Hawks promise to be a different team in Game 4

[JTB]

I wanted to post this because I didn't know if anyone actually paid for MYAJC access which is normally not worth the money but I had to know what was being said by our player being that they haven't played hawks style basketball nearly all playoffs. So hopefully this comforts you for game 4…...

 

Article:

 

WASHINGTON — 

The Hawks promise things will be different.

They have no choice. The alternative means a likely end to their postseason.

Related Gallery

Photos: Hawks fall to Wizards in Game 3 

The Hawks have not resembled the team that won 60 regular-season games and earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference throughout these playoffs. They struggled to defeat the Nets in six games in the first round and find themselves trailing the Wizards 2-1 in the second round. Game 4 is Monday night. Only eight teams in NBA history have come back from a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-seven series.

“Like my dad always tells me, you can’t think you’re the No. 1 seed, you have to act like the No. 1 seed,” DeMarre Carroll said Sunday. “I feel like we didn’t act like we were the No. 1 seed. We haven’t acted this whole series like we are the No. 1 seed. That should change tomorrow. If we are going to go out, we are going to go out swinging.”

The sting of a last-second 103-101 loss in Game 3 was still being felt a day later. The defeat, on a banked buzzer-beater by the Wizards’ Paul Pierce Saturday, put the Hawks in their current hole. A unit of Hawks reserves nearly completed a remarkable comeback from a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit only to receive a punch in the gut.

Hawks

• Hawks’ Carroll on not playing final Game 3 possession
• Budenholzer defends final defensive stand in Game 3
• Millsap feeling ‘better’ after not starting Game 3
• Hawks nearly come back from 21-point deficit
• Millsap a late scratch from starting lineup

More Hawks »

Now, for the first time this postseason, the Hawks trail a series.

“We understand the importance of Game 4,” Al Horford said. “We are looking forward to it. We wish we could play today.”

The Hawks held a light practice on the campus of George Washington University Sunday after a lengthy film session. They needed time to dissect what went so wrong in the Game 3 loss that was out of hand before Mike Budenholzer appeared to raise the white flag. The coach put in a group of reserves for the final eight minutes. The unit nearly won, especially after Mike Muscala drained a game-tying 3-pointer with 14.1 seconds left.

The starters gave credit to their teammates but vowed not to come out with a lack of intensity in Game 4. The Hawks’ only leads were 2-0 and 4-3 before the Wizards eventually built a double-digit lead they held until the final rally.

“We won’t have another effort like that, rest assured,” Carroll said. “I don’t think we had a sense of urgency as a starting group. We came out and the first five possessions, we chucked up 3s instead of attacking them and putting them on their heels. We watched film today and we understand what we need to do coming out next game. If you are on the Atlanta Hawks and you don’t come out with a sense of urgency next game, then you are not an Atlanta Hawk.”

One of the issues facing the Hawks in Game 3 was an illness to Paul Millsap. The forward did not start the game as he dealt with flu-like symptoms. By the time he entered the game, less than five minutes into the first quarter, the Hawks trailed by seven points. Budenholzer said he did not believe Millsap’s early absence contributed to the Wizards’ fast start with a physical charge that put the Hawks in an early hole.

“We all know that Paul can give us a lot and he will give us a lot,” Budenholzer said. “Judging on how we all played (Saturday), I’m not sure him starting or him coming off the bench, we all weren’t where we needed to be or wanted to be. I don’t think it would have made any difference starting him or bringing him off the bench.”

The Hawks made successful drives to the basket in the second half of Game 3. It will be a point of emphasis in Game 4. Jeff Teague had 11 of his 18 points in the second half and Dennis Schröder had all 18 of his points in the second half, 16 in the fourth quarter in leading the late charge. The point guards are responsible for getting the offense on track. Teague said the offense has been slowed for much of the series.

“We’ve just got to drive the ball,” Teague said. “They gave us a lot of open lanes to get to the rim. Last night, in the second half, me and Dennis started doing that. It opened up the floor for us. We were trying to force motion (offense) and all we had to do was drive the ball. There were so many open lanes but we were trying to force it. It was making our offense really stagnant. We’ve got to drive the ball.”

Time may be running out for the Hawks to return to the style of play that made them so successful.

 

Couple of points I want to make after reading the article above:

-Isn't it odd that DMC didn't want to come back in at the end of game 3? I know its been discussed but I just wonder why Bud didn't just force our best defender on the court regardless PERIOD.

-Teague is saying how there are plenty of open lanes yet he didn't start to attack consistently until 2nd half

-When will all the miss shots stop! NO body is saying be perfect but we are saying you have to make sone of those open shots to actually have a chance and that goes for any team.

-Is Millsap really worth 17m? Not because of last game but he's not an go to guy that we can really say "he go get us a bucket"…..of course he's good but Sap isn't a Superstar player and we can't pay him 17m regardless of what happens in the playoffs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thoughts?

 

[TheTruth]

It's the playoffs, what further motivator is there to "come out with intensity"? This Wizards team isn't better than us, but we are surely convincing people that they are..W

[TheTruth]

It's the playoffs, what further motivator is there to "come out with intensity"? This Wizards team isn't better than us, but we are surely convincing people that they are..W

Not sure what happened here as I can't edit the original post...

 

We are down 2-1, and the Hawks we've seen these 9 games have not been the same Hawks we've grown accustomed to over the regular season. The Wizards are NOT better than us, but we are allowing them to play like it.

 

I disagree with Bud. Antić got LIT UP like a Christmas tree. His defense was exposed against Nene (he who had no field goals against us before Game 3), and his early shot clock misses on the first few possessions buried us--he took something like 3 of the first 5 shots as if he were some first option on offense...he hit none of them. A healthy Milsap certainly would have made for a different result, and he most certainly wouldn't have allowed Nene and Gortat to transform into Tim Duncans out there. It's just unfortunate when Antić is the "best" you can turn to.

 

With that said, Muscala SHOULD be playing more. In fact, if Milsap is still recovering for Game 4, Muscala better be starting. He's no savior, nor is he all that great, but he should be able to give us better overall output than Antić did. Plus he knows what an actual rebound is.

 

And Teague needs to be as aggressive as he can. Even when fully healthy, he'd disappear and play passive way too much--even when he has the clear matchup advantage. Sessions isn't Magic Johnson--go at him...If Teague can't for whatever reason, Schröder needs to start Game 4.

 

This is the PLAYOFFS, there is no time to coddle players. Win or go the eff home. We are down 2-1, and only 8 teams have come back from being down 3-1. Our defense is too sometimey and our offense too inconsistent for us to reel off 3 straight wins to defy the odds and advance to the ECF. The Hawks team we have watched in the playoffs is a fraud, for I do not recognize this team. They are much better than this...it is time they play like it for once. DMC is right, they are a #1 seed, it's time they show it. If the starters come out motivated, Milsap is at least 75%, the bench plays more like they did in Game 3 as opposed to the 8 games that preceded it, Antić plays sparingly, and our PGs attack the rim and drive, we will CRUSH the Wiz in Game 4 and head home with all the momentum to start closing out the series by Game 6. Take it to the bank!

 

Just don't cash in until Tuesday...trust me, I'm good for it though :)

[ThomasCredle]

I hope it is as easy as watch the film and make the corrections. I also don't think those driving lanes will be there if our bigs aren't making midrange shots and pulling the Wizard bigs away from the basket. They were camped out early in game 3 daring our bigs to shot and they did and they missed. Those lanes in the second half were there when the Hawks made some of those shots. Dennis was getting in at will because the Wizards couldn't collapse because Scott was hurting them. Horford hitting his signature top of the key and base line J's may determine game 4. Sap being a threat to shot or drive of the high post inlet pass will be huge too. He didn't have the usual quick first step or lift on his shot in game three but I expect that to better in game 4. Teague drive it in the first half but ran into a mass of defenders and couldn't kick it or shot it effectively. Teague hitting from long range would also force the Wiz to guard up on him instead of hanging back to defend dribble penetration.

When Dennis was attacking the drive and dish made the offense flow. KK really needs that to force the exterior D to be there to help and give him room to move without the ball and not have Beal just stick to him like glue.

Coach Bud has forgot more about basketball than I will ever know so I'm gonna trust and hope that they have the right game plan. They have to play game 4 like it is game 7

Edited May 11, 2015 by ThomasCredle

[JETSET]

I will believe it when I see it. Actions speak louder than words and this teams actions have screamed SOFT for most of the playoffs. It's easy to say they will be a different team in game 4 before it starts. Lets see if they are singing the same tune after they get hit in the mouth. And why is it so hard to treat every game as an important game. They are acting like they dont have anything to prove when they have done nothing as a group in the playoffs.

[Guest]

Hawks by 37