Scan the floor first
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
HAWKSVILLE - The first order of business on this or any other practice day is to hit the door to the practice court and scan the floor for bodies.
You’ve got to see who is in attendance and who is not and find out the deal on each player.
Usually everything has a reasonable explanation and today was no exception.
— Marvin Williams had an MRI on his left shoulder Monday night and the results didn’t show anything out of the ordinary. He’s not on the floor right now because he’s in the training room getting treatment. His status for Wednesday’s game against Orlando remains a “game time decision” based on how the shoulder responds to the treatment. The Hawks
— Zaza Pachulia was excused for an illness. It must have been something that hit him overnight, because he was in good spirits when I spoke with him after Monday’s practice. He’ll be needed against the Magic (he has as much success as anyone frustrating Dwight Howard with his physical play).
— Acie Law IV was also excused to tend an ailing family member, missing his second straight day of practice. After playing well in 16 minutes in the win over Houston Saturday, the Magic game presented an opportunity for Law to get more work in a big game. But I can’t imagine he’ll see the floor, if he’s back, without practicing the two days before the game.
So the Hawks probably won’t be at “full strength” when the game tips off tomorrow night. Big deal.
Save for Games 2 and 3 this season, the Hawks have always had someone missing, be it caused by injury or what have you.
Williams missed the first Orlando game while serving his one-game suspension for clothes lining Rajon Rondo in the playoff series. That opened the door for Mo Evans to help beat back his former team, a door that could be open again Wednesday night at Philips Arena when they kick off Round 2.
Either way, you have to be licking your chops for this matchup.
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Do over!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
HAWKSVILLE - Forget everything I said after last night’s loss to Jersey.
Just forget it.
Because Mike Bibby proved tonight that a big shot at a big moment by a big time players renders all the minutiae obsolete.
He did to the Rockets what Vince Carter did to the Hawks the night before.
And the Hawks’ bench even made an appearance tonight, too, shocking as it seemed (stay tuned for more on that Sunday and Monday).
That’s also why I need a do over around here.
For all the bellyaching I might do about who made what play or who didn’t make a play, a clutch shot shuts it all down (granted, the Rockets had a foul to give and didn’t foul Joe Johnson on his drive that led to the kick to Bibby for the game-winner, but I’ll let the folks on the Rockets blog hash that out).
If Bibby misses and they go to overtime maybe we can dissect the details (for the record, the Hawks turned in the best shooting game against the Rockets this season by hitting 59 percent - 43-for-73 - of their shots, but we’re not going there).
Instead, the Hawks get to spend the next 24 hours feeling the same way the Nets did after Friday’s game.
I thought Hawks center Al Horford summed it up best when he said, “It’s only fair that we’re on the other end this time. I think it showed a lot from our team, after losing such a tough game last night, being able to bounce back here at home and get a win … Such a big shot [from Bibby]. I think we’re confident that any of our guys down the stretch can make shots. Tonight’s a fine example of Joe giving up the ball for Mike to shoot it.”
A fine example indeed Mr. Horford.
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The plays you don’t make …
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
IZOD CENTER - Sometimes it’s the plays you don’t make the cost you the most.
The plays the other team makes don’t help either, witness Vince Carter’s 33-footer for the game in the Hawks’ 93-91 loss to the Nets here tonight.
But while the Hawks have enjoyed a monster season so far while playing far below their potential for much of their first 32 games, few games have provided a more blinding example of their inattention to detail.
Carter’s last shot should never have been.
And not because the Hawks have shouldn’t have squandered that 20-point lead or because they should have made their free throws down the stretch or because they should have kept the ball moving on the offensive end until they found the best shot (as the Nets did to perfection in the second half).
But because Carter never should have been allowed to scoop up an errant inbounds pass from Jarvis Hayes without the Hawks swarming him like the ice cream man on a sweltering summer day.
Josh Smith, who was guarding Carter at the end, opted to let Carter chase the ball and turn and set himself before launching that game winning shot. But with 5.3 seconds left and a bad pass, scrambling after that ball would have prevented Carter from making a clean grab and getting the chance to that final dagger.
“There’s five seconds, and the ball went past half-court,” Hayes said after the game. “The man that was guarding [Carter] didn’t follow him into the backcourt to get the loose ball and he just left him too much room.”
Neither Smith nor Marvin Williams, who was guarding the inbounds pass and actually turned to chase for a moment, before remembering Hayes was his responsibility and turning back to cover his assignment, broke off and made the play Hayes is talking about.
What’s even more perplexing is that Smith did exactly that on the previous possession to give the Hawks the lead. He left Carter to trap Devin Harris and he and Mo Evans wound up combining for the steal and the subsequent fast break Layup that provided the Hawks with the 91-90 lead that Carter squashed with his game winner.
“First and foremost, I was just looking to see if the guy was running down and if he’s running, I would try to get the ball before he does,” Carter said. “It was 1.8 seconds, the clock was running, so I just wanted to make sure I could get it and get my feet set. He didn’t run so I was able to turn and get my head around and get my feet set and make it happen.”
If someone makes a play on that ball, it never happens. Or at least it doesn’t happen as cleanly as it did this night.
Again, sometimes it’s the plays you don’t make, even the simple ones, that eng up costing you the most.
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New Hawks for the New Year!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
INDIANAPOLIS - If the Hawks want to raise a few glasses for a toast sometime around midnight on Wednesday they’ll have earned it.
They’ve also earned a breather from the relentless, doubt-filled analysis that’s been prevalent around here.
Because even with all of us (and yes, I’m just as guilty as anyone else here) waiting around for the bottom to fall out of this run they’ve been on for most of this season, they keep on playing and they keep on winning.
It’s clear that they’re not going to do it in the most artistic way every night. The run-and-gun Phoenix Suns they are not.
But when you put together the type of first third of the season (and if you figure in the potential playoff run, 31 games is just about a third of a season) they have, why bother complaining about aesthetics?
We all know the Hawks will face stiffer tests on the road in the coming weeks, the Pacers are just 10-21 this season. But they’ll also enter the New Year with five straight home wins on their resume and they’ve now pulled to within a game of .500 (7-8) on the road for the season.
Raise your hand if you thought this is where your team would be at this stage of the season … didn’t think so.
We’re going to have plenty of time to roast those who need to be roasted. And there will be loads of opportunities for second-guessing and all that other fun stuff.
Just not tonight. I’m giving it a rest until 2009.
Your team is 21-10 for Baby New Year’s sake (43-42 in the calendar year for 2008, just fyi), show ‘em a little love for once.
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The root of all things!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
HAWKSVILLE - Go ahead and scoff at 20-10 all you want.
But a tip of the hat is in order for these Hawks (and if you were here for 13-69 or any of the two seasons directly after that, you know what I’m talking about).
They’ve not only handled their business with the Charlottes and Washingtons of the world, they’ve done it against the Clevelands and now the Denvers of the world as well.
If you’re looking for the source, just look at the way the Hawks have been winning games. It’s been a methodical, by-any-means-necessary approach that’s worked night in and night out.
Bigger than any one player, because it’s been all of them collectively, it’s been the way they’ve played for each other that’s made the difference.
From Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby’s continued offensive prowess to Al Horford continued improvement on both ends to Josh Smith’s ability to play effectively through obvious pain to Zaza Pachulia thriving in his role as the super sub inside to Flip Murray and Mo Evans finding a way to make plays whenever they’re pressed into service to Marvin Williams accepting the challenge every night to guard some of the most explosive and dynamic players the NBA has to offer (he’s seen LeBron and Carmelo at the start and finish of the home stand with Paul Pierce in the middle and more than held his own every time), these Hawks seems to get it.
The root of this turnaround is in the way they’re playing as a group.
The Hawks aren’t even playing as well as they did during that 6-0 stretch to start the season. Btu they’re winning anyway, which is the biggest sign of improvement. They don’t have to play their very best basketball to win every night, which by my estimate is the surest sign of a good team.
The 109-91 thumping of the Nuggets tonight was impressive against an explosive, high-scoring bunch with Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony at the controls (though Kenyon Martin was the only Nugget to be effective from start to finish).
Just look at the way opposing coaches talk about the Hawks these days for proof that we’re not the only ones that see the changing of the guard with this team.
“We didn’t do enough fundamental things well and we fell apart in the fourth quarter,” Denver coach George Karl said. “When you don’t pass the ball as you should, you’re not going to beat the good teams. Atlanta does a good job defensively by switching, and they made Carmelo see a lot of different bodies, which disrupted him tonight. The Hawks are good at finding the 3-pointer and they have a lot of guys who are confident enough to shoot it. They’re a pretty efficient offensive team with a great player in Joe [Johnson], and Bibby is playing at the level he played in his early days in Sacramento. Mike Bibby’s shooting is as good as I’ve seen in many years from him.”
Bibby (5-for-6 from long range) and Murray (3-for-4 from deep) served up the biggest daggers Monday night. The next time it might be Johnson and Williams. Or maybe even Evans and Smith.
You just never know with this bunch.
But it’s clear that whatever it takes, particularly at home, they’re going to get it done some way and somehow.
Latest comments
Thought it was Bald Woody Arms Fold(lol)! Still debating going to this game tonight… Don’t like to going during the middle of the week. I know this will be a good though. Man, I hate the long wait. Let’s play some ball!!... read the full comment by hawksta | Comment on Scan the floor first Read Scan the floor first
Home Grown, no worries on the ticket deal. Looking forward to meeting some of you cats this evening. Cedric, I agree about needing a tough tweener to join the fold. I think Ray and I chatted about that a few weeks... read the full comment by Astro Joe | Comment on Scan the floor first Read Scan the floor first
Yeah Joe I think using Bibby similar to how the Mavs use the Jet would be perfect but we know ASG are not going to be proactive with this contract situation. This organization cannot have another offseason of sittin on their hands early on in the negotiation... read the full comment by Cedric | Comment on Scan the floor first Read Scan the floor first
That’s another good point from Astro. I think that if he will accept it, move Bibby on the last year of the contract so AC can take over. Bibby will steal be there for support and to come in in case of emergency.... read the full comment by HOME GROWN aka E.J. | Comment on Scan the floor first Read Scan the floor first