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
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
331 comments Add your comment
ag
February 8th, 2011
7:53 pm
superblogman, you must not have seen Al fall….He should sit at least a week. Marvin sat out a month.
yodaddy
February 8th, 2011
7:54 pm
@superiorblogman
Wade gets hurt every 5 seconds and has missed more games than Al Horford.
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
7:54 pm
I liket that Jordan is attacking the basket and not settling for the jumpshot…
Jae Evolution
February 8th, 2011
7:54 pm
STOP GOING UNDER THE DAMN SCREENS COME ONNNNNNNNN
yodaddy
February 8th, 2011
7:54 pm
man we are NOTHING without Al Horford
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
7:54 pm
“I thought Salim would be the player Lou Williams is. Boy, was (the Hawks) and I wrong.”
I never really thought Salim had the range of skills necessary to make it in the NBA. But I’d be willing to bet that Lou Williams has played more minutes in his career than the last 15 Hawks second round picks combined.
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
7:54 pm
Hawks cant buy a basket…
Lionhearted
February 8th, 2011
7:55 pm
U can’t be serious
Announcer
February 8th, 2011
7:55 pm
Saliiiiiiiiiim Stoudamiiiiiiiiireeeeee foooooooorrrr THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!
ag
February 8th, 2011
7:55 pm
no heart to being blown out. They are a team that gets plastered and just do not care. It is embarrasing!
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
7:55 pm
Meanwhile, after Bibby came back in the game, the Sixers extend the lead from 19 to 27.
cp
February 8th, 2011
7:55 pm
Bibby is getting abused defensively yet LD is sticking with him smdh. Take him out LD
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
7:56 pm
I sure Joe is glad to see Iggy on the bench..
terrell
February 8th, 2011
7:56 pm
The Hawks need more road games.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
7:56 pm
To clarify, when I say “make it in the NBA” I mean “make it at Lou Williams’ level”. I thought he could be an Eddie House-type player, but Lou Williams is a lot more than just that.
ATL FAN
February 8th, 2011
7:57 pm
and back to backs
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
7:57 pm
ZaZa was/is useless….
Jae Evolution
February 8th, 2011
7:58 pm
Going to need a big second half if we want any chance at this one…
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
7:58 pm
Hawks lost by 41 to N.O., at home.
And now we are down 27 to the sixers. At home.
What will be the excuse this time? Can Rick really wait until th eplayoffs to see what the Hawks can do?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
7:59 pm
Probably the best defensive sequence for Powell all year.
superiorblogman
February 8th, 2011
7:59 pm
How can anyone say with a strait face that Josh Smith is a all-star? How can anyone say with a strait face that this team is better than last year? We did not have two 30 pt losses all last year during the regular season and we will already have two after tonight. How can anyone say that Al is not our most important player? We did not get beat like this when Joe was out.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
8:00 pm
Get Pape Sy on a chartered jet here from Utah and see if he can make it in time to suit up for the second half. Might as well.
HawksGoingBackward
February 8th, 2011
8:00 pm
I love watching 120 million dollars just strut up and down the court like the game just started. NO urgency a bunch of turnovers and horrible plays.
He doesnt anything to motivate anyone else, just lets this team fend for itself.
This is what Atlanta fans accept for 120 million dollars.
Sautee
February 8th, 2011
8:01 pm
O’B,
He likes our core. As long as Mikey likes it, that is.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
8:02 pm
Joe and Jamal have given the Hawks NOTHING in this game.
ATL FAN
February 8th, 2011
8:02 pm
@ superior we got beat like this against New Orleans and Al was in, this HUGE deficit has little to do with Al
Jae Evolution
February 8th, 2011
8:03 pm
All we can hope for now is that Orlando and Miami both drop their games as well…
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
February 8th, 2011
8:03 pm
WHAT THE HECK!?! I just turned on leaguepass to find this lopsided score. I know the Sixers are hot but not that hot. dag
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
8:03 pm
Did Nique just say “Ooguodala”?
HawksGoingBackward
February 8th, 2011
8:03 pm
@superblogman – can you really say that Joke Johnson is worth 120 million dollars?
How many times has Kobe, Lebron, Durant, Carmelo Dwight allowed their teams to be losing by 27 points at home to a team with a losing record.
How you people defend this dude. He isnt working harder than any other person on the court. And thats a major problem
Dept. of Unintended Irony
February 8th, 2011
8:04 pm
“How can anyone say with a strait face that Josh Smith is a all-star?”
How can anyone with a their face in a strait even talk?
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
8:05 pm
Marvin is probably the player of the game for the hawks so far.
JJ has 4 turnovers to go with 6 points, and he even missed a couple shots he usually makes.
Section 303,
Are you wearing your JJ jersey tonight? maybe you junxed him
cp
February 8th, 2011
8:05 pm
Its absolutely disgusting watching a Bibby and Jamal backcourt trying to play defense. The Hawks are getting smoked on the perimeter and LD’s answer to that problem is to play arguably our worst two perimeter defenders. SMDH
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
February 8th, 2011
8:05 pm
why do we always have the stinkers at Phillips – way to kill the vibe
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
8:05 pm
“we got beat like this against New Orleans and Al was in, this HUGE deficit has little to do with Al”
Al was out against New Orleans, too. But I agree on the other point. No one player accounts for this big of a deficit. This is a total team effort. Of the Hawks’ four best players, Smoove is the only one who showed up today, and even he has only played well in spurts, not consistently.
ATL FAN
February 8th, 2011
8:06 pm
These are the 76ers FFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
8:06 pm
“Are you wearing your JJ jersey tonight? maybe you junxed him”
The real jinx is Jeff Schultz live blogging this game.
Jae Evolution
February 8th, 2011
8:06 pm
“@superblogman – can you really say that Joke Johnson is worth 120 million dollars?
How many times has Kobe, Lebron, Durant, Carmelo Dwight allowed their teams to be losing by 27 points at home to a team with a losing record.
How you people defend this dude. He isnt working harder than any other person on the court. And thats a major problem”
When things get low the doubters emerge.
Sautee
February 8th, 2011
8:06 pm
65 points in a half. Out rebounded 28-11.
Ouch.
drmaryb (*_*)
February 8th, 2011
8:07 pm
Respect is Suspect!
Down by 32? I’m on the radio, just pulled the the Porsche 944 into the garage to go and watch a Camry roll by? OMG!
What happened? Aye Sund! Fix YOUR Team, The Knicks are mulling to get Aaron Brooks, but Houston isn’t interested in what they got! What you got Sund?
Nobody on this team should be untouchable, except:
Al
Josh
Joe
Make a trade – Now! Fool!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
8:07 pm
Considering the opponent and the first half quality of play, I’d say this game is worse than the New Orleans game so far.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
8:08 pm
“Nobody on this team should be untouchable, except:
Al
Josh
Joe”
They shouldn’t be untouchable either, although each of them should only be traded if the Hawks receive someone better. Let’s not get it twisted; there is no LeBron or Kobe on this team that can’t be upgraded.
Jae Evolution
February 8th, 2011
8:09 pm
Come on LD if Tom Thibodeau can get Kyle Korver and Carlos Boozer to play D, then you tell Jamal and Bibby to get their act together!
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
8:09 pm
Sautee,
Of those 11 rebounds, marvin has 5.
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
8:10 pm
Bibby; 13 mins, 5 points, 1 assist, 1 reb, +/1 of -17
Teague: 6 mins, 4 points, 1 steal, 1 rebound, +/- of -5.
Since we are down 32, why not give Teague extended minutes with the starters, and see if he shows anything positive?
2 FOR JOHN DREW
February 8th, 2011
8:10 pm
I love you HAWKS ……. but y’all are totally sucking right now !!!!!!!!!
No energy ….No offense …. No defense …… No nothing !!!!!!!
terrell
February 8th, 2011
8:10 pm
At least we get to hear some cliches after the game.
HawksGoingBackward
February 8th, 2011
8:11 pm
@Jae Evolution – im a regular here trying to help you folks keep how good this team really is in perspective.
When you beat a bad team im here and when you lose to a good team im here too.
ive never seen you here.
Gerald
February 8th, 2011
8:11 pm
I don’t care what anyone says, this team is a lot different without Al, and against good teams they really struggle without him. Washington is not a great team on either end of the floor, so we were able to get away with playing perimeter-oriented and doing whatever we wanted to win that one, but against teams that are actually playing well, this team looks awful without Al. Maybe we would still be down in this one even if Al plays, but he makes a huge difference on both ends of the floor. I have a tough time believing we’d be down by this much or outrebounded by this much if Al was on the court. I hope he gets back soon because he’s the heart and soul of this team. He’s the team’s real leader and MVP.
terrell
February 8th, 2011
8:12 pm
At least it’s just 1 UGLY game.