GotGibson?
Bench Warmer
Expectations are a new thing around these parts, at least if they involve winning.
But before defeating the Nuggets 109-91 on Monday, Hawks coach Mike Woodson laid down a major expectation for his surprising club: 50 wins.
And with the Hawks at 20-10 through 30 games -- tied with San Antonio for the league's fifth-best record -- they're on pace to achieve it.
"The point we've been talking about is trying to win 50 games," said Woodson. "That's been the goal for our basketball team. It's 13 games off the pace we finished last year, so it's not unrealistic. I say to these guys all the time, 'If you can take Boston to seven and win three games, there's not a team you can't beat.'"
The Hawks players I talked to seemed comfortable with this goal, in between sheepish admissions that they're not really experts on what it takes to win 50.
"I've never been on a 50-win team," said Marvin Williams. "But we know what it feels like to lose 50, and we don't ever want to be in that position again."
Atlanta moved into another piece of unfamiliar territory on Monday -- the win marked the first time the Hawks had won 20 games before Jan. 1 since 1987-88. Three of the Hawks five starters, including Williams, were in diapers at the time.
The third milestone on the night was the completion of a monumental eight-game homestand, one they completed at 7-1 with the only defeat coming by a whisker against the defending champion Celtics. Early in the season, the Hawks had some concern about the bizarre set-up of this season's schedule -- Woodson said he'd never had an eight-game homestand in his 26 years in the league, and in March there's another stretch of 12 out of 13 at Philips Arena; but in between, they have 15 of 21 on the road.
Privately, Hawks officials were hoping for 5-3 or 6-2 out of these eight games, but they exceeded their goal and finished it off in impressive fashion. The Hawks pounded a Nene-less Nuggets team with body ***** early, and then used some long-range daggers from Mike Bibby to finish them off late. (Nene was a late scratch with a cervical strain in his neck, and Denver's brass didn't seem terribly pleased by this).
All the while, the Atlanta defense remained stout, with Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams being particular standouts. As he often does against power point guards, Joe Johnson checked Chauncey Billups instead of Mike Bibby and held him to 11 points -- notably, he chased Billups off his favored pull-up 3-pointer, limiting him to one triple in four mostly hurried tries.
Meanwhile, the 6-9 Williams used his length to hound Carmelo Anthony into 4-for-17 shooting and did it with relatively little double-team help. Both of Denver's stars were frustrated enough to earn fourth quarter technicals as the game got out of hand, in what's rapidly becoming a Nuggets tradition in Atlanta.
Johnson's defense on Billups was particularly notable -- most star players take on relatively light defensive assignments so they can focus on their offensive role, but Johnson was a focal point at both ends given how prominent Billups is in Denver's attack.
"It's just something that coach challenged me to do," said Johnson. "I know [Billups] looks to score at times, and when he did try to attack I was just trying to make it hard on him. I know in transition he likes to pull up and make a 3 and I was aware of that."
But let's get back to that other challenge from coach Woodson: Winning 50. Heading into this game the Hawks projected to finish at exactly 50-32 according to the Playoff Odds, so it's certainly attainable.
But Johnson -- one of the few Hawks who has actually been on a 50-win team -- isn't taking anything for granted.
"We got a long season ahead of us." said Johnson, noting the heavy stretch of road games between now and March. "We haven't been so great on the road [lately]. I though early we were, we have to get back to coming out with a lot more energy and talking on defense."
The Hawks are only ranked 14th in defensive efficiency entering the game, compared to sixth at the offensive end, so Johnson is correct that there's room for improvement. But with some good health and a few more defensive efforts like tonight's, the Hawks just might find themselves in that rarified 50-win air.
But before defeating the Nuggets 109-91 on Monday, Hawks coach Mike Woodson laid down a major expectation for his surprising club: 50 wins.
And with the Hawks at 20-10 through 30 games -- tied with San Antonio for the league's fifth-best record -- they're on pace to achieve it.
"The point we've been talking about is trying to win 50 games," said Woodson. "That's been the goal for our basketball team. It's 13 games off the pace we finished last year, so it's not unrealistic. I say to these guys all the time, 'If you can take Boston to seven and win three games, there's not a team you can't beat.'"
The Hawks players I talked to seemed comfortable with this goal, in between sheepish admissions that they're not really experts on what it takes to win 50.
"I've never been on a 50-win team," said Marvin Williams. "But we know what it feels like to lose 50, and we don't ever want to be in that position again."
Atlanta moved into another piece of unfamiliar territory on Monday -- the win marked the first time the Hawks had won 20 games before Jan. 1 since 1987-88. Three of the Hawks five starters, including Williams, were in diapers at the time.
The third milestone on the night was the completion of a monumental eight-game homestand, one they completed at 7-1 with the only defeat coming by a whisker against the defending champion Celtics. Early in the season, the Hawks had some concern about the bizarre set-up of this season's schedule -- Woodson said he'd never had an eight-game homestand in his 26 years in the league, and in March there's another stretch of 12 out of 13 at Philips Arena; but in between, they have 15 of 21 on the road.
Privately, Hawks officials were hoping for 5-3 or 6-2 out of these eight games, but they exceeded their goal and finished it off in impressive fashion. The Hawks pounded a Nene-less Nuggets team with body ***** early, and then used some long-range daggers from Mike Bibby to finish them off late. (Nene was a late scratch with a cervical strain in his neck, and Denver's brass didn't seem terribly pleased by this).
All the while, the Atlanta defense remained stout, with Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams being particular standouts. As he often does against power point guards, Joe Johnson checked Chauncey Billups instead of Mike Bibby and held him to 11 points -- notably, he chased Billups off his favored pull-up 3-pointer, limiting him to one triple in four mostly hurried tries.
Meanwhile, the 6-9 Williams used his length to hound Carmelo Anthony into 4-for-17 shooting and did it with relatively little double-team help. Both of Denver's stars were frustrated enough to earn fourth quarter technicals as the game got out of hand, in what's rapidly becoming a Nuggets tradition in Atlanta.
Johnson's defense on Billups was particularly notable -- most star players take on relatively light defensive assignments so they can focus on their offensive role, but Johnson was a focal point at both ends given how prominent Billups is in Denver's attack.
"It's just something that coach challenged me to do," said Johnson. "I know [Billups] looks to score at times, and when he did try to attack I was just trying to make it hard on him. I know in transition he likes to pull up and make a 3 and I was aware of that."
But let's get back to that other challenge from coach Woodson: Winning 50. Heading into this game the Hawks projected to finish at exactly 50-32 according to the Playoff Odds, so it's certainly attainable.
But Johnson -- one of the few Hawks who has actually been on a 50-win team -- isn't taking anything for granted.
"We got a long season ahead of us." said Johnson, noting the heavy stretch of road games between now and March. "We haven't been so great on the road [lately]. I though early we were, we have to get back to coming out with a lot more energy and talking on defense."
The Hawks are only ranked 14th in defensive efficiency entering the game, compared to sixth at the offensive end, so Johnson is correct that there's room for improvement. But with some good health and a few more defensive efforts like tonight's, the Hawks just might find themselves in that rarified 50-win air.
