Are Hawks Now Dangerous?

[footey]

Seems to me that most of us are looking at game 3 as, "Hawks played well. We stunk. Now let's move on. Gonna be a 5 game series rather than a sweep, I guess."

But here are my concerns:

1. Who is going to cover Horford? Put aside his antics, he played a great second half in game 3, and no one was able to cover him.  If playoff performance counted, this kid would be ROY, hands down.

2. Bibby has his confidence back. He was atrocious in first two games, but game 3 looked more like the real Mike Bibby.  I think the PG matchup will be more even for the rest of the series, or at least the next game or so.

3. Who can cover Joe Smith? He has too much quickness for Pierce and Ray, too much size for Rondo.  Tony Allen? He seems completely out of the rotation.  Might be a good reason to put him back in.

4. Will Doc adjust his lineup, or will he continue to sink or swim with Sam as the back up PG and PJ as the back up 5?  It seems the youth and quickness advantage of the Hawks really jumps out most when those two are in our lineup.

5.  The Hawks seem to be killing us on the offensive boards. That is the one risk in a rotational defense that we emply. Like a zone, it is harder to box out on the boards.

While I feel confident that we will prevail, if for no other reason than I don't think the Hawks are capable of producing 3 more games like that, I still am feeling a bit concerned. They are very athletic, and when they play hard at the defensive end and on the boards like that, very dangerous.

[Redz]

We shall found out soon enough. 

(Oh, just an edit - it's Josh, not Joe...I know you know, just couldn't let it pass )

[jay_jay54]

I think they were dangerous,before the loss.They are young,athletic  as you said...and have nothing to lose,but everything in the world to gain.I feel if they,make a few additions to their team next yr.with a  true center ,a`better pg,they will be a team to be reckon with,on a serious note.

[Chris]

Neh, they are too inconsistent and undisciplined to be dangerous.  The Hawks would need to keep up their play from the last game, which they haven't been able to do for a 4 game stretch all season, plus the C's would need to continue to be sluggish, which they haven't done for a 4 game stretch all season.

[Bahku]

Every team is dangerous in the post-season ... especially when ours has had no experience there. Playoffs are a whole different dog, and we've got to play every team, and every game, like it's number seven of the finals, (because if we take any more for granted, it might as well be!)

[acieEarl]

If the Hawks win tonight, then yes. I don't see the Celts letting up thou. Celts in 5.

[crownsy]

they'll be dangerous if the celtics let them be dangerous.

If you don't stomp on the throat, then they'll stick around and still be breathing.

[CelticsWhat35]

1.  We're talking about Al Horford, not Karl Malone or Charles Barkley.  He's a good young player, but most of his numbers are the product of not being a focus by the Celtics.  He gets left open a lot, which gives him the ability to get open looks and better chances on the offensive glass.  Perkins, Garnett and whoever else has guarded him one-on-one has done a good job.

2.  Bibby shot 33% from the field and the foul line in game 3.  He doesn't have anything back.  He made a few nice passes and hit a couple shots with a double digit lead.  I don't sweat him.

3.  Smith can't be given those easy dunks and layups that he was getting in game 3.  Too many times people tried closing out on him.  I'm sorry, but his 3-6 nights from down town will be very few and very far between.  Give him that shot all day.  Once he gets into the paint and in the open floor is when he's dangerous.

4.  Sam is the backup point guard, plain and simple.  Rondo probably should've played more minutes in game 3, but having Eddie House as the backup point guard isn't the answer.  I do think Powe or Baby should be getting Brown's minutes though.  I thought he was a big late season pickup, but he just seems way to slow to keep up.

5.  That's true, it is harder, but not impossible.  They just need to get back to committing to the team defense, and not trying to take everything upon themselves individually.

[Bankshot]

1.  We're talking about Al Horford, not Karl Malone or Charles Barkley.  He's a good young player, but most of his numbers are the product of not being a focus by the Celtics.  He gets left open a lot, which gives him the ability to get open looks and better chances on the offensive glass.  Perkins, Garnett and whoever else has guarded him one-on-one has done a good job.

2.  Bibby shot 33% from the field and the foul line in game 3.  He doesn't have anything back.  He made a few nice passes and hit a couple shots with a double digit lead.  I don't sweat him.

3.  Smith can't be given those easy dunks and layups that he was getting in game 3.  Too many times people tried closing out on him.  I'm sorry, but his 3-6 nights from down town will be very few and very far between.  Give him that shot all day.  Once he gets into the paint and in the open floor is when he's dangerous.

4.  Sam is the backup point guard, plain and simple.  Rondo probably should've played more minutes in game 3, but having Eddie House as the backup point guard isn't the answer.  I do think Powe or Baby should be getting Brown's minutes though.  I thought he was a big late season pickup, but he just seems way to slow to keep up.

5.  That's true, it is harder, but not impossible.  They just need to get back to committing to the team defense, and not trying to take everything upon themselves individually.

It cracks me up now when I hear people say that the Hawks are not a good matchup for Eddie House to play against in the playoffs.  With the exception of the last regular season game against them, who was the backup point guard the other times we beat them?  Eddie House.  He was the backup basically all season when the C's were eating teams up.  So I don't get that argument.

[RAcker]

Whereas the Pistons are like trying to kill a fly, the Hawks are more like the annoyance of a killing a cockroach.  You just have to make the effort to stomp on them before they scurry out of the light.

 

[RAcker]

And just to complete the "pest" analogy, the Cavs would be like an ant bed.  You just have to locate and kill the queen (Lebron) to eliminate the entire colony.

 

[CelticsWhat35]

1.  We're talking about Al Horford, not Karl Malone or Charles Barkley.  He's a good young player, but most of his numbers are the product of not being a focus by the Celtics.  He gets left open a lot, which gives him the ability to get open looks and better chances on the offensive glass.  Perkins, Garnett and whoever else has guarded him one-on-one has done a good job.

2.  Bibby shot 33% from the field and the foul line in game 3.  He doesn't have anything back.  He made a few nice passes and hit a couple shots with a double digit lead.  I don't sweat him.

3.  Smith can't be given those easy dunks and layups that he was getting in game 3.  Too many times people tried closing out on him.  I'm sorry, but his 3-6 nights from down town will be very few and very far between.  Give him that shot all day.  Once he gets into the paint and in the open floor is when he's dangerous.

4.  Sam is the backup point guard, plain and simple.  Rondo probably should've played more minutes in game 3, but having Eddie House as the backup point guard isn't the answer.  I do think Powe or Baby should be getting Brown's minutes though.  I thought he was a big late season pickup, but he just seems way to slow to keep up.

5.  That's true, it is harder, but not impossible.  They just need to get back to committing to the team defense, and not trying to take everything upon themselves individually.

It cracks me up now when I hear people say that the Hawks are not a good matchup for Eddie House to play against in the playoffs.  With the exception of the last regular season game against them, who was the backup point guard the other times we beat them?  Eddie House.  He was the backup basically all season when the C's were eating teams up.  So I don't get that argument.

The playoffs are a different game.  I'm not saying House should be benched for the rest of the playoffs, but he shouldn't be running the point.  He is best utilized when he can just spot up and shoot.

[Who]

Absolutely not. They have no business being in the playoffs. They cannot win this series. They are not dangerous and will not be dangerous.

They only way they can win a game is if Boston play awful basketball. But heck if they play awful basketball bad teams like Charlotte or New York can beat them. Doesn't make New York a threat.

Boston are complete control of their destiny and have a ridiculously large margin for error.

Atlanta cannot win this series if they play their best basketball and Boston plays average. Atlanta are completely dependant on the C's throwing games. They can't win. Boston can lose but man that would take a miracle for them to be that bad that often in consecutive games in the playoffs against a side that causes them no problems.

[Mr October]

I'd be very surprised if Atlanta won 1 more game.

[crownsy]

And just to complete the "pest" analogy, the Cavs would be like an ant bed.  You just have to locate and kill the queen (Lebron) to eliminate the entire colony.

 

TP that made me laugh.