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
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
February 19th, 2010
11:14 pm
It seems like this team loses focus way too much in the 4th quarter when crunch time comes around, especially if things arent going right from the jump. They start looking discombobulated and just start firing tough jumpers. With no real offensive sets, I guess we’ just have to hope these shots fall. There’s no kind of structure out there. It looks like random guys hoopin at a local neighborhood gym on offense.
Ole Hawk's Fan
February 19th, 2010
11:14 pm
Two top plays out of this game on Sport Center tonight………………..and weak drive to the basket by BIBBY!
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
11:15 pm
Bob Rathbun makes mention that Nash still isn’t in the game. ‘Nique notes that Nash hasn’t played well, and Dragic has been allowed to stay in the game, probably because of that.
What kind of coach does these things? Heh…
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
11:15 pm
late being the key word Bob…
Melvin
February 19th, 2010
11:15 pm
Untimely turn over by Josh…
richbrave
February 19th, 2010
11:15 pm
buick59
February 19th, 2010
11:09 pm
fun to watch a team that knows how to run an offense. Hawks are lazy bunch of hot dogs. Hot dogs don’t win championships. Going nowhere
Well, that was certainly true in D.C.
Astro Joe
February 19th, 2010
11:15 pm
“At least he was trying to make something happen…”
niremetal
February 19th, 2010
11:15 pm
Yeah, no one saw that one coming.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
11:16 pm
Bob Rathbun and Dominique Wilkins keep wondering how the Suns are pulling away without Nash and Amare on the floor. The answer is easy — they are winning on effort and smarts, not on skill. Rebounding and turnovers (like that last atrocity by Josh Smith) have absolutely killed the Hawks in this game. Dragic, Dudley, Amundson, etc. are the ones winning this game for the Suns.
On a day the Magic lost, for the Hawks to crash and burn like this in a very winnable game is just pathetic.
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
11:16 pm
no seriously i dont use tired as an excuse…
but heavy mins.. a short bench.. against the up and down Suns… had a nice rotation going early… what happened?
falcons pick spoon
February 19th, 2010
11:16 pm
i swear josh has been everything we asked for plus more but someone must tell him he’s not a point guard
niremetal
February 19th, 2010
11:17 pm
Najeh,
I didn’t even notice that the first time, but that Yahoo box score image is funny as hell.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
11:17 pm
Looks like the Suns are going to win this one going away, with the world’s best point guard playing badly, his rookie backup getting big minutes, and us getting pounded on the boards.
Josh and Joe are the only Hawks playing decently. Joe Smith is sentenced to the bench for the remainder of the game for playing well in the first half while Al Horford continues to struggle.
Lost opportunity, and no Jamal to save us this time. Shame….
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
11:17 pm
lol… at the series of looks on Woodsons face…
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
11:18 pm
boy that Josh Smith… a smart ass!
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
11:18 pm
falcons pick spoon ,
I agree. But what’s our point guard doing? Oh, that’s right. Matching each assist with a turnover….
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
11:19 pm
airball 3.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
11:19 pm
‘Nique says, “That may be it.”
Is ‘Nique watching the game, or is he watching the play delay tape on a laptop?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
11:20 pm
“prediction: they will lose 1st round either to Raptors or Bulls.”
No, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bobcats pulled a 4-5 upset if the seeds shook out that way.
That’s why these games are so important. Losing winnable games costs you seeding. If the Hawks end up losing the division by 1 game and end up either getting upset in Round 1 or drawing the Cavs in Round 2, they can look back on games like this and blame themselves.
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
11:20 pm
we so concerned w/ switching by the time a shot is put up, we cant find a man to box out…
Dan
February 19th, 2010
11:20 pm
Is Josh Smith Stupid or just simply retarded?
Ole Hawk's Fan
February 19th, 2010
11:21 pm
Marvin your teamates are in red uniforms similar to your……………….DAMN!
Blast
February 19th, 2010
11:21 pm
Ballgame. Hawks never got the bounce of the ball!!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
11:22 pm
You gotta be kidding. The karma from that terrible game the Hawks played and pulled out in the end on Crawford’s buzzer beater is coming back to bite the Hawks in the azz. This 4th quarter looks like one of those games in the Madden video games where the computer decides it’s going to win the game and you can’t do anything to stop it.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
11:22 pm
As I watch Al Horford brick more free throws….I wonder…
What did Jeff Teague learn tonight?
Dan
February 19th, 2010
11:22 pm
I take that back the retarded one is clearly Marvin Williams!!!!
tjhook
February 19th, 2010
11:23 pm
Newsflash: Larry Hughes may be brought out of his contract to become a free agent. Who believes he could be a great addition to the Hawks? I think he could take the role as a replacement for both guard slots, even allowing Joe to slide to the three position. I also think he played with Jamal in the past. Someone help me on this. But who’s for starting a movement to bring him in if he is let go by the Kings?
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
11:23 pm
i mean looking at it… on the defensive glass we have 2 guys down low to their 3…
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
11:23 pm
LOL…. Najeh that’s both funny and sick/sad at the same time. Good one…
Night y’all….
niremetal
February 19th, 2010
11:23 pm
We got outrebounded 50-36, and the Suns got 15 offensive rebounds. Ballgame was lost there.
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
11:24 pm
Nire ,
I believe it’s possible to be both…
Big Ray
February 19th, 2010
11:24 pm
We got outrebounded 50-36, and the Suns got 15 offensive rebounds. Ballgame was lost there.
Amen….
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
11:24 pm
“Larry Hughes may be brought out of his contract to become a free agent. Who believes he could be a great addition to the Hawks? ”
I would like to direct you to the following website:
http://heylarryhughespleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com/
Sid
February 19th, 2010
11:25 pm
There have been enough dumb plays in the 4th to cover the rest of the season.
talk about self checking …..wow
niremetal
February 19th, 2010
11:25 pm
Oh, and the only player on our team with more assists than turnovers tonight was Zaza.
Dan
February 19th, 2010
11:25 pm
Hawks close to 30 points total in the second half sums it up!
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
11:26 pm
what you dont know is miss lady in the back is texting me…
BosnianBaller
February 19th, 2010
11:26 pm
how does marvin get paid 7 mil per?
darrell starks
February 19th, 2010
11:26 pm
People always ask why dont woody get and exstiontion, first of all he 2 inconsistent as a coach and he look crazy over there with no eyebrows.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
February 19th, 2010
11:26 pm
This is what kills me about the Hawks. Of course you’re going to lose sometimes, but it’s one thing to lose a game in which you didnt really play all that poorly, but the other team just simply out executed you…and it’s another thing to just look so completely lost and lacking effort. A .500 team shouldnt look like that often, let alone one fighting for a division.
The only thing that looks great in these 4th quarter meltdowns is that Crawford displays that he has the rocks and ability to knockdown key, momentum changing shots MUCH more efficiently than anyone else on the team.
iREPATL
February 19th, 2010
11:27 pm
MARVIN SUCKS, COMING FROM A FORMER MARVIN SUPPORTER…I HAVE HIS JERSEY…..NOW I MAY BURN IT
sam'l
February 19th, 2010
11:27 pm
Enter your comments here
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
11:28 pm
Boston leads Portland by 13. A Celtics win leaves Atlanta in sole possession of 4th place.
Astro Joe
February 19th, 2010
11:28 pm
Najeh, if Woody is on a one year contract and doesn’t play the rookie whom his boss drafted and is holding him down for no other reason than stubbornness, then Woody is requesting that his boss not renew his contract in a few months. That’s my theory. It is borne out of “self-preservation” and a belief that Sund and his assistants have a view into what happens at practice. Naturally, I could be wrong. But given the history of the other guards who have come and gone, I am willing to stand by my theory.
The notion that all plants grow at the same rate with the same amount of water and sun is wrong. Maybe Teague needs to learn some basic basketball skills in practice first. Heaven knows, that was true of Josh Smith, but we didn’t have the luxury of having him sit. So instead, he took shots that he had less than a 30% chance of hitting and we endured it all. We read articles this year where he admits that he had no concept of time and situation in his first few years in the league and yet he was on the court. Learning? Sure, but we had nothing to lose at the time and no depth to provide a different option. I’m thrilled that we now have enough depth that we can nurture a guy at practice without rewarding him for bad habits demonstrated at practice.
I don’t disagree that we need better PG play, I just don’t make that statement and assume that Teague is the answer. Given Woody’s contract situation, I’m guessing he isn’t close to providing an upgrade.
We thought similar things about Acie’s development last season and Sund made his choice and Acie has now been traded twice since leaving Atlanta and is well on his way to being Kevin Ollie. Sometimes the guys who have access to the goings-on at practice know more than we do.
bigdave
February 19th, 2010
11:28 pm
iREP…
need a light?
niremetal
February 19th, 2010
11:29 pm
“What I’m telling you guys is that if you guys will just consistently do what we’re asking you to do on defense, we’ll win games. I don’t give a sh!t about the offense; you guys can score more than enough points to win games. The offense isn’t the problem. But you have to get stops on defense, and if you’ll listen to what we’re telling you, I promise you’ll get stops.
Well Woody, we got the stops. We held the Suns – the league’s most efficient offense – to 88 points.
Too bad we didn’t score or rebound.
iREPATL
February 19th, 2010
11:29 pm
@DAVE
APPRECIATE IT
****JERSEY BURNS N BACKGROUND***
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2010
11:30 pm
“This is what kills me about the Hawks. Of course you’re going to lose sometimes, but it’s one thing to lose a game in which you didnt really play all that poorly, but the other team just simply out executed you…and it’s another thing to just look so completely lost and lacking effort. A .500 team shouldnt look like that often, let alone one fighting for a division.”
Co-freaking-sign. Games like this are why I laugh when I see blog posts like the one a few days ago asking whether the Hawks are legit contenders now. Hell freaking no they are not, and it has nothing to do with personnel and everything to do with mentality.
Ole Hawk's Fan
February 19th, 2010
11:30 pm
Bob Rathburn said only Woody played 6 payers……………………….Suns played 10. That’s Da Coach Decision…………………WTF? But in defense of Woody……………….why in Da Hell Is Jason Collins on this TEAM. I see why he has a lot of DNP! Where is the kid from Augusta State? Plus he would be cheaper. B RING HIM BACK AND RELEASE COLLINS!
darrell starks
February 19th, 2010
11:31 pm
How in the h you expect 2 win with a 6 man rotation in the second half, and your bench played well in the first half woody is A MR POTATOE HEAD.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!