JUMP TO: October/November 2003 | December 2003 | January 2004 | February 2004 | March 2004 | April 2004
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2003
 Jason Terry |
Top Scorer: Abdur-Rahim, 19.5 ppg
Top Rebounder: Abdur-Rahim, 9.8 rpg
Top in Assists: Terry, 5.0 apg
Of Note: After two overtime losses in their first three games (Atlanta would go 0-6 in overtime for the season), the Hawks won their first game of the season, a 90-80 home win over the Hornets ... With some uneven efforts, the Hawks would go on to win just five of the next 14 contests, including several close calls, and a couple of blowouts ... Atlanta did survive its early season West Coast swing, winning two-out-of-five, taking contests in Seattle and Phoenix ... But a couple of nice wins (at Milwaukee for the first time since 1998 and at home over Cleveland in Atlanta's first look at rookie sensation LeBron James) were offset by heartbreaking home losses to Detroit and Toronto (Vince Carter scored 43) as the Hawks move into December.
JUMP TO: October/November 2003 | December 2003 | January 2004 | February 2004 | March 2004 | April 2004
DECEMBER 2003
 Shareef Abdur-Rahim |
Top Scorer: Abdur-Rahim, 20.8 ppg
Top Rebounder: Abdur-Rahim, 9.5 rpg
Top in Assists: Terry, 5.4 apg
Of Note: Three straight losses to start the month, and 10-of-11 defeats overall sent Atlanta to a 7-22 mark by Dec. 20 ... The losses included road games in Toronto, Cleveland, Memphis, Indiana, Miami, New York and New Orleans ... The only win in the bunch was a 112-98 home win over red-hot Denver on Dec. 9, who lost for the 14th consecutive time in Atlanta ... The Hawks closed out the month with two wins in four contests, including an 83-73 win in Washington to close out the calendar year 2003 ... After starting all 18 games in October and November, Dion Glover started in seven out of 14, but continued to contribute.
JUMP TO: October/November 2003 | December 2003 | January 2004 | February 2004 | March 2004 | April 2004
JANUARY 2004
 Theo Ratliff |
Top Scorer: Abdur-Rahim, 18.7 ppg
Top Rebounder: Abdur-Rahim, 8.3 rpg
Top in Assists: Terry, 4.8 apg
Of Note: Perhaps the low point of the season, Atlanta saw the end of a difficult West Coast trip end in embarrasing fashion with three consecutive blowout losses (105-89 at Sacramento, 113-67 at the Lakers, 92-71 at Utah) before coming home to turn the tables with an 86-77 home win over defending NBA champion San Antonio, who had beaten Atlanta by 39 points back in November ... That win helped spur the Hawks to finish the month 5-5 after the difficult start ... Even the losses in that particular stretch were tough ones, including a three-point loss to Indiana, and a two-point heartbreaker to New York ... While Theo Ratliff had his best month of the season, it wasn't enough to keep the Hawks in the playoff picture.
JUMP TO: October/November 2003 | December 2003 | January 2004 | February 2004 | March 2004 | April 2004
FEBRUARY 2004
 Rasheed Wallace |
Top Scorer: Abdur-Rahim, 24.2 ppg
Top Rebounder: Abdur-Rahim, 10.2 rpg
Top in Assists: Terry, 5.7 apg
Of Note: Change is the best word to describe February for the Hawks ... Despite it being the lightest schedule of the season (11 games) due to the NBA All-Star break, Atlanta stayed in the headlines with multiple trades, signings and releases ... Among the comings and goings - acquiring Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person from Portland for Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau on Feb. 9; aquiring Michael Doleac (from New York) and Joel Przybilla (from Milwaukee), along with a 2005 second-round pick, sending Nazr Mohammed to the Knicks; acquiring Bob Sura, Zeljko Rebraca and a first-round pick from Detroit in exchange for Rasheed Wallace ... Lost in the shuffle were nice home wins over Minnesota and Dallas prior to the trades.
JUMP TO: October/November 2003 | December 2003 | January 2004 | February 2004 | March 2004 | April 2004
MARCH 2004
 Stephen Jackson |
Top Scorer: Jackson, 23.6 ppg
Top Rebounder: Przybilla, 7.5 rpg
Top in Assists: Terry, 5.7 apg
Of Note: As the Hawks changed their entire style of play, Stephen Jackson took over as the club's scoring leader, and elevated his play to help lead the underhanded Hawks to some surprising wins ... Despite a four-game losing streak towards the start of the month, Atlanta remained competitive almost every night, and Jackson, Jason Terry and Bob Sura made themselves an entertaining combination to watch when on the court together ... Unfortunately, Joel Przybilla saw his season end due to tendinitis, but prior to that point was able to display some of the rebounding and shot blocking skills he hadn't been able to since his rookie year in Milwaukee ... Two late month heartbreaking losses to Memphis (double OT) and Miami cost Atlanta a chance at putting together a nice winning streak.
JUMP TO: October/November 2003 | December 2003 | January 2004 | February 2004 | March 2004 | April 2004
APRIL 2004
 Bob Sura |
Top Scorer: Jackson, 27.0 ppg
Top Rebounder: Sura, 8.0 rpg
Top in Assists: Sura, 7.4 apg
Of Note: In Atlanta's only winning month of the season, Bob Sura came up big, time and again for the Hawks ... After gaining national attention for becoming the first NBA player in seven years to gather three consecutive triple doubles, the NBA disallowed Sura's final rebound from Apr. 12, leaving him with simply another outstanding effort ... Two road wins and two home wins (including a season-long three-game win streak) highlighed the month ... Stephen Jackson continued to score at a torrid pace, while he, Terry and Sura kept entertaining the fans with their wide-open style of play ... Boris Diaw and Travis Hansen crashed through their rookie walls, each playing some of their best ball of the year late.
No comments:
Post a Comment