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JackB1

By JackB1
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JackB1 Newbie

JackB1

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http://www.nba.com/2011/news/03/24/hawks-struggles.ap/index.html?cid=nba.2013

Atlanta Hawks unraveling as playoffs draw closer

Posted Mar 24 2011 8:31PM

ATLANTA (AP) -- The playoff-bound Atlanta Hawks appear to be unraveling as they continue to get pounded at an historic pace.

They say they have become disjointed, too often playing as individuals instead of as a team.

As a result, Atlanta has been blown out at home more often than any team with a winning record in NBA history. The Hawks have suffered five home losses by 20 or more points, including three by more than 30 points. Each ranks as the top total in NBA history for teams with winning records, according to STATS, LLC.

It's little wonder Atlanta's first-year coach Larry Drew this week said his players "have got to heal, more so mentally than physically."

They need to find the cure quickly.

The Hawks (40-32) have lost 14 of their last 21 games and are losing their footing in the Eastern Conference playoff during the freefall.

Drew called his team "a little fragile right now" before Wednesday night's 105-100 loss at Philadelphia. He said he can't explain why his players seem to fall apart when other teams make big runs, especially at the Hawks' home court.

"It's something I've been preaching it seems like every day this month, about how to respond to runs," Drew said. "This game is a game of runs. Teams make runs. You make runs. You respond to it and we just don't respond to it well at all. It looks like we lose interest, lose confidence. We just don't handle it well."

They didn't handle it well against Chicago Tuesday night.

The Hawks trailed the Bulls by 47 before losing by 33, 114-81. Other notably lopsided home losses included a 100-59 loss to New Orleans on Jan. 21 and a 117-82 loss to Philadelphia on Feb. 8.

"Everybody on this team knows their role," guard Joe Johnson said. "Everybody on this team knows what we have to do to win. Yet still we don't come out and do it.

"We're a team that sits here in this locker room and talk all the time about what we want to do and what we need to do. Then we go out on the floor and do things that are out of our character or that's not within ourselves. It makes us all look bad. Until we get that part of the game down, then we're going to continue to look bad."

No winning team has ever looked worse.

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niremetal Rising Star

niremetal

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I'm honestly wondering if we'll finish above .500. This team with the exceptions of Hinrich and Horford shows no heart or desire.

Horford has not shown heart or desire lately.

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buckeye242424 Newbie

buckeye242424

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JJ talks in circles.

He says that "everyone knows their role" in this article. Yet the other day he says "we don't know who's taking the shots the last 5 minutes"

WTF? man...that doesn't jive...

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CBAreject Newbie

CBAreject

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Unfortunately, the blowout losses aren't new. This team has been prone to coming out flat and then giving up, both signs of amotivation. Maybe they're occurring more frequently, and it's unusual that they're occurring at home so much, but I'm not at all surprised from watching the playoffs the last two years. Almost every loss was an absolute pounding, except for a couple of "squeakers" to the Bucks. 12 out of 14 playoff losses in 2 years were by 10 points or more. 9 were by 15 or more. 6 were by 25 or more. I can't recall another team seeded in the top 4 that got pasted like we did two consecutive years.

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Eddielives Contributor

Eddielives

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Unfortunately, the blowout losses aren't new. This team has been prone to coming out flat and then giving up, both signs of amotivation. Maybe they're occurring more frequently, and it's unusual that they're occurring at home so much, but I'm not at all surprised from watching the playoffs the last two years. Almost every loss was an absolute pounding, except for a couple of "squeakers" to the Bucks. 12 out of 14 playoff losses in 2 years were by 10 points or more. 9 were by 15 or more. 6 were by 25 or more. I can't recall another team seeded in the top 4 that got pasted like we did two consecutive years.

Exactly. Teams don't lose by margins this astronomical in such abundance unless there are players on the team that just don't have the heart to play as hard as they can and within their abilities. I'm telling you, this Hawks team has not had any players with the qualifications to be leaders on the floor in years. We have a headcase in Smoove. We have a silent and inconsistent max salary player in JJ. We have nothing in Marvin. Al is the only guy who shows any fire to me but he can't lead if he isn't the captain or doesn't have the support of his teammates. Bibby was just a jumpshooting has been. Now Hinrich could lead but how can he? Hell, he won't even get helped off the floor by his own teammate JOSH! Drew won't show the gonads to sit players to send a message. Instead he decides to get into it with his backup center about shooting a long jumper. It's called disarray guys and our team is going nowhere this post season. I promise you we won't make it out of the first round and we will probably get beaten by large margins again. Say I'm not a fan. Say I'm being negative. I call it realistic.

Edited by Eddielives
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