CLT-ATL Game Review: Banging That Drum

Looking at the road record of the Charlotte Bobcats coming into Friday's night game in Atlanta, you wouldn't be surprised if you looked and the score ended up 103-89 in favor of the hometown Hawks.

The Bobcats now hold a road record of (3) wins and (16) losses. That is--uh, stinky. The Hawks were able to use some early turnovers, late turnovers, and some turnovers in between to score (29) points off of the Bobcats considerable gifts, helping to snap Charlotte's 6-game winning streak.

They needed it too, because Gerald Wallace (8-12, 25 points) and Stephen Jackson (10-20, 24 points) were pretty warm and the visitors enjoyed a 30-14 edge in free throw attempts for the game.

The Hawks took the first quarter 31-17 thanks to those early gifts and converting, but spent the second quarter trying to hand it back by getting comfortable around the perimeter. The Hawks lost that quarter 26-16, but came out roaring again in the third quarter, scoring (36) points to the Bobcats' (22) and took an (18) point lead into the fourth quarter.

There the Hawks continued to work the ball inside, giving Al Horford the chances we have been begging for late in games. While it wasn't always successful, the Hawks remained balanced on the offensive end and used (14) Jamal Crawford fourth quarter points to give them their final margin of victory.

Crawford scored (18) points in the game's final 13:24 and is one of the mightiest streak scorers this team has seen. While scoring all those points Crawford rarely seemed to force the shots, being assisted on (4) of his (6) made baskets in that stretch.

All the Hawks starters and Crawford shot at least (50) percent, except for Joe Johnson (7-17), including a (10-17) game from Al Horford, who responded to a decent workload in the middle with (24) points, (9) rebounds, and (5) assists.

Johnson would have joined his heavy minute brethren in the .500 club if not for a miserable 0-5 fourth quarter where Joe showed some lapses in late game savvy (early shot clock three, one-on-three break attempt). Joe was 7-12 on his other attempts and had (7) assists as well.

Manna From Heaven

Al Horford got (17) shots, including many touches in the post, Jeff Teague played 11+ minutes, and Flubber West DNP'd. In all, with the Hawks win, it was a great night for the Hawks blogosphere.

We love the energy that new AJC beat-meister Michael Cunningham has brought to the coverage. He links out to the local crowd, makes astute observations, and seems to be extremely down to earth. If you have not checked him out already, take a pause and hit up his AJC Blog right here.

Josh Smith is beginning to be so consistently solid (caution: scary!) that he is getting into Joe Johnson territory in putting up good games that gets lost somehow in some other angle. Smoove had a 6-10/14 points/6 rebounds/4 assists/4 steals night and while he wasn't credited with any blocks, we know we saw Boris Diaw wet his britches on a shot in the lane with J-Smoove nearby.

Raymond Felton turned his ankle somewhat early in the game and did not return, leaving some extra time for last year's Jamal Crawford for the Hawks, Ronald "Flip" Murray. All RFM did was score (11) points and distribute (9)! assists and post the abberant +14 on a team full of minuses Friday night.

In the battle of the #10 Hawk(s) of the Aughts, Nazr Mohammed started for the Bobcats and beat out Zaza Pachulia, who played only 6:48 total against Charlotte. Nazr picked up (3) offensive boards and (2) blocks while shooting under .500 for the 'Cats--almost seemed like he never left Philips Arena. And, as Peachtree Hoops noted in their pre-game writeup, he's only (32), putting him on the Jamaal Magloire All-Stars as players who seem older than their actual age. Feel free to drop some more Magloire All-Stars suggestions in the Comments Area.

Ghosts of Success

In Friday's night matchup between in Charlotte, one team moved the ball effortlessly, used their athleticism to play good team defense and initiate fast break/transition opportunities.

The other team was the Hawks.

Absent of everything that has led to their early season success, Atlanta allowed what was one of the worst statistical teams so far this season to beat them silly, fully earning the 103-83 beatdown offered them by the Bobcats.

The Hawks lacked energy on the offensive end, defensive end, the glass, and the bench. Even the logo looked a little droopy tonight. Who knows how the Hawks thought they could win with such a complete zero of a game, but they spent (48) minutes trying to do it. 

If Kelly Dwyer thought the Hawks really wanted the win earlier this week against the Blazers, then this was the polar opposite, as the Hawks never did anything that resembled what it would have taken to gain a win. They settled for standing around all night forcing shots from the outside and then, when that got boring, they forced inside shots as well. This allowed the Bobcats to feast on a steady diet of run-outs and open looks, and they happily went about doing it.

It was fitting that the Bobcats beat the Hawks in every quarter---because, you know, they really did.

We feel obligated to mention the ridiculous 56-35 margin on the glass (oof!) and the 47/61/78 shooting effort for the home team against the splendid 40/13/65 egg the Hawks laid. We're also not forgetting the 24-10 assist deficit the Hawks authored. Hey, at least they won the turnover battle! Yeah! Take that, fundamental basketball!

Silver Lining--Oh Alright, Aluminum

Jeff Teague can play. We're impressed with how fast he is with the ball--definitely the fastest the team has had since JT raced around the Philips Arena floor. His passing touch is good as well---and if he can get that runner to be consistent, he's going to be tough. Now, if we could just get Terry to loan the rookie his jump shot.

The Hawks unveiled their new Twin Towers of Jason Collins and Randolph Morris with expected results. It was an awesome thing of something watching those two titans on the court at the same time. They were both +2 for the night. Well done, guys.

We heard The Namesake mention that Marvin Williams needs to be more effective in games like this one, but we (very) respectfully disagree with THHF. Marvin needs motion to be a positive force in the game, so when the ball begins to swing around, and by that for the Hawks we mean one pass, and then stops up at the top, you've taken away the weakside shooting game in which Marvin excels. Tonight, even more so that on other nights, there was zero interest in moving the ball, and Williams did very little offensively because of it.

Block Shot-a-Rama-Rama continued for the Hawks this season, as Marvin and Josh Smith had (3) each and Al Horford got (2) more himself. The (11) blocks for the team on the night was the extent of the effort tonight for the Hawks. That is all.

The starters got some rest tonight, with no starter playing more than the (31) that Joe Johnson played. Mike Bibby only got (20) to earn low man status, minutes wise. Though the minutes were low, if the Hawks were going to completely mail in a game like this, you almost wish they'd given some like Joe the entire game off. Alas.

The refs were on their game---they even called an illegal screen away from the ball with (90) seconds to go in a (20) point game. Bravo.

There is another game tomorrow that has the potential to usher this one out as quick as it has entered---an NBATV special with a very tough Denver Nuggets team that Atlanta can't possibly try to slough their way to victory against, so we're hoping there is more than just the tin lining to reflect on tomorrow night.

THHB still has to check which Collins the Hawks have on the roster--we usually pretty sure it's not Doug or Chris. Suggestions on how to remember (or to forget) can be left in the Comments Area.

Same Play, Different Scorer

We're not going to pretend to know if playing a 19-30 Charlotte team without Gerald Wallace almost even for the most part is impressive, ordinary, or scary.

We do know this--the Hawks won anyway, by five points, on the road, and without Joe Johnson, who we can safely say is the Hawks best player. In a recent history that has seen this team struggle for a single win, we'll take it.

Throw in the fact that the Hawks did it after spotting the home team an (18) point first half lead and got a gutsy, determined performance from Marvin Williams to do it down the stretch and we can say that the 102-97 outcome removed from us the carrot face that had been present for that entire first half.

Mustache Marv had his finest 5-15 game yet by getting to the free throw line for a staggering (20) throws---and in a bell curve smashing performance for the rest of the team, Williams canned 18 of them---Marv being such a good teammate, he probably apologized for making the rest of the team (12-19, 63 percent) look bad.

Williams attacked, attacked, and attacked some more in the second half against the Bobcats, who had frontcourt players in serious foul trouble. Not to get all mushy here--but we were a little choked up that the Hawks seemed to understand (well, at least Marvin did) that and took advantage, even though the 'Cats had some serious height advantage.

Sure, Bobcat fans will howl that the Hawks got all the calls and that the (2) buzzer beaters from RFM and Mo Evans were pure luck--but the fact is that the Bobcats squandered their 18 point first half bonanza by doing what immature teams do---stop moving the ball on offense, start standing around on defense, and settling for jump shot after jump shot. Toss in the requisite poor decision making with the ball and the ensuing turnovers and (poof) your shiny lead is all gone.

Believe the HHB---it takes one to know one.

We have seen the Hawks do the exact same thing---in fact, all you have to do is watch the first half of this same game to get the vibe. It was the second half, however, that showed the Hawks get hot, get aggressive, and get the win.

Down the stretch it was the Hawks that made the plays--mostly by Williams, who assumed the vacated Mike Woodson Isolation Extravaganza position with Johnson out. Williams didn't make jumpers like Joe, but he did use every inch of his Billy Knight Long and Tall body to get to the rim and ultimately the free throw line on his way to his (29) point night. He staggered a bit after one particularly hard landing late in the game, but after a time out, Marvin was back on the court and at the line.

(Random bad draft pick note) For a minute we had visions of a cold Cal Bowdler (Editor's note: Cynics would ask if there was any other kind) being pulled off the bench by the Celtics late in a game to shoot free throws for an injured Hawk. Bowdler ambled out to the line as if going to get the morning paper on a cold, winter morning---he stretched a bit, and you could almost hear the popping in his knees as he took his throws----and made them both. (End Note)

Both teams traded gaffes late---the Hawks with an offensive foul from Williams on a screen---the Bobcats inexplicably nearly dribbling out the clock before Josh Smith pounded their last attempt into the glass--sealing the game.

Again, we won't get out the abacus to see how this game rates---it's a win, on the road, without Joe Johnson, and at a place where the Hawks were 1-7 in the last (8) tries---So we'll take it obviously---no strings attached. The HHB is, after all, very forgiving.


Junk Mail, Junk Mail, Bills, Junk Mail

It was said by the Bobcat broadcast team but it bears repeating---the Hawks don't finish well around the rim. Besides Josh Smith, who did not do so tonight, the remainder of the Hawks act as if they are 2 years old shooting at their Little Tykes rim for the first time---unsure and unproductive. There were guffaws mixed with groans as Zaza Pachulia attempted to score around the hoop---he looks as if he is solving a Rubik's Cube out there around the basket---at one point he missed a wide open layup so, we swear, he could tap it in---a more comfortable shot for him. In Orlando this is known as a Terry Catledge Maneuver.

The Hawks were 21 for 58 inside the three point line (36 percent) and 10-18 beyond it---not the recipe for consistent offensive production. But hey, Mike Woodson AND Terry Stotts can't be wrong!

We think he is dangerous when trying to create baskets for others, but RFM is the guy we want launching any wild, end of the quarter shot. He reminds us of our good friend we played with on the mean streets of the University of Florida---the guy would routinely throw wild layup attempts and half court shots when we were waiting to get enough guys to run---and then would take those same crazy layups in the game---nobody could call it trash---that was his shot. That guy was our RFM.

It's good to see Al Horford back, but his post game is rusty---We understand that Rick Sund thinks he is a center through and through---but posting him against seven footers clearly makes him rush, miss, and fadeaway---It is also good to have his passing back at the high and low post---He set up quite a few hoops tonight that stretched beyond his (4) assists, including tapping in a hoop for the Bobcats---hey, we're smiling, Al--Welcome back!

The HHB is thawing out after the usual (2) week winter that the HHB HQ endures every year---Hot Chocolate and Marshmallows are welcome anytime in the Comments area.