Hawks Squawks: Hawks 110, Clippers 92
Al had his way with Craig Smith and the Clips. (AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)
Los Angeles– All the Hawks’ talk about refocusing after the All-Star break wouldn’t mean much if they lost this game. The Clippers were shorthanded, still spinning from recent trades and had played at Portland the night before. The Hawks were fresh, back at full strength and had a chance to start their four-game Western Conference trip in style.
– The Clippers were ripe for a beating, and the Hawks obliged. “This game was a challenge for our mental focus,” Smoove said. “We couldn’t worry about who they had playing.”
– The Clippers pushed the Hawks while losing at Philips Arena on Feb. 3 but this wasn’t the same team. Baron Davis sat out with a sore back. Marcus Camby was traded on Monday. Al Thornton and Sebastian Telfair were traded before the game on Tuesday.
– Al Horford, fresh off his first All-Star appearance, went for a career-high 31 points. He was 12 of 15 from the floor as the Hawks shot 54 percent and scored 70 points in the paint. “The guys were finding me and I was getting a lot of good looks,” he said. “I was finishing plays and making them pay.”
– No one paid more than Clips forward DeAndre Jordan, who had all kinds of trouble with Horford. Al didn’t look like he needed a break over the weekend. “I had two really good practices,” he said. “I felt good coming into the game.”
– The Hawks led from seven minutes into the game until the final buzzer. “We got off to a pretty good start,” J.J said. “One thing we’ve got to get better at is jumping on teams and putting them away really fast. We’re still learning to do that but we’re getting better.”
– “We knew we really couldn’t give this team confidence early or we’d be in for a long night,” Smoove said.
– Smoove had 20 points, nine boards and seven assists. As complete games like this become more and more common it shouldn’t be lost that he’s having a great year.
– Zaza was back from his hip injury and looked good while getting eight points and five rebounds in 18 minutes. He looked to have good lift in his legs, which is a good sign. Zaza said he felt pretty good, too. “I can’t say all the pain is gone but I will take this one,” he said. “I will keep an eye on it.”
– Jamal came back from a shoulder injury and had 12 points and five assists. “It’s a real good start to the trip,” he said.
– When the Clippers threatened to get back in the game in the second quarter, the Hawks turned up their defensive pressure. They got six of their 16 steals in the period and held the Clippers to 18 points. “In the second quarter we came out and established the way we wanted the game to be,” J.J. said.
– The Hawks next head to Phoenix for a Friday night game. They face the Warriors on Sunday and the Jazz on Monday. Energy shouldn’t be a problem. “We are fresh,” Zaza said. “The couple of days off really helped us.”
– I’m out, Hawks fans.
MC
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151 comments Add your comment
Daniel
February 18th, 2010
1:11 pm
gentlemanly
Stupid is as...
February 18th, 2010
1:12 pm
Sautee
February 18th, 2010
12:47 pm
They are the same person Sautee.
Astro Joe
February 18th, 2010
1:14 pm
Melvin, my memory could be bad, but wasn’t McDavid in the car dealership business? GM cars if I remember correctly? Now, I could be wrong, but if I’m right, I kind of doubt that dude has enough money to purchase a basketball and a pump these days.
We need to see if Oprah and Tyler Perry have any interest in owning a basketball franchise.
Stupid is as...
February 18th, 2010
1:18 pm
Daniel I dont know anything about truthserum? But I believe this is a free site and I can comment on anything posted here.
What I was trying to point out to you is that you miss use the term in trying to apply it to Josh and Al.
In basketball terms it refers to the side away from the ball in reference to a guard match up Not the low post position.
Weakside – (Basketball): Definition
Weakside; This drill is designed to teach the denying of a guard to forward pass and when the ball is passed guard to guard, the drill teaches players to fall in the lane while playing weakside defense. ”
I hope this is truthserum.
vava74
February 18th, 2010
1:21 pm
Daniel, Sautee,
Why bother?
One day he says that we need a Bill Laimbeer type of C (who averaged 0,9 blks per) and the other he says that Al does not guard the paint because he is #18 in blks…
Why do you try to even find reason? Just either ignore him or make fun of him. That about it!
All in all, he is just this blog’s jester!!!
Stupid is as...
February 18th, 2010
1:26 pm
When a team is on offense in their opponents’ end of the court, the “strong” side is the side of the court where the ball is located. The “weak” side is the side of the court opposite the strong side (away from the ball). Imagine that there is a line that extends from the basket to midcourt, dividing the court into two equal parts. If a team starts their offense with the ball on the right side of the court, this is the strong side. However, as the ball gets passed, if it ends up on the left side, then that becomes the strong side. When a point guard sets up his team’s offense, his teammates run the play using both the strong side and the weak side.
I hope this helps, Ive read where people are trying to miss use this to the low post which has a different set of protocols.
Fundamentals
February 18th, 2010
1:28 pm
Great game last night. Seems our 2 power forwards overwhelmed the competition. Looking forward to Friday night’s game.
Daniel
February 18th, 2010
1:28 pm
I know vava, but I can’t stand for the ignorant comments. I have been very polite and ignored 99% of this stuff. I have just respectfully asked for him to not comment on my posts, because 1) I have no respect for a man that continues to use profane language 2) Does the whole name change game as if everybody doesn’t know who it is 3) In general has no idea about basketball. Doesn’t seem like a lot to ask for.
Daniel
February 18th, 2010
1:30 pm
Stupid is/ Truth Serum: thanks for acknowledging in your 1:26 post exactly what I was talking about and admitting that you are wrong.
Traceman
February 18th, 2010
1:36 pm
I just don’t know what the heck some of you are watching. What exactly is it about Smoove’s game that makes ANYONE think he would be better at SF than PF? Putting him at SF would take him farther away from the basket, which is where he is CLEARLY most effective on BOTH ends of the floor. In addition, he is a HORRIBLE shooter, a below average perimeter defender and below average ballhandler for the SF position. He is an exceptional athlete ANYWHERE on the floor but that is the ONLY thing in his game that says SF. Putting him at SF would do to him EXACTLY what has happened to Andrei Kirilenko. He would go from being an All Star caliber player to being an overpaid guy that doesn’t fit with the rest of the team.
The reality is that both Smoove and Horford are PFs with Horford being FAR better at Center than Smoove is at SF. It’s not even close. Therefore, the team is doing EXACTLY what it should do in starting them together in the front court.
jean
February 18th, 2010
1:38 pm
TEAGUE JUST GOT TRADED FOR MARCUS WILLIAMS
Stupid is as...
February 18th, 2010
1:38 pm
Im glad I could help.
Daniel
February 18th, 2010
1:41 pm
Traceman- we have no place for things like logic on this blog. How dare you make reasonable basketball observations!! You must stop.
good stuff man…
Stupid is as...
February 18th, 2010
1:48 pm
by the way, im not truth-serum, daniel
Traceman
February 18th, 2010
1:49 pm
GeeMack,
I hear you. Philly wouldn’t even give up Iggy (and Dalembert) in a deal that would allowed them to acquire Amare’, why would Marvin and Bibby be a better package than that? The same folks that call Marvin and Bibby garbage are the same ones who think they can be traded for All Star caliber players.
nash
February 18th, 2010
1:50 pm
bibby is old we have that but guys like him have away of showing up in playoff games and changing the series so I hope he is resting up for that- if it is a small forward the hawks are after maybe they could get josh howard from washington if he has played any this year. I think last nights game was about showing that palying against a team that is laying down for the rest of the year the hawks bench can look great and another younger big man would help if he can be motivated the right way because joe smith is so old he does have any teeth to be long in
jean
February 18th, 2010
1:55 pm
teague and mario west traded for marcus williams
Mike is Back
February 18th, 2010
1:59 pm
Astro Joe, good link…its great to be relevant again…gone are the dark days when we only came to blog to discuss who the Hawks would draft in the lottery. Now we are a known commodity around the NBA. No wonder we are starting to get so many trolls, goons, and goblins wanna bees from other team’s site. Heh heh
Truth-Serum
February 18th, 2010
2:02 pm
Stupid is as, you’ll have to ignore Daniel, he like others ,(the infamous Bubba crew)have a tendency to paint anyone who disagrees with them as Truth-Serum. It makes it easier for them to live with one person having a different view than to acknowledge that they are far from the main stream, by conceding most people outside of this blog disagree with them.
So let me guess, you disagree with Daniel and or made a comment that Hoe ford was weak defensively, and the next thing you knew you were slammed and worth of death.
Is that about right?
Daniel
February 18th, 2010
2:02 pm
jean- what? where are you getting that?
Stupid is- yes, you are.
Truth-Serum
February 18th, 2010
2:04 pm
What about W h o r e f o r d for Amare straight up?
Stupid is as...
February 18th, 2010
2:13 pm
Truthserum, I see, my bad, I didnt men to get in the middle of something, you are absolutely right. Id made a comment about weakside being a guard thing but the way they use it on this site it should be in football. Ive read guys trying to say that Josh covers Als “weakside” and thats why Al allows alot of point under the basket. The post position is not a weakside/strong. The center plays with his back to the basket on offense or defense. Weak side only refers to the side that the ball enters the court from a guards perspective.
And you are right, next thing I knew I was slammed. Anyway, thanks, I guess its not a bad thing to be associated with you. Good luck and have a nice day.
Rod from College Park
February 18th, 2010
2:18 pm
Daniel,
“IMUS- I don’t think Josh will be more effective at the 3. In the NBA today, the swing position has to be able to hit that corner three. Plus, that moves Josh away from what he does best on defense which is weak side shot blocking and rebounding. Don’t get me wrong I am all for trading Marvin if we can upgrade that position, but I think we end up hurting the team with Josh at the 3.”
While I understand your point, there is no way possible Josh would be worse at the 3 than Marvin. It is utterly impossible. Marvin can’t hit the open 3 either. Josh would simply adjust his game to play the position. Real players adjust and conform. Josh has proved to me that he has too much pride and competitive spirit to be a liability on the floor wherever he plays. He can’t hit the 3, but he can penetrate and finish. Marvin can do neither.
MaddenKing
February 18th, 2010
2:20 pm
Whats up with all you guys talking about trading Bibby. Im all for trading Marvin but not Bibby. Bibby is the perfect PG for this system which is the reason WHY WE’VE BEEN WINNING EVER SINCE WE TRADED FOR HIM, we was losing before we got him and unless we have Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Steve Nash, or Jason Kidd, we would go from being an elite team in the East to an average team in the East with Teague at the helm, Bibby is also our best three point shooter and he’s a clutch player, he’s just havent had to be clutch cause Crawford has been taking all the clutch shots for the Hawks, but he was our clutch player last yr, not Joe, when Crawford wasnt here, he was the clutch player at Sacremento, ask Kobe and Phil, when the gm is on the line Bibby can take the shot to win the gm and he’s shown it time and time again through out his career, The Hawks will not trade Bibby which is why they resigned him when Cleveland was trying to get him and he will be here until Teague is ready to take over which he is not right now.
KevinA
February 18th, 2010
2:21 pm
Astro Joe
The link ended up being a Tiger story.
Truth-Serum
February 18th, 2010
2:22 pm
No problem, Stupid is as…, just beware there are alot of trolls on this sight and whatever you do dont join the “Bubba Crew”, they will try to recruit you.
Have a nice day
bigdave
February 18th, 2010
2:28 pm
Astro…
open the link, scrolled down, and they were talking Tiger Woods…
Fundamentals
February 18th, 2010
2:28 pm
Any word on signing any of the folks that will be bought out or waived in the next few weeks? There should be a few quality players looking for a home.
Keep up the focus and hard work on the West Coast Swing.
bigdave
February 18th, 2010
2:28 pm
KevinA…
i got the same thing
bigdave
February 18th, 2010
2:39 pm
Tyrus Thomas to the Cats for Acie… Flip… and future 1st
http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStories.asp?lc=NBA&c=1&TEAM_ID=&PLAYER_ID=&hd=20100218#STORY_24318
bigdave
February 18th, 2010
2:41 pm
they now have cleared enough cap room to offer someone a Max…
like i said before the season started… everyone is going home…
Wade to Chi…
Bosh to Dallas…
we’ll have to wait and see if we can land D12 in 2012
Jody
February 18th, 2010
2:42 pm
To me, it doesn’t matter if Josh is playing SF or PF. As long as he attacks the basket, he will be successful.
Fundamentals
February 18th, 2010
2:44 pm
Should be interesting to see how the trades shake out. Still wondering about possible waivers later this month.
Thomas seems like a good pick up, but what draft slot did Chi have?
bigdave
February 18th, 2010
2:46 pm
i can see it now..
before he bolts that summer we send fill ins and a proven all-start in Horford back to central Florida for Dwight in his prime…
lol..
Fundamentals
February 18th, 2010
2:47 pm
I’d like to see the Hawks experiment with going big with Randmo, Collins & ZaZa at center which will puch Horford and Josh up a slot. Should give both excellent help defenders a chance to move and help while a 7′ big clogs the paint.
Josh can handle the 3 as long as Bibby, Crawford & Joe are hitting shots. Marvin might benefit from being option 2 on the 2nd.
Fundamentals
February 18th, 2010
2:48 pm
Big Dave,
You’ll have to incorperate Rondo so you can get their AAU team back together. Might also add Morrow from GS for a shooter.
Melvin
February 18th, 2010
2:49 pm
Hopefully, Law will get some playing time behind Rose. And Flip adds another team jersey to his collections/wall….
bigdave
February 18th, 2010
2:51 pm
Fundamentals…
the Cats sent a future 1st to Chicago… i think its an excellent pick up for Bobcats.. and Chi did what they wanted to do all along which is clear up cap room… face it, they werent going to do anything this year. so now they have chips to play with… draft picks, and plenty of bread to throw at whomever they want… even Joe.
not to mention a solid trio of Rose, Deng, Noah… they like the kid from So Cal so Thomas was expendable…
Melvin
February 18th, 2010
2:53 pm
The Cats will have a glut of big men now. Thomas, Chandler, Diop, Nazr and Alexis…
bigdave
February 18th, 2010
2:55 pm
wow…
i must say that this has been a pretty productive trade deadline… one of the best ive seen in a minute. we might have done a little damage this summer but teams are putting themselves in pretty good shape for the stretch haul and long run… its some pretty savvy executives out there…
Melvin
February 18th, 2010
2:56 pm
5 more mins until the trade deadline is over. Can the Hawks pull out a deal at the 11th hour and 55mins mark…lol
Grandad
February 18th, 2010
2:59 pm
Sybil:
Don’t leave, I just got here. I just read your in depth analysis of floor spacing. Did you get that from ‘Wikipedia’.
Here is a list of cool hoops terminology that you can define for us:
[this should keep you busy for a while/researching ESPN's b-ball 101]
*slip
*duck in
*stretch 4
*slash & kick
*zipper cut
*flair
*pinch post
*shell drill
*backdoor
I swear after looking @ this jargon, I thought it was a list of porn terminology.
Press Clippings: 2/18/10 « Clippers Press Room
February 18th, 2010
2:59 pm
[...] Hawks Squawks: Hawks 110, Clippers 92– Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
The Truth
February 18th, 2010
3:06 pm
It is 3:06 PM, now can we all return to common sense?
Fundamentals
February 18th, 2010
3:07 pm
Big Dave
I’m not knocking the move on either side. I just wonder what pick they delt. It was obvious AC wasn’t working and Flip’s scoring wasn’t as impt as bigs for the playoffs for the Bobcats. Chi is definitely building for the offseason.
jay dubu
February 18th, 2010
3:15 pm
The Hawks played well, and beat a team that they were expected to beat. Keep in mind, as stated by the Blog Miester, that the Clippers were playing without 4 of their starters on the court.
This game has to be a jump off point for the Hawks to turn up the Heat on the rest of the East. Because the Hawks didn’t make a move at the trade deadline, they have to get superior play from the guys already on the team.
It will determine how far they go this year. I think that they’re only a year away from the NBA finals. It depends on what Sund does after this year.
JerryWest
February 18th, 2010
3:19 pm
Are we the only team that can play pick and roll with our PF & C as well as our C & PF?
Keep the guards stationed outside the arc, and send our big small forward to the board.
KevinA
February 18th, 2010
3:24 pm
MaddenKing
You could add many more PG’s to the list that are much better than Bibby. I agree he brings intangibles like leadership, good locker room guy and a good player for Teague to learn from.
Taking care of the ball this year , he is overrated. Most possessions he just hands off to JJ and Jamal. He does not run the offense and most possessions, once he hands off, he does not even touch the ball. Our great league leading turn over stats you can attribute to the entire team doing a good job. JJ and Jamal handle it most – just keeping it real.
3 PT…….made……….%……NBA rank
Jamal……. 95………..378……48th
JJ…………..90……….366……58th
Bibby……..75………..368…….61st
At this point Bibby is not our best 3 PT shooter either in percentage or volume. The problem with Bibby is his 2 PT shot. Not to mention the fact he cannot guard anybody. He has dropped to 7th option. He need to be playing with the second unit. We need a 5th guard not named Mario.
bigdave
February 18th, 2010
3:29 pm
Fundamentals….
i never thought you were.. but i dont know how they do the future pick consideration.. i guess that wasnt disclosed…
The Truth
February 18th, 2010
3:46 pm
Ladies and Gentlemen, introducing The NEW Hawks Playoff Killer