JC+MW+JS+JJ was blowing them away. Bad coaching

[jerrywest]

Early in the 3rd quarter, Lue was hobbling and NJ came from behind to take a 6 points lead. Thats when Lue was taken out and Chillz came in. What happened after that was bascally total domination. We were blowing them out of the building. There bread and butter pick and roll was useless. Our height and quickness bothered them feel old. It was beautiful to watch.

When Speedy came in, we became aweful again. Michel Williams looked like a future all star and I don't know how we could keep the game close. Speedy stunk it up and we went back to play 4 on 5, like we did against the Raptors. Why didn't we go back to our best 4 players playing together?

We won today despite many bad coaching decisions. Neither Speedy's making that one shot out of six nor his steal after many bad defensive plays, were sufficient reason to justify this decision.

[DrReality]

They showed Woody a few times today and he looked like he didn't have a clue. (like he alwasy does) Like he knew he was standing there in his underware and he hoped no one would find out. He does not exude confidence and this has to be very tough on our young guys. Think we're stuck with him, especially after wins like today.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

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Early in the 3rd quarter, Lue was hobbling and NJ came from behind to take a 6 points lead. Thats when Lue was taken out and Chillz came in. What happened after that was bascally total domination. We were blowing them out of the building. There bread and butter pick and roll was useless. Our height and quickness bothered them feel old. It was beautiful to watch.

When Speedy came in, we became aweful again. Michel Williams looked like a future all star and I don't know how we could keep the game close. Speedy stunk it up and we went back to play 4 on 5, like we did against the Raptors. Why didn't we go back to our best 4 players playing together?

We won today despite many bad coaching decisions. Neither Speedy's making that one shot out of six nor his steal after many bad defensive plays, were sufficient reason to justify this decision.

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Jerry, it's a reason why none of the Squawkers haven't responded in your favor to this thread, even though it has 43 views. They haven't responded because THIS IS A FLAT OUT LIE !!!! And if by the time I post this, I hope no one agrees with you . . because I'm about to make you and them out to be LIARS. Or at the very least, a guy who just didn't pay attention to exactly went on in that game. LIAR is a strong word to call somebody. So I'll just say that you weren't paying attention.

When Speedy came into the game with a little over 2 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter, the Hawks were up 59 - 58 . . with ZaZa about to make one more FT to make it 60 - 58 Hawks. Yes, Chill was in, but Marvin went out, mainly because he was having a little trouble guarding Vince Carter. Marvin did a good job of preventing him to drive, but Vince is a shooter who doesn't mind shooting long jumpers . . and he was doing just that with the room that Marvin was giving him. Chill played him a little better that game, so Woody inserts Speedy at the point, and Chill drew the assignment on Carter.

The Hawks then go on a 7 - 2 run to go up 7 to end the 3rd period. This right here dispells everything you said about Woody inserting Speedy in the game. But wait, there's more !!!

JJ hits 2 straight jumpers to start the 4th, to push the lead to 9. Let me repeat that. JJ hit 2 jumpers, one of which Speedy assisted on, to push the lead to 9. This is with the lineup of:

G - Speedy

G - JJ

F - Chill

F - Shelden

C - ZaZa

After Jersey hits 2 more free throws to cut the lead to 7, Speedy drives and kicks out to a wide open JJ at the top of the arc, that would've pushed the lead to 10, if JJ knocks down the jumper. If JJ hits that, Jersey probably calls timeout, and the Hawks may have a good chance to blow this game out.

Jerry, the reason why Jersey came back in that game in the 4th, had little to do with Speedy, but a lot to do with Lawrence Frank making the decision to play both Jason Kidd and Marcus Williams ( his 2 PGs ), in the game at the same time. Every missed shot or loose ball the Hawks had early in that quarter, immeadiately turned into a fast break opportunity for Jersey, because both Kidd and Williams were making a point to increase the tempo of the game.

Woody sees this, and gets Smoove back in the game, taking Shelden out ( who was actually playing well, but a little too slow to play at the increased pace that Jersey was forcing ). Woody had to get a little more athletic and quicker team on the floor, to counter what Jersey was doing.

But Woody had to have Speedy in the game, because with 2 PGs, Jersey could easily dictate the tempo. You can't have JJ chasing Marcus . . and Chill chasing Kidd on defense. That would've been defensive suicide for the Hawks. And because Speedy had to be in the game, Marvin sat a good chunk of that 4th quarter on the bench, mainly because Chill was playing just a little better than him.

In actuality Jerry, this was probably one of Woody's best coached games of the year, when you look at all of the adjustments he made all game. The timeouts to call set plays or stop Jersey momentum and the player moves he made, made all the difference today. That . . and JJ's 37 points.

He inserts Marvin on offense near the end of regulation, which results in SPEEDY finding Marvin, who hits a 22 footer to put us up by 2.

Then Woody inserts Lue for Claxton, on offense, to give the Hawks a 2nd option to shoot the ball or shoot FTs down the stretch in OT. He hits 2 FTs the possession before Carter hits the 3 to tie the game.

Then he puts Lue back in, after taking him out for Claxton's defense, to give the Hawks that same option on the last possession. They deny JJ the ball . . Lue gets it . . makes a nice move to free himself . . and the rest is history.

Jerry, this is why I refuse to be on the "Woody is always a horrible coach" bandwagon that this board is constantly on. I'm surprised that the usual Woody bashers didn't just go right ahead and agree with what you were saying, instead of actually looking at the game, and realizing that we acutally extended the lead with Speedy in the game. He isn't a great coach, but he's no idiot either. He's a coach that understands what to do in a game. He may not always do the right thing, but his decisions don't always kill this team either.

And that "blowout" you talk about with JC + JJ + MW + JS in the game? They did actually get us back in the game. But Woody putting Speedy in, actually extended the lead to a point of almost no return for Jersey.

Woody definitely gets an A, for today, as a coach.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

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They showed Woody a few times today and he looked like he didn't have a clue. (like he alwasy does) Like he knew he was standing there in his underware and he hoped no one would find out. He does not exude confidence and this has to be very tough on our young guys. Think we're stuck with him, especially after wins like today.

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Doc . . you're a knowledgeable fan. But if you acutally agree that Woody did a bad job coaching today, you either weren't paying attention, or you'll never give Woody credit for anything . . or . . as most of you would call Woody . . an IDIOT. But I don't think you're an idiot, so like with Jerry, I'll just say that you're just not paying attention.

Woody pretty much successfully countered everything that Jersey did today, outside of the 4th quarter run they made when they had the 2 PGs in the game. IF Smoove had a decent game early on, we may win by 10, instead of having to go to OT to pull out the win.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

The Hawks picked up 4 very quick fouls in that 4th quarter, that helped Jersey get back in that game. ZaZa had 2, Speedy and Shelden 1. And they got 3 consecutive offensive rebounds on a possession when they cut the lead to 3. Get one of those rebounds, and we have a chance to push the lead right back to 7.

LOL . . things like that are beyond the coach's control. You have to put mistakes like that on the players. And since your starters have to rest, you have to trust that your bench can come in and play decent basketball, without making bonehead mistakes.

[lawman]

Woody stunk it up once again. it was clear that his inability to sub players at the correct time was horrible to say the least. I dont think anyone would say woody did a good job in todays game.

[Diesel]

I have to agree.

Speedy played excellent defense and he made a few assists.. His shot haven't come around... but when he stole the ball from Vince Carter and forced him to foul, when he bothered JKidd... I think Speedy gave a nice contribution. His drive and kicks were pretty good considering this is only his second game back. He did hit one shot, however, I don't think he should line up close to the three point line.

BUT LUE!!!!!! I was in my living room shouting Sweet Lue when it was all over!!!

[Swatguy]

It is very apparent for some, Nothing is ever going to be acceptable much less pleased about Woody's performance. The shame is, "some" will be stuck in their prejudice and not able to know.

[Hoosier]

I did not see the game, but the thing that gets to me, after 46 games into the season is that as luck would have (not as Woody would have it) Lue finally took the last shot.

All season this Coach has been so stubborn that he would only call last shot plays for JJ, even though he would be tripple teamed, tired, and in reality is not that great of clutch shooter. He usually misses 1 or 2 crucial freethrows, and usually does not hit the game winner even when he open. Now do not get me wrong, the Hawks would 8-38 without him, he is not your best clutch option.

It sounds like it was a fluke that the ball wound up in the hands of the guy I would have had taking the lion's share of those type shots all season. Lue is the one player on this team with an assasin's mentality. If he would have been the go to guy all season, the Hawks are maybe close to .500 right now.

If Lue does not take that shot, the Hawks have another 1pt. loss. How many times have we seen that this year. Good coaches know their personnel and turn those 1pt. losses into Ws. If Woody is finally learning that Lue is his go to guy, and called the play that way, then power to him. But it does not sound like it.

[Diesel]

If the last play wasn't drawn up for Lue... then Tommorow must be Sunday again. I don't think it was lucky.. .it looks like it was Lue all the way. IN fact, he didn't look to pass it to anybody else. Just a quick shake and bake. Three.. and he put up the three fingers!!!

[Hoosier]

Good, I hope you are right, maybe Woodhead is learning something after all. I did not see the game.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

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Good, I hope you are right, maybe Woodhead is learning something after all. I did not see the game.

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lol ... i guess you haven't seen the season either. you talk as if lue has been healthy and available to in all season. the losing we incurred in december directly coincides with lue being out of the lineup. this team is finally somewhat healthy and it shows up in games like these

[Hoosier]

I talk as if I meant what I said, if Lue had been the last shot set-up guy in all those close games during the first quarter of the season, the Hawks may be close to .500. I already acknowledged I did not see the game, and does not make what I said any less correct.

I am not the first person on this board to make that observation about Lue. He has been Mr. Clutch since he has been here, does not take a great coach to see such. I am not sure what you are in disagreement with?

[TheDude]

putting speedy in is not bad coaching. it's trying to get speedy worked up back to his game...when he got into the groove before injury, he was playing great...he's got to play at some time.

[jerrywest]

Hey Northcide - I have no doubt that you are a more astute observer than I am but, here is what I remember. Toward the end of the 3rd Q and during the 4th Q, Marcus Williams dominated Speedy. Speedy was missing shots like crazy and had some bad turnovers. Speedy had a hard time staying with whoever he was guarding. There is no way Kidd and Marcus could have guarded 2 of our big 4s. That lineup worked for them because we fell into their trap and went small. We started the run when Speedy came in and it continued until they realized how to exploite Speedy. And that they did. Speedy kept them in the game single handedly. A couple of good plays, like the steal, at the end can't redeem him completely. NJ gave away the game at the free throw line. Otherwise everyone here would be bitching about Speedy and Woody.