Bleacher Report - Articles by Arthur York

The Right Stuff? Hawks Draft Day Moves: All Shooting Guards

Arthur York — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:42:50 -0400

Former Atlanta Hawks General Manager Billy Knight will be forever remembered for his annual draft day collapses that crippled the franchise, devastated its fans, and always left the team fledgling through the NBA lottery the following year.

2004 brought perhaps his best move (landing Josh Smith at 17), but only after taking Josh Childress at No. 6 (ahead of Luol Deng and Andre Iguodala). In 2005, with the team in excruciating need of a point guard in one of the most point-guard-rich drafts of the decade, it seemed like the Hawks may finally get one right.

Knight, however, opted instead to spend the number two overall pick on Marvin Williams (the next three off the board were Deron Williams, Chris Paul, and Raymond Felton).

As usual, Knight's shenanigans put the Hawks in the position of having yet another lottery pick the following year. In 2006, still suffering at the point guard position, and with a rare second chance to remedy their epic blunder from the year before, the Hawks once again laughed in the face of logic and selected Shelden Williams...who was followed in succession by Brandon Roy, Randy Foye and Rudy Gay.

To be fair, Pete Babcock set a shamefully low standard before Billy Knight's arrival in 2003.

Pop quiz: anyone know who drafted Pau Gasol? The reason you didn't know it was the Hawks (in 2001) is because they immediately traded him away for Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

Gasol went on to win Rookie of the Year (and we all know what he's doing now). Abdur-Rahim ended his career with one of the lowest winning percentages of any player in NBA history (of course, spending a few years with the Hawks didn't help that statistic).

Perhaps Babcock's most forgettable year was one that most people, not surprisingly, forget. In 1999 the Hawks had an unprecedented FOUR first round picks. With a once-in-a-lifetime chance to start anew with fresh talent, the Hawks settled on Jason Terry (10), Cal Bowlder (17), Dion Glover (20), and Jumaine Jones (27).

Add that to the legacy of Adam Keefe, Demarr Johnson, Priest Lauderdale--the list could go on ad nauseum.

The fact is that the Hawks have not drafted an All-Star (Pau Gasol doesn't count, since he never played a game for them) since 1984 (Kevin Willis). This is an incredible, improbable feat.

This sordid visitation with the ghosts of draft day past is a painful one for Hawks fans, and it is a trip that we generally go to great pains to avoid. But there is a point to this rambling.

The Hawks on Thursday completed a trade that landed Jamal Crawford, a crucial complement to Joe Johnson at the guard position. Crawford relieves Johnson from shouldering the entirety of the scoring duties and also absorbs some defensive pressure. This move seemingly set the table for the Hawks to finally draft that legitimate point guard they haven't had in over a decade.

So they selected: another shooting guard. Jeff Teague was a great college scorer. No doubt about it. But the Hawks have scorers. Johnson, Smith, Williams, Horford and Crawford will all score. We do not need another mouth to feed, we need a hand to feed them.

This begs the question, then, with Eric Maynor, much more of a true distributing point guard, still available, was Teague the best move?

Maynor was a four-year college player. Teague played two years. Yes, Teague competed in the ACC, but he also averaged just three-and-a-half assists per game last year (and an equal number of turnovers). Maynor averaged nearly seven assists per game, fewer turnovers, and the same amount of steals as Teague.

The Hawks then selected another shooting guard in round two. That means we brought three new shooting guards to the team yesterday, and filled no other position.

I hate to be the downer on a day all Hawks fans should be rightfully celebrating. The Hawks got much better yesterday, and we should be excited about it. But if history has taught us anything about this team and its draft decisions, it is to approach them with skepticism, or at most, reserved optimism.

Celtics' Michael Rappaport Wins NBA "Most Awkward Looking Player" Award

Arthur York — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:34:31 -0400

The NBA announced late Tuesday that Boston Celtics forward Michael Rappaport has been voted the league's Most Awkward Looking Player for the 2008-09 season.

Commissioner David Stern cited Rappaport's increased national exposure—necessitated by late season injuries to other Celtics that forced Boston line-up tweaks—as a main factor in Rappaport's receiving the MALP.

Rappaport's increased playoff minutes have thrust his awkward appearance into the national spotlight.

In an apparent playful move (likely to maintain the surprise of a future pregame award ceremony) the Celtics denied having anyone named Michael Rappaport on their roster.

The multitalented Rappaport is not just skilled on the hardwood. In addition to his basketball career, Rappaport is also a film and television actor and has appeared in such films as "Deep Blue Sea" and "Hitch," as well as the hit network series "Prison Break" and "Boston Public."

Your 2010 Atlanta Hawks: What Must Be Fixed, and Where To Start

Arthur York — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:58:05 -0400

An Atlanta Hawks season that began with six straight promising wins ended with four consecutive miserable losses. In less than one week, LeBron James single-handedly slammed the door on Atlanta's season with a sweep of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

If you had told the Hawks in October that they would have won 47 games, secured the fourth seed, hosted the first round, and advanced to the semifinals, they would have been content.

Given their lackluster effort in the first three games of their series with LeBron's Cavaliers, the Hawks were just that—content.

These were not the same exuberant, prideful young competitors clawing, gunning and diving their way into a previously unthinkable Game Seven with the number one seeded Boston Celtics. When it came time to defend home court against Cleveland's MVP juggernaut in Game Three, this year's Hawks virtually rolled over.

But then again, the Celtics did not have LeBron James, version 2009. Not that it would have mattered much Monday night, considering Atlanta shot a laughable 31 percent from the floor in the one game in the series Cleveland left for the taking.

In any case, the Hawks and their fans find themselves in a bittersweet position Tuesday. A season that was a veritable success for 193 days was tarnished by seven final ugly ones that left a bitter playoff aftertaste.

The wounds inflicted by the week-long LBJ whipping will eventually heal. After they do, Atlanta will begin to reflect on why the season was an overall success, and what it will take to move forward.

And with that, here are a few issues for Hawks fans to ponder in the coming months.

Playcalling... anyone??

The Hawks used shiny dunks and acrobatic plays to mask their lack of any real half court offense in Round One against a porous Miami team. Against the stifling Cleveland defense, however, the Hawks looked lost.

Any time Atlanta scraped together a run, the Cavaliers simply slowed the pace and buckled down. Mike Woodson's team had no answer. The Hawks' head coach—notoriously criticized for his inability to work the X's and O's—offered no adjustments, no plays, and no real semblance of any game plan whatsoever.

When the Hawks managed to keep the score close in Game Four, Cleveland simply regrouped on defense. The ensuing result was a frantic circus of double-teamed jumpers from the elbow, off-balance clankers from the baseline, and other hideous low percentage shots that opened the door for the NBA's best team to regain control.

Atlanta's athleticism can keep them afloat in the regular season. In the playoffs, however, you're going to face a real defense at some point. Without a blueprint for your attack, you'll come up short just about every time.

Composure, composure, composure

The greenhorn Hawks are easily susceptible to mental breakdowns. In sports, especially playoff competition, the ability to harness your psychological flareups can be just as important as your physical play.

Enter the difference between pumping up your teammates (Zaza Pachulia vs. Kevin Garnett, 2008), and throwing a boneheaded temper-tantrum (Zaza Pachulia vs. the officials, 2009).

Josh Smith gets fouled a lot, and sometimes no whistle is blown. But so does EVERYBODY ELSE in the NBA. This habitual whining nonsense must end. It wreaks havoc on his own psyche and is surely at least mildly distracting to his teammates.

Furthermore, if Smith would attack the rim instead of flailing up those outside jumpers, he would get a lot more calls. Which brings me to my next point...

Know Your Role

When Josh Smith shoots a 20-footer, nobody wins... except the opposing team. If he misses (as he usually does), it's almost always a defensive rebound. If he makes it, the consequence is even worse: he's encouraged to heave it up next time down the court.

There's a reason defenders all scramble to the basket when J-Smoove finds himself with the ball out near the arc. (Hint: it's not because they think he's soaring in for a between-the-legs dunk).

Smith does his best work down low and above the rim. So does Al Horford, and these guys have no business shooting from far outside. Leave that up to the guards who get paid to actually knock down those shots. Smith absolutely killed Atlanta in rounds one and two with his stubborn refusal to pass up these bloopers.

Finally, the most crucial role on any team is the one played by the leader. This is perhaps the most conspicuous void on this Hawks team.

A local sports talker remarked today that the Hawks MUST bring in a proven veteran leader for next year. Even if he is a mildly aging player on slight physical decline, this group desperately needs that presence.

After all—just look what a difference Chauncey Billups made for a bunch of misfits in Denver.

The Hawks have improved by an average of 8.5 wins each year since going 13-69 in 2004-05, Woodson's first season. They have made the playoffs in back-to-back years after being absent for a decade. The franchise has undoubtedly come a long way.

But every group has its ceiling. In 2009, this core group of Hawks reached theirs. In the weeks and months to come, General Manager Rick Sund's job will be to find a way to punch through it.

Given the franchise's recent progress, who knows what may be on the floor above?

Why the Atlanta Hawks Will Not Bounce Back at Home

Arthur York — Fri, 08 May 2009 11:56:59 -0400

Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Woodson was giving the company line hours after his team was massacred Thursday night for the second time in three days at the hands of the mighty Cleveland Cavaliers.

"We were in the same situation last year with the blowouts in Boston," Woodson said. "And we were able to go home and make a series out of it."

This year won't play out the same way, and here's why.

1. Injuries

Atlanta may be playing game three (and perhaps even game four) with just two of its five regular season starters. Even if Marvin Williams (wrist) and / or Al Horford (ankle) muster up the strength to play before their home crowd, they won't be nearly as effective as usual.

Joe Johnson, undoubtedly the Hawks' best offensive option, sprained his ankle late in the third quarter of the game two thrashing and hobbled out of Quicken Loans arena late Thursday night with his foot in a boot.

For Atlanta to win a game this series, Joe must be outstanding. If he doesn't even play, the Hawks have no chance. In any event, if his 2009 postseason performance thus far is any indication, he'll be a near non-factor even if he does play.

2. LeBron James

While the eventual champion Celtics were undoubtedly a force last year, they didn't have anyone with LeBron's ability to dominate and demoralize at any place on the court on both ends of the floor. Zaza Pachulia could intimidate and sometimes contain Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen could have a bad game or three, but LeBron almost never offers opponents that luxury. The Hawks (and virtually every other team in the NBA) have no answer.

3. No Surprising Anybody This Time Around

Everybody now knows Philips Arena is a tough place to play. Last year they didn't. The determined Cavaliers won't be making the Celtics' mistake of overlooking Atlanta's home crowd. Even if the high-flying home version of the Hawks comes out running and gunning at the Highlight Factory, Cleveland will remain focused. Expect LeBron & Co. to bring it hard and early in games three and four.

4. It's the Second Round

The Hawks were playoff-starved when they bounced back after being routed in their first two playoff games by Boston last year. Not only was it the franchise's first chance to prove themselves before a postseason home crowd for the first time in a decade, but they were also on fresh legs.

This time around, the hunger the Hawks displayed last postseason is glaringly absent. They also jumped right into Cleveland less than 48 hours after closing out a long seven-game series with Miami. Playing seven physical games and flying five times in 12 days takes its toll...especially when you're up against the best team in the NBA, with the league MVP, who's coming off a convincing first round sweep and nine days' rest.

Finally, Atlanta's season is essentially already a success. Last year the Hawks made the playoffs; this year they advanced to round two. They established themselves as the fourth best team in the East (regardless of how big the gap may be between four and three). Given the trouncing and sure fatigue these Hawks must be feeling, all signs point to another Cleveland sweep in round two.

This article is not meant to be a downer, nor is it meant to discredit all that the Hawks have accomplished this season. This is a young team on the brink of a long stretch of success.

Atlanta fans have every right to be excited about the future—but this is LeBron's year. In 2009, we're just a speedbump.

Jesus Edges Paul Pierce in Two Week Game Of Horse

Arthur York — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:23:23 -0400

A sharpshooting battle of Biblical proportions ended Wednesday when Paul Pierce failed to connect on what proved to be the deciding shot in a game of Horse against Jesus Christ.

After thirteen days of back and forth trick shots, the Messiah bested the Truth with a blindfolded skyhook from the opposite free throw line. Pierce's attempt rimmed out, giving the Celtics forward an "E" and sealing the heavenly victory.

Pierce took an early lead in the contest on day four when he drained a shot from a seat in the upper level of TD Banknorth Garden. Jesus followed with an ugly effort that clanked off the front of the rim and left him trailing Pierce, nothing to "R."

When Pierce flashed an apparent gang sign to celebrate, a bolt of lightning suddenly crashed through the roof of the arena and severed three fingers on his left hand.

The Son of God took advantage of Pierce's misfortune and won four shots over the next six days. Pierce then knocked down a shot from the visitor's locker room that turned out to be the equalizer when Jesus—outfitted in a Moses Malone jersey—responded with an airball.

Pierce's Boston teammate Kevin Garnett looked on, pounded his chest and shot a menacing glare at Jesus while emitting a string of profanity.

But just when Jesus appeared to be dead and gone, he rose to the challenge. The two opponents matched each other shot for shot over the tense next several days.

Finally, after Pierce's between-the-legs effort from midcourt was mysteriously redirected by a sudden gust of wind, the Savior stepped slowly out to the free throw line and wrapped a blindfold around his head. His proceeding skyhook sailed across the arena where it found nothing but net on the other end of the floor.

The epic match finally ended on the next shot when Pierce was unable to replicate Jesus's otherworldly effort. After the ball bounced out of the rim, Pierce dove to the floor and pleaded for a foul.

None was called.

Jesus's victory was applauded worldwide as an upset for the ages. "I didn't think he had a prayer," TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley said after the game. Pope Benedict XVI hailed the win, maintaining that he knew heaven would take it all along. "I never lost faith," he said.

LeBron James Insists He Was Fouled in Game He Didn't Play In

Arthur York — Tue, 05 May 2009 08:06:27 -0400

Cavaliers Forward LeBron James is pleading his case after a no-call that he believes may have decided Monday night's Eastern Conference playoff game.

With the Boston Celtics trailing the Orlando Magic midway through the fourth quarter, Celtics guard Rajon Rondo collided in the backcourt with Orlando's Rafer Alston. Rondo fell to the ground and no whistle was blown.

An irate James immediately jumped up from the couch in his Akron home and argued to friends that he was fouled on the play.

An official review of the play confirmed that the Cavaliers were not in fact playing in the game. "They took the time to get it right, and you have to tip your cap to that," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Monday night.

The officials themselves were divided on whether the Cleveland star was fouled on the play. "I looked at the review, and I personally didn't see conclusive evidence that [James] wasn't fouled," said referee James Capers.

After several replays, officials Mark Wunderlich and Ken Mauer disagreed with Capers and concluded that James was not fouled.

"As a referee, it's the worst position you can be in," Wunderlich said. "On one hand, [James] doesn't play for either of the teams that were out there. On the other hand, come on—I mean, it is LeBron James. It's tough not to call that, but it's the playoffs, and I feel we made the right decision."

James was not as appreciative. "When you try to create plays, you want to see that call made," the League MVP said. When told that, since his team wasn't playing, the call actually didn't have any bearing on Cleveland's yet-to-be-played Game 1 with the Atlanta Hawks, James refused to relent. "I'm the Most Valuable Player for a reason. I go hard every minute of every game, and I'm not going to change that for anybody."

Hawks' Success Triggers Typical Atlanta Criticism

Arthur York — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:18:55 -0400

In the post-Civil Rights era, Atlanta's leaders marketed the Southern capitol as "The City Too Busy To Hate." It is ironically fitting that the city has since become the ultimate magnet of hate from sportswriters across the country.

With the Hawks advancing to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" ruled the Billboard charts, nationwide talking heads are once again slinging a heaping helping of hate down South way.

PTI co-host Michael Wilbon called Atlanta "the worst sports town in America" during Monday's show. The day before, former NBA non-factor and current ESPN desk lackey Jon Barry dismissed the Hawks' second round chances with bizarre anger.

After hailing the Hawks' first round with the Miami Heat as "the worst series ever," the unprovoked Barry became increasingly irritated. "Atlanta, don't be proud of this. This is a one-man band you beat. Dwyane Wade. Nobody else. It took you seven games to do it. Here, go have Cleveland, get your four games and go to the summer time."

For lifelong Atlanta fans, Wilbon's and Barry's unfounded hostility is nothing new. Whether it's Sportscenter zooming in on empty seats at a Hawks game, or Baseball Tonight blasting Atlantans for leaving 2,000 remaining tickets for a playoff game, hating Atlanta has long been an attractive go-to for off base sportstalkers.

What these misinformed drones generally do not mention is that the Hawks game was on Monday night and the Hawks were 12-38 at the time, or that MLB scheduled the playoff game for 2:00 pm on a Tuesday, and that Turner Field actually holds over 50,000 fans (Fenway holds just 40,000, and Wrigley 41,000). But of course, how juicy would that story be?

"LOSERVILLE," proclaimed a 1980s Sports Illustrated cover. But from a fandom perspective, Atlanta just doesn't fit the "worst town" bill. Between the Falcons, Braves, Hawks, and NHL teams (Flames and Thrashers), Atlanta has won a whopping one championship in 141 professional seasons. Even so, the city that lists as alumni Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro, Dominique Wilkins, and Chipper Jones has continued to support its teams.

So where does this misguided finger-pointing come from? For starters, 14 years of demolishing virtually every team in Major League Baseball doesn't make people like you very much. In addition, antics and tribulations of high profile characters like Deion Sanders, Chipper Jones, and most recently, Michael Vick, increase exposure and invite haterism.

Another culprit: manners. Atlanta fans are perceived as "too nice" by the national media. After all, what kind of a real fan could you possibly be if you don't wave vicious posters about someone's family, shoot an opposing fan in the parking lot, or pelt Santa Claus with D batteries?

Southerners are also easy targets. It's a self-assuring practice for people from other places to dismiss those in the South as rednecks (especially since there are, of course, no equivalent types of people in the foothills of Pennsylvania, or the backwoods of Illinois...). In any event, labeling everyone below the Mason-Dixon line a racist, shotgun wielding hillbilly makes it easier to send hatred down South when things aren't going your way.

Add to the mix that Atlanta is a city where—ahem—Northerners swarm in order to flee their own pale, frigid, less economically thriving, and generally unseemly locales, and the hatred (read: jealousy) for Atlanta becomes more understandable. Abandoning one's own pasty northern roots for the sunny, booming, good-looking South can saddle one with guilt that is surely painful on the conscience.

As a result, carpetbaggers cling to the only thing from their native wastelands they can hold dear without actually having to go back there: their sports teams. The logical consequence is that Atlanta is in the unique position of serving as the penultimate melting pot for American transients far and wide, and thus our fan pool is severely diluted (read: contaminated).

That being said, I'll admit I've seen it. I have personally experienced some deplorable fan activity. Screaming on offense at Falcons games, asking someone in front of you to sit down in the ninth inning of a tie game, etc., should be ticket-relinquishing moves. But a few isolated incidents do not render an entire fan nation worthy of being "the worst."

So who really deserves the moniker? That, of course, depends on your criteria. If you're judging on fan presence, then no one rivals Miami. This is a city with a baseball team that couldn't pay people enough pesos to come to its games, despite the fact that they have won twice the number of World Series Titles as the Braves—in just one-third of the time. Arizona, San Diego, Tampa, and Minnesota couldn't even sell out their NFL playoff games until the final hour.

And if you're including college sports in your analysis, fan-wise Atlanta is as good as it gets. Situated smack in the geographical heart of the most passionate and skilled football (SEC) and basketball (ACC) conferences, Atlanta is the college sports mecca. Take a trip down any dogwood-lined Atlanta street and you'll see Georgia, Florida, Georgia Tech, Auburn, etc. flags displayed proudly over front doors.

Hawks Coach Mike Woodson responded to Jon Barry's comments Monday, saying "That's why he's doing what he's doing [e.g. averaging 5.3 career PPG] and we're doing what we're doing [e.g. preparing for Round 2]."

But it was Woodson's final words that proved most instructive for the throngs of die-hard Atlanta fans. "I don't even know why I've wasted my words on Jon Barry," Woodson concluded. "What he says don't amount to nothing. I'm moving on."

And move on we shall. What else would you expect from The City Too Busy To Hate?