Diesel's thoughts on the loss (game 2)

[Diesel]

Game 3 will mean a lot. However, I'm still encouraged. We played a lot better. The refs were really mucking it up for us early on and we fought to stay in it.We were in control in the 2nd quarter and we learned what we have to do to beat this team (get Howard off the floor).

Here's why I'm encouraged:

1. Everybody knows that we play better at home.
   
2. Our game-plan for Orlando was right.
   
3. We haven't seen the best of all of our players yet
   

Game 3 is definitely the key to this series. If we can win game 3 in convincing fashion,we can win game 4.

The thing is that nobody can predict how Orlando will react to a loss.

I don't think that Orlando is as mentally strong as they have played thus far. I say if we beat them, we will put some doubt into them. Although he didn't look it last night, VC is the weak link. He's never been to a conference finals because he's never been able to be there mentally.

I'm say with MY RALLY CAPS ON.... LET'S GO HAWKS!!!!!

[Diesel]

All that said,

We missed out on a big opportunity last night.

We could have won that game.

JJ was playing badly.

Josh made many dumb immature mistakes.

Marvin = Marvin

I applaud Craw and Horf because they did come to play.. but we need an effort from everybody.

We should have won that game.

[macdaddy]

Josh is my favorite but man he played dumb last night. I blame him a lot for this loss. Of course, I just can't see why he never saw the bench when he's slowly walking up and down the court. Hanging out at the top of the key for entire offensive sets. Letting the ball get stolen from behind on a break.

Crawford was good but needs to recognize when he's forcing it and pass the ball.

Collins got screwed and RandMo gave us good minutes. What? A bench player can actually give you minutes? wtf?

I don't think our guys believe we can beat them. At least not in Orlando. I think its the same old thing. We get nervous and start trying to play and coach not to lose. Of course that never works.

[macdaddy]

Just looked at the box score. Best +/- on the team: RandMo at +10. Nice.

Trying to figure out how Josh and Marvin played 43 and 41 minutes with a -24 and -22. Joe also played 43 minutes with only a -9. I guess the 5 minutes Joe was out was when we got really hammered? I'm trying to figure when that was.

[AHF]

Yeah - I was very pleasantly surprised to see a productive appearance from Morris.

[niremetal]

Yeah - I was very pleasantly surprised to see a productive appearance from Morris.

The funny thing is, I always associated him as having a good low post offensive game and not much else. But he managed to bother Howard defensively, and did a very good job moving and setting picks off the ball on the other end. He also clearly put in some work on his conditioning. I hope he catches on somewhere, if not here.

[Joker]

He knows D12 game well just like Smith knows it. I remember when they were actually close in talent. That was a long time ago but still it must resignate with Morris.

[gutz]

Diesel VC has made the FINALS twice with the NETS in 2002 and 2003 so he knows what it takes.

[Diesel]

Diesel VC has made the FINALS twice with the NETS in 2002 and 2003 so he knows what it takes.

Vince wasn't on those teams...

Those were Jason Kidd's team. 2002, 2003. Vince didn't become a Net until 2004.

Vince's NJ teams lost to Miami (1st round), Miami (2nd round), and Cleveland (2nd round).

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Proud of Jamal . . . until the 4th quarter in which he missed 5 consecutive shots and went 1 - 7 FG in the quarter. He was 6 - 11 FG going into the 4th, but turned ice cold at the worst time. those misses, combined with Josh's theactrics, is what initially started the Magic's 4th quarter run when JJ was on the bench trying to get a little rest.

[JTB]

Game 3 will mean a lot. However, I'm still encouraged. We played a lot better. The refs were really mucking it up for us early on and we fought to stay in it.We were in control in the 2nd quarter and we learned what we have to do to beat this team (get Howard off the floor).

Here's why I'm encouraged:

1. Everybody knows that we play better at home.
   
2. Our game-plan for Orlando was right.
   
3. We haven't seen the best of all of our players yet
   

Game 3 is definitely the key to this series. If we can win game 3 in convincing fashion,we can win game 4.

The thing is that nobody can predict how Orlando will react to a loss.

I don't think that Orlando is as mentally strong as they have played thus far. I say if we beat them, we will put some doubt into them. Although he didn't look it last night, VC is the weak link. He's never been to a conference finals because he's never been able to be there mentally.

I'm say with MY RALLY CAPS ON.... LET'S GO HAWKS!!!!!

exactly. people give up too easily on the hawks and im talkin about our fans also. i think its obvious we can beat orlando and our gameplan like you said is right and i think we should give woody some credit of

making a good gameplan all the hawks have to do is make sure to stick to the gameplan the whole game and we are never out of this thing. also responding to orlando not being mentally strong will be very

interesting to see, im not going to say i completely agree cause we never know how they will really respond but i must say they are weak minded and with a loss it will sink into them like never before cause right

now im sure they feel that they might be the team to beat just because they are undefeated in the first round but thats not true at all! remember people last year the cavs were undefeated and remember what

happened to them in the eastern conference finals last year?................uhh yeah so think about how the magic will feel with their first loss of the playoffs. If we win game 3, then 4 expect a game 7 and i know

somebody will disagree but i truthfully think the hawks would win if we force a game 7 and i do have good reason why i think this....... let's look at our road record somewhere around 2-11, yeah it's a bad record

but those 2 wins we did win were at crucial times and i think the hawks forcing a game 7 does nothing but builds confidence in this team to take a game on the road that is crucial. we show up on the road at

crucial times if you haven't noticed! but of course we need to take it a game at a time dont want to jump to far ahead!

p.s. i didnt do the funny spacing. trying to fix it but cant! anyways my computer did it sorry if hard to read.

Edited May 8, 2010 by JTB