Hawks-Wizards game thread
Greetings, all-
Ken Sugiura sitting in for MC, who is at home celebrating his birthday. A few notes prior to Hawks-Wizards, or the basketball Super Bowl, as I like to call it.
1) Al Horford is not playing. He tested out his back after getting to the arena, but decided against it. Zaza Pachulia will go at 5, Josh Smith at 4, Marvin Williams at 3, Joe Johnson at 2, Mike Bibby at 1. He said he’ll be ready to go Tuesday for Philadelphia.
2) Larry Drew, not surprisingly, talked about the importance of containing Wizards rookie John Wall, remarking at his baseline to baseline speed. Bibby will start out on Wall, which will obviously be a bit of a test for Bibby.
3) Hawks have won 11 in a row against Washington.
4) Courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau via ESPN, Jamal Crawford’s 34-point game against the Clippers last night gave him three 30-point games off the bench for the season. No one else has more than one this season.
5) Wizards’ lineup: JaVale McGee, Andray Blatche, Rashard Lewis, Nick Young, Wall.
6) Hawks wearing red. I think they’re either 3-0 or 4-0 in red this season.
Ken Sugiura, Hawks beat
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220 comments Add your comment
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:08 pm
Can the Hawks over take the Bulls?
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:09 pm
We have 3 games against them.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 5th, 2011
8:10 pm
The D completely fell off whenever Smoove left the game in that half, and if that hadn’t happened, the Hawks would be up by way more than 6. It would be nice to get more bench scoring too, specifically from Jamal.
Sautee
February 5th, 2011
8:10 pm
I guess we should be happy with a six point lead, with No Al and with Jamal shooting an O-fer. I can’t help but think that we’re getting a lot of help from the Wiz.
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:11 pm
With just this first half alone….I cannot believe people are still crying for JJ and Smoove to be traded.
EmirS.
February 5th, 2011
8:12 pm
Bulls and Hawks are in different divisions. The top 3 spots are reserved for each division winner. So the only way we can overtake the Bulls is if we win our division and have a better record then the Bulls.
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:13 pm
Yep, I was just answering my own question. thanks E
Rev in Tampa
February 5th, 2011
8:13 pm
I was thinking about making some crack about asking Ken Sugiura to come down to Tampa and preach for me on my anniversary at the end of February, but could not figure out how to do it without sounding like a smarta**. I like MC and did not want to disrespect him. Nor do I begrudge his personal time since I don’t begin to know the scope of his job. But since you guys brought it up…
Sautee
February 5th, 2011
8:17 pm
Rev,
I certainly hope that MC would take it as gentle ribbing and not a comment on the job he is doing. That’s why I included a smiley face.
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:17 pm
Rev – I had to read this twice…”I was thinking about making some crack…”
That meth commercial got me off track….
Najeh Davenpoop
February 5th, 2011
8:18 pm
“The top 3 spots are reserved for each division winner. So the only way we can overtake the Bulls is if we win our division and have a better record then the Bulls.”
They changed that rule a couple of years ago. Division winners are guaranteed a top 4 spot now, not top 3. So if the Hawks finished 2nd in the division but had a better record than Chicago, they would be seeded higher than Chicago.
I’d like to see how those two teams match up. The Bulls are the best defensive team in the league statistically and will probably have Noah back by the time they play the Hawks, but the Hawks have the players to lock down Boozer, who is really the only low post scoring threat they have. I’m not looking forward to seeing what the Hawks will try to do to mask Bibby against Rose, though. I think Joe will end up having to spend a lot of energy chasing Rose around.
afd
February 5th, 2011
8:19 pm
mirs u picku materinu
Sautee
February 5th, 2011
8:20 pm
Najeh,
So you have no faith in Teague becoming a defensive stopper by March?
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:20 pm
Yep, that is how the Hawks got the 3 seed last year
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:22 pm
Rose had big games against us last year, I don’t think that will change this year. All things equal, Hawks have more fire power than the Bulls. Bulls only have advantage at PG.
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:24 pm
I’m looking for big 3rd from Crawford.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 5th, 2011
8:26 pm
Haha @ Nique… “they need a couple more adults”.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 5th, 2011
8:26 pm
“So you have no faith in Teague becoming a defensive stopper by March?”
Haha… I wish.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 5th, 2011
8:27 pm
Hawks are making a good effort to get the ball inside to start this quarter. Hasn’t worked out every time, but they need to continue doing that.
bigdave
February 5th, 2011
8:29 pm
beautiful pass from Bibby, dropped by ZaZa.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 5th, 2011
8:29 pm
Zaza is reverting to his usual form to start this half. He’s dropped one great pass by Bibby and got stripped on two other plays on which he should have finished or drawn a foul.
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:29 pm
Does Zaza still have NBA skills?
drmaryb (*_*)
February 5th, 2011
8:29 pm
Seeing Red!
If we wore the red unis on every B2B game? We would never see the blue ones.
Nice bench play tonight. Bibby does look tired lately. Thought we would have seen Jeff by now, but the Wiz made that run, I guess.
ZaZa came to play. Josh playing inside. Joe just being Joe.
Spoke too soon, how can Za be under the basket alone and not ready for a pass?
Sautee
February 5th, 2011
8:29 pm
Did Bibby just knock Zaza over with an entry pass? LMFAO
Melvin
February 5th, 2011
8:29 pm
ZaZa hands are as hard as those brick pizzas he use to sell at his restaurant
Najeh Davenpoop
February 5th, 2011
8:31 pm
Marvin has to finish that or draw a foul. Can’t let Wall get out in transition. Wall isn’t very good at setting up the offense in the half court (which probably explains part of the Wizards’ low shooting percentage on the season) but he is great in transition.
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:31 pm
Zaza is really hurting our efforts to get the ball inside
Najeh Davenpoop
February 5th, 2011
8:33 pm
There’s a good strong take by Marvin. He’s comfortable shooting that hook. I just wish he would be as comfortable driving inside and drawing contact.
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:33 pm
Nice shot MW, can’t believe Z is still in game….Make 2 FTs for once!!!
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:34 pm
figures/….
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:35 pm
J-Smoove…bang!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 5th, 2011
8:36 pm
The defense has fallen off big time in this half so far and the shot selection is starting to get worse.
Melvin
February 5th, 2011
8:37 pm
Wall better be glad that Collins lost some weight this passed summer…
Section 212
February 5th, 2011
8:38 pm
This is when we miss Al. He has a great knack for getting an easy shot when we need it most.
Ken Sugiura
February 5th, 2011
8:40 pm
melvin – ha ha. even before collins did his work, seemed like the hawks were doing a pretty good job containing him.
drmaryb (*_*)
February 5th, 2011
8:40 pm
ZaZa 3 for 8 at the line. If he makes those FT’s he’d be in double figures.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 5th, 2011
8:42 pm
Marvin is playing well this quarter, other than the missed layup. The Hawks as a team need to get less jumper happy and need to tighten up on D. A lot of settling for jumpers so far in this quarter, particularly from Smoove and Jamal.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 5th, 2011
8:42 pm
SMOOVE
Melvin
February 5th, 2011
8:43 pm
Take it to the whole strong Josh…
drmaryb (*_*)
February 5th, 2011
8:43 pm
Jamal spent all his shot – money last night? 0 for 5 so far, if we lose tonight, we can look at all the missed FT’s!
Josh jams and 1!
bigdave
February 5th, 2011
8:43 pm
no right handed dribble needed..
go hard left and up.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 5th, 2011
8:46 pm
Defense sparked the Hawks’ big 3rd quarter run yesterday. They need some more of that in this game.
Melvin
February 5th, 2011
8:47 pm
Jamal is on a 6-0 run…lol
Melvin
February 5th, 2011
8:49 pm
McGee jumps so high until he just toss the ball down towards the rim without in forum and it goes in…SMH. That kid is a freak of Nature…
Ra'mon
February 5th, 2011
8:50 pm
If Josh goes in the gym this off season and ties his left hand behind his back, he will come out close to a super star. If he becomes half as good with his right hand as he is with his left, he will be unstoppable. And before someone insult him about it, Grant Hill was notoriously poor going to his left hand for years before the injuries came. It wasn’t until his last season in Detroit that he became serviceable with his left hand.
bigdave
February 5th, 2011
8:52 pm
no back up pg.
bigdave
February 5th, 2011
8:52 pm
this unit will lose this game.
Melvin
February 5th, 2011
8:52 pm
LD, you need a PG in the game…
Najeh Davenpoop
February 5th, 2011
8:53 pm
Another 4th quarter starting with too much perimeter play resulting in bad possessions.
Blast
February 5th, 2011
8:53 pm
Don’t know about this lineup for Hawks.