Merged: Perhaps The Biggest Insult To The Hawks Ever

[Colin]

Yes, it is from a no-name homer for some crappy newspaper, but nonetheless, when I read this, I was infuriated beyond belief...

- - - - - - - -

Depressing, yes.

This wasn't why the Heat asked its fans to wear black, but it was certainly fitting Monday night.

An awakening, yes.

More than even the Game 1 disaster, this was a cruel reminder of just how difficult it is to win any playoff game, especially for a relatively young team.

Bleak? Hardly.

As bad is it looked to watch Dwyane Wade drag his worn body up and down the court and fail at his personal rescue attempt in the fourth quarter, this loss is not indicative of what's to come.

As emotionally draining as it was to experience a riveting 19-2 run to end the second quarter and follow that with a lifeless second half, it's nowhere near enough reason to declare the tide incapable of turning back in the Heat's favor.

The Hawks have home-court advantage in what is now a best-of-3 series. It is a position of strength, yes. But they are still the Hawks.

And even in a game that they never trailed and held a lead as big as 21 points in the first half, these Hawks showed why they're simply not capable of maintaining any of this momentum.

Call them emotionally unstable. Call them strategically challenged. Call them a coach's nightmare.

Whatever you call them, just remember that they're the Hawks, and the Heat will still recover from this, win the series and move on to a much-anticipated series against the Cavaliers.

Why the optimism after a dreadful performance in which the Heat scored more than 17 points in only one of four quarters?

Just rewind the tape and check the evidence.

That was Wade shooting four airballs in the first half. That doesn't happen unless he's hurt. And chances are he will find a way to work around a tight back or some sore muscles for the remainder of this series, now that he knows what is facing him.

But more importantly, remember how the Hawks took over the game and then nearly blew it in a matter of 11 minutes.

As the Heat was handling and shooting the ball as if it was covered in butter, the Hawks had 24 points in the first quarter and 22 in the second -- an average half.

The combination translated to a 44-23 lead with 3:47 left in the half.

Then the Heat amped up the pressure, and the real Hawks showed up.

Udonis Haslem took a charge and Maurice Evans nearly exploded.

Then Solomon Jones, who hasn't played significant minutes all series long, fouled James Jones shooting a three for a four-point play.

Then Mike Bibby blatantly pushed Mario Chalmers for an offensive foul on the ensuing inbounds.

And to finish off the comedy of blunders, Bibby fouled Jones again while he was shooting a three. Fouling a three-point shooter is one of basketball's criminal acts as it is, but to do it when Jones had a four-point play just 11 seconds earlier makes you question not just the basketball IQ, but just the regular-old IQ of the team in general.

The Heat's close to the second quarter was so predictable, it was as if it was simply baiting the Hawks the entire time.

The only part that was surprising is that Miami couldn't finish off the comeback, which had as much to do with more poor shooting than anything Atlanta did.

Yes, the Hawks outrebounded the Heat. And, yes, Zaza Pachulia had 12 points and 18 rebounds in 34 minutes off the bench.

But Smith was at his unpredictable offensive worst. Joe Johnson was still stymied by the Heat defense in a 5-of-12 effort. And Flip Murray continued to take more shots than anyone should be comfortable with him taking.

So if the key to winning Game 5 is basically ''shut down Zaza Pachulia,'' consider it possibly the easiest game plan in playoff history. And consider it done.

A pessimist might look at the Heat's two-point production from a limited bench and consider that a problem. But it's practically a guarantee that Wade going 9 of 26 and the bench going 0 of 7 from the floor in the same game will never happen again. Not in this playoff series, anyway.

Remember how Wade and the bench responded after the Game 1 debacle?

Monday was sad and unexpected and painful to watch (whether you were a Heat fan or not). But it's no precursor.

The Heat will recover.

Wade-LeBron is still very much on.

What the hell?

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/columnis...ry/1021191.html

Edited April 28, 2009 by Colin

[Duff_Man]

Wow. Just wow. Did Terrence Moore ghost-write this?

[buckeye242424]

Wow. Just wow. Did Terrence Moore ghost-write this?

The two four point plays were an anomaly, especially by the same player. People can write that they were boneheaded plays and can state that the Hawks can't maintain a lead, or whatever. All I know is that huge spurt the Heat had in the second was due in large part to us, not them playing well. Those types of plays will not happen in the two, possibly three remaining games. Let these Miami people write all their BS that we "are still the Hawks." This guy is stuck in 2004.

[macdaddy]

As much as this is total BS and as much as i believe the officiating sucked in the second quarter the one thing i took away from this game is that either team will get slaughtered by the Cavs. The Heat are terrible because they have a star player and not much else. The Hawks have talent with no real direction or composure.

If someone can tell me why our PF continually catching the ball at the 3 point line in our offensive sets is not a coaching failure i'd love to hear it. Josh did make some great passes last night though.

[uga2006]

As much as this is total BS and as much as i believe the officiating sucked in the second quarter the one thing i took away from this game is that either team will get slaughtered by the Cavs. The Heat are terrible because they have a star player and not much else. The Hawks have talent with no real direction or composure.

If someone can tell me why our PF continually catching the ball at the 3 point line in our offensive sets is not a coaching failure i'd love to hear it. Josh did make some great passes last night though.

NBA and the NFL has the worst officiating by far. Especially the NBA it's just a complete joke.

[TanAdam]

If you were Eric Spolestra, would you be afraid of the Hawks team you saw last night? I certainly wouldn't.

Now the hyperbole is beyond absurd, and that guy is a jackass.

[ATLSmith]

Eh... that doesn't bother me. The winner is going to be decided on the court in the games not by some random fan.

[crimedog]

If you were Eric Spolestra, would you be afraid of the Hawks team you saw last night? I certainly wouldn't.

Now the hyperbole is beyond absurd, and that guy is a jackass.

If you were Mike Woodson, would you be afraid of the Heat team you saw last night? I certainly wouldn't.

[mrhonline]

The writer is neglecting to mention the strong team defense and rebounding the Hawks showed last night.

Those two things combined with some timely perimeter shots should be enough for the Hawks to win this series.

[TanAdam]

If you were Mike Woodson, would you be afraid of the Heat team you saw last night? I certainly wouldn't.

How is that an answer? And as a matter of fact, yes I would. Remember that team has Wade and Wade gets calls as everyone saw last night. So yes, I would be afraid of that team.

[crimedog]

How is that an answer? And as a matter of fact, yes I would. Remember that team has Wade and Wade gets calls as everyone saw last night. So yes, I would be afraid of that team.

His point was that Spoel shouldn't be scared of the Hawks team he saw last night. My point is that the Hawks also played like garbage and had a deceptively convincing win over a Heat team that got even more calls than usual.

Regarding this article though, I'd staple it all over the Hawks' locker room. I'd staple it to Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, and Mike Bibby's damn jersey because they got called out by name. I'd also like someone to dedicate the next win (hopefully we get one) to Israel Gutierrez.

[bronnt]

This looks like something a blogger might write. For someone getting paid to write articles about the team for the Miami Herald, it's a joke.

Look at it this way, would Sekou Smith ever end an article with "JJ/Lebron in round 2 is on" even if the Hawks had gone up 3-0 in the series? This man has thrown objectivity out the freaking window. Who assesses an opposing team with "Well it's still the Hawks." Sports journalists are not supposed to show such a blatant bias. It's understandable and extremely common to downplay a loss when your best player struggles...

I don't know if I've ever seen an actual article (that the man was paid to write!) dismiss the opposing team in a tied playoff series.

I love that the Heat "stifled" Joe Johnson because he went 5-12, but there's not one single mention of Wade's much worse 9-26 night.

And it's a little ridiculous to downplay what Zaza did in this game. He single-handedly outrebounded every Miami frontcourt player combined, despite playing fewer minutes than either Haslem or O'Neal. Miami probably needs to have several long sessions talking about forcing him off the boards because they had no answer at any point in this game.

[TheTrueSiete]

Wow. Just wow. Did Terrence Moore ghost-write this?

Honestly, I would think Notlanta wrote it...

7

[Atlantaholic]

If JJ decides to show up the next two games the series is over in 6.

[plskeepbibby]

WOW this guttierez guy is an idiot. If he was a cleveland beat writer I can see what he would be talking about. Someone needs to tell him that he is covering the Miami Heat. Go suck an egg guttierez and get 2005 out of your head. As bad as the hawks were in game 2,3. The Heat played that much worse than in game 1,4. Hawks In 6. Hope to see everyone in attendance Wednesday

[FrankWhite]

Sounds like this guy is auditioning for Around the Horn. This is what passes for journalism these days. How anyone who follows basketball can not just act like those two 4 point plays were legit, but actually gloat over them is beyond me. Eh, who cares?

[Plainview1981]

The two four point plays were an anomaly, especially by the same player. People can write that they were boneheaded plays and can state that the Hawks can't maintain a lead, or whatever. All I know is that huge spurt the Heat had in the second was due in large part to us, not them playing well. Those types of plays will not happen in the two, possibly three remaining games. Let these Miami people write all their BS that we "are still the Hawks." This guy is stuck in 2004.

I'll agree with thi. Miami isn't very good. Baiting the Hawks the whole time? LOL

Miami is a garbage team that played like garbage.

[DrReality]

Wow. Just wow. Did Terrence Moore ghost-write this?

Wish I had said that.

[Deeman]

Sounds like this guy is auditioning for Around the Horn. This is what passes for journalism these days. How anyone who follows basketball can not just act like those two 4 point plays were legit, but actually gloat over them is beyond me. Eh, who cares?

This guy has made a few appearances on Around The Horn.

[HAWKS1986]

In 1991, Mike Downey had written an scathing column about the 1991 Braves who were tracking down the Dodgers for the division title, and this Miami Herald column reminds me of that.

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/columnis...ry/1021191.html

This column should be put at EVERY LOCKER and have "ATTN": Hawks' starting five, especially Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby

...."Call them emotionally unstable. Call them strategically challenged. Call them a coach's nightmare.

Whatever you call them, just remember that they're the Hawks, and the Heat will still recover from this, win the series and move on to a much-anticipated series against the Cavaliers...."

The Hawks should look at the Denver beatdown of New Orleans (by 58 points) and duplicate that on Miami the next two games...

There will be no handshaking with Wade after this series is over..