Plenty of teams are looking at the NBA schedule these days and fuming over the five-month-long lockout and all that it cost everyone, but especially teams hoping for a little rest this late in the regular season.
The compressed schedule has affected every team in the league this season, albeit at different times.
For the Hawks, who are in the midst of a rugged stretch of six games in eight nights, that time is now. After Sunday's grueling, four-overtime win over the Jazz, Hawks coach Larry Drew didn't know what to expect from his team before Tuesday night's game in Milwaukee, which served as the appetizer for Wednesday night's home tilt against the Bulls.
"I know we needed that day off (Monday) in the worst way," Drew said before his team lost 108-101 to the Bucks. "We came in for shoot-around (Tuesday) and guys seem to have a little energy, which I was happy to see. As far as a performance, to be perfectly honest, I don't know. I was anxious to see how we respond after these last three ball games."
The Hawks have responded to adversity, injuries and the wacky schedule included, all season long. Guys have stepped up. Starters have logged even more minutes. And role players have accepted new and expanded roles whenever necessary."
The need for everyone to contribute has made Drew much more aware of what he has to work with and how conscious he needs to be about monitoring minutes to make sure he always has someone fresh and ready to work.
"I think the one thing I've been pretty adamant about, I've got to be very mindful of the minutes my starters are playing," he said. "I don't want to pile a lot of minutes on those guys. We do have some guys who are a little banged up, nicked up. Having to play (against the Bulls), I don't want to pile the minutes. Hopefully, we can come out and play well and I can have a normal rotation. If that's not the case, it's not the case. But we will keep an eye on the minutes."
Someone better keep an eye on the minutes!
NOTES, QUOTES
-The rumblings about a potential return to action this (post)season for All-Star center Al Horford remain for the Hawks. Horford is scheduled for a visit to the team doctors for a check-up this week.
But there remains some doubt as to whether or not he will get healthy enough in time for a return for to action during the first round of the playoffs. The Hawks would certainly a welcome Horford back, as their lack of presence in the middle has been their one glaring issue all season long.
Still, Zaza Pachulia has gotten it done in Horford's absence in ways that few people imagined he would, or even could.
-The Hawks had no answer for the tempo and pace Monta Ellis set for the Bucks. Ellis scored 33 points and Brandon Jennings added 18 as Milwaukee's backcourt outworked the Hawks' Jeff Teague and Kirk Hinrich (Ellis outscored them 33-25) from start to finish.
The Hawks knew that the Ellis-Jennings combo was going to sync up at some point. It just so happened to be against the Hawks, who have had their share of struggles against fleet-footed backcourts this season.
"They cranked it up at different times throughout the game and we struggled to match them," Joe Johnson said. "You let those guys get going and they can burn you. And they lit us up pretty good."
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I've always been a big Monta Ellis fan. He is, in a lot of ways, similar to Joe Johnson. He can really score once he gets it going... As far as playing up-tempo that doesn't change. They just have another guy to break the defense down and put points on the board." -- Hawks coach Larry Drew on the new-look Bucks.
