AJC > Sports > Hawks > Blog > Archives > 2006 > November > 29
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Are expectations unrealistic?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you’re like me, you’re way too caught up in what goes on every night in Hawksville. I don’t have an excuse, I have to do it or we don’t eat chicken and waffles at my house. Neither do you, as fans. We can’t help ourselves.
After a late night chat session –- of chopping up the Hawks’ latest loss -– with a couple of in-the-know cats who cover the Wizards (at a place called Clyde’s in Chinatown next to the Verizon Center in D.C., check it out next time you’re there), I realized that we are not alone. It’s the same there with the Wizards.
The Wizards won last night but the general mood was that they are um … basically a disaster. The feeling (from outsiders) about your Hawks, however, might surprise you. Everyone who has seen them this year thinks they’re on the rise. Really. They’re impressed with the way they’re playing and how well they are competing with what is generally regarded as the weakest roster (still) in the league and without several key guys playing at full strength, or at all.
I don’t know why I am repeatedly surprised by this assessment of this team (maybe I read and agree with Ando’s posts too often to look on the brighter side of things). But I am.
I see the same things, but in much slower increments. I’ve never been accused of being an optimist. Never.
Maybe it’s us people. Maybe we’re the problem. Maybe there is something wrong with the expectations we’ve placed on these guys (not on the franchise to turn this thing around but on THESE PLAYERS and how well equipped we think they are or should be to make that happen. Because I think the fan pressure on the franchise to turn things around immediately is not only justified by warranted. Who else is going to hold a franchise, any franchise, to the fire to produce a winner if the fans don’t?).
Now, enough of my daily rambling. Let’s get on to the hump day version of the five things (I can type in between coughing bouts at the laptop here):
— 1. I can’t believe I’m saying this about a guy who was supposed to be deficient on the offensive end of the floor, but maybe Shelden Williams could be the ideal weapon to unleash on unsuspecting teams? He’s certainly seemed to take opposing teams by surprise early in games recently. He scored seven quick points against the Wizards Tuesday night that had the entire arena buzzing – and the Wizards looking at each other with that look of “that’s wasn’t on the scouting report.” Why not take advantage of the element of surprise more often? (Dude only took two more shots the rest of the night).
— 2. Josh Smith and Zaza Pachulia have to make up their minds to get to the basket or their shooting struggles (they were a combined 6-for-26 from the floor against the Wiz) will continue. It’s not that they’re taking bad shots all the time. But the best way to boost your confidence on the more difficult shots is to start games off with the easy ones. Both these guys are still young enough that their play is based largely on what they’re doing offensively (even if they don’t realize it, that’s what’s going on). So if they’re making shots early they play differently than they do when they’re not in a good offensive flow early. It’s up to them to make the necessary tweaks in their games to combat their shooting woes.
— 3. Joe Johnson’s second half stat line was the kind of night most guys wish they could have. I know he missed the shot that could have won the game but if you’re going to give any guy a break, this is the man who deserves it. He was 9-for-16 from the floor, 2-for-5 from the beyond the 3-point line, had four rebounds, four assists and just two turnovers. The only real glitches he had were missing yet another free throw he needed (he’s as puzzled as anyone by his spotty free throw shooting) and his touch foul on Caron Butler on what turned out to be the game-winning three-point play (he should have made sure Butler never got that shot off).
— 4. This is off the subject, but for you frequent (or not so frequent) fliers out there, what do you use when you’re congested and in the skies? I’m not a big medicine man but with the west coast trip coming and the sinuses wearing me out, I need suggestions on how to manage on this five-game stretch. Someone told me that this Airborne stuff is the way to go. Anyone with first-hand knowledge feel free to give me a review on the blog tonight. I’ll take home remedies, too. Nothing is too crazy when it comes to me getting my nap on the plane (and getting boozed up won’t work because my body is my temple and I will not … ha, I just don’t drink and fly). Help me out folks, please.
— 5. Finally, could there be a more intriguing matchup than the Hawks and Bobcats? Don’t laugh. You know you want to see what the Hawks’ Southeast Division competition is up to as much as I do. The win over the Nets Tuesday night certainly got my attention (I don’t care if the Nets are struggling right now). Like it or not, the Bobcats remain the team the Hawks have to deal with in terms of the pecking order in the division. They struggled mightily with Bernie Bickerstaff’s bunch last year and I’ll be curious to see if those match up problems continue tonight. The Bobcats are solid at the point (with Ray Felton and Brevin Knight), while the Hawks are still struggling to find their way. If they get outplayed their big time tonight, it could be trouble.
