buckeye242424

AAAAHHH!! I don't want to think about that right now....Sorry man, bad timing.

I think it's a really good possibility that Bibby was taking it easy....we didn't need him much during the regular season. We won 50+ games without a huge effort from him and got a 3 seed. He locked up his last contract of his career and is on a winning team with a chance to do something. Good for him... It's obvious we're going to need his timely shooting. I hope he can keep it up!

I don't buy it. If news broke that LeBron was signing with the Hawks, and it was true....this place would be chaos, in a good way. It's easy to say we wouldn't like it, because there's a better chance of hell freezing over than him ever putting on a Hawks uniform. I would love to have LeBron...I don't care what type of person he is...we would be contenders for a championship every year, which to me, outweighs LeBron acting like a "king"....

Marvin got paid in the off season last year. He's never shown, in 5 years, he can lead a team, or be a "beast" consistently. It's time to accept him for what he is...a good role player on a good team.

Ugh. Know how you feel about Woody and Teague....but you're calling out Marvin (whom you love) and Crawford (your favorite player)....Quick? Having a bad day?

A superstar may be what were lacking, but it's not like that void can be filled easily. Kobe's and LeBron's don't just appear. That's like saying the only thing we're lacking from being able to fly is a pair of wings.....

Smoove is still young, not matter how long he's been in the league. You can't expect an 18,19, 20 year old to learn his strenghts that quickly, especially when you're coach allows the beahvior. I think by him giving up the three was huge in his growth. Hopefully less long 2's will be the next part of his maturation. He still hasn't peaked as a player...

Smoove has matured more on the court, than anyone on the Hawks. He's taken 7 three's this year, C'mon. We can't expect him to change everything in one year...

When you say we started from scratch 6 years ago, that's an understatement. Woody was brought in to be the scapegoat through the 13, 26 win seasons. I doubt the organization planned on keeping him past year 3 or 4. But since we were progressing and getting the "babies" experience - it wouldn't have been simply - right - to fire him. I do believe we could be better with different coaching, I'm not defending Woody, but I do understand why he's still our coach. The one thing the organization did do correctly was put themselves in a position so they don't have to fire Woody. They can just not give him a new contract. Seems like the same thing, but it's not. People are already chirping about how Woodson couldn't have received and extension - fair or unfair - can't imagine firing the dude...

I think we can get LA at home. I think we can beat any team at home. Cleveland on the road is where we need to be competitive and have a solid showing. With the playoffs near, their sweep of us last year, and most likely being our second round opponent - if we're fortunate enough - need to play well for confidence.

No. You're correct. After 5 years of the same thing, it's not going to change the offensive philosophy. Which is partly why Horf made this comment...in other words, he's saying "the only way we're going to change to make it better, is doing it ourselves" he's putting the guards on the spot, because those are the guys that need a different mind-set. If Woody isn't going to change anything, or tell them, Al can. He surely isn't going to throw Woody under the bus - head coach, been there awile - you don't do that even if the coach needs to make improvements....he put it on the players. It's balsy, but I think it's his leadership starting to evolve. Even if it's the media...but nowadays, everything is the media. Doesn't matter.

Yup. And the article had me nodding my head too... Which is why stats are misleading. We can rank in the top...whatever....offensively, but it doesn't hold any water if you watch every game like I/we do. Anybody that has any experience playing/coaching, or even watching enough basketball would realize our offense is nonexistent unless individual talents ARE the offense. Shouldn't be that way. We score points on talent and athleticism, which every NBA team has...we just have more. What we don't have is better coaching offensively....and it's sad.

One or the other! lol. Depending on how the course of the game played out as far as who's hot, defense/match-ups, and who our opponent is....that decision would need to be made at that point in the game. But I do think, Joe, Craws, Horf, and Smoove should be out there in any situation at the end of a game.

That's a coaching issue. It's the reality of Woody's tenure at the offensive end. Personally, I've become numb to it anymore after this year. We've been on National TV enough that even people in Ohio have seen the Hawks plenty to make comments to me at work (cause they see my Hawks stuff in my office) about our selfish play....I'm so sick of telling people we're really not selfish, JJ inparticular, it's our offense!!!!

I don't know that JJ deserves a max deal either, but it's the market and teams preparing for this FA class that will dictate the money he will make. He's looked upon as that second tier guy...partly because of his role on the Hawks being the man so....so the majority of teams can see evidence he can be a number one guy. But, his role in let's say - NY - will be much different than his role with the Hawks. Sure he's a number one guy, but different systems. I would like to see JJ in a flowing offensive system. If we brought a new coach in, I don't know what would happen statwise....but I'm under the impression if we have a chance to keep JJ, we do it no matter what.

Well, of course he's going to miss more last second shots than he's going to make. I think you would find that true of most NBA stars who are asked to come through in the clutch. Making a buzzer beater doesn't happen everyday. I saw JJ drill a near impossible shot last week to win a game, so I'm perfectly fine with him having the ball with the game on the line.

JJ has made Woody's life much easier by being an all-star that is able to score on his own. The pounding of the ball is well documented, but JJ can score in iso, it's proven. I don't know of another coach in the league that would allow so much one-on-one play....so in that regard, Woody needs JJ. On the flip side, JJ needs Woody. JJ has free reign to do whatever he wants on the basketball court. This can only benefit him, his stats, AS appearences, ect. I understand Kobe and LeBron have similar freedoms, but JJ is not as talented, and to have the same freedoms as the best on the planet is rewarding...and he's taking advantage. So in my eyes, they need each other. JJ can pad his stats and build his resume for that max deal, Atlanta or wherever....and JJ can keep trying to carry the load offensively and make the iso offense productive. If JJ leaves, Woody prolly should pack his suitcase too. I can't bear to watch Woody's offense without JJ over the course of an entire season.

Joe Johnson takes the last shot. I'm sure Jamal would be in the discussion as an outlet or second option, but with 1.4 that option is pretty much non-existent. Give it to JJ...If we ever made it to the Finals, Game 7, JJ would probably be the main reason we did...

LeBron is probably stronger than anyone on our team, let alone the bench. LeBron isn't going to go flying into the second row by anyone on our bench, especially in the playoffs, which is what he plays for....and increases his game. If he takes a hard foul, it's just going to motivate him more. Our best bet vs. the Cavs in the playoffs is to limit his supporting cast (easier said than done, but the Cavs arent great other than Bron') and not make anything easy for him, ever. If I were Woody, I would take Marv, or Mo, whomever is our best defender and just stick him in Bron's chest with no other role than to be his shadow. Offense doesn't matter...just do your best sticking the best defender on the team and pray...

I could care less about BK...I'm much more pleased the moves Sund has made so early on..I like what we have better. Then again, (digging up the past) BK, pretty much, created the team minus Craws... Anyway, I've moved past the BK era.

I just hope this is a pre-cautionary move and the rest isn't going to hurt. I don't like seeing JJ sitting out at this point in the season with so much riding on seeds, but we've been fortunate with injuries - knock on wood. We should be able to split if not win both with JJ out....

I agree from a shoulders up standpoint this game is the biggest of the year. Our physche is low right now, IMO. This point in the season, after losing two we should have won...they need to get this W strictly to get their confidence back. Come out strong!

Off topic, sorry...but I'm hesitant to want to see Livingston play! Ugggh, I wish I would have never seen his gruesome knee injury...it's burnt in my brain...whenever I see him on the court I cringe.

I'm ready for this game too. Seems like forever since the Knicks game...probably because I've been trying to forget it. That and we've lost two in a row, I want us to get back on track for the stretch run. I also like that we drew even with Boston, record wise, for the three seed despite our recent struggles (albeit minor) and not playing. We need to get this one tonight!