The fan base needs to CALM DOWN

[TheNorthCydeRises]

We're still in full control of this. No need to overdramatize our situation after one horrible loss.

Whether we lose by 30, or lose by 1 on a last second shot, the impact of the loss would still be the same. There are no moral victories this time of year. A win is a win, and a loss is a loss. If we'd played our hearts out, but still lost, the impact of the loss would still be the same.

We've been a bad road team the entire season. So last night, regardless of the possible opportunity, shouldn't fully shock anyone who has followed this team all year. "The Hawks" prove time and again that they "are who we thought they were".

If we can't beat the Knicks and Heat again, we don't deserve to be in the playoffs anyway. Boston and Orlando are now playing their starters less minutes and letting most of their bench finish games. I fully expect this team to win at least 2, possibly 3 of the next 4 games, and get that 8th seed.

And if you've followed this team, it shouldn't shock you one bit if the Hawks play like world beaters against Boston on Saturday night, and beat them. That's just how this team is, especially at home.

( Personally, if I were Doc, I'd treat Saturday's game like it was Game 1 of the playoffs, and play to win the game with his main rotation. No need in givng us any inkling of hope of making the series competitve by limiting the starter's minutes, and possibly handing us a win.

If Doc played the starters regular minutes, and possibly destroy us at Philips, it would pretty much set the bar for the playoffs, and possibly take any hope away from us. I think Dallas half-azzed with the Warriors late last season, and pretty much gave them a victory. If Dallas wins, they may have played the Clippers instead of the Warriors. That came back to bite them in the azz. So it will be interesting to see what mindset Boston will have on Saturday. )

I also fully expect Indy and Jersey to lose at least 2 of their final games . . . because they're schizophrenic just like the Hawks are. Neither of those teams are good enough to win out, just like we're aren't good enough to do it. Jersey and Philly gave all they had against us in must games for them to say in the playoff race, only to fade off once they played a road game. Expect the same out of Indy in their upcoming games.

The Hawks have done exactly what they needed to do down the stretch to make the playoffs. We've won 10 out of our last 14 games. Win 3 more, and we're in. Win 2, and Indy has to win out. Win 1, and Indy still have to win 3 to get in. This team would have to totally collapse not to get in. And i just don't see that happening.

So just calm down.

[swolehawk2]

Team is mentally weak; you really can't deny that. Played Philly at home when Philly needed a win to clinch....loss. Could have ended this with a win over Indiana.....loss

The teams coming up don't have anything to play for; but what worries me, is the Hawks do.

[TheTruth]

Why didnt I see something like this coming from you? I dont think anyone is really "overreacting" and "need to calm down" as you put it. It's just that many of us have seen the Hawks for who they really are. A lot of us dont always look with these rose-tinted glasses and think "Everything will be OK. We are still in it and have a chance in the playoffs." The real issue is how these guys just, in effect, laid down for the Pacers last night. I have said it before, and apparently need to say it again, a real playoff caliber team would have gone into their house and stopped on their throats while Indiana desperately clung to playoff hopes. However, in a total debacle, from coaching to the play on the floor, rolled over and laid an egg like some sick puppy. Yeah, the odds of the Hawks screwing this up and not making the playoffs are indeed slim. However, with our team as currently constructed, we won't do much when we make it anyway. To think otherwise is just delusion.

[exodus]

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The real issue is how these guys just, in effect, laid down for the Pacers last night.

That is how i see it. My interest in the playoff "race" diminished significantly last night.

[buckeye242424]

People, as you're well aware, they play 82 games. Bad nights will happen. I agree that it was bad timing, and it sucked...but I'm reading that you're playoff enthusiasm diminished after one game is nuts!!! We haven't been there for almost a decade, and one bad loss makes the playoffs (which we can still make) less attractive??? I don't get it...that's crazy.

[AHF]

While there are aspects of the game that dissappoint me quite a bit, I still fully expect this team to mak the playoffs this year and for us to finally get some playoff basketball in Atlanta. This was definitely not the end of the world (although it does illustrate some issues that need to be addressed).

[exodus]

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People, as you're well aware, they play 82 games. Bad nights will happen. I agree that it was bad timing, and it sucked...but I'm reading that you're playoff enthusiasm diminished after one game is nuts!!! We haven't been there for almost a decade, and one bad loss makes the playoffs (which we can still make) less attractive??? I don't get it...that's crazy.

This is not a playoff team. Period. Just because they have a chance to make it because the East is historically bad doesn't mean much.

The bottom line is that they are 6 games below .500 in a weak conference. When it was time to step up and show that they were turning a corner they reminded us that they just aren't a good team.

[Brotha2ThaNite]

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Team is mentally weak; you really can't deny that. Played Philly at home when Philly needed a win to clinch....loss. Could have ended this with a win over Indiana.....loss

The teams coming up don't have anything to play for; but what worries me, is the Hawks do.

Don't forget the tie breaker against NJ... We lost that too. Good thing NJ kept losing against the other teams.

[skyhawk]

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[This is not a playoff team. Period. Just because they have a chance to make it because the East is historically bad doesn't mean much.

The bottom line is that they are 6 games below .500 in a weak conference. When it was time to step up and show that they were turning a corner they reminded us that they just aren't a good team.

Funny, I always thought that the top 8 eight teams in each conference made the playoffs - regardless of their record. I think a better statement would be that the Hawks aren't a championship contender - but they will be a playoff team if they finish in the top 8.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

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Why didnt I see something like this coming from you? I dont think anyone is really "overreacting" and "need to calm down" as you put it. It's just that many of us have seen the Hawks for who they really are. A lot of us dont always look with these rose-tinted glasses and think "Everything will be OK. We are still in it and have a chance in the playoffs."

You mean to tell me that you couldn't see the Hawks possibly playing a game like this on the road? They've played like this ALL YEAR on the road. Even during this streak, I was one on the only ones saying that we could EASILY lose @ Jersey and @ Chicago. The fact that we had a better record than then at the time, indicated nothing about how we could win those games.

The fact is that I KNOW that we're a terrible road team on most nights. Even against teams on our level, which, by the way, we're on the level of Indy, Chi, NJ, Philly, Washington and Toronto. The difference between those 6 teams is minute. It's just that Atlanta, Philly, Washington and Toronto tend to be strong at home, while the others are just mediocre.

It's YOU guys that overhype this team after a good win, and totally trash them after a loss. You're the one with "rose colored" glasses because you couldn't see a game like this coming. But all year, they've bounced back after losses like these, and reganed their focus. They did it after the Jersey loss. They did it after the Chicago loss. They did it after the Philly loss. And they'll do it again after this loss. THAT'S why I'm not worried about this team.

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The real issue is how these guys just, in effect, laid down for the Pacers last night. I have said it before, and apparently need to say it again, a real playoff caliber team would have gone into their house and stopped on their throats while Indiana desperately clung to playoff hopes. However, in a total debacle, from coaching to the play on the floor, rolled over and laid an egg like some sick puppy.

LOL . . and I'm the one looking through rose-colored glasses? We've won 36 games on the year. Even if we won that game last night, it wouldn't make us a "real playoff caliber" team. Are Philly, Toronto, or Washington "real playoff caliber" teams, because they all dropped games against us that they should've won. If Philly, Toronto, or Washington were in the same situation we were in last night, and Indiana desperately needed that game to close the gap, Indy probably beats them too.

If you were expecting the Hawks to play like a "real playoff caliber team", and just waltz into Conseco and throttle the Pacers, you're truly the delusional one. Ish, I doubt we were even favored to win last night, let alone "throttle" somebody on the road.

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Yeah, the odds of the Hawks screwing this up and not making the playoffs are indeed slim. However, with our team as currently constructed, we won't do much when we make it anyway. To think otherwise is just delusion.

LOL . . I think if you created a poll to see if the Hawks will beat Boston in the playoffs, 95% of the fan base would say HELL NAW!!

And the 5% that voted YES, wouldn't dare put some money on it. Everybody knows what this team needs, startng with new ownership, management, a legit big man, a few more solid bench players, and coaching. Winning last night doesn't change that. Losing doesn't confirm it more either.

Winning last night doesn't change our playoff destiny, which is to be swept or lose in 5 games to Boston.

What you guys need to start doing, is look at the big picture, instead of overanalyzing each game, and making sweeping opinions based on that one game.

LOL @ everybody turning on Zaza now, after giving him praise the past 2 weeks. Salim hits one jumper, and the Salim fans want him back in the rotation. People even want Solo, Jeremy, and Mario to play now. LOL . . amazing what one bad loss can do to the psyche of the fans.

[exodus]

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[This is not a playoff team. Period. Just because they have a chance to make it because the East is historically bad doesn't mean much.

The bottom line is that they are 6 games below .500 in a weak conference. When it was time to step up and show that they were turning a corner they reminded us that they just aren't a good team.

Funny, I always thought that the top 8 eight teams in each conference made the playoffs - regardless of their record. I think a better statement would be that the Hawks aren't a championship contender - but they will be a playoff team if they finish in the top 8.

Technically they could get in but that is just because the conference sucks.

If they had gone to Indy taken care of business, or at least put up a fight, then i would be more optimistic that they are becoming a real team.

In a 30 team league they are tied for the 18th best record. Whoopee.

[TheTruth]

*Sigh* I see things for what they are northcyde...period--whether it's the Hawks, people, life, whatever. I praise them when they play decidedly well, and call them out when they play decidedly bad. I dont understand why you have taken such issue with my post, nor do I care to know. I just saw all that rhetoric you felt the need to reply with and chalked it up as nothing but wordiness and a waste of my time to read. I, much like everyone, want the Hawks to make the playoffs. It's just games like this that illuminate some of the major problems this team has to solve before becoming legit. If you can't see that, then you indeed might want to tone down the tint.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

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The real issue is how these guys just, in effect, laid down for the Pacers last night.

That is how i see it. My interest in the playoff "race" diminished significantly last night.

So what if we beat Boston on Saturday night? Will it significantly pick back up? LOL . . of course it will. This team plays well enough at home to beat Boston, especially if they don't play the Big 3 regular minutes.

You'll even see threads on how we could possibly BEAT BOSTON in a 7-game series, if we win that game.

Here's a conspiracy theory though, since people have been believing the BAD conspiracy theories all season:

The Atlanta and Indiana owners had a conference call Tuesday morning. Indy owners know they have as slim a chance to catch the Hawks, as Clinton does in catching Obama in the total delegate count. They also know that Atlanta has agreements from the Knicks and Heat to not beat the Hawks making it almost impossible to win out and catch the Hawks.

The Indy owners want to give their fan base something to cheer about in these final 2 games, even though they know they won't make the playoffs. So they call up the ASG, and see if they can get the Hawks to "throw them a bone" Tuesday night, in exchange for Indy losing at Phily and Washington on the road. The ASG goes for it, seeing an opportunity to throw a "playoff clinching party" for the Boston game. It'll be a great celebration at Philips, if they were to beat Boston and clinch a playoff spot. Confetti would be raining down in the arena, like we just won the Finals.

So Gearon goes to Woody, and tells him that we need to LOSE the game, in order to clinch the playoff spot on Saturday with a victory vs Beantown. Woody doesn't like the idea, but figures that if he can become Gearon's puppet, it may save his job for another year.

Woody then goes to the one Hawk that hasn't been here through all the losing . . . Mike Bibby. Bibby is the ONLY player he goes to. He tells Bibby that the owners want to clinch the playoff berth at home. To do that, he tells Bibs to have an "off" game. Bibby remembers what it was like when the Kings first made the playoffs, and how excited the crowd was, and agrees to have his "off" game.

Bibby goes and does just that, having arguably his worst game as a Hawk. Woody does his part by seizing the opportunity to keep Horford out of the game for extended minutes due to "foul trouble". To make it not look like a total tank job though, he plays JJ and Smoove their regular amount of minutes and let them play hard, knowing they won't be able to win without contrbutions from Bibs and Al.

See . . nothing to worry about.

This is just all a part of the master plan for the playoff party on Saturday night, with the after parties being at STATS, Esso, Studio 72, Magic City, Cheetah, Strokers, Velvet Room and Europe.

[LOL_Hawks]

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The real issue is how these guys just, in effect, laid down for the Pacers last night.

That is how i see it. My interest in the playoff "race" diminished significantly last night.

So what if we beat Boston on Saturday night? Will it significantly pick back up? LOL . . of course it will. This team plays well enough at home to beat Boston, especially if they don't play the Big 3 regular minutes.

You'll even see threads on how we could possibly BEAT BOSTON in a 7-game series, if we win that game.

LOL, qft. I can almost guarantee that we will see threads talking about how we could beat Boston in the playoffs if we win that game on Saturday.

People on here need to chill out and look at the big picture. One bad game here and there doesn't mean that the Hawks suck, and one good win doesn't mean that the Hawks are world-beaters. So just sit back, relax, and let things take care of themselves. The Knicks, the Heat, Boston's B-Team and maybe Orlando's B-Team await. Surely we can win at least 2 of those games, which is all this team needs to get in, and stop acting like New Jersey and Indy are gonna win out, which is basically what it takes for them to get in. They HAVE to win out. We DON'T HAVE to win out. The cards are still in our favor. Calm down, everyone.

[Brotha2ThaNite]

Got that right!

Besides.... How can they ask the fans to CALM DOWN when you have our star player pissed at his teammate too. We are just calling it how we see them play.

Quote from JJ:

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Johnson was disappointed in his team's effort.

"We acted like we didn't want to play tonight, and if you can't get up for this game, you don't need to be playing at all," he said.

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"They just play harder than us every time we play them," Johnson said. "It's nothing they're doing. It's not the players they've got. We didn't play hard, so we get our [expletive] kicked. Point-blank."

[exodus]

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People on here need to chill out and look at the big picture.

We are 6 games under .500 in a weak conference. Our owners are suing each other and haven't shown any sign of actually understanding the game.Our coach and GM suck and finding good replacements will probably be difficult given the ownership situation (of course almost anyone would be better than what we have).

We have no draft picks and no cap space this offseason.

How's that for the big picture?

[Plainview1981]

You don't get it do you? Who wants to make the playoffs if the only teams you can beat are NY, Miami, and the Clippers? What is the accomplishment?

[Plainview1981]

Some people are starting to sound like a wife that makes excuses for her abusive husband.

[Plainview1981]

Btw, Mike Bibby should be benched. He is horrible. Everytime he does something good you just know he is going to come back and do something that is costly to the team. And to think the Hawks could have Paul instead No Good Starvin Marvin and soon to be journeyman Mike Bibby.

[DJlaysitup]

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...We are 6 games under .500 in a weak conference. Our owners are suing each other and haven't shown any sign of actually understanding the game.Our coach and GM suck and finding good replacements will probably be difficult given the ownership situation (of course almost anyone would be better than what we have).

We have no draft picks and no cap space this offseason.

How's that for the big picture?

C'mon ex...you gotta look at the bright side

BK's plan is slowly coming to fruition

Seriously though - I'd like to see us make the playoffs even though it won't mean all that much "big picture-wise".