Did we all miss the significance?

[Diesel]

This year is really special..IN all of our playoffs years, we've only had a better season record than this one... ONCE.Under Woody we were 53-29.We talk a lot of crap about how bad this team is and how we're bound to lose in the first round or in the second round...BUT think.We're having one of the best seasons in Hawks History... and AL has missed most of the season.In that one season, we were putting up 101.7 ppg and giving up 97.0 ppg.This year, we are putting up 96 ppg and giving up 92 ppg. Again... without Horf.We have the worst attendance in basketball and we're still winning.This is what I say..AL is better than ZazaandZaza is better than Damp.I got a feeling that people will be surprised in the playoffs.Let's go Hawks!!!!

[lethalweapon3]

(to date) Highest year-to-year improvements in winning percentage, among returning playoff teams:1. Pacers +.194 (37-45 in 2011, 40-22 in 2012)2. HAWKS +.060 (44-38 in 2011, 37-25 in 2012)3. Thunder +.055 (55-27 in 2011, 45-17 in 2012)4. Grizzlies +.036 (46-36 in 2011, 37-25 in 2012)5. Knicks +.020 (42-40 in 2011, 33-29 in 2012)6. 76ers +.016 (41-41 in 2011, 32-30 in 2012)7. Heat +.014 (58-24 in 2011, 44-17 in 2012)8. Bulls +.002 (62-20 in 2011, 47-25 in 2012)~lw3

[Supporter]

Mostly because of Josh's and Teague's improvement, and the GOON SQUAD!!! Forgot to mention ZAZA and DUCK!

Edited April 19, 2012 by Supporter

[tonegully]

Ive said it once and I will say it again. We dont NEED to make any trades. We have the talent and the bench. We just need a coach that demands respect and instill some discipline in this team. Learning how to stick with the plan even when it is going bad. We can beat any team in this league.

[Jody23]

Ive said it once and I will say it again. We dont NEED to make any trades. We have the talent and the bench. We just need a coach that demands respect and instill some discipline in this team. Learning how to stick with the plan even when it is going bad. We can beat any team in this league.

Coaching will not change the size and rebounding woes that have been a constant for years.

[Jody23]

Coaching will not change the size and rebounding woes that have been a constant for years.

And soon after I posted this, during the Pheonix vs Clippers game, CWebb mentions how undersized the Hawks are. Still amazes me how the Hawks refuse to acknowledge or address this problem.

[Joker]

We also lack a #1 scorer as well.

[Diesel]

I hear the complaints. We need better coaching. We need better rebounding (I agree). We need a #1 scorer. But without all those, we are having one of the best seasons ever and Horf has not played in the last 50 games (about).Says to me that we're better than we think.

[Buzzard]

I hear the complaints. We need better coaching. We need better rebounding (I agree). We need a #1 scorer. But without all those, we are having one of the best seasons ever and Horf has not played in the last 50 games (about).Says to me that we're better than we think.

We are still talking about our Hawks best seasons. Now compare us to past champions best seasons. We want to be a champion, not just one of the best teams in Hawks history. That is not good enough because that still equals 1st and 2nd round losses.

[benhillboy]

The guys gave seemed to respond to Coach Drew well this year. He's a better coach than I ever thought he'd be. Can't credit Sund enough for constructing one of the best benches in the lig. Josh, Zaza, and Joe kept us afloat without Big Al. Of course we want more, but no other team has missed an All-Star caliber player for almost the whole season and still remained competitive besides the Clippers and Grizzlies, who now have Z-Bo back. Considering what we don't have (#1 option who can dribble-drive, Al, a true center, a true point), we've done damn well.

[macdaddy]

Damn man. LD gets paid the least.........respect in the whole damn league. Teams can have a good coach and still lose because of lack of talent. I can't think of one team that has been this successful with a bad coach. Once the coach is tuned out it all falls apart.

So if you said at the beginning of the season that Teague / Hinrich would be our starting back court and Zaza would be our starting (and only) decent center for most of the season would you believe we'd be getting home court in the playoffs?

[AHF]

And soon after I posted this, during the Pheonix vs Clippers game, CWebb mentions how undersized the Hawks are. Still amazes me how the Hawks refuse to acknowledge or address this problem.

Easier to ID this issue than to address it - particularly with our cap situation. Getting a Faried or Jordan in this draft would be great but every team in the league is thinking that way and our scouting frankly has blown chunks for years so even if we try (we should be trying to maximize our draft assets) our track record doesn't point to great success. There aren't too many minimum contract free agents who make an impact on a team and are big men.

[coachx]

This year is really special..IN all of our playoffs years, we've only had a better season record than this one... ONCE.Under Woody we were 53-29.

I assume you have limited the sample size to the Woody / Drew era ?

[KB21]

Easier to ID this issue than to address it - particularly with our cap situation. Getting a Faried or Jordan in this draft would be great but every team in the league is thinking that way and our scouting frankly has blown chunks for years so even if we try (we should be trying to maximize our draft assets) our track record doesn't point to great success. There aren't too many minimum contract free agents who make an impact on a team and are big men.

Faried is a great example of just how much size is overrated. That guy is a beast of a rebounder and is one of the more efficient scorers in the league. George Karl is a damn fool to not play him more. Yet, he's only 6'8", 225 lbs or so.

[AHF]

Faried is a great example of just how much size is overrated. That guy is a beast of a rebounder and is one of the more efficient scorers in the league. George Karl is a damn fool to not play him more. Yet, he's only 6'8", 225 lbs or so.

I think Denver management saw what they had with him and ditched the expensive contract of Nene as soon as possible. Not a bad move for the long-term as Nene has never blown me away with his subpar rebounding.

[Jody23]

Easier to ID this issue than to address it - particularly with our cap situation. Getting a Faried or Jordan in this draft would be great but every team in the league is thinking that way and our scouting frankly has blown chunks for years so even if we try (we should be trying to maximize our draft assets) our track record doesn't point to great success. There aren't too many minimum contract free agents who make an impact on a team and are big men.

True, but honestly I think this organization has dodged the issue for years because they'd rather have both Horford (true 4) and Josh (3/4) together up front. I've contended since the Hawks drafted Al that he was a 4 and that him and Josh up front would only get so far because collectively, they are small (check the rebounding numbers). Do I think an All-Star center is needed? Not at all. But you need adequate size and if that boils down to moving one of the two to strengthen other ares of the roster, so be it. But as long as the main rotation up front stays undersized, the Hawks will continue to be exactly what they are.

[Buzzard]

Easier to ID this issue than to address it - particularly with our cap situation. Getting a Faried or Jordan in this draft would be great but every team in the league is thinking that way and our scouting frankly has blown chunks for years so even if we try (we should be trying to maximize our draft assets) our track record doesn't point to great success. There aren't too many minimum contract free agents who make an impact on a team and are big men.

The quality at where we pick is what concerns me. I am confident we can draft a center between 20 and 25, but whether that center will even be better than ZaZa will be debatable. If we can move up I think we can get a potential starter at the 5, other wise the real quality may all be picked over come our pick.GMs value bigs and at times overvalue them. Even a team like the Pistons who have Monroe could still go big in this years draft IMO. Edited April 20, 2012 by Buzzard

[Diesel]

We are still talking about our Hawks best seasons. Now compare us to past champions best seasons. We want to be a champion, not just one of the best teams in Hawks history. That is not good enough because that still equals 1st and 2nd round losses.

I don't know. Last year, regular season, we were dismal and looking like a first round exit. We gave the best team in basketball a run. We play up for the playoffs.

[Joker]

I honestly don't think we will beat Boston in the 1st round.

[AJtheGreat]

I honestly don't think we will beat Boston in the 1st round.

If Rondo plays like he has been for most of the season, i don't think we will win either. KG and PP are also playing really good.