You gotta feel a little bad for Zaza Pachulia last night … sure he finished with seven points and nine boards in Atlanta’s 86-80 win against Orlando. Pachulia, you see, is 0-for-16 lifetime from 3-point range (and 0-for-17 if you include the playoffs). Yet there the Hawks were at the end of the third quarter, inbounding the ball with 1.2 seconds left. Josh Smith passes to Pachulia. He takes one dribble and then heaves the ball from a little bit longer than halfcout. It sails through the air and … swish!
As everyone knows by now, the compressed NBA schedule will force every team to play three games in three nights at least one this season (42 times in total). With only 66 games to stake a claim to a playoff spot or seed, how teams perform during these killer slates could have a large impact on how their seasons turn out.
With that in mind, we’re going to keep track of each of the 42 three-plays to see which teams take advantage and which teams fall apart. Up next, the Phoenix Suns, who played three straight from Feb. 13-15.
While I have your attention, I’ll step aside from the task at hand for a moment and agree with the presiding opinion going around the Internet and say: Free Steve Nash.
The Suns have stated they have no interest in blowing up their team, and that is their right, but if their reasoning is that it alienates fans, I have to respectfully disagree. Fans want to win, clearly. But what they really want is to compete for titles, and most intelligent fans are willing to tolerate a year or two of losing as long as there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Look no further than the Indianapolis Colts, who are most likely about to part ways with Peyton Manning — more an institution in his city than Nash is in Phoenix — and their fan base couldn’t be happier because they have Andrew Luck waiting to take his place. Suns fans know that Nash’s time is coming to an end regardless of where he plays, and as much as they’d hate to see him go, if they get some young prospects in return that help set them up to return to contention, they’ll take that deal all day long.
Why do I bring this up? Because the Suns joined the Detroit Pistons as the only two teams to lose every game in their three for all:
Game 1: Warriors 102, Suns 96 - One player the Suns shouldn’t trade is Marcin Gortat, who has evolved into one of the best centers in the NBA (though that does speak in part to the paucity of legit big men). The Polish Hammer had 25 points and 12 rebounds in the loss in Golden State. The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for Phoenix against Golden State. -2 points
Game 2: Nuggets 109, Suns 92 - Phoenix sat Nash and Grant Hill for this one, trying to conserve their energy in the midst of the brutal stretch. So yeah, they really didn’t have much of a chance in this one. Markieff Morris had 21 points, which reminds me that in college, I always thought his brother Marcus was the hot shot recruit, and that he (Markieff) was sort of the Robin Lopez to his brother’s Brook. I mean, Marcus was Big 12 Player of the Year, and a second-team All-American. Then Markieff got drafted first (Marcus went to the Rockets with the very next pick), and now I question everything that happened to me in the last two years. Was it all just a dream? -1 point
Game 3: Hawks 101, Suns 99 - No one should get much grief for losing a third in three, but the Suns did lead by 15 points in the second half. Josh Smith had an absurd line for the Hawks (30 points, 17 rebounds, seven assists, four steals and three blocks), and when all is said and done I still expect someone’s injury to put him into his first All-Star Game next weekend in Orlando. 0 points
Time to face facts, Phoenix. The Nash-Era Suns are long gone, and the sooner you turn the page the better off you’ll be.-3 points for the Suns.
Up next: The Indiana Pacers and Portland Trail Blazers play three straight Feb. 14-16.
As everyone knows by now, the compressed NBA schedule will force every team to play three games in three nights at least one this season (42 times in total). With only 66 games to stake a claim to a playoff spot or seed, how teams perform during these killer slates could have a large impact on how their seasons turn out.
With that in mind, we’re going to keep track of each of the 42 three-plays to see which teams take advantage and which teams fall apart. Up next, the Atlanta Hawks, who played three straight from Jan 5-7.
Before I get into the meat of the Hawks triumvirate of games, I should make note (for those that didn’t know) that I spent six years working for the franchise before coming over to NBA.com. I mention this because as far as I am concerned, these three games perfectly encapsulate what it’s like to root for them. They were the Hawksiest Hawks games I’ve ever seen.
Game 1: Heat 116, Hawks 109, 3OT - The Heat were without LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and if you know these Hawks, you know that spells trouble. Missed free throws, missed opportunities, Hawks loss. They made history by becoming just the 10th team in history to go scoreless in an overtime period (the third), so there’s that. -2 points
Game 2:Hawks 102, Bobcats 96, OT - Atlanta always seems to struggle in Charlotte, and despite the Bobcats being one of the worst teams in the league, they nearly pulled out the home win. I give the Hawks credit for perseverance if not style. 4 points
Game 3:Hawks 109, Bulls 94 – Just when you are ready to bury the Hawks, they turn around and blow out the Bulls in Game 3, snapping Chicago’s six-game win streak in the process. Josh Smith had one of those games that makes you simultaneously gobsmacked by his abilities (25 points, five rebounds, five assists, six blocks) and depressed because he often eschews them in favor of low-percentage jump shots. 6 points
What to do with this team? Do you focus on the fact that they lost at home to a Heat team playing Chris Bosh and the JayVees? Or do you notice the squad that was talented enough to go up 30 on Chicago in the third game — especially impressive given they’d played almost an extra half of basketball the previous two nights thanks to overtime? Shoot, the Hawks were a few missed free throws away from going 5-0 last week, with four of the games coming against the reigning Eastern Conference finalists.
Yet with all my griping and complaining, with settled dust and cleared smoke the Hawks somehow managed to post a new high score for the three-play, putting up 8 total points. Go figure.
Up next: The Oklahoma City Thunder are right on the Hawks tails, with three games in a row Jan. 6-8: home and home against the Rockets, and tonight against the Spurs.
Have you ever wondered what Hawks forward Josh Smith travels with on road trips, and what percentage of said things are made by adidas? Wonder no more:
The man can fit a lot in a backpack, I’ll give him that much. My only quibble is, and maybe I’m starting to show my age here, but I disagree with Smoove’s use of the term “wallet.” A wallet is carried in a pocket — perhaps what he’s got there is a European carry-all?
Most of the time, professional athletes are supposed to take the criticism of the media in stride. It comes with the territory, after all – you put yourself in the spotlight, you have to take the coverage that comes with it.
The Hawks have seen their share of negative coverage this postseason for their erratic play and have rarely reacted, but when Orlando Sentinel writer Mike Bianchi refered to them as “Birdbrains” in a column before Game 6, it seemed some on the team had had enough.
Which had to make the team’s series-clinching win Thursday night, perhaps the most surprising result of the first round (pending a Grizzlies upset of the Spurs, though Charles Barkley at least picked that one), that much more gratifying. Isn’t that right, Josh Smith:
I wish I could bottle and sell the Smith’s satisfaction in uttering those words: “In. Your. Face.” And the delivery? Leslie Nielsen in his prime would have been jealous of that deadpan.
The Hawks are in free-fall right now, having gone 2-7 in their last nine games after a 6-0 start. All around the team there are whispers of discontent, rumors that players are bickering with each other and that new head coach Larry Drew has perhaps already lost contol of the locker room.
Last night Atlanta fell 107-101 in overtime at New Jersey, the team’s third straight loss, and coming off the heels of Monday’s 99-76 embarrassment courtesy of the Celtics, the picture looks bleak at present. Which is why I’m here today to say…everything is going to be cool, Atlanta.
Relax. Take a deep breath. Now take a look at the Eastern Conference standings. See that? You may be struggling, Hawks, but aside from Boston and Orlando, so is everyone else. At 8-7, you are still in 6th place in the East, and only a half-game out of third. No one else is playing particularly well — in fact the East as a whole (Boston aside) has been one big ball of underachieve.
So yeah, there are some things you need to figure out (what to do with Jamal Crawford, how to get Joe Johnson untracked, Josh Smith’s jumpers, etc), but even if this streak of bad play continues, be patient. The East isn’t going anywhere. Besides, it could be worse. You could be Miami.
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While having a conversation in the office this morning about the proper pronunciation of the word “meme”, we noticed one trending across Twitter: Free Kevin Love! NBA fans all over the world seem to agree that the Timberwolves’ power forward isn’t getting enough run, which seems especially puzzling given that the team traded Al Jefferson in the offseason — ostensibly in part for that very purpose.
The latest transgression occurred Saturday night, as Love registered 14 points and 13 rebounds in only 24 minutes, despite committing zero fouls.
I haven’t seen much of Minnesota yet, but this does seem to be Timberwolves fans’ biggest gripe. Just ask Minnesota blog Canis Hoopus, which put together this handy-dandy flow chart to explain coach Kurt Rambis’ decision-making:
As a Hawks fan, I can tell you what Atlanta supporters get mad at most easily — Josh Smith jumpers.
I love Josh — he is a unique talent in the NBA and does many things that change the game in a positive manner for the Hawks. But the sound that Philips Arena makes when he gathers himself to launch a jumper – well, it’s not exactly like this, but it’s close.
One of the most frustrating parts of being a fan, looking in from the outside, is not knowing what goes into making decisions on the inside. Maybe there is a good reason Rambis is rationing out Love’s minutes. Maybe there is a strategy to having Smith launch 20-footers. Neither seems likely, but I know I’d be less aggravated if I knew there was method behind the madness.
What one thing about your favorite team drives you the most crazy? Leave your suggestions in the comments.
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NBA2k11 comes out today (hooray!). You may have seen several commercials for it lately featuring Josh Smith, Andre Iguodala, and Russell Westbrook. As pitchmen for the product, the trio recently appeared on the Fox Business channel to talk about the game and, perhaps, basketball. Or not. Watch on:
A few comments:
- Gee, think this guy has a particular point of view he desperately wants to get the guys to validate for him? Westbrook, Iguodala and Smith all do a good job of not taking the bait.
- Nicely done, Iguodala. The interviewer seems quite certain that none of these guys will have anything substantial to say about their finances, but Iggy shows he’s no fool. What’s that? You actually know something about something other than basketball? WHY WASN’T I NOTIFIED? MY PRODUCERS WILL PAY FOR THIS!
Methinks this interview did not turn out the way this guy thought it would.
Also, if anyone sees Andre anytime soon, ask him which he likes better, a Roth 401k or the more traditional version, because I need to start planning for the future.
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Catch up on every single game-winning buzzer beater during the season and see how it rates on the Horry Scale.
