Quotes, Notes, and Links: Hawks 100 Wizards 89

Gameflow

Highlights

What a difference two regular season wins make. Joe Johnson:

"We've got enough guys to score the basketball, make plays, defend and rebound. I don’t think that's ever going to be a factor. As long as everybody just stays focused and confident and keeps the negative out, we're going to be fine."

Note to self: it sucks to lose, take post-loss quotes with a grain of empathetic salt.

Mike Woodson says what the fans want to hear:

"I think we have enough players that we can spread it around. There will be nights when Jamal is probably going to lead us in scoring. There's going to be nights when Al is going to lead us in scoring, and the same goes for Marvin and [Josh]. We have enough offensive weapons if they just buy into sharing the basketball, and the minutes they get, they make the most of them."

Then he does one for himself:

"But you win in this league on the defensive end, in terms of defending and rebounding. And tonight, we made a serious effort to defend and rebound the ball."

Josh Smith blocked the 900th shot of his career last night. He's the youngest player to reach that milestone. Soon thereafter, he became the youngest player to block 901 shots.

Smith:

"I wasn't thinking about it. I was just thinking about getting a win. Any individual accolades can wait. I'd rather get the W."

Brendan Haywood continues to make one compliment his fine defense, rebounding, and competent offensive game through gritted teeth by saying something like this about the officiating after an 11-point loss wherein Josh Smith sat out the last 3:33 of the second quarter and 9:41 of the third quarter in foul trouble:

"Some of it was them being aggressive and some of it was stuff I can't comment on."

Ladies and gentlemen, the subtle wit of Mr. Haywood.

What does Truth About It say, um, about it?

Atlanta was also 31-34 from the free-throw line while the Wizards shot 14-22. The disparity seems dramatic, but the Wizards migrated between trying to carelessly attack the basket and settling for jumpers. So in that regard, the Wiz really don’t have anyone to blame but themselves … but I’ll also credit Atlanta’s defense just a tad.

Joe Smith made the 30th three-point basket of his career last night. 22 of those makes came prior to the summer of 1997. He was on a nasty 4-41 streak behind the arc from 1997 through 2008 but has made 4 of 7 since December 23, 2008.

Drew wins best Nick Young line of the night:

Cure for Mike Bibby's defensive liability? Nick Young.

It's funny because it's true.

Anyone who's not Mike Miller* or DeShawn Stevenson should check out The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly at The Vent.

*Unless he's willing to take its contents as constructive criticism.