Next 5 games show what we are..

[Iman]

I'm in shock after attending these last 2 Hawks losses. As a huge optimist I'm trying to just say this is part of learning or if we had just had a couple of our injured players we would have won.

Either way, as I've seen posted by others the key is what do we do after losses like these. It was a good sign that we came out strong after the Chicago loss and then an even worse flop occurred. Well I dont think this team will fold. Our next 5 games are against probable top 4 seeds from each conference including Detroit, Houston, and then San Antonio on the road. I think we'll hunker down and win the two tough home games against Indy and Cleveland and then win one or maybe two of the road games. We should be back at near full strength so we'll have no excuses. Even 2 outta 5 with good showing in the other 3 would be tolerable. One or two blowout losses even against tough teams like these and I think we never get enough confidence back this season to go on any sort of run.

What do ya'll think? Will we fold and Woody be fired or do we "Rise Up"..lol. I'm predicting 3-2 for our next 5 games.

[buckeye242424]

I agree that the next 5 games are big ones considering we are playing against the top teams in ther league. However, I see a 1-4 clip...10-19. I'm trying to be optimistic, but our home record is not good. Indy and Cleveland will be tough, we all saw what the Cavs did to us at home last time. Anyhow, I'm hoping for 3-2, but I don't se it happening. Maybe I'm still bitter about blowing a 21 point 4th quarter lead. That loss is going to stick with me for awile...pathetic.

[jerrywest]

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I agree that the next 5 games are big ones considering we are playing against the top teams in ther league. However, I see a 1-4 clip...10-19. I'm trying to be optimistic, but our home record is not good. Indy and Cleveland will be tough, we all saw what the Cavs did to us at home last time. Anyhow, I'm hoping for 3-2, but I don't se it happening. Maybe I'm still bitter about blowing a 21 point 4th quarter lead. That loss is going to stick with me for awile...pathetic.

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Yes 10-19 is more realistic and 11-18 is a tad optimistic. Can we recover from that?

[DrReality]

I don't think it will take that long. After the players only meeting after that loss, I think we'll know in the next game or two. Could be a turning point for the season. Put up or shut up.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Thank you for starting this topic, because I was going to start the exact same thread.

The next 5 games are critical for this team, when you see the quality of opponents that we play. While the East is horrible, a 5 or 6 game losing streak could absolutely kill this team right now.

With 1/4 of the season gone, I've made these observations about the Hawks.

- We can play with . . and BEAT . . 85% of the teams in this league, on a nightly basis, no matter where the game is . . if JJ is healthy. It's all a matter of finishing games and putting a team away. Right now, we just can't do it, unless the opponent completely melts down.

- This team plays much better when playing from behind, than playing with the lead. Why . . I don't know. Maybe it's the youth we have on this team, and kids not wanting to make mistakes down the stretch. Young kids tend to either "overthink", or be extra cautious when ahead. But when you're behind, you're just out there playing, and not getting down on yourself if you make a bad play.

- JJ, T-Lue, and Salim are the only people on this team I trust taking big shots down the stretch of games. But there's a catch to that. Because T-Lue and Salim are so horrible defensively, and can't run the team the way a good PG should, it's almost counter-productive to have them on the floor down the stretch. If they happen to score, they may give the points right back on the defensive end, or worse, turn the ball over and limit our offensive possessions.

- Since Woodson laid into Smoove about taking all of those 3's back in late November, he has become a much more efficient offensive player. He's actually taking good shots within the flow of the game.

- Josh Childress may be the 3rd most important player on this team, next to JJ and Smoove. We miss his ability to knock down open shots, get loose balls, and play defense on the 2s and 3s in this league. We're 4 - 3 with Chill in the lineup . . which could've easily have been a 6 - 1 record, if not for the last second losses to Seattle and Milwaukee. We're 5 - 12 without him.

- For Marvin to really help this team, he must become this team's "slasher". While his jumper may be slightly improved, we need him to be the guy who can take his man off the dribble whenever he has a decided mismatch. And I know he's still not 100% with his hand, but if he wants to elevate his game to the next level, he'll have to be the guy who goes to the hole and finishes, or draws enough contact to get his points from the line.

- JJ is a star, but to be a superstar, he has to DEMAND the basketball down the stretch, and make a play HIMSELF. I know he's a good guy, a great teammate, and plays within the offense. But as "the man" for this team, he has to be WILLING to take every shot in the 4th quarter, if need be. And he can't settle for the jumper all the time, no matter how good of a shooter he is.

Like Marvin, he has to be ready and WILLING to go to the hole and draw contact, so that he can score from the FT line. This team, as a whole, wastes too many possessions, because we're settling for jumpers. For all of the critics of Allen Iverson, you KNEW that Iverson was going to be the guy taking the shots down the stretch. That may not be great "team ball", but a superstar should ALWAYS take the game into his own hands, and have the fortunes of his team live and die with him.

D-Wade does it. AI does it. LeBron does it, although he will pass on occasion. Steve Nash does it when the game is close. Paul Pierce ALWAYS does it. KG doesn't do it all the time, and he gets ripped for that. And right now, JJ is in that KG mode, in which he's deferring to other players at the wrong time, when he should be doing it himself. I'd rather for JJ to defer to others in the early part of games, than down the stretch.

- ZaZa is getting to the point where he's in the same category as Salim and T-Lue defensively. And I'll say again what I predicted before the season. If Shelden shows the ability to guard centers in this league, ZaZa will be the one who's playing time is cut, just so he won't be a complete liability on defense. If not Shelden, it may even be Lorenzen who is in the game down the stretch. But if we go with a non-offensive center, that makes it more important for JJ, Marvin, Smoove or whomever else, to make plays on offense.

LOL . . I could type for days on this team, but I'll stop here. Let's see if this team plays an inspired game against Indy tonight.

[BusBoyIsBack]

I agree with just about all those points.

THis team really can hang with the rest of the teams in this league from a talent stand point. The problem is we lose mentally by not having a killer instinct when we have the lead, and by losing focus in close games down the stretch.

I also agree that JJ should demand the ball more. I really think that's what separates him from Superstars in the league.

He clearly has the talent to be as good as the rest of these superstars. Sure he's not as athletic as Lebron but unlike these other superstars, JJ earns his points from the field. If he wanted to he could drive and draw fouls as well. I actually think he should do this more often. It will open his jump shot even more. Hell as well as he shoots, he could lead the league in scoring if he drew as many fouls as the rest of these stars.