Sixers at Atlanta Hawks: No Horford, no gimme vs. ‘dangerous team’
Before the Hawks played the Knicks a couple weekends back, L.D. put 7-2 out there as the record to shoot for before the All-Star break. So I told him the Hawks had to win three of their next four to get it.
“We want 8-1,” he said, smiling.
This game might have looked like a gimme at one point but not anymore. For one thing, Al is sitting out another game with the bruised back. Zaza is starting in his place.
L.D. said Al ended up deciding his back was better off not taking a pounding. Plus, the Hawks don’t play again until Saturday.
“I actually gave it some thought this morning even before he made his decision,” L.D. said. “Certainly I want him out there but if there is any kind of inkling about him having any kind of discomfort or concern about [if] his back can take the pounding it just makes more sense to keep him out. He gets another four days for treatment and rest.”
So playing without their All-Star center complicates things for the Hawks. Also, don’t forget the Hawks were down 18 to Philly before rallying for a W on Dec. 3.
“I still don’t know how we won that game,” Jamal said.
In the first meeting, Philly jumped out to an 11-2 lead and the Hawks had to hold off a late rally. Al had 20 and 12 in that one.
“It seems like we are always behind when we play them,” J.J. said. “We have to come out with the mindset to get off to a good start, especially against their bigs.”
The Sixers lost to New York Sunday after bearing the Knicks on Friday. They are 6-4 in their last 10 with Ws against Denver and Utah.
“They are a very, very dangerous team because they never feel or play like they are out of the game even if they are down,” L.D. said. “They have had some very quality wins. They play hard; they keep coming. They play with a blue-collar mentality of outworking you and grinding it out. . . . You can’t look at their record, where they stand in the standings. You have got to look at who that team is, and the kind of personality they have.”
The other side
Sixers coach Doug Collins on the Hawks without Al: “He’s an All-Star center. When you come in with Pachulia off the bench he gives you such energy and toughness. I have known they have been starting Jason, so I don’t know if they will start him or come in with Paculia. It changes it a little bit; they play big a lot. They will play Hoford as a power forward, they can go with Pachulia, they can go with Josh Smith as a three. They have a lot of flexibility. With [Horford] not out there they will definitely miss him but they have a lot of big guys.”
Collins on J.J. vs. Jodie Meeks: “I don’t know that Jodie can play him. We might have to have a little cross-matching. This might be a game where I have to sub early, just because their wings are so big. This ream reminds me of Charlotte with how big the wings are and they post them up. [The Hawks] are a better shooting team, and with their 3-point shooters it makes it harder to guard the post.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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331 comments Add your comment
lewis
February 8th, 2011
7:36 pm
this is really bad man i’ve seen every game this year and i don’t know if i’ll be able to make it through this one
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
7:36 pm
Jodie Meeks was picked 41st in the second round of the 2009 draft. Our 49th pick? Sergiy Gladyr.
I hope Sergiy pays off for us down the road.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
7:36 pm
7 turnovers in that quarter. That is just insane.
If the Sixers continue to play this small lineup, the Hawks have to get Joe the ball down low and let him go to work. More importantly, Joe has to actually convert those opportunities.
terrell
February 8th, 2011
7:36 pm
And they wonder why they dont get respect.
Grim
February 8th, 2011
7:37 pm
What about the hawks leaders because josh has been solid on both sides of the floor,joe johnson ain’t doin ish brah
superiorblogman
February 8th, 2011
7:37 pm
Hawks against a decent team without Al equals blowout every time. NO all over again
terrell
February 8th, 2011
7:37 pm
At least we got our 4th quarter over with in the 1st.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
7:37 pm
“We gotta pick our energy up” -Bob Bender
Y’all gotta pick your everything up, dude.
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
7:38 pm
Good box out by Teague…
Tedo
February 8th, 2011
7:38 pm
Sc ore 50 jamal
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
7:38 pm
Good defense by Teague…
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
7:39 pm
Oh Oh. Our assistant coach mentioned the “E” words. Energy, and effort.
And he mentioned attacking the rim. This team hardly attacks the rim…
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
7:39 pm
Smoove has done a pretty good job on D in the half court. Too bad what seems like half of the Sixers’ points have come in transition.
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
7:39 pm
Jamal! What kind of shot is that?
And there goes Jodie Meeks again. How come our second round picks havent worked out yet?
ATL FAN
February 8th, 2011
7:39 pm
good hustle to start it off
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
7:40 pm
Jamal will not pass on those pick and rolls…
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
7:40 pm
Teague has to take that shot. That’s a shot that Bibby takes…
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
7:40 pm
Defensively, Teague has done a decent job. Offensively, he has given the Hawks absolutely nothing.
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
7:41 pm
No Fight in these Hawks tonight.
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
7:41 pm
Seriously, what is Josh complaining about on that call?
Jae Evolution
February 8th, 2011
7:42 pm
Ya’ll don’t want to play with any energy at home? This is what you get.
With your sorry asses…
hawks_4_life
February 8th, 2011
7:42 pm
ITS 142 AM HERE…I THINK IM GOING TO PACK IT IN SOON
lewis
February 8th, 2011
7:42 pm
The hawks are quite feminine without Al
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
7:42 pm
Najeh,
Right on cue, Teague with the And One…
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
7:42 pm
Why is Bibby heading to the scorers table? Leave Teague in.
terrell
February 8th, 2011
7:43 pm
Better cut it to 10 before halftime.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
7:43 pm
I yelled “Drive the ball!” at my TV when Teague got the ball. Finally he heard me.
With Smoove off the floor, the Hawks basically have no big presence in the game. If they are going to rally, they have to do it with perimeter D and transition opportunities of their own, and posting up Joe in the half court. I don’t get why they haven’t gone to Joe in the post more. None of these Sixers guards can guard him.
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
7:44 pm
Do the Hawks not realize that they are 2 games behind the Bulls (in the loss column) for the #3 seed? It is there for the taking.
But these kind of games will not cut it.
Rufus1,
This is why I dont know what to expect from the Hawks in the playoffs…
Tim
February 8th, 2011
7:44 pm
Where you at hawks4life?
Ron
February 8th, 2011
7:44 pm
Strange lineup on the floor right now. Marvin is playing center. I don’t feel very comfortable with that. I’m surprised that Collins hasn’t entered the game yet.
man man
February 8th, 2011
7:44 pm
put a big body on the court please man damn Larry Drew act stupid.They killling us in rebounding as it is.they don’t have a big body out there so that means we could get some rebounds.Wheres Kurt Thomas when you need him?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
7:46 pm
EVERY rebound is a transition opportunity for the Sixers. They are completely neutralizing the advantage the Hawks would have had defending in the half court.
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
7:46 pm
Jamal has 5 shots in 10 minutes. he will get his money’s worth.
Teague is out there with the starters, so he needs to make it count.
Good move by Marvin
ag
February 8th, 2011
7:46 pm
At work so cannot watch game, but this is why we don’t get respect. Then Teague takes it to the hole and one… Bibby at scorer’s table?????? This is why this kid cannot be consistant. They are getting blown out the building. Let him play!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
7:47 pm
Turnover #3 on Joe.
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
7:47 pm
Who is Bibby going to guard?
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
7:48 pm
I like the insertion of JC2 in the game.
Sautee
February 8th, 2011
7:48 pm
Najeh,
That’s certainly worthy of discussion.
Damn, a JC2 sighting.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
7:49 pm
Joe is giving the Hawks nothing. Can’t win without one of your best players if another one of your best players is having an awful game.
yodaddy
February 8th, 2011
7:49 pm
pathetic
cp
February 8th, 2011
7:50 pm
Should have just left Teague in the game at this point
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
7:50 pm
Iggy is giving Joe fits on both sides of the ball…
ATL FAN
February 8th, 2011
7:50 pm
hawks wont get past the 1st round this year
man man
February 8th, 2011
7:50 pm
thank u for saying that Najeh Davenpoop
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
7:50 pm
CP,
Exactly. As soon as Teague goes out, Lou attack Bibby of the dribble..
superiorblogman
February 8th, 2011
7:51 pm
No pride, no heart having soft jump shooting team. D Wade misses zero games with a bad fall and Al misses a whole week. What a wack ass team
ag
February 8th, 2011
7:51 pm
down 25 at home to the Sixers. Josh -27. He has one rebound. He is not in the game. Put Powell in. Teague -5, Bibby -12…. but Teague on pine.
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
7:52 pm
Lou Williams was taken with the 45th pick in 2005. At 31st, we took Salim.
I thought Salim would be the player Lou Williams is. Boy, was (the Hawks) and I wrong.
yodaddy
February 8th, 2011
7:52 pm
man Pathetic effort
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
7:53 pm
The inability to dribble penetrate for the Hawks as a team is really incredible. After Teague and the two Crawfords, I’d go as far as to say Horford is the 4th best Hawk when it comes to dribble penetration, and he’s the f-cking center.