Hawks 90, Bobcats 85
Greetings, all
Ken Sugiura sitting in for MC again. Michael stayed up in the northeast rather than bounce back down here for one game. He’ll be back with the team Sunday for the much-anticipated tilt with the Nets. Hmm, Sunday game at 1 p.m. I wonder if anything else will be on TV at that time?
The story, obviously, was the return of your favorite four-time All-Star. Joe Johnson surprised everyone when he showed up to the arena and wanted to give it a go. In recent days, Johnson had been working out and shooting on his own and was not feeling pain, which was encouraging to Larry Drew. Still, he wasn’t anticipating this quick a recovery.
Actually, the Hawks had their walkthrough before the game Friday without him. But he was shooting 3-pointers without pain, and he shot so well against assistant coach Nick Van Exel Thursday that he joked about getting on a plane to play in Boston. When he told Marvin Williams before the game Friday that he wanted to suit up, Williams didn’t believe him.
You can say what you want about him, but it was fairly clear to me talking to him and others how much he means to this team. He sounded very sincere in his desire to get back to the court as quickly as he could, and teammates like Williams and Mike Bibby sounded very glad to have him back, not just in a way they’d be glad to have any teammate back, but to have their leader return.
“That was another main factor why I wanted to come back,” Johnson said of the team’s recent downturn, “to help these guys. We’re all we’ve got in this room.”
I don’t anticipate a relapse on the injury. He got banged around a bit and held up fine.
- Which brings us to Jamal Crawford, who sat out his second game in a row with a back injury. Drew said he was told it was a disc problem, Crawford said it was spasms. He said his back locked up against Detroit and he tried to play through it without success.
He said it was feeling better and that he anticipated getting back against New Jersey or Orlando at the latest. Obviously, though, a back injury is not to be trifled with and something that can often get re-aggravated. Hopefully, some rest will be helpful for Crawford. The Hawks have some testy matchups coming up — Orlando on Monday, at New Orleans Dec. 26, at Oklahoma City New Year’s Eve — and it wouldn’t hurt for them to be at full strength.
- One positive the Hawks got out of Crawford being sidelined, though, was the play of Jeff Teague. I think MC might have covered this after the Boston game, but Teague said that with both Crawford and Johnson out against Boston, he felt responsible to pick up his game and play aggressively. I’m planning to cover this in a story for Monday’s paper.
He kept at it tonight with a real strong finish in the third quarter. I was watching him fairly closely, and I think this is a fairly accurate rundown of the possessions.
- Screen from Al Horford, finds Josh Powell alone under the basket, who gets fouled.
- Drives the lane, fouled by Derek Brown. Same possession, pick and pop with Horford, who hits from the free-throw line.
- Screen from Horford, Teague hits from free-throw line.
- On Charlotte’s ensuing possession, stays in front of shaking-and-baking D.J. Augustin, preventing him from driving. Augustin passes off to Tyrus Thomas, who chucks up a 3-point attempt airball as Charlotte has a 24-second violation.
- On final possession of the quarter, gets inbounds pass, dribbles upcourt, goes behind the back and pulls up for a buzzer-beating jumper over Augustin.
And then in the fourth quarter, he had that ridiculous block against the glass of Derrick Brown. He was in for 15 minutes total. I’m going to guess his 40 minutes back-to-back might be a career-best for him with the exception of games he’s started and then final regular-season game against Cleveland last year.
- Some numbers: Charlotte’s 18 offensive rebounds were the most against the Hawks this year, but the Bobcats only had nine second-chance points. Hawks had 27 fast-break points. Hawks went to the line just 13 times, fewest in the past six games.
Zaza Pachulia had a two-minute stint early after Horford got in foul trouble, got his own two quick whistles and didn’t go back in. All the Hawks starters were in double figures. Former Hawk Boris Diaw had 22 points, almost double his season average. Looks like he’s put on a little weight.
Hawks never trailed. Hawks took 25 3-pointers, the second-highest total of the season, making only six. Josh Smith, Mo Evans and Johnson were a combined 1-for-12. Hawks had eight blocks, one below season best. Teague had two, Smith and Horford had three.
- This isn’t exactly new territory, but it’s hard to believe Kwame Brown was once a No. 1 overall pick. I talked with someone within the past year who knew Brown in high school – I forget who but I’m not making it up – and he said basically that Brown just never was that into basketball. I imagine that can be something of a disadvantage in the pursuit of a professional basketball career.
I was looking at his Wikipedia page. Did you know about the incident in which he allegedly threw a cake at someone? Kind of funny, though strange. Rather interesting that Michael Jordan would sign him again after drafting him in Washington, and also that Brown wanted to go to Jordan’s team, although perhaps the options weren’t many. That’d be like if Billy Knight got a job somewhere and signed Shelden Williams.
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360 comments Add your comment
Sautee
December 18th, 2010
5:43 pm
Ramon,
I’d do that Houston trade in a heartbeat, but they never would.
YoDaddy
December 18th, 2010
5:45 pm
Danilo Galinari for Josh Childress Trade Exception
Sautee
December 18th, 2010
5:47 pm
Geez, it’s officially silly season.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 18th, 2010
5:48 pm
Am I the only one who doesn’t think this trade is going to improve Orlando? As far as I can see, they just traded away their 2nd and 3rd best defensive players, now have to play Brandon Bass at center any time Dwight Howard exits the game, and now have a surplus of perimeter ball hogs known for poor shot selection who are going to keep the ball out of Dwight’s hands. How exactly does this improve them again?
YoDaddy
December 18th, 2010
5:49 pm
Mike Bibby for Kevin Love
then Kevin Love & Jamal Crawford for Carmelo
Najeh Davenpoop
December 18th, 2010
5:52 pm
That’s not to say the Hawks shouldn’t be trying to make moves of their own. I just don’t see how adding a bunch of redundant, ball-dominating perimeter players, none of whom is known for defense, is going to help their team. To me they now look like the Eastern Conference version of the Suns from a few years ago, with Dwight playing a defensively better but offensively worse version of Amare, Jameer Nelson being a very poor man’s Nash, Arenas playing the role of Barbosa, and J-Rich and Turkoglu attempting to fill the roles of the Phoenix swingmen from a few years ago. And needless to say, Phoenix never made the finals.
Obviously they are still better than the Hawks as long as they have Dwight, but I have a hard time seeing how this puts them ahead of Boston.
YoDaddy
December 18th, 2010
5:52 pm
Mike Bibby & JR Smith to Minnesota
Carmelo to Atlanta
Jamal Crawford & Kevin Love to Denver
Grandad
December 18th, 2010
5:57 pm
Mary Ellen;
I couldn’t agree more.
As I said yesterday,
“an organization must present a culture of winning”.
Don’t wait until the deadline wishing for a bargain.
Sure @ the d-line we may be able to move Mo for Les.
However, right now these teams are looking to jettison
players and/or contracts:
Portland…..Camby
Memphis…..Mayo, Thabeet, Z.Randolph
PHX…..Nash
Denver…..Melo?
Sac-Kings…..Thompson
Dallas…..Haywood
Minnesota…..interestingly wishing a Josh Smith for K.Love trade
Charlotte…..All their trash – players that have quit !
Cleveland…..Varejao *[and perhaps Daniel Gibson]
Indy…..All but their young core (my oh my, where have we heard that)
Houston….Battier, Brooks, Battier, Jeffries, Battier, Yao, & Battier
Sautee
December 18th, 2010
5:59 pm
And I guess Otis Smith didn’t like the “core” of the Magic.
Too bad Mike Gearon, Jr. has a hard on for ours.
Ramon
December 18th, 2010
5:59 pm
Sautee, Houston will do that deal because they get a big, who’s durable. They also get over 13 million in expiring contract with Crawford and Mo. Throw and a First to make it stick. Or a 1st in 2011, and a 2nd in 2012.
YoDaddy
December 18th, 2010
5:59 pm
@Najeh
Phoenix has been dangerously close to making the Finals for a few years so I’d take ARENAS & Howard combination any day of the week. They will be scoring in bunches and from every position. Jason Richardson is a beast,…Orlando just got a steal if you ask me.
And you give up Rashard Lewis on top of all that? WOW…..now the Hawks have to make a move to stay competitive…it’s a must…that’s why I keep posting all these crazy trades because if ARENAS contract can be moved then there’s no telling what GM’s will do. And it’s widely accepted that RAshard Lewis has the worst contract maybe ever.
Vince Carter’s bad contract and he was moved for pieces the Magic can actually use and get value from? Are you kidding me?
Plus they can still wheel and deal because now they must move Jameer Nelson (unless Gilbert will play the 2).
Ramon
December 18th, 2010
6:01 pm
Najeh, I think the trade makes the Magic WORSE.
The scary thing is though the Heat. In January, Miami will be adding a new player with out making a trade. When Mike Miller comes back it will be just as they traded. And Miller will be in the end of games instead Arroyo. Miller is a great rebounder for his position and his shooting is among the best. So everyone will be improving except the Hawks.
Ramon
December 18th, 2010
6:02 pm
YoDaddy, Orlando did good to get Richardson for Vince. but think, how are they going to guard KG or Bosh in the playoffs (or even Boozer for that matter)?
Najeh Davenpoop
December 18th, 2010
6:06 pm
“Phoenix has been dangerously close to making the Finals for a few years so I’d take ARENAS & Howard combination any day of the week. They will be scoring in bunches and from every position. Jason Richardson is a beast,…Orlando just got a steal if you ask me.”
I wouldn’t have a problem with them bringing in those players. The mistake I think they made is giving up Pietrus and Gortat and not finding a replacement defensive specialist or backup center. The only two real big men they have now are Dwight and Bass, and Dwight is the only good defender left on that roster. Who the hell on that team is going to guard LeBron and Wade?
Sautee
December 18th, 2010
6:07 pm
Ramon,
C’mon man, they would give FOUR STARTERS for Jamal and our trash?
I seriously doubt it.
Ramon
December 18th, 2010
6:11 pm
Brooks is injury prone, and they have Lowery who has played excellent in Brooks absence. Zaza would become a starter for them along with Scola. And Bibby is a great option for his old coach. Not to mention when healthy, Mo Evans is a cheaper alternative to Battier. And don’t forget the 13 million in expiring they will get, to go along with the contract of Yao. And draft picks of course.
Ramon
December 18th, 2010
6:12 pm
I didn’t realize Hayes was starting though. Take him out of the deal, and try to make it happen.
Ramon
December 18th, 2010
6:13 pm
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=22ucldn , Sautee adjusted without Hayes.
YoDaddy
December 18th, 2010
6:17 pm
@ Ramon
I forgot they had QRichardson….man they gotta move him…he’s a scrub in my opinion
@ Najeh
They will have no answer for LeBron (but what team does) but Jason Richardson is more than able to guard Wade. Jason Richardson is underrated because Wade will have to guard him off the screens and off the dribble. Jason Richardson can post Wade up and is two inches taller and just as athletic. AND he can shoot the 3 and rebound.
Ryan Anderson is a 4 that can rebound and shoot 3’s. Brandon Bass is a bruiser and can simply beat up Chris Bosh. The Heat have no answer for Dwight Howard…who will guard Dwight?
They may get in foul trouble but that’s the only thing stopping that train. Plus as I said before they still have room to make another deal packaging QRich for somebody ’s tall player.
Ken Strickland
December 18th, 2010
6:17 pm
I just got the following info from HOOPS HYPE.
1-It appears the Blazers acquired about the availability of Jamal Crawford, and was turned down. I wonder if they were turned down because Jamal isn’t available, or because they didn’t offer enough.
2-It seems MEvans is not close to 100%, and is still heavily favoring his surgically repaired knee. It says LDrew is seriously considering giving him some time off to fully recover.
3-JChildress said he wasn’t opposed to returning to the Hawks, but they never one made him an offer. It seems RSund gave him the same treatment Jamal is getting from him now. Regardless of what his situation is in Phoenix, I believe he’d thrive in LDrew’s system. Having him, and an OFF/DEF upgrade at PG, would definitely offset the loss of Jamal and upgrade the Hawks.
I can remember either SAMUEL or ROD FROM CP claiming Orlando would be the team to beat afer acquiring VCarter and signing MBarnes. I made a point about how some people get all excited about what a team acquires in a trade without considering what they gave up. It’s been painfully obvious VCarter and MBarnes couldn’t replace what HTurkolgu brought to the table.
We now see them trying to overcome their mistakes by making trades during the season to try and reacquire him. Making a bunch of trades, like some of you want the Hawks to do, can make your team better. However, making a bunch of trades can also result in doing little more than adding more talent to the roster, or creating a net overall loss, rather than improving the team.
I don’t see these trades making them better, at least not this season. For once I agree with JEJE. We need an upgrade at PG before we even think about anything else. If we can get the performances JTeague has given us the last 2gms on a consistent basis, and bring Bibby off the bench, we’ll become a much better overall team, both offensively and defensively.
Grandad
December 18th, 2010
6:19 pm
This is for BooBoo;
a player can not be traded back to a team he was traded from during
the season [July 1 until June 30] unless player has been waived.
Therefore, Josh Childress cannot be traded back to the Hawks.
Grandad
December 18th, 2010
6:24 pm
Ramon;
on your original trade,
Houston would not do the trade in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 yrs.
The simplest trade;
Marv to Houston
Battier to Hawks
*straight up.
YoDaddy
December 18th, 2010
6:24 pm
@Najeh
Who from the Magic will guard Arenas??
Who will guard Dwight Howard?
Who will guard Turkoglu off the pick and roll?? Chris Bosh no chance he’s as awkward as they come. If they put Joel Anthony out there then it’s time for Howard to eat and he will have a buffet. Z don’t even think about it.
The Heat also have matchup problems
YoDaddy
December 18th, 2010
6:26 pm
I meant from the Heat
Ramon
December 18th, 2010
6:30 pm
Ken S., I think you have it a little off. The Orlando team with Hedo, wouldn’t have beaten the Boston team from last season. The only reason Orlando reached the Finals the season before, was because of the health of Boston, not because they were better than Boston. Without Boston being as dominant as they were last season, Orlando may would’ve been as good as the year before. But don’t forget R. Alston had just as much to do with their making it to the Finals as Hedo.
Sautee
December 18th, 2010
6:30 pm
Ramon,
Houston just refused an offer for Martin from Orlando (for Gortat, who Houston had asked about and others). Why then would they trade him for Zaza and others?
Ramon
December 18th, 2010
6:30 pm
Grandad, you don’t think they’ll do it without Chuck Hayes in the equation?
Ramon
December 18th, 2010
6:34 pm
Sautee, because Crawford is better than anything that Houston had to offer.
Samuel
December 18th, 2010
6:38 pm
Exactly Ramon. Orlando is desperate. They are looking everywhere but where they need to be looking “AT THEIR STYLE OF PLAY”. You’re never gonna win a title jacking up threes and playing no defense. The guys they traded for are more of the same of what they got rid of.
Ramon
December 18th, 2010
6:43 pm
I mean Orlando* had to offer.
How about this,
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=22o8ux5
Houston Gets:
Marvin
Crawford
Zaza
And 1st
Hawks Get:
Lowry
Martin
Battier
Grandad
December 18th, 2010
6:56 pm
Ramon;
I feel like Houston could do better.
*[exp contracts and more salary]
For a legitimate starting [2] guard, a whiz bang pg, and {{Battier}}
For us…..heck yeah !
Daryl Morey would get fired over that one.
slimjr
December 18th, 2010
6:58 pm
Thank you JJMAX for coming back earlier to help the “3 STOOGES” pull out and ugly win last night…”YAWN” FYI, Orlando just jetison Vince(Marvins Cousin) Carter!! Wow. They got Jason Richardson and Turkalou back…..The rich get richer??? Hawks fans just get ready for some more beat downs in this conference…..
jase
December 18th, 2010
6:59 pm
look around you sund its alot going on lets make a move sir.
Geemack
December 18th, 2010
7:01 pm
Ramon
Yes Arenas will have to guard those guys, but they have to guard him on the other end as well. The main thing with theses trades is they get guys who are going to compete. VC & Lewis disappeared against the Celtics last year.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 18th, 2010
7:01 pm
“Who from the Magic will guard Arenas??
Who will guard Dwight Howard?
Who will guard Turkoglu off the pick and roll?? Chris Bosh no chance he’s as awkward as they come. If they put Joel Anthony out there then it’s time for Howard to eat and he will have a buffet. Z don’t even think about it.”
I don’t think they are going to get the ball to Dwight nearly enough for him to cause the matchup problems he’s capable of causing, with all those perimeter ball hogs on the team. We’ll see what Stan Van Gundy is made of. Their new roster just screams bad shot selection central to me, and bad shot selection neutralizes any matchup advantage they may have.
Ramon
December 18th, 2010
7:02 pm
Grandad, I understand. I guess I just feel Martin is injury prone, and he’s locked up for 3 more seasons at over 10 mil a season. Its clear they’re going to have to rebuild, have to start sooner than later. And the easiest way will be through free agency and draft. The question is, is Sund the kind of GM who will call other teams and make offers. Or is he the GM that only returns voicemail messages from other GMs who make offers. In three seasons, we should have seen at least once where Sund was PUSHING a trade, even if it didn’t materialize. The fact that Sund inherited a playoff team. And right now, of the national media NO ONE respects the Hawks. Sund should take that personal.
Ramon
December 18th, 2010
7:05 pm
Geemack, I may be wrong. But I don’t see Arenas being that all star type player any more. I’m quite confident that Wade can guard Arenas, lol. And I’m quite confident that Boston will take the drive away from Arenas with help defense.
You say VC and Lewis disappeared against the Celtics. Last season, who not named Kobe or Gasol, didn’t disappear against the Celtics?
STRETCH
December 18th, 2010
7:06 pm
The top tier teams in the East continue to make moves to get better but this organization is still trying to sell the “Jim Jones” juice! They will be a 7 seed by the end of the month.
Rod from College Park
December 18th, 2010
7:07 pm
Ken Strickland,
“I can remember either SAMUEL or ROD FROM CP claiming Orlando would be the team to beat afer acquiring VCarter and signing MBarnes.”
Wow. So desperate to try to discredit me that you start making things up. First I was a Woodson fan, now I like Vince Carter. I have about as much love for Vince than I do for Marvin. Both have no heart. You are wrong again. Never said that.
ryan
December 18th, 2010
7:10 pm
Miami and Orlando trying to out do each other if Sund does nothing than i will say he should be fired .
Wabe
December 18th, 2010
7:14 pm
I really don’t think Orlando got better.
Ramon
December 18th, 2010
7:22 pm
Can anyone, name 10 organizations that are worse than the Hawks are owned by ASG.
ryan
December 18th, 2010
7:23 pm
Arenas does have a lot of baggage with the gun incident and him faking an injury he could divide that locker room he did in DC .
Blast
December 18th, 2010
7:30 pm
Wow! Orlando has never been shy of pulling the trigger. Personally, I don’t think it makes them any better just like I knew the Vince Carter experiment will not work. This smacks of pure desperation. They will miss Gortat, and Hedo has not been having a good season.
Looking for New York to make a move soon.
Grandad
December 18th, 2010
7:39 pm
Ramon;
I fear Sund is doing nothing.
AJC article:
Sund said he reads “Hoops Hype” every AM
to see what’s happening around the league.
The only one I know to take more days off
than Sund is MC.
Now I’ve done it, I’m banned for sure now.
Section 303
December 18th, 2010
7:42 pm
I think this trade makes Orlando a series threat to the crown. J-Rich is an outstanding player. Turk will help from outside…Arenas is a bit of a wildcard, in my opionion. Who knows what that guy will do?
Hawks need to make a move. A lot of you are mentioning Battier…I’m down with that. Battier does not take nights off. He would be just what this team needs.
cp
December 18th, 2010
7:46 pm
Lol it was Samuel who thought Vince made the Magic better. I even remember him putting up all of Vince’s career accomplishments because there was a debate on here on if Vince was a Hall of Famer or not…………..I think Nash can be had without giving up a lot. More than likely the Suns only want expiring contracts and some draft picks…..And why would Orlando miss Lewis? Dude plays no defense, only jacks up jumpers, and doesn’t rebound. I think he was only averaging 4 boards a game this year. I doubt he will be missed but Otis is putting them in a big hole financially with a bunch of guys who don’t even play defense. Dwight just came out this week criticizing guys for not playing defense and ol Otis goes and adds a bunch of guys who dont attempt to play D. This should be interesting down in Orlando.
O'Brien
December 18th, 2010
7:50 pm
Section 303,
Orlando no longer has a backup Center. And like you said, Arenas is a wild card.
And they lost Barnes, and now Pietrus which was their perimeter defense.
Grandad
December 18th, 2010
8:05 pm
Bill Simmons thinking Nash will go to the Knicks,
starting a chain reaction ending with;
Amare, Nash, Melo in NYC.
Creating New York’s “Big Three”.
Samuel
December 18th, 2010
8:08 pm
LOL. Yep, I did say VC was better than Turkoglu and he is. I didn’t say they would be better, I just said VC was a better player. Did Turk make either PHX or Toronto better? Again, Orlando basically swapped two athletic 2 guards in VC and Richardson and 2 undersized hybrid PF’s in Lewis for Turkoglu who don’t play defense. Arenas is definitely the wild card. If he gets back close to his pre-injury form, the Magic will be better. Bass can take Gortat’s minutes. They’ll probably sign a fill in to back up Dwight at center.