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Home > Mark Bradley > Archives > 2008 > December > 17 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHawks not scared of Celtics
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday’s game program featured a photo not of Joe Johnson shooting or Josh Smith swooping but, of all people doing all things, Zaza Pachulia scowling. And if you’ve been following this budding adversarial relationship, you know it made perfect sense.
The Hawks aren’t as good as the Celtics, but the Hawks aren’t scared of the Celtics. It began in the spring, when the No. 8 seed took three playoff games from the champs-to-be, and it continues apace. Twice now they’ve played in the new season, and twice Boston has escaped by the hair of Kevin Garnett’s chinny-chin-chin.
It was Garnett at whom Pachulia was glaring in the aforementioned cover photo, and their flare-up from a frenzied Game 4 resonates still. The Celtics haven’t gotten any worse — if anything, they’re even better — but the Hawks keep rising to meet them.
If not for a challenged Paul Pierce shot with 0.5 seconds remaining, the Hawks would have won in Boston last month, and if not for, of all people doing all things, Joe Johnson missing a free throw with 2.7 seconds left Wednesday, the teams might still be playing. Said the Hawks’ Josh Smith, speaking after the C’s had won by three: “We don’t have any fear of them. We treat them the same as anyone else coming in here.”
And you can tell the Celtics, who have lost only twice this season and not at all in 33 days, see the Hawks as a burgeoning threat, and you can tell the titlists haven’t quite gotten over the scare Atlanta threw them into them. Asked if he had any reaction to the shot of Pachulia challenging him, Garnett said sniffily: “I don’t talk before the game.”
Then the playing began, and here they went again, the Hawks refusing to yield anything to Boston on this floor, nosing ahead in the second quarter and building a six-point lead inside the final seven minutes. But here the selectively reticent Garnett began making a statement. He scored on a hook. He hit from 17 feet. He fed Rajon Rondo from the low post.
The Hawks led by one inside the final minute, whereupon Garnett sank another hook. Then it was down to Johnson on the line with a chance to tie, and he missed. One big-time player made all manner of big-time plays. Another big-time player unaccountably missed.
“We drew up a play and had our best guy on the line,” said Mike Woodson, the Hawks’ coach. “You can’t ask for more. … When we’re in that position again, I’ll bet my money on our team.”
And maybe he should. The Celtics aren’t going away anytime soon, but the Hawks keep getting better. And they match up with the C’s in a way nobody else in the league does. Surely the reason only Rondo looks consistently comfortable against this team is because he, alone among Celtics, can match quick on quick.
The difference is that the Hawks aren’t yet skilled enough to make the elegantly simple plays Garnett makes as a matter of course. (“Anything to sell some tickets,” was Garnett’s postgame appraisal of the program cover.) The Celtics are a finely finished product; the Hawks are still finding their feet. They’re down 0-2 on the season series, but there are miles to go before either of these teams sleep.
Many around the NBA regard Cleveland and LeBron James as Boston’s biggest threat come the 2009 playoffs, but if I’m the Celtics I’m hoping the Hawks aren’t seeded No. 4, 5 or 8 in the East. That would almost surely put them on the Celtics’ side of the bracket, and the Hawks relish every chance they get at the Green. Given enough chances, they might just get it right.
Permalink | Comments (48) | Post your comment | Categories: Hawks/NBA
Comments
By Rock Preston
December 17, 2008 11:51 PM | Link to this
Morals victories get you no where!!!! The Hawks have to rise up and find a way to beat the Celts!!! The 88-89 Pistons had to find a way to beat the Celts…The 90s Bulls had to overcome the Pistons…The Hawks have to keep fighting to get the CELTICS!!!!!!!!! They will get them!!! Josh has to learn when to drive and when to settle for jump shots. He settles for jumper too much…I’m not sigling him out, but little things like that determine who will win. THEY (the Celts) have figured it out. We WILL figure it out. KEEP PLUGGING HAWKS!!!!!!!
By noddy dred
December 18, 2008 12:10 AM | Link to this
the hawks are decent. we play big in big games. if we had the bounce in our step, like we did tonight, every night we would really be dangerous. we lost by a joe johnson free throw. no moral victories, but….GO HAWKS and keep that bounce!
By The_Future
December 18, 2008 12:15 AM | Link to this
It’s not about “moral victories”… Both teams know it’s gonna be a battle, especially in Philips, and both were in the playoffs last year and will be for year’s to come. As long as this team recognizes where it needs to improve late in games vs the best the NBA has to offer, it’s gonna be all good.
There are 57 more game, however… and dwelling on one (or two) losses to the NBA Champs will get us no where… especially if we want a rematch come April/May. night Bad shooting against the league’s best defense (by far), but it wasnt decided until the final second. Just keeping learning and keep improving. On to the next game….
By Mark Bradley
December 18, 2008 12:44 AM | Link to this
Yes, that’s the ticket: Getting the Hawks to play against every team the way they do against the Celtics.
But I’m not at all disappointed over these first two months. The Hawks are 14-10 having played a brutal schedule and having worked without Josh Smith for four weeks. They’re in fine position. And I think they realize as much.
By jj
December 18, 2008 12:57 AM | Link to this
I wonder when Woody is going to figure it out.Use your bench and your starters won’t be gassed in forth quarter and in Feb. and March.You got a #1 draft choice sitting on the bench and you got Marvin,Josh,and Al standing around watching JJ play with the ball.These guys will never reach their potential as long as Woody runs his jump shot,get your own shot offence.Knight had a vision and Woody is not the man to get us there.They are good athletes without a visionary.We will always be close but not just there……..
By al
December 18, 2008 12:57 AM | Link to this
Joe Johnson is one heck of a player but today i think he was tired due to the heavy minutes. I think for his sake and the hawks sake he needs some rest during the games so he can be unstopable at end of games.
By Mark Bradley
December 18, 2008 1:04 AM | Link to this
Perhaps you noticed that Rajon Rondo lit up Mike Bibby yet again. Perhaps you also noticed that Acie Law IV didn’t play a minute. I sure did.
By The_Future
December 18, 2008 1:04 AM | Link to this
Also, if we could get Al and Josh to learn how to play with their backs to the basket in order to get oppsing bigs in foule trouble, the Hawks as a team would be a lot better off. They are both fantastic rebounders, tut when you have that much athletic ability, the first (and probably last) urge is to face up and try to hit jumpers unless there’s a clear path to the rim.
Hiring Mark Price will pay off eventually, but it’d be great to see them be on some great post player as an assistant to help Josh and Al learn to dominate in the paint
By Mark Bradley
December 18, 2008 1:19 AM | Link to this
Tyrone Hill, who played at Xavier before moving to the NBA, works with the Hawks’ big men.
By The_Future
December 18, 2008 1:36 AM | Link to this
rue… but (and I know I’m reaching here) the Lakers use Kareem Abdul Jabbar to work with Bynum and he’s made great strides over the past few years. I remember Patrick Ewing working with Yao Ming and Dwight Howard on his stints with Houston and Orlando. Look where they are now…
No disrespect intended to Tyrone Hill, who was a pretty decent player in the league, but I was aiming a little higher than that. I mean, if we can get a great shooter like Price to help on the charity stripe, I’m sure we can get a great post-player to coach our young horses. There’s just so much unlocked potential in our frontcourt that I think we need to pull out all the stops, you know?
By Mark Bradley
December 18, 2008 1:47 AM | Link to this
I understand. If you want to start a campaign to bring in Tree Rollins, who worked with the young Shaquille O’Neal in Orlando, to coach the Hawks’ big men, I wouldn’t stand in your way. I’ve always liked Tree a lot, and the last I heard he was out of work (fired by the WNBA’s Washington Mystics).
By Nora
December 18, 2008 2:36 AM | Link to this
What do the Hawks have to lose if they lose to the Celtics? I wouldn’t be scared either because they are not expected to beat the Celtics in the playoffs. Atlanta ‘Nothing to lose’ Hawks.
By The_Future
December 18, 2008 2:40 AM | Link to this
Good name there (Rollins). I didn’t know he worked with young Shaquille in those days, though. I’m all for it, anything to see more easy buckets and And-1’s in the paints from our bigs.
Also, I’ve been watching this team grow over the past few years and I have to say that I don’t think the substitutions are Woodson’s fault (an 8 man rotation is about the NBA norm) as much as I think his team’s defensive “strategy” looks flawed and unorganized.
So many times in this and other games, guys get caught in pick and rolls and switches at the top of the key and you have stuff like we saw tonight where Bibby is forced to guard a guy twice his size on isolation all night with no help whatsoever. Do the players go rouge out on the court or is his teaching just ineffective period?
This team gets torn apart when there’s a good pick and roll combo going. If anything’s going to at the trade deadline, other than a solid backup big man, it should be for a lockdown-defending swingman. Imagine, say, Shawn Marion defending the Celtics shooters down the stretch in this kind of game. A man can dream, can’t he?
By Ludviko
December 18, 2008 7:45 AM | Link to this
Hawks have no interior defense…keep whining losers!
By Veteran Fan
December 18, 2008 7:51 AM | Link to this
If Joe Johnson would have had a better first half offensively, Coach should have used Mario West on Rondo and totally negated him. Bibby was contributing too much of the offense to sit down even though he was killing us defensively! Where was Acie Law? Also, how come Marvin Williams, who was great in the first half, did not even look at the basket in the second half? Finally, Paul Pierce said it all after the game when he said that they “proved to themselves they could win in this building!” Sounds like the mighty Celtics are scared of Atlanta!
By mountain_jim
December 18, 2008 8:18 AM | Link to this
Bibby blew the momentum with a missed rainbow 30 footer with plenty of time left. Woody’s lack of use of the bench left Joe and the other starters burnt at the end. Woody is killing Acie’s future.
By mountain_jim
December 18, 2008 8:19 AM | Link to this
Bibby blew the momentum with a missed rainbow 30 footer with plenty of time left. Woody’s lack of use of the bench left Joe and the other starters burnt at the end. Woody is killing Acie’s future.
By Mark Bradley
December 18, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this
We can nitpick a lot of things, but I thought the Hawks played very well overall. Their best player just missed a free throw. It happens.
If they’d play like that every night, they’d win 50 games and be the No. 4 seed in the East.
By mm
December 18, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this
Lets not forget that the the 7 games series last year was a huge fluke. The Hawks managed to win 3 close games at home — and were crushed 4 times in Boston. They are a LONG way from being in the discussion with Cleve and Boston in the East.
By Barry
December 18, 2008 8:50 AM | Link to this
Hey Y’all:
I was at the gamelast night and it was great!!! However, on the Hawks side of the ball, I did not see any of our big men consistantly trying to take to the Celtics big men to draw fouls and three point plays. The guards were attacking the rim just missing a noumber of three point plays down the stretch, but if they would have been attacking the rim early, I am confident the Celtics premier players would have had too many fouls to be a factor down the stretch. All in all, the Hawks played great and the FANS were “FANTASTIC”. We have the players to winn more than enough games this season to win our division and get into the playoff to compete for the championship. The Celtics know it won’t be a cake walk with these hungry Atlanta Hawks flying around. WE LOOK TO THE CHALLENGE OF ANY TEAM THIS SEASON.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"SHOCK THE WORLD!!!!"This is still round 1.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! This is a SECRET from a HAWK FAN.
TELL EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ringold
By Bibby Sucks
December 18, 2008 8:57 AM | Link to this
No moral victories- chalk it up as an L. And Mike Bibby is a liability- not only did he miss key shots, he also turned the ball over or tried to on multiple occassions with careless passes. He didn’t make the others around him better like Rondo did.
Now as for the Celtics, one can’t argue with the talent. They are in a class by themselves. Too bad KG has NO CLASS. Maybe Ray Allen can loan him some.. But why are you talking trash to someone in the stands, KG?? You make a trillion $ a year and you’re worried about the guy running his mouth behind the basket that took Marta to the game? Somebody’s gonna get sick of his mouth and knock him the __ out!! And I personally would love to see it.
By Marcus
December 18, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this
In Sekou’s column, I stated that this isn’t a rivalry, and still believe that. We have to hold up our end (like upsetting them by winning a crucial game or series) to make it so. That being said, we will see them in the 2nd round of the playoffs. mark it down.
By Mark Bradley
December 18, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this
I think it’s a rivalry.
By ND
December 18, 2008 10:03 AM | Link to this
Bibby Sucks…I couldn’t agree more. Not a huge NBA fan but was watching on TV last night and at the end it was a joke watching KG more interested in the fans than the game. I also have grown very tired of his crap. Seems like his teammates would be too.
By tiki
December 18, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this
Up here in Boston there is legit joy and relief that the Cs prevailed. The Hawks are a force and will not be one and done this year.
That said - I dont think KG’s not addressing questions prior to the game is unusual - he doesnt do local or national media once he arrives for a game.
By Traceman
December 18, 2008 10:17 AM | Link to this
Bibby Sucks
You obviously don’t watch the Hawks much or you just don’t know what you are talking about. We have won several games this year because of Bibby’s clutch play when JJ and no one else could do anything.
Rondo IS good and he makes a lot of good players struggle. Chris Paul is the best PG in the league by far and yet Rondo forced him into 5 for 16 shooting in the last game the Celtics played before coming to Atlanta. In the game before that, he lit up the 2nd best PG in the league (Deron Williams) for 25 pts, 8 assts and 7 rebs. Bibby is just one of many good PGs who struggle against Rondo’s superior athleticism, defense and freakishly long arms.
By Denise Bethel-McKenzie
December 18, 2008 10:21 AM | Link to this
First of all, stop worrying about KG and his antics with the fans. NFL players do it as well, so what. You all are upset b/c of the loss. Get over it and play b/ball good against every team to get in the playoffs. One thing I don’t like about you Atlanta fans, when you lose you always got an EXCUSE and you WHINE TOO MUCH!!
By Sean
December 18, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this
From a Boston perspective, I don’t think you can consider it a rivalry because no one up in Boston thinks it is a rivalry.
The real rivalries, Sox-Yankees, Duke-UNC, etc., are rivalries because both fan bases think of each other as rivals. Wear a Yankee hat in Fenway and you’ll know it’s a rivalry. Wear a Hawks jersey at the Garden and no one will think anything of it, unless the Hawks aren’t playing and you’ll appear lost.
From what ESPN said, Atlanta treated this game as if it were the NBA Finals. Lil Jon in the open, Luda at halftime, and is your announcer really that annoying at every game? Maybe that’s why there are always so many empty seats (at non-Celtic games)
If you look in the Wednesday Boston papers, there’s no build up by the writers about the game. The pregame coverage was 99% focused on Pierce’s injury, and not about coming back to Atlanta. If it were a rivalry, the papers would have sent their columnists to Atlanta and the news would have been all over it.
So if it’s a rivalry, it’s only a rivalry for you guys. The Celtics and their fans don’t care any more about the Hawks than they do the Raptors or the Bulls or the Jazz. The Celtics would likely consider the Lakers and, to a lesser extent, the Pistons, as rivals. Not you guys. Maybe someday, if the Hawks play every game like they’re playing the C’s
By Oh Hyphenated one
December 18, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this
Oh yee of the hyphenated name- I’m not whining about the game. I’m just commenting that KG is a classless punk. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only person that would like to see somebody knock him out.
By Sean
December 18, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this
From a Boston perspective, I don’t think you can consider it a rivalry because no one up in Boston thinks it is a rivalry.
The real rivalries, Sox-Yankees, Duke-UNC, etc., are rivalries because both fan bases think of each other as rivals. Wear a Yankee hat in Fenway and you’ll know it’s a rivalry. Wear a Hawks jersey at the Garden and no one will think anything of it, unless the Hawks aren’t playing and you’ll appear lost.
From what ESPN said, Atlanta treated this game as if it were the NBA Finals. Lil Jon in the open, Luda at halftime, and is your announcer really that annoying at every game? Maybe that’s why there are always so many empty seats (at non-Celtic games)
If you look in the Wednesday Boston papers, there’s no build up by the writers about the game. The pregame coverage was 99% focused on Pierce’s injury, and not about coming back to Atlanta. If it were a rivalry, the papers would have sent their columnists to Atlanta and the news would have been all over it.
So if it’s a rivalry, it’s only a rivalry for you guys. The Celtics and their fans don’t care any more about the Hawks than they do the Raptors or the Bulls or the Jazz. The Celtics would likely consider the Lakers and, to a lesser extent, the Pistons, as rivals. Not you guys. Maybe someday, if the Hawks play every game like they’re playing the C’s
By Sean
December 18, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this
Sorry about the double post. Not used to posting here.
By C's R Back
December 18, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this
What an aweful and biased article. Hawks 14-10 and Zaza Pachulia is a average NBA player.
By Traceman
December 18, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this
Sean
I don’t know if rivalry is the right word but if you think that the Celtics players or coaching staff look at the Hawks the same way they look at Raptors, Bulls and Jazz then you are deluding yourself. The Celtics KNOW that the Hawks are one of about 4 teams who pose a serious threat to their chances of repeating (Lakers, Cavs and Spurs being the other 3). We are not as good as the other 3 teams but we happen to matchup very well with Boston as PG is the only position where they have a significantly better athlete than we do. Our overall length and athleticism is trouble for them and when we get out and run and start making 3’s, we have proven that we can beat them. We were a couple of missed FTs from beating them last night.
As for how the fans in BOS feel about the Hawks, all I know is that the BOS fans at the game last night were awfully nervous and they admitted that the Hawks play their team better than any other team in the EC.
Bottom line, it may not be a rivalry but they damn sure don’t want to see us as the 4, 5 or 8 seed come playoff time.
By Marcus
December 18, 2008 10:57 AM | Link to this
disagree with Bibby sucks on his Bibby assertions, but he is on-point with Garnett. Ever since the Hawks series and suqsequent playoff series last year, I have been disappointed that someone of his stature and regard has resorted to borderline obscene trash talk on the court (either heard by on-court mikes or lip-reading the TV coverage). Let your play speak for itself. Maybe it is a matter of course in the modern NBA to do that, call me naive (sp?) but for the guys in the top echelon of the league, their stats and highlights do enough talking, no need to swear like drunken sailors.
By Sean
December 18, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this
Traceman:
Every team goes after the Celtics. Just as the Hawks circled this game on the calendar as special, every other team in the NBA does that, so yes, I’m sure the players took it as any other game. Even the Lakers have been quoted as looking forward to the Christmas day game; every team highlights when the C’s are in town, and the C’s take every team’s best shot and punches back harder. The C’s haven’t lost since early November, and if you think they were extra hyped for the Hawks, I suspect you don’t watch many Celtic games.
The Hawks have shown they can disorient the Celtics in Atlanta. The Hawks haven’t shown they can stay within 30 of the Celtics in Boston in a game that matters… sorry, 7th game of the season doesn’t count. I’d work on winning in Boston because, with a record now of 24-2, the Hawks are likely the lower seed in any playoff series, should the Hawks get the opportunity to be in the playoffs. 15-10 is mediocre.
By Traceman
December 18, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this
Sean
Of course every team gets up for the Celtics. That’s what happens when you are the champs. That said, not every team took the Celtics to 7 games last year in the playoffs (CLE did too) and not every team almost beat them at home THIS year without one of their 2 best players (Josh Smith).
As for the Hawks not being able to show that they can stay within 30 in BOS in a game that matters, you are again deluding yourself if you don’t think BOS REALLY wanted to make a statement in the 7th game of the season. We were undefeated coming into that game and we wanted to show that we could compete up there. BOS knew that and they wanted to keep us in our place. They won the game but our guys proved to themselves that they can play with the Celts ANYWHERE.
The Celts are obviously a great, experienced team (even if Pierce and KG are becoming giant A-holes along the way to greatness) but we are young and our time will come (it took Jordan a while to get past DET too). Hopefully, it will come sooner rather than later. I am going to enjoy the ride and it is going to be so sweet when we finally do get over the hump and beat the Celts when it matters. Go Hawks!
By Sean
December 18, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this
Traceman:
Enjoy whatever it is you’re smoking. Here’s hoping the Hawks can finish the season with a winning record.
If the Hawks were so close without those 2 players, they must be playing much better now that they’re back, right? Oh, they’re not? Maybe the Hawks just aren’t that good.
By Patrick
December 18, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this
While I truly believe that the Hawks played very well last night, we had ample opportunity to put the Celtics away. The missed free throws, the bad shot selection by Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, and Mike Bibby, and also the lack of touches for Marvin Williams when he played an excellent first half. As much as I love Josh Smith’s energy, I think that he needs to be told what his role is on the team. He needs to be defensive minded first! Shooting three’s and jump shots aren’t his game. He needs to rebound and get the put back points that are key in the fourth qtr. And on the defensive end, the Celtics ran several plays that put Bibby on Pierce so the coach should have recognized that and made adjustments, but that didn’t happen. All in all, I think that they played well, but they can do better! Go Hawks!
By STRETCH
December 18, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this
Josh Smith constantly and will continue to take stupid shot after stupid shot. This guy knows he cant shoot, but yet he still shoots the ball and NOBODY tells him to stop!
This team stands around and waits for JJ to make plays. Too many times last night they all stood around when JJ got into trouble and never came to the ball.
SEKU, are they even going to atleast try and play big men? Shooting and missing like 10 straight jumpers to start a game is not good. Altanta got murdered in the paint once again!
LETS GET MUTOMBO NOW!
By ZachWilliams
December 18, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this
The Hawks should do less trash talking about how great they are and do more concentrating on the basketball court. The Hawks have outplayed Boston twice this year and have nothing to show for it. The Hawks know in their hearts that they CAN be better than Boston but they must believe that and rise above that every time they play the Celts. I HOPE THE HAWKS PLAYERS ARE READING MY BLOG. HERES THE WINNING FORMULA TO BEAT THE CELTS EVERY TIME TO FACE THEM: run like the wind and push the ball up the floor. run like gazelles and explode to the basket. The Celtics CANT run with the Hawks. Do this every time you play the Celts and you will begin to beat them with regularity. Continue to play a slowdown, halfcourt game against the Celts and you will continue to come up on the short end of the stick.
By Mark Bradley
December 18, 2008 1:20 PM | Link to this
It’s simply not true that there was little mention of the Hawks in Wednesday’s Boston papers. Here’s the advance from the Boston Herald. Please note the headline: “Celtics wary of Hawks.”
And you can’t fault the Hawks for ESPN hyping the game. That’s what ESPN does — it hypes. The Hawks were primed, yes, but they were also aware that it was just a regular-season game. I asked Al Horford, who’d screened a DVD of Ali beating Foreman before Game 3 of the playoffs, if he’d done something similar this time, and he just laughed. “I’ve got nothing this time,” he said.
By Sean
December 18, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this
Mr Bradley:
I respectfully disagree that one article on the day of a basketball game merits being called anything other than little mention. The Herald and Globe each do an article on the upcoming game the day of the game, particularly when the previous day is an off day. That further proves what I was saying, that no one here treated it as special. Also, the Herald is a tabloid, and with that tabloid mentality comes with it the need to embellish for the sake of selling papers.
Contrast this with what the Boston media does when the Yankees come to town, or the Jets. The local media starts its 6PM news shows with stories on the upcoming game the day of and the day before. It’s just not even close. The Pistons are a much bigger story here, or the Cavs, or the Lakers, etc.
Also, you can’t blame ESPN solely for hyping the game. The Hawks clearly did as well. They made a push to make sure it was a sell out, got higher quality entertainment for the game. The Hawks played their previous home game in front of about 10,000 and the Celtics showing up brought them a sell out. The Hawks hyped this one too.
By bigeasy830
December 18, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this
I still say the Hawks win 50+, win the south and get the 3 seed, but I would love to see us run more plays for Al and J-Smoove, play more inside out basketball. We hit the 3’s win they are passed out to the arc by one of the big men or are kicked out from penetration. We miss them when we play the one on one basketball. The offense don’t just need motion and the extra pass like Coach Woodson keeps preaching it needs more design. Our big men Al and J-Smoove are very good and a match-up nightmare for almost every team in the NBA including the Celts, but we must us them better. When Al gets the ball on the low block he is very effective, he scores or gets fouled and he is a very good foul shooter and he is a very good passer. Al should be our second option on offense and at times our first if we play more inside out. Coach Woodson is killing Al’s development into a premier player in the league. Coach Woodson must recognize this and make the adjustments.
By Traceman
December 18, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this
Sean
Maybe I’ll have some of whatever you’re smoking. It must be pretty good because it has clouded your view of reality.
You say ” The Celtics and their fans don’t care any more about the Hawks than they do the Raptors or the Bulls or the Jazz.” Really? Then why are you on a Hawks’ website today talking about the “non-rivalry?” Do you go to other teams’ blogs/websites after every Celtics game to talk smack to the other team? I have a hard time believing that you do.
You are here for a reason and the reason is because the playoff series between the Celtics and the Hawks last year created an interest in the games between the two teams that goes beyond that of “regular” games. Rivalry? Maybe not. More interesting than games against the Raptors, Bulls or Jazz? No question.
It is hilarious to see Celtics fans jump on Hawks’ fan blogs to throw in their two cents. Where were you guys the year before the Celtics traded for KG and Ray Allen? Pure comedy!
By Mark Bradley
December 18, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this
I didn’t mean to suggest the Hawks didn’t promote this game to the max. They obviously did. But ESPN is a separate entity. The Worldwide Leader does what it wants, and what it wants the most is for people to watch the Worldwide Leader.
By DanRoundfield
December 18, 2008 5:34 PM | Link to this
Yeah, I agree with the BigEasy: If mike woodsen is somewhere out there in the audience, RUN MORE PLAYS FOR SMOOTHIE AND BIG AL and you will never regret it. These young stallions are designed to run. And running is the name of the game. The Celtics will never run with the Hawks because the horses of the celts; pierce, allen and garnett are all over 30. The Hawks players are mostly in their 20s, are significantly younger and the Hawks should play to their strength and that is their youth. Run like you never ran before against the Celtics next time and I promise you better results: like a win. Had the Hawks ran the daylights out of the Celtics in game 7 last year in Boston, it would be the Hawks who would have been the current world champions instead of the Celtics. So the lesson here is run, run and continue running; turn the game into a track meet and you wont believe the results that will be forthcoming. The Hawks of old used to do that and they were rewarded with seven straight years winning 50+ games (those were Mike Fratellos Hawks. Dominique Wilkins was a part of that group, along with the current coach of the Celtics Glenn “Doc” Rivers. They know the prescription for success. Leave the Celtics in the dust by running them out of the building and watch the Celtics be reduced to just another ordinary team.
By Ben
December 18, 2008 9:39 PM | Link to this
This franchise has come a long way, but I’m still worried about the future. I don’t see us finishing outside the playoff picture this season — gut instinct tells me we finish between 45 and 50 wins — but will the fans continue to be enthusiastic enough to persuade ownership to not only keep guys like Joe and Mike, but also go out and pursue the extra pieces of the puzzle necessary to build on our momentum?
I probably stand in the minority, but I think we really dropped the ball in letting Childress just walk away to Europe like we did. I understand that he got a bigger, better offer to play in Greece, but he was a vital part of last year’s team and probably the most all-around player on the roster that we had outside of Joe once you factor in his high basketball IQ. Evans has been a nice player for us; I’m just not sure what sort of message it sends to let someone like Childress walk away.
This team’s future is dependent on the Hawks’ ownership deciding to pony up and be aggressive in both keeping the talent we’ve got and pursuing the fill-in pieces.
By gary 32
December 23, 2008 3:27 PM | Link to this
A piece of a Mark Bradley article before the season…..AJC.com
“The belief here is that these Falcons will win more than one (or two). Of their 16 games, only four will be against teams that finished 2007 with winning records. Smith’s defense should keep matters close enough often enough for this team to go 5-11, and who would have thought that picking a team to lose 11 times would qualify someone as a raving optimist?
From 1-15, though, there’s a lot of room on the upside and next to none on the bottom. “There’s only one record that’s worse,” Smith said, and let’s not venture there.
No NFL team has ever gone 0-16. Please don’t let this be the first.”