Johnson back in lineup for Friday
Hawks guard Joe Johnson will return to the lineup Friday night after missing the past three games with a sprained right thumb.
Johnson practiced with the team Friday morning at the team’s shootaround at Philips Arena in preparation for the game against Toronto. His thumb was heavily taped.
“It’s alright,” Johnson said of his thumb, which he injured last week in the team’s win over the Los Angeles Lakers. “It’s not where I really want it to be. It’s still sore, but that soreness is going to be there for quite some time. Just trying to help the team reach one of our goals, that’s trying to solidify the third spot.”
With four games remaining, the Hawks are tied with Boston for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference at 49-29. The Hawks need to finish ahead of the Celtics in order to take the third spot, as Boston owns the tiebreaker by virtue of being a division champion.
Without Johnson in the lineup, the Hawks went 1-2, beating Detroit last Saturday to run their home winning streak to 10, but then losing to Charlotte Tuesday and Detroit Wednesday, which ran their road losing streak to six games.
Coach Mike Woodson also said that backup center Jason Collins will miss the remainder of the regular season as a result of a foot injury sustained before Wednesday’s game at Detroit.
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317 comments Add your comment
northcyde
April 9th, 2010
9:17 pm
Evans got bailed out
VenomSpitter
April 9th, 2010
9:17 pm
The Rock: Coach Woodson, how u doin. Why do u think your offense looked so terrible in the 1st qtr?
Coach Woodson: Well I think-
The Rock: IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT U THINK U POTATO HEADED JABRONI. IF U SMELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL WHAT THE ROCK…. IS COOKIN’
drmaryb
April 9th, 2010
9:17 pm
Marvin reminds me of “HINDU – Henderson”. Only plays well in a contract year.
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:18 pm
Same ol’ posts. This gets old.
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:19 pm
VenomSpitter ,
You on commercial break? Come on dude….
northcyde
April 9th, 2010
9:19 pm
Sybil . . . the difference is that JJ WILL PASS THE BALL.
Crawford 0 – 3 so far in 2 minutes . . . all he needs to do is play within himself, and everything will be OK.
Melvin
April 9th, 2010
9:19 pm
Calderon is killing the switching def….
VenomSpitter
April 9th, 2010
9:19 pm
Big Ray i’m only posting the same thing becuz I’m tryin to get send a message to a particular poster lol
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:19 pm
You posted that so many times I thought my computer screen wasn’t refreshing…
J.J.M.
April 9th, 2010
9:20 pm
lol josh had enough
VenomSpitter
April 9th, 2010
9:20 pm
I’m stop now. If U SMELLLLLLLL WHAT THE ROCK…. IS COOKIN’ LOL
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:20 pm
VenomSpitter ,
I think he’s ignoring you. Just a hunch…
Melvin
April 9th, 2010
9:22 pm
Crawford should have stayed on the court during halftime….
northcyde
April 9th, 2010
9:22 pm
Damn Mario . . . you didn’t have to hurt the dude.
Blast
April 9th, 2010
9:22 pm
What Josh did on that last block, he didn’t go for the block, but defended the basket, so when the ball came, he just swiped it out.
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:24 pm
Love it when Josh is on his game defensively, which is most of the time actually.
But I really love it when he’s really into defending the rim.
drmaryb
April 9th, 2010
9:25 pm
4th Quarter Blues? I HOPE not!!!
50 WINS! Let’s GO!
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:26 pm
I hope we continue to play well enough to keep Joe on the bench. I’m all for letting him rest and not re-injure that thumb.
northcyde
April 9th, 2010
9:26 pm
(( holding up 4 fingers like they do in football ))
I wonder if the team breaks out into cold sweats when the 4th quarter comes around?
Sybil's bane
April 9th, 2010
9:27 pm
Joe passes after he misses five or six shots.
VenomSpitter
April 9th, 2010
9:27 pm
It’s the 4th qtr will the hawks choke again or what?
Blast
April 9th, 2010
9:28 pm
Even if Celts are trying to tank it up so as not to meet Miami in the first, if Heat lose tonight, then they gonna fall to the 6th spot, with Bucks idle. If Hawks win and Celts lose, Celtics will still be in line to face Miami in the 1st round. So, makes no sense trying to tank it up.
Ree Roe
April 9th, 2010
9:28 pm
Here comes the inevitable 4th Q collapse…Go Hawks :-/
-REEgurgitate for Roe!!!
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:29 pm
WTF….man, Joe is not even in the damn game. I am not about to complain about 10 points and 4 assists in 15+ minutes. Take that ish somewhere else.
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:29 pm
As I say that, Joe hits one.
STFU
drmaryb
April 9th, 2010
9:29 pm
I LOVE this line-up HERE!
Blast
April 9th, 2010
9:29 pm
Look at Hawks sharing the ball! Even Joe!
J.J.M.
April 9th, 2010
9:29 pm
lmao@the fan in the red shirt
northcyde
April 9th, 2010
9:30 pm
Great work by Horford in that sequence. 2 assists and an offensive rebound.
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:30 pm
And gets another dime.
STFU
vava74
April 9th, 2010
9:30 pm
it’s curious that Belinelli is not playing. he is usually very effective from 3 against us due to the switches and poor perimeter defense…
northcyde
April 9th, 2010
9:30 pm
Hawks 19 assists on the night
- JJ with 5
- Horford with 4
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:31 pm
Those waiting on a 4th quarter collapse might be shedding a tear in their beer. So sorry to disappoint you so far.
Ree Roe
April 9th, 2010
9:31 pm
@ Blast, MIL is at Philly tonite.
5. MIL
6. MIA
We might STILL see the Heat yall
-gREEt Roe!!!
northcyde
April 9th, 2010
9:33 pm
LOL @ Raps broadcast giving a shout out to Billy Knight for helping construct the Hawks
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:33 pm
Good to see Big Al showing up finally.
How about our free throw shooting tonight?
Sybil's bane
April 9th, 2010
9:34 pm
Nobody ask you RAY. You and Roe are retards.
northcyde
April 9th, 2010
9:35 pm
Great pass off the pick and roll by JJ to Zaza. Zaza was ready for the ball and shot it in rhythm.
7 assists for the guy who doesn’t pass the ball.
northcyde
April 9th, 2010
9:37 pm
Funny how the comments dwindle here, as we keep playing well in this game. I think people be wanting the Hawks to lose sometimes, so that they can complain.
drmaryb
April 9th, 2010
9:37 pm
TOP-GUN
“JOE – you COMPETE your teammates!”
Joe makes his teammates BETTER!
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:38 pm
I don’t miss Billy Knight. I’ll leave it at that.
Sybil ,
Never said anyone did. It’s a blog. Freedom of speech. Get over it, kid. Retard….well, that was an intelligent response. Don’t miss your curfew.
Uh….who was it predicting that late game collapse?
Zaza and Mo Evans have been good off the bench. Our bench isn’t that bad, it’s just not that deep.
terrell
April 9th, 2010
9:39 pm
Who in the hell is Jameer Johnson? Lmao at Dominique!
VenomSpitter
April 9th, 2010
9:39 pm
northcyde are u dumb or something?
northcyde
April 9th, 2010
9:39 pm
A lot less Bibby this game . . .although I think Woody is about to put him back in.
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:40 pm
Northcyde ,
It’s the same reason why people like Soap Operas. Negative based drama. Notice how when we’re winning, they’ll wait for a Hawks player to make a bad play so they can comment. It’s only certain ones, though.
As for JJ…well, nothing like hard facts to ruin a person’s argument. Seems to me like he’s playing it like he should tonight.
VenomSpitter
April 9th, 2010
9:40 pm
LOL @ northcyde being so happy that the hawks beat a crappy team without there best player at home. Like thats some major accomplishment.
LMAO
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:40 pm
…..ding…
VenomSpitter
April 9th, 2010
9:41 pm
well I should say “are beating” not “beat” the games not over.
Big Ray
April 9th, 2010
9:41 pm
The thing I don’t like is that we’re letting Amir Johnson, Andrea Bargnani, and Sonny freakin’ Weems tee off on us. WTF…
Blast
April 9th, 2010
9:42 pm
Hawks are home. Have to tighten things up!