Blatant Disrespect.

[macdaddy]

I heard a former player on the radio the other day saying that playoff history just isn't something the players think or care about.   Korver and Sap aren't thinking 'damn the hawks never got out of the second round'.   All they know, and all they care about is what is going on now, this season.   Like most Atlanta fans i'm almost too gun shy to get hyped up about going to the finals.  It's too unreal.  But this is what these players have worked their whole life for and they aren't going down without a fight.   They certainly aren't intimidated by playing lebron or rose or steph.  They are just opponents and all opponents in the nba are tough.   But we've handled them all this year (except toronto, oops).   We can do it in the playoffs too.

[Nicholasp27]

So you want to count the Hawks playoff experience over the last 7 years? Cool then you also have to count the playoff failure that 7 years has held. What in our playoff record would make an outsider choose the Hawks over any of those teams you have named? With no Joe Johnson we haven't been to the 2nd round. So you know what exactly are you complaining aboutt

When have we ever underachieved in the playoffs these 7 years?

Did we lose a single series to a lower seed team?

We took two #1s to 7 games, which is overachieving

[Nicholasp27]

Hawks are gonna be a Cinderella team in playoffs as a #1 seed LOL

[DrReality]

Too many of the guys who flaunt their opinion do it for the sake of their opinion and not the sport.  I don't pay much if any attention to most of them.  There are so many of them out there now that you have to say something outlandish to be heard and it's been fashionable to kick us around.  The thing I love about Bud is he doesn't give a shit about all this and he stays focused on coaching our guys.  We are coming up on a tough stretch and it will be very telling about getting ready for the playoffs.  

[AHF]

When have we ever underachieved in the playoffs these 7 years?

Did we lose a single series to a lower seed team?

We took two #1s to 7 games, which is overachieving

 

Most years we did right about what was expected - never really rising above or too far below.  

 

However, we did underachieve in some of those years.  Biggest example is that we lost the worst series in NBA playoff history as a #3 seed.  Worse than any 1 v 8 matchup ever.  That is just brutal.  In 2011-12, we lost 4-2 as a 40 win team to a 39 win Boston team.

[Admin]

Hawks going to the finals will be like V is for Vendetta.

 

 

"Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition.  The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous."

 

 

I'm pretty sure that's not Malcolm X there. 

[JETSET]

Most years we did right about what was expected - never really rising above or too far below.  

 

However, we did underachieve in some of those years.  Biggest example is that we lost the worst series in NBA playoff history as a #3 seed.  Worse than any 1 v 8 matchup ever.  That is just brutal.  In 2011-12, we lost 4-2 as a 40 win team to a 39 win Boston team.

What matters more in determining a favorite in that Boston series. 

 

-Us winning one more regular season game

 

or

 

-Horford returning in game 3 after being hurt all year,  Zaza being out because of injury, Josh Smith injuring his ankle in game 2 and missing game 3.

 

We were left with Jason Collins and Erica Dampier as our Center options.

Edited March 5, 2015 by JETSET

[Diesel]

I'm pretty sure that's not Malcolm X there. 

 

I thought it was poetic replacing an X with a V!!

Edited March 5, 2015 by Diesel

[FrankWhite]

You can tell who actually watches basketball and who doesn't. Most mainstream media personalities do not, and they don't realize that the game is changing before their eyes and the Hawks are at the forefront of the revolution. They still think teams that play hero ball or teams built inside out are the teams to beat. They are truly baffled when they look at our rebounding numbers or our lack of a true rim protector. Most of these guys think Kyle is a one dimensional shooter who can't defend, Demarre is a scrub, and we have no depth, and they keep waiting to be proven right... and waiting... and waiting...

The difference between this team and past Hawks squads is those guys wanted to be loved and these guys don't care. They know they're that good. Let em hate.

[RandomFan]

Hawks going to the finals will be like V is for Vendetta.

 

 

"Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition.  The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous."

 

 

Liked for repping V for Vendetta. Nearly unliked for conflating V with Malcom X... Kinda not even in the same stratosphere, yo.

[Diesel]

You can tell who actually watches basketball and who doesn't. Most mainstream media personalities do not, and they don't realize that the game is changing before their eyes and the Hawks are at the forefront of the revolution. They still think teams that play hero ball or teams built inside out are the teams to beat. They are truly baffled when they look at our rebounding numbers or our lack of a true rim protector. Most of these guys think Kyle is a one dimensional shooter who can't defend, Demarre is a scrub, and we have no depth, and they keep waiting to be proven right... and waiting... and waiting...

The difference between this team and past Hawks squads is those guys wanted to be loved and these guys don't care. They know they're that good. Let em hate.

 

I don't think that it's that they don't watch.  I think it's that they don't believe.   Many of these pundits played and they played in a time where a Jordan Led Chicago or a Shaq Led Lakers or a Hakeem led Houston team was able to win the championship.  There have always been these team first teams that didn't do enough in the playoffs.    They even think that the Spurs are really Duncan led.  Our team has to be the first to put into proof that you can go into the playoffs and let your teamwork overcome your flaws.

We are flawed because we lack size.  The one thing we have to prove is that effort and execution  will overcome size.  It's going to be an interesting postseason.

So the onus is on us to prove the pundits wrong and in the process change their mind.  However, many of us are going out talking about teamwork is new???  That's farthest from the truth. Most championship teams had great teamwork.  Shaq/Kobe Lakers inside out game was teamwork.  Olajuwon's inside out game required great teamwork.   Even the Bulls triangle offense was teamwork.  The thing that we're doing that's new is neglecting the rebounding and placing execution and efficiency over everything else.  If we can win playoff series with that, then we will revolutionize basketball.

[Guest]

No, these guys don't watch.  It's obvious and it's a darn shame.

 

Oh, and just in case y'all weren't aware, the Bulls' victory over Durant-less OKC has propelled them back over the Hawgs as a favorite in the East.

 

DEY BAK BAYBEE!!!  Cleveland v Chicago back in the ECF!!!

 

(Nevermind the fact that if they finish 2-3 the ECF matchup can't happen.)