PROFILIN’: Jason Collins
(via upnorthtrips)
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Chronicling any and everything before, during, and after the NBA season. Basically.Off-Season Fam
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PROFILIN’: Jason Collins
(via upnorthtrips)
NBA Playoffs throwback: Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers, 1994, Game 6, Eastern Conference semifinals.
Indiana upsets the #1 seeded Hawks to earn a trip to “the final four of professional basketball” as the terribly excited announcer puts it. MY GAWD, remember when Indiana games used to sound like this? Like the huge explosion at minute 4:23 after a Reggie Miller three. The Pacers would go on to lose to the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
The matchup begins today in Indiana at 1pm EST on TNT.
Indiana Pacers vs Atlanta Hawks
Game 1 - Sun April 21, Atlanta at Indiana, 1 p.m., TNT
Game 2 - Wed April 24, Atlanta at Indiana, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 3 - Sat April 27, Indiana at Atlanta, 7 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 - Mon April 29, Indiana at Atlanta, TBD, TBD
Game 5 - Wed May 1, Atlanta at Indiana, TBD, TBD
Game 6 - Fri May 3, Indiana at Atlanta, TBD, TBD
Game 7 - Sun May 5, Atlanta at Indiana, TBD, TBD
This may be the most forgettable playoff series ever. And that’s really a shame, because both the Indiana Pacers and the Atlanta Hawks should (in theory) have a lot going for them.
The Pacers play ball that your granddad could be proud of – crashing the boards, playing gritty defense and eschewing star power for kids like Lance Stephenson and Jeff Pendergraph.
And the Hawks feature Josh Smith, one of the most electric players that everyone seems to forget about. They’re a perennial playoff team in a solid basketball city.
But both teams finished in the bottom six in attendance figures, reminding us that just sometimes, winning isn’t everything. The two teams combined to lose nine out of their last 12, stumbling into the playoffs with an air of tired complacency that will get you nowhere in the playoffs.
I think we’ll see this reflected in the games. Neither team has the firepower to make a title run this year (although the Pacers have proved they can matchup with the best) and I don’t see a passion in either team to make this THE year. You see Nate Robinson leading the Bulls and they really play like they’ve got something to lose – or the Nuggets who just look like they’re having fun. Those are the teams that surprise you in the end.
And I just don’t see it here. This won’t make for exciting basketball – so I think these games are destined for low intrigue and lower ratings.
As far as the actual matchup goes, it’s really the Pacers’ to lose. They’ve got enough firepower (assuming Paul George is healthy enough) to consistently put up points, and their defense is rock solid. If the Hawks can maintain high percentages (which I don’t think they will), there’s a chance for an upset here.
And here’s one for his brother, Atlanta Hawks back-up point guard Jannero Pargo.
Please also enjoy Joe Mande’s Jeremy Pargo movie poster.
Where do the Atlanta Hawks go from here? Since ending their playoff drought in 2008, the Hawks haven’t progressed in any fashion. Yes, the Hawks appeared in the Eastern Conference Semi Finals in 2009, 2010, and, 2011, but the team appears to be treading water.
It could be inferred the Hawks have benefited from the lopsidedness of the Eastern Conference (Two teams to rule them all). So, do the Hawks blow up the team and start fresh again? Or do they just stand and attempt to acquire pieces through free agency?
Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images
Tonight, the Bulls, Hawks and Nuggets all stared down elimination and took their Game 5s.
Live to fight another day.
It’s unknown if Josh Smith will be available for Friday’s game at the TD Bank Garden, but here’s to hoping he’s able to suit up.
If Smith is unable to play on Friday, he’ll join injured Hawk bigs Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia.
Look at this mascot.
AP Photo/David Goldman
NBA Playoffs Throwback: Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics, 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals, Game 7
Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins anticipate the NBA ‘BIG’ campaign in this epic game 7 duel at Boston Garden. ‘Nique goes for 47 points on 19-23 shooting — 19 FOR 23! — including 14 in the final quarter. Bird scores 20 (20!) of his 34 points in the final quarter including the game winning layup. Boston advances only to lose to the Bad Boy Pistons in the Conference Finals. Also, this music is awesome.
The 2012 match-up begins with Game 1 tonight at 7pm EST on TNT!
Tracy McGrady (via anaccumulation)
Tracy McGrady is talking about practice. Not a game, not a game, not a game, he’s talking abut practice.
“The Hawks ain’t got nothing but a bunch of nice guys.”
It’s going to be a short season after an even shorter off-season. We had limited time to track player movement, team development and bring you in depth team analysis, like we did last year. So the bros and bro-ettes at NBAO decided we’ll follow in the footsteps of the NBA and provide you with abbreviated team previews in the best way possible, haikus.
Our third installment of NBA Haikus is dedicated to the Eastern Conference’s Southeast Division. This division has a ton of star power and always gets 3 teams into the playoffs despite not having a single team play in one of the top 5 television market.
Eastern Conference - Southeast Division:
Atlanta Hawks:
Add a great scorer
His name, Tracy McGrady
A decade too late
__________
Charlotte Bobcats:
Can Kemba play point
Boris Diaw likes cream sauce
Bismac Biyombo
__________
Miami Heat:
The Big 3 play D
Stuntin’ on the Jumbotron
Quarters one through three
__________
Orlando Magic:
Dwight Howard won’t stay
Deal with it, Orlando fans
Please fire Otis Smith
__________
Washington Wizards:
Bullets hands are back
Red, white, and blue stripes are cool
Rashard makes too much
__________
Read more NBA Haikus: Atlantic Division, Central Division, Southeast Division, Northwest Division, Pacific Division, Southwest Division
Penned by the undiscovered poets of the tumblrwebs:Kristin, Douglas, Mark,Thomas, Sean, Carlos, Michael, Keith, Parker, and Shane.
Unfortunately, this was a miss. Goodnight Atlanta. You were maybe the 2nd most pleasant surprise of the post-season. (Grizzlies)
Watch Joe Johnson earn $5.23 of his $120,000,000 contract. Keith Bogans forgot to buckle up as Joe hit the breaks and sent him flying. He’s going to need some ankle therapy after that crossover. Also facepalm myself for messing up the series record, it’s actually tied 2-2. One good thing about that mistake was that I learned that this blog has a lot of angry Bulls fans.
