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
superiorblogman
February 8th, 2011
8:13 pm
I bet the guys on SportsCenter will have fun with this one tonight. They are gonna make a reference to Larry Drew’s son and relate it to the Hawks tonight. I sad it when he was hired that it was all about the cash and he should have never been hired. The offense looks like shi everytime they are not making shots because the offense really does not create anything other than jumpshots
yodaddy
February 8th, 2011
8:13 pm
Sund…..make some calls…
Biby should be cut after the season….that boy went from doing his thing to flat out terrible in like 2 weeks.
I don’t understand why this team doesn’t want to play defense. Baffling….and the turnovers are just amateur…..we might as well trot the D-League team out there
terrell
February 8th, 2011
8:13 pm
Can we beat Philly in a 7 game series is the ? After watching this, I’m not so sure.
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
8:14 pm
Although this game is not officially over but how many serious title contending teams have these type of losses during a season? I think this will be the 4th or 5th lost (Celtics, Hornets, and Pistons) of this magnitude by the Hawks…
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
8:15 pm
“Can we beat Philly in a 7 game series is the ? After watching this, I’m not so sure.”
Yeah they can. Playoffs are a different ball game. Joe and Jamal will show up then. I don’t know if it makes it any better that neither one showed up for this game, though.
LeFraud
February 8th, 2011
8:15 pm
Hey, on the bright side, that second quarter was an improvement for us. We lost the first quarter 33-15, but the second we only lost 32-18. That’s some progress…lol. As bad as some of the players are playing right now, I have to put some of this blame so far on L.D. Why in the world would he try to play 5 guards at once? Seriously, if you are getting outrebounded badly already, it is only going to get worse when you ask your small forward (Marvin Williams) to play center, and your undersized backup SF (Mo Evans) to play PF. Come on, Drew. Get it together. In games like this, I really don’t understand why some guys get a DNP-CD. Collins and Zaza could have helped a bit on the glass.
Leo
February 8th, 2011
8:16 pm
Atlanta will win this game. To get this kinda of whippin twice on their own floor is awful. We need a point guard and a real veteran leader. Someone to hold these kids accountable.
HawksGoingBackward
February 8th, 2011
8:16 pm
120 million dollars has no free throws in a game where his team is getting demoralized.
Atlanta fans accept this.
120 million dollars has 4 turnovers and 6 points, no leadership, no intensity.
Atlanta fans accept this.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
8:16 pm
Energy and intensity, somebody that wants to come out and compete. That’s what the Hawks need.
cp
February 8th, 2011
8:16 pm
@O’Brien the problem with that is that LD favors shot makers. Bibby was being abused out there the first half and Teague came in and played well yet LD went right back to Bibby because it seems LD prefers offense over defense. So I wouldn’t be shocked to see Bibby still play more than Teague although Bibby was being beat into a coma out there defensively.
Jae Evolution
February 8th, 2011
8:17 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.”
That’s funny because the last time I remember seeing your name was at the New Orleans loss, chiming in about how we’ll never be elite, and taking a look at your name, your both a doubter and a hater.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
February 8th, 2011
8:17 pm
One ugly game too many terrell.
HawksGoingBackward
February 8th, 2011
8:19 pm
@ Najeh – how can you use the term “show up” when describing Joke Johnsons play in the 3 previous playoff years.
The man has no heart, cant motivate himself let alone his teammates.
If the team starts losing, they are not gonna make a comeback because of Joke Johnson. No one can disagree with that (though im sure some of you would try)
LeFraud
February 8th, 2011
8:19 pm
You can’t really use this game as an accurate gauge for how the Hawks would fare against the Sixers in a series, since the Hawks are without their All-Star big man, and arguably their best player. If they play this way against any good team in the playoffs though, they will get swept in that series.
superiorblogman
February 8th, 2011
8:20 pm
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
STFU, Al did not play that game
2 FOR JOHN DREW
February 8th, 2011
8:21 pm
@ drMaryb ……. BIG AL needs you !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Freshfromatl
February 8th, 2011
8:21 pm
Lmao…How the hell???
HawksGoingBackward
February 8th, 2011
8:23 pm
@ Jae Evolution – Ive never seen you ever. and though i post alot I dont recall posting on the Hornets loss though it may just be my memory failing me.
Also, I was a huge Hawks fan. Went to plenty of games and supported Joke Johnson to all people who said he was never gonna be a great player.
Then he was the leader of the team that set a record for futility in the playoffs when he should be playing his best and hardest. Then told the fans on national television that he could care less if we showed up to support because the team was being justifiably booed for stinking up their home court in the playoffs.
Then he never apologized or even recanted his statement and Rick Sund got on his knees to give him the richest contract in NBA history and a lil something extra.
And people like you support the man even though he spit in your face and got paid extra for it.
Jae Evolution
February 8th, 2011
8:24 pm
Is LD going to tell Josh to drive…or something.
terrell
February 8th, 2011
8:24 pm
And they wonder why we wont spend our hard earned $ on tickets. At least we can turn the TV.
northcyde
February 8th, 2011
8:25 pm
Arguably the worst half of basketball in ATL history
Defense is non existant
JJ is a turnover machine and lifeless
Smith playing halfway decent, but not rebounding at all
Bibby looks like a YMCA point guard
Zaza looks like a middle school backup girls center
Teague is Teague, which isn’t saying much
Jordan comes in gunning like he’s
Jamal may as well be a ghost
Damien has had no defensive imact on the game whatsoever
Collins and Sy are like “might as well put us in coach”
Lack of dribble penetration and low post scoring prevents the Hawks from getting easier buckets, especially when you don’t create anything offensively in transition, by playing good defense.
And if the starters can’t significantly cut this lead down, this decifit could quickly balloon to 40 – 50 points, because of the lack of quality bench players.
JJ, Jamal, and Smith are going to have to go for 40 points in this half alone, to keep us from losing by more than 20. But the only way that will happen, is if they cut the decifit down immediately.
LOL . . what a travesty of a 1st half.
Sautee
February 8th, 2011
8:25 pm
Marvin showing some grit.
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
8:26 pm
Bob Rathburn is letting the Hawks have it….
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
8:27 pm
The Sixers are playing nowhere near as well now as they did in the first half, but the Hawks are playing just as badly as they did in the first half.
Jae Evolution
February 8th, 2011
8:27 pm
“@ Jae Evolution – Ive never seen you ever. and though i post alot I dont recall posting on the Hornets loss though it may just be my memory failing me.
Also, I was a huge Hawks fan. Went to plenty of games and supported Joke Johnson to all people who said he was never gonna be a great player.
Then he was the leader of the team that set a record for futility in the playoffs when he should be playing his best and hardest. Then told the fans on national television that he could care less if we showed up to support because the team was being justifiably booed for stinking up their home court in the playoffs.
Then he never apologized or even recanted his statement and Rick Sund got on his knees to give him the richest contract in NBA history and a lil something extra.
And people like you support the man even though he spit in your face and got paid extra for it.”
I support him because he is one of the best players in the NBA, and while you sit here and criticize him on his play tonight, again, I’ve never seen you when he was putting up big time numbers in all of January.
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
8:27 pm
Bibby 1-4 from 3. And he isnt stopping anybody on defense either.
meanwhile, Josh with 2 bad shots to start the quarter.
My issue with LD is in a game like this where the team is struggling, and Bibby is struggling, why not use it as a teaching opportunity for teague?
He will not be the reason why we lose, because everybody is sucking anyway.
meanwhile, 3rd foul on Bibby.
Props to Marvin though
F Gump
February 8th, 2011
8:27 pm
Mama always said being a Hawks fan was like a box of chocolates….
terrell
February 8th, 2011
8:27 pm
I bet Woody is laughing his azz off.
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
8:29 pm
And 5 turnovers for JJ.
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
8:31 pm
Does Marvin have to play the 76ers by himself?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
8:31 pm
Nique says “Ooguodala” again.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
February 8th, 2011
8:33 pm
Marvin putting in work in the 3rd but not quite enough – defense sucks. Smoove airballs, Bibby sux. This dead horse has been beaten long enough.
lewis
February 8th, 2011
8:35 pm
Mike Bibby is done, over, zero, cannot contribute anything anymore. He literally could not get the ball over the half-court when they were pressing. That is so so sad.
“We like our Core”
Sautee
February 8th, 2011
8:35 pm
But Mikey likes our core.
HawksGoingBackward
February 8th, 2011
8:35 pm
@Jae Evolution – are you kidding me, you mention the “big time numbers” in January when the Hawks went 9-4 and 7 of those wins came against horrible teams with sub .500 records.
Only a prideless man like yourself who would let a man say what he said to you and still call him a “great player” would consider those statistics great.
Im gonna pray that you develope some self worth at some point in your life. Every person in Atlanta should have a problem with Joke Johnson, maybe not to the same degree, but he clearly cares nothing about you and you Jae Evolution are in love with the man. Shameful!
LeFraud
February 8th, 2011
8:35 pm
At least Marvin is trying. He looks like the only Hawks on the court who wants to play right now.
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
8:36 pm
Since the game is out of hand, and the team does not play until Saturday, why not play Teague the rest of the game?
Bibby is struggling (1-4 from 3), and his defense (or lack of) is being abused. So its not like Teague can do any worse.
As a matter of fact, I would empty the bench.
Teague/Jordan/Damien/Powell/ZaZa. let the starters sit on the bench and sulk. Send them a message.
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
8:36 pm
Meanwhile, Josh doesnt want to take another foul, so he steps out of the way, giving up the easy shot.
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
8:37 pm
MC just wrote an article asking if Bibby is beat down from playing the lst half of the season. Why would LD give him extended mins tonight in a blow out game. Down 30pts in the 4th qtr, put Teague in the game
Sautee
February 8th, 2011
8:37 pm
O’B,
Making them play in this game may be a better punishment.
It was not a bad pick
February 8th, 2011
8:38 pm
smh..When will the Hawks unleash the beast that Marvin has become..
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
8:38 pm
Mo Evans is not the defender he use to be…
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
8:40 pm
Wow.
LD has Jordan playing PG…
Melvin
February 8th, 2011
8:41 pm
It took Josh 2-1/2 qtrs to figure out that he would have more success if he drive the ball to the basket. Especailly against Brand…
Sautee
February 8th, 2011
8:42 pm
Marvin has tried hard tonight, but a +/- of -24 is hardly “beastly”, LOL.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
8:45 pm
Marvin has done a good job attacking the boards tonight. Besides that, he’s been just as useless as everyone else.
HawksGoingBackward
February 8th, 2011
8:46 pm
120 million dollars = 6 points, 5 turnovers, 0 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 free throws.
LMFAO.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2011
8:46 pm
The Hawks are… not very good at playing zone.
Jae Evolution
February 8th, 2011
8:46 pm
“@Jae Evolution – are you kidding me, you mention the “big time numbers” in January when the Hawks went 9-4 and 7 of those wins came against horrible teams with sub .500 records.
Only a prideless man like yourself who would let a man say what he said to you and still call him a “great player” would consider those statistics great.
Im gonna pray that you develope some self worth at some point in your life. Every person in Atlanta should have a problem with Joke Johnson, maybe not to the same degree, but he clearly cares nothing about you and you Jae Evolution are in love with the man. Shameful!”
Haha, wooow, calm down bro, we’re talking about basketball here. You obviously have some personal grudge against what JJ said, looks like you need counseling or something.
Don’t worry when the Hawks or JJ are playing bad I’ll look for your name, since you seem to rise out of no where when either of those things happen.
O'Brien
February 8th, 2011
8:46 pm
That play by Jordan is what LD wants to see from Teague.
Get the ball, and push it.