Interesting words from JJ.

[tlee324]

"I thought we'd come into this game knowing what was at stake and knowing we had a chance to make history and move on to the next round," Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson said. "I thought we'd come out with a lot more enthusiasm and a lot more discipline and we didn't do any of that. We came out so lethargic. We had no continuity on offense. It was a joke, man."

"We're so inexperienced and we showed that every game in Boston," Johnson said. "We had no chance of winning games here. None. I guess some of these guys thought we were just going to be able to come out and play hard and have fun. There's more to it than that."

"Four games here and we got run ragged all four times. You would think in Game 7 you would have a [expletive] clue. We didn't have a clue as to what was going on out there."

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sport ... s0505.html

Sounded pretty frustrated, for sure.

[greenbeans]

wonder what he was expecting when he went there. its the atlanta hawks.

[campybatman]

"I thought we'd come into this game knowing what was at stake and knowing we had a chance to make history and move on to the next round," Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson said. "I thought we'd come out with a lot more enthusiasm and a lot more discipline and we didn't do any of that. We came out so lethargic. We had no continuity on offense. It was a joke, man."

"We're so inexperienced and we showed that every game in Boston," Johnson said. "We had no chance of winning games here. None. I guess some of these guys thought we were just going to be able to come out and play hard and have fun. There's more to it than that."

"Four games here and we got run ragged all four times. You would think in Game 7 you would have a [expletive] clue. We didn't have a clue as to what was going on out there."

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sport ... s0505.html

I'm not comparing the two players, Johnson and Rider, but when I'd read those comments of Johnson it evoked memory of a similar, unsubtle criticism of one toward his teammates and the attitude and effort they put forth in a game or didn't put forth. I don't know, I just instantly recalled Rider and this particular rant to the media after reading these excerpts.

Rider sat on the floor near the Atlanta Hawks' bench with a warm-up jacket covering his head after a 116-89 loss to the Indiana Pacers Wednesday, and later questioned his teammates' will to win.

"People don't care, man," Rider said. "I'm tired of this laughing and giggling ... when we're losing. People don't care, man. I care.

"I want to win, man. Now if you get my point, you get it. If you want to talk about me, talk about me. I don't give a [expletive deleted]. I want to win."

Rider entered the game averaging 23.3 points per game -- eighth-best in the NBA and easily the best of his seven-year career -- but said those numbers mean little compared with the Hawks' 11-17 record.

Rider played last season for a Portland team that advanced to the Western Conference finals.

"Yeah, I'd rather win, man," he said. "[Expletive deleted] this seventh-in-the-league, sixth-in-the-league scoring, man. I'd rather win, man.

"That's why I was reluctant to come to this [expletive deleted]."

Hawks coach Lenny Wilkens was exasperated, too, saying he did not fault Rider's stance.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basket ... atribe_ap/

[jfs1000d]

He should be frustrated. It was an embarrassing performance by the Hawks in Game 7.

It tainted their postseason run. Even when they were down 18-24 points and you are not going to win, professionals do things to close the gap.

They should have lost 99 to 82 or something. That would have been better.

Celtics aren't 40 points better than anyone in the NBA. IF Celts shot better, they would have won by 60.

I think Game 7 was so uncompetitive, it is a knock against the Hawks. Any good will the hawks had was given back on Sunday.

IT WAS THAT BAD.

[Scalamental]

Joe Johnson and Shawn Marion should be hit in the mouf with a sock full of quarters.

Idiots. They deserve everything they get. [Edit: by that I mean, brutal humiliation.]

[ermocrate]

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http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basket ... atribe_ap/

Rider was talking about Jim Jackson, Laphonso Ellis, Halan Henderson, Bimbo Coles and Dikembe Mutombo, not a bunch of young guys... JJ is a leader and the older man on a young franchise, he has to rise his voice.

[greenbeans]

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Rider was talking about Jim Jackson, Laphonso Ellis, Halan Henderson, Bimbo Coles and Dikembe Mutombo, not a bunch of young guys... JJ is a leader and the older man on a young franchise, he has to rise his voice.

yeah, BEFORE a 30-point blowout

[JoshB914]

JJ always says crap like that. We love him but it's really annoying when he says this kind of stuff.

[nasbahceltic]

KG said it best. "They wanted game 7 so we gave it to them"

[CeltsfaninDC]

JJ always says crap like that. We love him but it's really annoying when he says this kind of stuff.

I think it actually a great response by him. It shows some leadership and a definite desire to win. I'd take him back on the Cs if he wants to come to a place and win.

[cloverleaf]

Doesn't sound that different to me from Pierce's squawking about his inexperienced teammates in the last couple of years. Pierce got a pretty good return on his squawking, maybe JJ thinks Atlanta could trade for some experience as well.

[ljp24]

you switch JJ with any Celtics player playing in Atlanta, and you get the same thing

[hickfromfrenchlick]

Unfortunately for the Hawks they got Bibby to be the leader, and he's completely immature. Age doesn't give you wisdom.

Tafoya asked him what he was doing to help keep his teammates' emotion in check and he basically said he didn't, and that he encouraged them to get in the Celtics' faces. I'm not saying the Hawks should have backed down -- but false bravado don't mean squat.

That stuff about Rider is funny. Maybe if he didn't get arrested and/or suspended every other week, his teammates would have given him some respect.

[tlee324]

Doesn't sound that different to me from Pierce's squawking about his inexperienced teammates in the last couple of years. Pierce got a pretty good return on his squawking, maybe JJ thinks Atlanta could trade for some experience as well.

I don't recall Pierce saying anything like what JJ said. Looks like JJ was throwing his teammates under the bus a bit, while Pierce basically was asking for another veteran player of his caliber, not necessarily calling players out.

[ermocrate]

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yeah, BEFORE a 30-point blowout

I'm pretty sure he said something also BEFORE the game but young punks tend to overstimate their ball... This interwiew as the taste of a "told you so" one... I think that young punks will heard their veteran and best player better next time.

[cloverleaf]

-= original quote snipped =-



I don't recall Pierce saying anything like what JJ said. Looks like JJ was throwing his teammates under the bus a bit, while Pierce basically was asking for another veteran player of his caliber, not necessarily calling players out.

You're right, BadMutha, Pierce never accused his teammates of lacking heart. But he regularly complained that they needed more talent and experience before he eventually suggested the C's better provide him with teammates who were better in those ways or else he'd demand a trade. That's the similarity I was trying to point to.

[MyInsatiableOne]

JJ always says crap like that. We love him but it's really annoying when he says this kind of stuff.

I never would have pegged JJ for all the talking he did during and after this series. He's right, though, they didn't just get beaten, they got embarrassed on national TV.

JJ is the leader of that team, though, no doubt...his teammates better listen to him in the future.

[MyInsatiableOne]

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I don't recall Pierce saying anything like what JJ said. Looks like JJ was throwing his teammates under the bus a bit, while Pierce basically was asking for another veteran player of his caliber, not necessarily calling players out.

After that pathetic display (and all the **** they talked leading up to it) they DESERVED to get thrown under the bus.

I'm not so sure, with all that turmoil and the uncertainty with the head coaching position, they'll *be* better next year, even with the talent they have.

[sully00]

I was blown away by JJ in this series, he played like a true star and with that is the right to question his teamates. They were great with the extracuricular stuff but this was a 7 game series because of Joe Johnson the least they could have done is shown up in game 7.

The tough part for the ATL is that I don't think was directed at teamate"s" but a teamate and one they likely have to decide whether to drop a bag full of money on.

[MyInsatiableOne]

Who? Smith? Horford?