like they know what each other is thinking out there. The disappointment so far has been Marvin, even though it was only one game, he didn’t show that shot he has been working on. It was only one game and I will hold back judging him, but if this keeps up I will start my petition for Mo Evans in the 3 spot. Oh yeah….GO TECH!!!
By zone1atl/borngator
November 2, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this
Please do us all a favor Mark and retire untill UGA wins a title of any kind. Great QB’s are judged by championships won. Last time i checked lil’ matty hasn’t won anything. MARK BRADLEY, THE URBAN CRIER LEAD GATORS DESTROYED YOUR GARBAGE DAWGS. BE A MAN AND WRITE SOMETHING ABOUT IT. MAN UP LOSER!
By jp
November 2, 2008 10:19 AM | Link to this
how bout you college football retards take this crap to the UGA blog, this is not the place for that.
By High Flyer
November 2, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this
HAWKS 2 THE NBA 0!
GO HAWKS!
By Syd the Hawk Fan
November 2, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this
Great win and great start to the season. All the boys are stepping up and contibuting, just the way it has to happpen in order to win consistently. This keeps up and Woody will be up “COY”. go figure. And all u Florida germs…. do us Hawk fans a huge favor and go infect some other blog. U R all a bunch of major A*******holes.
By Blame Bradley
November 2, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this
Hey blame the Coward Mark Bradley. He talked garbage after garbage about Florida and ran and hid his blog behind the Hawks. He’s a coward. You know a lot of us Gator fans are also Hawk fans as well after all the most humble and hardest working player on the team is a Gator (Horford).
By Bailerbear
November 2, 2008 11:46 AM | Link to this
you bunch of high school short legged s—ts dont know anything about basketball u make me sick
By tech fan
November 2, 2008 12:56 PM | Link to this
First, and most importantly, GO JACKETS! Since we’re all talking about football instead of basketball, I figured I would throw that in there. Looking forward to GT v UGA this year.
Second, the Hawks are playing great. That comeback was awesome and that shot that JJ made was crazy man. Hope they keep this up and cant wait till Nov 12th when we go back to visit Boston. Hope Zaza smacks Garnett upside the head this time round.
By Ty
November 2, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this
Great win last night for the Hawks, because they started out a little flat, I am sure they were shocked to see so few people in the arena at tip off. However, the guys showed maturity in slowly creepin back from 23 down, cutting the game to single digits and pressuring the enemy. Last thing, FLIP MURRAY IS AN OUTSTANDING ADDITION TO THIS TEAM. GO HAWKS!!!!!!
By ricknole
November 2, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this
Gators, Please take that garbage some place else this is an NBA blog. I came here to read about the Hawks.
I am glad you guys are now getting arrogant, will make beating you down on Nov. 29 even better in Tallahassee.
Back to the Hawks, so much for the ESPN and expert pundits saying this team would not make the playoffs again. I live in Orlando, and before that first game, all of the radio and newspapers were predicting a double digit win for the Magic.
I hope tihs team can keep it up!!
By Pete
November 2, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this
Mark, cant wait to read your spin after Ga was flogged by Fla yesterday. Should be a good one; maybe they should still play in BCS Champ game like last year? Right.
By Hawksville Resident
November 2, 2008 3:01 PM | Link to this
What a Win! I was at the game! And the crowd was great even down 23! We had a lot of good looks that were just not falling… But for every shot that rimmed out in the first half was a shot the sunk in the second half when it counted! I can’t wait for next Friday to do it again! Go Hawks!
By secondguesser
November 2, 2008 7:20 PM | Link to this
Somebody tell Mark Richt that Staffords needs some reps at tight end. That’s really his best shot of making it in the NFL. Now Tebow, hell he’s Steve Young on steroids!
By secondguesser
November 2, 2008 7:21 PM | Link to this
Somebody tell Mark Richt that Stafford needs some reps at tight end. That’s really his best shot of making it in the NFL. Now Tebow, hell he’s Steve Young on steroids!
By gatorDad
November 2, 2008 10:05 PM | Link to this
All the CRAP you wrote before the UF vs UGA game and now you don’t even mention it…LOL!
Would you have written about the game had the puppies won?
WHy don’t you comment on some of your own thoughts from our previous blog….I pasted some below.
“you need have no fear of Florida or anything reptilian.”
“We now have reason to believe the Bulldogs will meet Florida’s ire with fire and — might as well say it — will win.”
“Urban Meyer, you have been warned.”
I don’t think Coach Meyer got your message!
By brandt joel
November 2, 2008 11:19 PM | Link to this
mark, I read u weekly. i live in los angeles. im a big dawg fan. i think all of the reporters at ajc are giving coach richt a pass. this is hid eight year. we were preseason number one. we have played two good teams and they have both blown us out. its a disgrace. we have a true freshman starting at center. both of our lines are getting destroyed in big games. none of you want to me at ajc that coach richt has taken the program as far as he can. he is not in the league of saban, meyer, miles and we are running out of time
By Mark "Loser" Bradley
November 2, 2008 11:34 PM | Link to this
YO LOSER, LOOK…. U R AN IDIOT!!!!! A COWARD!!!! REAL BOLD PREDICTIONS GUY… UR BULLDOGS GET SMAKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKED AND U TALK HAWKS BBALL!!!! WUT A PU55Y YOU ARE… I HOPE UR MOM DOESNT KNOW WHAT A B*** U ARE!! THAT IS ALL MARK BRADLEY, U JOKE OF A HUMAN BEING.
By scottbravesfan
November 3, 2008 12:42 AM | Link to this
The Hawks and Falcons playing good and the Braves actually talking about going after big name players? Are the Atlanta teams finally coming around? Could we see two teams make the playoffs in the same year? Could we become a city of winners?
And this just in…..The Thrashers actually won a game!!!!!
By gator fan
November 3, 2008 1:09 AM | Link to this
Never fear Bulldog fans, Mark Bradley will always be sure to tell you about another team to get excited about. The Atlanta Hawks!
How was opening night, Mark? Did the Hawks send a message to the rest of the Eastern Conference? HAHAHA.
At least be a man and own up to it, Bradley! What’s going to happen when Stafford and Moreno are gone next year? What are the odds your offense scores a touchdown then against a UF defense that will only lose potentially Spikes? Anything?
At least type something to prove to us all you didn’t do anything too crazy to forget about the loss.