AJC > Sports > Hawks > Blog > Archives > 2007 > February > 19
Monday, February 19, 2007
Johnson plans second-half push
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Las Vegas — Joe Johnson shut down his All-Star partying after just one night. That’s right, one night. He soaked the parties and atmosphere of Sin City for less than 24 hours before deciding that resting up for a second-half push with the Hawks was more important than blowing out the weekend of his first visit to the All-Star Game.
Gym rats, they’re so predictable.
Give Johnson credit, though. Because seconds (33 to be exact, I counted on my digital recorder) after Sunday night’s All-Star affair (I refuse to call it a game again after the way the Eastern Conference was slapped around) he was talking about what the Hawks needed to do right their season in these last 30 games.
“We’re going back to practice [Monday], back to work,” he said. “If we’re going to do anything, we have to try and start it off right. We went 4-1 to star the season and need to try and do that again. So I hope the guys used this four days we had to rest properly and come back ready to get after it, both mentally and physically.”
The challenge facing the Hawks couldn’t be much greater, with the Chicago Bulls up Tuesday night and home games against San Antonio, Houston and Phoenix after that.
But you try telling Johnson that it’s not possible. Dude is still on a high, even if he doesn’t wear it, from his first taste of the NBA high life. He’s still a believer in what might be (even if most of us know better, or at least think we know better).
My preseason prediction for wins for the Hawks was 30 games. With 21 already in the bag, they appear to be on a pace to smash that. Or at least surpass it with a cushion.
They’ll need to play .500 basketball the rest of the way to achieve their own goals. But that’s a tall task, even for a group full of spunk after their 3-1 Western Conference road trip.
Any guesses as to how they’ll do?
Now, for some quick All-Star Game tidbits:
If my man Dwight Howard isn’t the second coming of Shaq (20 and 10 and 0-for-5 from the foul line) my name isn’t Blog-Z.
Someone mentioned a scary analogy to me about Vince Carter and Kobe Bryant, suggesting that LBJ and Vince Carter have a similar trait in that neither ever seems to really want to exert his obvious physical dominance over everyone else. “Don’t you watch them both thinking the entire time that they should be the most dominant cat on the floor?” my boy said. He has a good point.
My baby Beyonce was sitting courtside with some other (Jay-)Z, but she knew I was in the stands. I got into another argument with someone about her and I realize now that I might be a bit biased, but if you get a good look of her in person, you would understand why. (She had some pretty lady company Sunday night from quite a few ladies, most notably Gabrielle Union, Victoria Rowell and assorted others).
Five best jobs in Las Vegas 1) Botox shot giver 2) Wayne Newton’s barber 3) Plastic surgeon to the stars 4) Beyonce’s limo driver 5) Mayor. Dude goes everywhere with two showgirls.
Agent 0 is an absolute clown, in a good way. Dude dunked off a trampoline during a timeout late in the game after Shaq told him he’d make a donation to his charity if he did it. “Hopefully, I won’t get in trouble for this one,” he said after the game. “It’s worth it. It was for a good cause.”
Classiest move of Sunday night. Several of the veteran Western Conference All-Stars told coach Mike D’Antoni to play the young guys. He didn’t tell anyone whom it was, but it was easy to figure out (Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan).
Whatever Amare Stoudemire did to get over his microfracture surgery should be prescribed for everyone.
I’m passing on the next All-Star Game here, though. Too much traffic, on foot in the casinos and on the streets otherwise. I’ve had enough.
Shaq’s my age and is now officially old. But I still love his personality. I hope he plays another four years just so we can all enjoy his sense of humor.
My flight to Chicago leaves at 9:20 a.m. I was told to leave the MGM (media hotel) by 6 a.m. if I want to make it. Get ready for some serious complaining on the next update from Chi-town.
