THE SINK IS SHIPPING!

PandaKidd · Post #1 » by **PandaKidd** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 9:00 pm

Yes, I realize the title is mis-typed. I get it. Its to show what happens when you overthink something and type too fast, or think too fast and dont go by what you KNOW.

As fans, today was kind of sobering seeing how Hawks are on a 3 game skid, getting absolutely BLITZED by 3 teams that are the best or at the top of the NBA Pecking order. Defense has been HORRENDOUS, teams have been scoring at will in the paint against us. We made Tiago Splitter look like Hakeem Olajuwon yesterday. Let an OKC team beat us missing 2 KEY pieces. We got absolutely destroyed vs GSW.

Despite the losses, im going to say something ATLHAWKS would never believe I would say.........................

DO NOT PANIC.

I listened to the radio all day today about how people are saying the jig is up, the team is flawed. Its over, we have no stars, trade teague, etc etc etc.

Lets be honest here for a second. The Hawks who went 33-2 and won 19 games, that was NOT their norm. Every team gets hot. Sometimes, its at the wrong time(Past Houston Rockets team ala Mcgrady), sometimes its at the right time (Giants in 2008/2012, Mavericks 2012 etc). The biggest thing to take away from that 19 game winning streak was that was the Hawks at their PEAK. Some of the best basketball this town and the NBA has ever seen. We dont have to get back to THAT level, but we need to get close.

Likewise, this team isnt as bad as the last 3 games have shown you. back to backs on west coast trips, late in the season, against tough opponents.......... Losses happen. The first home game back vs Defending champs at 3pm on a sunday? LOSS. I basically look at it like almost every team struggled in the beginning /middle of the year, when we couldnt lose. Now, this team is going to go through a lapse, its going to happen.

I still SERIOUSLY question this team vs a LBJ Lead Cavaliers in the ECF should they make it that far. But their undoing wont be because the team is doomed or its the Atlanta Sports Curse, it will be because I said it was what it was at the beginning of the year, just not that talented. We lost out to TALENT vs GSW/OKC/SPurs last 3 games, but, we have also BEATEN talent vs Cavaliers/GSW/CLippshow, etc.

I think the main thing for us right now is to get healthy (thabo is almost back) and get the rotations set and have some games under their belt.

Playoffs are almost here, that is when its time to panic

/Rant

DirtybirdGA · Post #2 » by **DirtybirdGA** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 9:08 pm

At least it's not April yet still time to get a nice 5 of 7 run or so. Just sucks to see currently.

Maf · Post #3 » by **Maf** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:14 pm

I agree with Panda and I won't panic. When I looked at the schedule I thought this could be very easily three L's. So when it happened I can't be unhappy about it. Sure, Hawks are not in great form. They ARE very, VERY DAMN GOOD basketball team. It's not like they're 50% team that somehow won 19 straight. PO is still far away and they have a LOT OF time to make this straight.

Post #4 » by **ATL Boy** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 11:09 pm

This is the first time all season we've lost 3 straight, and we did it after all but clinching first place in the East.

Rip2137 · Post #5 » by **Rip2137** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 3:32 am

If Pero can stay out his funk, then the losses are worth it.

We have enough games for Thabo to get his legs back, Kyle to get his form back and...well...pray for Mike Scotts foot. I would like to see Daye get more minutes at the backup 4 though...then he does a baseline fade away out of bounds and I think "Oh...yeah"

ChuckChilly · Post #6 » by **ChuckChilly** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 6:53 am

Rip2137 wrote:If Pero can stay out his funk, then the losses are worth it.

We have enough games for Thabo to get his legs back, Kyle to get his form back and...well...pray for Mike Scotts foot. I would like to see Daye get more minutes at the backup 4 though...then he does a baseline fade away out of bounds and I think "Oh...yeah"

Didn't the say Scott's injury was downgraded to a sprain, not a fracture?

PandaKidd · Post #7 » by **PandaKidd** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 2:10 pm

http://www.nba.com/hawks/mike-scott-injury-update-0

Correct! SPrain, not a fracture

ATLHawksfan21 · Post #8 » by **ATLHawksfan21** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 2:11 pm

I think Azu knocked it out of the park with his post yesterday.

During our epic streak, we were winning with elite defense and consistent offense. As of late, the defense has disappeared and so has Teague and Horford on offense. I sat and watched Horford repeatedly overextend the double team which led to wide open layups time after time vs San Antonio. These were times when Horford had no business leaving his man. I have to assume that this is a lack of effort issue plus missing our injured guys. While I know that we will suffer a disappointing postseason if we continue to play with this effort, I am very confident that the boys will get back in to their groove before the playoffs get here. After all, it's hard to stay focused on a nightly basis when you have a double digit lead in your conference. We may have lost the last 3 games, but they were all to Western conference teams. I'm still confident that we are the team to beat in the East.

-The biggest plus over the this 3 game stretch was the play of Pero. Pero has looked great in the past 2 games. He's doing much more than just making shots. He took a few charges, seems to be putting more effort in to rebounding and is more aggressive with the ball on offense. He is actually pumpfaking, dribbling and making positive plays off the dribble.

-I also wonder if we experiment with DMC at PF when Thabo comes back and before Scott returns. DMC is near the same size as Scott with at least equal strength. I don't see why he can't fill in Scott's role at times.

Cliffs:
We are going to be just fine as long as we get back to what got us here in the first place.
Team Ball = Winning Ball

Post #9 » by **Jamaaliver** » Mon Apr 6, 2015 5:38 pm

I'm a big fan of the work the guys over at Basketball Insiders do. With that said, they've recently made a few Postseason predictions exhibiting a serious lack of faith in the Hawks:

12. If it is the Indiana Pacers in the 8 seed facing the Atlanta Hawks, they will upset the #1 overall seed in a full seven-game series.

16. The Pacers, who have made the last two Eastern Conference Finals, will do it again this year to face Cleveland. After upsetting Atlanta, facing either Washington or Toronto won’t seem quite so formidable.

Here

He makes some seriously bold statements across the board. But I've heard a few other pundits with similar concerns/predictions.

Did we peak too early? Are all these niggling injuries becoming a concern as we approach postseason play? Should we be fearful of a resurgent Indiana and healthy P George putting it all together and ending our season for a third straight year?

Post #10 » by **Hawk Eye** » Mon Apr 6, 2015 6:02 pm

Those are some serious bold predictions for an Indiana team that is not even guarnteed to make the playoffs. I still believe in Boston/Brooklyn/Miami getting in over the pacers.

PandaKidd · Post #11 » by **PandaKidd** » Mon Apr 6, 2015 6:05 pm

I would bet $100 that Indiana would have NO SHOT at beating this Hawks team. If everyone is healthy, they will be gone in 6 games tops. We took them coast to coast without AH last year, they just arent the same team and I dont believe PG can must turn it on and pour it on after taking 9 months off.

Our biggest obstacle before the ECF will be TOR (if they get past WSH) They have had our number all year, they are BIG, they are athletic.

Would love to see CLE vs CHI in 2nd round with Rose back fully.

Kirby · Post #12 » by **Kirby** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 4:12 am

PandaKidd wrote:I would bet $100 that Indiana would have NO SHOT at beating this Hawks team. If everyone is healthy, they will be gone in 6 games tops. We took them coast to coast without AH last year, they just arent the same team and I dont believe PG can must turn it on and pour it on after taking 9 months off.

Our biggest obstacle before the ECF will be TOR (if they get past WSH) They have had our number all year, they are BIG, they are athletic.

Would love to see CLE vs CHI in 2nd round with Rose back fully.

I do think you're correct on your prediction on the Hawks beating the Pacers, however it was very difficult for Indiana last year because of the Pero - Roy match up. If it was Horford and Sap starting rather than Pero and Sap there'll be someone closer to the hoop for Hibbert to guard rather than at the 3 with Pero right?

Post #13 » by **Hawk Eye** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 4:21 am

^

Literally everyoke on our roster shoots 3's except for Elton Brand. Horford has added corner 3's to his game now. So if it's Hawks vs Indy in the first round i still see Hibbert having to contest a lot of shots and come away from the rim.

ATLHawksfan21 · Post #14 » by **ATLHawksfan21** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 11:40 am

Kirby wrote:
PandaKidd wrote:I would bet $100 that Indiana would have NO SHOT at beating this Hawks team. If everyone is healthy, they will be gone in 6 games tops. We took them coast to coast without AH last year, they just arent the same team and I dont believe PG can must turn it on and pour it on after taking 9 months off.

Our biggest obstacle before the ECF will be TOR (if they get past WSH) They have had our number all year, they are BIG, they are athletic.

Would love to see CLE vs CHI in 2nd round with Rose back fully.

I do think you're correct on your prediction on the Hawks beating the Pacers, however it was very difficult for Indiana last year because of the Pero - Roy match up. If it was Horford and Sap starting rather than Pero and Sap there'll be someone closer to the hoop for Hibbert to guard rather than at the 3 with Pero right?

You must have forgotten how badly pero shot in that series. He couldnt throw the ball in the ocean.

You are kidding yourself if you thinking adding an all-star at center and moving pero to a backup role wouldn't be a huge upgrade for atlanta.

PandaKidd · Post #15 » by **PandaKidd** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 1:26 pm

I admit a healthy Indy team I wouldnt WANT to face, but I think they would get the Hawks best game and they would have no answer.

This team isnt the same as last years obviously

Kirby · Post #16 » by **Kirby** » Sat Apr 11, 2015 5:58 am

ATLHawksfan21 wrote:
Kirby wrote:
PandaKidd wrote:I would bet $100 that Indiana would have NO SHOT at beating this Hawks team. If everyone is healthy, they will be gone in 6 games tops. We took them coast to coast without AH last year, they just arent the same team and I dont believe PG can must turn it on and pour it on after taking 9 months off.

Our biggest obstacle before the ECF will be TOR (if they get past WSH) They have had our number all year, they are BIG, they are athletic.

Would love to see CLE vs CHI in 2nd round with Rose back fully.

I do think you're correct on your prediction on the Hawks beating the Pacers, however it was very difficult for Indiana last year because of the Pero - Roy match up. If it was Horford and Sap starting rather than Pero and Sap there'll be someone closer to the hoop for Hibbert to guard rather than at the 3 with Pero right?

You must have forgotten how badly pero shot in that series. He couldnt throw the ball in the ocean.

You are kidding yourself if you thinking adding an all-star at center and moving pero to a backup role wouldn't be a huge upgrade for atlanta.

Never said it wouldn't a talent upgrade, just thought it'd be a different dynamic altogether.

Also didn't pay attention to that series, I was just going out on a limb. I'm kidding myself. :noway: