time for the Hawks to make their move

[thecampster]

This next month of basketball may very well determine the race in the Southeastern conference. The Heat are about to embark on a brutal road trip. Not necessarily brutal in the level of talent but in the miles logged. The Heat play their next 2 games at home vs Chicago and Washington then starting on the 8th play 6 games in 10 days, all on the road and in this order. Indiana - Portland - Sacramento - Utah - Golden State - LA Lakers. Then they get 5 days off. A very strange schedule to say the least. They have 12 games left in the month of January, 8 on the road.

During this same period of time. The Hawks have 15 games. 8 Road/ 7 home. They must go to NY, Chicago, Brooklyn. They get Brooklyn at home as well and San Antonio. With 3 extra games (all at home), more favorable spread of travel and their more difficult games at home sans NY, this is the stretch that will mark them as pretender or contender.

[Diesel]

Truth is that we won't see a lot more of the Magic, Hornets, and Bobcats. I think we need to prepare for these playoff teams that will come to outrebound us on a nightly basis. I wish we had another rebounding big.

[yungsta]

yea its going to be a tough for the next few weeks but honestly I would of prefer to have our march games around this time instead. Because the march games are even more brutal than the Jan games and we can really evaluate the team and it would be before the trading deadline. So if we go on an epic losing streak we can make some changes or just go into full blown tank mode and get as many lottery picks as we can.

The march schedule is truely brutal and can swallow a team's soul whole!

I highlighted the teams that will most likely be .500+ team/playoff teams at the time and put a bb next to the back to backs

No more playing the bobcats and wizards every night anymore

Our march schedule

March 1 @ phx

march 3 @ LAL BB1

March 4 @ denver BB1

march 6 vs Philly

march 8 @ Bos BB2

march 9 vs BKN BB2

March 12 @ MIA BB3

March 13 vs LAL BB3

March 15 vs PHX

March 17 @ BKN BB4

March 18 vs DAL BB4

March 20 vs Mil

March 22 vs POR

March 24 @ Mil BB5

March 25 @ INDY BB5

March 27 @ TOR

March 29 @ BOS BB6

March 30 vs ORL BB6

It going to suck if we get destroyed in all of march and it would be too late to make any changes.

[wolvetigers]

The Hawks need some an extra big to move Josh Smith to the SF spot...Hopefully that move wont encourage him to shoot more jumpers, but it should help on the rebounding front, provided we can get a big that can start...which is a tall task

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

Patience. Anybody that went into this season expecting anything more than a second round exit is just fooling themselves. I am all for just riding this team out until the end and let Danny work his magic in the offseason. If it means Dwight then great, but if not, then I trust Ferry will put his type of team together and work with Horford, Teague, and probably Smith. Making any type of trades makes no sense to me when you think about the future and the greater good of the team. Danny doesn't want to be weighted down with long term contracts. He doesn't want any big, lucrative deals. That is why Joe is gone. Danny will pay for value and that's why I believe he'll make a good push for Dwight and some veteran 6'8" wingman to come off of the bench next offseason. I know this thinking seems like a wasted season, but it's for the best and for the future.

yea its going to be a tough for the next few weeks but honestly I would of prefer to have our march games around this time instead. Because the march games are even more brutal than the Jan games and we can really evaluate the team and it would be before the trading deadline. So if we go on an epic losing streak we can make some changes or just go into full blown tank mode and get as many lottery picks as we can.

The march schedule is truely brutal and can swallow a team's soul whole!

I highlighted the teams that will most likely be .500+ team/playoff teams at the time and put a bb next to the back to backs

No more playing the bobcats and wizards every night anymore

Our march schedule

March 1 @ phx

march 3 @ LAL BB1

March 4 @ denver BB1

march 6 vs Philly

march 8 @ Bos BB2

march 9 vs BKN BB2

March 12 @ MIA BB3

March 13 vs LAL BB3

March 15 vs PHX

March 17 @ BKN BB4

March 18 vs DAL BB4

March 20 vs Mil

March 22 vs POR

March 24 @ Mil BB5

March 25 @ INDY BB5

March 27 @ TOR

March 29 @ BOS BB6

March 30 vs ORL BB6

It going to suck if we get destroyed in all of march and it would be too late to make any changes.

Honestly, I only see maybe 3 next to guaranteed loses on that schedule. The rest are very winnable. Boston is old and isn't the same team anymore. Brooklyn has been a HUGE disappointment so far, we have beaten Denver already, and Philly won't be anything until Bynum gets back into basketball shape. I'm more nervous about Dirk and the Mavs and Jennings/Ellies and the Bucks than I am of Boston/Brooklyn/Denver. Lakers have underachieved too and the Heat have loss to the Wizards, Kings, and Pistons.

[Guest]

All this doom and gloom about the upcoming schedule is getting annoying. We have a good chance to be more successful than not. If we continue to play to our strengths - team ball, speed and defense, the 3 point shot by playing inside out (wether thru Al and Josh or by our guards penetrating and kicking out) we will be OK. The effort on rebounding must be there moreso that our size, we have shown we can rebound when we actually make the effort.

Edited January 3, 2013 by JayBirdHawk

[ATLSmith]

Patience. Anybody that went into this season expecting anything more than a second round exit is just fooling themselves.

Heck, I love what this team is doing but I'm still sticking with a pessimistic view that just making the playoffs is the best they can do this year. If they get knocked out in the first round so be it. If they make it further than we should all be ecstatic.Regardless, it would be awesome to see the Hawks pass the Heat in January even if it is only for a week or so. This would certainly gain them some respect (not that many have been hating on the Hawks this year and quite a few critics have been very complimentary). Edited January 3, 2013 by ATLSmith

[thecampster]

Patience. Anybody that went into this season expecting anything more than a second round exit is just fooling themselves. I am all for just riding this team out until the end and let Danny work his magic in the offseason. If it means Dwight then great, but if not, then I trust Ferry will put his type of team together and work with Horford, Teague, and probably Smith. Making any type of trades makes no sense to me when you think about the future and the greater good of the team. Danny doesn't want to be weighted down with long term contracts. He doesn't want any big, lucrative deals. That is why Joe is gone. Danny will pay for value and that's why I believe he'll make a good push for Dwight and some veteran 6'8" wingman to come off of the bench next offseason. I know this thinking seems like a wasted season, but it's for the best and for the future.

Honestly, I only see maybe 3 next to guaranteed loses on that schedule. The rest are very winnable. Boston is old and isn't the same team anymore. Brooklyn has been a HUGE disappointment so far, we have beaten Denver already, and Philly won't be anything until Bynum gets back into basketball shape. I'm more nervous about Dirk and the Mavs and Jennings/Ellies and the Bucks than I am of Boston/Brooklyn/Denver. Lakers have underachieved too and the Heat have loss to the Wizards, Kings, and Pistons.

The problem in March is the amount of games as much as the talent faced. With almost all series being 3 games in 4 nights

[Ruckus]

I am not saying trade or don't trade Josh so please resist the tar and feathering... But those who are all for waiting til the end of the season to make that decision don't entirely understand unrestricted free agency it seems. Either he leaves for nothing or we pay him too much to stay. He has been playing well minus the outside shooting fetish so I'm sure Ferry would have to think long and hard about trading him but we just have to realize these are our options and must be prepared.

Edited January 4, 2013 by HawkFan

[thecampster]

I am not saying trade or don't trade Josh so please resist the tar and feathering... But those who are all for waiting til the end of the season to make that decision don't entirely understand unrestricted free agency it seems. Either he leaves for nothing or we pay him too much to stay. He has been playing well minus the outside shooting fetish so I'm sure Ferry would have to think long and hard about trading him but we just have to realize these are our options and must be prepared.

And that applies to this thread how?

[tbhawksfan]

I am not saying trade or don't trade Josh so please resist the tar and feathering... But those who are all for waiting til the end of the season to make that decision don't entirely understand unrestricted free agency it seems. Either he leaves for nothing or we pay him too much to stay. He has been playing well minus the outside shooting fetish so I'm sure Ferry would have to think long and hard about trading him but we just have to realize these are our options and must be prepared.

Seems many don't want to face this little fact. Actually, save Horf, Lou Will, JJ, Scott and Stevenson all are expiring and we either trade them before the deadline, re-sign them or lose them for cap space. Looking at their present salaries, I don't see any of them re-signing for less than they're paid this season, most will want more.I forsee a talent and salary catastrophy if we don't move a lot of them before the deadline. If Ferry doesn't have some under the table agreement with a major star, I think he'd be a fool to let the deadline pass without moving many of them.It is not worth keeping this team together past the deadline to make an early playoff exit. The odds of the Hawks getting past the second round are super slim with this roster.Most Hawks fans have been crying for a balanced roster since the Marvin draft. If we don't make a major move before the deadline, we will still be crying for the same thing for a few more years.Re-sign JT, trade everyone else and forget about this season. The alternative could be disastorous

[tbhawksfan]

Just checked; the Vegas odds at a Hawks Championship stand at 60-1. Is it worth keeping this roster to make a run at those odds?

[Jody23]

I am not saying trade or don't trade Josh so please resist the tar and feathering... But those who are all for waiting til the end of the season to make that decision don't entirely understand unrestricted free agency it seems. Either he leaves for nothing or we pay him too much to stay. He has been playing well minus the outside shooting fetish so I'm sure Ferry would have to think long and hard about trading him but we just have to realize these are our options and must be prepared.

If we make it past the deadline without Josh being moved, then I'll really believe Ferry has something potentially lined up. No way he holds on to Josh if he doesn't.

[Jody23]

Seems many don't want to face this little fact. Actually, save Horf, Lou Will, JJ, Scott and Stevenson all are expiring and we either trade them before the deadline, re-sign them or lose them for cap space. Looking at their present salaries, I don't see any of them re-signing for less than they're paid this season, most will want more.I forsee a talent and salary catastrophy if we don't move a lot of them before the deadline. If Ferry doesn't have some under the table agreement with a major star, I think he'd be a fool to let the deadline pass without moving many of them.It is not worth keeping this team together past the deadline to make an early playoff exit. The odds of the Hawks getting past the second round are super slim with this roster.Most Hawks fans have been crying for a balanced roster since the Marvin draft. If we don't make a major move before the deadline, we will still be crying for the same thing for a few more years.Re-sign JT, trade everyone else and forget about this season. The alternative could be disastorous

I could be wrong, but I think only Horford, Lou and Jenkins have guaranteed deals for next year.

[Plainview1981]

This next month of basketball may very well determine the race in the Southeastern conference. The Heat are about to embark on a brutal road trip. Not necessarily brutal in the level of talent but in the miles logged. The Heat play their next 2 games at home vs Chicago and Washington then starting on the 8th play 6 games in 10 days, all on the road and in this order. Indiana - Portland - Sacramento - Utah - Golden State - LA Lakers. Then they get 5 days off. A very strange schedule to say the least. They have 12 games left in the month of January, 8 on the road.

During this same period of time. The Hawks have 15 games. 8 Road/ 7 home. They must go to NY, Chicago, Brooklyn. They get Brooklyn at home as well and San Antonio. With 3 extra games (all at home), more favorable spread of travel and their more difficult games at home sans NY, this is the stretch that will mark them as pretender or contender.

The second half schedule would be tough for most any team. Things are going to get tough... I think the team will finish over .500... But I still have to say 45 wins at the most. The second half of the schedule is just too tough.

If Josh and Al play like they have the first half, 45 wins is stretching it. Both will have to pick it up.

Edited January 4, 2013 by Hotlanta1981

[Ruckus]

And that applies to this thread how?

Did you even read the comment that you responded to directly before my comment? Stop trolling. Edited January 5, 2013 by HawkFan

[Ruckus]

And that applies to this thread how?

"I am all for just riding this team out until the end and let Danny work his magic in the offseason. If it means Dwight then great, but if not, then I trust Ferry will put his type of team together and work with Horford, Teague, and probably Smith. Making any type of trades makes no sense to me when you think about the future and the greater good of the team. Danny doesn't want to be weighted down with long term contracts. He doesn't want any big, lucrative deals."When you create a thread, you cannot control the direction it will follow. That's too much power for one man to have. Edited January 5, 2013 by HawkFan

[thecampster]

Did you even read the comment that you responded to directly before my comment? Stop trolling.

2 things. One...someone with 300 lifetime posts shouldn't be calling people who've been on this board since before it was this board a troll. Second, you didn't reply to anyone, your comment comes across as random and another trade Josh hijack thread which is one of the most annoying parts of this message board.

The thread was about the importance of January from a positioning point of view because the rest of the schedule is brutal.

[Ruckus]

So now post count determines credibility? Dude shut the f*ck up. You are smearing the turd all over your face and it must stink pretty bad. Others commented about Josh also so obviously they saw relevance. I'm not going to look how many times you have posted in this forum because frankly I don't care if it was 1 or a million. You are the same as anyone else. Don't flatter yourself.

Edited January 5, 2013 by HawkFan