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Acie Law didn't give up 127 points by himself. On top of that, Bibby is probably the worst perimeter defender on the team, and certainly wouldn't help have helped the defensive performance very much. Considering that we were annihilated by Al Thornton and Zack Randolph, to boot, I seriously doubt having a different point guard would have made that much of a difference. You might talk about our offensive efficiency-well we average 98 points per game, and scored 97. It was the defense, and it appeared as though the Hawks were making a concerted effort to prove that Al Thornton was the best player on the floor. That's the big problem, not the offensive "flow", among all vague things to cite.

I doubt Mike Bibby would have scored and/or created 30 points had he played, and it's very doubtful that he would have prevented Al Thornton from doing the same. Honestly, we removed our worst perimeter defender from the game and proceeded to have one of our worst defensive performances of the year. The Hawks just didn't want to win this game. I can't say anything more.

It was cool to have a game that was actually won at the FT line, instead of being lost because of it.

Bibby is worth using as a spot up shooting in the fast break game as well-a weapon is a weapon.

Huh? Emeka Okafor had as many rebounds as Josh, Marvin, Horford, and Evans (4 of our starting 5) combined. I'd say it was an overall very poor job of crashing the boards against a team that starts Adam Morrison and Boris Diaw at forward (not the roughest and toughest in the NBA, certainly). Zaza Pachulia led the team in rebounding-he got as many as Raymond Felton. The fact is, it was a poor, poor job of rebounding against a team that has one legit big (Okafor) and one retread who can't catch on anywhere (Diop).

I'm beginning to have a change of heart about our offense. I used to think that we needed to get the ball out of JJ's hands in order to help JJ get easier opportunities to score. While that's still true, I'm beginning to believe that we actually need him to play like a big offensive PG for this team. Maybe it's a function of the offensive scheme, but Bibby has been at his best as a spot up shooter. In fact, a lot of his best facilitating jobs are done off of a shot fake-he gets defenders lunging at him to get hands in his face or even up in the air, and he's able to force mismatches that way. So Marvin has to be the second scoring option and really the second ball-handler, as we take advantage of Bibby's ability to hit open threes. Bibby can't really create his own shots-he's never been the most fleet of foot, and right now, he just can't create things for himself off the dribble. He sure can hit shots, though. I'm thinking that we need to utilize him as mostly a man floating around the perimeter, waiting to catch shot opportunities, and seeing if he can set screens to force a switch whenever Marvin has the ball. Basically, you'd run the offense where JJ is the primary ball handler who looks to pass early, Marvin is the second option who looks to get open either off the dribble or off the ball and is the man primarily responsible for feeding the post, while you make sure to set up Bibby for whatever open shots he can find.

Also, I simply can't be satisfied with 3 rebounds from a starting PF in 35 minutes. Maybe it's not the same, but I think he needs to mature as a player and block out, and attack the boards with zest. More maturity would be realizing that he's not a wing player, and part of his responsibility as a player should be to bring down boards on both sides of the floor. It's not like he lacks the ability, strength, or athleticism to be a good rebounder, he just lacks the fundamentals and determination.

Actually, I've discovered that if I close MY eyes when he shoots free throws, he often makes them. Most of the time I want to shut my eyes anyway when he's up there shooting.

Giving away a loss now in the hope that it turns in three wins later. Plus, Popovich knows his team is going to the playoffs, and iwll have a fairly high seed. If his guys are still fresh when the playoffs start, that's huge. Even if his guys don't win MORE games in the regular season as a result, the difference between 57 and 56 wins doesn't really matter to the Spurs. Both probably result in playoff spots with a 2/3 seed.

That's pretty much my point. I mean, you can't really compare the Spurs to the Hawks, since the Spurs have a bench and are second in their conference, plus they actually have a decent bench. But then again, part of the reason they have a bench is because they have a coach who will let those guys loose. Obviously, we could never get away with resting Bibby, JJ, and Josh-that would be fugly to watch-but you could certainly give someone a night off here or there, or even just let your guys know that they'll only get 20 minutes or so one night-keep them fresher.

How's that for the "it's a long season" mentality? Following an overtime win against Golden State, he elected to give all of his big 3 the night off just to get them some rest on the back-to-back. None of them are playing tonight against Denver, who, by the way, trail them in the standings by just two games. There's no way that Woodson would ever do that against any opponent, much less a good team close in the standings. Popovich knows that it's a long season and that he can get more out of his players by keeping them fresh instead of getting 40 mediocre minutes from his best player every night. That's the difference between Woodson and the better coaches in the NBA.

Great blog post Sunday, February 1, 2009 Why Not Forfeit? Bill Russell had a famous approach to his attitude regarding playing games. He said that the game was on the schedule, you have to play it, you might as well win. That approach says a lot about how his Boston Celtic teams were not just merely great, but all time great. Let's just say the Atlanta Hawks have not embraced that philosophy. In fact, one might say that the team has adopted a different approach and to the untrained (read: HHB) eyes, it looks a little like this: We are going to play the way that each individual feels like playing. We're going to seek to do the bare minimum and try to win. We're going to give effort in spurts and hope that's enough to beat this team. If more energy or execution is required to win the game, then we won't win the game. This alleged approach has led the Hawks to look the part of a disinterested, disjointed squad---and the results have reflected as such. Against the Bucks on Saturday night, the Hawks looked as if playing defense was a foreign language to them as Milwaukee and their roster of journeymen and neverwillbes paraded to the hoop like a charity game. Sometimes the lack of interest in defending the easiest of shots was so profound, the HHB thought the Hawks were paid promotional patsies for the home team. The fact that the game appeared close only highlights the fact that, should the Hawks have showed ANY interest on the defensive end, this game would have been as much a laugher as the game in Atlanta was. That these Bucks shot 52 percent, scored 110 points and had a whopping 52 points in the paint tells a strong story about a team that appeared to try and show up with their talent and win. It was wasted minutes by all Hawks involved. We will say this---we try to find the light heartedness in the midst of a long season. The HHB tries not to take things too seriously in the context of one game out of 82. But--- If the Hawks don't permanently break out of the habit of taking the other team's temperature to see how hard they may have to play to win, they will go nowhere this season. If the Hawks don't approach defense, especially in the paint, with more attention and dedication, they will go nowhere this season. The Hawks tried to show up and win---and failed. It's an approach that seems to have become their calling card since a successful December. There could be a number of excuses why: fatigue, malaise, injuries---but there is no excuse for not being ready to give yourself the best chance to win every night. It's an attitude---and the one the Hawks are currently displaying doesn't get the job done in the NBA. And if they need to find one that does, they should refer to Mr. Russell. End communique. Posted by Jason Walker at 5:20 AM He highlights exactly the way I feel about this team right now.

Does it matter? Woody always substitutes with two fouls. He did the exact same thing to JJ last year in the playoffs, even though JJ has only fouled out of two games the entire time he's been an Atlanta Hawk. Bibby sits because that's Woodson's immediate reaction every single time. But I did like one thing Woodson did last night-he kept Smoove out of the second half. It's not like Josh was having a horrible game, but Woodson saw that the floor combination he had was having a lot of success, and he just let those guys keep playing. He did something that I wasn't sure he had the capacity to do-he recognized what was working and just stuck with it. And with Smoove barely playing in the second half, Atlanta outscored new Jersey 50-35. Actually it was more like 50-32 if you ignore the last two minutes when he dusted off the bench.

Geez, I take a further look at the schedule, and it's a murderers row after the all-star break all the way to the end of the season. 29 games following the break. Hawks opponents include: 2 games against the Lakers. 2 games against the Celtics. 2 games against the Cavaliers. 1 game against Orlando. 1 game against New Orleans. 1 game against San Antonio. 1 game against Dallas. 2 games against Portland. 1 game against Denver. 2 games against Miami. 1 game against Detroit. 2 games against Utah (better than their record, IMO). 1 game against Philadelphia. Going to need to be at their best for that.

Kind of makes me wonder if the Hawks secretly signed Cuttino Mobley, then asked him to wear a headband and the number 22 jersey.

Well, the Hawks sure showed us!

Hawks shot 84% from the line against New Jersey. True, Josh Smith didn't attempt a free throw and has been one of the main culprits, but maybe the team hit the tipping point with their shooting woes, and have now been taken to task appropriately. Plus, I also started closing my eyes when the Hawks were attempting free throws, and it seems to have really made an impact. On a serious note, Joe Johnson responded to being named an All-star by playing like an All-star. Mike Bibby chose the exact same game to come out of his funk. It's funny how those two are almost the only guys that seem to matter for Atlanta. They go through a serious funk at the same time, and Atlanta has no chance. Nevermind that Josh Smith played incredible for 9 games, Flip Murray is having perhaps the best month of his career, and Marvin Williams has added a few strong performances. Tonight, Atlanta controlled the game against a team who had been giving them fits all season, and Josh Smith was MIA pretty much the entire second half. Now, it's not that we don't want Josh Smith to continue playing well, we just need him to do it alongside JJ and Bibby. If he continues to play well and JJ is truly out of his slump, Hawks could be poised to make a run. Here's the upcoming schedule leading up to the all-star break. 1/31, at Milwaukee: This is a team we just blew out by 30 last week. It will be tougher at their place, and it will be on the end of a back-to-back, but they played tonight also. They're missing Michael Redd, and when we beat them last week, JJ had a horrible game. Hawks should win this. 2/4, at Minnesota: Timberwolves are playing better but certainly are no powerhouse. Hawks will be coming off of three days rest, and this is really a team they should beat. Minnesota will be playing on the end of a back-to-back, so they could be a bit tired. 2/6, at Charlotte: Again, certainly not a powerhouse. Hawks have to avoid coming out flat against these guys, but there's a chance Al will be back to help with Okafor. They'll be without Gerald Wallace, so Atlanta just needs to make sure DJ Augustin doesn't drop 30 on them. Hopefully we'll use Marvin to guard Diaw and limit him-Diaw has played very well lately. 2/7, vs LA Clippers: Camby is back, but it doesn't really matter since he played when the Hawks beat them in their own building two weeks ago. Bench play will be important in this one because the Clippers have had the opportunity to develop their own bench with lots of injuries to the starters. The Clippers just aren't a very good team, and even though Baron Davis will be playing, he's not gelling with his teammates the way they'd want. Again, while Atlanta will be playing the second of a back-to-back, so will the Clippers. A very winnable game. 2/10, vs Washington: Please, for goodness' sake, don't lose at home to the Wizards. 2/11, at Detroit: On paper, this is the only game that looks tough. Allen Iverson is, as well all know, a Hawk killer just like Vince Carter...only even worse. If the Hawks take care of business leading up to this game and then knock off Detroit, it would really put some distance between them. Detroit has games vs Cleveland, vs Miami, at Milwaukee, vs Phoenix, and at Chicago between now and then. Last meeting between Atlanta and Detroit was a low-scoring affair; only Bibby and Al Horford played very well in that meeting. Atlanta still won, 85-78. Detroit isn't the best home team in the league, but Atlanta will still need to being its A-game in order to win this one. Best case scenario: 7-0, with 34 wins at the break and a secure hold on fourth place (with a chance, albeit a small one, of being in position to make a run on the top 3). My prediction: 5-2, with 32 wins and a 1 game lead over the Pistons. Worst case: 2-5, with 29 wins, and sitting in 6th place in the standings-with Philadelphia making a push for 6th.

The more I look at it, the more this seems like a JJ iso play. The good news is that there's a few other things going on. But there's also some things that confuse me, and what seems like a poor attempt to get someone other than JJ a shot. The play is apparently triggered by a guard on the right side (I'm assuming JJ). There's a man in each corner, with a man in the low post on the left side of the paint, and another man a bit higher on the right side. The first motion seems to come from the right corner-that's more of a guess than anything else-who goes inside and gets a screen from the man in the high(ish) post, then cuts back out to the three point line. Then the high post man flashes out and sets a screen for the ball handler to cut underneath out to the other side-this is the main motion on the play. On the other side, and I imagine this would come at the same time, the man in the left corner cuts down toward the paint and attempts to get a screen from the low post player on that side. You end up with with the ball handler on the left side of the court, with a low post player somewhere to that side, your other low post man is at the top of the cicle, you have a guard apparently down on the baseline, and another guard at the three point line-this looks exactly like the floor spacing we have on every single ISO JJ play we run. There's a few problems. The first motion (what I'm assuming is the first motion) doesn't look like it will get that guard open on that side. He comes back out too close to the ball handler, so that guy can essentially guard two players at that moment. I imagine the goal might be to force a switch with the post defender and the man who's defending that guard, but with that guard just reversing back to the same side, that screen probably won't be effective. Then, on the other side, you've got a man who doesn't seem like he's supposed to be anything except trying to set a screen (HAS to be Zaza). He basically just stands there and has no real place to go. And I don't like that the screen isn't really near the baseline. The thing that coaches like about setting screens right on the baseline is that, if the defender cuts underneath the screen, he's completely behind the basket and out of the play, and that's how to set up a good backdoor cutter-defender can't really do anything except try to foul, or go over the top. If you set the screen out in front of the basket like that, the defender can go underneath and still remain between his man and the basket. And, of course, your biggest problem is that, after all that motion, your floor spacing kind of sucks. You've got two guys in the low post, on opposite sides of the paint (one of whom is a guard or SF), a post player at the elbow, and a guard out at the three point line where there's no passing angle. This is fairly typical for our floor spacing-one guy on the baseline, and three guys kind of clustered around on the weak side, while JJ tries to beat a man off the dribble. Of course, that's simply how I interpreted some scribbles on his clipboard. I didn't see the order in which he drew out the motion, nor did I hear his explanation, so there's a good chance that I completely screwed up who's going where and who's got the ball, and a very good chance that I don't know in what order these motions are occurring. EDIT: Just for clarity, the play I'm talking about isn't the one in the photo above, but the one where you can see Zaza's back acne and Woodson has his mouth open.

His jumpshooting wasn't even all that great. I mean, it was stellar by his standards, but... He went 3/5 on his jumpshots in the first 10 minutes of the game. After that, he was 1/5 shooting. So it was a 4/10 night on 2 point jumpers, which is certainly not eyepopping.

Josh Smith was busy arguing with the official that Harrington had just traveled. He was definitely out of the play, mentally.

Caption: Zaza: Hey, how about setting a screen on the baseline? Woodson's only response was to make ^ that ^ face until the timeout ended.

Marv did play over 40 minutes tonight. Honestly, don't think you could have expected anything more form MArvin tonight. 28 points on 9-13, a block, a steal, no turnovers. We could have forced the ball in to him more, but our problem is that we're already forcing the ball in to one guy. We still could have won, though, without Bibby and JJ playing well. Two big problems. 1) Missed 15 free throws, lost by 8. Josh Smith alone missed 8 free throws. Hey guys, maybe you need to practice your free throw shooting. I mean, hate to say it, but it kinda sucks right now. 2) We were killed on the boards...even though Zaza played only 28 minutes and had 10 boards. Sometimes he gets the Acie Law treatment-he's forced out of the game even when he's playing extremely well and contributing. I wonder if he's back in Mike Woodson's doghouse. Zaza could be extremely useful on nights like tonight where, for most of the game, the biggest player he'd have to matchup with is David Lee or Al Harrington. Not only that, in those 28 minutes, he took only 5 shots, making 4. Give the big man some love when he's got things working, please? I'm okay with benching him on those nights when it's obvious he can't keep up/match up/do anything positive, but against a team like the Knicks, he deserves a lot more.

I'm being random, but why did you use European numbers for the other polls, then switched to Roman numerals for this one? Did you do this immediately after repeatedly typing Acie Law IV ?

I voted for Marvin, but I'm realizing I shouldn't have. Somehow, Laettner stuck in memory as being indifferent defensively, but I'm having a hard time finding anything that backs that up. He certainly didn't have the best time of it during the playoffs, but Marvin was mostly ineffective against the Celtics last year, so he wins that comparison. Laettner did turn the ball over a ton for a PF, though. Kind of like J-Smoove does, only Laettner was even worse if you go by TO%.

Almost voted for Collier on sentimental purposes, but it's clearly Zaza there. Nothing against Nazr, but he was on the Hawks teams that made me hate the NBA for a couple of years. Even putting that bias aside, Zaza would probably still slightly edge Nazr out because he's really been very good for us this year. Why even go Smoove vs Kukoc? I mean, I had to look this up, but Kukoc was a Hawk for a whopping 76 games.