We are NOT the only ones who lost a BIG lead after the 1st Half!

[JTB]

I just wanted to point out to people on this board that may feel a little nervous after that terrible 2nd half the Hawks had on Saturday is that We are NOT the only TEAM in the playoffs that had a bad 2nd half! Other teams have also let there opponent come back even the top 2 teams in the playoffs Cavs and Lakers! Now Im not sayin it's ok for that to happen to us cause it happens to them but I saying that we shouldn't expect a blowout! This is the playoffs people! EVERY TEAM is playing with a different vibe now. They are being more physical in every aspect. I actually would give the Hawks credit because we now how the Hawks stumble in the 4th quarter and they didn't do that Saturday, instead they held on even though they let the lead come as close to 7 points, and we should credit them for that in my opinon. We are going to be ok as long as the Hawks stay focus and dont get outscored by a ton of points in the 2nd half of these games! An so what if Jennings drop 35,45, or 50 as long as we shut his team down we SHOULD come out on top like we did Saturday. So those of you worrying about that 2nd Half shouldn't, I mean yeah it was bad especially in the 3rd but TRUST when I say it could have been worst! Like WOODY said in his interview "This is the playoffs! TEAMS are going to make runs!" WE AS FANS CAN'T EXPECT BLOWOUTS! even LBJ said in his interview that they aren't aiming for blowouts just wins! and that should be the Hawks #1 PRIORITY just WIN. I know for me as a fan that is all I care about, whether we win by 1,2,3 who cares as long as we win of course I hope for blowouts but it really doesnt say anything! We got pushed to 7 GAMES last playoffs and I recall us blowing the Heat out I think what...........3 Times. Blowouts dont mean squat if teams can still force you to a game 7.

Teams in the PLAYOFFS this year that also held a lead like us and had to contain their opponents that made RUNS in the 2nd Half:

Bulls vs Cavs ( Cavs had to contain d rose and the bulls who made a great run at the end of the game)

Bobcats vs Magic (Magic had to contain G Force and the Bobcats who look like they were about to make an upset)

OKC vs LA (Durant started getting to the free throw line though he was getting shutdown by Artest and Westbrook was clowning on D Fish BUT LA contained them and got the W)

So looking at that EVEN the TOP 2 TEAMS in the PLAYOFFS had HUGE leads like us and did ENOUGH in the 2nd Half to get the W...............We are OK ATL!

[akrater]

I definitely agree with JTB on this one. Every team that made the playoffs did so because they are a good team and deserved to be here. Plus this is the NBA and every team makes a run, its just being able to withstand it and still play your game.....I actually think its a good thing the Bucks made a run at us in the second half, because it will give us the focus and intensity for game 2 like we had for game 1. Last year after owning the Heat in game 1, we came out in the second game overconfident and completely laid an egg.Game 1 was A CLEAR INDICATOR that we are better at every position than the bucks outside out PG(except if Bibs plays the way he did in game 1 then we might take this position as well) and if we play our game WE SHALL HAVE NO PROBLEM in game 2 and the rest of the series. GO HAWKS!!!

[sillent]

:thumbsupsmileyanim: All the above is true. I'm a fan that is so attached to the team that I kind of feel the pressure when the team does. Yeah the Bucks made a run which got me (us) in wake up mode but I didn't ever actually feel any pressure even when the score got to within 5/7. Not to say that this series or any for that matter will be easy. The league this year has been great/versatile and the best teams have made the playoffs. Every team has that fight in them from the #1 seed to the 8th in both conferences and nobody just slid in the playoffs this year (Not even the Bulls). Everybody earned their way and everyone is going to try to show why they belong. It's the Elite teams that find a way to win no matter how much fight the opposing team gives whether it is a blowout or putting in just enough work to get the W. This is the playoffs and at the end of the day all that matters is the W's. Yes there is a psychological factor that's in play about how the W's came about or how one team fared against another but again at the end of the day it's all about the W's.

[JTB]

:thumbsupsmileyanim: All the above is true. I'm a fan that is so attached to the team that I kind of feel the pressure when the team does. Yeah the Bucks made a run which got me (us) in wake up mode but I didn't ever actually feel any pressure even when the score got to within 5/7. Not to say that this series or any for that matter will be easy. The league this year has been great/versatile and the best teams have made the playoffs. Every team has that fight in them from the #1 seed to the 8th in both conferences and nobody just slid in the playoffs this year (Not even the Bulls). Everybody earned their way and everyone is going to try to show why they belong. It's the Elite teams that find a way to win no matter how much fight the opposing team gives whether it is a blowout or putting in just enough work to get the W. This is the playoffs and at the end of the day all that matters is the W's. Yes there is a psychological factor that's in play about how the W's came about or how one team fared against another but again at the end of the day it's all about the W's.

Damn thats a good point as well!.....didn't think of that one!............... the pistons who were the 8 seed last year for the east, were no where near as competetive against LBJ and the cavs! Kinda think of it, same goes with OKC! They gon make LA work to beat them and not just lay down against them!

[Plainview1981]

I just wanted to point out to people on this board that may feel a little nervous after that terrible 2nd half the Hawks had on Saturday is that We are NOT the only TEAM in the playoffs that had a bad 2nd half! Other teams have also let there opponent come back even the top 2 teams in the playoffs Cavs and Lakers! Now Im not sayin it's ok for that to happen to us cause it happens to them but I saying that we shouldn't expect a blowout! This is the playoffs people! EVERY TEAM is playing with a different vibe now. They are being more physical in every aspect. I actually would give the Hawks credit because we now how the Hawks stumble in the 4th quarter and they didn't do that Saturday, instead they held on even though they let the lead come as close to 7 points, and we should credit them for that in my opinon. We are going to be ok as long as the Hawks stay focus and dont get outscored by a ton of points in the 2nd half of these games! An so what if Jennings drop 35,45, or 50 as long as we shut his team down we SHOULD come out on top like we did Saturday. So those of you worrying about that 2nd Half shouldn't, I mean yeah it was bad especially in the 3rd but TRUST when I say it could have been worst! Like WOODY said in his interview "This is the playoffs! TEAMS are going to make runs!" WE AS FANS CAN'T EXPECT BLOWOUTS! even LBJ said in his interview that they aren't aiming for blowouts just wins! and that should be the Hawks #1 PRIORITY just WIN. I know for me as a fan that is all I care about, whether we win by 1,2,3 who cares as long as we win of course I hope for blowouts but it really doesnt say anything! We got pushed to 7 GAMES last playoffs and I recall us blowing the Heat out I think what...........3 Times. Blowouts dont mean squat if teams can still force you to a game 7.

Teams in the PLAYOFFS this year that also held a lead like us and had to contain their opponents that made RUNS in the 2nd Half:

Bulls vs Cavs ( Cavs had to contain d rose and the bulls who made a great run at the end of the game)

Bobcats vs Magic (Magic had to contain G Force and the Bobcats who look like they were about to make an upset)

OKC vs LA (Durant started getting to the free throw line though he was getting shutdown by Artest and Westbrook was clowning on D Fish BUT LA contained them and got the W)

So looking at that EVEN the TOP 2 TEAMS in the PLAYOFFS had HUGE leads like us and did ENOUGH in the 2nd Half to get the W...............We are OK ATL!

The team did this so much in the regular season and that's why people are pissed.

[Diesel]

I think we have misunderstood the value of a playoff win.

There's no team in this years playoffs who can't win their series. Even the Bucks. We don't fear the deer but we have to realize that they are here for a reason. The point is that we are also here for a reason. So we didn't blow them out by 40. I don't think we should have had expectations that we could keep up the level of play that we were playing anyway. Still, I would like to see more offensive focus from our guys. It's up to us to learn how to close out games. Still our 2nd half performance is not something that's unusual.

[AHF]

Can I suggest not using these font combinations? It makes it tough for me to read the post. I am inclined to skip them which is not something I want to do with a JTB post.

Edited April 19, 2010 by AHF

[JTB]

Can I suggest not using these font combinations? It makes it tough for me to read the post. I am inclined to skip them which is not something I want to do with a JTB post.

My Bad I got that before in the past.......hell it's hurting my eyes now that i look at it. I for some reason always think that the bigger font and color combination is easier to read while typing up the the post. I will try to keep that down in the future!

[swanlee]

I'm not that worried about us being up by 23 points during the game and only winning by 10 points. That is going to happen this is the playoffs. And it really isn't a blown lead if we never give up the lead.

However if we have a big lead and blow it in the 4th QTR and lose the game then all hell is going to break lose, I'm so sick of losing games like that.

[JTB]

I'm not that worried about us being up by 23 points during the game and only winning by 10 points. That is going to happen this is the playoffs. And it really isn't a blown lead if we never give up the lead.

However if we have a big lead and blow it in the 4th QTR and lose the game then all hell is going to break lose, I'm so sick of losing games like that.

LOL now thats different! That means we are not closing teams out and if the hawks want to be at a elite team they will continue to find ways to close out teams when they make runs at the end of games or whenever!

[benhillboy]

I hope that weasel John Barry doesn't do any more of our games. Let the Bulls make a run against Cleveland, Cats against Magic, Thunder vs. Lakers, etc, "This team isn't gonna quit, they respond to their coach, give them credit, they're tough, NBA teams fight back." But let the Hawks have a slight slippage after totally controlling the game, and it's "This team has to finish the deal, I worry about their consistency." Of course Hubie is top choice, but I'd rather have the chick calling our games than that snake.

[JTB]

I hope that weasel John Barry doesn't do any more of our games. Let the Bulls make a run against Cleveland, Cats against Magic, Thunder vs. Lakers, etc, "This team isn't gonna quit, they respond to their coach, give them credit, they're tough, NBA teams fight back." But let the Hawks have a slight slippage after totally controlling the game, and it's "This team has to finish the deal, I worry about their consistency." Of course Hubie is top choice, but I'd rather have the chick calling our games than that snake.

agreed. I dont know why the Hawks get picked on so much when others have done the same as we have!...................im guessing they just dont have any elite-like respect for us, I guess anyways.