Atlanta Hawks 110, Memphis Grizzlies 97 or was that fake domination?
by hawksdawgs on Dec 16, 2009 10:29 PM EST
48 comments
Zaza Pachulia was part of an alley-oop tonight.
And no not even on the scoring side. He passed the ball to another player on his own team and it ended with two pints. This happened. I promise.
Tonight's game was more than weird. It climaxed in the second quarter with the Zaza assisted dunk, but the whole game tempted you to enter into the twilight zone. I can say I have watched a lot of Hawks games. A lot. I have yelled and cheered about anything and everything over the years, but tonight was so exhibition. I never worried about this game. I just felt our offense was better and our defense could work.
The whole time I kept asking my buddy "how are we only down three." Then he would say, "how are we up two." It was the Braves against UGA during spring training. And I would say this whole perspective was ridiculous. Maybe the Grizzlies played a mysterious game last night that no one knows about. Possibly these two were playing their hearts out toward winning or losing by 13 points.
This could be all true. Except both teams called it quits with eight minutes to go. At one point, I looked up at the scoreboard and the internal instinct said, "I should be nervous." They could come back from this. A guy could get hot. We could go cold. And then I looked down and saw Othello Hunter was in the game.
The Hawks won. They won big. You should be impressed. But you should feel weird.
Go Hawks!
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Two Pints?
Have you been drinking? LOL
Anyways, that was a good game tonight. Glad we got the W. Should have kept the pressure up in the end, though.
What is nit impressive, once again,
is the City of Atlanta’s complete disrespect for the Hawks. What is going on with this town?
I really have no idea. I can usually justify the Braves shoddy attendance by the poor logistics of the Ted, the middling results of the last few seasons, the “city of transplants” excuse, the terrible ATL traffic, etc….
But I really have no clue what is up with the Hawks attendance this season. This team has been awesome. People should be fucking thrilled to go out and watch this team.
Maybe I have to come to grips with this just being a really terrible pro sports city? I hate to admit this, having grown up rooting hard for ATL/Ga. based teams all my life, but I just can’t find an explanation for it at this point.
The Atlanta Spirit hasn’t been that bad.
by get swoll yunel on Dec 17, 2009 1:01 AM EST up reply actions
Attendance is down leaguewide
Also, its the Grizzlies, in the middle of the week. Poor attendance for a game like this is not shocking.
You want an explanation?...
Atlanta is a much worse pro sports town than it’s inhabitants would like to think. It’s one of the worst in the country. We’ve got a lot of college sport fans around the area, but we just don’t support pro teams. The Falcons get it a bit, but it’s not hard to sell out 8 games a year compared to 41 or 81 for the Hawks or Braves. And even the Falcons, before Vick, were poorly supported. But the Braves have struggled the entire decade, even when they were a definite playoff team. The Hawks, even when they’ve been good in the past struggled to get fans out. Atlanta sucks as far as supporting pro sports. It’s just a fact.
Agreed.
The only difference I note is that winners have been largely supported if not overwhelmingly. The Hawks are winners, they’re entertaining, they have a good facility, and they get more empty seats than not. I don’t want to hear about mid-week, Grizzlies, etc…it’s not like this in other cities. The attendance figures are pretty bloated (off. count was over 13,000 last night—my arse). But the Hawks are getting pre-season/bad-team attendance for regular season games with a GOOD team.
I knew Atlanta was a bad sports town for everything other than college football, but this is worse than even I would have expected.
For comparison, some crowds at mid-week games between one good home team and one bad team from last week:
Toronto at Orlando—
http://www.nba.com/video/games/magic/2009/12/16/0020900360_tor_orl_recap.nba/
New Jersey at Cleveland—
http://www.nba.com/video/games/cavaliers/2009/12/15/0020900352_njn_cle_recap.nba/
Detroit at Houston—
http://www.nba.com/video/games/rockets/2009/12/15/0020900355_det_hou_recap.nba/
Sacramento at Portland—
http://www.nba.com/video/games/blazers/2009/12/15/0020900357_sac_por_recap.nba/
Minnesota at Utah—
http://www.nba.com/video/games/jazz/2009/12/14/0020900349_min_uta_play6.nba/
New Orleans at Dallas—
http://www.nba.com/video/games/mavericks/2009/12/14/0020900347_noh_dal_recap.nba/
Indiana at Orlando—
http://www.nba.com/games/20091214/INDORL/gameinfo.html
Not a damn one of those is as anywhere near as empty as the last couple of mid-week Hawks teams. Maybe Detroit at Houston comes close.
I am seriously beginning to think that we are the only Hawks fans in the city. And I live 1000 miles away, so it;s tough for me to help solve this one.
With all due respect
to Portland, Dallas and Utah, they don’t have near as many nightly attractions as Atlanta. I think Atlanta has so many options for entertainment throughout the week that a Hawks Griz game is a tough sell especially if there’s something cheaper and or free to do. I love that people applaud Utah for having great fans. They have nothing else to do!!!! Of course the Jazz game is the place to be. LOL
Dallas doesn't, CoCo?
You know Dallas is bigger than ATL, right? But while for Portland and Utah and other small markets like Minnesota, OKC, and Memphis, the NBA is what’s to do, a large city makes up for competing interests by having many more fans. There’s a trend here, and it is this: ATL doesn’t support the Hawks at the same rate as other cities, whether large or small, whether winning or losing. And I find it bothersome because I want to go to the games and can’t.
Urggh.
My comment disappeared
but basically yes, Dallas is more spread out but I still contend Atlanta’s overall nightlife and entertainment is probably better. That’s just my opinion. I don’t want it to seem like I’m in disagreement with you. I totally agree that Atlanta should be supporting this team. I just don’t want to use a Wednesday night game against a mediocre team as a barometer. Ya know? Unfortunately a lot of Atlantans only want to go places to be seen, that’s why they come to the big games. Real Hawks fans are the ones who are there for the good, bad and ugly.
I do see your point.
Just for sh8ts and g8ggles, having lived in one and experienced the other quite extensively, ATL and Dallas are very similar. Dallas=6 mil people, Atl 5. Their sprawl, lack of downtown vitality, and general feel are really close. ATL is prettier. Dallas is kinda ugly…but fun, though, and with better architecture and museums. :)
that's the problem
the die hard fans who would go to a mid week game don’t live in ATL. My whole family have been hawk crazy for a long time, even in the down times. But we live 2hrs away….and I have made it to a few mid week games before if I lived there I would go all the time
The Grizzlies remind me alot of the Hawks from a few years ago.
Lots of young athletic talent. A dynamic scorer on the wing. Some good bigs and energy. And the ability to push even the best teams on the right night. But most nights they just aren’t ready to challenge the big dogs. I hope their front office will give them time to develop like ours did.
Its funny
that the ends of games are just as nonexciting (actually kinda boring) because the game is so out of reach and there is an entire quarter of garbage time. But as we all know now, the Hawks are on the other side of the scoreboard. How great it is!
"It was the Braves against UGA during spring training."
This is fantastic.
by get swoll yunel on Dec 17, 2009 1:02 AM EST reply actions
Good win for the Hawks
The score is in no way indicative of how the game really went. It got real fugly in the third quarter. We’re almost like the Cavs were last year. They blew everybody out in the first half and rested all the starters in the 4th quarter. I’m with hawksdawgs. It is weird. Hawks fans are like a man/woman who have been hurt and disappointed in the past. It’s not you…it’s me……We’re scared to let our guard down. But they’re courting us hot and heavy and we can’t help but cave at some point. If they win over the Jazz tomorrow, I just might dive in. Go Hawks!!!
The Jazz are a good test...
Their bigs match up with us well with Boozer, Okur, and Milsap vs. Smoove, Al, and Zaza. I’d guess Al guards Boozer, with Smoove on Okur. But Ronnie Brewer and Wesley Matthews are solid athletes and efficient players on the wing, with similar builds to Joe Jo and Marvin (And Brewer always made me think of Junior Joe dating back to his Arkansas days). Deron Williams is one of the best PGs in the game (and you could make the argument we should have drafted him, not Paul in that long standing debate). They are deep, well coached, and match up very well with us. Should be a very interesting game, and measuring stick for just how high up the ladder the Hawks should be.
loving it
The past few years the Hawks would have found a way to lose some of the games like this. Heck earlier in this year they did lose a few of them to New York and Detroit. But now they seem to have figured something out and are crushing the bad teams with ease like you would expect from a top 3 team in the conference. The Utah and Cleveland games are going to be very interesting tests. If the Hawks do well in those, then we may have to seriously start considering the idea of the Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals.. or beyond!
ECF is a reall possibility
If we get to the 2nd rd and face Boston. I think we can get past them in a 7 gm series. (current rosters remain the same) our bench is better and we are younger and we have enough bigs to throw at them. I can see the Hawks in the ECF vs probably the Cavs
nice game yesterday
After the first half it got boring. it seems like after the first half the opposing team gets worse while the hawks get better
by Hawksgirl on Dec 17, 2009 9:59 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Another great game
This game reminded me of the game earlier in the year with Pacers at Phillips (at least the first half). Hawks would make a run whenever Pacers got close. It is like we have a V8 engined car, that has a lot of torque and can speed whenever it wants vs, most teams. Even when they make a run, just wait till Jamal comes in. And how about Mo Evans, his shooting improvement from last year to this year (so far) is incredible. Our second unit absolutely demoralizes teams. I mean Jamal made moves last night, that would make Jordan proud. If we are not the Hawks and Jamal is named Kobe, it be on Sports Center. When Jamal and JJ are scoring like they are, this is a very tough team to defend. The person in the thread that stated “But most nights they just aren’t ready to challenge the big dogs” is out of his freakin mind. You have Josh who is the most incredible talent in the league (tell me another player like him, yes he does things that drive one crazy, but his moves, blocks, energy, is LeBron like). We have a center with a lion heart in Horford. We have Joe Johnson, the professional player’s super star player. On nights, like last night, when he has it going, forget about it. We have solid point play in Bibby, and now with maturation of Evans, addition of Jamal, crazy Zaza, and so so Marvin, we are solid. What other team other than Lakers and Orlando can you say the Hawks can not beat in the playoffs right now. Yep we lost to Cavs 4-0 last year but we had no bench, were injured, and …. As for Celtics, we should be able to take care of them in a 7 game series. And in the west. I am still laughing. How many other strong teams do Hawks have to beat(Portland twice, Dallas at Dallas, Denver we crushed). Not worried about the crowds. They will come. I remember in the 80s, old Omni was a tough place to play. We shall get there. Yep Hawks tix are expensive, but ATL is a big city, that is cosmopolitan and will support the team. Go Hawks – we should be able to beat Utah, though as others say it has potential for being a very good game, and look forward to seeing the double headed beast of Josh and Horford go head to head with Boozer man.
Josh is crazy skilled...it bears repeating.
The play where he harassed Randolph at mid court, let him break free towards the lane, and then came back around from the weak side in time to block his shot at the rim was a play that not many players in the league can/would do.
by The Human Highlight Blog on Dec 17, 2009 11:12 AM EST up reply actions
Half of Jandolph got it..
You know its a win at that point, or a happy meal depending on your preference
I don't know if I've ever seen a more meaningless stat line
Than the 20 points that Sam Young put up. All but 4 of those came in the last 8 minutes of the game. He was a big part of the Grizzlies’ run that wasn’t really a run because both teams had already conceded the outcome but are still forced to play 48 minutes. Before the fourth quarter, he was 2-8 shooting with two turnovers, and was a big part of Memphis was so far behind. But he ended up 7-13 because of basically garbage baskets.
My 1st game of the year
Quite the win. I touched a t-shirt they shoot out before some huge guy in the row in front of me pulled it away.
The crowd got better as the game went on, but what do you expect with it being the Griz on a Wed night?
Friday will be ridiculous. I expect that guy who danced and took off the t shirts from last years Boston game to attend.
by coachkcastellon on Dec 17, 2009 1:09 PM EST reply actions
I don't hear people bitching about crowd attendance for no other team other than the Hawks
It’s really getting old. If we’re a bunch of boobs for not going to every single freakin game, then so be it. Instead of basking in the glow of this team’s recent sucess, we spend half our team debating/defending why Philips isn’t packed on a nightly basis. It’s usually a person who’s outside of Atlanta who broaches the subject. I get it that we should support the Hawks, but as I’ve said in other post, you cannot dictate how people should spend their money/time. All this crap about “If I lived in Atlanta, I would”……Save it! You don’t know what you’d be doing. You can only say you’d try to attend. It’s always a complaint. Co Co has valid points. Atlanta is a transient city. Since I moved here a few years ago, I’ve only met a handful of people who are from here. I’ve only met 1 who was actually born and raised IN the city of Atlanta. That says a lot. Traffic is a BEAST!! And people question why Atlanta fans are always late. You try making your way to the arena, finding a parking space, and getting to your seat before 7pm tipoff after you get off work at 5. If we suck as fan, then fine! I accept that. But can we move on. The only way you can tell me about my fandom is if you’re a season ticketholder who attend EVERY SINGLE GAME! Otherwise give it a rest. I have to read about it on ESPN.com and listen to Charles Barkley fat ass talk about it every Thursday. I sure don’t want to come to this lovely gem of a website to hear about it too. Just my opinion. Go Hawks!!
Sorry, but I lived in Atlanta for two years
and I get the issues. Traffic? Freakin’ use MARTA. You’d get the ride almost to yourself—there’s no one downtown after 5 anyway!
Atlantans always have an excuse. ALWAYS.
Sorry that I am bothered about this. I live in place where there really is little to do, and somebody needs to say something about it in teh Hawks’ case because it does hold the team back. No enthusiasm this year =no big free agent next year if JJ leaves. Poor enthusiasm lost a team in Seattle. So yeah, it’s important.
Not excuses....just facts
I get that you have little to do, but that’s hardly a problem if you live in Atlanta. I live in SW Atlanta. I get off at 5. By the time I pick my daughter up from school, it’s almost 6. We usually walk in the house around 6:15. Tip off is at 7. I wasn’t soley talking about the traffic INTO town. God forbid if you have other obligations and have to go home first. Again, I don’t disagree that more people should come out, but jeez I’m sick of hearing about it. Every blog I read it’s the same thing. It’s like they can’t find anything bad to say about the Hawks so let’s pick on the fans. Blah Blah Blah. You and John Hollinger can team up and see just how many different blogs you can write about how bad Atlanta fans are. He seems to have a problem with it too.
You seem to underestimate the average NBA player
Sure they like fan support, but at the end of the day it’s about winning a championship and $$$. Whether they sell out Philips arena is a distant third.
I'm talking about the OWNERS.
Do you think ASG considers this year’s gates in determining how much cash to outlay for next year’s free agent?
I know they’re pretty stupid, but they’re not THAT stupid.
Not downtown!!!
At least when I went to grad school at georgia State from 2000-2002, you wouldn’t find anybody but homeless after 5 pm in the downtown area proper. Sheesh, I used to walk to my apt in Inman Park every day—I saw what a freakin’ ghost town it was!!!!
Granted that was seven years ago. Have things changed? Ya’ll see the crowds shopping, eating, and walking downtown after 5 now, like in NYC or Chicago?
so true
I have lived here all my life and can’t even be on time if I’m ridings the train to school when the buses are late. Charles of all people doesn’t know how it is……………
by Hawksgirl on Dec 17, 2009 7:19 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
so
Why wouldn’t someone or fans here be mad if they talk about our play, coach, leadership, then maturity, and then the fans loyalty. analysts are picky, I know because I have watched these hawks forever. it just gets old. just sayin my opinion just like you ……………
by Hawksgirl on Dec 17, 2009 7:25 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
On top of all this vitriol...
It’s a semi-free world, and if I feel like blatching about the attendance I will do so until Drew tells me to cool it. No one says you have to engage my complaint.
Back to our regularly scheduled program
The turning point in last night’s game was Zaza’s steal on one end, lob pass to Horf, and his subsequent thrashing of Thabeet! It was just too awesome for words!!!! Not saying that I want to see him lobbing the ball every game, but it was still awesome though.
by dstdeelite on Dec 17, 2009 6:48 PM EST via mobile reply actions
If JJ keeps having games like this
We might end up with three legit all-stars instead of two. Though we might be lucky to put even one in the game.
Orlando's lost this game
Hawks have now jumped up to second place in the East. And Charles Barkley still protests that Orlando and Boston on a different level than we are.
- is awesome. If the playoffs started tomorrow, we’d have homecourt through 2 rounds.
I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it. I’m so….scared.
lol
What I can’t figure out is how does Miami seem to have the Magic’s number. They’ve beaten them twice so far and everytime we play them we’re run out of the building. Number 2 in the EC, baby!!!
It's funny
catching that show like 15 years later. I’m old enough now to realize that it’s bad, and not really funny…and yet I still enjoy it.
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