Hawks lead Magic 3 Games to 1

After watching this game, I've got no fingernails left. Barely had any after game three. But, that's ok. The Atlanta Hawks just took a commanding 3 games to 1 lead over the Orlando Magic in their best of seven series.

After going silent throughout the second and third quarters (2 pts during that stretch), Joe Johnson awoke with 10 desperately needed fourth quarter scores. Jamal Crawford and Kirk Hinrich seemed to carry Atlanta's offense, until Johnson made his presence known. With Orlando unwilling to accept defeat, Double J rose to the challenge and delivered it to their front door.

Dwight Howard actually looked like himself in the second half of this contest and was simply un-guardable, with Jason Collins benched because of foul trouble. But, his Magic squad lost another close one.

Could it be written, that the dynamic duo of Nelson and Superman just digested a little bit of cryptonite? I dare to say yes. This series ain't over. But, when Atlanta wins again...it will be.

Game 5 will be played at 7:30 Tuesday night in the Sunshine State.

Hawks vs Magic Game 4

Live from Philips Arena...would be an awesome way to start this post. But, truth be told, I ain't there. Oh well, who cares about that? Here's the breakdown on tonight's first half action...

Dwight Howard has been in foul trouble from the start and it reflects in his stats column. The Magic center has an uncharacteristically low 5 points, so far.
A silly foul with 1.1 seconds left in the 2nd quarter, brought his tally to 3 at halftime.

For Atlanta, Joe Johnson started well, but an early trip to the bench cooled him off, after #2 was whistled for his second foul. Jamal Crawford and Kirk Hinrich have played well for the Hawks. However, Atlanta became turnover prone and squandered several possessions, that could have been used to stake a commanding lead in tonight's game.

The third quarter is about to start, as Atlanta leads 46-37. Hawks need to play a little smarter and lock Orlando down, with some tenacity on defense.

Update: Hawks 50 Magic 37 with 10:01 in 3rd. Stan Van calls timeout.
Look for more updates in comments section of this post.

Hawks Vs Magic

The Atlanta Hawks were outscored 28-10 in the second quarter of game 1 vs Orlando. Cheryl Miller is currently drooling over Dwight Howard. "Big fella, what a first half!," she yelled in his ear.

Well, the game has mercifully come to a pause for halftime. The staggering Atlanta Hawks put up a dismal 33 points so far and trail Orlando by 20. Game 1 is pretty much decided and I almost wish Atlanta would have lost game 7 to Milwaukee. At least I'd be spared the shame of watching such a disgraceful effort from the dudes in Atlanta uniforms. The 2nd quarter was absolutely embarrassing. I don't expect the second half to be much different. Hawks fans, go to bed. This one is over.

Hawks at Orlando

In the last few days, the Atlanta Hawks have made me feel like a "doubting Thomas" for not believing in them. After losing game 5, I thought Atlanta's playoff dreams were over. But, I'm happy to say I was wrong.

The Hawks dominated the Milwaukee sucks in games 6 and 7 with a suffocating defense. So, their reward is a trip to Disneyland (stole that line from Ryan Cameron). During the regular season, the Magic won 3 of 4 meetings. Atlanta's lone victory vs Orlando came late in the season, on a last second dunk by Josh Smith off a missed shot by Joe Johnson.

I'm hoping to see the rested Orlando Magic have a rusty performance tonight. Dwight Howard will do what he does. But, I'd like to see Vince Carter, Michael Pietrus, and Jameer Nelson struggle to find their rhythm in game 1. Opening tip is less than an hour away.

Go Hawks!!

Click on the title of this post to see the Dunk by Smith.

Hawks lose game 5

The Atlanta Hawks are in trouble. After winning the first 2 games of their playoff series against the Milwaukee sucks, Atlanta has lost the next 3. After 2 embarrassing efforts in Brew country, the Hawks couldn't hold onto a 9 point lead late in game 5 at Philips Arena. Now, the Bogut-less Bucks are 1 win away from knocking Atlanta out of the playoffs.

Making matters worse, is the fact that game 6 will be played in Milwaukee. Atlanta has continued to play scrub level basketball on the road, not just during the regular season, but also in this series.

Joe Johnson fouled out with an unlucky 13 points for Atlanta. If the Hawks are going to have any chance of keeping their playoff hopes alive, he must come up huge in game 6. Jamal Crawford needs to step up as well. Given the Hawks history on the road, I have very little faith this series will see 7 games. Hope I'm wrong about that.

Magic Vs Cavs

Last night, LeBron James saved his Cavaliers from an 0-2 deficit in the eastern conference finals. With 1 little second left and the Cavs down 2, James hit a legendary 3 point shot to give his team the victory. So, the series is tied at one win apiece. Orlando needs to shake off this loss. There's no reason to let this setback deflate their spirit. By winning game 1, the Magic put all of the pressure on Cleveland.

On Sunday, this best of 7 series shifts to central Florida, where the Magic can recapture control of this battle. But, in order for that to happen, Dwight Howard needs to get his hands on the ball. The 6-10 center from Atlanta is unstoppable in the post. Cleveland may have LeBron James, but they don't have an answer for Howard. Give him the ball! In game 2, Dwight scored a scrawny 10 points, but accounted for 18 rebounds. He touched the rock once in the 4th quarter. That is unacceptable. The Magic must put their fate in the hands of their best player. Ilgauskas can't defend him. Neither can Varejao or Ben Wallace. Orlando can win this series, if their offense flows through Dwight Howard.

Magic Vs Cavs

Can Orlando stop LeBron James? Only if they injure him. But that doesn't mean the Magic can't compete with Cleveland. LeBron James is the best player in the league, but Dwight Howard can be one of the most dominant forces in basketball, on any given night. What Orlando must do, is shut down LeBron's sidekicks. Point guard Mo Williams (17.8 PPG) and shooting guard Delonte West (11.7 PPG) are two of the most underrated players in the NBA. Either of these guys can and will score at ease, when defenses collapse around James. That puts a tremendous burden on Orlando's backcourt. If the Magic hope to defeat the Cavs, it must be done with defense, especially from their guards.
In the frontcourt, Dwight Howard is going to be a factor. A 6'10 X factor. Although big Z is 7 feet 3inches tall, he lacks enough athleticism to contain the 23 year old All Star from Atlanta. Ilgauskas will constantly be in foul trouble throughout this best of 7 series. So will Varejao and any other Cav attempting to defend Dwight Howard.
As far as forwards go, that brings us back to LeBron. His uncomparable talent gives Cleveland a huge advantage in this series. James is very Jordan-esque, because of his willingness and ability to make his teammates better. The 6'8 forward averaged 7.2 assists per game during the regular season.
How can Orlando stop the Cavs? They must contain Delonte West, Mo Williams, and Wally Szczerbiak. Every shot these players take must be contested. LeBron is gonna do what LeBron is gonna do. You can't stop that. What you can do, is counter punch with Dwight Howard.

Individual Matchups:

Centers:
Orlando- Dwight Howard 6-11 265 lbs, 20.6 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 2.9 BPG *(Has recorded 33 blocks in 12 playoff games and is averaging 16.6 rebounds per game during 09 post season).
Cleveland- Zydrunas Ilgauskas 7-3 260 lbs, 12.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.3 BPG

Power Forwards:
Orlando- Rashard Lewis (SF-PF) 6-10 230 lbs, 17.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 0.6 BPG
Cleveland- Anderson Varejao 6-11 260 lbs, 8.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 0.8 BPG

Small Forwards:
Orlando- Hedo Turkoglu 6-10 220 lbs, 16.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.9 APG
Cleveland-LeBron James 6-8 250 lbs, 28.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 7.2 APG

Shooting Guards:
Orlando- Mickael Pietrus 6-6 215 lbs, 9.4 PPG, 1.2 APG
Cleveland- Delonte West 6-3 180 lbs, 11.7 PPG, 3.5 APG

Point Guards:
Orlando- Rafer "Skip to my Lou" Alston 6-2 175 lbs, 11.7 PPG, 5.3 APG, 1.4 SPG
Cleveland- Mo Williams 6-1 190 lbs, 17.8 PPG, 4.1 APG, 0.9 SPG

Game 1 will be shown on TNT at 8:30 ET on Wednesday.

Only in Atlanta

Only in Atlanta, will you ever hear the home crowd start chanting MVP for an opposing player. With under a minute remaining in game 4 of the Hawks/Cavs series, the "fans" inside of Philips Arena sunk to a new low. As LeBron James and the Cavaliers sent Joe Johnson and his "kind of quit" Hawks home for the summer, an unmistakable chant of MVP erupted from the crowd. Why is Atlanta such a pathetic sports town? I'd say it starts with the fans. The "fans" in this city are the absolute WORST in all of America. These are the same people who, prior to the Mike Vick era, used to fill up the Georgia Dome and tenaciously cheer for visiting teams.
These are the same people who give standing ovations to Albert Pujols, any time he single handedly defeats the home town Braves. It goes beyond respect for opposing players. The "fans" in this town have no integrity or loyalty. There is no home court in Atlanta, because these "fans" suck!

Where's the Swagger?

To succeed as an athlete, one must have a certain attitude or swagger. Sounds like Hawks captain Joe Johnson has lost his. Following a game 3 loss to the Cavs, Johnson had this to say to the media:

"I don't know what we've got left. Hopefully, we'll play with a little fire, and not let them close it out on our home court. But I don't know."

Sounds like a man who is defeated and willing to concede the series to Cleveland. This is the leader of this current Hawks squad. After stating that the team "kind of quit," in the second half of game one, I thought Johnson learned something about letting such a pathetic statement loose. Clearly, he has not. This is not the mindset of a competitor. It's kind of the attitude of a "quitter."

Humor me for a moment. This team is in the playoff fight of their lives, and the team leader doesn't know what they have left? Are you kidding me, Joe Johnson?! He hopes his team will play with a little fire...and not let them close it out on our floor... What? How bout this, Joe Johnson? MAN UP, win game 4, and prepare to do battle in game 5?!!

There's no need to even mention the possibility of Cleveland closing out the series, unless you've given in and accepted that as your fate! Absoulutely unacceptable, number 2. Where's your mind at? You don't throw in the towel during the NBA playoffs!! Yes, Atlanta has it's back against the wall and their main nemesis is the MVP of the league. I get that. But, anything can happen, if you fight, believe in yourself, and continue to...FIGHT! This "woe is me" attitude is sickening, detrimental, and deflating to a team of young guys looking to Johnson for leadership.

Hopefully, they shut their ears to his words and listen to those of Mike Woodson. "Do we throw in the towel for Game 4? Hell no, we shouldn't do that. I'm going to push our guys to make sure they don't throw in the towel. Because if we force another game, anything can happen."

Good luck, Woodson. I just hope you can get Johnson to un-quit!

Who is Aaron Brooks?

Watching the Rockets cruise to victory over the Lakers today, I could only wonder...Who is Aaron Brooks? He ain't the former Saints QB. This Aaron Brooks plays for Houston and scored 34 points, as the Yao-less Rockets tied their series vs the Lakers at 2 games apiece. The final score was 99-87, as Houston crushed LA on Mother's Day. Kobe Bryant finished with just 15 points in a subpar performance. Although he's phenomenal, when slashing to the basket, Bryant made zero trips to the free throw line. That is astounding.

BTW, NBA says officals failed to blow the whistle on an intention foul, right before Carmello Anthony hit a devastating 3 point shot to sink the Mavs. What's the point? The game is history and Dallas is on the brink of elimination. I'd love to hear a Mark Cuban soundbyte. Of course, he's probably laying low after shoving that cameraman.

To learn more about Aaron Brooks, click the title of this post, or just watch ESPNNEWS.

Happy Mother's Day, ya'll!

Head of the Snake

It has been said, that the best way to kill a snake, is to cut off it's head. Well, Hawks team captain, Joe Johnson, said that the team quit in game one of their best of 7 series against the Cavs. Is this loser mentality the mindset of the team? Mo Evans went on 680 the fan and refuted the sentiment. (He also stated that they were out watching the new Wolverine movie. Good for them, I guess). But, I'm left to wonder. Why would the leader of this squad make such a ('scuse my language) damning statement? Johnson was quoted, "We have to play with a sense of pride. The second half, we kind of gave up." You kind of gave up? This is the NBA Playoffs!! Do you want it or not? Where's the fire, fight, and refuse to back down attitude this team promised to deliver? "We kind of gave up," sounds very weak to me. You will NEVER hear a member, much less, leader of any great team EVER make such a sad statement. The military has a phrase, referred to as F.I.D.O. It pretty much means MAN UP! That's what the Hawks need to do. Johnson went on to say, "I'm tired," then refused to accept that answer as an excuse for his poor play in game 1. Again, a sad statement from the leader of a playoff team. Joe Johnson and his Hawks need to MAN UP, forget it, and drive on!

Atlanta was blown out of game 1, (99-72) as Johnson finished with just 11 skinny points. Small forward/PF Josh Smith contributed 22 points and PG Mike Bibby added 19. Maybe, the team didn't quit, but it's obvious that Johnson did. Joe said as much. When your leader succumbs to defeat, is it possible to persevere? If the best way to defeat the Hawks is to break the will of Joe Johnson, then Cleveland has already won this series.

A Game Called Basketball

With all of the excitement surrounding the NFL Draft, I nearly forgot about the NBA playoffs. To be honest, I wish I would have. As I'm typing these words, the Atlanta Hawks are being humiliated in game 3 of their series against Miami. After a very dominant performance in game 1, I thought the Hawks were capable of "shocking" some folks. Unfortunately, the Hawks are only shocking me. Never in my lifetime, have I seen such a heartless lack of effort on the basketball court. Although the Hawks are at their best when their defense creates fast break opportunities, this team is inconsistent and undedicated towards this aspect of the game. Atlanta fought through 82 regular season games, just to secure home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Through three playoff games, they've only fought once.
As a lifelong Hawks fan, I feel ashamed, disgusted, and belittled by any association I have with this team. Hopefully, they'll come out swingin' in Game 4. As for now, I guess I'll go back to watching the NFL Draft.

Sports Tonight

NBA Playoffs continue at 8 ET, as the Detroit Pistons square off against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Pistons are looking to avoid an 0-2 deficit. TNT will broadcast the game.

Following Cavs Vs Pistons, TNT will air game 2 of the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers playoff series. LA leads 1-0. The opening tip is scheduled for 10:30 ET.

Over on Vs. you can catch up with the NHL playoffs. At 7 ET, the Philadelphia Flyers host the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Vancouver Canucks are at the St. Louis Blues at 9:30, also on Vs.

Sports Tonight

In Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers are up 79-68 over the Utah Jazz. As I type this, there are less than 2 minutes left in the 3rd Quarter. The game is being played on ABC. Carlos Boozer just hit 2 Free Throws for the Jazz. Update: Lakers 100 Utah 89, with 4:58 left in 4th Quarter. Update: Lakers defeat Jazz, post game news conference to be shown on ESPN News.

At 5:30 ET, the Eastern Conference Playoffs resume, as the Philadelphia 76ers travel to Orlando to beign a best of 7 series against the Magic. The game will be shown on TNT. Update: Orlando wins opening tip, Rafer Alston hits 3, to give Magic early lead. 76ers shooting 1-5 to start game. Magic 7 Philly 2. UPDATE: Philadelphia goes on an 8-0 run to take the lead 16 to 11 in 1st quarter.
2nd Quarter update: Orl 38 Philly 39. Under 5 minutes remaining before Half-Time.
3rd Quarter update: Orl 75 Philly 60. Less than 4 minutes left in 3rd.
4th Quarter update: Orl 84 Philly 73. Donyell Marshall hit a 3 for Philadelphia. A second consecutive 3pt shot by Marshall clanked off the iron. Big miss. 76ers could have cut the lead down to 8. 9 minutes remaining.
South Gwinnett's Lou Williams has scored 10 points for 76ers. UPDATE: Lou Williams strikes again. 17-5 run by 76ers brings them to within 6. Philadelphia's Ratliff fouled by Rashard Lewis. Makes 1 of 2 Free throws. Orl 84 Philly 79. Sixers get a stop. Andre Miller scores. Orl 84 Philly 81. About 6 minutes left in 4th. Now's a good time to tune in and watch the remainder of this game. Lou Williams at the line. Orl 86 Philly 84. Foul on Ratliff. 4 minutes left: D. Marshall 3 cuts lead to 2. 76ers get a rebound and A. Miller ties game on layup. D Howard scores, Iguodala turns ball over. Orlando ball with 2:38 remaining. Orl 93 Philly 91.
Turkolu scores. D Marshall answers. Less than 2 minutes. 3rd foul on Andre Miller puts Howard on line. Misses 1st FT. Makes 2nd. 76ers ball, down 3. Iguodala slams. Orl 96 Philly 95. Philly ball. Blocking foul on Magic. Iguodala shoots 2. Misses BOTH. Great pass by Alston sets up Howard for MONSTEROUS DUNK. 49.1 seconds left, Orl by 3.
Marshall 3 ties game with 34.8 seconds left. 98-98. T.O. Orl. Magic ball. Lewis misses, Miller rebounds. 76ers ball with 12.5 left. 11 seconds on shot clock. TO. Iguodala SCORES. 100-98 76ers with 2.2 seconds left.
Turkoglu misses 3. Philly wins 100-98. Dwight Howard, the MVP candidate from Atlanta, finished with 31 pts, 16 rbd, 2 blocks. South Gwinnett's Lou Williams scored 18 pts for Philadelphia. Next up, HAWKS vs heat. Go HAWKS!


Later, the Atlanta Hawks will host the Miami Heat. Game 1 of this series is scheduled for 8 Eastern. This is the second game of a playoff triple-header, being shown on TNT.
1st Quarter update: M Williams 3 gives Atl early 12-8 lead. Williams has 7 pts already.
Atl 20 Mia 19 with 2:06 left in 1st. End of 1st. Hawks 24 Heat 21.
2nd Quarter update: Hawks 30 heat 24 with 9:20 left in 2nd. Heat ball.
Former gator, Al Horford rejects Wade's shot. Joe Johnson throws alley oop to J Smith. Hawks 33 Heat 27. You will see this highlight on ESPN!
Hawks add 4 more points to lead and go up 37-27. Wade already has 2 fouls. 7:27 till Half.
J Johnson knocks ball from Wade. Wade recovers, but Bibby steals ball. Bibby runs, Bibby falls. Wade (falling out of bounds) saves ball, and somehow J Smith ends up at FT line. One of the sloppiest exchanges in the history of the NBA. You'll see this on a blooper reel. Philips Arena is going crazy. The last two minutes have seen 2 incredible dunks by J Smith, as Atl builds 14 pt lead. Timeout Miami. This one's starting to resemble a track meet. DVR SportsCenter for highlights.
1:14 left in 2nd. 3 by Johnson puts Hawks up by 19. Foul on Bibby puts Wade on line. Crowd boos. Wade makes 1 of 2 FTs. The Heat look TERRIBLE.
End of 2nd Quarter. Atl 59 Heat 39. Hawks dominated 2nd quarter with stellar defense, and Arena rocking points in transition. Josh Smith leads Hawks with 17 points at the half. Wade has 17 for Miami.
3rd Quarter update: Bibby hits 3. Heat still look terrible. Shot clock violation on Miami. Hawks 62 Heat 39. 3rd Foul on Joe Johnson. Haslem (another old gator) hits 2 FTs. 64-41 Atl.
6:45 left in 3rd. Hawks 68 Heat 47. Both teams are comitting too many turnovers.
Horford scores. 70-47 Atl. Bibby steals ball, Johnson scores. 72-47 Hawks. Yes, Miami still looks TERRIBLE!
Hard to believe this is playoff basketball. Hawks 74 Heat 49 with 3:40 left in 3rd.
6-0 run by Miami reduces lead to 19. Still boring to watch this blow out.
End of 3rd. Hawks 76 Heat 57.
4th Quarter update: Anybody else hear crickets chirping?
Dare I say the "T" word one more time? Hawks 82 heat 59. Josh Smith is putting together an impressive highlight reel, as Miami plays un-inspired, lethargic, and just plain embarrassing basketball. It seems as if the Heat's will has been broken. Al Horford's having a good time on the Hawks bench, as he head bobs to Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer."
The Heat have scored just 2 points in the fourth. With 4:28 remaining, it's still Atlanta 82, Miami 59.
Don't look now, but the Heat have scored a quick 5 points. The score... Atlanta 90, Miami 64. OUCH! This one is mercifully coming to an end. Not before another commercial break, though. Finally, Game 1 is over.
The Hawks took command of this game, by outscoring the Heat 35-18 in the second quarter. Miami never recovered. Although I'm an avid Hawks fan, that was painful to watch. Game 2 is Wednesday night. Can Miami rebound from this beatdown?
Josh Smith led the Hawks with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and added 3 assists. Dwayne Wade was held to 19 points (2 in second half).

St. Louis Cardinals at Cubs 8 ET -Game has been postponed.
In other MLB news, the Florida Marlins go to 11-1 with a 7-4 victory over Nats. BREAK UP THE FISH!!

In the final game of TNT's triple-header the New Orleans Hornets travel to Denver, for game 1 of this Western Conference Matchup. The game is scheduled for 10:30 ET.
1st Quarter update: Denver 29, NO 25 after one.
2nd Quarter update: There ain't one. I'm tired.


IndyCar Racing is being shown on Vs. The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach began at 3:30 ET and should last until 6 PM.

If you're looking for some NHL playoff action, keep your television set tuned to Vs. At 7PM ET, the Vancouver Canucks take on the Blues, in St. Louis. Following that game, is Hockey Central from 9:30 to 10:00 PM ET. After the 30 minute recap and highlight show, the San Jose Sharks will be hosting the Anaheim Ducks. I'll be watching NBA playoffs, so don't look for many NHL updates.