Wizards at Atlanta Hawks: Game thread
- Zaza Pachulia said he woke up today with soreness in his left shoulder. He tested it before the game and said he’s good to go. Pachulia doesn’t remember suffering an injury. He went to the doctor this afternoon and was told it’s tendinitis.
- Jeff Teague (ankle) is in the lineup. “He didn’t complain about any problems,” Larry Drew said. Kirk Hinrich (shoulder) and Donald Sloan are inactive. Mo Evans (knee) is out and Jan Vesley (hip) is not on the trip for Washington.
- Jordan Crawford is back at Philips Arena for the first time since the Hawks traded him to the Wizards. He said there’s no extra motivation against his old team: “I’m always extra.” He did allow that there could be some spirited conversations with good friend Teague. “If it calls for it, I will definitely trash talk.”
- Drew said his main concern vs. the Wizards is controlling John Wall in transition. “He’s one of the fastest guys in the league,” Drew said. “We have to get him corralled. We’ve had problems with him in the past. He’s kind of the head of the snake for them.”
- Drew on the thing he liked the most about last night’s W at New Jersey: “Their energy and defensive activity. We’ve been preaching for the longest about being a better defensive team.”
- The Hawks said last night’s telecast on SportSouth earned a 2.82 rating. The highest-rated game last season earned a 2.68 rating.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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734 comments Add your comment
Neki
December 28th, 2011
10:01 pm
Good Game Tonight, Marvin is playing like he wants to stay in Atlanta, while Horford looks like he is getting his bag packed
CLOS_ATL
December 28th, 2011
10:01 pm
THIS IS THE NBA TEAMS!!! MAKES RUNS ….SMH! JUST LOOK @ MIAMI …. STRUGGLE WITH BOBCATS!!
Ryder
December 28th, 2011
10:02 pm
Ray I track you on the no Trade Clause but, any one who gets him has to think long term. Howard is willing to sign long term if he thinks the pieces are there to compete for the top prize. To him, viewing Atlanta he already thinks Josh is a weapon to get that done. As you know, the 2 go whey back and are friends and marketing buddies. So thats a no brainer that josh could be a part of keeping Howard here on a long term run.
As for the management. yea, stupid is as …. well you dont know, maybe the are willing to go all in since the sale of the team failed.
Big Ray
December 28th, 2011
10:02 pm
Having championship rings is different than EARNING championship rings.
Unless you want to say that Sam Cassell and Adam Morrison are on the same level….
MattP
December 28th, 2011
10:02 pm
Can’t wait till Hinrich comes back…
phil
December 28th, 2011
10:02 pm
Nice win.
But save this post, all you irrational sorts who think we’re great.
Read it again when we get bounced in the conference semis yet again…
northcyde
December 28th, 2011
10:02 pm
@ bigdave . . . not as much as Russell Westbrook.
He’s currently 0 – 10 FG with 2 points
JSS
December 28th, 2011
10:03 pm
Workmen like start, well except for the nasty scoreless stretch… Glad to see them getting things done!!!
Ryder
December 28th, 2011
10:03 pm
Ivan Johnson gets 2 minutes in a blow out. What the hell is that ?
Hummon
December 28th, 2011
10:03 pm
How did we ever let Jordan Crawford get away?
Hawks4Eva
December 28th, 2011
10:03 pm
When Kirk Hinrich returns does that mean Pargo will be cut? Hopefully tonight was just a bad shooting night for him.
He played good defense. Had a few turnovers. But overall a good addition.
Im now comfortable that between T-Mac and VRadmanvich, we should be ok with the loss of JCrawford.
Sautee
December 28th, 2011
10:04 pm
“Wizards are smart, having a very good former PG in Sam Cassell tutor John Wall. ”
Good point Ray.
But Barkley’s right, he DOES look like Gollum, LOL!
stizz
December 28th, 2011
10:04 pm
“I assure you i don’t mind the abuse.”
I’m sure you don’t phil. But this is a basketball blog, so I’m sure we care nothing about your personal affairs.
Ra'mon
December 28th, 2011
10:04 pm
Big Ray, you don’t think Tyrone Hill can tutor Josh and Al how to get seven boards a game?
phil
December 28th, 2011
10:04 pm
Ray – obviously Hakeem carried that team, but Sam played his role and played it well.
We haven’t made the conference semis in over 40 yrs….
phil
December 28th, 2011
10:05 pm
Conference finals i meant to say.
bigdave
December 28th, 2011
10:05 pm
o.. im watching..
but you knew Memphis was gonna be tough.. at least Harden getting to the line for me. especially after Marvin turned into Reggie Miller.. all those trips courtesy of techs..
hopefully i get out of this week before Bynum gets back..
Big Ray
December 28th, 2011
10:05 pm
Ryder,
I get you. One could only hope. And that’s the trick – convincing Howard that enoug of the right pieces will be put into place to make a championship contender. Howard has to be leery of that after having watched a championship level squad get torn apart the very year after they went to the Finals.
The ASG would have a lot to prove, with very little historical evidence to back them up. Still, as you say – having Josh here helps, and Teague/Hinrich are certainly serviceable at PG. Marvin is a good piece as well, now that he’s healthy and playing aggressively.
My next question is this – what do you do about the HC? Could Larry coach a team with a completely different setup than what he’s had in the ATL? Do the ASG have the brains to go out and get a different coach, a veteran, somebody who could work with such a squad?
Hawks4Eva
December 28th, 2011
10:05 pm
CLOS_ATL
December 28th, 2011
10:01 pm
—————————————————
Exactly. Good point!
northcyde
December 28th, 2011
10:06 pm
My fantasy basketball starting backcourt ( Eric Gordon, Russell Westbrook, Jordan Crawford )
0 – 16 FG . . 3 pts . . 4 rebs . . 6 asst
Eric Gordon didn’t play. Didn’t know that until gametime
phil
December 28th, 2011
10:06 pm
stizz
December 28th, 2011
10:04 pm
“I assure you i don’t mind the abuse.”
I’m sure you don’t phil. But this is a basketball blog, so I’m sure we care nothing about your personal affairs.
Fear not, Stizz…
Ra'mon
December 28th, 2011
10:06 pm
Cassell looks like the creature from The Goonies, lol
RethinkPossible
December 28th, 2011
10:06 pm
Now I know why everyone hates Phil….
JSS
December 28th, 2011
10:06 pm
They haven’t made the Conference Finals… Plenty of trips to Conference Semis…
Big Ray
December 28th, 2011
10:07 pm
Phil,
No doubt. Sam earned it, and I remember very clearly when he took over for Kenny Smith – in the playoffs no less. My point was that championship rings alone aren’t credentials, that’s all. And actually, if you look back, you see where I agreed with you by saying that the Wiz were smart to bring Cassell in – nothing better for tutoring a potentially great PG with one who was great when HE played.
Hawks4Eva
December 28th, 2011
10:08 pm
Ra’mon
December 28th, 2011
10:04 pm
————————————————-
Rebound is not about teaching. Its about hustle and determination. You have to WANT to get rebounds and do the dirty work.
anybody thats 6′10′ and taller have NO excuse not getting 10 rebounds per game. Its about about effort and wanting to do it.
phil
December 28th, 2011
10:08 pm
Phil doesn’t mindlessly sing our praises…
Sorry it offends so many a delicate flower around here.
MattP
December 28th, 2011
10:09 pm
Ryder,
Ivan is a rookie, even though he is an old rookie. Drew does not like to play rookies.
JSS
December 28th, 2011
10:09 pm
Cassell is always and forever the first alen out of the ship in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind!”
phil
December 28th, 2011
10:09 pm
JSS – i think they did back around 1970. I may be dead wrong but it rings a bell.
Big Ray
December 28th, 2011
10:11 pm
Oddly enough, and this is no bash on Teague – but I don’t see Teague as a potentially “great” pg…along the mold of a John Wall/Derrick Rose type. Therefore, bringing in a guy like Cassell has its limits.
However, there is more potential for guys like Horford (potential to be very good) and Smith (potential to be great) at their respective positions. Both have some issues from a mental standpoint.
Horford has to be tougher mentally, or rather – get his toughness back. Josh just has to f@cking listen to people when they tell him he can rule the roost by scoring down low.
phil
December 28th, 2011
10:11 pm
Cassell and the old giants SS johnnie lemaster are neck and neck for ugliest athlete ever!
Well, willie mcghee is in the mix too. And that beast hill that helps coach the hawks.
Ryder
December 28th, 2011
10:11 pm
“Having championship rings is different than EARNING championship rings.
Unless you want to say that Sam Cassell and Adam Morrison are on the same level….”
Whats your point? If Adam Morrison was a part of a championship team and helped with practice and a role (no matter how small) on the team he is a part of what it took to get to that championship, so that ring is as much earned from him as it is from Sam Cassell. Morrison probably put out 110% of who he was, and had an impact regardless of whether it was visible to us or not. Whats your point? Thats why they call it a team sport, because no man gets there by himself. Its not a 1 man sport or only the”5 starters” sport. Every player from top to bottom has to contribute his maximum value in order to reach and win a championship
So whats your point?
JSS
December 28th, 2011
10:11 pm
I don’t hate Phil…
phil
December 28th, 2011
10:13 pm
But here’s the thing.
Smith isn’t ever going to listen.
Horford isn’t going to get tougher.
8 yrs and 5 yrs in…it isn’t going to change.
JSS
December 28th, 2011
10:14 pm
Old ugly 1970s orange polyester plus LeMaster mug was a seriously not a good combo!!!
Sautee
December 28th, 2011
10:14 pm
“Cassell and the old giants SS johnnie lemaster are neck and neck for ugliest athlete ever!”
My vote goes to Popeye Jones, with honorable mention to Randy Johnson.
phil
December 28th, 2011
10:15 pm
Rethink possible always joined the bully in abusing some helpless kid back in grade school….
Typical spineless and borderline idiot who can’t think for his or herself, much less take an intelligent position on anything much.
That said, Merry Christmas!
stizz
December 28th, 2011
10:17 pm
Phil is having a ball judging the looks of all these men. Don’t make a mess.
phil
December 28th, 2011
10:17 pm
Lemaster….
Burned into my memory. Wow was he awful.
Ryder
December 28th, 2011
10:17 pm
“what do you do about the HC? Could Larry coach a team with a completely different setup than what he’s had in the ATL? Do the ASG have the brains to go out and get a different coach, a veteran, somebody who could work with such a squad?”
I was thinking the same thing. I dont know if Drew is up to the task. There is a lot of opportunities If the hawks match up the way you just described. Youd need an X/O ’s coach and Drew aint it. but…His contract is light. Get Howard before the seasons out, Then pick a coach to mesh with the new squad. I think there will be a nice pocket to pick from. But lets not put the cart before the horse. Get Howard here first. Then get the coach.
JSS
December 28th, 2011
10:18 pm
The 69-70 team played the Lakers for the Western Conference title…
phil
December 28th, 2011
10:18 pm
Yes, Stizz….
Keep up the funnies!
Big Ray
December 28th, 2011
10:19 pm
Having said that, I was fairly well pleased with Al’s play tonight. Better than the night before. I’ll always take a double double.
Josh could have played better. He’s so dang talented. Still, he hit most of his free throws and again – I’ll always take a double double. Dude should have had 20 and 10 tonight. Drives me crazy….
Marvin – 17 and 8 aren’t world-beating numbers but I’m so glad to see him play so much better, so much more effectively, so much more aggressive – that I am much more effusive than maybe I should be.
Joe – I like that he’s not working so hard to get his points. His 3 point shooting made up for a somewhat subpar FG% overall, defense was there (not that he was challenged in that area), and 4 assists work for me. No complaints.
Teague – some not so great shots and foul trouble, but this guy is growing well. 5 assists to 2 turnovers and some good court awareness. Jumper is a work in progress still, but if he keeps working, it will get there. Might need to work more on midrange than 3s, but I like his confidence.
Bench – this time it was T-Mac who did most of the damage, but 30 points from the bench ain’t bad.
northcyde
December 28th, 2011
10:19 pm
Lob City looks more like Blob City
San Antonio 91
LA Clippers 70
RethinkPossible
December 28th, 2011
10:20 pm
Phil,
I was not trying to call you out, I just noticed a above average cold pricklies heading your way via this board….don’t take it the wrong way. I never said I hated you.
JSS
December 28th, 2011
10:20 pm
@ Big Ray… Do we judge Drew by the playoffs or if gets them to do well in the abbreviated season?
Ryder
December 28th, 2011
10:21 pm
I think Josh has listen as much as he needs to. We (the bloggers and fans) arent always right. We dont play the games. Night in Night out Josh brings it. tonight? 15 pts10 boards 3 assists 2 blocks.
Really,
If every player on our team played to Josh’s level wed win a championship.
just keeping it real.
phil
December 28th, 2011
10:22 pm
Josh will never reach his potential night in and night out….
8th year…the decline is approaching….and boy will that be ugly.
Dept. Of Unintended Irony
December 28th, 2011
10:23 pm
Phil will never reach his blogging potential night in and night out.