- 5 days ago
The Atlanta Hawks faltered last night down the stretch against the Cavaliers, but they have to step up in those games come playoff time. Are they ready for this moment?
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00:00Last night, Mike, did we learn anything about our Atlanta Hawks?
00:03Because I know today, as you guys talked about it on the pre-show,
00:07I had a little doctor's appointment I'll tell you about coming up.
00:09But listen, last night was one of those games, and we said yesterday,
00:13thanks to all the folks who stopped by at Twin Peaks out there in Augusta,
00:16we had such a good time, I said, look, you can't have a letdown.
00:19And the first half of this game, we're rolling back, right?
00:22And I'm like, okay, listen to the first half.
00:24Things are going well.
00:25Hawks are in this game.
00:26Matter of fact, they got a lead.
00:27And then in the third quarter, they just completely fell apart.
00:31You get outscored 44-20 in the third quarter.
00:34And, guys, here's the deal.
00:35If they lose on Friday and you lose on Sunday,
00:38there is a chance you could be back in the play-in.
00:41No.
00:42No.
00:42Yeah.
00:43Not the play-in.
00:44I mean, so, Mike, I'm watching.
00:46I finally get home.
00:47Finally.
00:48I get home last night from Augusta.
00:49And I'm like, this team just fell apart.
00:52Now, the good news was Kaminga showed up.
00:54But let's be honest now.
00:55Now, what happened to J.J. last night?
00:57What happened to Jalen Johnson?
00:59Well, the refs, and look, you can't, but I will, you can't blame the refs.
01:04Refs were a big part of it last night.
01:05A lot of calls in the third quarter that really kind of took us out.
01:09Jalen got in foul trouble.
01:10I thought some was real ticky-tack.
01:11I thought even when they went through the challenge,
01:13and Quinn Snyder used his challenge in the fourth quarter,
01:16I still think they got it wrong.
01:17But either way, he was just out of sorts last night.
01:20And it gets back to the big question we started with the Knicks.
01:24After Monday night, who is the guy taking the shot?
01:27We get so discombobulated in the final two minutes of the game.
01:31And is McCollum taking the shot?
01:33Is it Nikhil Alexander-Walker?
01:34And for the second game in a row, I mean, yes, if you watch the NBA guys,
01:37you know this, but you haven't been watching all season,
01:40Cleveland's bigger than us.
01:41We look like a junior varsity team against those guys, just like the Knicks.
01:45We got a major size deficiency that Ansi Saleh is going to have to address
01:49in the front court.
01:49Nothing against Okongwu.
01:50He is what he is.
01:51But, man, I mean, just call another team which just gives us fits defensively.
01:55Harden, all of a sudden, hitting those threes.
01:58Then he started turning it over in the fourth,
01:59and we go on this amazing run to start the fourth quarter.
02:01So let me ask you guys this.
02:03404-726-0929.
02:04As we talk about the Hawks, look, I like the way they compete.
02:07I've said this.
02:07I think they're going to have some fight.
02:09Winning on the road in the playoffs is not going to be easy.
02:11That's part one of this.
02:13But part two is last night you saw what a star does in the second half
02:19versus what an up-and-coming I-think-he-can-be-a-star does.
02:24The star was Donovan Mitchell.
02:26Third quarter, guys, he came out and said,
02:28don't worry, I got this.
02:29Let me go ahead and set this off.
02:31And he did.
02:31And it opened up things for James Harden and the rest of the crew.
02:35For us, J.J. was not that guy last night.
02:3821 points against the Knicks, Mike.
02:40But last night, 12 points, 11 rebounds.
02:42That's not going to win in the playoffs.
02:44And certainly the fouls played a role, but he shot 4-16.
02:47He was 0-5 from three-point lane.
02:48He didn't hit a three-pointer.
02:50When you need to turn it on, that's where we come into this whole star thing.
02:54And Day-Day and O and I, along with Mike, we were having this conversation.
02:58Look, I think Jalen Johnson's a really good player.
03:00But as I've said to you guys, I don't know if he is a star yet.
03:03I'm not going to anoint him that.
03:05Trey earned that through the playoff run in 21.
03:09I've got to see Jalen show up in these big games.
03:11And now back-to-back games.
03:12And not because we lost.
03:14I just thought in the Knicks game, Mike, he kind of got neutralized a little bit.
03:17And maybe he gets back to what you're talking about.
03:19With matchups and size.
03:20And you're putting guys his size on him versus during the regular season.
03:23He's running around doing what he wants.
03:25And he looks like, oh, Jalen had 30 and 20.
03:27And you're going, this is pretty good.
03:28I'm not sure if he's ready for the moment.
03:32And that's where we're at right now.
03:34I mean, all of this, you know, two things can happen.
03:36We can get some valuable experience.
03:38These guys can grow and get better.
03:40But I think you're still missing some pieces.
03:42You know, and Jalen, with the right guy.
03:45You know, and this gets funny because now it's, oh, you brought Trey back?
03:47No, because Trey and him couldn't coexist.
03:49That's not the case.
03:50But, I mean, the true point guard who can drive, kick it out.
03:53I mean, look, this guy can play above the rim.
03:55He can get to the rack.
03:56It's just, you know, you're just seeing, we're going up against, why do you think we're
03:59the lower seed and these guys are the higher seed?
04:01Because they're more athletic.
04:02They're bigger.
04:03They play better defense.
04:05You know, we have Dyson Daniels.
04:06We talk about our defensive profile.
04:07And he helped with a bunch of turnovers in the fourth.
04:10But you just see, they put pressure, the Knicks and the Cavs put pressure on the Hawks
04:14that basically the Hawks could not handle with the game on the line.
04:17So this is where Quinn Snyder has got to go back to the drawing board.
04:20And this is where coaching comes in, right?
04:22Yes.
04:22You've got to figure it out.
04:23How are you holding your water and keeping it together?
04:27So, and look, these have been two playoff atmospheres in a row.
04:30The crowd in Cleveland really got jacked when Mitchell started popping everything.
04:33Yeah, you're right.
04:34Now we get Cleveland at home.
04:36And guys, look, if they're in the play-in, yes, we'd all be disappointed.
04:40But I think we can easily win the play-in games.
04:42But it's just, we want to be in the playoffs, period.
04:44Don't lose.
04:45Please.
04:46Last night was, that was more exasperating at times than the Knicks.
04:49I agree.
04:50And the third quarter, again, when you just look up and you go, we get outscored 44-20?
04:54Like, that was just, and again, you could chalk it up as like, all right, that was just one
04:57of those moments.
04:58Guys, we're at the end of the season.
04:59We can't have one of those moments.
05:00We can't.
05:01You're not going to survive in these playoffs in advance, particularly against the teams
05:05we've got to match up against.
05:074-0-4-7-2-6-0-9-2-9.
05:09Hawks finished with 13 turnovers.
05:10That's what Mike's talking about.
05:12That allowed 25 points off of turnovers.
05:15Again, turn the ball over, you get easy buckets, easy transition buckets.
05:18That all plays out.
05:20So, Friday night, let's see if they respond.
05:22As I said, Kaminga had 24 points, Mike, and this is what role players do.
05:25They go from 5 to 24.
05:28Right.
05:29Can you give me 24 every night?
05:30Can he show up when I need him?
05:33That's all I'm asking.
05:34That last night was great in a losing effort, but this is what guys do.
05:37They show, they give me 10, and then two nights later, Mike, all of a sudden he's got
05:4130, and everybody goes, man, look at Kaminga.
05:43Okay.
05:43Right.
05:43Now, Kaminga, there's been moments where he's in traffic, and boom, he throws it down.
05:47He's like, okay, there's more of that.
05:50More of that?
05:50More of that.
05:51But look, and Day Day, we talked about it.
05:52You just brought it up.
05:53We went up against Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell with a side dish of Harden.
05:58Okay, these are established stars.
05:59I'm glad you said that.
06:00Superstars.
06:01You know, one guy's on the other way.
06:02He's a complimentary piece.
06:03That's right.
06:04These are two superstars, A-listers.
06:06What is, and how does Jalen Johnson get to that rare fighter?
06:09It doesn't happen overnight.
06:10You know, Brunson, you know, he had quick, quick traction in New York, and they built
06:13everything around him.
06:14Donovan Mitchell's been on two teams.
06:16They built both things around him.
06:17But we've got to find a way.
06:19This is where Quinn Snyder's going to earn his paycheck, getting more out of these guys
06:22in these moments.
06:22Remember when Brunson was with Luka?
06:26For those who don't remember, and everybody says, oh, Luka's carrying this guy.
06:31Then he goes to New York, and everybody's like, okay, maybe Brunson was way better than
06:34we thought he was.
06:35And he is.
06:36I'm hoping, Mike, that's kind of the case with Jalen.
06:39Playing with Trey, it was like, oh, Trey makes him better.
06:41Now this is really his moment to shine, and he could become that guy.
06:45But last night, it was for me.
06:47I don't know about you, but it was like, I don't know if he's ready for the big time.
06:49I don't know if he's ready right now.
06:51Nikhil Alexander, 4 of 9 from 3.
06:53But CJ McCollum and Jalen, 0 for 8 from beyond the arc last night.
06:57So he couldn't get the outside shot.
06:59Okongu gave you 18.
07:01He did.
07:01He probably needed more boards, but if we get back to the size thing.
07:04Kaminga, you talked about it, 24.
07:07Again, it's not really great from 3, but 24 points.
07:09That's where some of that.
07:11Quinn Snyder, find a way to massage that, make everything, all the pieces fit.
07:16But I do think Kaminga's got a role here.
07:18We just got to bring it out.
07:19But it's got to be consistent.
07:20Yeah, he played a lot last night.
07:2130 minutes last night.
07:22I think that was a function of the fouls, too.
07:24What you're talking about.
07:25And maybe the rotation.
07:26Jalen had to sit with that.
07:27And look, and yes, and on top of that, playoff atmosphere, close game.
07:31We're not as good as Cleveland.
07:32And then the refs had to put their two cents in.
07:34Refs didn't help us.
07:34No.
07:35Look, but these playoff games are going to be close, man.
07:37I mean, not every game, particularly.
07:39But look, it wouldn't surprise me if they all come down to the five-minute mark in the fourth quarter
07:43where you've got to make plays.
07:44And that's just the NBA playoffs.
07:46All right, it's Dukes and Bell Sports Radio 92.9 The Game coming up.
07:49Kevin Stefanski stopped by the morning shift.
07:51We're going to let you hear what he had to say.
07:53Mike, I was, and I don't want to get overly excited because we've been here.
07:58We've done this.
08:00But I did like what I heard from Kevin Stefanski as he addressed the team yesterday talking about identity.
08:06And it's funny because I said to Mike yesterday as we left Augusta, I said,
08:10I don't know what the identity was of this team last year.
08:12So to hear the coach come in, because remember, Raw used to say the team determines the identity.
08:18Okay?
08:19That was Raheem Morris' theory.
08:21I can't tell you guys what we are.
08:23The team is going to determine that.
08:24And I do think there's something to that.
08:26But I also think the coach plays a role in that.
08:29You think?
08:30Whatever the coach is about, usually the team takes that on.
08:35And so for Kevin Stefanski to say, hey, we are going to shape our identity.
08:39And if we don't, somebody's going to shape it for us.
08:41But a lot of people saw the video.
08:43The Falcons put it out there.
08:44And again, it's voluntary workouts.
08:46But pretty much everybody was there, guys, which I think is a big deal that everybody's buying in.
08:51You've got a bunch of guys there rehabbing.
08:53But we'll let you hear what he had to say in the morning shift because, you know, again,
08:56Kevin Stefanski's trying to make sure that he's dotting all the I's, Mike, crossing all the T's,
09:01and making sure that as we move through this all season that this team's going to get everything they possibly
09:06can.
09:06Right.
09:06Now, this is going to be one of those years where, I don't know what you think.
09:13I don't, we really spent like a minute or two on it today on the pre-show.
09:16Yeah.
09:16Because people ask us all the times we're supposed to know because we do sports talk on the flagship for
09:19the Falcons.
09:19I have no idea what this team's going to be.
09:21I think the floor is seven wins and the ceiling is ten.
09:24And just maximizing the talent, don't make the dumb mistakes, you know, and you did last year.
09:29But it's so hard when the quarterback is such an unknown, when the quarterback is such a giant question mark.
09:33And who's going to win this battle? Can Panix win the job from Tua?
09:38Will Tua come out because he'll have more reps and he'll just have it and he won't give it up?
09:42And will that translate to wins? Don't know.
09:44But one thing for certain, we are waiting to see what's going to happen with James Pierce Jr.
09:48I'll get into a columnist here in Atlanta taking the Falcons to task.
09:51I'll explain that a little bit later in the program.
09:53I disagree wholeheartedly.
09:54But, you know, we got a lot of question marks.
09:56And then the one-year wonders, if you will, the one-year contracts.
10:00And what are these guys going to do that are sort of the stopgaps?
10:02Here's Stefanski, by the way, talking about trying to bring more accountability.
10:06Now, you know what's funny about this?
10:07If you guys don't remember, at the end of the Raheem Morris tenure,
10:12when the agency came in to do the evaluation, the consulting firm on the team,
10:18and Arthur Blank admitted at his press conference that, you know,
10:21they didn't think there was enough accountability in the building.
10:23And here is Kevin Stefanski talking about, hmm, accountability.
10:27I think accountability is something that can come from player to player,
10:31can go coach to player, can go player to coach, coach to coach.
10:34I think all of us should do our jobs in holding each other accountable.
10:38This program that we're in right now is a voluntary program.
10:40So as we're in the off-season program, until we get to that mandatory mini-camp or training camp,
10:44these are the portion of the calendar where you want your guys to come in and work hard
10:48and be around their teammates and also foster an environment where they're enjoying coming to work.
10:53They should enjoy being around each other and push each other and pull each other
10:56and share a meal together in the meal room.
10:58That's the fun part of this portion of the off-season program.
11:01Accountability obviously comes in everything that we do.
11:04It's a core tenet of who we are, but also it's not just a top-down type of thing.
11:08I'm sorry. I'm just laughing because basically what he's telling you is we will be accountable.
11:13I don't care what we look like, but we will be accountable.
11:17We're not going to worry about what happened here last time.
11:19This group? My coaches? We will be accountable.
11:23That's what he's telling you. And he's right, guys.
11:25Look, at this point, it's Jesse Bates going, hey, let's go do some extra reps.
11:29It's B. John Robinson going, hey, let's go run a little bit more.
11:32Coaches aren't doing that, but I laugh at that in a good way
11:35because Kevin Stefanski is making it clear, Mike, we're not going to have those issues.
11:39Yeah.
11:39Look, I mean, now it's a new day. It's a clean slate.
11:44So you can keep blaming Raheem for stuff, but we just know where the shortcomings came.
11:48It came from the top down, okay?
11:51There's times where there was no organization.
11:52I mean, it made no sense how we ran things from the offensive coordinator to,
11:57yeah, maybe we don't need preseason reps for the rookie quarterback.
12:00I mean, it's common sense, you know?
12:03Well, maybe the OC should be working with the kid.
12:05Oh, we just had the worst game of his life.
12:06I'll come down to the sideline.
12:08You know, it's like, we just fired the wide receiver coach
12:09who helps in the passing game. Why?
12:12I don't know.
12:13I mean, it's just, it's just, Raheem put together a train wreck of a staff.
12:17It's tough. It's a shame.
12:18The one guy that he got right was Ulbrich.
12:20Yes.
12:20You know, and hopefully Ulbrich will continue to work.
12:22But this is where we said, and again, people get offended by it.
12:26Sorry, be offended.
12:27There are adults in the room.
12:28People that won't make those kind of mistakes, which...
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