Same old, same old except totally different.

by hawksdawgs on Nov 17, 2009 9:31 AM EST Comment 31 comments

In case you wondering, the Hawks would not have won this game three years ago. Don' believe? Paging Mr. Johnson.

Two, three, four years ago, we'd have lost a game like this."

See I told you so.

And while I certainly agree, the weird thing is the Hawks played offense like they did three years ago. It was the Joe Johnson show at its finest. What we don't like about the Joe show is it bogs down the offense and does not take advantage of obvious team skill in place. And that is basically what Atlanta did for three quarters Joe just started draining shots toward the end. Because lets be honest, Joe missed more shots than anyone else on the team attempted.This was four quarters of Joe being old Joe.

This game was classic 2006 without the crying or the anger or the bed sweats. It was glorious and exciting. What was the difference? Defense and rebounding. This team is tough. They are hard nosed. And throw Zaza in the mix and they are dirty. It might not make the Joe Johnson show possible every night, but every so often, it can put it on display for all the glory that a stellar Joe fourth quarter can be. And it made last night darn right satisfying.

On an unrelated note, that was the loudest, worst crowd I have ever seen. The fans brought legitimate energy in the fourth quarter, which was amazing because the arena was half empty. If the place had been full, it would have been playoff loud, but it was not and it was sad. I know people are not going to get to every game, but we are throwing around words like "best in decades" with this team. Even if it turns out not to be true, Atlanta should at least go see for themselves. The Heat game better be different. It needs to be different. And if the Hawks keep playing this well, the Memphis game needs to be different. Soon or later, this team will have done enough to earn the city's support. In the words of Zaza Pachulia's poster, everyone rise up.

Victory Bullets

Zaza Pachulia had nine boards (4 offensive) in 20 minutes. Sweet.
Al Horford is now shooting 1.000 from beyond the arc for his career.
Greg Oden fouls and gets fouled 30 times during a game. It just comes down to what the refs want to call.
Every time the Hawks win the turnover battle it makes me happy. We need to start throwing parties.
The Mike Woodson post was going to be heavily revised if not fouling at the end of regulation up three came back to bite the Hawks.
Jeff Teague can play some surprisingly good defense. At the very least, it is annoying defense.
I kept waiting for Brandon Roy to take over, and it just never happened. Not sure this comeback was possible without the Blazers worn out from a long road trip. Consider the Bobcats game made up...almost.
When Jamal Crawford's shot is off, it is really off.
It has been said before, and it needs to be said many more times, Josh Smith is good.

Go Hawks!

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See my crowd comments on the previous posts

JC had a bad night…..it happens. Zaza is a beast. Al is a stud. Smoove is our MVP in the making. Can we just say that when he plays angry, he’s more than awesome? I’m kind of on the fence about fouling before the three shot attempt. Suppose you foul and the guy makes one shot, misses intentionally, gathers the offensive rebound and scores again. See the Bulls-Nuggets game for an improbably sequence of events.

by dstdeelite on Nov 17, 2009 9:45 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

this game.......

Was similar to the bobcats lost combined with the lakers lost. you knew they could win but didnt think they had the guts. Also, we got to see why iso joe sometimes works in our favor. I will never doubt his scoring abilities in the 4th quarter again. Smoove continues to amaze. Horford continues to spark confidence in his team. All in all we did play as a team, just not the whole game. but lets get miami up in here and show them the new and improved hawks!

by Hawksgirl on Nov 17, 2009 10:10 AM EST via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Tickets are too expensive

Its gonna cost $50+ per person to go to a game after you factor in the ticket, parking, and food/drinks – and that’s for the worst seats in the house.

I can count on one hand the number of people I know who could afford that on a regular basis…

by gds923 on Nov 17, 2009 10:11 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yet, the Falcons and Dawgs have no trouble selling tickets.

by rbubp on Nov 17, 2009 11:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah

but they only play once a week

Atlanta will win a championship....someday

by maxxj3 on Nov 17, 2009 12:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good point

41 NBA home games compared to 8 NFL home games

by dstdeelite on Nov 17, 2009 12:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

for what, 8 games a piece instead of 41?

nice comparison.

by Mr. Sanchez on Nov 17, 2009 3:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It’s $15 per person if you have a student ID card of some sort lying around, I believe $30 if you don’t… get there a few minutes late and hit up a scalper and you can easily get a ticket for $20.

Take MARTA and you pay zero for parking and $4 total for transportation. If you don’t want to take MARTA you can always park on one of the streets at Centennial Place (just north of the aquarium) and walk, it’s only like a 5 minute walk away.

Buy something in the CNN Center food court and sneak it in — Great Wraps are really easy to hide in your pocket — and you’ll find that the cost of food becomes much more reasonable. Not to mention, there’s no requirement that you have to eat in order to watch a game. It ain’t that hard to eat a snack before the game, drink a beer during the game, and hit up Waffle House after the game.

I rarely, if ever, pay more than $20 on a trip to Philips. There are ways to get the most bang for your buck… instead of complaining, you should try.

by Najeh Davenpoop on Nov 18, 2009 3:05 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

$15 tickets for the 300 level Wednessday

You can find parking for around $10. My advice to you and pretty much anyone else is eat in the CNN center prior to the game. There’s no reason to buy arena food when it’s connected to a place that has Chic Fil A, Wendy’s, Taco Bell and other restaurants. You could also take Marta and save on parking.

by Co Co on Nov 17, 2009 10:35 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don't get the "Not affordable" crowd.

MARTA is directly under the stadium. Park outside the area and ride in. It costs $4. Tickets to NBA games are as low as $13, and all-you-can-eat seats are $37. Not to mention, CNN Center has a million food options.

Man, I am moving 700 miles strictly to be able to go to games, and the people there don’t take advantage.

by Duff_Man on Nov 17, 2009 10:38 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree.

I live in Kansas. It would be nice to have an NBA team within an hour. May have to go see the Hawks play the Thunder.

Any of you coming out for that?

by rbubp on Nov 17, 2009 11:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Try College Basketball

You may be away from the NBA, but at least you are in the same state as the Jayhawks. We are driving from Atlanta to Knoxville, TN to see them play this year. The NBA is good, but you have to love the college game!!

The Hawks look great this year. I hope they can keep it up for the long haul. They are playing great team ball. On any given night any number of players can step up to beat you. It is not like they are standing around waiting on a LeBron or Kobe to take over the game for the team. Coach Woodson has done a great job of growing with this team over the last 4 or 5 years. Let’s try to keep up the momentum by supporting the team and showing up to the games!

Georgia Jayhawk

by Georgia Jayhawk on Nov 17, 2009 2:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

There's parking for $5 on Walton Street sometimes.

No excuses!!!
Bring your friends
Carpool
Don’t show up late!!!

Last night’s crowd was worse that the crowd I saw in Charlotte. C’mon guys!

by tentenlarry on Nov 17, 2009 10:39 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Wow we win a great game and all we can talk about is the crowd at Philips

Seriously guys. I get it! I’m not making excuses for anybody….certainly not for myself. We’re all adults and as an adult you have the right to spend your money accordingly. Personally, I love going to the games, but for the most part, I won’t go during the week because I have a school age child that has to be in bed by 8:30 or she’s a beast in the morning. When I’m watching from home I see people with their children there no matter what time it is. That’s their perrogative. I’m just not going to do that. If I took a poll as to who tend to make these comments about this subject, I would wager it would be majority men. That being said, I bought tickets to tomorrow’s game and gave them away so someone else can enjoy the experience.

by dstdeelite on Nov 17, 2009 11:40 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'm definitely not trying to tell folks how to spend their money,

but when Hawks fans come out in droves for the Kobe’s and LeBron’s and Wade’s (Wednesdays game will be packed) it’s hard to think that they are worried about cost and etc. There was a time where you should have only come to see the other team because the Hawks weren’t worth watching, but I don’t think we’re in that time anymore. This Hawks team is good enough that they should have a damn near packed house no matter who’s in town.

by Co Co on Nov 17, 2009 11:44 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Who would pay to see Wade?

If I wanted to watch people roll around on the floor for a whole game, I’d just pop in a “Stop, Drop and Roll” PSA.

ZING!

by Duff_Man on Nov 17, 2009 11:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Or a World Cup qualifier

Corey Zickefoose: I think they should still be able to play football, regardless. Tennessee is my place. You know, it's my football team.

Reporter: Even after they put a gun in your face, you say let them play football?

Corey Zickefoose: Yeah. It's Tennessee. That's the way it is sometimes.

Welcome to the SEC!

by Jesse28 on Nov 17, 2009 12:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'll admit it burns me up to see a green jersey at Philips when Boston comes to town

by dstdeelite on Nov 17, 2009 11:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

that's how Atlanta is though...

it’s a transient city these days with much of it’s population coming from elsewhere, some with already established team loyalties. That, and some are just all about the “name” stars.

I’ll never forget my first Hawks game as a young child, in the Omni, in the late 80s, vs. the Bulls. Somewhere during the game, I turn to my father and ask “Why is everyone cheering for Jordan?”.

by Mr. Sanchez on Nov 17, 2009 3:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Those bastards

The Bulls are my next biggest rivalry after the Celtics because of so many of those Jordan years.

Corey Zickefoose: I think they should still be able to play football, regardless. Tennessee is my place. You know, it's my football team.

Reporter: Even after they put a gun in your face, you say let them play football?

Corey Zickefoose: Yeah. It's Tennessee. That's the way it is sometimes.

Welcome to the SEC!

by Jesse28 on Nov 17, 2009 5:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

lol

For me, juggling school and a personal life, it isnt that bad. I gave away my tickets to the hornets game that passed because i had to babysitt. Sometimes people are busy but i would still sit in the nosebleed seats just to see my hawks play. Its harder on weekdays with class in all but if I have time I go if I really want to go. I know friends who carpool to falcons game but wont sit in a hawksgame. They still havent seen the progress of the team. Some people just go for a star but come out as a fan

by Hawksgirl on Nov 17, 2009 6:09 PM EST via mobile reply actions 0 recs

i think

people don’t show up cuz they still remember those horrible seasons i think when people relize this is a better team they will show up

by Erihury on Nov 17, 2009 8:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I just wanted to chime in to comment on JSmoove

As a blazer fan the guy that scared me the most yesterday wasn’t JJ (even though he took over and essentially won the game for you guys). Josh isn’t your superstar, but when he dunks the ball, blocks a shot or grabs those crazy rebounds for your team, it just sucks the life out of opposing teams (at least that’s how I felt watching him grab O-board after O-board, and basically terrorize us in transition (both offense and defense).

JSmoove will likely never produce at a superstar level (IE like a guy who can completely carry a team on his back (either on offense or defense)). He’s very good on both ends, but he doesn’t take over games like the dwight’s, CP’s, Tim Duncan’s, heck even the JJ’s of the league. If I was to characterize his game, I’d say it’s the intimidation factor that he brings, that’s his biggest contribution to the team (even more than his league leading BPG). In that respect, I’d compare him to the K-Marts and Chris Anderson’s (he’s more talented than Birdman, but about comparable to the NJN K-Mart who was a borderline all star). You got a nice piece in JSmoove, just hope that he continues to work on his FT shooting.

"B-Roy is the best shooting guard I have played against"

-Ron Artest

by premthegrem on Nov 17, 2009 11:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Interestingly

You came here to give JSmoove some credit, and I think you’re not giving him enough. He’s the most talented player on the Hawks, and so far this year, it’s translated into being the best. Joe Johnson isn’t a superstar. Yes, we needed his shooting at the end to pull it out, but if he and Crawford aren’t jacking up garbage shots for 3 quarters, we’re in a much better position. Josh Smith’s rebounding, and the defensive work he and Horford were doing, are what allowed the Hawks’ to survive. And the fact is, we’re 9-2 because Josh is becoming the defensive presence he’s always been capable of, following it up by rebounding missed shots, and he’s making much, much better decisions on the offensive end of the floor. He’s owning every aspect of the game besides the free throw stripe.

More than anyone else, he’s the future of this team. Joe Johnson is a fringe all-star, but if Josh can keep this up (which he should-the ability has always been there) he’s a very legit all-star. It may end up requiring him to take more shots in order to buoy his scoring average so that most fans will realize it, but he’s outplayed every PF who’s lined up against him this year-aside from LMA during the game in Portland.

by Bronn on Nov 18, 2009 12:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I guess it's all perspective

I am actually kind of with you, in the sense that I look for the intangible contributions, especially on defense (IE is he affecting shots so much that guys are missing). Those aren’t things that show up on the box score, but you are correct that his contributions on the boards and on defense can really singlehandedly turn a game. In that sense I agree with you, but where I think he’s going to come up short is scoring. He has the potential, but I don’t think he’s going to realize it on a JJ led Atlanta team. As far as being an All star goes, he may someday be a coach’s selection, but as long as those geezers in beantown are alive and kicking, he’s not going to have the star power to make it even as a coach’s choice. So maybe in 2-3 years, he’ll be there.

"B-Roy is the best shooting guard I have played against"

-Ron Artest

by premthegrem on Nov 18, 2009 1:44 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i was trying to think of players to compare the new josh smith to.

turns out what hes doing so far is pretty unique. if i had to make a comparison now it would be like pippen, or perhaps kirilenko back when he was awesome. but i also did a player season finder on b-r.com and found that dr. js 73-74 season is pretty similar to what josh is doing now, except for dr.js volume scoring. anyways, this transformations awesomeness has repercussions not only for smith, but i think hes single handedly made the hawks fun to watch for non-hawks fans. i hope he keeps it up and i hope he starts to get recognized (mvp even?) by the national media who still seem to think johnson alone stirs the cup in atlanta.

"What is going on up here?"
"I never know, man."

by TheMoon on Nov 18, 2009 2:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

dr smoove?

by acie4mvp on Nov 18, 2009 7:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Love looking at the standings today

1)Atlanta* —
2)Orlando 1.0
3)Boston* 1.0
4)Cleveland* 1.0

It’s your big three, but all of them are looking up.

by Bronn on Nov 18, 2009 1:04 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

So awesome

I quoted Doc Rivers to a Celtics fan I work with who missed the game and he just turned around and walked out of the room. It was hilarious.

Corey Zickefoose: I think they should still be able to play football, regardless. Tennessee is my place. You know, it's my football team.

Reporter: Even after they put a gun in your face, you say let them play football?

Corey Zickefoose: Yeah. It's Tennessee. That's the way it is sometimes.

Welcome to the SEC!

by Jesse28 on Nov 18, 2009 7:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Tsk

To me JJ is superstar material and so is smooth. They both are the faces of the franchise and I believe smooth can become a astar. when the hawks are talked about, the first name is smooth then jj in my experience. I believe jj doesnt get enough credit and smoove is very underrated. Although, on espn an analyst openly said jj is atlanta’s superstar and I believe smooth is the second superstar we have been asking for………Al too, lol. My thoughts are all over the place

by Hawksgirl on Nov 18, 2009 9:32 AM EST via mobile reply actions 0 recs