Credit where Credit is due...

[Diesel]

Joe's defense and Kobe was good. Joe played probably the best defense I have seen out of him.

West's defense on Kobe was better than Joe's.

Flip's offense was timely.

[Diesel]

Gold Ball = Zaza Pachulia

Silver Ball = Flip Murray

Crystal Ball = Joe Johnson

[DrReality]

Woody said it was our best defensive game of the year.

[Diesel]

Woody said it was our best defensive game of the year.

Our doubles were great. We had effort on defense that I haven't seen this year. I kinda had the feeling that we would be up for the Lakers.

[coachx]

Our doubles were great. We had effort on defense that I haven't seen this year. I kinda had the feeling that we would be up for the Lakers.

Don't forget Bibby !

Without Bibby's shooting 5-6 on 3 point FGs we could have lost that game. He also played a team high in minutes played

ZaZa's 13 rebounds in 22 minutes was a huge difference as well.

[tonegully]

Credit where credit is due.

Bibby, i guess he can show up against good teams.

Zaza and Flip. What was the bench scoring at the end of the game? Flip and Zaza came off and just took over.

Ill give some credit to Smoove. At the start he was motivated as hell.

[buckeye242424]

Credit where credit is due.

Bibby, i guess he can show up against good teams.

Zaza and Flip. What was the bench scoring at the end of the game? Flip and Zaza came off and just took over.

Ill give some credit to Smoove. At the start he was motivated as hell.

Bibby did come through big. In a game when JJ did not produce, against one of the best teams on the planet, for us to win shows we're a scary team. I was most impressed with our defense. Our switching finally paid some dividends as LA struggled adjusting to to all the switches.

[HawkItus]

Credit where credit is due, Mike Woodson. He coached a good game yesterday.

[macdaddy]

Zaza played great and Smoove was cheering him all the way while he had an extended sit on the bench in the 3rd and 4th.

[Dsinner]

Gold Ball = Zaza Pachulia

Silver Ball = Flip Murray

Crystal Ball = Joe Johnson

I'd give Bibby a ball over Joe in this game. Kobe is the reason Kobe didn't score 20.

[DrReality]

We palyed better as a team yesterday. That was not true with Boston or SA. They definately played better team ball and we've got to learn from this for the playoffs.

[coachx]

Zaza played great and Smoove was cheering him all the way while he had an extended sit on the bench in the 3rd and 4th.

That is great hear since its his attitude that worries me more then anything..........since he is hacking up fewer jumpers then previous seasons.

[LOL_Hawks]

Zaza was definitely the man yesterday. I think the play that summed up the game for him was when he got his shot blocked twice by either Gasol then/or Odom (?), but got the ball back each time, made the bucket, and came back down the court with a fist pump. He kept on working hard, and didn't quit. Zaza definitely brought his lunchpail to the game.

Joe's D definitely made up for his offense. Although Kobe apparently was ailing, we all know that superstars can still go off while hurt. So props for Joe and the rest of the defense for holding Kobe to 17, and the rest of the team to 76. Although some of it was the Lakers playing some terrible basketball, part of it was the fact that we got a hand in their face most of the time. Plus, we match up well with the Lakers because we're an athletic team. Athletic teams with a little bit of defense always give the Lakers trouble. We fit that mold, so we had a shot. We fit it to perfection, so we won.

[Guest]

Zaza played great and Smoove was cheering him all the way while he had an extended sit on the bench in the 3rd and 4th.

They sure have come a long way since that alleged incident in practice where Zaza told Smoove he would end his playing career if he didn't stop doing ____(I forgot what it was Smoove did). Anyone else notice how Smoove and Z have had great feeds to each other when both are around the post? They seem to have better offensive chemistry than any other 4-5 combination we have.

[Deeman]

They sure have come a long way since that alleged incident in practice where Zaza told Smoove he would end his playing career if he didn't stop doing ____(I forgot what it was Smoove did). Anyone else notice how Smoove and Z have had great feeds to each other when both are around the post? They seem to have better offensive chemistry than any other 4-5 combination we have.

That Peter Vescey article wasn't true.

[HawkNJersey]

All around good game, from all involved yesterday...including you, Woody. Mo stepped up. Flipped did his thing. Zaza was tremendous. Noone mentioned it, but Smoove's D on Odom was oustanding. He had the worst offensive stats..of anyone on their team and was clearly frustrated.

[Diesel]

Zaza was definitely the man yesterday. I think the play that summed up the game for him was when he got his shot blocked twice by either Gasol then/or Odom (?), but got the ball back each time, made the bucket, and came back down the court with a fist pump. He kept on working hard, and didn't quit. Zaza definitely brought his lunchpail to the game.

Joe's D definitely made up for his offense. Although Kobe apparently was ailing, we all know that superstars can still go off while hurt. So props for Joe and the rest of the defense for holding Kobe to 17, and the rest of the team to 76. Although some of it was the Lakers playing some terrible basketball, part of it was the fact that we got a hand in their face most of the time. Plus, we match up well with the Lakers because we're an athletic team. Athletic teams with a little bit of defense always give the Lakers trouble. We fit that mold, so we had a shot. We fit it to perfection, so we won.

Yep.

Too many times, people think a team "goes cold" for no reason. We forced a lot of bad shots, he had a hand in their face on some easy shots, and when they were wide open, they had no rhythm.

[Diesel]

All around good game, from all involved yesterday...including you, Woody. Mo stepped up. Flipped did his thing. Zaza was tremendous. Noone mentioned it, but Smoove's D on Odom was oustanding. He had the worst offensive stats..of anyone on their team and was clearly frustrated.

I have looked at one stat from the game. But the sense is that our plan had a lot to do with doubling Kobe and keeping a man on him all the time and I think it worked (to a point). I think we ran single coverage on everybody else (save Bibby's man).

[Guest]

That Peter Vescey article wasn't true.

Thanks for correcting me. I remember reading it but forgot about the Sekou follow-up the day of the Vecsey article:

In the what is perhaps the funniest line I’ve read in, um, forever, a noted New York Post columnist wrote this: - Last year, Smith’s belligerence got so out of hand, I’m told, Zaza Pachulia pinned him to the Hawks’ locker room wall after a game. “Talk to me like you just did on the court,” the 6-foot-11, 250-pound Georgian warned, in essence, “and you’ll miss the rest of your career.”

I don’t know who told that version what happened (Pachulia uttered words along those lines, but across a crowded locker room and not directly at Smith), but they’ve got a future in storytelling. The next time Zaza has someone pinned up against a wall or anything else, on or off the court, will be the first time. I can promise you that this scene never took place (it sounds darn good though. And if I didn’t know better I’d be willing to drink some of that Kool-Aid with you).

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-bl...we_all_jus.html