Atlanta Hawks

Here is the updated game story from the Hawks’ win over the Pacers, which snapped a three-game losing streak.

You can call it the Highlight Factory again.

The Hawks snapped a three-game losing streak – all at Philips Arena – with a 97-87 victory over the Pacers Wednesday night.

Josh Smith had 28 points and 12 rebounds to lead the much-needed effort for the Hawks (17-9). His one-handed dunk off a Marvin Williams’ missed 3-pointer punctuated his performance. Joe Johnson added 20 points as the team improved to 12-1 when he scores 20 or more points.

“We played like a desperate team,” Smith said. “That is how we have to play night in and night out, like we need to win.”

It wasn’t exactly easy.

The third quarter almost bit the Hawks again. The Pacers cut an 18-point halftime deficit to just eight points, 80-72. They would get as close as seven points in the fourth quarter before the Hawks pulled away.

“Energy, that was the difference,” coach Larry Drew said. …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Hawks 97, Pacers 87 »

Coach Larry Drew said there will be lineup changes for tonight’s game against the Pacers. Drew said Tuesday he was considering ways, including lineup changes, to get his team to play with more energy. He wants the Hawks to get their ‘mojo’ and ’swagger’ back as they have lost the past three at home.

The Hawks have lost three straight, all at home. They haven’t lost four straight home games since 2007, part of a seven straight losses.

Wednesday morning, Drew was still concerned with the Hawks lack of response to offensive runs by the opposition. The Suns used a runs between the first and second quarters and to end the third to build a 22-point lead Monday.

“The way we have responded to runs,” Drew said of his biggest disappointment during the current three-game skid. “I’ve told the guys we have to get past the point of when teams do make runs at us feeling like the game is over, particularly when there is so much basketball to be played. I gave them the example of [Tuesday] …

Continue reading Updated: Pacers at Atlanta Hawks Game Thread »

Vivlamore at practice on Tuesday. Here is your report:

No real news on the Hawks continued search for a big man to help their depleted corp – but changes could be on the way in light of the current three-game losing streak.

In talking with Larry Drew following this morning’s practice, the coach said he is considering a number of changes to get the team’s energy back. It’s something he said has been lacking in the past three games.

“We are not going to panic,” Drew said. “This is not a time to panic. Is it a time for concern? Yes. My biggest concern is our energy. The energy I saw on that road trip, since we’ve been home I just don’t see that type of energy. That is my biggest concern.

“When you get in these types of situations, you’ve got to do something to generate some type of energy. You’ve got to find our mojo back. How we do it, we possibly have to look at some things a little differently and maybe shake some things up. As a staff, we are still …

Continue reading Lineup changes could be coming after three-game slide »

Here is the updated game story of the Hawks’ loss to the Suns Monday, their third straight home defeat.

Apparently, there is no place like the road for the Hawks these days.

After a recently-completed 4-1 road trip, the Hawks dropped their third straight home game Monday night, this one a 99-90 defeat at the hands of the Suns.

The Hawks (16-7, 8-4 home) have now lost to the Grizzlies (by 19), 76ers (11) and Suns (nine). Their four-game homestand ends Wednesday against the Pacers. A road game at the Magic (Friday) and a home game against the Heat (Sunday) are next for the Hawks, who are 4-9 against teams that entered play Monday at .500 or better.

The Hawks entered the game concerned about Suns point guard Steve Nash – and for good reason. Nash scored a game-high 24 points with 11 assists, better than his league-leading 9.9 per game.

“He is still one of the better point guards in the league,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. “He’s very crafty. He gets the ball to the open …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Suns 99, Hawks 90 »

Vivlamore filling in for Cunningham. Here is your report from this morning’s shootaround in preparation for tonight’s game against the Suns.

The key to snapping a two-game losing streak is the Hawks’ defensive energy, according to coach Larry Drew.

As the Hawks host the Suns tonight, Drew emphasized defense to his team during the morning shootaround and with the media following the session.

“We can’t be a team with low energy,” Drew said. “If you are going to be small [with injuries to centers Al Horford and Jason Collins] you have to be a team that plays with a lot of energy. You have to be quick. Because you are a little smaller you have to do some things differently, particularly with us. Not having Al or Twin it limits us in a certain area as far as what our defensive schemes have been. Offensively nothing much changes there. It’s more on the defensive end. We’ll have to make some adjustments.”

Drew did say the Hawks needed to share the ball offensively, …

Continue reading Suns at Atlanta Hawks Game Thread »

The Hawks plan to sign a center and it almost certainly will be a guy on a 10-day contract rather than a permanent addition. They’ve discussed Kyrylo Fesenko, Erick Dampier and Dan Gadzuric but, as far as I know, they haven’t inquired with those guys yet to gauge their interest in a short-term gig in Atlanta.

(Ravell Call, Deseret News)

I’ve always thought Fesenko, the massive 7-foot Ukranian, is probably the best item in the Big Man Bargain Bin (excluding Joel Przybilla, who has eyes for the Heat or Bulls). But you figured something was up when the Warriors reportedly had an agreement with Fesenko in December but balked at signing him and then passed on him again after Kwame Brown went down last month. Word is the knee injury Fesenko suffered playing for the Ukraine last summer remains a concern; his conditioning and work ethic were suspect before he got hurt and so you have to wonder how much he can give.

But it might be worth it for the Hawks to find out on a 10-day because …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Good fit for Fesenko? »

• No doubt the Hawks’ vulnerability in the middle was on display again (especially since the perimeter D was shaky, too). Spencer Hawes found the perfect opponent for his return from an Achilles injury, Nicola Vucevic and Thaddeus Young got theirs and Philly’s guards found lots of space in which to operate once they made it past the first level–all they had to do was account for Josh Smith from there.
• But if the Hawks had taken care of the ball and taken better shots (or made more open ones) they still would have had a chance to beat a quality opponent in spite of all of that. Instead, they got sloppy with the ball and loose with their shot selection in the second quarter and the Sixers were off and running to 37 points.
• The Hawks, meanwhile, spent a lot of time in Iso and looking to officials for help. “Against physical teams, we have a tendency to allow that to affect us,” Larry Drew said. “We have to move past that. We are a veteran team now.”
• Weird, then, that rookie Ivan …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Sixers 98, Hawks 87 »

• The Hawks said Jason Collins will miss at least two weeks with what they said is a sprained left elbow. Elton Brand (thumb) is out for the Sixers. Spencer Hawes (Achilles) will play.
• Collins is glad his injury wasn’t worse: “I didn’t break it, didn’t dislocate it. We will look at it in two weeks and be re-evaluated.”
• There are different degrees of sprains, which also can mean torn ligaments, but neither Collins nor Larry Drew would get into the details of Twin’s diagnosis. “They said for me to say a sprain,” Collins said.
• Drew said the Hawks are looking at candidates to sign to a 10-day contract. “It’s possible,” he said. “We met yesterday and talked about it and tossed some names around. We will keep doing that until we make a decision what we want to do.”
• Available free-agent centers include Erick Dampier, Kyrylo Fesenko, Dan Gadzuric, DJ Mbenga, and Joel Przybilla (who appears headed to Miami or Chicago). Theo Ratliff says he’s done.
• For now, the Hawks will use …

Continue reading Sixers at Atlanta Hawks: Game thread »

Hawks center Jason Collins had an MRI on his sprained left elbow Friday. While the team waits for the results, coach Larry Drew ruled Collins out for Saturday’s home game against the 76ers.

It also appears that one possibility for big man help – free agent Kenyon Martin – won’t be joining the Hawks.

“He won’t be ready tomorrow, that’s for sure,” Drew said of Collins. “Hopefully he won’t be out too long because right now we are looking at Zaza [Pachulia] as our 5 and Ivan Johnson as our backup 5. We are a little depleted in the big man area. Hopefully he won’t be gone too long.”

Collins did not practice Friday. However, it did arrive at the arena as practice was ending. He said he felt “better.”

Collins was injured in the first quarter of Thursday’s blowout loss to the Grizzlies. His left arm was pinned under the Grizzlies’ Dante Cunningham while on the floor after a loose ball.

The injury leaves the Hawks with only one center in Pachulia. Johnson was forced to backup …

Continue reading Collins has MRI, won’t play Saturday vs. 76ers »

Here is the new game story on the Hawks’ loss to the Grizzlies Thursday night with post-game quotes:

Larry Drew was afraid it would happen.

The Hawks coach issued a warning to his team. It didn’t help

Drew feared a letdown against the Grizzlies after his team’s recently completed 4-1 road trip had them tied for first in the Southeast Division and second in the Eastern Conference.

The letdown came in a big way Thursday night in a 96-77 loss to the Grizzlies at Philips Arena.

“When you come off a road trip like that the tendency is to have a letdown,” Drew said. “I was afraid today would happen. We weren’t sharp tonight. I’m not going to blame it on the road trip. Everybody else has to do it. They go off on long road trips and come back and play. We can’t use that as an excuse. The start of the first quarter that team just manhandled us. They played with physicality and we were a step slow in everything we did.”

The Hawks held a seven-point lead early in the …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Grizzlies 96, Hawks 77 »