Hawks at Suns, AKA Stoudemire’s Still With Suns
Phoenix– There’s no doubt the Hawks caught a break on Wednesday when the Clippers traded away half their team and Baron Davis decided his back was too sore to play. Props to the Hawks for handling their business, but they will get no such break tonight.
After what seemed like months of speculation, the Suns didn’t trade Amar’e Stoudemire before the deadline. He talked with Suns brass over dinner last night and says he has no hard feelings.
So the Suns are at full strength except for Leandro Barbosa (wrist). They are also trying to hang onto a playoff spot in the Western Conference. No doubt they also remember this (dang that was my first game as beat guy and it seems like a year ago.)
The Hawks have to know what’s coming.
“We can’t come in here thinking it’s going to be like it was the other night,” Woody said.
– The Hawks want Zydrunas Ilgauskas. A lot still has to fall in place for that to happen. First, Ilgauskas has to be bought out. He’s not playing for the Wizards tonight, a sign that he will get his wish.
Once that happens, Z (don’t make me spell it anymore) somehow has to decide he doesn’t want to return to the Cavaliers, who drafted him 14 years ago and are tops in the Eastern Conference. If Z surprises everyone and passes on the Cavs, he then has to decide he wants to play for the Hawks.
And if that happens, it will mean less playing time for the Hawks’ current Z, Zaza. He said he wants burn like all guys do but he’s a pro and so he’d be cool with the another Z around.
“I know ‘Z’ personally,” Zaza said. “He’s a great guy, a good person. Everyone knows what he can do. He’s been in the league a long time. If the (Hawks) organization thinks that’s the right thing and it will help us, that’s fine with me.”
– More ASG drama this week. The AJC’s Kristi E. Schwartz reports that Bruce Levenson thinks Steve Belkin is evil. And Belkin must pay $2 million by Thursday to keep his stake in ASG, which he plans to do.
The most interesting part to me, because I’m not into drama, is that Schwartz reports “court documents say the Hawks and Thrashers have lost more than $174 million since the 2002-03 season, including $50 million in the past two years alone.”
That’s something to remember if the Hawks must decide whether to pay J.J. max money this summer.
– Talk amongst yourselves, Hawks fans.
MC
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332 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
9:58 pm
Bibby hits Josh Smith on the pick and roll for a dunk. WHY THE HELL DO THE HAWKS NOT DO THIS MORE OFTEN?!??!?!!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
9:59 pm
Bibby can make as many mistakes as he like but its ok b/c he’s a vet…
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
9:59 pm
Did you see the look Woody had for Bibby?
Blast
February 19th, 2010
9:59 pm
Bibby has had two bad passes at the rim so far.
Blast
February 19th, 2010
9:59 pm
Hawks not getting the breaks so far.
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
10:00 pm
good move Al!
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:01 pm
Is it just me or do the Hawks look really small vs. the Suns?
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:01 pm
The calls tonight are absolutely, unequivocally atrocious.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:02 pm
Najeh ,
That was a rhetorical question, right?
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:02 pm
We need Big Z in the paint on defense!
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
10:02 pm
looks like all those double teams Phx ran at Jamal got him off his game a bit…
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:04 pm
Hoops ,
Yes, they do. Remember when people used to make fun of the two first round picks that we gave up in the Joe Johnson deal? Well, they turned out to be Rajon Rondo and…..Robin Lopez. Looks like the other Lopez is just as big as the more “famous” one. And it appears he is emerging from his shell. Of course, not having Shaq around and the Suns finally realizing that Channing Frye is an oversized small forward helped…
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
10:04 pm
Nire,
There’s nothing to get over. It’s my opinion. Just like it yours. Why does it bother you so much….
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
10:05 pm
A missed dunk followed by a 3. Five-point swing right there. That is a killer.
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:06 pm
That’s a 5 point turnaround!
niremetal
February 19th, 2010
10:06 pm
Najeh/Ray,
The pick-and-roll requires tons of repetition in practice to perfect for every pair that runs it. Now, some coaches (like, all the ones that win titles) might think this a play worth the effort. But we have a coach who “doesn’t give a sh!t about the offense.” My guess is that screen rolls are run in practice about as often as Collins eats a Weight Watchers meal.
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
10:06 pm
Josh get your butt back on defense. You already miss the dunk…
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
10:07 pm
this reminds me of one of those games where we have a couple players playing at 1 level and needing 1 more to join…
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:07 pm
Josh misses a wide open tomohawk jam and Bibby goes to the hole and draws the foul.
Somewhere Satan is checking his thermostat….
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:07 pm
LOL@ Nire
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:08 pm
35 seconds before smarmy reply to Nire from Astro Joe….
niremetal
February 19th, 2010
10:08 pm
Melvin,
Because your opinion is based on nothing but the fact that you like Channing Frye (or at least you haven’t cited a single reason why he’d come here over Phoenix). Mine is based on the realities of Frye’s entire life and the role that Phoenix could offer him. It bugs me that you keep bringing it up without offering any explanation as to why Frye would have ever considered moving across the country to take on a smaller role with the Hawks when his hometown team was offering him a shot at the starting spot.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:08 pm
bigdave ,
I agree.
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:08 pm
nire,
LOL!!!
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
10:08 pm
that an Bibby is slow…
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
10:09 pm
The pick n roll with Bibby and Josh is working…
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
10:09 pm
Tyrus Thomas got 12 boards and 6 blocks in his Bobcats debut as they beat the Cavs by 17 points.
To be completely honest, they may be just as big of a motivating factor to avoid the #4 seed as the Cavs. I wouldn’t want to be the team that plays them in the first round.
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
10:10 pm
i swear Josh Smith is an All Star
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:10 pm
Now that’s a dunk!!!
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:10 pm
Uh… Nire … Melvin cheat you in a card game or something?
Blast
February 19th, 2010
10:11 pm
Sometimes Josh’s gambles backfires, but most times they are on the money.
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:12 pm
Isn’t it funny how much better the Hawks look when they make shots?
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
10:12 pm
Nice job by the Hawks to get the halftime lead…
iREPATL
February 19th, 2010
10:12 pm
LOVE HOW THE HALF ENDED, LETS GO
niremetal
February 19th, 2010
10:13 pm
Nah, Ray. I swore off cards after MannyT had a full house off the flop on four straight hands…
Astro Joe
February 19th, 2010
10:15 pm
Teague can learn at practice. I want Bibby running pick and roll with Josh and facilitating our offense. Against Phoenix, offensive efficiency is key.
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:15 pm
Dallas leads the Magic by 5 with 4:oo to go.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:16 pm
Nice. Great charge by Joe and Josh to finish off the half and retake a skinny lead.
Good support off the bench by Joe Smith. We needed that from him with Horford in foul trouble.
On the bad side, our bench hasn’t done us much good overall, and with the exception of JJ (who is playing like the star that he is) and some nice pick and roll dimes from Bibby, our backcourt isn’t getting much of anything done. Apparently Phoenix remembers Jamal Crawford quite well, but they can’t cover both him and Joe.
That, and we need to ramp up our efforts on the glass.
Ree Roe
February 19th, 2010
10:16 pm
Great finish to the half for the Hawks to take the lead goin into halftime. Keep up the good work Hawks. Go Mavs too!
-REEmember the Roe!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
10:18 pm
I know Horford had foul trouble, but Phoenix is really a poor rebounding team. There’s no reason why the Hawks should be getting out-rebounded by them. I realize the Hawks are leading, but they can’t play in the 2nd half like they did in the 1st and expect to win. If they can control the glass and stay with their man on defense they can pull this out.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:18 pm
Astro Joe ,
True. Of course, our efficiency isn’t looking so good at the moment. We could use some more of that pick and roll, and I don’t care whether it’s the players not doing it or the coach not calling for it. We need it. Hard to win on the road while shooting 39% from the field, let alone against a good team, unless you are simply overpowering the other team with your defense. Needless to say, we aren’t doing the latter, which makes the former rather difficult.
Sam from da Swats
February 19th, 2010
10:19 pm
Great job Marvin, 4 points…that helps some.
Astro Joe
February 19th, 2010
10:19 pm
Who has bigger big man depth?
Chandler, Nazr, Diop, Tyrus, Diaw, Ratliff?
Horford, Smith, Zaza, Smith, Collins, RandMo?
We own the first two spots, but after that… oh well. Let’s hope the Bobcats and Cavs are the 1st round match-up.
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:21 pm
Mavs by 4 with 1:53 to go.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:21 pm
And while I’m glad we have the lead, I’d rather this game NOT come down to a last second, buzzer-beating shot from half court.
That’s not to say that I wouldn’t come off the couch like a man who has been bitten in the ass by a snake, but all the same…
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
10:21 pm
In the Mavs-Magic game, Dwight Howard is currently shooting 56%, while the rest of the team is shooting 38%. Dwight has 27 points and 15 boards, and yet the Mavs are winning.
Something tells me they are not double teaming Dwight…
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:21 pm
Co-sign Najeh
Astro Joe
February 19th, 2010
10:22 pm
Ray, Phoenix got off to a red hot start that wasn;t sustainable. And like oneof the commentators said, Amare is good for getting in foul trouble. Hawks know how to grind out a win. If we turn this into a tight game, I like our chances… even with Crawford looking like he’s got a bum shoulder.
And who was that guy in the Joe Smith jersey earlier? He looked like the cat I wanted on this team during the summer.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:22 pm
….on BOTH posts….
iREPATL
February 19th, 2010
10:22 pm
……HAYWOOD IS MAKING HIM WORK ON BOTH ENDS OF THE COURT AND NO THEY ARENT DOUBLING