8 Consecutive Road Losses...

[Ruckus]

Lets discuss the psychology of the Homecourt advantage. It is puzzling to me how, as a supposed professional, you can completely shut off when you are away from home.

[Cwell]

because our coaching staff sucks, so they need the fans to get them in the right direction instead. Stuff that works in the regular season don't fly in the playoffs. It was the same thing under Woody

[Gray Mule]

After losing by 23 points, I'll bet the Hawks wonder about that, too.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

The teams that are good on the road either have a superstar that can carry the whole team on his back, or is a team that loves being the "villian ".Which is why Boston can go into MSG in an elimination game, and pull out a win. They absolutely love being the villian.

[Ruckus]

I think it goes deeper than just coaching / lack of star players. Those are definitely part of it but shots that normally fall are off, they make bad defensive decisions, the TOs, etc. These are mental things. We fall apart at the seams. 8 in a row is crazy. Simply crazy.

[yungsta]

we have no mental toughness.

We dont play through bad calls, we have no composure at all, no maturity. This is where not having a leader hurts. When things get rough a leader would calm everyone down and take over the game when things got rough and that would give the rest of the team confidence.

For us once things get bad on the road its like the titanic sinking it just get worst and worst until the game is virtually over.

This "core" needs to be further dismantled.

Edited May 2, 2013 by yungsta

[TheNorthCydeRises]

The teams that are good on the road either have a superstar that can carry the whole team on his back, or is a team that loves being the "villian ".Which is why Boston can go into MSG in an elimination game, and pull out a win. They absolutely love being the villian.

And why the Rockets ( with James Harden playing like Stephen Curry tonight ) can go into OKC in an elimination game, and beat them.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

In the 4 playoff road wins we've had since 2008, it was either great defense that won it for us ( Game 4 @ Miami - 2009 . . Game 6 @ Milwaukee - 2010 ) . . .

or a superstar effort by JJ that won it for us ( Game 1 @ Orlando - 2011 . . . Game 1 @ Chicago - 2011 )

So the question is . . . if we win Game 6, are we capable of holding the Pacers to sub 80 points at home . . . or is someone on the Hawks capable of having a monster game on the road? ( a 25+ point type of game in which he makes big shots in the 4th quarter ).

[Ruckus]

In the 4 playoff road wins we've had since 2008, it was either great defense that won it for us ( Game 4 @ Miami - 2009 . . Game 6 @ Milwaukee - 2010 ) . . . or a superstar effort by JJ that won it for us ( Game 1 @ Orlando - 2011 . . . Game 1 @ Chicago - 2011 ) So the question is . . . if we win Game 6, are we capable of holding the Pacers to sub 80 points at home . . . or is someone on the Hawks capable of having a monster game on the road? ( a 25+ point type of game in which he makes big shots in the 4th quarter ).

Horford or Teague needs to have a monster game with Devin or Kyle hitting those big shots in the fourth.

[yungsta]

In the 4 playoff road wins we've had since 2008, it was either great defense that won it for us ( Game 4 @ Miami - 2009 . . Game 6 @ Milwaukee - 2010 ) . . .

or a superstar effort by JJ that won it for us ( Game 1 @ Orlando - 2011 . . . Game 1 @ Chicago - 2011 )

So the question is . . . if we win Game 6, are we capable of holding the Pacers to sub 80 points at home . . . or is someone on the Hawks capable of having a monster game on the road? ( a 25+ point type of game in which he makes big shots in the 4th quarter ).

we are 4-22 on the road in playoff games. that is pathetic. Plz blow up this team. You cant be taken seriously as a playoff team being that bad on the road.

I have just counted that 18 of those losses were double digit losses

14 of those 18 loses have been by 15+

I have never in my life seen a team that has been in the playoff multiple years in a row be that bad on the road. You think having playoff experience would mean something and we would make some progress but NO we do the same shit every year. Win at home then get blown out on the road. if we are lucky we get 1 road win in the playoff in the post season b4 getting bounced out.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

we are 4-22 on the road in playoff games. that is pathetic. Plz blow up this team. You cant be taken seriously as a playoff team being that bad on the road.

I have just counted that 18 of those losses were double digit losses

14 of those 18 loses have been by 15+

I have never in my life seen a team that has been in the playoff multiple years in a row be that bad on the road. You think having playoff experience would mean something and we would make some progress but NO we do the same shit every year. Win at home then get blown out on the road. if we are lucky we get 1 road win in the playoff in the post season b4 getting bounced out.

4 - 22 on the road . . 18 double digit losses . . . 14 by 15+ points . . . 10 by 20+ points . . and about 2 or 3 games by 30+ points

That's a hell of a stat line.

LOL . . so we have an 85% chance of losing a playoff road game . . . and a 38% chance of losing by 20+ points in a playoff road game? Damn.

Margin of losing in games in which the Hawks were eliminated from the playoffs

2008 @ Boston - 34 pts

2009 @ Cleveland - 10 pts

2010 vs Orlando - 14 pts

2011 vs Chicago - 20 pts

2012 @ Boston - 3 pts

Average margin of defeat - 16.2 pts

Damn.

Let's hope if they do crash and burn, that it will be in Indy on Sunday night, than at Philips on Friday night.

They need to show some heart though, and take these next two.

[DJlaysitup]

The teams that are good on the road either have a superstar that can carry the whole team on his back, or is a team that loves being the "villian ".Which is why Boston can go into MSG in an elimination game, and pull out a win. They absolutely love being the villian.

I

I think you make an excellent point North - and yungsta makes a good point about mental toughness.

I would add to that - that - perimeter oriented shooting teams aren't usually effective on the road simply because they are away from their usual surroundings. Sure, the basket is always at 10 feet - but things are different (background, colors).

Historically, most really good road teams have a quality inside game...which...unfortunately...we do not.

[Gray Mule]

Blow up this team? I was under the impression that we were doing that

and this year's team was only the "fill in" players we were using until we

could replace them with our new and improved team next season.

With only two players under contract for next season, how much more

"Blowing up this team" could we possibly do?

Sure, losing hurts. It hurts me, an old fan, really bad. I hate it.

All that being said, remember, we weren't expected to make the playoffs

this season. The lottery was our destination. None of the "experts" thought

we would win many games. Remember the 13 win season? They were

expecting us to be a little better than that, but not much.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

[DrReality]

Hawks need Melaril. Treats schizophrenia

[AHF]

we are 4-22 on the road in playoff games. that is pathetic. Plz blow up this team. You cant be taken seriously as a playoff team being that bad on the road.

I have just counted that 18 of those losses were double digit losses

14 of those 18 loses have been by 15+

I have never in my life seen a team that has been in the playoff multiple years in a row be that bad on the road. You think having playoff experience would mean something and we would make some progress but NO we do the same shit every year. Win at home then get blown out on the road. if we are lucky we get 1 road win in the playoff in the post season b4 getting bounced out.

I was going to post this. We haven't just lost 8 consecutive games - our margin of loss is a dramatic shift from the winning games with most in double digits and, as you point out, this goes back to the Woodson era.

Guys start settling for bad jumpers, fail to block out, etc. -- the whole gambit of bad basketball. It is difficult to watch.

This team isn't just bad on the road - they have been historically bad for years.

[DrReality]

Its just the same crap year after year. There was a good year or two in there, but fans get their homes up and then are bashed against the rocks. Been that way for decades? Just F'n tired of it.