Atlanta Hawks: The 2011-12 schedule, just in case
There is no league business because of the lockout but there is a schedule. There have been no bargaining session between owners and players since last month but let’s be optimistic and assume the schedule will go off as planned and the Hawks will open Nov. 2 at Minnesota.
Usually there would be some major free-agent signings by now and there would be a better sense of how teams might stack up. As it stands now, the Hawks have just seven players with guaranteed contracts for next season. By comparison, Miami has nine players with guaranteed deals (assuming no one is going to make a run at restricted-free agent Mario Chalmers), Chicago has nine players, Boston has seven (assuming Jeff Green stays put) and Orlando has 10.
But all five of the East’s top teams can pretty much return with their cores intact (with perhaps Orlando as an exception since J-Rich will be a free agent). So here’s a quick look at some schedule highlights for the Hawks:
- Last season Atlanta’s early schedule was grueling, if not by quality (of opponents) then quantity (of games). This time they only play 13 games in October/November with just two sets of back-to-backs.But nine of those 13 games are against playoff teams, including road games vs. Chicago, Orlando and Miami and home games vs. Dallas and Boston.
- The busy stretch is in March, when the Hawks play 17 games with 11 on the road and six sets of back-to-backs. They close out the month with eight games in 12 days.
- The Hawks are scheduled to play a total of 20 sets of back-to-back games. They are to play four games in five nights on two occasions and have 11 stretches of three games in four nights.
- For the third consecutive season the Hawks will play on Thanksgiving Day on TNT. They have seven other games scheduled for national TV, all on ESPN.
- The MLK Day opponent is Toronto on Jan. 16.
- Weekday games at Philips Arena are set to start at 7:30 p.m.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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200 comments Add your comment
Ra'mon
July 20th, 2011
11:55 am
Comments like Buddy’s is exactly why they close the blogs, because they don’t have anyone here to filter out senseless and tasteless comments like that one during a lockout.
Mike is Back
July 20th, 2011
12:05 pm
What’s up MC, it’s always a pleasure…seven nationally televised games on ESPN…I REMEMBER…when they use to scuff at US…they probably still do.lol
It appears if the Hawks could finally get their act together…they could garner more exposure for the entire franchise.
On second thought…let’s hold off on the exposure part…until THE SELL OF THE TEAM…is complete.heh heh
What Up To The Blob Crew…PEEEEEEEEEEEACE OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ra'mon
July 20th, 2011
1:56 pm
So TNT only has one game of the Hawks until the playoffs? Wow, that’s surprising. At least we don’t have to listen to half times of Kenny saying how much the Hawks suck. Like before he went to Houston, he was on good teams.
drmaryb (*_*)
July 20th, 2011
1:57 pm
Thinking Man
“Justathought” had a thought earlier (sorry, the Bberry malfcn: can’t copy | paste) re: no emails to ticket season ticket holders to tally what time fans prefer the NBA Start Times to begin.
________________
Well “Justathought” better Think Again!
The NBA start times are determined by the TV contract with the league. These times are standard around the league per time zones the games are played in. TV programming in general are determined down to fractions of seconds to slot revenue streams from commercials to when to take a Hawks TV-Timeout to go:
“Pay some bills!”, as they all like to quirp. LOL!
But, no way do I agree that the ASKG has any say as to when a game will start. Not even a question._
drmaryb (*_*)
July 20th, 2011
2:13 pm
My Buddy!
My buddy can say whatever he likes on a fan’s forum blog.
He’s just expressing his deepest feelings re: the AJC’s refusal to have this blog moderated. Seems like there is some counter programmed into this blog’s (exec. files). It runs a set number of blogs then auto-lock the comments box. Seems like an IT Issue to me. I’m just sayin’.
ryan
July 20th, 2011
2:54 pm
It appears to be a potential buyer of the rights to Phillips Arena and the Atlanta Hawks very fluid situation here .
Grandad
July 20th, 2011
3:00 pm
Mary Ellen
“Seems like an IT Issue to me”
Even so, where in the heck is Michael Cunningham ?
This is his blog ?
Got his picture on it.
You know me . . . . . I don’t kiss nobody’s ass.
If Cunningham ain’t doin’ his job, I’ll call him out.
I suspect that MC sleeps at the wheel.
* editors note:
Michael – If I have wrongly interpreted events,
I shall man up and blazon my contrition
while seeking your atonement.
newkid
July 20th, 2011
3:08 pm
MC, somehow I expected you to break the story on a potential buyer for the Hawks & Philips. How territorial are AJC writers? Is there an agreement amongst you that the sports writers stay away from the business aspects of their best franchises?
newkid
July 20th, 2011
3:09 pm
‘beat’ rather than ‘best’
ryan
July 20th, 2011
3:14 pm
CNN/ SI story seems to be true .
SWAT Native
July 20th, 2011
3:17 pm
I recall responding to a Hawks survey during the season asking when I preferred the Hawks games to start, but I’m not a season ticket holder. Might have been through the Hawks app.
Like newkid, I’m anxious to hear more about the potential new buyer. MC probably doesn’t want to say much until there are more confirmed details, like a real journalist.
ryan
July 20th, 2011
3:21 pm
By By ASG see ya wouldn’t want to be ya .
drmaryb (*_*)
July 20th, 2011
4:21 pm
Breaking News! Ta Daaah!!!
____________________________
tlanta Hawks 3:37 p.m. Wednesday, July 20, 2011
No offer, but potential majority buyer in talks for Hawks, Philips Arena
____________________
By Chris Vivlamore and Tim Tucker
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Efforts by the Atlanta Spirit ownership group to sell a majority stake in the Hawks have accelerated since the group’s sale of the Thrashers last month.
People familiar with the process say representatives of a potential buyer are currently doing due diligence –- examining financial records –- as the process moves toward an anticipated offer and more detailed negotiations for the basketball team and Philips Arena operating rights.
people familiar with the situation would not identify the potential bidder because of confidentiality agreements, but they described the process as “moving fast.” They said no offer or exclusive negotiating agreement is in place but that the potential bidder, who might have partners, has the financial wherewithal to complete a transaction.
according to one of the people familiar with the talks, the potential buyer is “pushing very, very hard” and has accountants and lawyers working on the matter.
Typically, the sale of a majority stake in an NBA franchise is a complex, multi-tiered process. The next step after due diligence would be for the parties to reach agreement on the parameters of a deal and sign a letter of intent. At that point, the buyer and seller typically would enter into an exclusive negotiating period — often for 30 to 90 days — to hammer out details of a deal, which then would have to be approved by the NBA.
When the Atlanta Spirit purchased the Hawks, Thrashers and operating rights to Philips Arena in 2004, the process took nine months even after a preliminary agreement was reached. The delay was partly attributable to internal issues within the Spirit group and the need for two leagues’ approval.

could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Gearon is in
is believed the prospective buyer is looking at a majority share of the assets. Current ownership would retain a significant minority stake. Gearon has previously stated his desire to retain his stake.
Thrashers ownership last month refuted a report as “not true” that a sale of the Hawks was imminent, issuing the following statement: “As we have stated for an extended period of time, we engaged an investment banker to assist us in looking for investors for the Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena operating rights. We have spoken with a number of parties, but at this time, there is no deal in place, nor is there an exclusive negotiating agreement in place. We will have no further comment at this time.”
As the AJC previously has reported, the Hawks’ ownership group, through investment banking firm the Raine Group, has had talks with various potential buyers or investors over the past year.
The latest talks began after an exclusive negotiating period with another prospective purchaser, outgoing San Diego Padres owner John Moores, was ended by mutual agreement on May 20. The end of Moores’ exclusivity reopened the process to other bidders.
According to one of the people familiar with the situation, the potential buyer did not have an interest in the Thrashers, who were sold to True North Sports and Entertainment for $170 million and relocated to Winnipeg. The NHL received $60 million of the purchase price as a relocation fee. That transaction was completed quickly by normal standards as the NHL gave the sides permission to speak about a sale and relocation and there was a narrow timeline to complete a deal for the start of next season.
It is unlikely that the Hawks would be moved, as happened with the Thrashers. The NBA would be unlikely to approve such a move, and in order to move the Hawks a potential owner also would have to pay off the remaining $120 million in bonds on Philips Arena and pay the city of Atlanta and Fulton County a $75 million penalty in addition to the purchase price.
Like the Thrashers, the Hawks lose money. But while the Spirit pegged the Thrashers’ losses at $20 million per year in court documents, the Hawks are losing about $7 million per year, according to Forbes magazine’s annual study of
NBA franchises
_______________________
-drmaryb- The Blog Entertainment Reporter
drmaryb (*_*)
July 20th, 2011
4:43 pm
New BLOG Up!
LOL!!! I’m just playing.
Seriously, like I said earlier, “If it ain’t about the Hawks FOR SALE? I don’t know what it is?”
I want the 8 feces throwing Orangutans –
GONE With The Wind! Nary a peep nor sighting of those
people. Not even a crumbs worth them owning 8% collectively.
Aye ASKG! What about “Get the HELL out of Atlanta!” ? – Don’t yawl understand? OK! Get the F outa’ Atlanta!
Is that clearer? Crystal?
__________________________
Grand-Daddy! LOL!!!!!
I knew you would never drink the: “perhaps, just maybe, the blog’s black-outs are due to some IT issues – dark brown koolaid?” Not a snowballs chance in hell!
That’s why I LOVE you so much. If you weren’t married already? It would be incest!!! LOL!
.(*_*). -winkie-
Grandad
July 20th, 2011
5:54 pm
Mary Ellen
“Bless your heart”
Grandad
July 20th, 2011
6:04 pm
Mary Ellen
You make an ole man swell up . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . with sentiment
and pride……………….!
Grandad
July 20th, 2011
6:05 pm
“of course”
Slimjr
July 20th, 2011
6:13 pm
Go figure
July 19th, 2011
5:56 pm
“Does any body really care? How wants to pay to watch a team lead by captain Mediocre Al Horford?
How freaking boring!!!
The press wants to build behind a guy who has begged out of helping the team,by playing a need position. Instead of embracing the position and playing defense he escorts to the basket in hope that he will be placed at power forward. Josh Smith is a better power forward than Captain mediocre.
And Woodson is better than JDrew! The Hawks are getting worse, sells are down and the fans are fleeing.”
Naw Dude, Captain Mediocre” is an ALLNBA-AllSTAR………………..Yawn..
Josh>Allstar Al by miles @ the 4….
Yes fans are fed up with this product and ownership!!
Come on,sale this mother yesterday! 750am WSB radio @ 5:07pm today mentioned “potential sale moving quickly now”….We can only hope so?
Slimjr
July 20th, 2011
6:15 pm
750am WSB radio did also mention that the Hawks would not be moving with this potential sale!
i_am_soulstar
July 20th, 2011
6:39 pm
Hope this sale goes through, we couldn’t do any worse than the Atlanta Spirit Killers.
Slimjr
July 20th, 2011
7:52 pm
You wanna see the the #2 lottery pick Derrick Williams play? The future NBA Allstar… Tonight @ 8pm on CBS SPORTS HD(822 comcast). Replay of the NC2A second round tournament: Arizona vs. Memphis in Tulsa! Observe how he’s already light years more advanced on offense compared to our #3,#4, and #5 on offense!!!
Grandmaster JeJe
July 20th, 2011
8:15 pm
FIRE LD
drmaryb (*_*)
July 20th, 2011
8:20 pm
Some ish I posted on Jeff Schultz blog:
drmaryb .(*_*).
Good Writtens!
I say to all, but none more than the: equivalent of, the 8 feces throwing orangutans, “Good Writtens!”
July 20th, 2011
7:50 pm
Sorry Belkin,Jr, you alone may be villain to the “Grape 8-Apes”, but hey Sir! You are a bed-fellow and like my Mamma always said, “If you lie with dogs – you wake up with fleas.” – mamma (rip)-
So as you know, you are quilty by association. And together, the 8 of you AS-Killer-G people, are killing Me.
I azz is being lit up due to your inept and imbecile ways of managing A/Any sports team, much less a champion. So, if you respect us fans, do us all a massive favor?
LEAVE! Just go away and never come back. Too bad MARTS doesn’t travel beyond the 285 perimeter, you could have really saved a lot of money, comparable to the Dollar Tree – bargin bin’s “2 for $1 savings. (careful .. No pushing Levenson, there’s plenty to go around. (-smirks-)
Like Najeh said, “It’s no that they don’t spend, they just don’t spend wisely.” -Najeh Poop- (paraphrased)
__________________________
So good writtens to the Spirit Killer Group! Bye…
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drmaryb .(*_*).
* My azz is being lit up! Due to …
* Too bad MARTA doesn’t travel beyond the 285 perimeter …
July 20th, 2011
7:57 pm
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drmaryb .(*_*).
Briefs!
And one more thing, aye ASG (atl suing group)!
I hope the NBA never sell another franchise to a lawyer.
They are just smart enough to be dangerous, and they all know how to file a: BRIEF.
July 20th, 2011
8:02 pm
How ironic, their is nothing brief about it. You guys sued Steve Belkin for 7 years straight, and what’s worse, you probably still are.
I hear Gilligan’s Island is up for sale. Perhaps. Yawl can buy that.
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drmaryb .(*_*).
USS Minnow!
All Aboard! Just enough room for 8 orangutans.
July 20th, 2011
8:04 pm
Bad Ass
July 20th, 2011
8:38 pm
I would trade Al (mediocre) for cap room and for upgraded the bench and get future draft picks. Josh is a much better 4 than Al and give us better defense offense at the 4 than Al.
Al wont ever be the center we need because his heart is not in it, nor is he the defensive or offensive threat from the 4 as Smoove.
So yes, I trade Al. Hes too great a defensive liability and only marginal offensively.
Obviously the press likes horford but the fans realize hes just an average player. At the end of the day…. the fans make the turnstiles turn.
Id trade Al.
Najeh Davenpoop
July 20th, 2011
9:05 pm
FIRE STOTTS
Melvin
July 20th, 2011
9:57 pm
Get the ASG and Rick Sund out of here this summer…
Hoops
July 20th, 2011
10:24 pm
If the Hawks are sold this summer, I predict these things to happen:
1. Rick Sund will continue to be the GM.
2. Josh Smith will not be traded this season. Maybe next season.
3. The Hawks will pursue Nene.
4. Marvin Williams will be traded before the trade deadline.
I would like this starting lineup:
PG-Teague
SG-JJ
SF-Josh
PF-Al
C-Nene
Bench-Zaza, Benson, Hinrich, Wilkins, Sy, Rolle, PG?, Marvin’s trade
SteveW
July 20th, 2011
10:50 pm
The 3 Josh trades that have been reported as being feasible the last couple of weeks, mostly on Bleacher Report, but 1 on an Orlando site that says the talks are totally legit, have left me cold. They are:
Josh and Hinrich for Bynum and Artest. Artest is fading and Bynum is hurt all the time.
Josh and Hinrich for Gasol – Speaking of fading, Gasol is going downhill fast. Wouldn’t touch that with a 10 foot pole.
Josh for Reddick, Anderson, and Orton. Reddick is a career backup. Anderson stunk in the playoffs. And I’ve Orton has some severe health issues. Bad deal.
If we trade Josh, I hope somebody gives us value for him.
SteveW
July 20th, 2011
10:54 pm
And I agree with O’Brien – about 14 blogs ago – Any team going into a season hoping Kito Benson, Magnum Rolle, Pape Sy, and Jeremy Hazell (it was David Lighty at the time) are going to help them is not a very good team.
Now I like all 4 of those guys, throw in Samhan and Joe Alexander also, but none of those guys are more than career backups, and I don’t mean elite backups either. I mean 10-15 minutes per night if you are fortunate backups.
Najeh Davenpoop
July 20th, 2011
10:55 pm
In positive news, looks like the DASG is reading my posts on this blog. (OK, maybe not.)
The 82-game schedule the Hawks released Tuesday includes 7:30 p.m. starts for weekday home games. The Hawks had started weekday games at 7 p.m. since the 2005-06 season to make it easier for fans already downtown before the games.
Now the team moved the start times to accommodate those spectators who have to travel to games from outside the downtown area. Weekend games will start at 7 p.m., with the exception of a 2 p.m. game against Charlotte on Dec. 4.
About damn time.
SteveW
July 20th, 2011
11:01 pm
The other trade that was proposed was a S/T with Dallas: Chandler and Beaubois for Josh. That’s the best deal I’ve seen so far.
But really the only reason I would trade Josh is: If we think he’s following Dwight to someplace other than ATL in free agency. Might as well get something for him.
Or we are concerned he’s due for a knee injury due to his high flying, and putting on some weight up top. Other than that, keep Josh.
On another site, they had the 50 best players in the NBA. Josh was #43, JJ #33, and Al #30. And with Teague, Hinrich, ZaZa, and Marvin, and maybe Collins and Wilkens behind them, that’s not bad.
We may need another Coach however.
SteveW
July 20th, 2011
11:13 pm
Maybe we’re getting Kito Benson and Magnum Rolle to be the Javale McGee stopper. Anybody else remember that March 2010 game where McGee had like 8 dunks, mostly on ZaZa? He made us look stupid that night. He just skyed over all our guys, and we looked unable to stop him.
jlewis
July 21st, 2011
12:06 am
Al better than JJ, that site is on dope.
doc
July 21st, 2011
12:07 am
rofl @dmb @4:33
man now going on 2 days of a blog.
go askg, out the door. minority my foot, as they were a minority that took over in a bad way. could we hope this turns out in good way?
Bad Ass
July 21st, 2011
12:29 am
Somebody tell mike cunningham this aint a top 5 team conference. Its the top 3 teams have a shot and every body else is an also ran. The hawks were not serious contenders this year, what team was he watching. Ill take Woodson hawks over Drew’s. This team took major steps backward and it pleased the AJC writers. We had more talent than Chicago and got beat by them. We lost more games and won less. Teams dogged us under the basket and attendance at the Phillips was noticeably down. What season did you follow. Top 5 team? Might as well be a Top 7 or top 8 team.
This sports page and basketball team is a joke.
Geez
Slimjr
July 21st, 2011
12:33 am
jlewis
July 21st, 2011
12:06 am
“Al better than JJ, that site is on dope.”
HUGH??
ALL NBA AL is considered the 30th best player in the League today…WTF???? lol
Must be Stevie Wonder’s list?
Bad Ass
July 21st, 2011
12:35 am
Great post SlimJr. Freaking Al sucks. Can we get howard to play with his buddy Josh?
I sure hope the new owners have enough basketball sense to trade captain mediocre aka captain average Aka Al let me escort you to the basket get my 6′10″ azz out of the paint, I wont show up in the playoff coz Im a scrubazz Horford.
Al Horford
July 21st, 2011
12:37 am
I dont like to play defense. I dont wanna. Hey give me the ball and watch my dirk impression…..
Slimjr
July 21st, 2011
12:38 am
All NBA AL for Tyson and Marion yesterday!! Make it so..Throw in a pick or two also…
Mike is Back
July 21st, 2011
12:38 am
SteveW, you mean 50 best like…remember Nigue didn’t make the first top 50 PLAYERS…please don’t get this crap about Al and Josh…started again.
When u see NBA highlight commercials or playoff commercial…pre-lockout…who is the one player from the Hawks…you always sees…let me give you hint…it ain’t JJ and Al…dang I guess it’s a coincident that it’s always Josh…hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…oh my bad…that’s the guy we want to get rid OF…WHAT DO THOSE NBA marketing GUYS know anyway…again hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Al Horford
July 21st, 2011
12:42 am
If Al is still here next year I predict there will be even less fans in attendance than this year, a down year. The sports writers my put Al on the All Stevie Wonder team by the fans wont. Al Sucks.
Bad Ass
July 21st, 2011
12:44 am
Josh is A player and has more commercials than anyone on the team.
Worldwide Clyde
July 21st, 2011
3:18 am
The first thing the new owners need to do is……
FIRE SUND
SteveW
July 21st, 2011
4:05 am
Slim – Not my list, I think I saw it on Bleacher Report, but I’m sure you could google it.
My point had nothing to do with Al and Josh. It had to do that we according to this guy, who had some good points about the Top 50, is he says we have 3 of the top 43 players in the League.
That’s not a bad thing.
Don’t get me in the Al/Josh thing, I’m a Hawks fan, I like them both
Buddy Grizzard
July 21st, 2011
7:24 am
“The other trade that was proposed was a S/T with Dallas: Chandler and Beaubois for Josh. That’s the best deal I’ve seen so far.” – SteveW
Best proposal I’ve seen as well.
“We may need another Coach however.”
Ya think?
Spudd Webb
July 21st, 2011
7:33 am
The second thing the owners need to do is trade Al horford and a pick for Dwight Howard and pair him with Josh in the front court. This would be a world class low post featuring the two best defenders in the league at their positions and it get rid of the lazy big mouth give me the ball Al, valet service to the rim Horford.
Doc Rivers
July 21st, 2011
7:36 am
The third thing the hawks need to do if fire Drew.
fire sund
trade Al and a pick for Howard, pairing him with Smoove in the front court (the nba best and sure to the finals)
fire Drew and bring Back Mike Woodson.
That will turn the hawks around and maybe the fans will think about coming back.
Doc Rivers
July 21st, 2011
7:41 am
that all NBA garbage is some chit the press conjured up. If Al at 13pts agm and 9 rebounds and no defense is All NBA what does that say about the nba? you cant fool the fans…. check the ballot box for the FANS allstar and check the turn styles…
Have you seen the most recent JSmoove commercial? Ive never seen one from the gateway to the rim Al horford.
brigadierjerry
July 21st, 2011
9:15 am
Will the Hawks be doing the following for the ticket holders if games are missed?
If Knicks season-ticket holders are also locked out of the Garden in November, they at least will receive refunds — with an interest rate better than standard savings accounts.
The Post has obtained a letter sent to Knicks season-ticket holders on July 1 which specifies any cancelled games will be refunded with interest on a monthly basis.
According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the lockout interest rate is 1 percent, with calculations beginning Oct. 1. Each letter sent out was personalized.
The letter read, in part, “If any 2011-12 preseason or regular season games are cancelled due to a work stoppage, all Season Subscribers will have the option of receiving a refund with interest on a monthly basis, or have money left on account with interest. More specific details about refunds or credits will be shared at the appropriate time.”
Ken Strickland
July 21st, 2011
9:18 am
HOOPS-I read an article last month about this yrs FA’s, and it said Nene wanted to moved to PF because he felt it was his more NATURAL POSITION. Does that sound familiar?