Yall Killing Me

[EazyRoc]

Im not quite convinced we need a closer..

[High5]

Harden's a "superstar" and a "closer." He did his predictable hero ball and our defense shut him down. Then Korver ran down the floor and hit the dagger 3. Yeah, it's nice to have someone who can single-handedly pull a win out of thin air, but there are other times where hero ball fails. In those situations you have a bunch of players just standing around without much input on the result. I'm happy to see the Hawks play consistently as a team and see where that gets us in the long run. 

[Guest]

What has happened in the past is no indicator of what will happen in the future. The NBA is changing, evolving.

Geez, it's almost like the NBA is operating under a different collective bargaining agreement than in the past. It's almost as if the rules are different today than they were 5 years ago. And it's almost like,

*gasp*

Previous rules don't apply!

Oh. My. God. Naw this probably isn't the case or anything because I already figured out that SUPERSTARS are necessary! {/sarcasm}

(waits for definition of superstar, which will never show up.)

[RedDawg#8]

Ayy its really not that big of a deal either way as long as we keep winning. Im sure those who want a star will still be happy and those who dont think we need one wont mind if we get one as long as our team is successful at the end of the day. We all just want a champion here and we have different ideas of how that should happen. We are on the cusp of having the best record in the East so whatever we are doing is working right? Go Hawks

[Bonkers]

The late 70's Sonics team.

Oh 

 

I'm talking about since the merger. AKA the modern NBA

[ViperXX79]

Can we at least wait and see if this makes it past the first round of the playoffs before we deem this team as GOAT.  Our last core was pretty damn good in the regular season too.

[buckeye242424]

We don't need a so called "star".... We have two already. Jesus, it's guys that don't care about individual awards. Bud has something going on. Our last five games are proven. We're second in the East. Stop bitching.

[hawkman]

The Hawks are legit thanks to Bud and the unselfish players on this roster. This is the best basketball I have seen since Spurs v Heat in the Finals. I still would like to see someone who can get their own shot on the roster for when the offense stalls. Last night versus the Clippers in the 4th quarter is an example of one of those times. But these guys are legit as-is and I love how some of these 'elite' teams get a little chippy with the Hawks when it's apparent they're about to lose. Watching those other team's players whine and gripe to the officials as they fall further and further behind is priceless. It's like they can't accept that the Hawks are a legit threat.

[OldTimeHawk]

the system will create a superstar . But the system will decide who shines on any given night. What we have  here is a product of shrewd management , good coaching, and the players buying into the system . On any given night  someone  from 1 - 10 on the depth chart can step up and provide critical play that carries the team. 

[Diesel]

What has happened in the past is no indicator of what will happen in the future. The NBA is changing, evolving. Anything can happen and the focus should be on making the TEAM the best that we can possibly make it, and NOT on tanking or trading away assets for ball hogs, because A) Superstars won't come here via FA B) The draft is a complete crapshoot regardless of record C) that style of play is quickly showing to become obsolete at winning championships. Tim Duncan may have been a superstar in his prime, but he isn't anymore, the difference between him and Horford/Millsap is not as large as some of you make it out to be. Anyway who was the MVP of the finals last year? Was it "superstar" Duncan? superstar Lebron? superstar Wade? Bosh? Nope, it was Kawhi "may never make an all star team in his entire career" Leonard. The Spurs without a clear MVP type player in their entire roster last year completely dsimantled a team composed of the MVP (and top 5 player all time), and two perennial All Stars. In fact they would have beat them twice in two years if it weren't for a miracle shot by Ray Allen.

 

Where do we start....

 

What happened in the past is a great indicator of what will happen!!  That's first.

 

Second.  The disrepect for Kawhi Leonard.  He's 23 years old and he's putting up 15, 8, and 3 with 2 steals and he has a career FG about .500.

 

His health is the only thing stopping him from being a superstar.

 

The game is not evolving.  There are less ISO teams, but ISO Teams were a fad to begin with.  What's the difference between these Spurs and the Bird Celtic teams?   How about any of the Piston championship teams or the Houston Championship teams?  Not much.  The game has always been a team game... and even though David Stern tricked the world to believe that Michael Jordan did it all by himself, MJ had a helluva team playing beside him. 

Basketball is the best team wins.. but moreso than not, every one of the teams that won had a guy who could be counted on when Clutch time came.

Bird, Magic, Jordan, Thomas, Billups, Olajuwon, Duncan, Parker, Kobe, Shaq, Lebron, Leonard.

 

Come on man.

[RedDawg#8]

Exactly. And Im not a believer that it has to be a STAR in crunch time. The system will create the STAR night in and night out but what we dont have is a true ON THE COURT leader down the stretch. We have plenty of locker room leadership and guys in the huddle who can be vocal but out on the court nobody has assumed that identity of who is in command when the other team is being aggressive defensively and trapping weaker ball handlers and we are turning the ball over left and right or Kyle Korver is getting forced in to jump ball situations. Teague should honestly be the one who brings up the ball and dribbles down the clock and drives the lane and makes something happen. He has done it before here and there but he hasnt assumed the role full time. Thats going to be part of his ebolution. He doesnt have to be a superstar to be a leader or be the guy the team leans on late to put the game away for good.

[jy23]

If Kawhi is a superstar so is Al Horford. With the way we play we will ride the hot hand in those situations when we need that big shot at the end. If Al is hot, he gets the shot...if Kyle is hi the gets the shot...Paul, Jeff, so on and so on. Who takes the last shot for the spurs? No one ever knows!!!! Some nights it's Manu, some nights it's Tony, others it's Tim or hell just whoever the open man is. I remember with that Detroit team that Rip used to take a lot of end of the game shots coming off screens, it wasn't just Billups shooting all the time. Stop lying to try and make your point like our type of basketball hasn't been successful before.

[tonegully]

you guys have no faith in this team. We dont need a superstar to carry nothing, the best thing about this team is that, they dont know who to guard for the last shot

[Diesel]

If Kawhi is a superstar so is Al Horford. With the way we play we will ride the hot hand in those situations when we need that big shot at the end. If Al is hot, he gets the shot...if Kyle is hi the gets the shot...Paul, Jeff, so on and so on. Who takes the last shot for the spurs? No one ever knows!!!! Some nights it's Manu, some nights it's Tony, others it's Tim or hell just whoever the open man is. I remember with that Detroit team that Rip used to take a lot of end of the game shots coming off screens, it wasn't just Billups shooting all the time. Stop lying to try and make your point like our type of basketball hasn't been successful before.

 

 

I take this as being directed for me.  So let me look at your statement... You said "Stop lying to try to make your point like our type of basketball hasn't been successful before."

 

I want you to reread this carefully so that you are sure what the hell your are talking about:

 

I said:  "Basketball is the best team wins.. but moreso than not, every one of the teams that won had a guy who could be counted on when Clutch time came."

 

I'll be waiting for your retraction.

[MrMeltdown]

We have plenty of guys who are capable of star and superstar games. Teague came up with several star worthy efforts in the playoffs last year and so did Sap. Our bench looked like stars in a playoff game also. Everyone swears Horf is still better than Teague and Sap so he should be capable of a couple of star to superstar performances himself.

 

I am not worried about this team folding because of lack of stand out performers during the playoffs.

[Colin]

I think you may have been misunderstanding what people really wanted when they were saying "star", "gamechanger", and "future hall-of-famer"... 

 

The people want Zaza back, isn't it obvious? He is meant to be on this team-oriented squad...giving high fives and sweaty hugs to the team's hardworkers....

 

Just picture this now: Hawks, down 1 with 5 seconds left in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Spurs. Popovich and Budenholzer glaring at it each other--both looking rather disheveled--a perfect shot about to be captured by a cameraman...until Zaza slips on the towel he just put down on the ground, knocks the camermaman over, and looks to have sprained his ankle badly. The grunt that accompanied the slip was a rather Zaza-esque "AGhHG".

 

Zaza was down, and hurt... He gets up, with the help of his teammates--namely Muscala who has grown to call Zaza "Uncle Z", and he walks to the bench. He sits for a second, looks up at Coach Bud with this look in his eye

: 

 

and tells coach that he can't do it; "Coach~!!, I know I could hit game-winner dunk right now, but i trust our guys ott there. I will be the true team-player we need and sit out this life-change moment for the good of the team..."

 

The whole team stops for a second, turning to Zaza with a look of pure confusion and hilarity. Bud walks up to Zaza, placing a hand on his shoulder and looking into his eyes, and says "I appreciate that Zaza...but you weren't even going in."

 

The whole team has a huge chuckle in unison as Zaza shrugs and smiles at the camera, giving a thumps up.

 

Obviously the Hawks go on to win on a Korver alley-oop to himself-- because he was in such a great mood.

 

But...just imagine that. :') 

[jy23]

I've learned over the years not to argue with you bc you dance around every point made by the other person like you have bad reading comprehension or something.... But I know you're smarter than that so it's really just you being completely unable to see anyone else's point of view. So I will say this one more time and I won't address you again on this topic.

I addressed the two teams that most resemble what we're trying to put together. Detroit won a ring with no real superstar. Billups was not the only guy taking late game shots for that team. They did a lot based on movement with Rip coming off screens and getting the ball late or Sheed on the block late happened sometimes as well.

San Antonio has never been a team that gave the ball to one guy and just said go get it done at the end of games....even in Tims prime that wasn't how they did things. So like I said stop telling lies to try and prove a point.

[Diesel]

I've learned over the years not to argue with you bc you dance around every point made by the other person like you have bad reading comprehension or something.... But I know you're smarter than that so it's really just you being completely unable to see anyone else's point of view. So I will say this one more time and I won't address you again on this topic.

I addressed the two teams that most resemble what we're trying to put together. Detroit won a ring with no real superstar. Billups was not the only guy taking late game shots for that team. They did a lot based on movement with Rip coming off screens and getting the ball late or Sheed on the block late happened sometimes as well.

San Antonio has never been a team that gave the ball to one guy and just said go get it done at the end of games....even in Tims prime that wasn't how they did things. So like I said stop telling lies to try and prove a point.

 

 

First, this is not an argument.

 

Secondly, I never said that a no superstar team could win a championship.  Note my quotes... I said Basketball is a game where the BEST TEAM WINS.   I said, that MORE OFTEN THAN NOT Championship teams has a guy who that they can go to in the clutch.

What you have done is take my statement and tried to make a 5% vs. 95% argument.  That's your agenda.  I have no argument there.  What needs retraction is you calling me a liar.  This has nothing to do with the past, nor any of the underlying insults that you shoot, this has to do with here and now and your responsibility.  ON Christmas of all days.

[DrReality]

The system is the super star. Pops said over and over the ball never sticks and they dismantled the Heat with their superstars

[terrell]

If Bud thought we needed a 'closer",(aka ballhog, ballstopper), he would've kept Lou Williams.