Atlanta Hawks: Joe Johnson to return to lineup as Hawks look for ‘mental edge’ over Magic
J.J. practiced today and said he “definitely” will play against the Magic after missing a game with a sprained right thumb.
“A little sore but it will be all right,” he said. “I have had a couple days to rest so I am sure it will be ready to go.”
Joe said he would probably wear some kind of protective device on the thumb. He said he was able to shoot the ball without problems while participating in the full session.
“He was actually pretty good,” L.D. said. “I asked him how the thumb was and he said it was much better than a couple days ago. That’s good to hear. I thought he shot the ball pretty good today.”
Smoove missed the final portion of practice to get treatment on his sore right knee. He’s not listed on the injury report.
If Joe returns to the lineup and if Jameer Nelson (knee) is able to play, it would be the first Hawks-Magic this season in which both teams had all their regular starters available.
Nelson sat out the Magic’s 93-89 victory on Nov. 8 at Amway Center. J.J. and Nelson sat out the Dec. 6 rematch in Orlando won 80-74 by the Hawks (a game in which several Orlando players were getting over a virus). The Magic had just added Turkoglu and J-Rich to the lineup when they lost 91-81 on Dec. 20 at Philips.
As Chicago, Boston, Miami fight it out for the top three spots in the East and Philly and New York meander at six and seven, it looks like the Hawks and Magic will tangle in the first round of the playoffs. John Hollinger’s latest playoff odds projections have it that way.
“It’s highly probable they will be our first-round opponents in the playoffs and I am sure they are looking at it the same way,” L.D. said. “They’ve always been a tough team for us to play, going back to what they did to us last year. So the energy is going to be there, the energy and the intensity. I think there will be a sense of urgency on both team’s parts to establish themselves.”
L.D. said he probably would again use the Twin lineup again Orlando. With Gortat gone the Magic now are forced to play small with Brandon Bass or Ryan Anderson at center when Dwight goes to the bench. That lack of front court size, in addition to Hinrich now checking Jameer instead of Bibby, theoretically makes Orlando a more favorable matchup for the Hawks.
Of course the Hawks can’t think about match ups when they have yet to prove their worth against the league’s best. Getting a W tomorrow would be a good start.
“We feel confident going up against any team,” J.J. said. “But I think we understand the significance of this game and the psychology of it, as far as this is more than likely be our first-round opponent. This is definitely a statement game, a game that we really need to come out and take seriously. We can go up 3-1 and have the mental edge on them as well. It’s definitely important.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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175 comments Add your comment
doc
March 29th, 2011
6:46 pm
suh, atlanta is seriously ranked second as the worst sports city of frustration and losing out only to seattle who got their distinction because they lost an nba team. article out not too long ago.
prison mike
March 29th, 2011
6:52 pm
You take my comment out context ND. Through the draft and possibly exceptions, we could easily upgrade the point and off guard position to further increase the awesomeness of the starting five.
Gotta stop fantasizing, it makes me more depressing I among others would have been a much better GM than knight or sund.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 29th, 2011
7:05 pm
“My anecdotal recollection is that Marvin often has these explosive games when Joe is down.”
Joe missed 9 games in December. Here were Marvin’s stats in those games:
Points: 15, 22, 5, 2, 7, 15, 10, 6, 26. Average: 12 ppg on 8.8 shots per game (season: 10.7 on 8.5 shots per game)
Rebounds: 4, 2, 4, 1, 4, 7, 0, 5, 5. Average: 3.6 rpg (season: 5.4)
Assists: 3, 0, 2, 0, 2, 0, 2, 3, 1. Average: 1.4 (season: 1.4)
Steals: 1, 4, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0. Average: 0.9 (season: 0.6)
Blocks: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1. Average: 0.2 (season: 0.4)
FG%: 55, 58, 22, 17, 33, 50, 67, 25, 60. Average: 46.8% (season: 45.7%)
3’s: 6/21, 28.6% 3pt% (season: 32%)
FTA: 4, 8, 0, 1, 4, 4, 2, 4, 9. Average: 4 (season: 2.8).
FT%: 78% (season: 84.4%)
Offensive rating: 127, 133, 60, 29, 119, 110, 122, 121, 119. Average: 104 (season: 111)
Defensive rating: 121, 91, 105, 92, 118, 120, 91, 121, 121. Average: 109 (season: 107)
Sure, stats never tell the whole story, and nine games is a small sample size, so take from that what you will. His performance fluctuated wildly over that period — he had 2 really efficient games against Boston (in a blowout) and Philadelphia, and several poor games mixed in there as well. If there’s anything to draw from his performance during that time, though, it is that he is more aggressive getting to the line with Joe out of the game. Aside from that, there doesn’t seem to be much evidence that Joe being out is going to result in Marvin performing all that much better.
ga peach
March 29th, 2011
7:09 pm
@ Najeh then get out
O'Brien
March 29th, 2011
7:12 pm
MC,
I dont think JJ has missed that many games prior to this season, so hopefully it wont be too hard to find Marvin’s stats in those games.
What I think will help Marvin is that if I’m not mistaken, the games JJ missed were against bad teams, so it was easier for Marvin to go off (like he did against the Cavs, for example).
It will be interesting to see what the numbers say…
O'Brien
March 29th, 2011
7:15 pm
Najeh,
To increase the sample size, maybe you will get a chance to look at the last 2 seasons as well.
And do you know what the Hawks record was in those games?
Section 303
March 29th, 2011
7:18 pm
Larry Drew talking about how the Hawks will play with a sense of urgency tomorrow….yeah, right…..what a load of bullsh#t that is.
We all know the Hawks will show up tomorrow night and get their heads kicked in. There will be no fight from them, per usual.
Blast
March 29th, 2011
7:31 pm
Another test.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 29th, 2011
7:32 pm
“To increase the sample size, maybe you will get a chance to look at the last 2 seasons as well.
And do you know what the Hawks record was in those games?”
It took too damn long to even compile the information for that post, so I’m probably not going to go back over the last few seasons to do the same. A very superficial glance over last year’s games that Joe missed seems to reveal more inconsistency from Marvin — several solid games mixed in with several underwhelming games. Two years ago, of course, Marvin went off in the two games Joe missed, as noted by Bret LaGree in his post, and three years ago Joe played every game. I don’t think Marvin’s stats from four or five years ago are relevant since he was still developing at that point.
The Hawks were 5-4 in the games Joe missed earlier this year. The quality of opponents was pretty solid in those 9 games, too: the Hawks faced Memphis, Philly, and Indiana at home as well as Boston, Orlando, San Antonio, and Miami on the road within those nine games (all playoff teams). Of course, one of the other two games was the game at Detroit where the Hawks lost by 23 points, and given the quality of opponent and the margin of defeat you could make a reasonable case for that being the Hawks’ worst loss of the season, even more so than the Hawks’ set of blowout losses at home.
JSS
March 29th, 2011
8:06 pm
Atlanta Sports fans are not “negative.” Detroit Lions and Cleveland Indians fans are negative. You’ve never seen anything close to how the fans of those teams rip their franchises from top to bottom… I thought I was in a death camp when I was in college as people waited for the Lions to find a way to self-destruct every year…
Pessimism is a totally different animal from being negative. A pessimist holds out a tiny ray of hope. A negative person says it is never possible. As much as I talk badly about the Falcons, I do understand that they have a possibility under the absolute perfect set of circumstances they can win. The Hawks, you just never feel that they’ve given you their absolute all with the dedication of a group of players who should have had it sink in by now… Thus, they are rightfully discounted, it is a “prove it” world.
slimjr
March 29th, 2011
8:09 pm
“Braves: 1 title in 45 years
Hawks: 0 titles in 43 years
Falcons: 0 titles in 45 years
Thrashers: 0 titles in 12 years
I think Atlanta sports fans have pretty damn good reasons to be negative.”
I co-sign @ Najeh
That is down right pathetic!!!! If Glavin did not pitch the game of his career( A GAME SIX SHUTOUT) Bobby Cox would have figured out a way to lose that series like all the other one he’s blown!!!!!!!!!!!!..It must be something in the water down here?????????????
1 Championship in a hundred and forty seven seasons….PATHETIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mike is back
March 29th, 2011
8:11 pm
Section 303, hopefully we are wrong this time…and these guys with play with some heart.
I definitely don’t expect nothing different from LD…dude just ain’t the one.
If you are riding Marvin and Jamal’s improve play…instead of trying to coheirs your team to commit to playing tenacious defense for the rest of the season…sh&t…you ain’t gon do much…LD GOT TO SHOW ME!!!!!
I say those stats against quality opponent ain’t no fluke…and if LD has accomplish any this season…that is…spending that weak repetitive chatter… talk is cheap…put up or shut up.
So JJ looked real good shooting with a sore thumb…with no one guarding him…does that mean you finally found away to get JJ to show TF up in Big Games…if not…why you so fing happy.
Is there any risk to rushing JJ back with the playoff looming…let’s see that kind of reminds of the seven man rotation after a back to back…dang.
I guess LD said the Heck with playing Armstrong…Hey, it only cost us JC2 and a 1st round pick…again Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.
slimjr
March 29th, 2011
8:18 pm
Orlando will be at full strength and it would be safe to say they are far superior to the say the Pistons who beat the crap out of the Hawks at Home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look out here it comes………………………..
Blast
March 29th, 2011
8:34 pm
Check out Bibby helping Miami get back in the game vs the Cavs.
Astro Joe
March 29th, 2011
8:39 pm
Considering that tha Hawks have onky produced 10 wins against winning teams (with the season about 2 weeks from concluding), they could have NOT signed Joe, traded Jamal and dumped a few other guys and likely would have come close to a similar 10 wins against winning teams. Of course, hey would not have been so dominant against the scrub teams, but it likely would not have been much less satisfying than this debacle of a season.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 29th, 2011
8:42 pm
“@ Najeh then get out”
First let me see the DASG get out (insert winking smiley face here)
Blast
March 29th, 2011
8:45 pm
These are the same Cavs that Hawks demolished a couple of days ago. Now they are taking Miami to school?
The Cavs color commentators are rather childish.
Blast
March 29th, 2011
8:47 pm
Do the Cavs hate LeBrat that much?
I guess so.
Melvin
March 29th, 2011
9:13 pm
Just saw the worst piece of officating in the Cavs/Heat game. Lebron hits a half-court shot after time expired b/c the time keeper started the clock early and the initial call was the shot was no good. After the officials look at the replay that counted the shot instead of replaying the final 2 seconds… SMH
ant banks
March 29th, 2011
9:14 pm
DAILY JC2 REPORT: jamal crawford hit 25 points AGAIN. how do the hawks scouts keep jobs after whiffin’ so many times on so many sorry azz players? then miss on the good ones? smfhid
W.R.Terrell
March 29th, 2011
9:17 pm
I think someone mentioned growing pains concerning the “SOFT’S”. My question is, how long do they have to grow the pains. Five years of growing is not be enough?. LD had no clue as to what he had in Jordon Crawford or what he has in Jeff Teague, the man is simply a bad coach. We may win against Orlando but the “SOFT’S” maintain a losers mindset. True fans for those that are unaware do get pis’d when their team continues to falter because that team becomes a part of their daily entertainment. If you’ve played in some sport then losing graciously only means 2nd or 3rd place. Real simple, the reason Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordon were winners is because they could not stand to lose. The “SOFT’S” can stand losing and that’s not a good thing, that’s a cancer and unacceptable to REAL FANS. Hell, I was with the Braves when winning a game was luck, same with the Falcons but the HAWKS always, always fought when they did not have anything to fight with. That’s why the “SOFT’S” pisses me off. They have plenty to fight with and WON’T!!!!!
O'Brien
March 29th, 2011
9:25 pm
Lets not forget this is the same Cavs team that is 3-0 against the Knicks.
I do think the best thing about playing the Magic and not the Heat in the playoffs is that Wade and LeBron will get the benefit of every call. Against the Magic, only Howard will get the benefit of the calls.
Najeh,
We appreciate the work..
ga peach
March 29th, 2011
9:29 pm
Y DONT ALL YALL FIND A TEAM YOU DEEM WORTHY OF SUPPORTING!!!!! It makes no sense that u spend all day bashing a team that you hate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
March 29th, 2011
9:31 pm
The Heat may very well end up winning this game at Cleveland, but they have some problems with mental toughness of their own. Without Bibby hitting key 3’s they may have been blown out already.
James on Pharr Rd
March 29th, 2011
9:33 pm
Najeh
Please stop with the legitimization of anything Marvin has done because at best his statistics cannot justify his total body of work and overall shortcomings. At best, Marvin can only be developed into a solid defensive player who knocks down the mid range jumper period. He may be able to look good against bad teams, but thats it. Maybe, a good coach comes in and mandates a specific role for him-sort of like Udonis Haslem save for the position.
We have to stop clinging onto a bad overall product-this team is broken and it is time to fix it for short or long term success.
W.R.Terrell
March 29th, 2011
9:36 pm
I don’t think we are bashing a team we hate, I think we are bashing a team we have learned to love and hate what is happening to it. There’s a difference.
B-Balla-Val-Halla
March 29th, 2011
9:41 pm
I’m just not impressed with JJ at all. When he came over from the Suns I thought he might be a player that scored 25 to 30 every night. But what he has become is a 25,9,14,17,12,25,8 scorer. And yes, the games he scores 25+ the Hawks win. The problem is in the games he scores 9 in he shoots 4 for 25. And of course, they lose. Will the real JJ stand up ?
B-Balla-Val-Halla
March 29th, 2011
9:46 pm
Lay off MC. You can’t argue the fact that the Hawks beat the Cavs,Bobcats,and Kings but lose to the Magic,Heat,Bulls,and Celtics. The won-loss record proves this. And its a fact that the latter are the teams they will face in the playoffs. But many of you losers still argue with actual won-loss records.
B-Balla-Val-Halla
March 29th, 2011
9:46 pm
MC speaks da truth !
Sautee
March 29th, 2011
9:46 pm
“Real simple, the reason Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordon were winners is because they could not stand to lose.”
Well, that’s ONE reason.
It didn’t hurt that each of them had Hall of Fame teammates. If the Hawks had multiple HOF players, they would win more too.
O'Brien
March 29th, 2011
9:54 pm
Sautee,
Another reason is they played for very good coaches…
James on Pharr Rd
March 29th, 2011
9:57 pm
Come on Now:
JJ is our franchise guy, but he only averaged close to 25 a game in his contract year and the other times he was close were when he got 30 shots a game. He has to GO or we have to change in many ways our players
James on Pharr Rd
March 29th, 2011
9:58 pm
Help please: What is a good website to follow trade propositions besides ESPN?
bgdawg
March 29th, 2011
9:59 pm
this season was over when we got blown out by the hornets. the playoff destruction will just add to that
Melvin
March 29th, 2011
9:59 pm
watching the cavs/heat game made me sick. We should have signed a young Big like Ryan Hollins. He’s a very atheletic and good defensive player…
B-Balla-Val-Halla
March 29th, 2011
9:59 pm
All those teams had multiple stars. The Lakers had Kareem & Magic,Kobe & Shaq. Others were Penny & Shaq,Bird & McHale,Jordan & Pippen,Olajuwon & Drexler.
Hawks vs. Magic – Playoff Preview, part I | Atlanta Hawks: Fan Nest
March 29th, 2011
10:00 pm
[...] when the playoffs start. What it hopefully does do, is help stabilize this team’s shakey frame of mind. Orlando hasn’t enjoyed the historic-level blowouts against Atlanta as they did last season, [...]
B-Balla-Val-Halla
March 29th, 2011
10:00 pm
Sautee is correct.
UGATrueBlood
March 29th, 2011
10:02 pm
Haha. Just watch the game to see Joe “Big Talk” Johnson go 6 for 16 for 13 pts for the whole game or go 6 for 8 for 12 points before getting hurt in the 2nd quarter. Either way, this soft SOB will score less than 15 and screw this team (once again) out of a win.
UGATrueBlood
March 29th, 2011
10:05 pm
Bench JJ. Stop using the “twin” lineup, put Teague at PG with Kirk at SG. Drew won’t do any of this plus with this team having the self-esteem of a battered housewife, I say Magic win by 32
Najeh Davenpoop
March 29th, 2011
10:14 pm
“Please stop with the legitimization of anything Marvin has done”
Try reading my post again.
W.R.Terrell
March 29th, 2011
10:20 pm
It’s in the heart. You can’t coach that, good team, bad team, good coach, bad coach. You gotta want it and want it bad and as far as Hall of famers, I remember when Chicago only had Michael and you would still sit in front of the t.v. and watch a ball player ball, same with Atlanta when we would have a player here, a player there and guess what…they played ball. It’s in the heart. No Hall of famers in Chicago now except Derrick Rose and he’s carrying the team. Heart man, and we have no one that has that.
drmaryb (*_-)
March 29th, 2011
10:23 pm
Beat Biter!
“The “sadly certain” future to which LaGree alludes will continue to be sadly certain irrespective of where Joe is, as long as the eight feces-throwing orangutans own the team and Sund is making personnel decisions.”
_____________________________
(the eight feces-throwing orangutans own the team )
Hey! Najeh stole my line. I am the original author of this depiction of
The ASKG. Hey Najeh, write your own material!
So, “You Got Jokes” now?
drmaryb (*_-)
March 29th, 2011
10:35 pm
Cavs beat Heat! WOW!
LeBron was not on the court for his pre-game introduction, he said he was using the facilities / the john / the urinal?
Yeah right, mmmh hmmm, OK.
___________________
Hey worldwide clyde! The Cavs beat the Heat. Didn’t we do that without Joe even on the bench.
_______________________
Hey! Who is messing with Najeh? Yall better be glad I was at the Mall while that was going down. I gotta’ go back and read all these posts now, I gotta see what all the discrepancy is about. I know Najeh can handle his business, and I’m sure it’s some fake named blogger doing it too.
______________
I’ll be back, once I get a handle on the talking points.
Somebody better get off Najeh’s back, tho, I’m just saying.
-wink wink -
James on Pharr Rd
March 29th, 2011
10:46 pm
Najeh,
I stand by my post: we need not put up Marvin stats period.
JSS
March 29th, 2011
10:58 pm
@ Sautee…
How do you explain Magic and the Lakers in 1990-91?
doc
March 29th, 2011
11:33 pm
Najeh Davenpoop
March 29th, 2011
9:31 pm
The Heat may very well end up winning this game at Cleveland, but they have some problems with mental toughness of their own. Without Bibby hitting key 3’s they may have been blown out already.
hmmmm, seemed like the guards for the cavs had a very good game with davis and sessions getting 13 dimes and 21 points between them along with parker having a very good game, too though i doubt he was the guy bibby was on. i didnt see the game just inferring on the box score. i think we had a few of those types of games with bibby didnt we?
Ken Strickland
March 29th, 2011
11:41 pm
yall probably think im stupid, and am. I just run my mouth to be heard. I know it was idiotic of me to call for woodson ouster. Now I have to find a way to save face. I know most of you see right through me but hey, stupid is as stupid does.so there…. FIRE MIKE WOODSON!!
DAM IM STUPID, would you agree?
Another thing, when I called for the team to rally around my beloved Larry Drew most of you thought I was stupid, now look, see what I mean? Itjust goes to show you exactly how hopeless this has become. Has anybody got a cigarette?
Alot of yall heard me bragging about this Princeton offense and how it would take the hawks to the next level, some of you guys did not believe that it would. Its ok because sometimes you have to see these thing with a trained eye…like mine. I knew the Princeton offense was deadly. and I was right it did take the hawks to a new level….
Ok I already told you I dont know WTF im talking about but even a broke clock is right twice a day. so wtf I just keep right on chitting out of my mouth….
some body get some tolietpaper quick
Rev in Tampa
March 29th, 2011
11:43 pm
I’m trying to think through how the hawks will likely play tomorrow against the magic, but what I’m finding is that I know less about the hawks now than I did before Christmas. I don’t know which team will show up. I really want to look forward to the game but recent evidence tells me that they will come out flat, be down by a few points at the end of the first, down by 15 at the half, and blown out by the end of the third.
To add to my frustration Teague won’t play and I will have to listen to the arrogant orlando commentators call the game
drmaryb (*_-)
March 29th, 2011
11:45 pm
Blow the Hand!
SlimJr, what you know about Donnie Hathaway and 91.9 CLK?
That’s “grown folks” radio. That’s that undiluted – Miles Davis Jazz, maane! You know you too young for all that Jazz. -smiles-
_______________
Najeh! Fantastic comments as always, with the banter, camaraderie and swift come backs! That 45 year visit down memory lane was unbelievable, when you see it in print? That’s real saad! Borderline depressing. I’m surprised some group hasn’t been massacred.
Just WOW! Sometimes you don’t realize what you’ve been through until you step away and look back at it. Damn.
Thanks for all the hard work on researching those Marvin stats w/o Joe playing. You and northcyde are really appreciated for keeping us fed with the real Stats and Facts. It helps to filter/muddle through all the BS proclamations that fly around here so freely,(like feces from 8 orangutans). I got my HASMAT gear on at all times! You never know where it’s coming from or when it’s gonna’ hit the fan(s) -wink- pun intended. LOL!
_________________
This blog doesn’t need my two cents worth today.
My work here is done.
________________
Sianara Fellas … That’s G-Night if you slooow. -smiles-