cam1218

Like them or hate them, the ASG have spent too much money for this team to tank.

I wouldn't say he is "basically a first year" player since he has played in the playoffs and has some NBA minutes. College experience helps, but nothing can really duplicate getting pro experience. You just get more practice, no class, going head to head with the best in practice. However, you do have to consider his lack of playing time when you evaluate him. You don't look at Ty Lawson and Teague, picked 18th and 19th, and think they are both similar in NBA experience. He definitely isn't your typical third year pro. You're right though, Teague has gone a great job in his first year starting. I really wasn't sure what we were going to get out of him this year, but he has been one of the bright spots in a fun season so far Pargo definitely deserves minutes. I'd like to see him play off the ball with any of our guards and get some open shots.

Joe didn't take Public Speaking when he was at Arkansas.

You're right. Fans expect the Hawks to win every game and sometimes forget the circumstances going around the game. Philly is trying to make a point. I feel like they are where we were when we went 34-7 at home two years ago. After they lost to Denver the other night (at home) I didn't think we could win this game either. It's just a numbers game. We will play bad eventually and they won't lose back to back games at home. The Hawks ARE going to lose, and this just had a L written all over it. You get up for games like this and celebrate hard when we win. If we lose you just kinda shrug it off and factor it into one of our 20-27 loses.

lol @ Nique. It's tough for talented people trying to get into the broadcasting business. You have to compete with horrible color guys like Nique and Barkley nowadays. I always feel like Nique just started watching the game when I listen to him. He also thinks that the Hawks have the game "wrapped up" way to early for my liking.

I had a feeling we would lose this game at the end of the first half. Our offense became a bunch of (made) Josh jumpers and I knew that wouldn't work during the 2nd half.

I'm fine with him shooting jumpers in certain situations: If he starts his game by going inside and getting some easy buckets, I don't mind a jumper here or there. If the team as a whole seems to be hot and we are leading. If he gets a wide open shot at the end of the shot clock. It's just the jumpers he takes when we are behind or when he just keeps shooting them when he's missed multiple jumpers already. Honestly though, that isn't just a Josh problem. A lot of our guys seem to stick with their jump shot a little too long.

I've been looking forward to this game for awhile. I remember during our game on TNT Barkley praising Portland, saying they are the best team in the West. Of course, all of this was said while he continued to bash the Hawks. Hopefully the Hawks can beat them to shut him up. Crawford hasn't really been good this year. He has had only one game shooting over 50 percent this month (against Orlando). Most of his games he's been shooting in the 20-33 percent range. Watch him finally have a great game against the Hawks. Even if he starts to shoot better we need to take advantage of him when we are playing offense.

Three games with the Nets and one game with Washington really made our look schedule easier. However, like MaceCase said, we had to play 9 games in 12 days. We also had to play the Bulls and Heat, probably the two best teams in the East, 4 times in 6 days. Sandwiched in there was a game @ Charlotte and we always struggle up there. We have also played 7 road games, including games against 3 of the top 6 teams in the East. So looking at the winning percentage our schedule looks a little easier than it actually has been. I don't think that we have actually had the 10th easiest schedule when you look at everything else.

While I'll never be happy seeing Josh shooting jumpers, they are much more acceptable when he starts his game out with some easy shots inside the paint and mixes a jumper or two throughout the game. It's when he starts the game shooting jumpers and continues for the rest of the game that he gets heat for playing poorly.

Also, DirecTV customers have a free preview of NBA league pass going on right now. If you tune in to channel 751 you'll find the game in HD.

I really think getting Toney Douglas back would make this all worthwhile. I'm a GT fan, and I saw him play a lot of games in the ACC while he was at FSU. He definitely can score, but he is also a really good defender. Acquiring him will also make it easier to trade Hinrich if we need to.Also, he is related to Falcons WR Harry Douglas. I have a hunch he'd like to play in this city.

In sturt's scenario, Billups wouldn't be coming here by force. This is all based on him clearing amnesty waivers and then choosing to sign with the Hawks instead of the Heat as a free agent. He wouldn't be disruptive if he chooses to sign with us as a free agent. I like the idea though, I think West would fit in well with what we try to do in our offense. It's not the most attractive thing we can do, but I do think it makes us better. One question I have about your scenario is: Are you planning on starting West and PF and Smith at SF? Or is he going to be coming off of the bench?

Yes, I'm fully aware of our limited flexibility. I know that we can't go out and sign a top free agent. However, they can do SOME things that they don't usually do. Like using the whole MLE instead of bringing in guys at minimum salaries. Be involved in trade talks (not just an afterthought) to bring in a top player to Atlanta. They could do a sign and trade with Jamal and bring back something comparable in talent instead of just letting him walk for nothing. I guess not all of the above would net us "premium" talent, but compared to what we are used to, it would probably seem premium.

The players, want the Hawks to be better too. I'm not even sure if it's them wanting to keep Jamal, or that they are afraid it's Jamal or nothing. Unless we do a SnT, it looks like it might be nothing (well, maybe McGrady, unless he is using us to get more money from the Bulls). It will be interesting to see if the ASG goes for the dollar menu again, or if they actually purchase something premium this year.

Another year and another top running back for UGA. Usually we start to hear about the trouble in class or other "issues" in about a year or so. Maybe not this guy though, I hear he is a good kid and actually makes good grades. We shall see...

Yeah!! We get to watch the Celtics and don't even have to purchase League Pass. Oh well, at least the Hawks will get some exposure during some of those games.

It doesn't look too bad at first look. A couple of stretches might be a little tough. Early in the season, @Houston, @Chicago, Miami, @Charlotte, Chicago will be tough. After that though we have a pretty nice stretch of winnable games. Then we have a stretch of @Orlando, Miami, @Lakers, @Phoenix, @Portland, @Chicago, @NYK, and back home against the Magic. I bet a lot of our loses will come from those two stretches of games.

It's exciting to see the arena sold out when it is filled up with mainly Hawks fans. Even when Boston brings all their fans to games, the Hawks fans still out number them and are much more vocal (if it is a close game). Even if we are playing the Lakers close, you hear more Laker cheers and a MVP chant for Kobe when he shoots his frees. To each their own, but I don't think it's exciting watching what appears to be a Lakers home game at Philips Arena.

I'm sure the ASG are upset about this, but thank god for no Lakers in the ATL this year. It is so annoying seeing all of the Lakers fans taking up space at Philips every year.

I like this signing, not sure if it is true or not though. I assume it is for a low rate, so it should be a low risk high reward signing that a team with our financial situation needs to make. I also think this points toward Jamal taking his talents elsewhere. Also, if I'm not mistaken T-Mac has never won a playoff series. I think he will be plenty motivated to work hard and stay healthy assuming the Hawks remain a top 5 team in the East.

First let me say a hello to the Hawksquawk, glad to see we have some conversation going on here again. I checked this page a lot during the lockout and there wasn't much activity, it was pretty sad. Here is to basketball being back! Now for the point of my post. I remember a couple years ago I emailed Levenson and Gearon Jr. and offered some opinions of how they were running our team. I didn't get much back from them, but I do feel like they actually wrote me back with an original email, not one of those "thanks for writing us, blah blah" generic replies. With the ASG holding on to the team, I wonder if they are holding on to it to sell at a later date, or if they are actually committed to owning the Hawks for an extended period. Either way, I think this might be a good time for some of us to voice our opinion to these guys. I can't seem to find their email addresses, but maybe somebody on here has them? They got a lot of bad publicity for what they did to the Thrashers and how they have handled the Hawks. We need to let them hear what we think. Lets face it, the Hawks are at the crossroads. Is our core finally going to be a legit contender? With all of these rumors about CP3 and Howard being available, is this time for us to break up the core and get a legit superstar? It doesn't matter how you feel, you should send them your thoughts. Lets voice our opinion, Hawks fans. Yeah, I know that one of us saying we should trade for CP3 isn't going to be the final piece of the puzzle. The owners should be desperate though to gain back some trust in the Hawks' fan base and Atlanta fans in general. If you come to the Hawksquawk, you are one of the few that really care about this franchise--let them know how you feel.

ESPN and it's stupid polls with stupid results. They probably spend about 5 minutes coming up with this stuff and it always favors the Boston, Chicago and LA teams that actually vote in these things. Was there a poll about Dallas vs LAL game 4? It probably went something like this: What happens in game 4? Lakers come back and win series (62%), Lakers take it to 6 games and lose (35%), Lakers get blown out by 36 (3%)?

Teague has been great but we do miss Hinrich in this series. When Teague got off to the hot start in game 3 to keep us close I knew we were in for a long night because Teague wouldn't play like that all night. Teague has gave us some good offense/intensity but I think our guys sometimes miss Hinrich's poise on the court. We are better when we run but sometimes we need to slow the game down and let it come to us. When we get down big and try and speed the game up it just gives a hot opponent more and more shots, and the deficit just grows each minute (see game 3). And of course we miss Hinrich's defense too. Either way though, does anybody really think we would be leading the series 3-1 if we had Hinrich starting? I think it's pretty much a wash, it would just be nice to have both point guards so we could use each when needed.

Yup, the officials are going to blow the whistle when we look and breathe on Rose. If the officials are calling the game like that, it is really important for our guards to drive and our forwards to bang and force the officials to call fouls on the Bulls too. We can't let the Bulls get 2 points at the stripe and come back and force a three. We got to match easy points for easy points and I think we will be okay because our guys are more capable of making the tough shots.