Archive for October, 2009

You can catch Al Horford on Twitter anytime and at the Hawks' free public practice Saturday at Philips Arena.

HAWKSVILLE – For you Hawks fans fortunate enough to call the 13th colony home, Saturday is your day.

“Your” team is holding an open practice (free to the public) at Philips Arena from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. that will allow you to see for yourself all the things you’ve read and chatted about around here lately.

If you want to see just how unbelievably humongous rookie behemoth Garret Siler is, this is your chance.

Maybe you’ve always wondered what that tattoo on Josh Smith’s left forearm said, well this might be your chance to find out.

If you want to see if Joe Johnson uses the perfect form on his jumper, you can see it for free Saturday morning on the main floor.

Or maybe you just want to size up guys like Randolph Morris and Joe Smith to see if they have the bulk needed to help improve the Hawks’ frontcourt depth. Do it Saturday.

If Mike Woodson is the object of …

Continue reading Come see for yourself »

Rookie point guard Jeff Teague showed off his fearless side in the Hawks' preseason opening win over New Orleans.

HAWKSVILLE – You can thank the New Orleans Hornets for that skewed view of the Hawks the morning after their preseason opening romp at Philips Arena.

The Hornets’ refusal to treat the game like anything other than a glorified scrimmage (which, technically, it was) for the wave of good vibrations coming from the Hawks’ locker room after the game.

Aside from a staggeringly ridiculous 66 called fouls from the replacement stripes, this game didn’t resemble a “real” game in any form or fashion. But there were signs. Good first impressions were made by many.

A quick roundup of WWL (what we learned) from the Hawks’ 108-102 win over the Hornets:

PLAYER OF THE GAME: There’s no shame in going with the rookie here. Jeff Teague was asked to show his wares and he didn’t disappoint, scoring when asked and running the team as asked in his first real showing under the …

Continue reading First impressions »

There were no smiles to be found at Philips Arena when the Hawks' season came crashing to an end in a four-game sweep against Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals. But they get a fresh start on a new season tonight. The Hawks open the preseason at home against New Orleans.

HAWKSVILLE – The last time you saw the Hawks on this floor, their heads were dipped and the spirits were sagging. On the receiving end of a series of furious left hooks and right crosses from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the mood was nasty.

Thank goodness for preseason basketball. The Hawks kick off their slate tonight at the building formerly known as the “Highlight Factory” against New Orleans.

While I don’t expect to see Joe Johnson and Josh Smith or Chris Paul and the Hornets’ starters for long, I’m going to cherish the few quality minutes we see from the big boys tonight.

If we get a barnburner by accident, so be it. After all, this is Mike Woodson we’re …

Continue reading It’s game time! »

NEW HAWKS GUARD JAMAL CRAWFORD HAS BEEN EVERY BIT AS GOOD AS ADVERTISED IN TRAINING CAMP, AND THEN SOME. PLUS, BLOG-Z SPEAKS!

Jamal Crawford's already stirred things up in practice. Hawks fans should expect more of the same all season long from the gifted scorer and passer.

HAWKSVILLE – We’re a week into training camp and one thing is clear, this Hawks team set to take the floor this season is a much improved bunch from the one that left the floor in that series against Cleveland to end last season.

How much better is still up for debate.

But it’s clear that this team has a chance to get back to where it finished last year and perhaps beyond, based on the early vibes emanating from the Hawks’ practice court.

“This is by far the best group and the best first week of camp we’ve had in my time here,” one keen observer noted after Sunday’s practice. “Not since Steve Smith and Mookie Blaylock have we had a group like this that could get it from the first guy through …

Continue reading A Blog-Z state of mind? »