Poll: Do you guys want the hawks have the worse record?

[cyman3]

We all know that this team rite now (w/o injuries) can take us anywhere from seed 6-8 and a victory in the 1st round (hopefully). We also know that this isint a championship team that can take us all the way. Understanding these two statements, what route would u guys rather have?

1)Not try so hard and get a very bad record so we can have a good shot at the lottery (possibly getting LEBRON JAMES?).

2)Try our hardest and get some respect in the league as a mediocre playoff team.

[Guest]

We should have went after the lotto pick last year and look

to challenge this year with a new head coach.He need more

more potential star and that should have been Caron Butler.

No we either have to look to be bad or look to make the

first round.We could have got all the losing last season

and got another lotto pick and challenged this season.

We could have still made the Dickau move to giving us:

PG:Terry/DD

SG:DJ/Glover/Ira

SF:Butler/Toni/Ira

PF:Reef/Hendu/CC

C:Theo/Nazr

That is what we should have went for.

[BlackHawkDown]

I am going to make it clear What the HELL was the point of "rebuilding" if we end up with the same team. "6- 8 seed" get past the 1st round. We were a 4th seed second rounder before. I HATE mediocrity. Why struggle to be okay. I will become a Clippers fan sooner than cheer for a team who's objective is a 2nd round playoff birth.

PS If we are a 6 -8 seed in the East what make you think we will get past the 1 -3 seeds in the East.

FIRE LON HIRE Alex English, Reggie Theus or Rick Mahorn. I talked to Rick in the barbershop and Mahorn has the same opinions of the team I do.

[capstone21]

You always try your hardest. If we get the rep of being a team that tanks their games to get a draft pick we will have 0 respect. Palyers will not want to come here. The players we have will all want to leave and not to mention the fans (what little there are now) will not go to the games. You are paid to win...inother words go at it 110% every game and let the chips fall where they may.

[BlackHawkDown]

I have to agree about that, but trying your best to be a second rate team is just as bad as tanking

[cyman3]

I voted so we can attempt to go ALL-THE-WAY even if it means losing in the 1st/2nd round.

If we are a 6-8 playoff seed, how do we beat the higher seed teams? Its called an UPSET! The Knicks did it couple years ago as the ONLY 8th seed to go to the CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

In the playoffs, records mean close to NOTHING... the atmosphere is different and the attitude is different. Anything goes once u are in the playoffs.

Also if we TANK THE SEASON... CAP is rite- we get 0 respect.

We will hear more comments like "hawks are a CUPCAKE TEAM"

and etc.

[KB21]

The difference between that team and this team is this.

In the mid to late 90s, that team didn't have a clear cut leader. We didn't have a guy we could get the ball to in the 4th quarter and have him dominate the game. There was no go-to guy that could create or get his shot off consistently. Our defense was good, but we got bogged down in scoring because we lacked athleticism overall and didn't have a single player that could create his own shot.

Now, we have two of those players. Shareef Abdur-Rahim can score on anyone and is a go-to player in the first three quarters. There isn't a power forward in the Eastern Conference that can match up with him with his athleticism and quickness down low, and he can step out to hit the occasional 15 footer as well as put the ball on the floor to drive to the basket. He is a player that demands double teams in the post, which is something we didn't have back then.

Jason Terry is the most clutch player this team has had since Dominique Wilkins. This guy is an assasin in the 4th quarter. I haven't seen a player in the league that can keep up with him yet. He could go for 40-45 points in any game.

This team has better depth as well. The starting line up isn't as complete because there is a young player that everyone is waiting on to break out, but the depth is better. That team could go maybe 3 deep on the bench. Part of that was terrible drafting. Part of that is that Lenny has no concept of how to use his bench.

Now, this team has Dan Dickau, Dion Glover, Toni Kukoc, Ira Newble, Alan Henderson, and Nazr Mohammed coming off the bench.

My choice to this poll was easy. You win and get into the playoffs, even if you lose there. This team needs to get that taste of the playoffs. Once they get in, they will get even more hungry for it. They will work even harder to get there again to ensure they don't lose.

After we make a trade this offseason, we may have a complete team.

[Guest]

Do you honestly believe this team is ever going to get

respect anyway?The Hawks tried their hardest and the

best they came out with was a 50-50 record over alot

of non playoff teams.They tried their hardest and only

came away 50-50....We need more talent,but sadly it

looks like it isn't going to happen.

[Traceman]

This is crazy! You guys are seriously debating whether or not we should tank the season before the season even starts and before we even know what our opening day roster is going to be! There is not ONE team in the EC who is significantly more talented than we are NOW if Theo and Toni are healthy. A starting lineup of:

Theo

SAR

Toni

DJ

JT

is as talented as any in the EC. You think a lineup of:

McCullough

K Mart

Van Horn

Kittles

Kidd

is THAT much better than we are? If so, why did we beat them 2 out of 3 last year WITHOUT Theo? We split with Boston as well (again without Theo). As I said before, we don't even know what our opening day roster is going to look like. We may be able to put a more talented lineup than that on the floor. We need to just focus on putting the best team we can on the floor and letting them go out and see what they can do.

Winning and losing will take care of itself. Let them play and see what happens! Good grief!

[BlackHawkDown]

I think completely tanking on purpose is bad however my fear is that we will end up with JT and SAR taking on the world. I am starting to doubt DJ again, hopefully he will bring the funk next season. If we trade Nazr for Miller. And Theo builds enough trade value we can have a great team in 03-4. But If we start adding no talent hacks just to make an immediate playoff run we will end up with another good ol loser.

I should apologize tanking would be unprofessional, but winning 45 and missing the lotto wouldn't be worth it at this point. One more year is what we need. As long as we dont lose JT and SAR we will be fine.

But I must disagree the Nets, Pacers, and the Celtics have better teams than us right now.

[Guest]

The deal is JT/Shareef is the best one/two punch in the

east besides PP/Walker because PP is better than JT.But

it's everyone else on our team I doubt.

Theo-injjury prone

Toni-Old as dirt

Dion-Injury prone

DJ-Unkown

Dickau-rookie

Nazr-decent

Hendu-injury prone

The only other teams in the east with a one/two punch

to counter ours is Orlando if Hill is healthy and Charlotte

if Mashburn is healthy.

Detroit doesn't have a one/two punch of offense,neither does

NJ and Jordan coming back is questionable right now.Indiana

is just overall balanced as Miller seems to take less shots every

year.

[Traceman]

team doesn't always win. Look at the matchups.

ATL/NJ:

Theo vs McCullough - advantage Theo

SAR vs K-Mart - advantage SAR

Ira (or Kukoc) vs Van Horn - advantage Van Horn

DJ (or DG) vs Kittles (or Jefferson) - advantage NJ (slight)

JT vs Kidd - advantage Kidd

Bench - Nazr/Hendu/Kukoc/DG/DD vs Collins/Williams/Jefferson/Harris/AJ - wash

As I said, we beat them 2 out of 3 and beat the hell out of them once.

ATL/Boston:

Theo vs Battie - advantage Theo

SAR vs Baker - advantage SAR

Ira (or Kukoc) vs Walker - advantage Walker

DJ (or DG) vs Pierce - advantage Pierce

JT vs Williams??- advantage JT

Bench - Nazr/Hendu/Kukoc/DG/DD vs Delk/McCarty/Brown/Williams? - advantage Hawks

We're better than Boston at 3 out of 5 positions and we're deeper. Granted, they have a HUGE advantage at SF/SG but they are not much better as a team.

ATL/IND:

Theo vs Miller - advantage Theo

SAR vs O'Neal - wash

Ira (or Kukoc) vs Artest - advantage Artest

DJ (or DG) vs Miller - advantage Miller

JT vs Tinsley - advantage JT

Bench - Nazr/Hendu/Kukoc/DG/DD vs Harrington/Bender/Croshere/Foster/Ollie/Mercer - advantage Pacers

IND is more talented (I think they have the most talent in the EC) but I don't think Isiah is a great coach. I am not convinced that he is the guy who can get them over the hump. Time will tell.

Bottom line, let's play the games. If we are 10 games below .500 at the All Star break and showing no signs of getting better, MAYBE I would consider trying to play the young guys more at the expense of winning games (I would NEVER lose on purpose) but until that happens, there is no need to even think about it.

[Guest]

You are right,we are more talented than Boston.Walker usally

has a huge advange over guys,but Ira can play decent defense.

Plus Kenny Anderson gave Boston ALOT of leadership in the playoffs

and I was totally shocked at how Kenny Played.It has been years

since he had played like that.Plus losing Rodney Rogers for nothing

hurts Boston alot.

We are more talented than a few of the playoff teams.But on paper

and playing well day in and day out are two differnet things and of

course staying healthy.