00Blink

I don't think we truly have a rival yet.  We need sustained success accompanied by back and forth wins and tension/bitterness to get there.  Nothing makes it more clear than the diversity of answers on this thread and the inclusion of a team like Golden State as our rival:  never met in the playoffs, no significant victory or loss (involving both teams) in the history of the franchises, no bad blood between the teams, individual players or fan bases...ladies and gent I give you our biggest rival!  

 

In the near term, Cleveland and anyone in the SE Division have the potential to be our rival of the day if circumstances play out right.  For Cleveland to be that team, we have to put their fans in fear that they might actually lose in the playoffs to us.  We aren't there yet.

I agree with the 'what it takes to be a rival' assessment 100%. And for the reasons you stated above, that is why I go with Wiz.

There is bad blood, at least from the Wiz perspective. Wall talking about we intentionally tried to hurt him and we intentionally went after his hand. Beal stating that they should've flat out won the series - disrespecting us. And of course the drama and excitement that Paula Pierce brought for one year. He ignited the rivalry! Just like the Boston series a few years back between him and Horford and him and Joe Johnson (Joe choking at the line and Paul Pierce taunting - CLASSIC). Don't forget the 'did you call glass?'...<pause>...'I call game'. That was some good $hit right there - another CLASSIC!!

The playoff series brought excitement, drama, intrigue, and relevance to the rival. I think it continues as both teams get better and improves and truly becomes eastern conference contenders. Add to the fact that we are in the same division and yeah, I call Wiz our rivals.

First, this is my all time Hawks list. Second, the best TALENT, isnt always the arbritator of who wins. Its how they PLAY TOGETHER.

 

How Shaq and Kareem BOTH gonna play in the starting five? NEITHER has a jump shot. lmao  Baylor. Look, i dont count ANYBODY who played back in Baylor's days. The best talent WASNT in the NBA. Thats why i left Petit off my all time Hawks team. I know that will be met with lots of criticizism, but it is what it is.......

I can agree with EVERYTHING you said. Chemistry 'can' trump talent but it takes A LOT of chemistry to trump talent. It is rare as well. See Detroit vs Lakers and that is the only time that chemistry has truly trumped talent. Well, also maybe Spurs vs Heat because Miami clearly had better talent but didn't have the chemistry and pedigree of the Spurs.

Also, counting old school players and comparing their game is a bit asinine. However, from late 70s on up should be fair game. And we would still lose by a long shot. Even with Shaq and Kareem, look at the twin towers. Kareem didn't have a jumpshot, he had a LETHAL, DEADLY, UNSTOPPABLE, jump hook.

All in all, we don't stand a snowballs chance in Hades.

This is nice and all, but NONE of them is Top 5 at their position. The Lakers ENTIRE squad is Top 3 at their position aside from Elgin, who in his own right, is underrated. There is still no comparison. The talent level is not equal.

The squad you came up with would play ole matador defense ... 

 

I think a squad of 

 

Mookie / Joe / Nique / Al / Deke would beat that Hawks team

 

There is more then scoring that is needed to win a game.  Fundamentals and Defense are just as important

Please don't leave out talent and there is a clear difference in talent.

All this talk about alltime teams... between Chicago and LAL.

 

Shaq proposes Himself, Kareem, Baylor, Kobe, and Magic... as the starting 5 for the Lakers.

 

OK.

 

He challenged Pippen and the Bulls... and that's all well and good.  But What about the Hawks.  We have never had championship competition on this team at the same time.. but if you pull out our allstar team, I have:

 

 

Deke, Petit, Nique, Maravich, and Hudson.

 

That team is dominant.   However, since I don't really consider Petit to be an Atlanta Hawk.... My one change is this:

 

Deke, Moses Malone, Nique, Maravich, and Hudson....

 

I didn't even have to use:  Horford, Joe Johnson, Shareef, Mookie, Korver, Sap, Teague, Rollins, Hagan, Drew, or any of those other guys who could have been up there.  This 5, I believe can compete with Shaq's 5... and probably beat them.

Sometimes you have some good ones Diesel and make valid points in your debates. However, this is not one of those times. That would be a MASSACRE and it would not be in the same realm of realities for us to beat them on their WORST night.

Lakers have Top 3 IN HISTORY at every position:

Magic - #1 Point Guard

Kobe - #2 Shooting Guard

Baylor - old school underrated (name not mentioned with elites enough)

Kareem - Top 3 center (debatable #1; my #1 but too  many greats - Olajuwon, Shaq, Robinson, Wilt, Russell)

Shaq - Top 3 center (see above)

                 vs.

Pistol - old school - Top 10 in history (too many PGs above him)

Sweet Lou - nice player - but not top 20

Nique - bias kicks in (Top 5 Small Forward) - maybe definitely Top 7-8

Petit - see pistol Pete (Top 15 PF - maybe)

Moses - GREAT player - Top 7-10 center

Deke - good, not great player, but excellent defender and rebounder, not intimidated by ANYONE

All of that to say - NO COMPARISON

Is there a sense where helping San Antonio helps us? If we are Spurs east than the Spurs doing well makes us more attractive to other players.

Honestly I think the Splitter deal was a win-win for both teams. Did SA trade with us as a favor? Maybe there were 3-4 teams that wanted him for nothing, but the Spurs helped us with some front court depth plus gave Splitter a desirable team situation.

If I could like this 5 times over, I would.

#TRUTH!!

We are keeping moose

We will trade Mack or Scott before letting moose go

I DEFINITELY would like Moose over either of those two even though I do like Scott quite a bit. I just like EVERYTHING that Moose brings outside of him needing to gain some core strength and muscle mass. He plays interior and can kick out to the midrange and perimeter. He does not appear to be intimidated by anyone. He tries and attacks/defend EVERY shot. He hustles and has a decent offensive game in the post.

To top it all off, he rebounds at a pretty nice clip. I like Moose. Moose for Prez!! Well, 8-9 man anyway.

Well, the Splitter deal hasn't happened yet.  There are some options to make it happen...  Moreover, DMC isn't gone yet either.  We can SNT DMC for Luke Ridnour.  DMC still gets his 4 year 60 and he have Bird rights next year.  We get a Nonguaranteed deal that we can trade for Splitter.  Yep, it's that new math.  

However, with no other deals for other NG contracts, I think Daye is definitely gone.. and Muscala may not make it either.  Depends on where Lebron sets the Salary cap.   I have read that it will be 69 Million instead of 67.1 Million.  

 

Yeah.  But it's NG this year.  I think he can be cut for Cap.

If we could only somehow swing that SnT for DeMarre, with a NG contract, that would be sweeeet!!

But, would we be able to trade Ridnour to the Spurs after we picked him up in a trade? I thought we wouldn't be able to until around mid December, correct? Anywho...

I'm still bitter about the fact the Hawks didn't really leave it all on the court. I just felt like they stopped playing Hawks basketball and regressed to the Hawks of the past. Yeah fatigue and injuries were a factor, but I thought playing as a team could help alleviate some of that. Instead, they went 'iso'  and embarrassed themselves doing so to be completely honest. All the high BBIQ went out the window and I'm still baffled how or why that was allowed to happen.

The sums up the ECF implosion. I cannot believe the coaching of CMB. He would take Teague out when he was hot and we were up or at least competing and put in Schröder. Then the dam breaks loose.

Rust?

Tweak?

Or the Hawks just FINALLY have a complete series and step up against the unsurmountable, in formidable King and WIN??!!

All Hail Coach Bud and Danny Ferry!

Here! Here!

I was so ticked off then Pierce hit that shot that I turned the TV off.  I heard my daughter still screaming at the TV in another room, before I realized what happened.  That series was really about as close as it could have been.  GO HAWKS.  BEAT THE CAVS!!!!

The best part about it is that Pierce get to go home thinking...what could've been...a nanosecond!!!

I think the Wiz go after him because they already know that he isn't a 'regular' rotation guy and that he is inexperienced. If he would've been a regular part of the rotation, they probably wouldn't attack him 'as much'.

However, they have went at everyone of our big men. They went to Gortat last night late in the game, when he got that bounce that initially hit BELOW/DIRECT HIT at the rim and bounced up and in. Everyone was asking, 'how did that go in?'

All of that to say, you're on the court in a playoff game, they are DEFINITELY going to go after inexperienced players.

The Wiz were comfortable playing Pierce at the 4 against Sap, even though Sap was abusing him. It doesn't diminish what Pierce brought on the floor, at the position at that point in the game.

Moose brings length, rebounding, offense and hustle. Maybe not the post defense of Pero but definitely the help defense and altering of shots. Also, Pero is camped out at the 3 point line. How can he get any ORebs?

I take Musky for who he is, what he does. Give this man more PT until he shows more liability than reliability.

Wow! What an article. GREAT read!! How can you not LOVE Koonin?!

Thanks Jaybird

Fair matchup to me! So no excuses...go Hawks dammit!

And stay injury free...it's about that time to start resting and not playing too intense! We don't need the win remember that!

This is my take on this. We don't NEED the win. I think we wait until the last two weeks of the season to start fine tuning the game and get back to what got us here. Until then, I will play my bench EXTENDED minutes with some starting at times.

Honestly...  

 

I don't think it matters to these guys at all.  It's not about getting respect anymore, because they have it.  Now it's all about the W and if key guys aren't suited up, sucks for them.

Yeah, respect has been earned for the regular season. Still being disrespected in regards to the playoffs. I don't think we need this win as bad as the Warriors do. We are on a 6 game road trip and have won 2 already, with injured starters and resting starters. Albeit it was against weaker teams in the Conference but as you said, 'it's all about the W'.

 I would rest our starters.

Media would EXPLODE against the Hawks with a rotation of Schröder, Mack, Baze, Muscala, Brand, Pero, Jenkins with Korver, Thabo, and Scott injured and Horford, Teague, Sap, and JYD resting.

That is okay. It would be ugly and embarrassing.

I figured some guys would sit for them. Both coming from the Spurs, I wish Kerr and Bud sat out more guys including Curry just to stick it to BSPN.

And you know what? I can't find myself to disagree with this.

It is well documented that Pop does it his way, like the time he sat his starter's against Miami and David Stern fined him. With the injury bug very active at this point, I would not mind sitting a few more starters.

How do you guys feel about this? I wanted them at their full strength to see how we fair against them. I know we are undermanned as well, but this would be a great test for our rotation players and depth.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/237090/Klay-Thompson-Out-7-10-Days-With-Ankle-Sprain

WTH am I saying? I am ecstatic about this. We are missing key players as well. Should still be a good game.

Hard to say who is more vital:  Klay Thompson vs Korver, Scott, Thabo?

Dubs still have a deep team.

Klay Thompson <<< Korver, Scott, Thabo

Nothing would be sweeter than eating crow over all those times I said we need a superstar to win a championship while looking at this (with a 2015 on it):

 

 

We've got post-season work to do before we put a dent in all those years driving the narrative "you are extremely unlikely to win a championship without a superstar" and nothing would make me happier than seeing that work completed!

Also, add the replace the 'ughh' logo with the PAC logo. And add yellow diamonds as the basketball on top of the trophy.

I think the PAC logo brought some fans back as well. It was well-liked, and well-received when it returned. Vince Vaughan wore the PAC t-shirt on the intern. Made me proud.

You would think the First Lady of Hawksquawk would get free tickets and a police escort.  That would be True to Atlanta.

If the Bird Lady gets comped from time to time, then the First Lady should get comped from time to time.

Hahaha...it's killing the hubby's wallet.

Tell him it's your duty as the first lady of Hawksquawk

All this winning is killing my pocket book :-(.

I'm getting priced out of section 116.

Do like me and get a wallet. 

J/k

@00Blink http://www.nba.com/2015/news/features/sekou_smith/01/16/week-11-kia-race-to-the-mvp-ladder-damian-lillard-portland-trail-blazers-rises-ranks/index.html

Thanks Madame President.

You're not always there when I call, but you're always on time!!