[Eastern Conf. 1st Round] Miami Heat vs. Atlanta Hawks

If Josh Smith could actually stop LeBron in any way shape or form, you might be on to something.

 

I've lost a lot of respect for JJ the last couple of years. He underperforms his talent, sometimes by a wide margin. If he was a better leader, the Hawks would be a championship contender.

 

I really believe Wade meant to kiss glass there. Sick.

 

what a shoot Dwade

 

yea, he has so much talent physically and yet i rarely see him dominate. but he may be our best bet in 2010 though

 

What a shot by Dwade.

 

what a dagger 3

 

Ball game! Cook slams the door shut.

 

First time in NBA history teammates have had 6 three's each in a playoff game.

 

Interesting article on Miami getting ready for game 2, here's a clip:

Wade's Message Rings Loud & Clear

 

I think JJ is a step slower than most of the elite wings, he just makes up for it with handles, shooting, and size...he's kinda like the Chauncey Billups of SG's imo, atleast offensively.

 

The Hawks usually put Marvin Williams on LeBron when they play. Truth be told, LeBron doesn't really kill the Hawks all that bad. The achilles heel for the Hawks is any team with a good PG mostly due to the fact that Bibby is such a dreadful defender.

 

Coming from somebody that watches the Hawks often I can agree with that comparison. An all-around good player that's probably a second banana on a really good team. The Hawks just need that "#1 option guy" and, believe me, I don't need the history lesson on that issue.

 

What do you think of Mike Woodson as coach? Does he need to leave for the Hawks to reach their potential? Has he improved year-over-year? Is his relationship with Josh Smith that bad or is it workable long-term?

Does it still bug you and other Hawks fans that they took Marvin Williams instead of D-Will or CP? (Are you even a Hawks fan?)

 

I like Woodson and the Hawks have improved in each year he's been at the helm. The Hawks went from a 13-win team his first year in 04-05 to the 47-win team they are right now four years later. Mind you, he's doing this all with little to no bench outside of Flip Murray. Losing Childress was a definite blow too yet they still finished 10 wins better than last year's squad that took the Celtics to seven games.

Is Woodson the ideal long term coach for this team? I'm not really sure. Woodson's pedigree and M.O. is defense and given how athletic the Hawks are, one might think a D'Antoni type that can run-and-gun might best suit an athletic team like this. Unfortunately for them, that requires a great PG. Something they don't have (Bibby can't QB an offense like that) so it's kind of a moot point.

As for his relationship with Josh Smith, you get the vibe things may still be a little rocky there. For as athletic and talented as Josh is, he has some of the worst basketball IQ and decision making you will ever see. If I had a dime for every time i've seen Josh do something stupid then saw a Mike Woodson tirade/flipout/meltdown on the sideline i'd be a millionaire. You can tell from his body language Josh is a frustrating player to coach. And understandably so. Their relationship is probably cordial at best. Mind you, this is placing the aside the sheer fact that Josh got paid and has seemingly regressed a bit this year.

As for the Hawks and their draft ineptitude: it kind of speaks for itself. Passing on CP3 and Deron to take Marvin Williams is the obvious blooper. The irony is ever since they passed on those guys the Hawks have struggled desperately to find a quality PG. They've had plenty of quick fixes (Lue, Claxton, Anthony Johnson, Mario West, Royal Ivey, etc.) they've tried but none have been adequate which is why trading for a semi-washed up Mike Bibby was like winning the lottery to a Hawks fan. Even though Bibby isn't the player he used to be he's still a great shooter, game manager and just an overall upgrade over the "band aid" type PG's they've used in the past.

So, yeah, passing on CP3 and Deron is a problem the Hawks will never be able to digest. Other than that embarrassing gaffe, the Hawks have just had some bad luck with some seemingly "safe picks", as advertised. Players like Shelden Williams and Acie Law were supposed to be prototypical examples of NBA-ready and experienced college stars turned pro's. The type of players that were supposed to be ready to step in and contribute on Day 1. Needless to say, that wasn't exactly the case.

And yeah, I follow the Hawks. My buddy is a huge Joe Johnson/Hawks fan so inevitably I find myself watching most of their games. They're definitely my second favorite team in a distant second to the Rockets.

 

baller4life315,

Not to hijack this topic from you, but since we seem to be the only two on here that watch The Hawks consistently (not just the playoffs), I have to say I agree with you on most stuff. But I disagree with you on Mike Woodson. I think that guy holds the team back. I really wish someone like Jeff Van Gundy would take over in ATL. If that team learned to play JVG defense, I think they'd be a high 50+ win team in the East.

Yes, Woodson has been at the helm and we've improved each year he has been here. But I think that is in spite of him, not because of him. Weve gotten more and more talent each of his years here. To put it bluntly, I just dont like the guy as our coach. Id like to see him gone if Miami wins this round. But he probably wont be.

At least Billy Knight is gone...Idiot.

By the way, how did you become a Hawks fan? I moved to Houston from ATL in '93 but had family in Houston the whole time. So I have always followed Rockets & Hawks hoops.

 

Also, I really like JJ. But I will admit that last year I thought he was well on his way to the upper elite of NBA superstars. I still think he is a terrific player, but Im starting to think he isnt ever going to be a #1 guy. More of a Pippen looking for a Jordan. I hate that, too. Because I think he has the talent to be the man. I see him going elsewhere in 2010.

Maybe to Houston if D-Wade falls through?

 

You took the words out of my mouth. Before last season (as in Oct 2007), I thought JJ was going to stake his claim as a top 6-7 player. But now it's clear he doesn't belong there and never will. I've also concluded he's a Pippen, a super role-player, the best 2nd fiddle you could ask for.

 

Not everyone can be "THE MAN" in reference to Joe Johnson.

D. Wade however is the shiznit. Carry on.

 

Well, this year is kind of hard to argue with if you're anti-Woodson. The talent influx definitely stopped after this year. Losing Childress was a huge blow and nothing against Flip Murray either, he's been a solid bench player but Childress was an invaluable garbageman/energy guy in his prime the Hawks lost for nothing. Signing a career journeyman like Murray, who ultimately ended up working out, was still a definite setback from a business and talent standpoint.

You could make the argument last year's 37-win team didn't have Bibby for the entire season but I think there's more to it than just that. The fact that Woodson was able to take a team that just lost Childress and (best case) replaced him with an equal value player in Murray, yet still improved 10 games in the win/loss column speaks volumes to his coaching ability.

Imagine if the Hawks had a legit bench. They would be an NBA Finals darkhorse....that, of course, nobody would know about given that they get no exposure.

I'm not saying Woodson is perfect but I think it's safe to say he's secured his job for the time being. Especially once the Hawks dispatch the Heat in the first round. 10 game improvement + 1st playoff series win in 10 years = good coaching, IMO.

Like I mentioned earlier, my buddy is a huge JJ/Hawks fan so inevitably I find myself watching the Hawks a lot. They're fun to watch and I always like a good underdog. They're definitely a team with a promising future.

P.S. JVG has always had a "disciplinarian/No B.S." type of label. Him coaching a player like Josh Smith is a potentially nuclear relationship.