Miami Heat Vs. Atlanta Hawks: This Game Deserves No Recap Edition

That is all.

Kris, hang in there. We all feel it.

A team with a young point guard, and no center to be the defensive presence, will struggle.
The only way Hawks win, is by bringing energy in every night. When Hawks are being their athletic self, they can play with everyone.

When there is no motivation, like tonight/last night because no D-Wade or Lebron, Hawks will be affected.

Everyone with exception of Ivan Johnson and Green in first half had a bad game. Smoove brought energy near the end.

But if one must put blame on anyone, it is bad point guard play that can not get Hawks offense started at all. But, hey, we have a young starter, and those struggles are expected. It all starts with point guard play. Seeing JJ playing point at the end brought back memories – not all great. Remember T-Mac was probably the best distributor of the ball.

Expectations for Hawks need to be measured based on point guard play (up and down) until Teague gets it, or ……

ps – young Teague missing free throws, is a problem, but can be attributed to youth. JJ missing free throw leaving door open for Bosh to score three pointer, is just too tough to take. Again Hawks got the calls tonight/last night, but we don’t deserve to win when not hitting the free throws.

ps2 – Ivan Johnson needs to be the first big off the bench every night.

it started with me sad for the little hawks fan sitting in front of me who just wanted a chance to see LeBron. It ended with me pissed I had to actually watch a third overtime. And then the Hawks never even scored.

I have so many complaints but here is one on the overly conservative rotation. Have you ever, and I mean ever, seen Joe Johnson sit the end of the first half when he is not in foul trouble and the Hawks are losing the game?

Larry’s rotation was so bad he made me want to see Ivan Johnson taken out of the game. I never thought I would write that 3 weeks ago.

And 30 minutes of it, my tv was on mute. Their play and Charles Barkley made this game unwatchable. Don’t quit your day job, Chuck.

I’m sorry that you had to even take the time to right this post, definitely. I swear, I have never been so ashamed to be a Hawks fan in my life. Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller devoured us on national tv…….and the Hawks deserved it! That had to be the worst 3OT game in the history of 3OT games….and of course we’re on the losing end of it.

For the people defending Josh Smith and Joe Johnson…..why? Both should be traded or JJ needs to be amnestied. He’s only getting worse, his numbers proves it. He’s a step slower and his shooting is not improving. Josh Smith, do I need to say anything about him? Personally, I feel the fat Josh Smith last year is better than the skinny Josh Smith, at least he was able to bang and hold down the block against other PFs. Ivan Johnson kept Bosh off the block (probably scared him) and play tough defense on him when he was in the game. He played w/ intensity and toughness and should be the first person off the bench behind Tmac.

I apologize to everyone for ranting right now, but c’mon, I think after last night’s game we all deserve to rant freely. I can’t even blame this on the refs b/c the refs were terrible on both sides. Today I will be selling my 6 game ticket package on Stub Hub, I refuse to watch this time at Phillips or on tv until they play like they want to win a championship. I will be a fan from afar. I will always love the Hawks and will forever be a fan, but this season it will have to be from ESPN and Peachtree Hoops. Maybe it’s just the madness talking.

He just had a tough night. He missed a ton of shots he usually makes and he’s still young. But the vets on this team, INEXCUSABLE! There is no excuse for the way they played and from the post, NO ONE accepts responsibility! This whole idea of the “core” doesn’t need to be broken up is a travesty. Break this team up now while players still have value.

“Not my fault”.

Go back to the playground. Your defense is horrible and your simple lack of team concept is appalling. Your fundamentals are getting WORSE. How does that happen?

But hey, you lost a few pounds, so we all need to eat our words about your play.

I believe the reason this lost is hurtful because some of us, the people who have watched the first 6 games, thought maybe the hawks have turned the corner and became a consistent team. The chicago lost hurt because we were up by so much and gave it all back and last night seemed to be a roll over from what happened Tues. The Miami lost is also hurtful because we beat this same team on their floor with their best players playing. We looked as bad as we have ever been including those beatdowns at home last year.

And the fact that it was on TNT was worst because every team that could have been a trade partner will now low-ball every trade senario. I have felt carppy after a lot of hawks games but this probably takes the cake because they took steps back the last two games that are disturbing.

At this point, trading Josh has to happen……even for scraps because he is not the answer for this team anymore.

I’m glad Reggie Miller and Charles Barkley caught on to the fact that the shots Josh Smith were taking were horrible. Those outside shots. Those long two pointers. No, not you Josh. Leave that to Tracy McGrady. It was an effing disgraceful performance by him from the 4th quarter on, and I’d manage to say before then as well. Yeah, 17pts and 11 rebounds is nice… oh wait, he was 6-17 (35%) from the field and 5-9 from the penalty stripe… oh well if you’re chucking up shots then I’m sure you’re bound to get 17pts.

Once the free throws stopped dropping in I knew the game was out of reach. Just like the game in Chicago.

1.) Is Jeff Teague gonna be a bipolar player like Smooth is? He’s got to bring it every night. He was getting beat off the dribble like Mike Bibby and he wasnt aggressive on offense at all.
2.) Horford was very disappointing. He was getting beasted down low by Bosh on the offensive and defensive end and had some huge turnovers. It looked like he couldn’t hold onto the ball.
3.) Marvin looked like the old Marvin we’ve grown accustomed to seeing.
4.) Joe made us all remember why it was a mistake to pay him so much money. He showed no leadership, it took him 20 shots to score 20pts, and he choked in the clutch.
5.) Ivan Johnson just took VladRad’s minutes. If Vlad can’t hit wide open threes then he is useless on the court for us and he hasn’t been hitting them so far. Ivan showed he is the energy/offense we need off the bench from now on. He shows a toughness that the Hawks have lacked.
6.) How does a NBA team miss 15 free throws? They’ve missed 26 FTs in their past 2 games and lost both games.

This is a classic Hawks game and the reason why the Hawks fan support is up and down. It is hard for fans to support a team that is bipolar. It’s hard for fans to fathom how a team could beat LBJ and Dwade one night in Miami, then shut down the Bulls for 3 quarters in Chicago, and then lose to the Heats B-squad in front of a packed house on National TV at home. This is why the Hawks get no respect. I’m not gonna get angry anymore when media writers dismiss the Hawks. I know why Hollinger predicted the Hawks to fall to 9th in the East. I’m just gonna watch the rest of the season with no expectations and keep from getting excited when they beat the Lakers and then try not to be disappointed when they lose to the Wizards.

I watched this game with great anticipation. When I heard LBJ and Wade weren’t starting, I thought for sure the Hawks would blow them out. Not the case. ATL just looked disinterested. Slow ball movement on offense, lack of defense, and the freethrow shooting is just awful. If this team even improves their ft% by 10% they would’ve beaten the Bulls, and probably beaten the Heat.

i havent felt this bad since the orlando series, this game was like a nightmare. heck i had a dream about it last night (something must be wrong with me) it was just the most depressing game i have ever seen

yes blame can be put on the players too but LD deserves blame for this game also. his sub patterns suck (see not putting in ivan johnson and putting in Twin)(also putting in willie green after being on the bench for an entire half), for some reason he decides tonight is the night he draw up plays on inbounds passes (we look so unorganized on inbound passes that we would either lose the ball or throw up some crappy shot 50 ft from the basket), he didnt know how to make adjustments to pick and rolls that they kept running on us EVERY PLAY, and if he had any balls he would bench Osh for his boneheaded moves. There were times in the game where he could have called a timeout instead of just watching a play get broken and eventually end in a turnover of a terrible shot. Oh and lets also mention how our starters probably played 45+ minutes knowing we have 3 straight game schedule. If we get beat by the bobcats im done

…and when the 12th man off the bench shows more energy in one night than the “supposed” best player (and highest paid) has in 3 plus years…that’s horrible. When the 12th man off the bench hustles more than 4/5 of the starting lineup and the coach, that’s flipping horrible. I understand that this was the 4th game in 5 nights, but it just seemed like the entire team (minus Ivan) just mailed it in. This sadly, happens more than not with these Hawks. I normally wouldn’t agree with Chuck, but last night, he and Reggie were spot on. This is a team filled with good roleplayers, yet one (JJ) is paid like a star, and another (Josh) wants to be. Neither one has the heart or the stones to actually lead this team, and in the process, chop the legs out from under the person that maybe could be that guy (Al). Maybe I’m overreacting to the game, but sometimes it takes a game like that to open all our eyes to the truth

he just had a bad game and it would help if the refs would give him a call. Yes he misses his freethrows but doesnt rondo do the same thing? atleast he kept trying to get to the basket even when it failed, cant same the same for Osh who of all people missed a dunk right under the basket

There’s no need in trying to figure out who’s more to blame, they were all bad. There’s really no need to nitpick. And I see a lot of you can’t decide who should or shouldn’t be traded. As I’ve said on here a million times, the Hawks don’t have an untouchable player. I’m not saying they should trade anyone for just anything, but if trading Al, or Josh, or Teague or whomever else will make them better, then they should do it.

he can go too.

We’ve got to get off his back, I am one of the biggest Josh Smith fans/haters around. I have always talked about how huge he is for this team to be successful and how he can also be the reason they fail. BUT I think it has come to the point to lay off him.

Josh is who he is. He has been this guy for 7 years now and he isn’t going to change. Let’s stop complaining about it and accept it. We all have wanted him to wake up and see the light, but he just isn’t that guy. His ego is bigger than him and he is a guy that is going to do what he wants to “prove” to other people what he is capable of. Dumping on him after every game is just useless, because he is going to do the same things throughout the season.

I thought Josh was the least deserving of all the hate from last night. He played as hard as anyone out there. He was showing his frustration and trying to do what he could to help the team. He did miss some dunks and layups but you can’t deny his effort. If anything we should be trashing Horford’s effort last night.

the Hawks have two All Stars, but only one of them gets criticized. And the bottom line is the core hasn’t played great this season. Not collectively. The first couple of games it was okay, but at some point, the good players have to be good.

Man Im watching the 3rd when Hawks play against backups.

Smith misses a great feed from Ivan the Great. Then he gets caught defending the wing and Teague gets the ball.

Smith gets to run the wing and easy layup.

Ivan the Great dunks it! I need to find this game online :D

So, yes, I get the just 1 out of 66.

But I get frustrated with a team that doesn’t take care of business against a team sitting it’s two biggest stars, in a home game. And I get frustrated with a team not making free throws. And I get really frustrated when it’s the first night of a back-to-back-to back, and the team goes 3 OTs and loses the game anyway.

It was a largely collective effort, and I didn’t think most of the team looked “right” even when they were up toward the very end of regulation and it looked like they would eke this one out. How we look so disjointed on offense is beyond me.

Undersized and without the offense to come back and attack them then we just don’t match up well.

still don’t know why I forced myself to do it. Not likely I’ll ever forget this poor game.

I was scared the moment I heard Lebron was out (predictable effort). The only bright side I can muster (beyond Ivan Johnson and Willie Green) is that normally when we’re on national TV we get blown out by double digits.