Stat-du-Jour: Postseason 'Success' (Quiz)

[lethalweapon3]

I’m fooling around with the basketball-reference.com data for the Hawks oh-so-illustrious playoff history in Atlanta, and put together a little quiz for those with some free time over this here lockout period…

Out of the 43 NBA players who participated in** at least three playoff seasons with the ATLANTA Hawks (1969-2011):

1) Which player has the most Hawk playoff wins, and is also tied for the most Hawk playoff losses? (Hint: Danny Ainge will think twice before flipping him the bird again)

2) Which player has the highest Hawk playoff-game winning percentage? (Hint: I don’t think goggles were en-vogue for him yet)

3) Only two players failed to win a single Hawk playoff series. Can you name them? (Hint: one is deceased, the other you see pretty much every season if you watch Hawks games on TV)

4) Only five players have a winning percentage with the Hawks of 45% or greater. Of those five, only one played for former coach Mike Woodson. Can you name him? (Hint: Don’t “blame” him for the Hawks losing when he doesn’t play)

5) By playing just four minutes in Game 1 of the victorious 1999 playoff series versus Detroit, Alan Henderson is the only player who “won” half of his Hawk playoff series (3 out of 6). After Hendu and his big ol’ asterisk, eight Hawks are tied for playoff-series winning percentage, at 42.9 percent (3 out of 7). Can you name these eight players? (Hints: One holds the NBA record for most consecutive games WITHOUT a steal… another has a son that starred at Cornell… another once had to “foul into” a game… the remaining five are from the modern “Woodson-Drew” era)

6) Which one of these players did NOT lose at least two-thirds of their Hawk playoff contests?

a. Stacey Augmon

b. Mike Bibby

c. Ty Corbin

d. John Drew

e. Grant Long

f. Steve Smith

7) Which one of these players did NOT win more than three playoff series in their Hawks career?

a. Mookie Blaylock

b. Tree Rollins

c. Dominique Wilkins

d. Kevin Willis

** “Participated in” means you only had to appear in a game, at least for part of one second. So scrubs count, but just the ones who hung around for three playoff seasons.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

1) Which player has the most Hawk playoff wins, and is also tied for the most Hawk playoff losses? (Hint: Danny Ainge will think twice before flipping him the bird again)

(Reward for guessing right is the video of John Salley hanging out with "Busty Heart" at the Gahden...)

Most Playoff Game Wins (Atlanta Hawks era):

1. TREE ROLLINS -- 23

T-2. Dominique Wilkins -- 21

T-2. Kevin Willis -- 21

4. Doc Rivers -- 19

T-5. Jon Koncak -- 18

T-5. Spud Webb -- 18

Most Playoff Game Losses (Atlanta Hawks era):

T-1. Mookie Blaylock -- 33

T-1. TREE ROLLINS -- 33

3. Dominique Wilkins -- 30

4. Kevin Willis -- 28

5. Doc Rivers -- 25

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

2) Which player has the highest Hawk playoff-game winning percentage? (Hint: I don’t think goggles were en-vogue for him yet)

4) Only five players have a winning percentage with the Hawks of 45% or greater. Of those five, only one played for former coach Mike Woodson. Can you name him? (Hint: Don’t “blame” him for the Hawks losing when he doesn’t play)

Reward for getting this right is this ridiculous flashback of the "correct answer" as a member of the nWo. Órale!

Also, a shameless Ga. Tech plug for "Rio"... The Champ Is Here!

Highest Playoff-Game Winning Percentages (Atlanta Hawks era):

1. ANTOINE CARR - 46.2%

2. MARIO WEST - 45.8%

T-3. Cliff Levingston - 45.7%

T-3. Randy Wittman - 45.7%

5. Spud Webb - 45.0%

~lw3

Edited November 15, 2011 by lethalweapon3

[lethalweapon3]

3) Only two players failed to win a single Hawk playoff series. Can you name them? (Hint: one is deceased, the other you see pretty much every season if you watch Hawks games on TV)

Reward for getting this right is a dancing... um... is that a hawk or a turkey?

Also, some bon mots from His Airness:

Fewest Playoff Series Victories (Atlanta Hawks era):

0: MIKE GLENN (0 for 3, 1971-1973)

0: PETE MARAVICH (0 for 3, 1982-1984)

1: Eddie Johnson (1 for 6, 1978-1980, 1982, 1984)

1: Dan Roundfield (1 for 6, 1979-1980, 1982-1984)

1: Walt Bellamy (1 for 5, 1970-1973)

1: John Drew (1 for 5, 1978-1980, 1982)

1: Steve Hawes (1 for 5, 1978-1980, 1982)

1: Tom McMillen (1 for 5, 1978-1979, 1982-1983)

1: Charlie Criss (1 for 4, 1978-1980)

1: Johnny Davis (1 for 4, 1983-1984, 1986)

1: Duane Ferrell (1 for 4, 1991, 1993-1994)

1: Armond Hill (1 for 4, 1978-1980)

~lw3

[niremetal]

1) Tree Rollins (second choice: Kevin Willis)

2) No clue

3) Lorenzen Wright and Mike Glenn

4) Mario West

5) JJ, Marvin, Josh, Al, Zaza, Koncak (games w/o steal), don't know rest

6) Mike Bibby

7) Mookie Blaylock

---------------------------

Update: Another possibility for games without steal - Randy Wittman? He or Koncak might also qualify for the "foul in" thing. Does that mean so many players fouled out on the team that he was allowed back in even though he had fouled out too? I know that's in the rulebook, but I didn't know it had ever happened.

Seeing the real answer for number 2, I thought about Carr...but the mid/late 80's was the pinnacle of the Goggles movement, man! That threw me off. Rambis, Carr, Kareem, Worthy, Horace...if it wasn't en vogue then, when was it en vogue??

Edited November 15, 2011 by niremetal

[lethalweapon3]

1) Tree Rollins (second choice: Kevin Willis)

2) No clue

3) Lorenzen Wright and Mike Glenn

4) Mario West

5) JJ, Marvin, Josh, Al, Zaza, Koncak (games w/o steal), don't know rest

6) Mike Bibby

7) Mookie Blaylock

---------------------------

Update: Another possibility for games without steal - Randy Wittman? He or Koncak might also qualify for the "foul in" thing. Does that mean so many players fouled out on the team that he was allowed back in even though he had fouled out too? I know that's in the rulebook, but I didn't know it had ever happened.

Seeing the real answer for number 2, I thought about Carr...but the mid/late 80's was the pinnacle of the Goggles movement, man! That threw me off. Rambis, Carr, Kareem, Worthy, Horace...if it wasn't en vogue then, when was it en vogue??

LOL yeah I think Carr brought the dark-tinted Oakleys into play, but not until he wound up with the Jazz in the 90s.

And yes, your assumption about "fouling in" is correct, as is the modern five Hawks for Question #5. Koncak isn't one of the "other three" (3 series wins out of 9) but all of the answers were teammates of his during the 1980's.

(EDIT: ^^ Oops, I forgot! Randy Wittman WAS one of the mystery three Hawks for Question 5. His son Ryan led the Big Red of Cornell to the Sweet 16 in 2010.)

I had to double-check, but somehow Lo Wright managed to miss out on playoff years while with the Hawks.

The Bibster is correct for #6! He was a winner in 37.9% of playoff games (11-18). Each of the others on that mulitple-choice question won no more than a third.

For #7, it's not Mookie (he won in 4 out of 11 playoff series).

~lw3

Edited November 15, 2011 by lethalweapon3

[niremetal]

For #7, it's not Mookie (he won in 4 out of 11 playoff series).

Gotta be Tree, then.

And yes, your assumption about "fouling in" is correct

That's just crazy. When did that happen? I thought that rule was one of those "we put it there knowing we'd never actually have to use it" deals. Like listing Lady Ogilvy in the line of succession to the British throne. Or a clause specifying what happens if both parties object to an independent valuation of a basketball team. Oh, wait...

Edited November 16, 2011 by niremetal

[lethalweapon3]

Gotta be Tree, then.

Nope! Tree didn't win many first-round matchups early in his career, but he hung on long enough to wind up 4-for-13.

That's just crazy. When did that happen? I thought that rule was one of those "we put it there knowing we'd never actually have to use it" deals. Like listing Lady Ogilvy in the line of succession to the British throne. Or a clause specifying what happens if both parties object to an independent valuation of a basketball team. Oh, wait...

The snippets from AP articles below doesn't give the answer away, but details the total unraveling that occurred for the shorthanded Hawks at the closing moments of the game:

With one minute remaining in overtime, Thurl Bailey hit a free throw to give the Jazz a 102-97 advantage. A baseline jumper by Randy Wittman got the Hawks within 104-102, but after Utah's Rickey Green hit two free throws with 12 seconds remaining, Atlanta was assessed three technical fouls with seven seconds left.

One of the technicals was for calling a timeout without having any timeouts remaining, another for Glenn Rivers arguing a call and another for having only four eligible players remaining. Under NBA rules a fifth player was allowed to play, but the Hawks were charged with the technical.

The Hawks had five players foul out and Rivers was ejected.

"I've never seen a whole team foul out of a game in all my years of basketball, at any level," Utah guard John Stockton said.

Utah was the last stop on the 9-game, 19-day road trip (circus must've been in town). AJC referred to it as "the season's most bizarre ending," after the Hawks amassed a whopping 42 fouls.

The "correct answer" tied the game in regulation with a free throw to force overtime. He was also the last player to foul out, and thus under NBA rules "fouled in" once Doc got the heave-ho and the Hawks were down to four dressed players. Best headline, from Newsday: "Technically, It's O.K.!"

From UPI:

Due to injuries that sidelined three players, including leading scorer Dominique Wilkins, the Hawks entered Wednesday night's game at Salt Lake City with a personnel problem. By the middle of overtime, the situation had gone from critical to ridiculous.

"It was like a 15-round championship fight," Utah guard Rickey Green said. "Bodies were flying everywhere. I didn't notice they had fouled out so many people. They just kept running bodies in and out."

Until Fratello ran out of bodies.

"We had no other choice than to foul them down the stretch hoping they would miss their foul shots," Fratello said. "As a good experienced team, they made them. I'm just very proud of our team."

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Reward for getting #6 right is watching his kid Michael Dane show off his crossover...

Lowest Playoff-Game Winning Percentages (Atlanta Hawks era):

1. Pete Maravich - 29.4% (5-12; 1971-1973)

2. Mike Glenn - 30.0% (3-7; 1982-1984)

3. Ty Corbin - 30.8% (8-18; 1995, 1997-1999)

4. Grant Long - 31.8% (7-15; 1995-1996, 1999)

T-5. Steve Smith - 33.3% (12-24; 1995-1999)

T-5.. Stacey Augmon - 33.3% (9-18; 1993-1996)

T-5. John Drew - 33.3% (6-12; 1978-1980, 1982)

20. MIKE BIBBY - 37.9% (11-18; 2008-2010)

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

7) Which one of these players did NOT win more than three playoff series in their Hawks career?

a. Mookie Blaylock

b. Tree Rollins

c. Dominique Wilkins

d. Kevin Willis

Reward for getting this right is a big 2-liter of orange soda...

...and a pair of Pumps...

Most Playoff Series Victories, Atlanta Hawks Era:

T-1. Kevin Willis (4 series wins out of 10; First-Round wins in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1994)

T-1. Mookie Blaylock (4 series wins out of 11; First-Round wins in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999)

T-1. Tree Rollins (4 series wins out of 13; First-Round wins in 1979, 1986, 1987, 1988)

T-2. DOMINIQUE WILKINS (3 series wins out of 11; First-Round wins in 1986, 1987, 1988)

Also with 3 series victories: Alan Henderson (3 out of 6); Scott Hastings, Al Horford, Joe Johnson, Cliff Levingston, Zaza Pachulia, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Randy Wittman (3 out of 7); Steve Smith, Spud Webb (3 out of 8 ); Doc Rivers, Jon Koncak (3 out of 9); John Battle (3 out of 10)

~lw3

Edited November 27, 2011 by lethalweapon3

[lethalweapon3]

Correction on the "Most Playoff Game Wins" list for Question #1... Spud is by his lonesome at 5th place with 18 wins. After correcting a miscalculation, Jon Koncak is at 17 wins and 24 losses.

~lw3

[TheNorthCydeRises]

I’m fooling around with the basketball-reference.com data for the Hawks oh-so-illustrious playoff history in Atlanta, and put together a little quiz for those with some free time over this here lockout period…

Out of the 43 NBA players who participated in** at least three playoff seasons with the ATLANTA Hawks (1969-2011):

1) Which player has the most Hawk playoff wins, and is also tied for the most Hawk playoff losses? (Hint: Danny Ainge will think twice before flipping him the bird again)

2) Which player has the highest Hawk playoff-game winning percentage? (Hint: I don’t think goggles were en-vogue for him yet)

3) Only two players failed to win a single Hawk playoff series. Can you name them? (Hint: one is deceased, the other you see pretty much every season if you watch Hawks games on TV)

4) Only five players have a winning percentage with the Hawks of 45% or greater. Of those five, only one played for former coach Mike Woodson. Can you name him? (Hint: Don’t “blame” him for the Hawks losing when he doesn’t play)

5) By playing just four minutes in Game 1 of the victorious 1999 playoff series versus Detroit, Alan Henderson is the only player who “won” half of his Hawk playoff series (3 out of 6). After Hendu and his big ol’ asterisk, eight Hawks are tied for playoff-series winning percentage, at 42.9 percent (3 out of 7). Can you name these eight players? (Hints: One holds the NBA record for most consecutive games WITHOUT a steal… another has a son that starred at Cornell… another once had to “foul into” a game… the remaining five are from the modern “Woodson-Drew” era)

6) Which one of these players did NOT lose at least two-thirds of their Hawk playoff contests?

a. Stacey Augmon

b. Mike Bibby

c. Ty Corbin

d. John Drew

e. Grant Long

f. Steve Smith

7) Which one of these players did NOT win more than three playoff series in their Hawks career?

a. Mookie Blaylock

b. Tree Rollins

c. Dominique Wilkins

d. Kevin Willis

** “Participated in” means you only had to appear in a game, at least for part of one second. So scrubs count, but just the ones who hung around for three playoff seasons.

~lw3

1) Kevin Willis ( 75% certain )

2) Antoine Carr ( 75% certain )

3) Lorenzen Wright and Mike "The Stinger" Glenn ( educated guesses )

4) Jason Collins ( who else could it be? ) . . . surely not Mario West

5) Have no idea who the other 3 are, but the Woodson-Drew guys are . . . Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Al Horford, Zaza Pachulia

6) Ty Corbin ( probably not right but I'll guess him )

7) Tree Rollins ( pretty sure this is right )

[TheNorthCydeRises]

1) Kevin Willis ( 75% certain )

2) Antoine Carr ( 75% certain )

3) Lorenzen Wright and Mike "The Stinger" Glenn ( educated guesses )

4) Jason Collins ( who else could it be? ) . . . surely not Mario West

5) Have no idea who the other 3 are, but the Woodson-Drew guys are . . . Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Al Horford, Zaza Pachulia

6) Ty Corbin ( probably not right but I'll guess him )

7) Tree Rollins ( pretty sure this is right )

LOL . . I failed miserably in this.

[lethalweapon3]

LOL . . I failed miserably in this.

Nah, you get an E for Effort! LOL

I think all that's remaining are 2 of the 3 players for Question #5 (niremetal got Randy Wittman correct).

~lw3