1. The Hawks have defended Dwight Howard as well, if not better, than any other team in the league this season. What have Jason Collins and the other Atlanta bigs been able to do against Howard?
Honestly, I’m not really sure. Jason Collins nor Zaza Pachulia aren’t physically gifted players and they are certainly not the most athletic players, but they find a way somehow. I think one reason that they’re successful is that they’re not intimated by Dwight. Dwight is a 7 foot player who can jump over anyone, is physically stronger than everyone, and is someone who isn’t afraid to elbow you to get post position. And they’re not afraid of that. They like the challenge of having to slow down and frustrate Dwight. They love to bang with him. I’m guessing that their physical mentality and the fact that they do whatever they can to frustrate Dwight is the main reason why Dwight has struggled.
Also, it also helps that they’re excellent flopping big men.
2. Orlando’s mid-season acquisitions have gotten the hype, but the Hawks made a big move when they acquired Kirk Hinrich at the deadline. What has Hinrich brought to the team?
I wouldn’t call it a big move. Right now, it looks to be a lateral move. Kirk Hinrich obviously improves the Hawks’ perimeter defense by replacing Bibby with him, but he looks less comfortable than Bibby offensively. However, having Hinrich as opposed to Bibby running the point guard spot, gives the Hawks a better chance of winning against the Magic. Jameer Nelson had a great stretch late in the regular season and the Hawks have a better chance of slowing him down with Hinrich defending him. To answer the question, Kirk’s biggest attribute he brought to the team was perimeter defense.
3. Statistically, the Hawks have not been nearly as good as they were last season. What’s been their biggest problem?
I’m not sure if I can pinpoint one particular thing. Offensively, the Hawks are all jumpshooters, and living or dying by the jumpshot has killed the Hawks many times during the season. Defensively, the Hawks can be weak in either the perimeter or the interior defense in any given night. One night they show good perimeter defense but then the next night, they won’t. Same for the interior defense.
I guess to sum it up, consistency is probably the Hawks’ biggest problem. I don’t think anyone ever knows which Hawks team will show up. If I were a betting man, I would stay away from any game the Hawks are playing.
4. Atlanta enters the playoffs on a six-game losing streak. How big of a concern is that?
Somewhat concerned. If what a team does in the regular season doesn’t matter and if the fact that the Hawks beat the Magic 3-1 in the regular season doesn’t matter, why should the six game losing streak matter, right?
I’m assuming you’re the same way about the regular season series between the two. You recognize that the Hawks did beat them 3 to 1, but you’re probably still not that concerned about it because you know that Orlando still looks to be the better team. That’s the way I feel. I feel the Hawks are a lot better than the Hawks that played in the six game losing streak. The team just got complacent and didn’t really put any effort into the games since they already had the 5th seed locked up a long time ago. http://howardthedunk.com/2011/04/15/q-a ... ic+Blog%29
Q & A With Soaring Down South Atlanta/Orlando
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Q & A With Soaring Down South Atlanta/Orlando
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Q & A With Soaring Down South Atlanta/Orlando
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The paragraph about Dwight is terrible. I don't think anyone on the Hawks is "intimidated of Dwight" and he's not the most physically strong player in the league. The reason Collins guards Dwight better than Horford is because he has a much higher standing reach and because he's probably around 300 pounds.
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- Ruhiel
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HMFFL wrote:1. The Hawks have defended Dwight Howard as well, if not better, than any other team in the league this season. What have Jason Collins and the other Atlanta bigs been able to do against Howard?
Honestly, I’m not really sure. Jason Collins nor Zaza Pachulia aren’t physically gifted players and they are certainly not the most athletic players, but they find a way somehow. I think one reason that they’re successful is that they’re not intimated by Dwight. Dwight is a 7 foot player who can jump over anyone, is physically stronger than everyone, and is someone who isn’t afraid to elbow you to get post position. And they’re not afraid of that. They like the challenge of having to slow down and frustrate Dwight. They love to bang with him. I’m guessing that their physical mentality and the fact that they do whatever they can to frustrate Dwight is the main reason why Dwight has struggled.
Also, it also helps that they’re excellent flopping big men.
Pachulia doesn't defend Howard well as far as negating close touches and And 1s/fouls.
Collins moves Horford to an athletic secondary defender and Josh Smith from the secondary defender in the small lineup to the tertiary defender of Dwight Howard. Sometimes Josh doesn't see Josh coming and Josh can alter/block his shot from behind.
To be honest refs could easily call fouls on some of those blocks because defenders will often submarine Howard off balance and then Josh and Horford come to further exploit Howard's off balance shots.
Re: Q & A With Soaring Down South Atlanta/Orlando
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Dwight has had a field day in the past with the backdoor alley oop on Zaza. Zaza tries to frustrate him by fronting him but that rarely works.
He's much improved this year....but Dwight is not going to methodical size up the defense and post up like a Pau Gasol or Hakeem. He tries to pin you as close to the basket as possible before he even has the ball which doesn't really work against players that are bigger than him like Perkins and Collins.
He's much improved this year....but Dwight is not going to methodical size up the defense and post up like a Pau Gasol or Hakeem. He tries to pin you as close to the basket as possible before he even has the ball which doesn't really work against players that are bigger than him like Perkins and Collins.