Atlanta Hawks head coach Larry Drew is promising lineup changes in the wake of a dismal 97-58 loss to the Bulls and six of seven losses overall.
The final, first-half and second-quarter point totals last night were the lowest in Atlanta team history. The 58 points were the second fewest in franchise history, narrowly edging a 1955 loss to Boston where the St. Louis Hawks scored only 57 points.
In a post-game address (I'd say rant, but high-powered hollering rants just don't happen with him) Drew stated some of the obvious:
“This was a very, very embarrassing loss.”
“From where we were as a team to where we are right now we have lost all sense of team on both ends of the floor. Why that has happened, I really can’t put my finger on it. To have a team that started off so well, that really trusted and believed in each other at both ends of the floor, we have lost that sense of trust for one another. Why that has happened, I really have no idea. I will say, it’s time that we do shake things up. As we go back to Atlanta to prepare for Brooklyn (at home Wednesday), there will be some changes. We have to find a group that will compete on both ends at a high level with no excuses, with no finger-pointing as far as blaming officials, blaming each other. We have to go out and we have to play our first few games of the season."
“We need to shake things up and that will be the first line of business when we get back to Atlanta is to make some changes within our lineup.”
Drew would not elaborate on what those changes would be but said only this:
“I shouldn’t have to come out and coach effort every single night. Effort is something that they should bring. They are being paid to bring effort every single night. Maybe it’s the chemistry right now. I don’t know but I’m going to have to do something to jump start us because right now we have flat-lined. Not just from a physical standpoint. Mentally, we have flat-lined and I’ve got to find a way to resuscitate this team.”
The Hawks are now among the bottom of the league in rebounding and have now been outscored by their opponents cumulatively during the season. We'll see if the Hawks can hit the broad side of a barn tomorrow night again Brooklyn and former Hawk Joe Johnson.
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