Why did Al make that last free throw?

[dalamchops]

3 sec left, i thought he really should've missed it on purpose and go for a tip in. We didn't have a timeout left, so we really didn't have time to foul and get another legit shot off.

[Admin]

Hard to say but since it was our C shooting the FT unless we were to bring in someone else off the bench we really didn't have the size to get in there and steal a rebound. Plus we don't have the Taj Gibson / Manimal types of player (although Ivan is close) to come in and steal the rebound based on effort alone.

[coachx]

I think he was aiming for the back iron. The shot was flat and hard with little arch. I think he intended for it to hit off the back iron for a long rebound but it swished.If he intentionally made the shot then it was an awful decision since we had no timeout to advance the ball after the Celtics free throws.

[Diesel]

I don't know.You have to think... what if we don't get the rebound and have to foul... we're down by alot.IF you hit the shot, we're down 1 and you still have a chance to steal the inbound or foul and hope for the heave.

[AHF]

I think he was aiming for the back iron. The shot was flat and hard with little arch. I think he intended for it to hit off the back iron for a long rebound but it swished.If he intentionally made the shot then it was an awful decision since we had no timeout to advance the ball after the Celtics free throws.

That is the same thing I saw. The shot looked very flat to me. I think he intended to miss but had to hit rim so he couldn't miss by too much.

[AHF]

Al was quoted by MC saying that he should have intentionally missed the second. He wasn't trying to miss, which is just pathetic.

I saw that in another thread after posting the above.

That is bad on Al but historically bad on LD and the assistants. Everyone on the team needs to know Al is missing that free throw and to go for the rebound and Al needs to be told to miss. If it didn't even cross his mind to miss, the coaches dropped the ball and that is about all they are there for is to manage game moments like that.

Bad on Al (and frankly, Joe, Josh, and eveyone else on the floor who should have grabbed him and told him to miss if the coaches weren't doing it), terrible on the coaches.

[Watchman]

Al was quoted by MC saying that he should have intentionally missed the second. He wasn't trying to miss, which is just pathetic.

If you are going to deliberately miss a free throw then the whole team has to be on the same page and understand that they need to anticipate the miss and hit the offensive boards. It's not something the free throw shooter can unilaterally decide on his own.

[Guest]

That is on the coaching staff.

[tonegully]

That is on the coaching staff.

and they need to be fired.

[hawkman]

and they need to be fired.

Tone, I agree with you 100%. It's time for the lack of discipline and sloppy halfcourt play and unnecessary mistakes to stop. I don't hate LD at all, but this team has gone as far as he can take them. Please ASG, bring in a new coach. If you love the core and don't want to make changes, you HAVE to bring in a new coach.

[benhillboy]

I have no idea. Even if the team wasn't clear on the strategy, he has as good a chance to get his own rebound against the struggling Celtics on the glass, although im sure KG wouldnt allow a offensive rebound on a free throw. It did look flat, but he could've done much better to catapult it off the glass hard and give us a chance.

[APE]

I remember him saying he tried to make both. Didn't know we didn't have a TO.

[NineOhTheRino]

I remember him saying he tried to make both. Didn't know we didn't have a TO.

that's bad. horrible move by LD not to tell him the situation.trying to find LD's postgame presser. anyone know if it's up?

[benhillboy]

I remember him saying he tried to make both. Didn't know we didn't have a TO.

That's surprising. I would expect Al and Kirk to know all the logistics of a late game situation and losing their voice informing everyone on the team about every single scenario in a very loud and stern tenor. Everyone else, including the coach, not so much. Edited May 11, 2012 by benhillboy

[hawkman]

That situation, and the many that have preceeded it are enough for me to know what needs to be done. Get an 'outside' guy in here to coach these guys. Eliminate just a few of the wounds the Hawks inflicted on themselves and they win this series in 5 games. Get a known quantity as head coach and see what these guys can do with someone who puts the players in a position to succeed and who's not afraid to bench guys who aren't playing the right way.

[HawkRock1123]

I'm not mad at'cha, Al. You played a good series.

[benhillboy]

I'm not mad at'cha, Al. You played a good series.

True dat.

[MaceCase]

No surprise that the team collectively lacks IQ. We harp on Al and Kirkland for their intelligence but it's mostly just in contrast to the rest of the guys.