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
doc
February 11th, 2011
9:28 pm
as a fan fourth is not very satisfying as the bar.
Sautee
February 11th, 2011
9:41 pm
doc,
Thus, Astro’s mantra for this year: Lose better
I agree it’s not very compelling relative to actually being in the mix.
But until this ownership group gives up the ghost, I’m very afraid that that’s where we’ll be. Just OK.
doc
February 11th, 2011
9:58 pm
Enter your comments hereyeah sautee i am cool wid dat until i wstchbthem lose like they did to the sixers
bigdave
February 11th, 2011
10:02 pm
lol.
the clientele must prove (worthy) of better basketball decisions before the powers that be take action in improving their product?
that is a baffling concept.
hell if its up to us.. they might as well ask the opinions of some here on personnel moves.
u would never hear any sound/successful businessman/owner tell his clientele/fan base that they must improve as fans before the professionals improve in their respective endeavors.
the more Matt Ryan jerseys sold, the better he plays. negative. the more Hawk fans in attendance the more savvy acquisitions/picks made by Sund. negative. these guys will be good or trash by their own merit and ability.
build the trust, rapport, and product; increase your following.
superiorblogman
February 11th, 2011
10:05 pm
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4g8s3xt
Pistons get: Jamal, Zaza, and 2012 1st round pick
Hawks get: Tayshaun Prince and Rodney Stuckey
New lineup:
PG Stuckey/Bibby/Teague
SG Joe/Mo/jordan
SF Prince/Marvin/Wilkins
PF Josh Smith/Marvin/Josh Powell
C Horford/Collins/Etan
I know it’s not happening because Sund in the ASG are trying to move the team to Vegas by hook or crook but it should. We owe Zaza $4+ million next year, your not gonna resign Jamal for less than $6 million. That’s $10 million split that between Stuckey and Prince for next year and let’s ride.
Scoop
February 11th, 2011
10:51 pm
LOL @ Rod from CP.
Dude trying to compare Marino and Kelly to T-Mac, DWill, and whoever else……….FACT: Marino and Kelly=Hall of Famers T-Mac and Crew=NOT…….PERIOD(BTW comparing cross sports is never good idea)
O'Brien
February 11th, 2011
10:55 pm
I know the motion offense does not require a traditional PG. But what’s interesting to me is how some teams have 2 decent PG’s, and we are stuck with Bibby and Teague. Some examples;
Jazz have Deron, Earl Watson and Ronnie Price
Hornets have CP3 and Jarrett Jack
Spurs have Tony Parker and George Hill
Bulls have Derrick Rose and CJ Watson
Mavericks have Jason Kidd and Jose Barea
Denver has Chauncey Billups and Ty Lawson
Lakers have Steve Blake and Derek Fisher
Houston has Aaron brooks and Kyle Lowry
Philly has Jrue Holiday and Lou Williams
Boston has Rondo and Nate
And there is probably more out there. How many of the above players would start over Bibby right now?
Scoop
February 11th, 2011
10:57 pm
For What It Is Worth,
The Hawks will be fine. They are wildly inconsistent, so the bandwagon will be empty and full a lot but the fact of the matter is they match up well with the East’s elite teams.
-This core has always played the Celtics tough
- 1-1 against new Heat and could easily be 2-0.
- 2-1 vs. Magic(1-0 vs new Magic).
-Chicago could be our toughest match up.
Regardless of what your current opinion of the Hawks is, I guarantee you that nobody wants the Hawks come playoff time. They present match up problems for every team while their athleticism allows them to switch a lot of things defensively. We just need some perimeter defense and that is why Teague should start the game against the opposing starting mainly for defense and let Bibby square off against the back-ups to mask his lack of lateral agility.
Grandad
February 11th, 2011
11:22 pm
Here’s the thang;
ASSG/Sund don’t care. never have. I’ve said it before:
“the Hawks Public Relations / Media Relations, etc is pathetic”.
If your a Hawk fan there is never any news:
I’m not talkin about MC or KS & the blog.
1st thang they say is:
“we’re not lookin’ to trade”
-or-
they lie;
“were gonna sign a FA this summer after we take care of Joe”. [paraphrase]
We never get to hear a rumor or anything because they ain’t doing nothing.
Everyone other contender is trying to get better.
Not the Hawks.
It’s no wonder nobody shows up, they [the Hawks] don’t even promote hope.
We need a Big and a pg / everybody and their cousin knows that;
but the ASSG act as if they are not even looking.
“if something presents itself”
Well I’m gonna tell you;
Golden State ain’t fixin to call up Rick & say:
“how about you send us Mo for Curry”
that ain’t gonna present itself.
I’m sick of ‘em.
I’m on the verge of switching back to being a Celtic fan, circa 1952 – 1968.
I’m still steamed!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 11th, 2011
11:43 pm
“And when the revenue really stops coming in, the team may move altogether ( ala Charlotte Bobcats, Houston Oilers, Seattle Sonics, etc ).”
The Bobcats were an expansion team. If you are talking about the Hornets, they (as well as the Oilers and the Sonics) moved because they couldn’t get new arenas. New arenas mean more luxury boxes and more opportunity to sell the tickets that owners care about. Owners care a hell of a lot more about those premium seats than they do about someone like me buying a $15 seat to sit in the upper deck for a game.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 11th, 2011
11:44 pm
“the more Matt Ryan jerseys sold, the better he plays. negative. the more Hawk fans in attendance the more savvy acquisitions/picks made by Sund. negative. these guys will be good or trash by their own merit and ability.
build the trust, rapport, and product; increase your following.”
Co-sign.
lewis
February 11th, 2011
11:55 pm
Just got back from the Q. Watched history being made as the streak was snapped. Wow are the Cavs bad. That said, incredible fans, far superior experience to that which I had at Phillips during the Orlando game recently (which I really did enjoy). Incredibly loud, sell out. Insane amounts of cheerleaders and in between game entertainment. Game went in to overtime. No one left. And then no one left until the game ended, except me and my friends when there was 16 seconds to go, because i’m from Atlanta and I ain’t gettin caught in traffic cause I know better.
Shake Something
February 12th, 2011
12:37 am
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4qmn274
thats the other trade with SAC getting a 2 pick and Grizz a 1st
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2011
1:54 am
The Cavs had the league’s worst attendance the year before LeBron got there. They are selling out games this year in large part because season ticket holders were forced to renew before LeBron made his decision. If they continue to suck for a couple of years, rest assured their attendance will go back to the bottom.
lewis
February 12th, 2011
2:05 am
Nah, people in cleveland love cheering for nothing
The Truth
February 12th, 2011
2:10 am
LOL, the Hawks lose a game to Philly (who also beat the Spurs) and now some (so-call fans) want the team to move to Seattle. My question is what’s in it for Hawk Fans if that happens? Answer: not a dam thang. In fact, the questions is really irrelevant on this blog since it just a mole’s fantasy to irritate and initiate that next rumor (perhaps).
Why is it when the Hawks have a disappointing lose, it’s always the fans fault for not showing up? I was at the Philly game and I can tell you this; if Philips was sold out, the Hawks still would have lost because they didn’t come properly prepared and they under-estimated a very hot Philly team. No rah-rah could have saved them from defeat. They were just out played; out worked and probably knows it now. Sometimes these team loses have nothing to do with player quality but have everything to do with the team’s mentality. A believe and desire that they can beat their opponent on that given night. For example, even though Phillip beat the Spurs, does anyone really believe that Philly is the better team? If a team is hot and has momentum, under the right set of circumstances, any opponent can be the next victim. Apparently for the Hawks in the Philly defeat, they were in the right place but at the wrong time playing the wrong team (as Wolf Man Jack would say).
slim4jr
February 12th, 2011
8:59 am
The Fix is in here in Atlanta..There will be no Championships!!! I get it now David Stern…..Sorry Hawks fans…..
Why do you think Sund was hired in the first place???? HMMMMM….A 64 million dollar question?
Trojan
February 12th, 2011
10:25 am
MC should write an article on what Grandad wrote at 11:22. The management of the Hawks inspire no confidence and THEY are the reason for lack of hope. We can take only making it to the 1st round if there is hope for progress. Sund inspires no one. The management group inpires no one. The poor attempts to fix the obvious weakensses of this team inspires no one.
Mike is back
February 12th, 2011
11:16 am
Doc and GRANDAD, great comment on ASG…these guys have been much maligned since their inception…too dang many people trying to run a sports franchised…it will never work…and why the heck do the ASG even have a GM…when clearly they are hell bent on running both the Hawks and Thrasher themselves.
Funny thing is…isn’t the Gearson the ones that own the lease percentage of the franchise…why are they always the ones doing all the talking…it kind of remind me of when Rankin Smith let his older son run Falcon…Hey, go ahead son and have your fun…we own the team…we can do WTF we want.
Sad analogy, but it feels eerily the same.
Vava, as a long standing member of this blog…You are charge with finding a millionaire over in Europe and beyond to buy out the BASG. lol
terrell
February 12th, 2011
11:40 am
A lot of days off in the ATL. Hope it doesnt spell disaster again. Must win tonight. Next 7 on the road, and then we come home to find Chicago and OKC waiting for us.