You mad? Why?
What is upsetting, is that we already have potential superstars on this team right now and some people refuse to acknowledge it. To not realize that is simply turning a blind eye to obvious things. Dunking is not a long term skill set. If all you can do is dunk the ball hard, or run fast, the NBA will figure that out and stop you when it counts the most, the playoffs. Ask Ben Simmons that. Ask Wiggins.
Where is Anthony Bennett? Kwame Brown. How about number 2 picks? Jabari. Kidd-Gilchrist. Derrick Williams. Thabeet. Michael Beasley. Marvin. Darko. At least Tyson Chandler is still playing decent. Jahlil Okafor. Adam Morrison. Radius Miles. Ben Gordon. Mayo.
People are making judgement calls on a college season that hasn’t even really started yet (conference play). We “do” know what John Collins is doing right now, his 2nd year isn’t over. We “do” know Trae did something in college that no player in history had ever done before. He is making his NBA adjustments and right now, he is leading the team to better play, and is with league leaders (not just rookies) as a point guard. We know Prince is a tremendous talent, he is hurt now, but when healthy last year he was one of the best small forwards in the league 2nd half of last year. He played himself into becoming the starter during his rookie year.
Nothing is guaranteed. There is no “sure thing”. Ask Oden. Ask Fultz (illness has stopped his career). Whatever happens, we can’t control any of it. You can’t make the Hawks lose games on purpose. You don’t control lineups or rotations. You don’t control trades or free agent signings. You don’t control draft seeding or picks. So why keep talking as if you do? Let the season play out. If the Hawks end up with a high draft pick, cool. But what if they don’t? What are you going to do? What is your plan? Complain another year while the Hawks progress, get better, win games? What happens if Hawks win Monday? What happens if the Hawks win 13 more games? 16 more games? 20? What is your recourse?
I keep asking because nobody is giving an answer to what they will do if the Hawks ruin their lives by not obtaining a top 3 pick…The Hawks had 3 first round draft picks a year ago. Did you think the Hawks were not going to get better by adding that to the talent base we already had? Did you not see how Dedmon, Prince and Collins played last year? Did you not know that when healthy Jeremy Lin can ball? Did you not know Vince still has something left? That Bembry when healthy, can do everything? That Justin loves defense? That Alex Len can board and play post defense and offense? You look at any tape of Poythress? And Baze was still here.
In winning 5 of 6 you see the evidence of players wanting to play well, win games, and win as a team. You see the pride in defense, getting all the rebounds, hitting clutch shots, making the extra pass. They still have to learn to protect the ball, but that will come. They are learning. Why not embrace that? Because those wins aren’t going anywhere. Too late to forfeit. 11 wins. They had multiple injuries to start the year and have had injuries almost weekly (Baze went down last night, still won).
You don’t like losing, you don’t like winning. This Hawks team is a winner. You might not want to see it, the record doesn’t reflect it, but they are. You have to “believe” it. Ever since that 144 game, something happened. And they have not been disrespected like that again. Support the effort, support the players, support the families of the players, support the coach, management and ownership. Trae talked playoffs in his first few interviews as a Hawk. They want to win a ring, support and let’s see if they do. Or, you can give your support to another team. Simple. Go Hawks!
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