Hawks Report: Notes, Quotes

[Duff_Man]

Nobody ever posts these, so here's a nice one...

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Hawks report: Notes, quotes Feb. 1, 2006

The Sports Xchange

Notes, quotes · Getting inside · Roster

--Every time you get ready to write the Hawks (12-31) off, they go and do something like they did against the Knicks, 14-29 and losers of eight of their last nine games.

Facing the prospects of a four-game losing streak with just five more home games before the end of February, the Hawks took the Knicks' best shot early and counterpunched their heavy-handed visitors into submission with a combination of hot shooting -- they were 10-for-17 from beyond the three-point line -- and well timed execution; they converted 23 Knicks turnovers into 30 points.

The Hawks played with energy and cohesion missing around these parts for anything more than a spurt the past few weeks. Six different Hawks scored in double-figures for just the second time this season, led by co-captains Al Harrington (26) and Joe Johnson (24).

Harrington and Johnson are both averaging better than 30 points per game against the Knicks, 30.5 and an even 30 respectively, in three games this season. But as well as they played Monday night, it was their supporting cast that really stepped out of the shadows.

Tyronn Lue (11 points) did the damage early, and Josh Childress (15), Marvin Williams (13) and Salim Stoudamire (13) followed it up with stellar play of their own.

"We're just happy we're able to get one of these," Childress said. "That's the first time all season we got up on somebody and stepped on their throat. We needed to keep pushing, and that's what we did. Al and Joe were big; drawing double-teams and finding the open man, and we knocked down shots. That was the key."

--The Knicks made no attempt to disguise a game plan that included going after the Hawks' soft spot in the paint. They outscored the Hawks 50-36 in the paint, including 30 at halftime when the Hawks led 61-53.

But they couldn't keep up the pace or take care of the ball.

The Hawks countered the Knicks' pressure inside by taking care of the ball; they committed just three first half turnovers, and stroked six of their 10 shots from beyond the three-point line; including a 23-footer from Childress with 1.9 seconds to play before the break.

"We started off the night like we wanted to get home," Knicks coach Larry Brown said. "The first half, we didn't get them to turn it over. I think they missed like 28 shots and got 12 offensive rebounds. Every time we went inside, something good happened. And then we were breaking off plays, trying to make great plays, and gave them life. And the half ended terribly."

It was just the beginning for the Hawks.

"I was telling Al (Harrington) and T-Lue (Tyronn Lue) to make sure coach didn't call a timeout in the third when we really got rolling," a smiling Childress said afterwards. "We didn't want anything to interrupt that roll we were on."

--When a team struggles to an 11-31 start, the talk inevitably turns to what changes can be made to jumpstart a team that's struggled basically from the start of the season, save for a brief stint in December.

But Hawks coach Mike Woodson said every team takes a good look inward halfway through the season to determine what moves need to -- and in some cases do not need to -- be made for the remainder of a season.

"I do think there is some thought to re-inventing yourself as a team at this point of the season," Woodson said. "You shake up the roster or the rotation, and if you're struggling, the trade talk is going on. That's just the nature of the business."

Even with one of the most coveted free agents on the roster, co-captain Al Harrington, the Hawks haven't been involved in any significant trade discussions.

"When you're a winning team and you know you have a legitimate shot at winning a title, you sit back and let things play out," Woodson said. "All the other teams are on the outside looking in. Those are the teams that will start to tinker and make moves. Sometimes you think you're making a good move, and it goes the other way. And that too is the nature of the business."

--Knicks coach Larry Brown reworked his starting lineup for Monday night's game against the Hawks by inserting veterans Maurice Taylor and Malik Rose into the starting forward spots alongside Eddy Curry in an attempt to pound the Hawks' paper-thin frontcourt rotation.

Antonio Davis, scheduled to play for the first time after serving a five-game suspension for going into the stands in Chicago two weeks ago, was penciled in to start about 90 minutes before game time.

But a Knicks spokesman informed the media two minutes before the tip that Davis didn't dress while suffering from lower back pain. But the message, Hawks co-captain Al Harrington said, was clear.

The Knicks scored 18 points in the paint during the first quarter alone. "It's not the last time we'll see something like this," he said. "Teams are going to try and attack us inside because they know we don't have the number of bodies most teams have inside. But that just means our forwards, guys like myself and Josh (Smith) have to step up and help take some of the pressure off of Zaza (Pachulia). And we have to use that size advantage against them by playing quicker than they can."

--The contestants for next month's Slam Dunk competition during All-Star Weekend in Houston won't be officially announced until Wednesday, at the earliest.

Count Hawks forward Josh Smith, the defending champion, in on the festivities. Two other contestants, New York rookie Nate Robinson and Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala, have also been identified.

The fourth participant remains a mystery. But the 5-9 Robinson's inclusion coincides with the 20th anniversary of former Hawks high-flyer Spud Webb's win in 1986.

QUOTE TO NOTE

"We've got pride. We don't want to come out every day and get our (behinds) kicked. And sometimes this happens." -- Hawks co-captain Al Harrington, after Monday's blowout win over the Knicks.

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[exodus]

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The Knicks made no attempt to disguise a game plan that included going after the Hawks' soft spot in the paint. They outscored the Hawks 50-36 in the paint, including 30 at halftime

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I would say most teams have that game plan.

[capstone21]

THe Knicks did shoot over 50% against us. They just kept throwing the ball away over and over and over again.

[exodus]

i know it was pretty funny actually. They had 12 turnovers in one quarter.

[lifelong]

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The Knicks made no attempt to disguise a game plan that included going after the Hawks' soft spot in the paint. They outscored the Hawks 50-36 in the paint, including 30 at halftime

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I would say most teams have that game plan.

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either that or "give it to whoever al is guarding."

[Nicholasp27]

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"I was telling Al (Harrington) and T-Lue (Tyronn Lue) to make sure coach didn't call a timeout in the third when we really got rolling," a smiling Childress said afterwards. "We didn't want anything to interrupt that roll we were on."

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sad that he had to tell them to tell coach how to do his job

[Wretch]

Tells me all that I need to know and it is most definitely a sad thing...

I saw that article the other day and thought to myself how many quotes there are out there like that from the players, and from the coach himself.

People talk about the coach, and how it's not his fault that the team is so young and inexperienced and what have you; but for me, the two are separate things. Yes we have a young team, yes we need a PG, yes we need some size...but Woody isn't making any of this any better.