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June 2008
Mythbusting!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SMYRNA - Hurry up and wait.
That’s our charge until at least July 9, the first day teams can sign free agents.
Negotiations can begin at midnight (officially Tuesday, July 1). But nothing can be signed until the ninth (meaning we could still be watching this thing unfold well into late July).
But players and teams can agree to terms at any time during that eight-day moratorium on signing free agents.
The chances of the Hawks coming to terms with one or both of their free agents (Josh Smith and Josh Childress) don’t seem likely, for obvious reasons.
Let’s talk about what we do know:
Josh Smith is being targeted by Philadelphia with their $11 million-plus in available cap space. I know there is a small segment of people out there that think the Sixers might be using all this hype as a smokescreen and really be interested in making a sneak attack for Corey Maggette or even Elton Brand (if he does indeed opt out of his deal, we’ll know later today if he does or not). But Smith is the guy. And if the offer to Smith is frontloaded (think of the structure of the Hawks’ offer to Joe Johnson three years ago), things will get really complicated. The worst part is the Hawks had a 6-7, 235-pound cautionary tale on the roster in Johnson the last three years and still ignored it so they could dip their toes into the shark-infested waters this summer. It’s crazy.
Josh Childress is going to be the target of at least three different veteran-stocked playoff teams that are over the salary cap, meaning they’ll use their mid-level exception to try and steal him away while the Hawks are busy figuring out what they’ll do with Smith. The mid-level is expected to be anywhere from $5.8 to $6 million (we won’t know that exact figure until later either), so the chances of the Hawks matching an offer to Childress would appear to be extremely likely. But what seems logical and what actually happens during free agency don’t always match up.
You’re going to hear terms like Base Year Compensation (a stipulation in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement that limits a player’s outgoing value to half their salary in a trade). But don’t be fooled by the details (BYC only impacts this situation if a sign-and-trade deal with a team over the salary cap comes into play), because they won’t apply in the first stage of this process.
The bottom line is this, the Hawks have the right of first refusal since both Smith and Childress are restricted free agents. So that means there are really only a few ways things can play out this summer. They are:
1) The Hawks can make an offer and come to terms with Smith and Childress and the process ends before it even starts (not likely on either front).
2) Smith and Childress sign offer sheets with other teams and the Hawks have seven days to match (the most realistic proposition for both, save for that frontloaded offer that could come from a team like Philly - a team capable of calling the Hawks’ bluff in a way the Hawks did not in the Joe Johnson situation three years ago).
3) All parties agree to a sign-and-trade deal with a third team (this happens only if negotiations get nasty and drawn out and is the toughest to do because everybody wants to “win” in this scenario).
Keep in mind that the minute an offer sheet is signed the options are limited. A sign-and-trade can’t be done with anyone until the Hawks either match the offer or let the player walk. If we are to believe what the Hawks have been saying since last fall, they’re going to match any offers that come their way. But I don’t think that will scare anyone away.
So now we hurry up and wait.
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Draft mockery
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SMYRNA - Somebody do me a favor and ball up that mock draft in today’s paper and throw it at my dome.
That’s about all it’s good for, thanks to the constant and ongoing wheeling and dealing going on right now by teams involved.
The good folks at Hawksville Central made the foolish mistake of looking back at mock drafts of the past three years and realized that we all have our own idea of what makes sense on draft night (and mine is usually nowhere close to what ends up transpiring).
Considering the number of botched draft picks by NBA teams, though, we feel much better about past selections we’ve made.
Anyway, back to the real offenders on draft night (someone did take Mike Olowokandi with the No. 1 pick a few years back), how can some of the teams whose survival depends on making the right pick get it so wrong so often?
This idea that Miami isn’t so sure about Michael Beasley at No. 2 is nothing short of stunning. Beasley is the sure thing here. It’s the Heat that should make him a bit nervous. In two years they’ve gone from NBA champs to chumps. They tanked an entire season, traded Shaq and basically blasted apart any remnants of their championship team not named Wade and have the audacity to question Beasley?
That’s a joke. There’s a reason Miami is picking as high as they are in the draft (they stunk last season) and there’s a reason Beasley is considered by everyone to be one of the top two talents in this draft (he did work at Kansas State and before he got there).
A good organization isn’t worried about the perceived “character” issues surrounding Beasley (they’d be too busy noticing that the kid is a monster in training and focusing their energy on maximizing that potential).
We’ve come to expect all the hype involved in the draft. But the hyperbole being dispensed by the talking heads during the build-up is nothing short of, as Mike Tyson used to say, ludicrous.
It was late Wednesday night and I admit to being a bit winded from a day spent working the phone from dawn to dusk, but I swear I heard someone say that Beasley has “Hall of Fame” talent and that he’s better than “Rudy Gay right now.” I don’t know how the conversation turned to Beasley and the Grizzlies, but anyone assuming a college player (whoever he might be) is a better player right now than one of the NBA’s 27 players that scored 20 or more points per game last season is foolishness.
There isn’t a single player in this draft, Beasley and the fantastic Derrick Rose as well, that I’d be willing tout as being better than one of the NBA’s top players right now. We just don’t know what will become of these cats.
The draft is usually about promise, the hope of what might be and the potential returns on a risky investment. But to assume that any amount of projected ability is equal to or comparable to production we can touch is just comical.
Four rookies from last year, FOUR, averaged double figures in scoring.
That reality is draft-related trades (and not draft picks) made the biggest impact on the league last year. Boston snagged Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett after last summer’s draft because the Celtics didn’t get the draft position they desired (they wanted Greg Oden or Kevin Durant after tanking like the Heat two years ago and got squashed by the basketball spirits). It worked out in the end, of course. But they made those blockbuster trades because the draft (alone) isn’t the path to championships.
That’s why I think Toronto’s trade with Indiana (T.J. Ford for Jermaine O’Neal and some other scraps and draft picks) could be major development of this draft.
Which brings us, the long way, to the Hawks and what tonight means for them. Without a pick they’re basically window-shopping this year. From what I gathered from snooping around their offices Wednesday, the focus and plan is to attack free agency (starting next week) and fortify the roster for a return trip to the playoffs.
Next summer is when the Hawks could become a real player around draft night (Mike Bibby’s nearly $15 million salary will come off the books and they’ll actually have some picks to play with). They’ll either be coming off another playoff trip and be looking to take that next step or salvaging the roster after a disappointing season that didn’t end with a playoff bid.
It’s clear, though, that after four straight years of hit and miss picks in the high lottery the Hawks know that they have to move on from the draft and continue their building through free agency.
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The games have begun
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SMYRNA - We’re just days away from the start of the NBA’s annual free agent circus/frenzy and the rumors circulating about Hawks forward Josh Smith have already begun to percolate.
And this is only the beginning. Expect the rumors to increase before they subside, as Smith’s name will be tossed around from LA to New York and all points in between before it’s all over.
Both ESPN.com and SI.com have made mention of the fact that the Hawks have to either be willing to pay Smith a salary starting in the $11 million range or risk losing him to another team (Philadelphia) or others seeking a potential sign-and-trade deal to snatch away one of the Hawks’ major players.
It should be noted that the Hawks have stated repeatedly that their top priority this summer is to take care of contracts for both Smith and Josh Childress, the franchise’s first two draft picks that will have to be taken care of since the Atlanta Spirit group took over and began their painstaking rehabilitation of the franchise.
Talking about doing that and actually doing it are two very different issues.
The worst part of this whole affair is that the Hawks never had to get to this point. They could have cooked up an extension for Smith last October (it would have taken probably $55 million over five years) and avoided the nervous drama that will ensue between now and the deadline for the Hawks to match (or not) a deal thrown at Smith by another team.
The debate will rage on during that time about whether or not Smith is “worth” the money that will be tossed around. I think that’s a useless debate.
You are worth whatever someone is willing to pay for your services. In the NBA, like every other endeavor, the market decides what you’re worth. And the teams in the NBA determine the market (the Hawks could have determined Smith’s worth on their own last October and now they’ll have to react to the market).
Having watched teams pay dearly for evaluation mistakes of their own players (the Suns have spent twice as much money the past three years trying to correct the mistake of allowing Joe Johnson to leave than they would have spent just paying Johnson), I have no reason to believe the trend will suddenly end this summer.
It’s a delicate balance, trying to get a handle on the value of your own players. But if you draft them, develop them properly and foster the growth we’ve seen in both Smith and Childress, why would you allow either of them to go?
The logic there isn’t clear. Balk at price tags all you want but keep in mind that no one wins a championship, or competes for one really, without spending some cash. It just doesn’t happen (check the Celtics’ payroll if you don’t believe it).
Sure, you have to spend wisely. And you have to make tough choices along the way. But you also have to remember that your window for competing in the NBA with a particular group tends to be short. And you can’t afford major mistakes during that window of opportunity, at least not too many major mistakes.
The Hawks are at an extremely crucial stage of their development as a franchise. They’ll have tough decisions to make not only this summer but also every summer going forward (Marvin Williams, Zaza Pachulia and Joe Johnson will all be eligible for extensions next summer and Al Horford after that and so on and so on).
So the foundation has to be solid. It has to be (and there is no right or wrong decision regarding Smith and Childress because they are restricted free agents and if you have to part with either one of them you have the ability to get something in return, just make dang sure what you get in return works as well as what you gave up).
The bottom line is this; you pay either way. You can do it with your cash or possibly your future. But either way you have to pay.
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Full Force!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SMYRNA - Are you kidding me, Game 6!
Didn’t the Celtics finish the Lakers off already?
This series should be over already.
You should be doing something else tonight.
We all should be doing something else.
But thanks to the evil NBA spirits, we’re subjected to a Game 6 in these NBA Finals.
The spirits wouldn’t allow the Lakers to be vanquished on their home floor. Not with a chance for the Celtics to squish Kobe Bryant’s face in their championship celebration on their home floor.
It better happen tonight.
It has to.
For the sake of the sanity of all Boston fans it has to happen tonight. I don’t think any of their nerves could take a Game 7.
The pressure would be too much for any of them to deal with.
I remember how crazy they acted when they faced the Hawks in a game 7 last month.
Can you imagine how psyched out the fans would be for a Game 7 against Mr. Bryant?
It’s a frightening thought, I know.
Between all their personal family drama (Ray Allen) and the travel troubles, things are pointing up for the Lakers to force that Game 7. Never mind that they’ve been outplayed in all but about three quarters of this series so far. Somehow we’re still here, just 48 crazy minutes from a winner-take-all Game 7 for the title.
If I didn’t know any better I’d be inclined to believe that this is just the way the powers that be at the NBA office planned it (tongue firmly planted in cheek right there).
Who else benefits from this thing going 7?
If the Celtics can’t finish this thing off tonight I want an investigation into the whole affair.
I want the full force of the investigative community (everybody from the FBI to Smyrna PD) on the case.
Because this situation (Games 6 and possibly 7 with everyone’s senses heightened focused on the actions of the officials more than the players) is a prime time to examine the particulars of the game.
I’m going to be watching fouls (who gets them, how fast and when?) and other pivotal calls all night long.
The officials missed that foul on Kobe in Game 5, yeah, the one where he slapped Paul Pierce across the ribs and then finished the play with a dunk on the other end for a crucial lead late in the game.
It was a foul that wasn’t called. Terrible. All I’ve been thinking about the past two days is if the roles were reversed would Pierce have gotten away with what was clearly crappy defense and a foul that ended up being the play that sealed the game for his team?
Well, we’ll find out soon. Just a few minutes before tip and we’ll see who’s ready to play. I’m heading to JR Crickets down the road from the Honeycomb Hideout here for some snacks and Southern Champagne (sweet tea for all you haters).
But keep your Blue Blockers on. I am. I don’t want to miss a second of the trickery that could be going on tonight.
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Hey Papi, it’s your day!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SMYRNA - Before I forget, big ups to all you fathers out there. It’s our day, so relish the 10 minutes of relief you’ll get before returning back to your usual status at the bottom of the totem pole tomorrow morning.
And for all you stragglers, it’s dang near 10 p.m., make sure to call your pops before it gets too late.
There is a game going on tonight. But I’m not worried about the beginning anymore.
What am I supposed to do, turn cartwheels because the Lakers have an early lead?
You must be joking. After Game 4 (and the collapse of the century) the Lakers have to be up 40 in the fourth quarter (and with time winding down) for me to be convinced that they have any chance of sending these NBA Finals back to Boston.
All the cute 3-pointers by Kobe Bryant and the faux toughness of Pau Gasol right now won’t change my mind.
The Celtics have already proved to me that they’re not going to concede anything, on the Lakers’ home floor or anywhere between there and the TD Banknorth Garden.
They want this thing.
So for the goofy crowd at Staples Center to still be clinging to their “MVP” chant (with their team already shamed for the ages and the trophy already in Bryant’s trophy case) just shows me that the spoils of past success have tainted them.
Your team is in a hole that historically no team has ever crawled out of and you’re chanting “MVP?”
Yeah, I know, it’s 31-15 and the Celtics are scrambling for timeouts … whatever.
Call me back when they’re leading like this in the final two minutes of the game and not the first quarter.
Now, on to the Hawks’ portion of our opening salvo. First it was Billy Knight hitting the door in Hawksville. Now comes word that David Fizdale, one of Mike Woodson’s most crucial assistants and liaisons to the younger players on this team, has bolted the nest for Miami.
That’s a blow for the future because Fizdale did a splendid job helping develop the talents of Josh Smith, Josh Childress, Marvin Williams and the rest of the youngsters that have passed through the franchise the past four years (and make no mistake, for whatever gripes you have about these players, someone had to help get them to the point they are now. It wasn’t something they did totally on their own and it wasn’t something that anyone can expect a head coach to do in the NBA).
Woodson still has Larry Drew and Bob Bender on his staff, but he’ll need to make a good hire to replace what Fizdale (who, you heard it here right now, will be a head coach in this league before he’s done) brought to the table.
I’m not sure what names are being tossed about just yet. But as they become clear to me we’ll dissect them here.
In the meantime, let’s have at it the way we always do.
Three blind mice … not tonight!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SMYRNA - No, I’m not talking about the ABC’s announcing team for the Finals.
And no, I’m not clowning the Celtics’ and Lakers’ supposed Big Threes, even though neither team’s trio has played a collective Finals-worthy game to this point.
I’m talking about the three unlucky cats in stripes that have to officiate this game (4) tonight at STAPLES Center.
Talk about working under the spotlight.
For once, I’m going to give the boys in stripes a break (even Blog Z has to take a day off from the jokes sometimes).
The Lakers are already up 20-6 so we don’t have to worry about the game being anything but a rout for the time being.
So can we please talk Hawks here tonight? And I don’t care that we’ve been doing it all day on the earlier blog.
I’ve been working the phones all day trying to get some reaction from Hawks players about the possibility of Mike Woodson returning.
They’re scattered to the wind, of course, from sea to shining sea. But they could at least return a call, email or text. But I won’t bother bashing them tonight either, because I know they’re all wanting to make sure they stay out of this mess.
Nobody wants to make public comments about the coach, yea or nay, for fear of how they’ll be received. The crazy part is those are the only guys anybody wants to hear from.
If I get a call back during this game I’ll relay the response here because I know you’re as eager as I am to hear what someone, anyone, has to say about Woodson returning.
Good grief, this game is already over with the Lakers up ugly (35-14) at the end of the first quarter. KG’s melting down before our eyes. Lamar Odom is rolling. And my man Trevor Ariza is on the floor and ballin, as they say. This could get really ugly before the night is out.
Back to the Hawks … this new deal for Woodson comes with major potholes in my estimation. He’s basically on a screw-up-once-and-you’re-done contract.
More important, however, is how Woodson’s return impacts the roster.
What does this mean for Josh Smith, Josh Childress and perhaps even Salim Stoudamire? And I didn’t even mention Speedy Claxton, Mario West and Jeremy Richardson.
The point is this: for every decision that’s made, there is a new plot twist for the next decision that will have to be made.
Rick Sund is going to be a tired man by the middle of July.
Sign on the dotted line
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SMYRNA - The contract offer has been extended. (see story)
Mike Woodson only has to sign the contract to continue his tenure as Hawks coach.
I know the juices will be flowing for many of you over this news, so I won’t bother blabbing here (if you believe that you’re crazy).
In fact, I’m more curious as to what you think about the idea of Woodson (and possibly his staff, in some form) sticking around for another couple of seasons.
I’ll weigh in later today as things evolve. But all signs point to Woodson continuing as the Hawks’ head coach.
What do you think? Also, check out the photo gallery of Woodson’s tenure with the Hawks and the AJC’s Hawks page, which includes a poll regarding the contract offer.
What in the name of Donaghy … ?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SMYRNA - Let me make sure I have this right.
A former whistle blower is blowing the whistle on the league, upstaging the NBA’s showcase event?
The timing couldn’t have been better for all of (us) conspiracy theorists who believe that the NBA’s venerable men in striped shirts should be wearing straight jackets or orange jumpsuits, depending on your view of the repeated transgressions of the NBA’s platoon of Keystone cops known as game officials.
The folks at Mediatakeout and TMZ couldn’t make up a better scenario than this, especially for the goons like me that love a good publicity train wreck.
I don’t care if there isn’t a shred of truth to the trash disgraced former official Tim Donaghy is tossing around as he heads to what could be a long nap in a federal freezer for his role in the gambling scandal that rocked the league last summer. And there’s no doubt that dude is a scoundrel.
But isn’t the whistle blower/rat/snitch always a bit of a scoundrel anyway?
The mere suggestion that (two) playoff games were being fixed by the league is enough to stir up the masses. I know it makes watching tonight’s Game 3 between the Celtics and Lakers that much more intriguing for me (the idea of watching Joey Crawford and Bennett Salvatore instead of the Hollywood starlets that are sure to fill up the seats around the STAPLES Center floor is truly one of my saddest moments to date).
But it has to be done. It’s our duty as basketball lovers, NBA watchers and citizens of sports nation to cast a skeptical eye on all that we’ll see from here on out. And tell me you aren’t waiting on Donaghy’s tell all book (Scott Mcwho)?
The pitiful free throw discrepancy from Game 2 (38-10 Celtics) in Boston only fuels the conspiracy theories out there (folks can say what they want, the Celtics have been the clear cut aggressor in this series and they’ve owned the sweet spot - the paint - in this series from the start and that has been the most glaring defense in this series).
And speaking of conspiracy theories, is there a better racket going than the experience-free coaching carousel that’s currently churning out three-year, $7 million contracts in Chicago (Vinny Del Negro) and Detroit (Michael Curry)?
The next time someone complains about overblown salaries for young players that haven’t proved themselves remind them that Del Negro and Curry, two swell cats I’m sure, have a total of one combined season of coaching experience going into their first training camps in the fall.
And that brings us to our regularly scheduled update on the status of Hawks coach Mike Woodson, who as of this writing still has not come to terms with the Hawks on a new contract.
What must he be thinking with all this cash (and these years) being bestowed upon not just head coaching but coaching neophytes?
He might not even keep his job and these guys are cashing in like they led a team to a surprising seven-game run in the first round of the playoffs against a team that is two wins away from winning the NBA title.
I’m not losing sleep for anyone involved, mind you, but I do think it is extremely interesting to watch how things play out every year when teams blow up whatever they have to take what they believe will be steps forward.
So the Bulls dumped Scott Skiles for Del Negro and they’re supposed to be better? I have a hard time seeing this come to fruition. But I’m prepared to be wrong (it happens).
The Hawks’ inactivity since Rick Sund took over is getting dangerously close to the exhaustingly slow process that has plagued this organization the past three and a half years I’ve been here to witness their operation.
Woodson’s either your guy or he’s not. It’s really that simple. You’re either prepared to move forward with him or without him. Why prolong the inevitable, whatever it is?
It’s the same achingly slow process as the summer of 2005, when the Joe Johnson deal took forever (in NBA parlance) to get done and it came to light later, obviously, that it wasn’t just basketball as usual (there was a little ownership feud that came to light then).
It’s the same achingly slow process as the summer of 2006, when the Hawks took three months to finalize a sign-and-trade for Al Harrington that should have taken days to complete (Harrington aired out the franchise after the fact for telling him one thing and doing another, a wound that still hasn’t healed for the former Hawks captain).
We got a reprieve last summer, the luck of the lottery and those two top 11 picks that came with it made everything seem a bit smoother. And no one can complain with the returns on Al Horford’s first year in the league (Acie Law IV’s on the other hand …).
I’m already nervous about what’s (not) going on right now. We’re what six weeks, and counting, removed from the Hawks’ coming out party in the playoffs and Billy Knight’s replacement has been on the job for roughly two weeks and the coaching staff is still walking around without any definitive answers on their future (though I expect some defections by at least a couple of Woodson’s assistants no matter what happens).
Those Disney plans for next month have already been scrapped (did I mention the free agent circus that will commence July 1 when Josh Smith and Josh Childress get to do the rubber chicken routine around the league?).
Every summer, including last summer, the Hawks went into training camp with lingering questions about the roster and how it would be filled out. Why? Because they handle business on ASP time (that’s Atlanta Spirit People time).
Billy Knight balked at another year of living that life and bolted after being extended a one-year offer to continue that existence.
Might Woodson follow if he’s extended a similar offer?
I wonder.
Anyway, after our usual 45-minute buildup it’s almost game time. I’m going to settle in and see if I can spot some of the treachery Donaghy alleges goes on in these playoff games.
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Round 2!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SMYRNA - I’m ready this time.
Got my snacks coming (turkey and cheese sammich courtesy of Wifey and an assortment of fine non-alcoholic beverages).
The only thing missing from Game 2 of these NBA Finals is a definitive answer on the Hawks’ coaching situation, which I know all of you are clamoring for these days.
Hawks general manager Rick Sund and coach Mike Woodson are still in the formative stages of their relationship. They’re still trying to get through the first few days. After speaking with Sund last week and with Woodson earlier this afternoon, it’s clear to me that the first priority for both sides is to come to some sort of agreement on how to proceed with Woodson as coach. But nothing appears set in stone just yet.
(Sund is also meeting with players and other staffers regularly since coming to town and is doing a rather thorough job of kicking over every rock to gain access to every bit of information he can about this team before making any official decisions. Having spoken with players and agents in the past seven days, they all seem to be impressed with his line of questioning and his forthright approach to the entire process.)
So in the absence of “news” on that front, can we yap a bit about basketball in general and these NBA Finals in particular?
The only thing worse than the fortnight of inactivity leading up to Game 1 was the seemingly endless two days between Games 1 and 2.
Even Wifey, no big fan of the game (or any sport for that matter), asked why there was no game on last night.
I couldn’t come up with a good answer and reminded her that she might want to rejoice in that fact with college football season just a couple months away.
Back to the game, though.
Could the build up be any more ridiculous? Bill Russell’s going to give KG one of his championship rings if he doesn’t get one the old fashioned way … man come on. I know the NBA and its broadcast partners are trying to facilitate drama here, but can we dispense with all the foolishness and just get to the basketball.
Fans were captivated by competitive games, thrilling series and superstar turns by players throughout the first three rounds of these playoffs (when TNT led the way with the best coverage the NBA gets) and now we’re going to dazzle everybody with staged sit down interviews and Jimmy Kimmel as a lead-in? Ridiculous.
And if they can’t find anybody more exciting to do the National Anthem in LA, I might skip that part for Games 3, 4 and 5. The old cat (James Taylor) for Game 1 was a complete bore. And then we get the Boston Pops tonight. Snore. Marvin Gaye’s version at the old LA Forum is my all time favorite.
I feel myself getting a bit bitter already, so I’ll stop here and keep hitting you up during the game.
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I heard it was a good one
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SMYRNA - Like most of you, I had big plans for Game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday night.
And it didn’t matter that the game took longer to get here than that rebate check (thank you David Stern and the NBA schedule makers who think it’s cool to start the Finals six weeks after the completion of the conference finals) Bush and the boys promised.
The 9:30 (or somewhere close to it) tip off is what did me in, though. Everything was going according to plan during the first half of the Celtics’ 98-88 win. But the fatigue set in around halftime, when the Lakers appeared to be in tenuous control of the action.
Midway through the third quarter, however, seems appeared to be changing. And by the time I fell asleep late in the third, it was anyone’s game. So I wasn’t stunned to see the 10-point margin of victory for the Celtics this morning.
The Celtics are doing the same exact thing they were doing a month ago when they were battling the Hawks in that first round series. They haven’t changed their mode of operation one iota since then, and that’s a testament to the job Doc Rivers (who gets Mike Woodson-like venom thrown his way in Boston) has done all season.
Rivers has kept his team focused on the bigger prize and not the immediate result of each and every second of every game. The Celtics made a commitment to getting to this stage, a place I frankly wasn’t sure they’d be able to reach after Game 4 of that series against the Hawks.
But I have give credit where it’s due, the Celtics took shots from the Hawks, Cavaliers and Pistons and still found a way to get here. And they don’t appear to be looking back. My feeling before the Hawks-Celtics series was that Paul Pierce was going to be the Celtics’ best matchup nightmare in that series and really throughout the duration of the Celtics’ playoff run. And that’s held true.
Again, I go back to the job Rivers has done. He’s always managed to play to that strength, even when things got tight and the easy fallback option would have been to play through Kevin Garnett, who isn’t the same type of offensive catalyst that Pierce can be when he’s on his game (Pierce isn’t Kobe Bryant, of course, but he has that same stomp-on-your-throat attitude when the game is on the line and the ball is in his hands).
What Rivers told his team after Pierce went down with that leg injury (only to pull the hero routine and come back with those two huge 3-pointers) was nothing short of genius. He could have spent the entire timeout scribbling away on that little clipboard. But all the Xs and Os in the world don’t make a difference if you can’t properly motivate your guys. That should be obvious by now.
All that said, the Lakers could still be in the process of winning this thing in five or six games - the prediction of most of the so-called pundits (you know, all those know-it-alls that tell us year after year that the Eastern Conference team has no chance against the mighty Western Conference).
But I’m done underestimating these Celtics. We should all know better by now. Just like you had your doubts about them when they were belly crawling their way through that series with the Hawks.
This series is up for grabs.
Now if I could just stay up late enough to watch it while it’s happening everything will be fine.
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A decision with a twist
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SMYRNA - Just over an hour before my third sit down interview with Rick Sund in the past seven days, one of my spies called to inform me of an interesting twist that could complicate what should be a routine decision for the Hawks’ new general manager.
According to my spy the Detroit Pistons have asked for permission to speak with Hawks coach Mike Woodson (that’s his title for at least the next 26 days or so unless something breaks before the end of the month) about their vacant coaching position.
Solid reports out of Detroit have Pistons assistant Michael Curry lined up for the job. But the Pistons have apparently covered their bases if that doesn’t work out by contacting the representative of Woodson, who was the lead assistant on Larry Brown’s staff when the Pistons won the NBA title in 2004.
It’s not a surprising development for me, mostly because I know what high regard the folks in Detroit have for Woodson and the job he did not only there but also what he’s done with the Hawks. I’ve had more than one spy confirm for me that had Woodson not bolted for the Hawks job after that title season that he (and not Flip Saunders) would have been the choice to replace Larry Brown.
Woodson’s hard-charging style was a perfect fit for that veteran Pistons squad. And if you’ve seen the way the Pistons players greet him during games (the parade of hugs and man-love borders on creepy sometimes) it should be clear to anyone watching that there is a huge amount of respect for Woodson from those players.
This puts Sund in a tight spot because now he might have to adjust his thinking (and more importantly his time frame) for making his evaluation and ultimately his decision on what do with Woodson.
Obviously, I’ll be asking him that question and a few more related to the staff this afternoon. But what a strange turn of events after all the speculation that’s gone on since the end of the playoff series against Boston (when it seemed certain that a decision would comer sooner rather than later).
There’s no telling how this thing plays out in the end (my gut feeling is that a coaching change could be imminent for the Hawks but that’s just my gut). Whatever happens, I expect it come much sooner rather than later, particularly with all the business that has to be done come July 1.
(Another twist, if you will, just popped into my email inbox. The Bobcats just announced a “portion” of Brown’s staff, with the lead assistant’s position clearly not one of them. That means there is another opening out there for Woodson if things don’t pan out either in Detroit or with the Hawks. But again, that’s just an observation).
Stay tuned to ajc.com for updates as the afternoon rolls on.
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