This team's success lies with....

[Diesel]

Speedy.

If Speedy can build on the season that he had last year and if he can stay healthy, he'd be one of the keys to our success. Of course, we'd like a little better low post defense, however, as Shelden plays more minutes, we will get more Post defense.

However, there's no one else who can do for this team what Speedy can do.

[Dragitoff]

I think the most important thing is getting everyone healthy, and that includes Speedy. I gotta' say, I really like our chances once everyone gets going.

Speedy/Lue/Ivey

JJ/Salim

Marvin/Chillz

Smoove/Shelden

ZaZa/Lo/SoLo

That's a good rotation with alot of depth.

[GoDawgs21]

Everyone is saying this and that about the Hawks, Moore rips into BK today in the paper. How bout one media guy wait just to see what we have. Everyone was excited about the possibilites coming into the season.

We have been far more competative in every game, losing in close ones. Everyone is pointing fingers even though we are 8 games ahead of last years pace.

So there is one thing I don't understand that hasn't being said.

Our starting lineup projected for the season has started ONE F$##@%#ING GAME TOGTHER.

Say what you want about this team, but the lineup we all looked forward to of Speedy, JJ, Marv, SMith, and Zaza. Has started only one game with that lineup (being Sat. vs Chicago).

I want to know another team in the league that has had to deal with 3 starters missing for time. I would have loved to seen the press if Denver hadn't got AI. If they would have gone 4-11 or 5-10 during the stretch with all of the suspension people would give George Karl a key to the f'ng city saying "He held them close till everyone got back". I am the biggest Woody hater, but to judge this team is unfair. I love Moore writing this column now after Speedy post two straight games with 11 assist. Maybe you should have written this back when he was hurt, or before he got 5 + steals in 3 straight games. OOPS!

We are one game out of the playoffs, and just now are getting all our players back. We have played 13 road games compared to 10 home games, with basically half our starting line up. We have already gone through one of our 2 West road trips.

Jump ship if you want, but its ludacris for anyone to say anything so far. Nobody knows what this team is really capable of. How bout we give our starting lineup 10 games to play before we even say anything good or bad.

For all the chicken littles out there yelling about that sky, take a deep breath.

[jerrywest]

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Our starting lineup projected for the season has started ONE F$##@%#ING GAME TOGTHER.

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and we were missing our #6 and #7 in that game with #8(SW) playing injured. Our #1 was rusty in his first game from injury. Having said that, even if Woody had an all star team, he wouldn't know how to play Xs and Os with the offense. I must say he is an awesome defensive co-ordinator though.

[TheDude]

good post godawgs. i ripped Moore in that dumb article. compares us to the Jazz but gives them an extra year?

[exodus]

Point taken but keep in mind that injuries aren't unique to the Hawks. We got spoiled because the Hawks were one of the healthiest teams in the league last year.

Just look at the franchise players that are out now. Off the top of my head there are Shaq, Bosh, McGrady and Allen. All teams have to deal with injuires at some point. If you go down the rosters of all the teams you won't find many that don't have key players out.

[GoDawgs21]

Point taken exodus, but my question was what team with 3 starters missing over 5 games ???????????? Your list is from teams, Allen hurt still have Redd, Ridnour, etc playing all games. Shaq, still had DWade, Williams, Haslam, Walker, etc.

For 10 games we played without our starting PG, 15 games without our starting SF and second scoring option, 5 games without the number 4 scorer in the league. Then now 16 without our number 6 guy that was avg 14/7.

Honestly I'm not even goin to speak of the dribbling machine known as Lue, I hate to say this, but with his no defense dribblin antics, I know I will get slammed for this, but I want to see if we are better without him. I know he is our locker room guy, but honeslty i want 5 games without him, as a trial. If we are worse so be it i was wrong, but at least see if we can trade him for something else we need (i.e. a replacemnt for LO)

Back to my point, yes other teams have injuries but name one team that has had 3 starters out for more then 5 games this early in the season. That's espically hard when most of our games have been road games.

[Dragitoff]

As much as Lue slows things down for this team, I think we have to have him too in order to be successfull. We have no depth at PG behind Speedy and I really don't want JJ running the point again this season even if for short spurts. We need as much depth and scoring opportunities as we can get, and like him or not, Lue can score. I think his slowing the game down a little might be why we're able to play better defensively since the team is more structured and paced. If we ran wide open all the time, we would have alot more TO's than we do.

[exodus]

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Back to my point, yes other teams have injuries but name one team that has had 3 starters out for more then 5 games this early in the season.

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That isn't that big a deal. Just look at what the Bobcats, Houston, Denver and Indy had to deal with last year. The Hawks situation isn't even close.

[jerrywest]

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As much as Lue slows things down for this team, I think we have to have him too in order to be successfull. We have no depth at PG behind Speedy and I really don't want JJ running the point again this season even if for short spurts. We need as much depth and scoring opportunities as we can get, and like him or not, Lue can score. I think his slowing the game down a little might be why we're able to play better defensively since the team is more structured and paced. If we ran wide open all the time, we would have alot more TO's than we do.

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Lue's pounding, chucking and defense create less chemistry problems when he's with the 2nd unit. Actually, his strengths get better utilized as a bench player as well. Lue and everyone else has figured that out already. That is why, he wants to come of the bench. Unfortunately, due to Speedy's injuries Lue played majority of his minutes like a starter and played mostly with and against starters. If Speedy is on both legs, I think Lue will play even better as a backup now since his new found confidense. If we trade Lue without adequate replacement, and Speedy gets injured, which he sooner or later will, we'll go on a prolonged losing streak.

Injuries are a part of NBA and we were not part of NBA last year, but it looks like injury gods have decided to make up for it. Do you think any NBA team had as many injuries as us? I doubt it. If we had an old team this would be understdable, but this team is too young to go through an epidemic. I guess sometimes injuries have dominos effect. Injuries make other players play too many minutes and that contributes to more injuries. Lue, Chillz and JJ seems to have suffered from injuries that were results of too much pressure on their legs.

[Swatguy]

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As much as Lue slows things down for this team, I think we have to have him too in order to be successfull. We have no depth at PG behind Speedy and I really don't want JJ running the point again this season even if for short spurts. We need as much depth and scoring opportunities as we can get, and like him or not, Lue can score. I think his slowing the game down a little might be why we're able to play better defensively since the team is more structured and paced. If we ran wide open all the time, we would have alot more TO's than we do.

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Good point, it is not difficult to see the benefit of Ty Lue. He is a guy that lays it out on the court without reservations. He can flat shoot, handle the rock and makes good decisions. To contrast with Speedy, defenders are forced to adjust. Lue comes in and opponents have to substitute. Salim is learning to be a better "point", but Lue is without a doubt the better backup on this team. Bozeman may develope into a good backup but he is not much different from Ivey. In fact Ivey is better than Bozeman today.

Back to Diesel, I agree. Speedy is the player right now that is able to make the biggest difference. JJ is a constant. Lue is a constant. Smith, Shelden and everyone else needs Speedy. Marvin needs to assert himself and make Basketball plays. Particularly Shooting a jumpshot when the opponent is in the penalty at the end of the game was costly. He should have went to the hole and drew the foul.

Woody is not as bad as some say. The players need to respond better and react less.

[jerrywest]

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Back to my point, yes other teams have injuries but name one team that has had 3 starters out for more then 5 games this early in the season.

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That isn't that big a deal. Just look at what the Bobcats, Houston, Denver and Indy had to deal with last year. The Hawks situation isn't even close.

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I think their injuries were much longer, right? Ours were short but just as deep, specially with so many young players.

Only Smoove and Shelden have played every game, and we have only played 23 games. Shelden has not been at 100% for a while. If we had depth he would have taken a week off and give his shoulder some time to recover.

[exodus]

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Honestly I'm not even goin to speak of the dribbling machine known as Lue, I hate to say this, but with his no defense dribblin antics, I know I will get slammed for this, but I want to see if we are better without him.

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Lue is a great role player. The problem is that his role got too big with the injuries and Speedy's struggles. He was playing too many minutes and they were relying too heavily on him to score.

[jerrywest]

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Honestly I'm not even goin to speak of the dribbling machine known as Lue, I hate to say this, but with his no defense dribblin antics, I know I will get slammed for this, but I want to see if we are better without him.

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Lue is a great role player. The problem is that his role got too big with the injuries and Speedy's struggles. He was playing too many minutes and they were relying too heavily on him to score.

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Exactly. He is also a great fit for any 2nd unit, and far inferior fit for almost any 1st unit. The good thing is, he knows it very well, and that helps the team chemistry.

[vdunkndunk]

Speedy was driving me insane for most of the season.

But the last two games he's looked really good...especially on defense. And his offense is starting to come around also.

[Popeye]

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Honestly I'm not even goin to speak of the dribbling machine known as Lue, I hate to say this, but with his no defense dribblin antics, I know I will get slammed for this, but I want to see if we are better without him.

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Lue is a great role player. The problem is that his role got too big with the injuries and Speedy's struggles. He was playing too many minutes and they were relying too heavily on him to score.

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As much as i don't like Lue because of his defense, i still like what he brings to us. He just needs to play less minutes due to his D, maybe around 22-27 mpg. We definetly could of use him last game against the Bulls. You know that Lue would hit a clutch shot and we would go on to win the game.