Atlanta Hawks Pre Game 1 Talk

[HMFFL]

I want to first start by thanking you for sticking with this team throughout all these difficult years. There has been some very dark times, and hopefully those days are behind us. It's our time to enjoy this moment. I also hope our Hawks go out and showcase their talent for the world. It's time to give NBA fans a taste of what they can expect to see during the future national televised games. I'm not saying will beat Boston, but it's an opportunity for our Hawks to gain some respect around the NBA nation, and I just hope they make it into the exciting series I know they can.

CHEERS

( 1 ) Boston Celtics vs. ( 8 ) Atlanta Hawks:

Game 1 - Sun April 20 Atlanta at Boston 8:30PM ET TNT
Game 2 - Wed April 23 Atlanta at Boston 8:00PM ET TNT
Game 3 - Sat April 26 Boston at Atlanta 8:00PM ET ESPN/R
Game 4 - Mon April 28 Boston at Atlanta 8:00PM ET TNT
Game 5 * Wed April 30 Atlanta at Boston TBD TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 2 Boston at Atlanta TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 4 Atlanta at Boston TBD TBD

[BigSlam]

All the best for the playoffs guy's. I'll be rooting for you.

Hope you rock some teams.

[fo_o_fo_404]

Man....I love the Hawks....but I am a realist.

Everytime we take two steps forward, we take three backward.

I dont see any urgency in these last two games that would lead me to believe that the Hawks can win one game.

If they do....it would be amazing, but I am not going to get my hopes up for this.

[Master8492]

What urgencies are you talking about? Starters playing lackadaisical on both ends? That isn't surprising since they don't have anything to play for...

What surprising is the coach not unleashing the bench that's been drooling for a chance to play in these types of games...

[High 5]

The last two games say nothing about the starters except that they didn't care to bust their asses for meaningless wins. That's not a great mark for them, but they shouldn't be in that position to begin with. Woodson had a golden opportunity these last two games to give his player rest and get the bench prepared and he completely blew it. I don't understand how that man still has anyone stupid enough to defend him.

[/woodsonrant]

I'm not sure how pretty game one will be. The Celtics will come out wanting to win by 50. If we steal a game I think it will be game 2. But who knows how the Hawks will react in the playoffs.

[JoshB914]

The last two games didn't show the C's were gonna sweep us, the first 80 games showed that. Four games of playoff experience will still be great for the young guys. I can't wait til Sunday.

[evildallas]

Decided to post it here too.

( 1 ) Boston Celtics vs. ( 8 ) Atlanta Hawks:

Game 1 - Sun April 20 Atlanta at Boston 8:30PM ET TNT
Game 2 - Wed April 23 Atlanta at Boston 8:00PM ET TNT
Game 3 - Sat April 26 Boston at Atlanta 8:00PM ET ESPN/R
Game 4 - Mon April 28 Boston at Atlanta 8:00PM ET TNT
Game 5 * Wed April 30 Atlanta at Boston TBD TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 2 Boston at Atlanta TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 4 Atlanta at Boston TBD TBD

We're the last series to tip in round 1. It's going to be a long wait until Sunday night and an even longer wait for our first home game a week later.

[HMFFL]

^

Thanks Dallas! I added it at the top.

[AU hawksfan]

I had a dream last night that we won game 1, and it was only that...a dream.

Honestly, I'll just be happy with our guys getting playoff experience. It would be nice to even steal just one game.

[DirtybirdGA]

Well the dark days are still with us according to this week. If they clinched earlier they mave have gone 1-5 going out.

[Magz50]

Let's go Hawks!! You have 99% of NBA fans behind you.

[tsherkin]

Congratulations on making the playoffs, hope you have fun and enjoy the experience.

[Gant]

Let's go Hawks!! You have 99% of NBA fans behind you.

Nah. It's only 96.6666%.

[evildallas]

Back when KG was in Minnesota, Josh Smith always played well against him. This year KG has been at another level of intensity. However I still see this as a tremendous opportunity for Josh Smith. He's got the opportunity on a big stage to establish himself as a max player against the highest competition. It could also blow up in his face, but he's got the chance.

[Rip2137]

Okay, matchup wise.


Josh Smith has historically played pretty well against KG.

Horford should play well also as long as he doesn't allow KG to get in his head.

Joe vs Allen...Joe should win this although I expect some HARD doubles on him in this series. He is simply going to HAVE to move the ball quickly.

Bibby/Rondo- This will be interesting. Bibby is not fast enough to stay with Rondo on the defensive end and Rondo is a monster defender, but Bibby also has a great talent at picking up fouls on aggressive guys on the perimeter. That could be a great matchup.

The problem is Paul Pierce. I personally think that they should match Marvin Williams up with Kedrick Perkins on the defensive end and give Pierce to Josh Smith to take away his post up game. Josh does a decent job off the dribble with Pierce also. I just don't think Marvin stands a chance with him.

Also that will create a cross matchup defensively that will help getting out on the break.

Bench wise - The Hawks should use Mario West to put on pierce to give guys a breather(won't happen) try to get a zaza/garnett matchup because Zaza is pretty good at drawing fouls on good defenders(might happen) and use Salim with starters to spread the court and slow that double on JJ down(also probably won't happen).

Tony Allen defensively is giong to be tough on Joe. Joe will probably see Posey, Allen and...well...Allen during this series defensively and probably won't see a single one on one look. To counteract that, they should run a PG/PF pick and roll or PG/Center pick and roll (with whoever the front court player not being guarded by Garnett) to score.

Both Phoenix and Utah made Boston look pretty bad trying to defend this and Bibby is the perfect pick and roll PG and Horford and Smith are strong finishers. I also would love to see them go back to running that PG/SG pick and roll that worked so well for about a week and then they just stopped running it.

[HoopsGuru25]

The Hawks have just left Rondo open all year and it's worked in the 3 games. I think Bibby will outplay him.

If the Hawks want to be competitive in the 1st two games(which is going into the 4th quarter down single-digits)they have to make an effort to run the ball up the court after every turnover and missed shot. The Hawks are going to get destroyed if they play the game one half court set at a time. The only advantage we have over them is athleticism. Another key for the 1st two games is that the Hawks haven't won a game when trailing going into the 4th quarter since the Minny/Miami games in November. There is basically a 99% chance we're going to lose if we trail after the 1st quarter because just about all our road wins are games where we led almost wire-to wire.

[JoshB914]

The key to this series is Marvin Williams. When he plays well it opens up space for JJ and Smoove.

[Rip2137]

Jumpshooting Marvin Williams won't matter in this series.

The problem with jump shooting Marvin, is that he will get you 20 points off 12-13 shots and no freethrows. You can live with that all day if you are the other team.

They need slashing Marvin williams to get guys in foul trouble. Bottomline, the only way the Hawks are going to stand a chance is to get guys in foul trouble. Practice going into a shot blockers body instead of going through him. And just go up to finish with authority and you will get calls.

OR the refs will decide you have no business being in the game with the Celtics and not give you a call. one of the two.

[JoshB914]

Well Marvin would have to drive to the bucket. He's the one guy that could potentially create a matchup problem for the C's- If JJ goes off Pierce is on him, Bibby will have to deal with Rondo on both ends of the floor, KG can stop whoever he wants on D, and I don't feel Horford has the all around offensive game yet to truly dominate Perkins and change the game on offense.

Marvin is the one guy that could create a problem. Pierce will likely cover JJ in crunch time, and if they put Allen on him he needs to make him pay. If he drives to the bucket and makes things happen it will open up our offense for JJ and Smoove. He has the talent to do it, but does he have what it takes to take on that kind of challenge?

[Rip2137]

I think he is. I think the exposure to the NCAA tourny is going to help Marvin, Salim and Horford out there. Joe and Bibby have the playoff experience, and I think that the last couple of days have proven to me that Josh Smith can turn it up a notch and be a monster when he feels its a big game. Well...these are big games.