Atlanta Hawks at Nets: The Rook’ (Jeff Teague) gets his shot (updated)
Woody will watch and see if Teague can D up guys better than Frank Robinson. (Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com)
Secaucus, N.J.–Joe Johnson is out tonight. He’s not going to play tomorrow at Toronto, either, and Woody said J.J.’s status is up in the air for Friday’s game against Charlotte at Philips Arena.
The Hawks say J.J. has a strained Achilles’ tendon.
“He’s day-to-day,” Woody said.
Bibby’s back is better and he will start tonight. In a surprise move, Woody plans to go with My Blog People MVP Jeff Teague at point guard and Bibby at shooting guard instead of using Mo Evans to replace Johnson.
It’s Teague’s first start.
“We’ll give it a shot,” Woody said, adding with a smile: “I can always sub early.”
“(Teague) has played with different combinations,” Woody said. “This is no different. He will do what he does best: push the ball, defend, get people involved.”
Teague, low key as always, said he’s ready.
“I’ve been playing basketball my whole life, and I’ve usually started,” he said. “It will be the same as coming off the bench.”
Woody said he made the move because he wants Teague’s quickness against Nets guard Devin Harris. Harris might miss the game due to illness but presumably Woody would stick with Teague either way.
(Edit: Harris is out with an upper respiratory infection, but Woody said he probably would stick with Teague: “We drafted him for the future, and I’ve got to develop him if I’m here as coach (next year). I think he’s gotten a little bit better but we haven’t seen enough of him. I think I’ll still keep him in there.”)
“He’s quick, so you have to try to keep him out of the lane,” Teague said of Harris. “He can score; we all know that. I’m not going to say I’m going to lock him down or anything like that. I just want to try and contain him.”
The Hawks will be much smaller in the backcourt without J.J. (6-7). Teague and Bibby are both listed at 6-2. Harris is 6-3 and Nets shooting guard Courtney Lee (a ‘Naptown Pike High product like Teague) is 6-5. The Nets can also bring 6-7 Chris Douglas-Roberts and 6-6 rookie Terrence Williams (Go Cards) off the bench at guard.
Teague, the 19th overall pick out of Wake Forest, said he’s matured through the season.
“Most definitely,” he said. “At the beginning of the season I wasn’t comfortable. I was nervous and didn’t want to mess up. I’ve gotten more familiar with the coaches and they’ve gotten more familiar with me.”
I’m not sure if anyone around here has noticed, but Teague’s minutes have been up and down this season.
“Give the rook’ (credit),” Woody said, referring to Teague by the name he almost always uses to address him. “He played well in the exhibitions. It’s not like we forgot about him. We’ll give him a shot.”
– Does this game worry you at all? Hawks TV voice Bob Rathbun notes that strange things happen when the Hawks play here. They’ve lost their last five at the arena with its latest name as the Izod Center but that still is dark, dank and–after the circus just left town–stank.
“Interesting venue,” Teague said. “Older than I expected.”
The Nets are set to move to the Prudential Center in Newark next season. Coincidentally, Woody played for the Nets when they opened what was then called Brendan Byrne Arena in 1981. Larry Brown was the coach.
This Nets team is worst than any of those that beat the Hawks the last five times here. They are threatening to be historically bad, on pace to tie the 1972-73 76ers for worst record in league history at 9-73.
Obviously the Nets want no part of that, so maybe that helps to explain why they showed signs of life in recent road losses to Memphis, Dallas, Oklahoma City and Houston.
“They are playing harder,” Woody said. “In their last outing (at Houston) they were very competitive and I don’t expect anything different tonight.”
Clearly missing Harris would be a major blow to New Jersey’s efforts to beat the Hawks. But, as Rathbun says, strange things happen to the Hawks in Jersey.
– Talk amongst yourselves, Hawks fans.
MC
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278 comments Add your comment
J.J.M.
March 16th, 2010
8:16 pm
I graduate from devry this summer if the hawks lose against the nest im dropping out
VenomSpitter
March 16th, 2010
8:17 pm
See folks this is what happens when u rely on ISO Joe all the damn time.
killa
March 16th, 2010
8:18 pm
are the hawks nervous?
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 16th, 2010
8:18 pm
nice touch by the old man
Nite Owl
March 16th, 2010
8:19 pm
Iso Horford works.
Iso Ho?
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 16th, 2010
8:21 pm
Jarvis Hayes…amazingly UGA hasnt even been good since he was there.
killa
March 16th, 2010
8:21 pm
Boone putting D on Josh Smith
Blast
March 16th, 2010
8:22 pm
Spurs putting the beatdown on Heat as we type.
KevinA
March 16th, 2010
8:23 pm
2-12 for Jamal and Josh? – mercy
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 16th, 2010
8:25 pm
Smoove still needs to work on his offensive moves
killa
March 16th, 2010
8:26 pm
6th man of the year time
VenomSpitter
March 16th, 2010
8:27 pm
I knew we weren’t gonna see teague back in the game. Well JT it’s over LOL
Blast
March 16th, 2010
8:27 pm
What did I say?
Jamal has to find his shot!
killa
March 16th, 2010
8:27 pm
yea Smoove does need to work on the moves a little bit
Blast
March 16th, 2010
8:27 pm
Teague has two fouls. I expect him to start the 3rd with Bibby.
Sleepy
March 16th, 2010
8:28 pm
Jamal realized he was in New jersey and decided to get this game over with
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 16th, 2010
8:28 pm
lmao Smoove embarrassed Hayes
O'Brien
March 16th, 2010
8:28 pm
I feel bad for Teague, because this was his chance to get some extended minutes. However, he has to do a better job of not picking up 2 fouls in 6 minutes.
Crawford with 3 quick buckets.
Listen out for the “heat check” next time he misses.
Wabe
March 16th, 2010
8:29 pm
JT0 will start the 2nd half, but I’m honestly expecting the same type of minutes total he clocked in this 1st half. I know he picked up 2 quick fouls, but he could’ve been back out on the court right now if Woody wanted him out there.
It’s all good though, because we seem to be seizing control of this game right now. Maybe JT0 will get additional minutes in the 2nd half if the game is in control.
VenomSpitter
March 16th, 2010
8:29 pm
Now we need to smash this team into the ground
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 16th, 2010
8:33 pm
nice things happen when you move the ball effectively? Wow amazing revelation.
VenomSpitter
March 16th, 2010
8:35 pm
Now we’re rolling! NOW WE’RE ROLLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Blast
March 16th, 2010
8:37 pm
Just not sure why y’all beating yourselves over about Jeff. Maybe the Acie and Salim experiments still giving y’all nightmares. Personally, I think Woody is bringing him up the right way. He is a rookie, people, without a reliable jump shot yet! I believe he will be special, but he won’t get too much time this year. He is playing behind vets that have proven themselves in this league! His time will come!
Having said that, I expect him to get some serious minutes in the 2nd half of this game, so long as he stays out of foul trouble..
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 16th, 2010
8:37 pm
lets get Crawford 50 tonight lmfao
VenomSpitter
March 16th, 2010
8:37 pm
Ohhh Jamal Hopefully he keeps it goin
J.J.M.
March 16th, 2010
8:37 pm
on fire
VenomSpitter
March 16th, 2010
8:38 pm
technology fail LMAO
Sleepy
March 16th, 2010
8:38 pm
lol jamal is a BEAST
O'Brien
March 16th, 2010
8:39 pm
Crawford ended the second quarter on fire. Too bad the quarter had to come to an end, because he might cool off during half time.
Blast
March 16th, 2010
8:39 pm
What else can you say about Jamal? Did he find his shot or what?
Blast
March 16th, 2010
8:41 pm
O’Brien,
Believe you me. Once Jamal gets it going, he doesn’t cool off until the game ends.
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 16th, 2010
8:41 pm
ISO Crawford > ISO Joe
killa
March 16th, 2010
8:41 pm
nimbers! for Jamal
sam'l
March 16th, 2010
8:43 pm
“Lord knows many people will be looking for him to fail, all for the purpose of winning arguments that don’t even matter, or just a chance to bash the kid while supporting the coach.”
For a man of fact, you is whacked out. First off, the Lord (if there is such a thing) doesn’t give a hoot about the Atlanta Hawks. Second, if you ever read people’s entries, most people around here want the Hawks to win. We don’t care HOW they win as long as they don’t cheat or injure someone or go into the stands after us. Most people are hoping that Teague will be able to handle his opportunity against the lowly Nets so the Hawks will win. So, NO, completely wrong that “Lord knows many people will be looking for him to fail, all for the purpose of winning arguments that don’t even matter.” As for bashing the kid while supporting the coach, none of the more than 1500 blog entries I have read support this view. The COACH is being bashed and rightfully so….he can’t think on his feet or the Hawks would be at Cleveland’s heels with about 7 more victories and 2 more Cleveland defeats.. The prevailing feeling is the COACH deserves bashing because he doesn’t develop subs and therefore leaves the team vulnerable when subs are needed as in injuries, fast paced games where people tire out, and back to backs where people tire out. TEAGUE will get bashed when he throws the ball away, can’t direct the team or especially if he does something that costs the Hawks a game. So “bashing the kid while supporting the coach,” in addition to misreading the mood of the populace and being a totally uninteresting concept that means nothing to anyone….is just annoyingly wrong. .
Sautee
March 16th, 2010
8:52 pm
sam’l,
He was talking about truth-serum, who bashes Teague while ardently defending Woody.
I’m surprised you missed that. Lots of posts in the last couple of days.
Big Ray
March 16th, 2010
8:54 pm
Real center vs. Fake center watch:
Real center (Lopez)- 10 points, 2 rebounds
Fake center (Horford)- 9 points, 8 rebounds
cp
March 16th, 2010
8:54 pm
Teague looked a little nervous. Hopefully he calms down for the second half. Crawford and Bibby looked good out there. Marvin was solid. And why did we sign Mario West? He brings nothing to the table. Did the Hawks really prefer Mario over Stackhouse?
northcyde
March 16th, 2010
8:56 pm
The sad thing is that no one will say that Woody did the right thing by NOT putting Teague back into the game. This team was dreadful for about 20 minutes in that half, but the best lineup we could put out there tonight, got the job done. Now we have a comfortable lead.
Coach won’t get credit for putting the obvious best lineup in to secure the game though.
As for Teague, I hope he plays better in the 2nd half. If not, it is what it is.
VenomSpitter
March 16th, 2010
8:57 pm
Dumb foul Teague.
O'Brien
March 16th, 2010
8:57 pm
Teague. What was that? You got to do better than that if you want more PT.
VenomSpitter
March 16th, 2010
8:59 pm
See Marvin plays better when Joe is not their.
HawksFan11
March 16th, 2010
8:59 pm
CP
Yes, he was cheaper
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 16th, 2010
9:00 pm
lmfao…nets are garbage..i feel sorry for their fans forreal
VenomSpitter
March 16th, 2010
9:00 pm
Man Teague is ruined. Sorry but he just is bamboozled out there. Time to look 4 another PG.
HawksFan11
March 16th, 2010
9:00 pm
Okay I’m convinced; JT = AC
VenomSpitter
March 16th, 2010
9:02 pm
Why is it this team can’t draft a decent PG?????????????????
Sautee
March 16th, 2010
9:03 pm
Excuse me northcyde, but didn’t YOU just say it?
Why don’t you just set the example for how we should all be blogging instead of complaining that you don’t see the posts you THINK you should?
HawksFan11
March 16th, 2010
9:03 pm
That boy is just pitiful
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 16th, 2010
9:04 pm
I’m still gonna roll with “Teague just needs confidence”
Big Ray
March 16th, 2010
9:04 pm
sam’l ,
First, the blog does not represent all Hawks fans. I’ve heard people in Phillips Arena and on other blogs talk down about Teague.
Second, I never said that many people on this blog want Teague to fail. There are some that do, some that don’t, and some that don’t care much either way.
Yes, most of us want the Hawks to win. I don’t know how often you’re on here, but there are some who complain regularly about the Hawks and say the team sucks, win or lose. Those people tend to overlook every win that isn’t against the Cavs or Magic.
Third, I don’t know what your problem with me is lately.
Fourth, I seriously doubt you’ve read and reviewed all 1500 blog entries, much less the last 1500. If you had, then you’d have known that the comments I made to Grandad a day or two ago were nothing but pure humorous sarcasm. And, you would know precisely how I feel about Mike Woodson, an opinion that has been well documented both here and on the fan blog.
Fifth, READ what I’m saying. Stop interpreting what’s not there. Did I say “many people HERE will want Teague to fail, while also supporting the coach?” No, I did NOT. I’ve been blogging here for the last 4-5 years, since Sekou Smith was here. I know what the “general populace” has been saying.
I don’t have beef with you, don’t understand why you have issues with me, other than to misunderstand some of the things I’ve written. What I find interesting is that others aren’t having the same problem…hmmmm…