It is not that every shot the Hawks took was easy and uncontested in the first half, but every shot they made was. Al Horford's shot chart in one awkward shaped circle around the basket because of dunk on top of dunk on top of layup. Most of that had to do with a lack of defense, but some of it should be credited to ball movement.
It is not very often a team can describe their four and five guy as having a legit "two man game" going, but Al and Josh did. I was ready to see some pick and rolls with those guys. If the rest of league follows suit with the Clippers and decimates their team, the future is very bright for the Hawks.
I understand know one is buying season tickets for the rest of campaign after this game. The only thing exciting about this contest was that the team was playing again. The Clippers were half a team. Here is what matters. Wins. Especially road wins. Sure, a loss last night would have meant a lot more than any win could, but that in a sense, that is why this win matters. It is why any win matters. Because it is a win. Expected or not, educational about the team or not, no matter. You win and you move on. You can build on any win. I don't care if it is against six year olds. If it is on the schedule, I type recaps happy. And any 31 point outburst by Al Horford automatically means something to me. I will make it so.
Victory Bullets
- "Come on Jamal, work." Woody screaming on Crawford's second defensive possession of the game.
- I know the Clippers are a team in serious transition, but 22 turnovers is a lot of turnovers. Kind of like if you weigh 300 pounds, eating 22 doughnuts is still a lot of doughnuts.
- When I actually saw Zaza Pachulia with an under control post move in the first quarter, I spit out my orange juice. Apparently, that has been absent a while.
- On the other hand, the illegal screen on the next offensive possession by Zaza was no threat to my OJ.
- "You have to learn how to draw some iron." Nique on DeAndre Jordan's free throw shooting.
- Hitting zero three pointers is so much nicer when there are only seven taken compared to say going 3-21.
- After a timeout, Steve Blake shot one of those after the buzzer jumpers from about 16 feet and almost air balled. Not good.
- Does anyone else think the bride's father woke up nightly in cold sweats thinking about Jason Collins at the buffet line.
- I enjoy how TV guys often have long pauses after audible cuss words by players. It is like farting during a test in high school. Ignore it, and it never happened.
- Gordon has a dunk in the second quarter that probably would have won the dunk contest. And it wasn't even that good.
- The scoop shot needs to happen more. Who should I direct my letters to?
- I have never seen someone who cares less about where his pass goes than Chris Kaman.
- Viva la "Big man games." (copyright Al Horford).
Go Hawks!