CAN THE HAWKS WIN A 7 GAME PLAYOFF SERIES SHOOTING JUMPSHOTS?

[atlhawks1]

THATS the bottom line of this hawks team. I think not. The last month isnt a aberration. Remember, we lost that series against indiana last year ( albeit with a team still new to the system and without horford), when our shots stopped falling. Again, for the hundreth time, we need BALANCE. Teams are having strolls in the park and picnics in the paint against us. Walter taveres better pan out because this pero and muscala experiment isnt working. Al, as we all know, isnt a true center. Sap is undersized as a power. We can dream all we want about our spread offense taking us to the promise land, but the last month, now that teams have figured us out, shows otherwise. Now, they take us serious, and pound our middle and eat for free.

 

We need a shot blocker and rebounder in the rotation. I can live with pero and muscala not being consistent shooters, my problem is their lack of presence on the defensive end of the court and the boards. You cant win games relying on your team shooting lights out every game. There comes a point where you HAVE to win a ugly game in the playoffs, and right now, i dont think we can do it..........

Edited March 22, 2015 by atlbenz

[LucastheThird]

Why are you naming Muscala like he gets twenty minutes a game? There's no way you can be that mad with him when he barely gets to play.

 

As far as the interior defense, we will look better once everyone starts giving effort and doing what they are supposed to do and stop the ball before it gets inside. We have guys that aren't rotating as fast as they were earlier in the year and that has to change. Coach Bud's scheme doesn't call for a "shot-blocker", it calls for team defense.

[Wretch]

I've never been too big on jumpshooting teams...but there's more to the Hawks' success than that.  Namely defense...which has basically been the problem this week.  Over the past 3 games, they've sucked at it - giving up +20 over our average.  We're not going to win shootouts with good teams.

 

...and this particular game was lost in the 1st  quarter.  A team like San Antonio is not going to let you back into it down 20-4 in the 1st.  Yes, they got hot...but at the same time, had we just weathered the storm and executed, this would have been a different game.

 

Honestly, I think we'll settle down after beating up a few non-elite teams and our schedule looks extremely favorable through the end of the year.  I will be really concerned if we lay a few eggs to close out the season though...

[atlhawks1]

I've never been too big on jumpshooting teams...but there's more to the Hawks' success than that.  Namely defense...which has basically been the problem this week.  Over the past 3 games, they've sucked at it - giving up +20 over our average.  We're not going to win shootouts with good teams.

 

...and this particular game was lost in the 1st  quarter.  A team like San Antonio is not going to let you back into it down 20-4 in the 1st.  Yes, they got hot...but at the same time, had we just weathered the storm and executed, this would have been a different game.

 

Honestly, I think we'll settle down after beating up a few non-elite teams and our schedule looks extremely favorable through the end of the year.  I will be really concerned if we lay a few eggs to close out the season though...

 

Im not concerned about our defense on the perimeter. ( thats why i know we can still beat cleveland). my concern is when the ball gets into the paint area. Its true that when we collapse as a team into the paint, we WERE stopping teams. Im still seeing effort, so i still believe we need a big that can defend..........

[Guest]

This is the team we have going into the playoffs.

They need to pick up their defensive intensity at every position.

I was at the game and I saw very little effort at times.

[atlhawks1]

Tavares cant get here soon enough..........

[smoove31210]

When we did NOTHING at the trade deadline, I knew it was bad news. Teams now have a great sample size of game tape to watch of us lately and game plan for. The first round will NOT be a gimme....just watch.

[Guest]

Pero 11...Al 8....Teague...8...how do you win when that's the effort put forth by the starting C and PG. Outscored by Pero, lol.

[Alex]

NT.

[cam1218]

As Wretch said, it's going to come down to our defense. We won't win a series jacking shots up, but we didn't get to where we are by doing that either. A lot of our offense came with pushing the ball up the court after a solid defensive possession and quickly finding a favorable offensive matchup. Sometimes it was a three, sometimes it was one of our bigs on a smaller player. We will win almost any series with solid D, good transition offense and good ball movement when the game slows down. We aren't doing any of these things right now on a consistent basis but we know they can.

[macdaddy]

No one can win in the playoffs WITHOUT shooting jumpers...and making them.    

[DJlaysitup]

I think we can...but if we can't we are screwed.

[Gray Mule]

Bud ball worked.  It hasn't just suddenly quit on us.  It will still work.

 

Several years ago my neighbor had chickens.  Caged layers.  It was

necessary to haul away the droppings from underneath the cages.

He had a sign on the back of the manure spreader which said, "Shit Happens!"

 

So it is with our beloved Hawks.  As bad as it's been lately, this team

is still a dangerous team to each and every opponent and I'm sure they

do not believe that meeting them will be an easy "Four and out" in the

playoffs. 

 

Has our players suddenly lost their ability?  Have the entire coaching staff

for the Hawks gone dumb?  Are other teams saying they can't or they no longer

know how?

 

Don't give up on this team.  Apparently we all feel that our Hawks are like a big

snowball on the streets of Atlanta in mid August.  Melting quickly away, never

to be seen again.

 

Sleepwalking defense against a team as good as the Spurs will do that to you.

 

Repeat after me, "We will do better.  We will do better."

[AUhawksfan]

This is the team we have going into the playoffs.

They need to pick up their defensive intensity at every position.

I was at the game and I saw very little effort at times.

 

This.  Exactly what I noticed.  These teams are getting layups, midrange, and 3 pointers with a lot less hands in their face.  It's not just one position.

 

Earlier in the year even if an opponent had a semi open shot someone would have had a hand in their face by the time the shot came off.  I remember when close up shots would sometimes have three different hands up ready to block it.  That's the kind of intensity I haven't seen in awhile.

 

Our offense while not great (minus OKC), has been good enough to win.  Someone just needs to light a fire under this team to finish off the season whether it's Bud or the players.

 

We can only hope the playoffs will be enough to get that intensity back up as well.

[macdaddy]

This.  Exactly what I noticed.  These teams are getting layups, midrange, and 3 pointers with a lot less hands in their face.  It's not just one position.

 

Earlier in the year even if an opponent had a semi open shot someone would have had a hand in their face by the time the shot came off.  I remember when close up shots would sometimes have three different hands up ready to block it.  That's the kind of intensity I haven't seen in awhile.

 

Our offense while not great (minus OKC), has been good enough to win.  Someone just needs to light a fire under this team to finish off the season whether it's Bud or the players.

 

We can only hope the playoffs will be enough to get that intensity back up as well.

 

Our offense has been good enough to win anyway but add to it the lack of transition baskets that we usually get when we play good D and get turnovers and steals then it's a problem.