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
Astro Joe
February 19th, 2010
10:23 pm
Najeh, Haywood has always played Howard well. Who would you propose we have single cover Howard?
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:23 pm
Astro ,
Hah! Yeah, I was thinking about ya when I saw him show up tonight. You’re more than right, that ain’t the guy we’ve seen most of this season, but I’m glad to see him tonight.
By the way, do you think if Jason Collins gave somebody a head fake, that his lips would still be facing forward, even while the rest of his head was turned? I do…..
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:25 pm
To me it’s not about single-covering Howard. It’s about stopping all those shooters when he starts going off. Howard doesn’t beat teams. His teammates do. Dude rarely gets 30 points, and often doesn’t get that close. He’ll get plenty of rebounds and block lots of shots.
But he can also get into foul trouble. We can’t cover him one on one and not have him post wonderful stats. The question is, can we stop the penetrators and shooters? That’s what Dallas is doing, and it’s why Washington stopped them twice this year.
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:25 pm
Dallas is up 9 with 51 sec. to go.
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
10:26 pm
Nire,
It’s my opinion; it doesn’t have to base on anything for your approval. Anyway, I said in the past maybe if the Hawks had made him a better offer , he would have sign here instead of Phx. Keep in mind that he’s coming off a rookie contract so it’s not like he made tons of millions dollars prior to him signing with Phx. So maybe money would have been a contributing factor to where he signed. What if two million from his hometown team was the best (or only) offer at the time? Did you ever thought about that. Heck, you mention you left ATL for various reasons, so maybe he wouldn’t mind leaving his hometown to work in his career just like you.
Nire you seem to be a smart guy but sometimes you need to consider others opinions and views. Sometimes you only see things your way but what if it’s the other way?
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:27 pm
Astro Joe,
How about Big Z?
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
10:28 pm
hats off to Woody for an effective use of double teams…
hopefully he continues implementing them throughout the year..
BONE
February 19th, 2010
10:29 pm
Man Bibby sucks
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
10:30 pm
AJ, I have no problem with the Hawks using their standard combination of Horford/Zaza/Joe Smith to single cover Dwight. The key bit of information there is that while Haywood might play Dwight Howard well one on one, Dwight tonight is still getting his statistically. His 27 points, 16 boards, and 5 blocks today are all well above his season averages.
I am trying to point out that Dwight’s success doesn’t necessarily equate to the success of the Magic. The key to beating them is clamping down on everyone else. The rest of the Magic are having mediocre games today, particularly their bench, which contributed nothing. JJ Redick, who burned the Hawks last time these two teams played, has zero points. The key to stopping them is not allowing people like him to get hot from the outside, and that has absolutely nothing to do with how well Horford or Zaza matches up on Howard.
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
10:31 pm
Mavs and Cavs lost tonight. Now Comeon Blazers with the trifecta… Oh yeah, we need the Hawks to win to take advantage of all of this…
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:31 pm
The Mavs win 95-85!!!
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
10:31 pm
what a blessing to be that tall and just get a check for it…
niremetal
February 19th, 2010
10:31 pm
Melvin,
There. It took you six months to say that. Because no, you did NOT mention any of that stuff before.
I respect people when they give an opinion and provide a basis for it. You don’t need my “approval” for anything, just like I don’t need your approval to press you for your reasoning. And I don’t need your approval to call you out when you fail to provide it.
I do consider others’ opinions and views. Hell, I do it for a living because I work for a judge. It’s my job to detect, expose, and weed out baseless opinions. I don’t turn off that mentality when I go home, which is why I generally don’t respect a person’s opinion if he doesn’t support it with anything.
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
10:32 pm
Dang, I knew we should have gotten Haywood. I think he’s undefeated against Dwight this season….lol
BONE
February 19th, 2010
10:32 pm
The Magic lost not the Mavs
niremetal
February 19th, 2010
10:33 pm
We had JJ on Hill and Marv on J-Rich in the first half and it was working well. Why did we switch?
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
10:35 pm
good contest Bibby..
wow… Josh is playing at a high level…
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:35 pm
That was a great defensive rotation by the Hawks using the double team on AS…
BONE
February 19th, 2010
10:35 pm
Joe overdribbling
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
10:35 pm
Lopez got away with a walk
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
10:36 pm
what was that?
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
10:36 pm
Damn Marvin, protect the ball….
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:37 pm
JOSH SMITH!!!
iREPATL
February 19th, 2010
10:37 pm
MARVIN IS A BUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
10:37 pm
Jamal forcing.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:37 pm
Lopez complaining about being grounded by the league’s nastiest shot-blocker.
He should shut up since half of his points have come from traveling calls that haven’t been made…
niremetal
February 19th, 2010
10:38 pm
That was three straight awful offensive possessions by the Hawks.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:38 pm
Jamal’s shot was pure ugly. Bring him back in the 4th quarter, where he tends to play better.
Astro Joe
February 19th, 2010
10:39 pm
najeh, I agree with the single coverage theory… I just don;t know that we can pull it off… but it is ALWAYS the way to go if possible.
But we haven’t scored 90 points against the Magic this season. I don;t think that we can count on a defensive strategy that would allow us to beat the Magic 87-85. We need to figure out how to score against those guys.
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
10:39 pm
Nire,
I did say the Hawks could have made a better offer than 2mil in the past… Feel free to reach it since you do it for a living…
Astro Joe
February 19th, 2010
10:39 pm
God awful shot by Crawford before the TO. I’m glad at least dvae noticed.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:39 pm
JJ leading us in rebounds. Great effort on his part, but our bigs need to step it up.
BONE
February 19th, 2010
10:40 pm
U have Nimbers LOL
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
10:40 pm
Marvin was scare to drive to the hoop after being strip on the previous play…
Sam from da Swats
February 19th, 2010
10:40 pm
Noooooooooooooooooooooo, don’t pass to Marvin!!!
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
10:41 pm
man bring in Teague…
AND THERE IT IS
February 19th, 2010
10:41 pm
I do consider others’ opinions and views. Hell, I do it for a living because I work for a judge. It’s my job to detect, expose, and weed out baseless opinions. I don’t turn off that mentality when I go home, which is why I generally don’t respect a person’s opinion if he doesn’t support it with anything.
BONE
February 19th, 2010
10:41 pm
Damn Marvin is just messin everything up
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
10:41 pm
“Jamal forcing” is right.
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
10:41 pm
Jamal is struggling tonight…
Hoops
February 19th, 2010
10:41 pm
Get Marvin out of there!
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
10:42 pm
like i said… dude just gets a check for being tall… his brother is decent but he is garbage.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
10:42 pm
Finally Crawford wakes up. That was a great shot.
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
10:42 pm
Hopefully that AND1 basket can get Jamal going…
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:42 pm
Holy crap, man. Is there a guard on the Hawks roster not named JJ who can do something besides go 1 for 6???
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
10:43 pm
Jamal should have shot that…
Astro Joe
February 19th, 2010
10:43 pm
So is it our outstanding switching defense or great on-ball defense by Bibby and Joe that has Nash and J-Rich a combined 3-13 tonight?
Never mind.
BONE
February 19th, 2010
10:43 pm
Uh oh
niremetal
February 19th, 2010
10:43 pm
11 players have played tonight. The 1 who hasn’t…
Jeff Teague. Surprise, surprise.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
10:44 pm
bigdave ,
Not to belabor the point, but being tall seems to be helping him against us. 12 and 7 isn’t too shabby. I’m not endorsing him as a great or even good center, though.