Being serious:This is why I think No playoffs...

[Plainview1981]

http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/ha...03/20hawks.html

People point to several different things as to why the

team has failed to make the playoffs the last two years.

Some think it's bad defense....Some think it's poor coaching.. Some even think of the lack of fan support....

However, the reason this team fails is because they buckle

when other teams press. Take a read of this article and just

listen what Stotts says.....Doesn't this describe what happend last year? They other team gets off to a hot start

or presses and the hawks buckle and dont match the

pressure and intensity.

Going by what I hear thus far...I'd say the teams problem

isn't solved.

[Boondocks]

Well I really like the addition of Mr. Mean to the assistant coaching staff, hopefully Larry Smith we'll teach "our squad" what defense is all about.

Playoffs or not, we're definitely not title contenders if that's what you're getting at.

[Plainview1981]

I realize we are no title contenders.....But with the lack

of mental toughness is what causes the team to get

blownout by the likes of Miami last year who would

press and make the team work for every shot. Mr.Mean

or no Mr. Mean....I don't think the team has the right

attitude...but I guess we'll find out soon.

I need to do a preview, but I'm tired and too lazy to

do it tonight and I'll probably do 3 or 4 late this afternoon

or so...

[swolehawk2]

Yeah. ...I remember Holman saying that the Grizzlies were playing like it was game 7 of the championship and the Hawks were playing like it was a preseason game.

[Diesel]

Before, I thought we had absolutely no chance to make postseason play. NOW, I think it's going to be a tight battle that can either see us as 8th. or 14th.

Teams that are IN:

Detroit, Boston, NJ, Orlando,

Teams fighting:

Philly, Indy, Milwaukee, New Orleans, NY, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, and Cleveland.

Teams that won't make it:

Toronto and Washington.

I will take the time to scout the teams in another post... However, this is how I see it.

So there are 9 teams fighting for 4 spots....

It could be:

Philly, INdy, Atlanta, and Miami.

or

Miami, NY, Miami, and Chicago.

Howewver there will be a fight.

The pros for Atlanta are these:

We have shot blocking.

we have low post scoring.

We have three point shooting.

The cons are these:

We won't be much until we have cohesiveness on offense.

We don't have great defense.

We will turn over the ball.

We lack strength in our front court defense.

For us to go... Sjack has to play some of the best basketball he has ever played. Dion will have to become a much better passer and threat to score. Theo will have to be a part of the offense. Defensively, everybody will have to step up. JT will have to learn how to be a floor leader and to control the offense.

Let's not fool ourselves.... We have a lot of flaws on this team. The removal of one player did not change that. What we have to do now is find chemistry. It will take Chemistry to overcome our weaknesses.

Teams that have made good moves....

1. Miami. Picking up Odom is huge. They will be so much better than they were that it's scary.

2. Milwaukee. They made a lot of chemistry producing moves. Yes, these moves were made for the future, however, they will have some immediate ramifications if Ford picks up the game quickly.

3. Chicago. This team was already looking pretty good. NOw, they have PIPPEN! Bonafide leadership. Add that with the emergence of Curry as the Shaq of the east and you have another young scary team.

4. NY. Say this say that... Getting Deke, Van Horn, and Lampje... Not to mention Sweetney. Will make NY a good team. They still have no PG. If they get one... Watch out. Once McDyess comes back, this team is good again.

5. Cleveland. YES Cleveland. Getting Silas was a steal. And this is not just about getting James... He's going to be good. However, the player that changes a lot for them is J. R. Bremer. This guy is the unadvertised truth. This Cleveland team MAY not make the playoffs but I wouldn't put money on that beat.

6. Orlando was propelled into the mix last year when West gave up Gooden/Gircek for Miller????? They are living off of that good deal for now. However, Picking up Howard is great. He adds really good experience. All they need is a PG. Armstrong in N.O. is not helping Orlando.

My guess is that sooner or later, Chicago will trade Rose. Cleveland will trade Davis or Miles. NY will trade for a PG. Orlando will be forced to trade for a PG if Doc can't create one.

Teams on the way down:

1. New Orleans. They picked a guy who couldn't coach a Sony Playstation team to a vic.

2. Indy. They loss too much. Carlisle is a good coach but he's lost alot. Plus Reggie is getting OLD. Before it's over, he will probably trade away Oneal.

Teams in the middle:

1. Philly. Philly is that middle game like us. I mean, they have gotten better by adding Big Dog, but losing Larry B. hurts them a lot. There's a lot of coaching that will have to be used to make the big machine of Iverson work.

2. Boston. Can't say one way or the other. Boston had a good draft picking up Banks but Banks is not ready to PG now. However, Boston has Brown ready to develop and Toine and Baker are coming in in very good shape?

3. Atlanta. Lost big Dog and 30% of the offense and rebounding. Gained SJack and someone who is more fitted. Draft picks what make much of a difference immediately. Can't say?

Just don't know what will happen.....

[Blunt91]

Good observation Hotlanta and I have to agree with you on this one. The Hawks aren't mentally tough. If a team is weak mentally and don't play good team defense they will struggle no if's or but's about it.

[Plainview1981]

My biggest thinking of the hawks failing is quit. Alot of

it is being soft. I think a few enforcers would help. [censored],

I might consider old man Oakley as a IR player to give

these players a boot in the ass.

[Diesel]

[Lascar78]

Just curious, but why do you feel the need to refer to yourself in the third person in every thread title? We can see who wrote the danm post

[Diesel]

NO to Oakley. He kills chemistry.. see Chicago.

I think that better would be to stick with Mr. Mean and Stotts barking at these guys. The team most always takes on the personality of it's stars. IN this case, JT, SAR. As they go, so goes the Hawks. Just like AI wills Philly into the playoffs by his determination, the same will be for us. However, I don't think JT is all that. Really, I think JT is more confused than anything and that's what we have been for so long. Confused. We should have gotten Smitty in here... as an assistant coach/Player even. We need somebody on the court who has won before. SJack has won but he's like Scott Williams.... He didn't really do much. It wasn't his heart.

I agree with your indication that we need heart, but that won't be easy. I remind you of Clutch city. They were what they were because of the heart of players like Vernon Maxwell, Robert Horry, Sam Cassell, Kenny Smith, and Mario Ellie..

Notice, when these players left Houston... Cassell never was a clutch player with heart. Vernon Maxwell wasn't either. Only Horry and Mario Ellie were... That's not an indication that it was them or that it was all about Hakeem. That's an indication that together they had GREAT chemistry.

WHat we have to do is find a lineup that has synergy and great chemistry.

[Diesel]

Because my thoughts are higher than yours! They deserve distinction.

Who do people show up to read here anyway. I posted maybe one post all week last week and I read some of the garbage posts that were posted... There was nothing stimulating. NOthing worth reading to be honest. Only Hotlantadude was able to bring fourth anything remotely mind stimulating...

However, when I post... It's something that at the least, will make you think. You might not agree... But at least it will prompt somebody to think... If we all agreed on here, I find that this place would be so BORING.

[DXS]

No offense Diesel, but it also lets me know not to read it because it's only about some goofy trade. Just not my kind of thing. -dxs

[kelston827]

I've always known you to be an egomaniacal, holier-than-thou poster D, but that last one takes the cake.

All that hard work and sacrifice has paid off. You've become the most heard voice on the Web site of a marginal professional basketball team.

You must be so proud

The contributions your posts regarding the Atlanta Hawks have made on society have been limitless.

[Gray Mule]

Regardless, if you agree or not, these two make you stop

and THINK! Most of us have trouble thinking, for some

reason or other. -- You can tell by our posts ---

Thats crazy! No one would do that.

Silliest idea I ever heard of in my entire life!

Woah! We're better than THAT!!!

Agree or disagree -- Gives us something to argue about.

It may not change the world, Probably won't change the

Hawks, but, all of us like the idea of being the monday

morning Q.B. -- Manager -- General Manager --Something.

Diesel & Dude, keep stirring the pot. You never know

what may come to the top!!

[cyman3]

is the heart...

do the hawks want it THAT BAD?

it seems like the hawks arent playin with heart (except for JT, u can see it in his eyes.. he brings it to the table 9 times out of 10 even tho the statistics doesnt show it)... ive seen Reef play with fire, hes unstoppable... but how many times does he actually play with fire in his eyes?

phil jackson is the greatest motivating coach as of right now... im hopin the hawks could use some lessons from them.

[Diesel]

I know...

Look at the fruits of my labor.

It keeps you coming back...

Haters... Keep Hating

[Diesel]

I like to look at your post whenever I need the big picture of optimism.

It's like you and Hotlanta are ying and yang...

You're like hot and cold.

Like good and Bad (I mean no harm).

[Plainview1981]

Tonights game againest Washington proves the point. We

should trade Reef and JT now and rebuild this team correctly..

Attitude reflect leadership.....And we see how Reef is

about that.

[swolehawk2]

Tonights game means shiit, it is a pre season game that you didn't even see. gimme a break.

You might want to let the season start before you blow the team up...

You are always talking trade him... trade him...who do you want to trade them for?

[Boondocks]

Well Diesel will know who to trade..-)

Seriously though, it would be a mistake to trade JT, he's signed a pretty good deal for the hawks for the next 3 years why trade that away?

I like the way JT has been playing and at his salary he's almost a bargain.

SAR however is a very good player but if the right deal came along then yeah I'd trade him.