RealGM

This thread is dedicated to the Hawks effort to get the 2-4th seed. We are currently fighting with Boston(3rd) and Orlando(2nd) for there spots. You can discuss all activities going on with the counterparts we are fighting with.

ATL Remaining Schedule: Bucks, @ Bulls, 76ers, Warriors, @ Heat, @ Knicks, @ Wizards, Pistons, @ Nets, @ Craptors, Bobkittens, Spurs, @ Bucks, Magic, @ 76ers, Pacers, Lakers, @ Cavs, Pistons, @ Bobcats, @ Pistons, Craptors, @ Wizards, @ Bucks, Cavs

ORL Remaining Schedule: Miami, @ 76ers, Warriors, @ Nets, Lakers, Clippers, Bulls, @ Wizards, Bobcats, Spurs, @ Heat, @ 76ers, @ Hawks, T Wolves, Nuggets, @ Mavs, @ Spurs, Grizzlies, Wizards, Knicks, @ Cavs, @ Pacers, 76ers

BOS Remaining Schedule: @ Pistons, Bobcats, @ 76ers, Wizards, @ Bucks, Grizzlies, Pacers, @ Cavs, Pistons, Knicks, @ Rockets, @ Mavs, @ Jazz, Nuggets, Kings, Spurs, Thunder, Rockets, Cavs, @ Knicks, @ Raptors, Wizards, @ Bucks, @ Buls, Bucks

By the looks of it the Hawks have the easiest road. Lets chat!

New Jersey beat Boston today. We failed to take advantage of Cleveland beating Boston the other night and New Orleans beating Orlando.

Atlanta:
12 Home
14 Away
B2B Games: 7

Boston:
14 Home
11 Away
B2B Games: 7

Boston ends the season with three B2B games.

Orlando:
13 Home
10 Away
B2B Games: 5

The next eleven games for us look very very winnable, even the roadies.

I'm very intrigued to see what will happen at Toronto. I'm sure they've had that one circled for a while after the back to back spankings they suffered.

Looking at the last few games for all three teams, it looks like all three of us will have a say in our first round match ups. There are lots of "Charlotte"s, "Chicago"s, "Milwaukee"s and "Toronto"s, but no "Miami"s.

Atlanta is a lock for the #3 slot unless the team totally falls apart. Boston looks like they will continue to play like a .500 team. The six seed looks to come from Chicago, Charlotte or Milwaukee. Shouldn't be a major issue getting to play Orlando in round 2.

sutrick wrote:Atlanta is a lock for the #3 slot unless the team totally falls apart. Boston looks like they will continue to play like a .500 team. The six seed looks to come from Chicago, Charlotte or Milwaukee. Shouldn't be a major issue getting to play Orlando in round 2.

The first three seeds go to the divisional winners.

HMFFL wrote:

sutrick wrote:Atlanta is a lock for the #3 slot unless the team totally falls apart. Boston looks like they will continue to play like a .500 team. The six seed looks to come from Chicago, Charlotte or Milwaukee. Shouldn't be a major issue getting to play Orlando in round 2.

The first three seeds go to the divisional winners.

This was changed - divisional winners are now only guaranteed a top 4 spot.

azuresou1 wrote:

HMFFL wrote:The first three seeds go to the divisional winners.

This was changed - divisional winners are now only guaranteed a top 4 spot.

That's right, but there is still one rule to not forget:
"Division leader wins tie from team not leading a division"
which means that is case of a tie with BOS, even if we swept them 4-0 in regular season, BOS will be the higher seed of the two.

So we better to have a higher record than BOS, and if possible than ORL, which would means that if BOS and ORL were tied, it would be BOS 3rd and ORL 4th.
It would be the best to dream of Conference finals.

They have to think about it every next games, the 2nd seed should be the main goal, even if ORL can still get a better record than BOS.

It's always good to finish strong but I'm not sure how much I care about the 3rd seed. Both Cleveland and Orlando are extremely tough matchups but I'm pretty sure that I'd rather play a finesse team like Toronto(5th seed as we speak) in round 1 as opposed to Milwaukee(current 6th seed).

^^^ I still think it would be huge for this team mentally to finish inside the top four. Much like it was so big for them to get homecourt advantage last year.

Actually, the best would be 2nd and BOS 3rd, with ORL 4th, but if it's not possible, I just realize that 4th is not so much bad, because at this moment, ATL proved they can play against CLE, at least more than against ORL.

SO if it has to be between ORL and CLE in the second round, it would be better with CLE.
Now, once in post-season, it will be CLE as we know + Jamison + referees.

What I don't like is Woody is still on a 6 players rotation, so they will be playing a lot to secure one of the four top places, and will enter playoffs tired if lucky, or injured if not, like last year.
While CLE and BOS added Jamison (and get Z back) and Finley.

Talking about Z, and his ability to stretch the floor, I think now that we should have sign Frye last summer, he would have provide something like Z. I remember we talked about him, but don't remember what we thought exactly. And maybe he would have preferred more playing time with PHX.

I understand that they want to sign a player only if he can add something the team need, but at this point, even with the chemistry argument, there's is something we need too, and it's trying to not injure one of the 6 core players, and it's not playing them a lot that can avoid that.

Anyone catch the Celtics/Wizards game? Boston played like crap but still came back from a 13 point deficit with 6 minutes left. Why does it seem like the Hawks are always on the opposite end of runs like that in the 4th quarter?

OK, there is a mental problem, but there is another one that can increase as long as Woody plays with 6 guys: they are tired.

Just look at that:
2008-09 : 8 players rotation, with the starting 5, Murray, Evans and Zaza
2009-10 : 6 players rotation, with the same starting five, and Crawford.
Evans and Zaza play two third of what they were playing last year, while Crawford plays 30min/game, and Murray played 24min/game.

One more thing on that, Murray provided 12pts a game with less than 10 shots/game, Crawford is taking 13.3 shots/game. He's making 17pts/game, but Murray with 6 minutes more, and 3 shots, could average 15-16pts, almost what Crawford is making.

Don't get me wrong, Crawford brings more than Murray did, but mainly on potential of better overall qualities. In reality, ATL is not so much better while we see Crawford being better than Murray, and an nice improvement from Smith or Horford.

The same team than last season, winning 47 games, with one more season, would have easily win 50 games this season. Now, ATL is on a 52-53 games winning potential, it's not the improvement we hoped.

More important, each time ATL have the opportunity to get a better record than ORL or BOS, they loose the game they need to win.
It's just frustrating... or I am all wrong, and Woody wants to keep the 4th seed, and play CLE in second round, more than ORL, a thing he's almost sure to get if staying at 4th, while it's not the case if you try to be 2nd or 3rd, but in the same time hoping that BOS will be the other team, with ORL 4th.

I know there is a lot of positive points, but frustration by poor managing of the roster, and lack of mental capacity to win important games to take a better record are too much big for not see it.

I totally agree on this one. Not to mention development of young player being waisted, AC earlier now Teague...

FCNATL85 wrote:...now Teague...

We will see if it continues, but just look at what Carlisle can get from Beaubois who was drafted later than Teague.

and i think that we could get as much of Teague as they get of Beaubois but it all starts with PT and sound teaching!

FCNATL85 wrote:and i think that we could get as much of Teague as they get of Beaubois but it all starts with PT and sound teaching!

Rodrigue Beaubois is a much better shooter, is faster, and it's going to take Jeff Teague longer to develop. Jeff should be the more polished player after two years at Wake Forest, but it's not the case, and when Roddy was being scouted he was looked at as a very raw player.