Uncaged

Man! You guys beat me to it. That game i remember like yesterday. It was in the 97 season. For some reason I remember Darrin Hancock played a key role in that comeback. You guys remember him?? I do wish someone could find some footage of that game and particularly the last minute and a half. Speaking of the 97 Hawks. A game I remember a lot was Game 5 against Detroit. That was a fun one. Remember Deke with those crucial blocks and then Smitty hitting that long 3 in the corner followed by his shimmy? LOL Great memories. Other than that, I would say that my most memorable Hawks games would be... 5. Game 5 in 96 vs. The Pacers (Reggie returns from injury) 4. Nique's last game as a Hawks in 94 vs. Seattle. We all kinda knew it was gonna be his last game. Very emotional 3. Game 6 in 88 vs. Boston. (I was only 7 at the time but i remember watching this game with my dad and being so disappointed when Boston won. I pulled it up on youtube after all these years! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIuwkhz-eag 2. Game 7 in 88 vs. Boston. Nuff Said Nique vs. Bird 1. Game 6 in 08. I put this first because I was actually there and the crowd that night was on another level. Give me chills or Chillz just thinking about it. I say Chillz because the Arena exploded when he made that and one layup that sent Pierce to the bench with his 6th foul and the whole crowd sang "Hit the road Jack"!

Well if you would like to buy Smoove and his new bride a new wedding gift. Here's a link to their registry :thumbsupsmileyanim: Josh & Alex's registry

:thumbsupsmileyanim: Congrats to you Graymule and the Mrs.! May you two enjoy your special day and here's to 50 more wonderful years!

What does Delonte West have to do with this? I don't get it. Yes, Lorenzen had his financial difficulties, but from all indications he was a stand up guy and a great father to his children. We only know so much as fans. It's not fair to generalize his situation with others. Bottom line is that it's a very sad story and one no one wants to see happen.

I was hoping it wouldn't come to this but it wasn't looking good. I just pray for his family and his kids. That's a tough thing to deal with...

No doubt. Atlanta is definitely no Cleveland or Detroit. It is definitely a home court advantage in itself because a lot of visiting team's players hit the club scene while in town. It all depends on the player. If you like social events, nightlife, and celebrity lifestlyle; Atlanta is definitely the place to be. If you prefer golfing, amusement parks, and family outings it may be Orlando..

It is a bigger market but I'm starting to wonder if Atlanta is more attractive than an Orlando. Orlando has better climate, no state tax, and a new arena this year. Not saying they're better but they're definitely more attractive living wise than Atlanta.

Thank you. I have said all along that Atlanta can offer N.O. a more attractive package than any of his "wish list" teams. I'm starting to believe that these NBA players are more interested in going to a sexy market than going to a solid basketball team. I laugh at what the New York Knicks would try to send New Orleans in a deal. Galanari, Tony Douglas, Wilson Chandler? No thanks...

nba, I see where you were going with this. I believe Josh's defense is what makes him unlike any player I have seen in the last 20 years. Not saying he's the best but I can't recall a player who (when engaged) can stuff a stat sheet like Josh. Barkley did that on occasion, but his obvious strenghts were scoring and rebounding. I still think for his size (as he likes to say 6'4" and 3/8) he was one of the top 5 rebounders in history.

Great analysis. Sometimes you have to seriously evaluate what you have and roll with it. I'm disappointed that we haven't made any significant changes, but you have a point in the bench improvement. I really think this whole thing hinges on Jeff Teague. To me, if he shows great improvement over last year and pushes Bibby for the starting gig, we are in a good spot. However, if he struggles, then we have a dilemma because we all know of Bibby's defensive issues and his lost ability to attack and draw defenders. We need Teague to be that change of pace guy to run LD's new offense.

I still feel Atlanta can offer the most attractive package of just about any team out there, even Orlando. We can offer young improving players like Al or Josh. Then you have Jamal Crawford, 6th man extraordinaire, with an expiring. Not to mention draft picks. It's a shame that Atlanta doesn't even get mentioned or considered when these type of trade possibilities come up. But that's what happens when your management is not aggressive and open minded enough to even consider such things.

I hope all is ok with him. He was a likeable guy here

Nice find. It's good to hear Josh talking about winning championships :go ahead: I'm also glad to hear the (lack of) fear of the Miami Heat. Even though they made some big moves the players can't be rattled by that. Us fans can panic but the players have to keep their composure even though the rest of the world has improved their squads. It'll be interesting to see him in LD's system. Hopefully he means serious business about abandoning the 3 and the long jumper. Work on his handles and his 12-15 jumper and we will be looking at a 2011 NBA All Star.

I'm watching TV right now and they're talking about Chris Paul wanting to leave N.O. You can't tell me that the Knicks, Blazers, Mavs or even the Magic can offer a more attractive package than our Hawks. You have a young Josh Smith, Al Horford, an expiring contract from 6th man Jamal Crawford. Not to mention draft picks. Rick Sund should be on the phone right now. NO ONE on our team is untouchable. After the Orlando debacle, player 1 thru 12 should've been put on notice that that type of piss poor performace is unacceptable. That's the difference from the Hawks model and that of championship teams. Champions don't sit on players who are underperforming their contracts just because there's a hope he'll turn a corner. They evaluate properly and react quickly. Chris Paul could've been a Hawk 5 years ago and he could be a Hawk this season. The question is, will our passive management make it happen. I say no.

I agree. I happen to trust Sund more than any GM Atlanta has ever had. He has been hand tied financially. If he had a budget like the big spenders this offseason had, I believe he would make some moves and would do the necessary things to build this team into a contender. But when you have 9 different owners who can't seem to get out of each other's way what can you do?