Official Game Preview: Magic at Hawks - The Big Payback?

[Guest]

 

This team has gotten stale, they are still living in 60 win land.

 

 

[Guest]

Hawks left searching for answers after loss to Magic

The All-Star break is just days away and it appears this Atlanta Hawks team needs the time off to collect their thoughts and to recharge. Atlanta saw a big early lead slip away Monday night in a 117-110 overtime loss to the Orlando Magic that once again left them searching for answers to the inconsistent play that has plagued them this season.

"This is unfortunately, how our season has been," Mike Budenholzer said after the game. "Tough loss. We can't seem to put good games back-to-back. We don't always respond in a difficult situation."

 

The Hawks looked like they were ready to avenge Sunday's loss at the buzzer in Orlando when they jumped out to a 26-8 lead in the first quarter. The Magic closed the period with a 10-4 run and began to chip away at Atlanta's lead. Orlando outscored the Hawks 29-18 in the fourth and 16-9 in the overtime period.

"I thought we actually did respond in the first quarter," Budenholzer added. We came out with the right mentality, came out with the right approach. In the third quarter, same thing. We get up 18 and give up an 11-0 run coming out of that timeout. From that point, it's a game. They had 30-point quarters in the third and fourth quarters. They made more plays than us. We made a couple of mental mistakes, focus mistakes. We just have to be better. It was a tough loss."

For much of January, it was Atlanta's defense that was carrying the Hawks. Coming into Monday's game, the Hawks had climbed to fifth in defensive efficiency allowing less than 100 points per 100 possessions. Yet their inability to get stops in Monday's game wasted a pretty good performance offensively.

As Budenholzer mentioned in his opening statement, this season has been a bag of inconsistencies. The team has shown flashes of solid performances but has failed to put it together for any stretch of the season and the frustration is clearly starting to show.

"It's a 48-minute game," Budenholzer said. "I think we came out with the right approach but I think when you're up in the third quarter like that, we have to find a way to be better. I think we've got to be better late in games - myself, the players, everybody has to be better."

http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2016/2/9/10948812/magic-vs-hawks-recap

[mtnbayou]

At minimal, inconsistent no-heart Teague has to go.  I'd also like to see that pansy Horford go as well.  Al doesn't bang, doesn't rebound, doesn't get to the line.  We need an upgrade on the wing and a big who can rebound and defend.  

The Knicks are a joke, perhaps they will take Teague.

[NBASupes]

23 minutes ago, mtnbayou said:

At minimal, inconsistent no-heart Teague has to go.  I'd also like to see that pansy Horford go as well.  Al doesn't bang, doesn't rebound, doesn't get to the line.  We need an upgrade on the wing and a big who can rebound and defend.  

The Knicks are a joke, perhaps they will take Teague.

An upgrade on Horford. There aren't many choices out there. You want Cousins, well that means you get the talent, rebounding, size and scoring but lose leadership, discipline, versatility and consistency. As for Jeff, I ain't got nothing to say other then he is really damn good but yeah, if we can get a wing, that would do extreme wonders for this team like getting Mozgov for the Cavs. 

 

The Knicks have nothing to offer. Nothing. Don't start posting like Lurker. We already got the one star crew, we don't need more members added to that crew. 

Edited February 9, 2016 by NBASupes

[Watchman]

2 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

This team has gotten stale, they are still living in 60 win land.

 

 

60 win land in their minds, perhaps, but not in terms of results.  We need to make some moves.  I don't think Horford will re-sign here (which is ok by me), so we might as well trade him now.  It seems to me that Teague is agitated about all the rumors (while at the same time, not willing to take the final shot), so it wouldn't surprise me if he demands a trade in the offseason, assuming he is still here.   Maybe the Hawks could pay for some special training this offseason to teach Millsap how to make a layup.

[Lurker]

2 hours ago, NBASupes said:

As for Jeff, I ain't got nothing to say other then he is really damn good but yeah, if we can get a wing, that would do extreme wonders for this team like getting Mozgov for the Cavs.

If you trade him, you are forfeiting this season unless you get an elite player as Schröder is not ready. That said they're forfeiting it anyway.

[Jody23]

1 minute ago, Lurker said:

If you trade him, you are forfeiting this season unless you get an elite player as Schröder is not ready. That said they're forfeiting it anyway.

Looking at the upcoming schedule makes me think I'd rather see them miss the playoffs while trying to develop some young guys and get a lottery pick out of it than possibly be the 7 or 8 seed and get roasted in the 1st round which is a very real possibility.

[NBASupes]

6 minutes ago, Jody23 said:

Looking at the upcoming schedule makes me think I'd rather see them miss the playoffs while trying to develop some young guys and get a lottery pick out of it than possibly be the 7 or 8 seed and get roasted in the 1st round which is a very real possibility.

This team is too good. Numbers wise, this team is underachieving. 

[Jody23]

5 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

This team is too good. Numbers wise, this team is underachieving. 

No this team is not "too good".  They're mediocre.  They just lost back to back games to the Magic.

[Lurker]

13 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

This team is too good. Numbers wise, this team is underachieving.

Nope. They would still be very very mediocre with Schröder starting and any old big SF acquired.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, NBASupes said:

An upgrade on Horford. There aren't many choices out there. You want Cousins, well that means you get the talent, rebounding, size and scoring but lose leadership, discipline, versatility and consistency. As for Jeff, I ain't got nothing to say other then he is really damn good but yeah, if we can get a wing, that would do extreme wonders for this team like getting Mozgov for the Cavs. 

 

The Knicks have nothing to offer. Nothing. Don't start posting like Lurker. We already got the one star crew, we don't need more members added to that crew. 

I grant you the first two, the third is a toss up, the 4th - Al has not been Consistent.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, NBASupes said:

This team is too good. Numbers wise, this team is underachieving. 

I don't know about that.  Our schedule after the AS break and to end the season is brutal.

These games against Orlando we are supposed to win, then battle to beat teams above .500.

Losing to the Sixers and Knicks and Suns of the world will definitely bite us in the ass.

[Lurker]

The leader on this team is Al Horford, and considering that he is as soft as wet tissue paper, it's no wonder that this team is soft and always folds up easily under fire.

[rd79]

Wonder how Dennis' chin looked under that tape? Take this:

 

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, rd79 said:

Wonder how Dennis' chin looked under that tape? Take this:

 

Warning, warning,  warning. 

[BigDog90]

22 hours ago, benhillboy said:

How can you be so sure?  I have no idea why the Hawks were favored by 8.5 tonight.

You ain't lying.  Junkyard was the heart and balls of that and next year's team with Pero adding some additional toughness.  Now this team doesn't really have clear on-floor leadership.  It's just a bunch of nice guys.  

No Jimmy Butler. Hawks should tune out media and play their game. If they lose, I'd be shocked.

[BrazilianHawk]

Honestly? I'm fed up with Budenholzer. He's definitely not looking like he can. He can't draw decent plays to close games, he can't understand Bazemore hurts the team more than he helps, he plays injured players too much (Teague, KK) and at wrong times, he is hellbent to his system (which is good, don't get me wrong) but he doesn't have the right pieces to make it work. 

He's got to come up with something else. Getting outcoached by the Skyles and Fishers of the world isn`t a recipe for success.

I think Bud is overwhelmed by his HC/GM job. It's taking  too much of the time he should spend to get this team playing right. He's probably screwing it up on both fronts. and now I'm hearing that he's thinking about in dismantling the team. That would be Hawks undoing.  

I miss Ferry. 

[Guest]

8 hours ago, BigDog90 said:

No Jimmy Butler. Hawks should tune out media and play their game. If they lose, I'd be shocked.

With the way we've responded vs teams missing key starters, yep that pretty much guarantees a Bulls win.

26 minutes ago, BrazilianHawk said:

Honestly? I'm fed up with Budenholzer. He's definitely not looking like he can. He can't draw decent plays to close games, he can't understand Bazemore hurts the team more than he helps, he plays injured players too much (Teague, KK) and at wrong times, he is hellbent to his system (which is good, don't get me wrong) but he doesn't have the right pieces to make it work. 

He's got to come up with something else. Getting outcoached by the Skyles and Fishers of the world isn`t a recipe for success.

I think Bud is overwhelmed by his HC/GM job. It's taking  too much of the time he should spend to get this team playing right. He's probably screwing it up on both fronts. and now I'm hearing that he's thinking about in dismantling the team. That would be Hawks undoing.  

I miss Ferry. 

What is it that folks think Ferry would've done differently up until now?

[Guest]

8 hours ago, BigDog90 said:

No Jimmy Butler. Hawks should tune out media and play their game. If they lose, I'd be shocked.

Have you not been paying attention.  We just lost to a team without their 'best' player not once, but twice.  The Suns were missing 3 of their best players, what happened - you guessed - LOST.

I would not be shocked at all.

I have no idea what to expect from this team anymore.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, BrazilianHawk said:

Honestly? I'm fed up with Budenholzer. He's definitely not looking like he can. He can't draw decent plays to close games, he can't understand Bazemore hurts the team more than he helps, he plays injured players too much (Teague, KK) and at wrong times, he is hellbent to his system (which is good, don't get me wrong) but he doesn't have the right pieces to make it work. 

He's got to come up with something else. Getting outcoached by the Skyles and Fishers of the world isn`t a recipe for success.

I think Bud is overwhelmed by his HC/GM job. It's taking  too much of the time he should spend to get this team playing right. He's probably screwing it up on both fronts. and now I'm hearing that he's thinking about in dismantling the team. That would be Hawks undoing.  

I miss Ferry. 

It's not the play that Bud draws up - it's the players execution.  Too many time the fub the ball, don't catch it cleanly and sometimes not even get a shot off.  The players get quivering sphincters.