Statement Win?

[benhillboy]

Aside from a couple, quite impressive win streaks, did our most poignant singular win, against upper-crust squads, come on opening night, in Orlando? It seems ancient. I thought we were primed to battle them for the division to the wire, but the back-to-back thrashing nixed those hopes immediately, before the break. The Rockets and Nuggets, who round out the home-bound first rounders, are not great teams, like Orlando. As far as the big dogs, 1 other win against the LeBrons without their starting center, now we lose to two of them in the Phil, and they were only without their heart-and-soul H.O.F. anchors. The Portland win was nice, dominating New Orleans and Detroit the whole season was huge, but a bad loss to L.A. Sunday will be telling for this team. There's something going on, or lack thereof, in the locker room before games against measuring-stick teams. Our wins are defined by defending and pouring it on from 3 (created by balanced offense), the same hallmarks of the top-tier teams. Why does it fail, time after time against them, home or away? I know the teams are better coached, more experienced, led by beasts, etc. But we simply don't play our game when facing them, the same game that beats other teams who may be more experienced, better coached, led by beasts, etc. We should be around .500 against them, all things considered, rather than .153.

Edited March 28, 2009 by benhillboy

[LOL_Hawks]

I honestly agree with you. The Orlando (a.k.a. FIRST) win of the season was the biggest one for us. If anything, it was the statement win in lieu of Paul Pierce stealing what would've been it in the 7th game of the year.

I also hate the fact that it seems like, for now, we can beat good-to-great teams, but we can't beat the BEST teams. At least for now.

[Gray Mule]

"They are who we thought they were."

Hawks are good, not great. They are one of the very best "middle of the pack teams."

There is a reason that they are where they are in the standings. That's where they

belong. The top eastern team among the middle of the pack teams. We win our share

of games when we face these teams. We usually claim victory when we face the

bottom teams.

Now, when our beloved Hawks face those teams which make up the great teams in

the NBA, whether from the east or from the west, we just can't compete. Why? Because

we're just not good enough. It's that simple. Sure, we may win one occasionally from

these teams. That's to be expected. On any given night, any team in the NBA can

beat any other team in the NBA. No team is so great that no one can hand them a defeat.

The teams with the worst records, the poor teams, have some wins. In our worst

seasson, the Hawks won 13 games.

Last night, there was no KG for the Celtics. No problem? Yes it was. It was a big

problem. His attitude, his bragging, chest pounding and running off at the mouth

revs up the competetive juices of the Hawks. That was missing last night and no

one turned it up until it was too late.

Rondo said there was no rivalry between he Hawks and the Celtics. Again, they

proved that this is true. The Hawks aren't good enough (That's what he meant)

to be a rivalry for the elite teams in the NBA. Celtics are great. They are the

champions of the NBA and until someone takes the crown away from them, they

will remain the champions.

Sure, the Hawks won three home games last season in the playoffs. We can thank

KG for those. But, when the chips were down and it came to game seven, Hawks

were easily pushed out the door and the Celtics moved on and the Hawks went

home.

Hawks are good this season. Our record proves that. Yet, against the top tier teams

in the NBA, they have lost something like 70% of the time. Our record proves that

we're good. Our record against the elite proves that we're not great. Sunday, we

meet another of the elite teams in the NBA. Is there a chance that the Hawks will

win? Sure, remember, no team is perfect. They do lose games. Yet, as we come

down to the wire this season, it becomes harder and harder to do.

Good? You bet we are. Great? Nope. We just proved that again last night.

[benhillboy]

It is clear that the Lakers, Celtics, Spurs, Magic, and Cavs are better than us. I can live with that. But I can't understand how the Wiz, Cats, Minny, OKC, Oaktown, Knickerbockers, Sac, and the other L.A. team can all defeat these same squads that we are 2-11 against (granted, the Celtics took a couple weeks off, but a loss is a loss.) With all of our favorable circumstances at times (depleted opposing lineup, nice home crowd, playing well at the time of meeting a great team), I simply can't fathom how we play nowhere near 48 minutes and edge out wins against great, but still beatable teams who we all match up okay with, except for maybe Dwights dominance down low.

Edited March 28, 2009 by benhillboy

[Gray Mule]

"----On any given night." This just proves the point. Any NBA team is capable of

beating any other NBA team. Hawks are no exception. They can beat any of them.

However, Hawks being the top "Middle of the pack" team, these top flight teams

have more reason to take every game against them very serious. They know that

they must bring their "A" game to win, and they do.

When these elite teams meet the lesser teams, they may relax, expectring an easy

win. Too late they realise "------On any given night" has caught them. They go down.

Hawks are too good to not be taken as a serious threat. They are past the point of

sneaking up on an opponent and grabbing a win.

Too good to be bad. Not good enough to be great. That's us.

:sad:

[tonegully]

I agree with GM. Elite teams dont need to get hyped up. They take every game as a must win. The Hawks dont have that discipline in them like that.

You ever notice when the Lakers, Celtics, or Cavs lose any game they are pissed off about it? I dont see that fire in the Hawks.