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Atlanta Hawks: Suns 105, Hawks 97

1:17 am February 24, 2011, by Michael Cunningham

Phoenix–The news of the trade shouldn’t overshadow the fact that the Hawks are suddenly reeling. That’s three straight Ls and five of six with Golden State (tough matchup), Portland (tough team) and Denver (tough building even without Melo) still to go on this trip.

  • Zaza was held out as the Hawks continued trade discussions. I’m thinking any swap would be big for big but no word yet on the details of the teams/players involved.
  • But first some more reaction to the trade that did go down. . . .
  • L.D. said the Hawks had been calling around on point guards for the last couple weeks.
  • “As everybody knows we’ve been searching for a point guard for a while, somebody who can come in and run this club,” he said. “Not saying that Mike didn’t go a good job, but there just comes a point where a change has to take place. We as an organization felt like it was that time.”
  • L.D. on Hinrich: “Kirk brings such a wealth of toughness at that position. He’s a heady guy, he’s a smart guy. All the intangibles you are looking for he brings to the table.”
  • Jamal: “It’s tough to tell now [how the trade will work]. Mike was the leader at point guard for a while. Jordan has a bright future. Mo is just solid, gives you defense and 3-point shooting. But I played with Kirk Hinrich [in Chicago] and I know what he’s about.”
  • Bibby was a popular teammate. He has a goofy personality and saw it as his job to keep the team loose (though I think the Hawks could end up benefiting from Hinrich’s more serious approach).
  • It’s a business, of course, but there was a real sense of personal loss in Atlanta’s locker room.
  • “Any time you make trades, it’s always tough, especially when you grow close and attached to players,” Drew said. “But that’s just the nature of this business. It just comes with the territory.”
  • Bibby, Mo and JC2 were informed they might be part of a trade and stayed behind at the team’s hotel. Word trickled through the rest of the team but players weren’t told of the pending deal until just before game time
  • Al: “It’s just tough for us right before the game to get this news. It’s kind of not unexpected since we’d heard but to hear it just actually happened . . .”
  • Joe: “We let three good guys go who I had become really good friends with. But at the same time we understand the business aspect and this is the profession we chose knowing that trades happen. You have to deal with it. Getting Kirk and Armstrong is definitely going to contribute to what we are trying to do. Kirk is very defensive-minded and a guy who can really knock down the open shot and penetrate and make plays for others as well. I think he is going to be beneficial for us.”
  • Moving Jordan and the first-round pick is the latest indication the Hawks, when push comes to shove, are more focused on making moves they think will help now vs. player and asset development in the future. I’m sure opinions vary on that approach among my blog people but, as I always say, the Hawks will be judged on what happens this postseason.
  • Al: “Jordan, as short as time he was here, we know he has a lot of potential.”
  • Drew on Armstrong: “He’s a big body. He’s athletic. He bangs. I like the fact he’s a guy who plays hard. You can’t have enough type of those guys.”
  • Josh on Armstrong: “I think in the paint he can block some shots and be able to add that inside presence and help us out down there a little bit. When we played against them he was a effective in a couple of games.”
  • Now on to the game . . .
  • The Hawks rallied from 18 down to tie it at 92-92 with five minutes left. The Suns closed them out by winning the kind of possession-by-possession sequences in which the Hawks tends to falter. Not a good idea to get into a shootout with the Suns, who made 10 of 14 shots in the fourth.
  • Perhaps it would have been different at the end without the big deficit or a back-to-back but it’s an L all the same.
  • “It’s tough to spot a team 18 points and having to fight back, especially a team like Phoenix,” Drew said. “They shoot the ball so well, particularly from the 3-point line (13 for 26). We exerted a lot of energy to get back and I thought our guys wore down at the end.”
  • The Hawks started switching on every screen, an approach that they theoretically should be able to scrap with Hinrich on the floor.
  • “We couldn’t get [stops],” Josh said. “We ended up switching. Nash is a smart point guard. He knew where the mismatches were. Tip your hat to Channing Frye, he hit some tough shots on Damien. Damien was all over him but when you are 6-10, 6-11 you get that ball in position you want it’s kind of hard to block the shot.”
  • Jamal’s scoring and Damien’s defense helped the Hawks get back in it. Jamal made five straight shots but didn’t have an attempt from 6:53 of the fourth until a meaningless layup in the final seconds. “I’m getting back to being me, for sure,” he said.
  • Teague got his second career start was noticeably more decisive in driving the ball. Finishing was another matter though he still was 3 for 6 from the field and 3 for 3 from the line.
  • “I thought he came out aggressive in attack mode and used his speed and quickness,” Drew said. “We need that. I thought he did a tremendous job breaking the defense down and getting to the basket. That’s the way he has to play. Don’t worry about turning the basketball over, just keep the pressure on the defense.”
  • After 10 nights on the road I’m officially on the injured list (shoulder) after a bench press mishap in the gym yesterday. It’s after the All-Star break so I’ve got to push through it. Hurts like hell to lug around bags but I refuse to take the L of getting on one of those old folks carts at the airport tomorrow.

Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat

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802 comments Add your comment

darrell starks

February 24th, 2011
11:39 am

Marvin is not a starter everytime he begain the game he become lost out there, bring him off the bench where he is comfortable doing, the same story from LD but do the same thing every game with this ridiculas smallish line up.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!

slimjr

February 24th, 2011
11:40 am

DWILL=Contender
Hinrich=NOT………………….

lewis

February 24th, 2011
11:42 am

Josh – Stop playing him at SF. Just stop. Marvin is a better defender at the position and he should be the one standing there for the corner 3, not Josh. Josh should be around the rim as much as humanly possible. 2:1 ratio of Post plays vs jump shots, 10 post ups and 5 jumpers is fine.

Al – Toughen up until we get you some help man. You seem soft since the Blake ordeal, hurt? You are our best center versus the entirety of the league save the few true centers, and even against most true centers, with your quickness and ability to score, you are better than Collins. (I like collins too). Demand the ball in the post when things are going wrong. We’re going to have to limit your time at the 4 back to what it was, alongside whoever subs for Josh, because unfortunately, you at the 4 and Josh at the 3 does not work.

JJ – Tell someone if you’re hurt, PLEASE.You like to play hard and you don’t like to lose. What’s gotten into you lately? Please revert back to your old, seflish self, passing up open 3’s to let Josh shoot them instead is ludicrous. Maybe you should cut out the 3’s altogether and focus on the midrange and post game where you excel. Remember this, if you’re disinterested, it affects everyone on the team.

darrell starks

February 24th, 2011
11:43 am

No more excuse for LD now you have 3 center on your team, horford keep giving LD hints that he is not a center but yet coach x woody continue bone head move and play your best powerford at center anyway.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!

Shake Something

February 24th, 2011
11:43 am

A Cleveland reporter doesn’t mention Session as being an untouchable for the Cavs on NBATV.Think we should include him some how in a 3 or 4 team trade that lands us him and a nice Big. the guy went for 20 points and 12 assist last night

joey

February 24th, 2011
11:45 am

again
hawks need to get a real center trade zaza and marvin for al jefferson from utah and get a sm forward role player in exchange

O'Brien

February 24th, 2011
11:46 am

From twitter;

Alex Kennedy: As I wrote yesterday, the Hawks have floated Josh Smith in several trade scenarios to gauge interest. ATL asking for a lot in return though..

I wonder if this rumor is true.

I am okay with trading Josh, especially if we can get a legit Center and filler. But after trading for Hinrich, would Rick make another drastic move? Is there such a trade partner out there?

lance

February 24th, 2011
11:46 am

jeje, consider a career in sports management. these hawks need you!

slimjr

February 24th, 2011
11:48 am

Can somebody pull up rebounding #’s say over the past 6 games? Hawks have to be at least minus 50-60 in that stretch?….Getting dismantled on the boards………

Ra'mon

February 24th, 2011
11:49 am

Jeje, you say Josh doesn’t like to be told what to do, but he’s always looking to experienced players and trainers to coach him up with his OWN money. You say trade Josh for a C. But do you realize there are only 5 centers in the league who average more rebounds per game than Josh, and three of them are Al, Dwight, and Duncan, and the other two are Jefferson and Tyson (neither are available). After Josh, the next closest center in rebounds is Hibbert, who only averages 7 rebounds a game. The Lakers are the only other team besides the Hawks who have two players in the top 13 players in the league in rebounding. So what ever it is that you think you’re getting in a center by trading Josh, you’re truly misleading yourself.

Now if you would’ve said trade Josh for D. Williams or Chris Paul, no one would be able to argue with something like that. Yet the fact still remains, that Josh is a better PF than Horford. And Horford is a better C than a PF. Horford is in the top 4-5 centers in the league. Yet, Horford wouldn’t be in the top 8 PF’s in the league because of his inability to create his own shot. What the Hawks need is someone like Dalembert or Wallace who can come off the bench and still grab 6-8 rebounds in 22 minutes per game. The starting front court has never been the problem, other than Horford crying about playing C. Do you remember just last season, when Horford and Josh DOMINATED Gasol and the Lakers’ front court? Do you remember how Josh is the only Hawk who has success against Garnett on the defensive end?

Also, the biggest problem with Horford playing the PF position, is he still rarely posts up even at the 4. On Tuesday, how many times did Horford try to post up Gasol? He still does the same thing, and that’s stay at the top of the key and wait for some one to draw his man off of him, giving him an open look. The problem with that formula is, sure it helps Horford scores, but that doesn’t help anyone else on the team. When Josh or Joe posts up, they’re both doing so, while trying to force a double team. When Josh or Joe faces up someone and attempts to drive by their opponent, the defense reacts and rotates. That creates open shots for their teammates. Horford is an excellent mid range shooter, who makes you think his offense is really better than what it is. In all of these games that Horford has had only two games two games where he had 10 free throw attempts (Minnesota and Philadelphia- as a C, no games as a PF). In the games that Horford has played PF more, he’s only averaging 1.9 free throw attempts a game (compared to Josh’s 4 per game – which is low also, but still twice as many as Al). There’s no purpose of moving Horford to PF instead of C, if he’s still not going to be physical on offense.

darrell starks

February 24th, 2011
11:49 am

LD have started thinking like woody again a 7man rotation how retarted is that.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!

lewis

February 24th, 2011
11:50 am

Damien hit a corner 3 last night and a nice midrange jumper. Does he consistently hit the 3? If so, I like his doggedness and think he should start. Start your best defensive players to set the defensive tone of the game, then let Jamal come in and ruin the flow (lol).

I want Marvin coming off the bench and backing people down into the post with that big butt, his little turnaround jump hook thing has looked good lately.

Hinrich/JJ/Marv/Josh/Al
Hinrich/JJ/Damien/Josh/Al

What I personally would like to see is

Teague
Hinrich
JJ
Josh
Al

KevinM

February 24th, 2011
11:50 am

darrell, that size thing is my biggest crutch with Larry now that Bibster has flown.
Collins played fine the night before in 15 min….me, I wear that guy down til he begs to come out. Last night, 4 min, with Gortat controlling Smoove/Marvin/Al.

Our lineup rotations still have a lot of questions in them….what did Marvin do for 27 min out there? That +8 he registered is a whacked stat? Does that take into account how many offensive rebounds he gave up?

darrell starks

February 24th, 2011
11:51 am

slimjr COSIGN THAT.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!

Shake Something

February 24th, 2011
11:52 am

we need Bob Johnson to buy the Hawks.

lewis

February 24th, 2011
11:56 am

Hard to imagine Hawks getting better by letting Smith go

joey

February 24th, 2011
11:58 am

per hoopsworld.com the hawks are trying a 2nd deal with marvin jamal possibly zaza with possibly utah for al jefferson or portland

darrell starks

February 24th, 2011
12:00 pm

slimjr The hawks are rank almost dead last in rebounding with this smallish line that LD continue 2 put on the floor.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!

lewis

February 24th, 2011
12:01 pm

watch bibby goto the knicks

joey

February 24th, 2011
12:03 pm

anyone else hear anything?

lewis

February 24th, 2011
12:04 pm

joey dont lie to me, I LOVEEEEE BIG AL JEFFERSON!

lewis

February 24th, 2011
12:08 pm

At least we only have to wait until 3 to know nothing’s happening.

Mz. Hawkdafied

February 24th, 2011
12:13 pm

D12
Boss
JSmoove
JJ
DWill

bam, Hawks problems solved perhaps

Double Zero Eight

February 24th, 2011
12:17 pm

We might have given up a bit too much!! Only time will tell.
It would have been nice to give up a second round pick
instead of a first round.

Marvin needs a change of scenery. Hope he finds a
new home before the deadline.

bigdave

February 24th, 2011
12:19 pm

“Josh is a better PF than Horford. And Horford is a better C than a PF”

PREACH!

Carlos

February 24th, 2011
12:21 pm

Look guys, we hit a ceiling with this loser of a core we have and sorry excuse of a bench. The more that get traded the merrier. Something had to change. Hopefully, whatever we can get for whoever is traded will improve the team. If not, well I’d rather lose trying out new players than lose watching these same guys who have been doing the same garbage for years,

LETS TAKE OUT THE TRASH AND GET JOSH SMITH AND MARVIN OUT OF HERE BY 3!!!! OR AT LEAST ONE OF THEM!!!

Freshfromatl

February 24th, 2011
12:27 pm

Rumors are flying on hoopshype that Josh Smith and Zaza is being shopped.

Rod from College Park

February 24th, 2011
12:28 pm

“Kirk Hinrich”

That’s the ASG’s answer for us (LOL). The Hawks need serious help from a marketing standpoint. If you are not going to compete for a tiltle, which we are not, a least bring in a guy who is going to get people to want to come to Phillips Arena. Of all of the guys, that play point guard in the league, the guy who will draw the least amount of people in Atlanta, to Phillips Arena, is Kirk Hinrich. I will admit he is an upgrade over Bibby, but Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong(LOL) just won’t get it done. Hinrich has not even started in this league at the point in the last couple of years. Another lateral move by the ASG, along with many terrible moves, like resigning Marvin Williams, and Zaza.

Bibby is gone, now please get rid of the worse player on this team for the last couple of years, Marvin Williams. How do you play 29 minutes, against Phoenix (one of the worse defensive teams in the league), and score 2 points? It’s really getting to the point where it’s funny. A 6′11 guy with a 7 foot wing span, who plays small forward, and he can’t give you more than 2 points against Pheonix? I think Larry Drew, has finally realized it and stopped starting him, and continues to take him off the floor at the end of the game.

Shake Something

February 24th, 2011
12:29 pm

I’m all for Marvin Williams trade here, for a NEEDED BIG MAN,All we have is BullS*** depth at center,and if we just so happen to luck up the 4 or 5 seed then we will see Howard and the Magic..

cp

February 24th, 2011
12:32 pm

If that deal for Jefferson is real then you do it and don’t look back. I’m done with Marvin. Dude just ain’t got it. He cant even hit the wide open shots and he rebounds sometimes. We would have to get more than Jefferson though because we would need a scorer off the bench…….I hope LD gives Teague a chance and not bury him on the bench again. I’m not feeling LD’s rotations at all. Last night showed me that Teague and Damien should have been receiving more minutes. I wont be shocked if JC2 shows that he should have been playing over Mo Evans too. LD needs to get it together…..No more Marvin aka the invisible man and Zaza

terrell

February 24th, 2011
12:33 pm

This is the type of toughness this team needs
http://ww.youtube.com/watch?v=dRxZ-6DYJgU

ken

February 24th, 2011
12:34 pm

how bout this trade saves money in long run and fills both teams needs . .http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine

Ken Strickland

February 24th, 2011
12:38 pm

With the Hawks taking on Hinrich’s $9M contract, it’s highly unlikely we will trade Jamal’s $10.8M expiring contract. His contract is far more valuable to us coming off the books and keeping us under the luxury tax cap, than as a trade chip. With Zaza being held out, it’s almost a certainty he’ll be traded.

With MEvans, Bibby, JoCrawford, and our 1st rd pick already gone, what else can we combine with Zaza to trade? The Hawks willingness to take on Hinrich’s $9M contract, and trade away our 1st rd pick, tells me Sund and the ASG are committed to giving Teague another yr to develop, and that LDrew had better get it done or he’ll join Woody.

We really tightened up our DEF in the 2nd half last night. The trade prevented LDrew from making his favorite stupid move, and that’s putting his 2 biggest DEF liabilities(Bibby/Jamal)on the floor at one time.

ken

February 24th, 2011
12:41 pm

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4ejdc24

terrell

February 24th, 2011
12:43 pm

Kenny Smith: “You cannot be scoring 12 points if you’re Joe Johnson”.

ejh

February 24th, 2011
12:45 pm

If mike Bibby ends up anywehere it will probably be Miami, who needs a spot point guard who can shoot, and that might get them over the top, because Chalmers can defend. They just need more reliable shooters around the big 3

lewis

February 24th, 2011
12:46 pm

Joe was in beast mode for awhile….bad time to slump

F@#KTHEHAWKS.org

February 24th, 2011
12:49 pm

@ Ken… Man You Read My Mind! I’m Praying they make this trade minus J. Crawford. Man I would actually pay to see this squad. Smoove cries to much and is a cancer on the ball club. I am sick of his poor attitude and whiny a$$! Zaza has declined over the last couple of years, which I have no wayof knowing how that happened. Look for the Hawks to give up Marvin instead of Jamal, I HOPE THIS TRADE HAPPENS! We need a major change and build around Joe and Al. Period!!

Najeh Davenpoop

February 24th, 2011
12:49 pm

“Etan has 7 games and 35 minutes to claim this year….isn’t that like $35,000/minute?”

Fun fact: Etan Thomas and Tracy McGrady get paid the same.

Mac-Town, Georgia (urban-macon.blogspot.com)

February 24th, 2011
12:50 pm

hoopinion‎ Breaking 2013 trade deadline news: Hawks attempting to deal Damien Wilkins’ expiring deal and Jamal Crawford for frontcourt depth.
Twitter – 6 minutes ago

Mac-Town, Georgia (urban-macon.blogspot.com)

February 24th, 2011
12:50 pm

lol@2013

ken

February 24th, 2011
12:51 pm

they need a two guard so theres no way they take marvin

Najeh Davenpoop

February 24th, 2011
12:51 pm

“I wonder if this rumor is true.

I am okay with trading Josh, especially if we can get a legit Center and filler. But after trading for Hinrich, would Rick make another drastic move? Is there such a trade partner out there?”

I’m sure that tweet will get a ton of attention, especially because it’s Smoove and people go crazy on here any time his name is mentioned, but it sounds to me like they were doing due diligence. My guess is the Hawks’ asking price is too high for anyone and they won’t end up finding a trade involving him that they think will improve the Hawks.

Mike

February 24th, 2011
12:53 pm

Rumor has it that the Hawks are in talks with Utah. Jamal and Marvin for Al Jefferson

Mac-Town, Georgia (urban-macon.blogspot.com)

February 24th, 2011
12:55 pm

Not to get too far ahead…but if that happens….that would slide Smoove down to the 3 permanently. Will that work???

Ra'mon

February 24th, 2011
1:01 pm

Mac, it would have to work, because neither Al Horford or Al Jefferson are great defenders of the rim.

lewis

February 24th, 2011
1:02 pm

someone point me in the direction of this rumor, i’m quite good at finding these things and cannot locate it

Shake Something

February 24th, 2011
1:04 pm

Less than 2 hours wonder if another deal is in play?!??!

Mz. Just Don't Give Hoot

February 24th, 2011
1:05 pm

time to free up cap space for D12

aFan

February 24th, 2011
1:07 pm

Who is going to be our bench players is this trade happens?

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