AJC > Sports > Hawks > Blog > Archives > 2005 > October > 25 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USInteresting, even if it’s preseason
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m not sure who should be more concerned, Hawks fans because their team couldn’t hold on to an eight-point lead with 1:20 to play, or Heat fans because they needed a shot at the buzzer to beat the Hawks.
I know, Shaquille O’Neal didn’t play and Dwyane Wade wasn’t even on the floor when the game was decided. But the Hawks played without Joe Johnson and according to the experts, shouldn’t be able to stay on the same floor with the Heat.
The ending aside, I saw two teams with far different attitudes Monday night. The Hawks seem like a team eager to prove something while the Heat appears to be ready to implode — like the star-studded Lakers team of two years ago — on their way to the coronation ceremony. Now, that won’t take away the sting of the loss for the Hawks, who needed this win far more than the Heat.
So it’s only an exhibition game — when you’re trying to develop a winning mentality, every little bit helps. Even when the games don’t really count.
Oh, one last thing. Keep an eye on Esteban Batista. El Toro (as he’s been nicknamed by members of the Hawks training staff) got under the skin of Heat forward Antoine Walker. It got so bad that they traded ‘bows and barbs before game’s end, with Walker scalding the Hawks bench for cheering Batista on (“This guy’s a bum” Walker said. He later apologized to Hawks coach Mike Woodson.
But Batista’s relentlessness around the basket and his willingness to mix it up with anyone in his way is what will keep him in the rotation and in his coach’s good graces.
Comments
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By doc
October 25, 2005 04:39 PM | Link to this
love it! thanks for passing that impression on. a true enforcer to take six fouls if necessary to keep the other team honest as well as protect the guys that come down the middle to score and get flattened if we dont have a sheriff. i dont remember that role being fulfilled on any level last year.
By bird dirt
October 25, 2005 05:23 PM | Link to this
this gets me pretty hyped for this team. i really liked what i read about “el toro” before the hawks signed him, but he seems to be having even more of an impact than i ever anticipated so early. has he been hanging out with some of the thrashers or what?
i may be wrong, but it seems to me that the hawks have actually had some pretty good luck with the better teams in this league compared to the middle of the road and below average teams over the past couple seasons. it could be that the really good teams just over-looked the hawks while the others scrapped more for their wins. it just seemed you always got the “there’s no excuse for this, we beat ourselves tonight, etc, etc” quotes from the 13 opponents the hawks beat last year. as in, there’s no way the hawks could’ve ever really beat these teams, these teams just mailed it in instead. at any rate, it’s encouraging to see the current hawks doing some serious scrapping now. now so long as they can keep up the intensity thoughout entire games and the long season, then they should be looking forward to a bright future. next up—minimizing turnover ang 4th quarter meltdowns.
By Tony
October 25, 2005 06:03 PM | Link to this
Its pre-season! therefore the final score is meaningless. The Arizona Cardinal finished the Preseason in football undefeated and the Colt were win-less. Pre-season final scores mean nothing. But what can be evaluated is players individual skills. Pre-season or not, Al Harrington is an improved shooter. And Childress does everything very well. ZaZa can rebound.
By HB Ando
October 25, 2005 06:44 PM | Link to this
Coming up: final cuts. Will the Hawks pick up a big man from a team with an excess of wealth at the power positions? I hear Samaki Walker may not make it in Indiana. Now I know you may think he would have little value, but I just happened to read an article about him in which he admitted that he partied way too much in his early years and missed out on alot of his potential. He says he now appreciates the chance to play in the league, and he has always been a solid second-team rebounder. He’s still fairly young, and if he is indeed waived by Indiana, I suggest the Hawks pick him up to provide minutes at the four and five. Even though Batista and Zaza are playing well, depth is still a much needed thing.
What say you, Sekou?
By jhan
October 25, 2005 06:46 PM | Link to this
An enforcer is exactly what this team needs. We must enforce the no lay-up rule this year. Make the opposition hit free throws.
By Sekou K. Smith
October 25, 2005 08:05 PM | Link to this
A Big Man Cometh! I’m going to discuss the merits of a few in the next couple of days. So stay with me.
By Beck
October 25, 2005 08:13 PM | Link to this
I can hear the crowd now (all three people) chanting “Toro! Toro! Great nickname. I hope the same attitude that got under Walker’s skin in that game infects the rest of the boys and we can get a little nastiness brewing. I agree with jhan, we need a no lay-up rule to keep other teams frustrated.
Speaking of frustrated. When are we going to see our starting 5 on the floor together and is anybody else worried about JJ’s foot? As I understand it planter faceitis (sp?) is chronic and never really heals.
By Nookah
October 25, 2005 09:07 PM | Link to this
I am not surprised at Toro’s intensity. Obviously the information on him on the various websites was fairly accurate.
As always I am an optimist and I think we’ll be just fine. I am still concerned about our TO’s, we are making way too many of these. So far in preseason we are averaging 21 TO’s per game in preseaon, far too much. Although we are improving in assists - 18.8 per game in preseason. I know preseason means very little but it is encouraging to see the effort from the guys.
However, I am a firm believer that an assemblance of talent does not necessarily mean Championships and it certainly won’t guarantee the Heat a Championship. Lakers in basketball and Real Madrid in soccer are two (2) prime examples. You have to be able to manage these players well and keep them happy and motivated just like Jose Morinho is doing with Chelsea (sorry guys for the soccer examples, I’m a big fan). If you ask me, the Heat will impolde when all those malcontents start to show their true personalities. The guy I am sorry for is Stan Van Gundy as he will be the scapegoat. The elite teams in the league are San Antonio, Detroit and Indiana. The Hawks are going to surprise a lot of people this year. I certainly won’t be one of them. I’ll be watching their progress with grreat interest and basking in their gradual improvement. JJ will be a stud for us and the chemistry is going to be great. As you alluded to in a previous blog Sekou, whereas we feel the loss of JC very much and continue to pray for his family, his death will be a motivating and a unifying factor for the Hawks!!!
GO HAWKS!!! JC will be in the paint!!!!
Nuff respect!!!!
By reese
October 25, 2005 09:55 PM | Link to this
Well I hope El Toro has some skills and is just not a thug (a.k.a. bill lambier or rick mahorn) grabbing skilled players as they try to shoot. Not the type of basketball I like to watch. Also, it can end the career of a player. But, I won’t make any judgements until I see him play. Regardless, Antoine does not have the right to chastise an opposing teams players. Also, I hope one of the hawks leaders stood up to Antoine Walker when he chided the hawks players. Sekou, did anyone get in his face and tell him to back off.
By Sekou K. Smith
October 25, 2005 10:21 PM | Link to this
Reese,
All of them stood up for Batista. Antoine may be a friend but he’s a former teammate now. In Antoine’s defense, he did come back without prompting and apologize to Woodson for going off the deep end.
By Jeremy
October 25, 2005 10:41 PM | Link to this
Sekou—great to hear that the team stood up for him…that shows that he is respected by his teammates and that he is not a dirty player but a hustler. hustlers and true bangers (not guys like laimbeer) are the ones who frustrate b/c they are getting outworked and outhustled. Sekou—looking VERY much forward to hearing about the center scoop. please let us know what time frames you think these cats can be playing for us this season. also, do you think we can do picks and money to get some of them instead of having to trade?
By bird dirt
October 25, 2005 10:44 PM | Link to this
glad to see batista drive ‘toine that crazy, glad to see ‘toine step up afterwords and apologize. i’ve got a love/hate with him. love him since he played for uk, hate him since he plays against the hawks. also glad to see donta smith step it up. he went to the same high school as my siblings (oldham county h.s.—i went to south oldham). everyone in louisville said he went pro too early, dissing rick patino at u of l in the process. i hope he’s able to keep it up.
by the way, sekou, just out of curiosity, why isn’t your picture in the papers along with the rest of the sports writers? surely your mug isn’t as ugly as some of the others’ who pen for the ajc.
By Matt
October 25, 2005 11:13 PM | Link to this
So you’re saying the Hawks played tough, the Heat were slacking, and we still lost. And they were missing the best player in the league, and the second best player didn’t play a part in the final minutes comeback? I think if I was a Heat fan I would not be concerned, and since I’m a Hawks fan, I’m not exactly shocked.
By HB Ando
October 25, 2005 11:44 PM | Link to this
Samaki Walker scores 8 and pulls down 8 boards in 17 minutes tonight. I don’t see a spot for him on their roster. Hope we’ve called his agent and offered him a spot for when he’s waived…….
By cashmere36
October 26, 2005 02:14 AM | Link to this
the hawks need wilcox nobody else but wilcox.
By Lamont
October 26, 2005 04:02 AM | Link to this
Batista is the type of player we were needing. He’s a great warrior, no doubt he will help us a lot. Anyway, I agree with you all who say we need one more Big man. I’m surprised that Edwards has played so little in pre-season games. That makes me think the Hawks staff doesn’t trust him that much. I’m glad to see Al playing at that level. I’m very concerned about trading him. It’s hard to see how we’d do without him. If we can’t find a proven center, I think we should keep him around. Wilcox is a nice player, but not a center. Nene as well, and the Hawks won’t get any of them without parting with either Al or one of the young talents we have. I hope BK keeps doing a great job and think it over. Al is a player that any NBA team wants. Since it will take time for J. Smith and Marvin develop, I think we should keep him and see if we can fix things up with a center next draft.
By AaronB
October 26, 2005 07:33 AM | Link to this
Glad to hear that “El Torro” was mixing it up with Walker. I am eagerly awaiting the games to by televised(aka regular season). I still think that it is important for us to have a healthy JJ. He is definately our light.
By Billy
October 26, 2005 09:51 AM | Link to this
Sekou, what about JJ’s foot? I know the Hawks aren’t saying much - other than he’ll be fine for the start of the season, but is this something we should worry about? What other players have dealt with this and either been sidelined the rest of their careers or gotten past it?
BTW, thanks for the blog. I keep up with y’all every day from the other side of the world - Taipei, Taiwan.
By Nookah
October 26, 2005 11:04 AM | Link to this
I would hate to see us give up Al. I hope that’s not in the offing. Certainly not to get Nene or Wilcox or any other so called big man this season. I say stand pat and wait until next oiffseason. We need Al to bring these guys along and I think Al will have a monster year.
Yes Sekou, what’s up with JJ’s injury. I hope it’s not serious.
Just my 2 cents.
Nuff respect!!!
By AaronB
October 26, 2005 12:26 PM | Link to this
BTW, I just wanted to re-state an earlier post about fantasy hoops… can everyone who is playing in Sekou’s blogger league please let me know who is who among the teams.
By reese
October 26, 2005 12:40 PM | Link to this
thanks Sekou, glad to hear that his teammates came to his defense.
By Samuel
October 26, 2005 01:13 PM | Link to this
Tupelo Hustle
By tb
October 26, 2005 01:31 PM | Link to this
So, the Hawks are going to pick up a released big. That’s the best thing that they can do at this point. We really don’t need a trade.
The Hawks need to continue growing and learning to play with each other. There is a lot of talent, it needs time to develop.
I love what I’m hearing about Batista. I have been disgusted for many years at watching the Hawks play with a lack of toughness inside. Not since Motombo have we had a player, or team that closed the interiour and made people pay for coming inside.
The addition of one more C/PF that can move and board will make us look pretty good until the next draft.
By Bill
October 26, 2005 02:47 PM | Link to this
How come the Bucks can trade for Magliore and the Hawks aren’t even in the mix? For Mason? Money & picks? We had all that & more…Geez louise, I’m sure we’ll hear that Billy wasn’t interested, or that the price was too high, but when you’re on the bottom, the only direction to go is up!
The quest for 20 wins begins next week!
By AaronB
October 27, 2005 07:22 AM | Link to this
Lol, great Samuel. Apparently I have you first on my schedule. Good luck! I think you have a pretty decent team. I just wish I was there for my draft, I probably wouldn’t have chosen so many good centers. I am seriously lacking in the pg and forward department. I did get a chance to pick my order for my drafts, but wasn’t there during the live draft. Some-one got Josh Smith before I did, and won’t trade him. :( He is my favorite player, and it kinda sux that I didn’t get him. I put him fairly high on my list too, kinda weird that some-one put him higher on their’s.