Box Score

Recap

Name one time you sat on a runway for the six hours you normally sleep and were forced into a situation where you must win/succeed?

If the Hawks lose, the one game attention span of the nation media, the local media for a week, and and this blog for a month ridicule the team.

It was a no win/must win situation. And then the team slept on a plane. Kudos for them for winning.

Sure they get paid millions to do so and yes, an easier win with starters playing less minutes would have been the more desirable outcome, but whatever, take the win and go get some good rest.

6 things to take away from a game you probably do not think deserves any takeaways at all.

1. When Marvin Williams shot is falling, he may have just turned into a really good offensive player. Somehow in one summer, he learned to take/hit the three pointer and finish around the rim. Keep enjoying Chapel Hill Marvin.
   
2. Joe Johnson is figuring out that the effort he exerts to create his own shot can sometimes be better punctuated by one of his teammates taking the shot. I would not mind seeing more 13 assists 11 shot nights. 
3. Am I being too hard on Josh Smith? He went 6 of 12 from the floor, had five rebound, and I still thought it was a well below par performance. Either I have morphed into a Smith hater, or I expect really great things from him. Those things may not be mutually exclusive though.
   
4. Al Horford is back on the 12 shot attempts equals a path to victory. And I love it. 
5. Mike Woodson's subbing pattern still baffles.
6. I feel bad for the Wizards. 

Finally, you know why I love Marvin Williams? He has one of the most efficient and skilled nights as a professional and drops this one quote for the paper.

"That’s what they call a total team effort right there," Williams said after making four of his six shots from beyond the 3-point line. "And everybody was tired. That was a crazy experience, being stuck on that plane all night. We didn’t get into our [hotel] rooms and actually get to sleep until 8:30.

"It was nuts. But we got through it as a team."

Not one "me" in the whole thing.

Finally, congradulations to Buzzsaw winner of the first ever "Best comment in the Game Thread" when refering to Josh Smith taking less jumpers:

I think he's had that figured out for awhile. The foul line is a constant reminder.

Go Hawks!