Game 3: Orlando Magic @ Atlanta Hawks

[JoshB914]

Wow. That was a slow and painful death for the end of the season and perhaps the Mike Woodson/Joe Johnson Era.

[JoshB914]

like the guy above said, i dont feel sorry for the players. smith looked like he quit in game 1. johnson didnt even show up for the series opener. marvin williams has basically been non existent. bibby is just too old to guard the likes of jameer. the only one of the players i actually feel bad for on the hawks is al horford. the guy brings it every night, but he's just not the type of player thats gonna be a super star in this league. he will be an all star caliber player for years and very solid, but he'll never be in the MVP discussion circle.

on the contrary, i feel bad for you guys, the fans. we have been in the position before where a team just owns us and we cant do anything right against them (detroit). you guys are loyal fans who expect and deserve better effort from your team and it just hasnt been there

I still don't get this Smoove criticism I'm hearing from people. He was once again the only guy trying to make things happen tonight, especially on offense where everyone was jogging out the plays and/or watching Joe dribble around. I think sometimes people mistake his frustration (which often stems from an actual lack of effort from his teammates) for not caring about the games,

[ATL DirtyBird]

^There seems to be a rift between Hawks fans in this case. RawLew was referring to game 1 when he said he quit the game. There is no argument though. Josh quits sometimes. Yes, he creates tons of energy but when things dont go his way, it obviously gets to him. You cant win in this league if you pout, and neglect to run up the floor. Like ive said a thousand times, you either love Josh or you hate Josh. I love what he brings, but I hate his skillset, constant defensive brain farts, and the unnecessary plays he tries to make.

[aleZ]

Correct me if I'm wrong but your team looks like it doesn't have any offensive scheme at all beyond iso's and athleticism...the Hawks play good D but on offense they just stand there waiting for someone to make a play, the series would be tougher if someone else had taken Woodson's place years ago. Atlanta has improved during the years in spite of him, and the players may have finally tuned him out.

[Mezotarkus]

The Hawks have much more talent than the Bobcats but are performing much more poorly. They do not appear to be able to maintain focus at all. I think the coach has to go after this series. They could barely beat the Bucks without Redd and Bogut. The Hawks have some great talent but the coach is not bringing it together.

[D21]

It's sad to say it, but at this point, I have the feeling that another blowout at home is the best thing that can happen to this team.

It will defintly shows that this team is not better than the team of last season, and I have to said once again that last year, there were three ATL players beign injured.
This time, they are all healthy, and they are not better.

The +6W in regular season was a mirage, and not improving a team with the addition of Crawford instead of Murray just shows how Woodson can't do his job (added to the fact that Crawford was overrated in this system).
There is another point: Bibby is older, yes, but he still has the shot, and Teague, even if he's not ready seems to have it too. Do you see some screens for this guy ?
I don't ask for 30 plays for them, but please. Bibby looks out of shape compared to last year, but we are even worse when is not on the floor.

Last year, the team was too much depending on Joe's shooting, and now, it's Joe+Crawford.
Even Murray with his tunnel vision made more impact than Crawford who spend majority of his time playing one-on-one like Joe, and especially when they need to play like a team late in the game.

The team improved until last season by the players improvements, and with the addition of better player like Evans, Murray and mainly Bibby, and now Crawford. That's all.
The specific problem is that Joe and Woodson seems to be pared in the process. They show support to each other, and the media talk always about the improvement in a way that it's Woodson who's responsible, and Joe the leader of this team.
Even if they have their role, that's absolutely not the case like that.

Woodson can't get this team higher than being crushed by the top team league, something CHA who is supposed not to be better avoid even if they have been swept.
It's time to change it, and if Joe is not happy with the fact that the guy who let him the ball all the game, and give him the opportunity to shine more than what he's really worth, then he can go where he wants.
The guy want to get a max deal, knowing there won't be any help if he gets that, but maybe he's OK with that, and just want to be the leader of a first round level team making tons of dollars, more than trying to get a title and admit he's not the guy that can lead a team to at least Eastern Conference Finals.

If the two can't see the reality, I don't see any reason to continue to pay them like that.
If half of their salaries were earned by each W in playoffs, maybe they would not loose by 40pts on the road or 30pts at home.

[aleZ]

If the two can't see the reality, I don't see any reason to continue to pay them like that.

Good post, but the ATL mgmt may be on the fence about letting both JJ and Woodson go: after all, they brought the team to the second round and a lot of fans back to the arena: you don't fire your franchise guy and "winning" coach when the team is still having (some) success. IMO either one of them will go (woodson probably) or the Hawks will stay put another year waiting for a bigger collapse to happen and a better excuse to start over.