Horford still sore, Hawks lineup changes on hold
- Al Horford said that, as of Thursday, he isn’t planning on playing Saturday. Said Horford, “It’s not really getting any better.” Horford tried to shoot at Thursday’s practice, but was still sore. He’ll give it another try Friday.
- Horford’s injury will preclude coach Larry Drew from implementing any lineup changes that he has talked about since the 34-point loss to Philadelphia Tuesday. “It is definitely still weighing on my mind,” Drew said. “The decision has not been made yet.” The team scrimmaged but didn’t have any out-of-the-ordinary lineups, Mo Evans said.
- Drew said the team is not actively pursuing a trade but is in a stance of keeping its ears open. Said Drew, “We’ll continue to talk about different things, look if there’s something that could potentially make us even a better ballclub.”
- If Drew was using his public comments about making lineup changes or considering a trade to get his team’s attention, it apparently wasn’t entirely effective. When the topic was broached with Evans and Horford, it was the first both had heard of it. Said Horford, “If Coach Drew needs to shake something up to make us better, I’m for it, and I hope everybody on this team is for it and understands it.”
- Evans believes the team’s success on the road and recent problems at home have to deal with a difficulty in playing as a unit at Philips Arena. The Hawks have an “us against the world” attitude on the road, but not at home. Said Evans, “I feel like guys play more lethargic and we play sometimes for our individual fans or whatever. … It seems like we’re more 12 individuals than we are as a team at home.” Guard Joe Johnson noted the distractions of playing at home. “We just have to block them out and just go out and play,” he said.
- Guard Mike Bibby feels he is getting out of a recent shooting slump when he said he “couldn’t throw it in the [darn] ocean.” After a run in which he made at least one 3-pointer in 27 consecutive games, Bibby has shot 10-for-37 (27.0 percent) from 3-point range in the last nine games. Said Bibby, “I felt like I was back today.”
Ken Sugiura, Hawks beat
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270 comments Add your comment
Que Nique'
February 11th, 2011
12:15 pm
Get Melo’ in here and extend his contract! At the least check and see if maybe the Nuggets are stupid enough to take Joes’ contract.
Tremaine
February 11th, 2011
12:26 pm
Rufus1 is important because do you see anybody else on the team get football tackled like that and getting up and making the two free throws. Definition of a champion.
Sautee
February 11th, 2011
12:41 pm
superior(sic)blogman,
Thanks for letting the rest of us know where you stand. Now I know to just take drmaryb’s advice and just get my scroll on when I see your name. cya.
O'Brien
February 11th, 2011
12:43 pm
KevinM,
To me, thats the biggest issue with the ASG. It’s not that they are cheap. Its that they dont spend their money wisely. And now they are locked into long term deals with Josh, Al, JJ and Marvin, with very little financial flexibility to improve the bench. And they need a starting PG.
And to make matters worse, the new CBA will probably lower the salary cap, so going forward, they will have even less money than they do now.
O'Brien
February 11th, 2011
12:46 pm
This was MC’s blog on Feb 1.
Now, though, Drew says the “normal” lineup will be Bibby, J.J., Marvin, Smoove and Al. Twin will get in only when the Hawks need to counter beef on the frontline.
“Right now if there are any adjustments with the lineup it will be because who we are playing and we decide to go big or if I have someone who is hurt,” L.D. said.
L.D. added that he considers his rotation to be pretty much set after 48 games.. Based on what’s happened lately, that would mean Jamal, Zaza, Damien and Mo will get regular playing time while Teague, Powell and Twin will get in where they fit in.
“I’ve got a good feel for where we are right now,” Drew said...
So on Feb 1, LD has a good feel of where the Hawks are. On On Feb 9, this was from MC’s blog;
Drew didn’t sound like a coach who was simply ticked at his team for a bad loss. Rather, he sounded like a coach who has come to realize that sending out the same players in the same roles is good enough to be on pace for 52 Ws but isn’t going to lead to a much better ending for the Hawks than last spring.
“I am not one to react on emotions but I have had this feeling for a little while,” L.D. said.. “I have been in situations where it has been like this, where a team has had to do something just to shake the cage a little bit. It’s something I’ve been thinking about..
So how long was he thinking about it? 8 days? Since he decided on his regular lineup, and saying his rotation is pretty much set, the Hawks played 4 games.
So are his comments about change based on 4 games? I don’t think it is, because the Hawks have been up and down all season. He also mentioned looking at trades, but then he said they are not actively looking at trades.
So while he says a lot of the right things to the media, he may need to choose his words more carefully, so he doesnt look like he is backpedaling or being indecisive.
Sautee
February 11th, 2011
12:57 pm
O’Brien,
I agree, but I think his hands are tied to a degree.
Pen-is A Lotta
February 11th, 2011
1:07 pm
Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby, Josh Powell, and Jason Collins for a ham sandwich and two tickets to the opera
Pen-is A Lotta
February 11th, 2011
1:08 pm
lol@myself…i’m a funny guy
Najeh Davenpoop
February 11th, 2011
1:21 pm
“I understand we’re young and we’re inconsistent, but we shouldn’t be so inconsistent and like someone said earlier, you have to compensate for any player loss you team incurs.”
The sad thing is, considering that players enter the league at age 19 and 20 now, the Hawks are not even comparatively that young anymore. The time when the Hawks could point to organic growth from within as hope for the future is over. They are pretty much what they are, barring Smoove learning how to use his right hand or Horford developing a go-to low post move.
Worldwide Clyde
February 11th, 2011
1:26 pm
Free Jordan Crawford
Tremaine
February 11th, 2011
1:26 pm
Najeh Davenpoop, Horford is the only player on the team that you can see improvement from.
superiorblogman
February 11th, 2011
1:29 pm
Players are not entering the league as young as they used to because they have to go to college or somewhere other than the NBA for atleast a year now. On the other hand, the Hawks have clearly peaked as constructed. Next, Jamal Crawford’s affect on the team is blown way out of proportion. He may have translated to 6 wins if you want to give him all the credit for last year, but Bibby was much more important, a full year of Bibby added about 10 wins if you want to give him all the credit. Jamal should have been traded along with Josh Smith whose defensive affect is blown way out of proportion. If we got rid of the ballhog and the mental liability we would be a much better team.
Tremaine
February 11th, 2011
1:31 pm
Worldwide Clyde, Jordan Crawford did look good at times last game but just like Teague. He can’t get no experience on the bench.
Tremaine
February 11th, 2011
1:32 pm
superiorblogman, have you seen Bibby lately?
superiorblogman
February 11th, 2011
1:36 pm
Tremaine
February 11th, 2011
1:32 pm
superiorblogman, have you seen Bibby lately?
Learn to read, I am not talking about lately. I am talking about gauging how much better a single player really made the team. When they picked up Bibby midseason, he helped get them in the playoffs. The next year, they improved by 10 games with a full year of Bibby. Jamal played a full year last year and the improved 6 games. These are facts, not the things you guys state over and over like have you seen Bibby lately? State a fact, like Teague is better than Bibby then let’s talk, but the fact is Teague is not better than Bibby and the fact is Crawford had less of a positive affect on the team than Bibby.
Tremaine
February 11th, 2011
1:58 pm
superiorblogman
You are bring up past seasons like it has an impact on whats going on right now. Bibby may have had more of an impact than Jamal before but now he is garbage.
Fact: Teague can’t do any worse than what Bibby is doing right now.
Sautee
February 11th, 2011
2:43 pm
Does anyone think that if we could get 100,000 Hawks fans to storm Philips for 18 days, that Gearon would step down?
KevinM
February 11th, 2011
3:00 pm
Teague will only get better where you know what you are getting with the Bibster. He is only in his prime based on his contract. He is in the prime year of his contract IMO….Sund’s comments just contradict reality so many ways.
OB, I knew Joe would get a huge raise for services not rendered. He flopped when needed the most. Woody continued to point towards the number of minutes he played, but I didn’t see other ‘elite’ NBAers making an excuse of being tired.
Simply, the ASG had a chance to get Joe signed before he became a FA, and they flopped. That would have told me to move on without him.
That offer, which I believe was 5/65M, would have allowed Gearon some flexibility to bring in more veteran talent instead. But the ASG screwed this up as we now see. Joe at 13M would be more acceptable as an organization working with resources that at times aren’t used so wisely. I do think the Al and Smoove deals will turn out to be good for the team as a whole though.
cp
February 11th, 2011
3:02 pm
@Tremaine, you already beat me to it… What the hell does Al being out have to do with how bad Bibby has been? I haven’t been happy with Teague’s progression this season but at this point he cant be any worst than Bibby. Bibby is scoring what like 5 points a game the past few games? As bad as Teague has looked at times he would clearly be better than Bibby at this point. Bibby can barely bring the ball past half court now. His legs look done….I would rather live with the mistakes Teague will make than to see guards attack Bibby at will. The few shots he does knock down when he isn’t slumping isn’t enough to compensate for just how bad his defense is.
Tremaine
February 11th, 2011
3:29 pm
Thank you CP. Now let us all chant in “GIVE TEAGUE A CHANCE!”
terrell
February 11th, 2011
3:34 pm
Cant believe the advertisement that I just heard on 680. “The Hawks have once again established themselves as contenders. Come experience the homecourt advantage of the highlight factory, with 2 time allstar Al Horford, Josh Smith, 4 time allstar Joe Johnson, and Mike Bibby, one of the best 3 pt shooters in the league.” lol! They cant be serious. lol! They must not think we’ve watched a Hawks game in a while.. lol!
terrell
February 11th, 2011
3:38 pm
Congrats to Ty Corbin on the Utah job. Btw, Jeff Green is available. Hmm.
Tremaine
February 11th, 2011
3:38 pm
terrell they just trying to sell tickets to the fans that don’t know anything about basketball.
superiorblogman
February 11th, 2011
3:49 pm
Once again, learn to read and comprehend a little bit atleast. My entire post was about trades and impacts. I was saying that Josh and Jamal are the most 2 overrated impact players for the Hawks. Josh because he is weak minded, has a low basketball IQ; which means he does not know what a good or bad shot is, does not know how to slash or cut and is overrated defensively because all he can do is block shots because 9 rebounds is not good for a PF. Jamal is overrated because all he can do is score and did not improve the team significantly in the wins column, while Bibby did. The point is Josh and most importantly Jamal have more value being traded than being a part of this team. My reason for bringing up Bibby was to point out how Jamal has not improved the team overall as much as some of you give him credit for. If you don’t understand now you are purely stupid and inferior and should refrain from directly engaging your superior.
O'Brien
February 11th, 2011
3:59 pm
KevinM,
I dont think the ASG can be blamed for not signing JJ to an extension. He was not going to sign a 5 year $65 mil contract when he knew he would get at least 5 years, $90+ mil on the open market. That’s $35 mil more just by waiting another year, and its not like he is injury prone.
Would you have signed the extension, or would you have become a free agent? I wouldnt have signed it.
And it all goes back to supply and demand. Memphis offered Josh 5 years, $60 mil, so we had no choice but to match or try and work out a sign and trade. They had to resign Al, because the last thing they need is for him to leave and go to another team.
Knicks and Bulls were going to offer JJ 5 years, $90+mil, so ASG decided to offer him 6 years.
If anything, I blame them for giving Bibby 3 years $18 mil, Marvin 5 years, $37.5 mil, and ZaZa 4 years, $18 mil.
As for Teague, another reason for giving him more PT now is to find out once and for all, if he is good enough. If he is not good enough, then Hawks may need to make a move at the deadline. If he is good enough, then they can reduce Bibby’s and Jamal’s minutes.
Tremaine
February 11th, 2011
4:05 pm
superiorblogman, traded for who smartguy? I see it is a waste of time responding to you. If any real hawks fans want to discuss ways of improving this years team rather than getting on here trying to act like a super nerd let me know.
O'Brien
February 11th, 2011
4:08 pm
From latimes;
Sensing the need for a team pick-me-up, the Lakers coach asked longtime friend and sports psychologist George Mumford to talk to the players several hours before they took on the Boston Celtics..
I think LD needs to hire him to come talk to the Hawks players one on one (especially Josh, Teague, Marvin and Jamal imo).
PRESTONI
February 11th, 2011
4:17 pm
The Hawks really have to do SOMETHING this time around. The mood of Long-time Hawk Fans that I have kept in contact with throughout the years has turned to Not Caring Anymore or Pure Hatred. Trades are a Major Part of the Game and you can’t continue to Suck All The Enjoyment Out of rooting for a Team by refusing to make Trades. Without a Trade the results are pretty predictable, even if we got the 4th Seed (and we will probably wind-up with the 5th Seed)–a First Round Matchup against either Orlando or a Healthy Chicago Team will put this Current Hawk Team out in the First Round and the Losses could be real embarrassing. So what do we really have to lose, why not at least create some Fan Interest and give yourself a chance? No Moves and an Embarrassing First Round Defeat will turn Philips Arena into the House of Empty Seats. Even a Pape Sy for Pop Goes The Wiesel would be welcome by Fans at this time (even though this is I guess a Lateral Move). Also, no one wants to see either Mo Evans or Zaza Pachulia in the Starting Lineup–these players should be sent to a Desert Island in the Worthless Protection Program, never to be seen or heard from again. I urge the Few Fans who are in attendance for the Game against Charlotte to take the Bags Off Their Heads so that Hawk Management can see the Sincere Look of Yearning in Your Eyes as you break into a Chorus of “One Day Our Point Guard Will Come” (to the tune of “One Day My Prince Will Come” and I wouldn’t mind getting Prince from Detroit in a Trade). I’m sure someone from Hawk Management or Ownership is reading this Post and this time it is Really Imperative to Do Something to increase the Fan Base and to give the remaining existing Fans (like myself) a measure of Hope.
Tremaine
February 11th, 2011
4:23 pm
PRESTONI I agree with you. This is like watching movie you have already seen. we should alll take the bags off and sing in harmony “GIVE TEAGUE A CHANCE”!
superiorblogman
February 11th, 2011
4:28 pm
Teague does not deserve a chance the problem with starting Teague is that you are giving him something, and I don’t think that is the best way to build character. I am all for playing Teague but he has not earned it. Teague is not the answer. Furthermore, Jordan Crawford is not either. When you get into the game you must really show that you belong and neither has done anything to really show that other than meaningless games like Summer League and the last game of the season
superiorblogman
February 11th, 2011
4:30 pm
Al’s punk soft arse is about to be on Rome Is Burning, ESPN
KevinM
February 11th, 2011
5:16 pm
superior, i am in agreement in that so many here put emphasis on the summer league when really not a lot transfers into any significant in the real season. Just because Larry coached the SL year after year doesn’t make him qualified to improve a 50+ win team to move towards the ECF.
Larry shouldn’t get a pass if they don’t advance past the 2nd round. The goal of Gearon and Sund should have been who has the best approach to getting these talented players to the top of the league…what we see currently is more of the same we have seen the last 2 years. I just don’t understand why Gearon and Sund can’t see outside their little Lego world?
Sautee
February 11th, 2011
5:41 pm
KevinM, why wouldn’t LD get a pass with the bench he’s been given?
Who from our bench besides Jamal would dent the rotation of Boston, Miami, or Orlando?
Anyone? anyone? Bueller?
And if, as you say, LD is not qualified, then why are your expectations that he SHOULD get past the second round? Think about it. You are saying that he’s NOT qualified in the first place, but still not “giving him a pass” for not reaching the ECF with THAT bench? As Ken S. would say “where’s the logic?”
I think your real quarrel is with ownership. As it should be.
Slimjr
February 11th, 2011
5:50 pm
Guys, the Hawks probably will not get of the 1st.8-11 against the winners is an ominous sign that “the Hawks are who we thought they were!” The schedule will allow the Hawks to see more winners than loosers after the break..Not looking good for ya Sund!!!!!!!
Double Zero Eight
February 11th, 2011
5:59 pm
Reality is about to rear its ugly head!! The Hawks are pretenders.
I hope I am wrong.
K-Dogg
February 11th, 2011
6:40 pm
All jokes aside why are the Hawks not in the Melo talks. They have a expring contract in Crawford and tow bigs in Big Al and Josh to put out their!!!! I love Crawford and what he bings to this team but if they not going to resign him which they should they need to go ahead and move him and use his contract to cover a big time need!!! Why we dont get that just amazes me!!!!!! We not going to win it all this year so lets make some kinda move to make us better then a 4 or 5 seed and 1st round game 7 loser or 2nd round seep victim!!!!!!!
K-Dogg
February 11th, 2011
6:42 pm
Im sure if we wnated to take a chance on Melo staying it would be worth it b/c for one he will leave 20mil on the table which i dont think he wants to do with the possible new CBA and two what NBA player or athlete in gerneal would not want to stay in this city along with all the otehr markets as long as we are winning!!! Down right craziness!!!!
K-Dogg
February 11th, 2011
6:48 pm
I hate to say this but the top 5 teams in the east are already set so we do need to look at some differnt options in the starting lineup and sticking with it for more then one game. They went big for 3 games and got away from it. The peoblem with this orginazation is they expect instant results when the NBA is not about that its about reps has always been that way. The big 3 in Miami started off sucking so why would Jeff starting at point or us playing Al at the 4 and Josh at the 3 not take more then 3 games!!!! I swear this is crazy but im done venting about this team and caoches!!!!!!
ag
February 11th, 2011
7:37 pm
SUperblogman, how much can Teague show us in those 6 minutes a night?? Maybe watching him in 48 minutes, scoring 24 pts and 15 ast IN AN ACTUAL NBA GAME should qualify for something
honest_abe
February 11th, 2011
7:40 pm
“This is probably the single most idiotic statement I have ever read on this blog, and that’s saying something. By this logic, might as well trade Al Horford for Kwame Brown since Kwame will learn how to hit mid range shots before Al becomes 7 feet tall.”
huh? not making sense as usual. but i’ve come to expect this of you. dumb bordering on clueless.
JR1967
February 11th, 2011
7:54 pm
Speaking of low attendance at Hawks Home Games-I will bet anyone that if this franchise moved to Seattle and started over with the old Sonics logo and colors, this team would flourish and become a true contender with superb fan support. This team here in Atlanta, after 40 years, has simply ran its course here.
Dept. of Redundancy Dept.
February 11th, 2011
8:02 pm
“This team here in Atlanta, after 40 years, has simply ran its course here.”
honest_abe
February 11th, 2011
8:06 pm
i can totally understand the apathetic attitude towards this hawks team. hell will freeze over before this team the way its currently assembled will come close to sniffing an nba title. we saw the ceiling last year and it was a sweep in the 2nd round. at least when the team was awful fans could look forward to the lottery as well as improvement and the hope of an nba title within a few years.
the major difference between now and then…. the absence of hope.
why should we spend our hard earned money to join 10 other fans in cheering this uninspiring team get blown out at home. ya i was at that boston game earlier this year. they quit after the 1st quarter. i left by halftime. i live like 5 minutes away from phillips and it was still a major waste of time. this team blows. the ownership sucks worse. michael gearon jr. you are quickly catching up to the smith family in terms of incompetent/clueless owners!!!!
Tremaine
February 11th, 2011
8:10 pm
JR1967, Atlanta is a good sports city as you saw when the falcons started winning. We just are so use to bad owners and being disappointed all the time. For example, the second round against Orlando last year. The hawks just gave up and then Joe Johnson say who cares what the fans think. Then right on cue the owners give him a five year deal.
ag
February 11th, 2011
8:18 pm
I really have seen worse…. “trade Josh Powell, Etan and J. Collins for Carmillo..” just dumb. EVERYBODY should be barred for suggesting trades
northcyde
February 11th, 2011
8:30 pm
JR1967
February 11th, 2011
7:54 pm
Speaking of low attendance at Hawks Home Games-I will bet anyone that if this franchise moved to Seattle and started over with the old Sonics logo and colors, this team would flourish and become a true contender with superb fan support. This team here in Atlanta, after 40 years, has simply ran its course here.
************
And if Atlanta ever lost the Hawks, they would never get another NBA franchise again, unless some other financially strapped team moved to ATL in its place.
The Atlanta Grizzlies maybe?
I guess that’s the change that people would love to see, despite the Griz being what we were 3 years ago. A good team with nice young talent, that has no shot at doing anything in the playoffs.
Najeh and I will always disagree on the importance of Hawks fans supporting the team, because he ( and a lot of the fans in ATL ) don’t believe that the fans should be obligated to support their favorite team.
Everyone has a choice.
But understand that when revenue isn’t coming in, management won’t do jack to improve the product. And when the revenue really stops coming in, the team may move altogether ( ala Charlotte Bobcats, Houston Oilers, Seattle Sonics, etc ).
Play that game if you want to ATL. But this team isn’t horrible, they’re just not a title contender. And if that isn’t good enough for the so-called die hard fans to go out and support the team by going to the games, we basically get what we get.
terrell
February 11th, 2011
8:37 pm
Kobe with 19 in the 1st qtr. Wow!
O'Brien
February 11th, 2011
9:00 pm
northcyde,
Jeff VanGundy agrees with you. From ajc.com;
Former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy’s solution: No moves at all.
“Just play better,” said Van Gundy, now calling games for ESPN and ABC. “Whatever they would do would be more cosmetic, anyway.”
He saw Collins becoming a fixture at center as a possibility, but he thought that the Hawks are better with Horford at center and Smith at power forward. Van Gundy added trade talk is immaterial without knowing who the Hawks could acquire.
“No one ever says who the people are [in the trade],” he said. “It’s always who it is and for who and what your ownership’s willing to pay.”
At 33-19, the Hawks are about where they should be, according to Van Gundy.
“They’re a solid 50-win team,” he said. “I give them a lot of credit for what they’ve been able to do, but they’re not a championship-caliber team.”.
doc
February 11th, 2011
9:11 pm
northcyde owners have a choice too. blank and turner showed thr city what a differrnce a commited pwner can make. people were staying away from nfl product before blank, you could have any seat you wanted before turner and they made a difference. this group runs their show irrrspective of what their patrons want. turner and blank built two empires one in entertainment the other in home projects, they knew you had to get customer buy in. the askg dont connect like the other two did because theu seem to think it doesnt matter. the fans will vome when the culture changes.
doc
February 11th, 2011
9:17 pm
i agree totally with the last paragraph of jeff. nailed it and sund admitted it as the ceiling for this year, goal stay fourth.