Atlanta Hawks at Rockets: Game thread
- The Hawks are using their normal starting lineup. All players except Kirk Hinrich (shoulder) are available.
- There could be a Twin sighting tonight. “The first three games we didn’t play Jason Collins, who was a big part of what we did last season,” Larry Drew said. “I want to preserve him but at the same time I want to make sure I keep him in basketball shape. I take it game by game. It’s pretty much given who will be the first 10 players.”
- The Rockets will see the Hawks’ fourth game in five nights and raise them the last leg of a back-to-back-to-back. The Rockets also had their flight diverted from Hobby airport to Bush International because of dense fog that was still lingering when my flight landed at Bush this morning. The Hawks’ charter was the last flight to make it into Hobby last night.
- Both teams figure to be tired but Houston should be downright exhausted. Drew said the Hawks plan to attack: “That’s our whole objective. When you play against a team that has played a back-to-back and has done a lot of traveling, we definitely want to go into this game with an attack mentality. At the same time, on the road, we have to control the tempo. We attack when we can attack. Sometimes a relentless attack is not always the answer.”
- Josh Smith on Atlanta’s perimeter D: “It definitely helps when you are able to have perimeter defenders who take pride in sitting down on their man and not letting him get past them easy. It definitely takes a lot of pressure off me and Al [Horford] from having to contest a lot of shots and it keeps us out of foul trouble.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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655 comments Add your comment
Runner-
December 31st, 2011
9:11 pm
Does anyone here really think we can make a deal for Dwight AND keep Smoove AND have Dwight sign a long term deal here? Lets be realistic, no way Magic will take Joe/Horford for Dwight with a few additions here or there, plus we would have to unload Joe to make Dwight stay. And no way Dwight will sign a long term deal in Atlanta with this ownership group. Get a grip people, these trade talks are nothing…
Joe
December 31st, 2011
9:11 pm
The only impressive Hawks player tonight was T-Mac.
Astro Joe
December 31st, 2011
9:12 pm
OK, let’s see how Ralph Tresvant (Jeff Teague) handles the tough love in his next game. One can only wonder if Teague gets up for playing guys like D-Rose, Wall and Deron but couldn’t find the motivation against Lowry. The good news is that he will surely be motivated against the Heat, even if that means playing opposite of Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole.
Grandmaster JeJe
December 31st, 2011
9:12 pm
My post from the previous blog:
Tonight @ Houston is one of those games where we are just down 11-2 early and lose 97-84
Big Ray
December 31st, 2011
9:13 pm
Teague played like somebody peed in his cheerios or he’s scared of Kyle Lowery.
heh….we’ve always struggled against Houston, so there goes the “new team” theory. All the same, on to Miami and Chicago.
This could get interesting.
Grandmaster JeJe
December 31st, 2011
9:13 pm
I almost predicted the exact score for to ir’s game. happy NYE.
I’m out
Josh Smith
December 31st, 2011
9:13 pm
My bad yall. I lost all dat weight tho??!!!
Rusty
December 31st, 2011
9:13 pm
Did lt tell jt not to shoot ,your making me look bad . Who is now the first string pg jt or pargo?
Black Power
December 31st, 2011
9:13 pm
…and this game’s MUP (Most Unvaluable Player) goes to Josh Smith aka J-Smurf.
Astro Joe
December 31st, 2011
9:14 pm
Sautee, I think LD made Marvin disappear. He was playing better than his fellow front court starters during his limited stint in the game.
Runner-
December 31st, 2011
9:14 pm
Anyone who thinks Al was part of the problem tonight obviously didn’t watch the game… Al was in the paint the whole game.
Problems tonight had to do with the PG position not executing plays, our bench (Green and Vlad) not providing ANY valuable minutes, Smoove taking WAY too many shots (sure he can take a few just not this many), and our lackluster defense. I don’t know if it’s fatigue or what, we lacked energy today on all parts of the floor.
Slimjr
December 31st, 2011
9:14 pm
WHY CANT WE BEAT THESE WEST COAST TEAMS?
TWO WORDS: AL JOSH
Big Ray
December 31st, 2011
9:14 pm
Lets be realistic, no way Magic will take Joe/Horford for Dwight with a few additions here or there, plus we would have to unload Joe to make Dwight stay.
Heh…actually if I’m Otis Smith, I jump all over that. The only other “best” option is trading with LA.
kwooden
December 31st, 2011
9:15 pm
Nice game by the Rockets, they hit all the shots they needed to in the 4th. We missed a lot of jump shots and didn’t get to the line enough. Our guys definitely got discouraged when the Rockets kept making jumpshots, our offensive became jumpshot heavy also. We’re executing the offensive much to slow and Jeff needs to drive and dish. I hate to say this but they needed this loss to get a much better idea of how hard they need to work on defensive and on offensive.
GO HAWKS!
Hmmmm
December 31st, 2011
9:15 pm
DWIGHT DOESN’T ANT TO COME TO ATLANTA. HE KNOWS HOW BAD JOSH IS!!! LMAO
Dream
December 31st, 2011
9:15 pm
We should have stayed with the second unit minus Pargo..
northcyde
December 31st, 2011
9:16 pm
Raul . . . it just proves that in this league, you have to simply play people straight up sometimes. Houston shot 9 – 19 from three, and left the most dangerous shooter on the team open all night.
Can’t do that and expect to win.
Big Ray
December 31st, 2011
9:16 pm
Anyone who thinks Al was part of the problem tonight obviously didn’t watch the game… Al was in the paint the whole game.
Mostly by himself.
Josh’s four buckets all came from scoring down low. Guess where most of his 8 misses came from?
Ok, somebody tell me how many of his jumpers were taken as the shot clock was about to go off….
Sautee
December 31st, 2011
9:16 pm
“Get a grip people, these trade talks are nothing…”
Careful, you’ll have somebody goin’ off again and the blog will get closed down.
His entire being is wrapped around getting Horford out of here. Don’t rob him of his fantasy.
BILLY KNIGHT
December 31st, 2011
9:16 pm
It’s okay Hawks fans only 1 game.
Trade Watch
December 31st, 2011
9:16 pm
“This whole nonsense of seeing who we can bash the most – Al or Josh – retarded. Neither did great tonight, but I know what the stat column says….”
Hey but before I close with such an adult statement let me get 1 more bash in .
“I don’t understand why LD banishes Marvin. What did he do wrong? I’d have kept him in over Josh Smith, I can tell ya that.”
ALL NBA2XALLSTAR PRODUCES – MINUS 19 ON THE OVER AND UNDER TO GO ALONG WITH 6 REBOUNDS. ON A NIGHT WHERE THERE WAS NO REAL DEFENDER TO KEEP HIM FROM PERFORMING.
AL WAS EXPECTED TO GET 20-25 PTS AND 20-22 REBOUNDS. . HE GOT 6. FIRE AL DO IT NOW.
Hmmmm
December 31st, 2011
9:16 pm
WHO WAS IN THE PAINT IN CRUNCHTIME?
I KNOW IT WASN’T JOSH!
Joe
December 31st, 2011
9:16 pm
True playmaking point guards are kind of tough to find these days. All you really find nowadays are combo guards who want to score first. Think about it, how many pure point guards are really left in today’s game?
Rondo plays like a pure point, but he also can’t shoot the ball well and has hall of famers to pass to. Steve Nash is a great playmaker, but he’s about to retire. Rose is more of a scorer than a true point guard, and Westbrook is definitely not a true point guard. Other than Chris Paul, most of the top guards these days are scorers. Players don’t take as much pride in setting the table for others anymore, apparently. Also, the media as a whole seems to be very naive and wouldn’t give someone who was a great playmaker, but averaged less than 10ppg as much credit as they deserve, so I’m not surprised that it’s so tough to find guys who really want to play like true point guards anymore.
northcyde
December 31st, 2011
9:17 pm
smh @ Drew . . . how does Marvin only get 19 minutes tonight?
Slimjr
December 31st, 2011
9:17 pm
3-3 BY WED…..
UP NEXT MIAMI BY 30!
Black Power
December 31st, 2011
9:17 pm
The Lakers’ MWP is Metta World Peace. The Hawks’ MWP is Man With [Mental] Problems aka Josh Smith.
Runner-
December 31st, 2011
9:18 pm
“Heh…actually if I’m Otis Smith, I jump all over that. The only other “best” option is trading with LA.”
Really? With Joe’s contract? They already have 2 overpaid players in Arenas and Turkoglu and they know the nightmare that comes with them with their experience with Rashard Lewis. Plus, they’re LOADED at the 2 position, no way they’d add another overpaid player at that spot
jerry
December 31st, 2011
9:18 pm
JJ=the most overrpaid overrated player in the league. Only positive was mcgrady’s last quarter play.Tmac>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>marvin williams
Big Ray
December 31st, 2011
9:18 pm
I shouldn’t say things like that. After all, Josh cleans up all of our defensive mistakes with his shotblocking.
Wait a minute…is that Al Horford leading the way for the Hawks with two blocks per game? Ouch…
And just like last season, we give up a bunch of jumpers to the opposing team’s big men. Front line of Scola, Buddinger, and Hill tore our butts up from 15 feet.
Hmmmm
December 31st, 2011
9:18 pm
HAPPY NEW YEAR, HAPPY SAME OLD JOSH…….DAMN LOL
Runner-
December 31st, 2011
9:19 pm
I just want some reporter out there (MC please) to address Drew on Marvin’s minutes tonight. What’s up with that?
Joe
December 31st, 2011
9:20 pm
“His entire being is wrapped around getting Horford out of here. Don’t rob him of his fantasy.”
Isn’t it ironic that his attempts to get Horford out of here are likely going to result in gettiing him (the blogger) out of here (banned from the blog)? Some poeple will never learn. It start off with biased comments, then mindless comments, then spam and personal attacks, and before you know it, it’s another banned I.P. address.
OTIS SMITH
December 31st, 2011
9:20 pm
You offered Josh for Dwight?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *dies*
Big Ray
December 31st, 2011
9:20 pm
AL WAS EXPECTED TO GET 20-25 PTS AND 20-22 REBOUNDS.
Not even the ONLY person who posted that straw man argument was expecting that sort of performance.
BIG DOG
December 31st, 2011
9:21 pm
I told you guys, the Hawks where expose tonight and need a center bad, this just the beginning of what to come unless the Hawks make a trade for a center.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Big Ray
December 31st, 2011
9:22 pm
Runner,
The trade would involve unloading one of their bad contracts on us.
But the trade isn’t going to happen. No matter how much a library haunting troll wants it.
Runner-
December 31st, 2011
9:22 pm
@Joe, alot of those guys can dish the ball as well as score, the “true” point guard is a thing of the past
BIG DOG
December 31st, 2011
9:22 pm
Look for the Hawks to loose the next 2 games Heat and Bulls.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Big Ray
December 31st, 2011
9:22 pm
Joe,
Happens every year…without Le Troll, we would not know what total depravity was like.
At any rate, on to Falcons football tomorrow…
Trade Watch
December 31st, 2011
9:23 pm
Big Ray
December 31st, 2011
9:16 pm
Anyone who thinks Al was part of the problem tonight obviously understand the game.
Any idiot who says Josh took to many shots did not understand the game. Josh and Al took about the same number of shots. 12,11 respectively, so shut up.
Offense wasnt the problem defense was. staying in the paint is not the same as doing something while you are in it.
DONT JUST STAND THERE AL DO SOMETHING.
Runner-
December 31st, 2011
9:23 pm
“The trade would involve unloading one of their bad contracts on us.”
That’s exactly why the trade wouldn’t happen, no way ASG will take another big contract AND be able to sign Dwight to a long term deal.
Joe
December 31st, 2011
9:24 pm
“smh @ Drew . . . how does Marvin only get 19 minutes tonight?”
Is it really that surprising? I’ve never thought of Drew to be a reliable head coach, and he’s never really appeared to be the type who rewards minutes based upon on-court production, either. Just because Marvin plays well, it doesn’t mean he will be rewarded nor punished. His minutes will likely end up being the same as they were with the past. He may even sit out a lot of fourth quarters the way he did the last couple of years in favor of Jamal, only this time, it will be in favor of T-Mac, regardless of how either T-Mac or Marvin are playing.
TMACfan
December 31st, 2011
9:24 pm
Smh @ all Hawks players, only one that played hard was TMAC. He may be a shell, but atleast he has something called PRIDE.
Runner-
December 31st, 2011
9:25 pm
“Any idiot who says Josh took to many shots did not understand the game. Josh and Al took about the same number of shots.”
Josh took too many “shots”, as in jump shots. Almost all of Horfords “shots” came from the paint
Slimjr
December 31st, 2011
9:25 pm
HAWKS ARE A 13TH SEED OUT WEST…
Slimjr
December 31st, 2011
9:26 pm
Chicago by 25 on Wed!
northcyde
December 31st, 2011
9:27 pm
(( sigh )) @ my sports life
- Tennessee Vols
- Atlanta Hawks
- Cincinnati Bengals
The Vols b-ball team is sorry this year . . the Bengals have to battle the Ratbirds just to get into the playoffs . . and the Hawks are the Hawks
oh well
Dept. Of Unintended Irony
December 31st, 2011
9:27 pm
“Look for the Hawks to loose the next 2 games Heat and Bulls.”
So, conversely, do “lose lips sink ships”?
What a looser, LOL
BIG DOG
December 31st, 2011
9:27 pm
Hawks 40 Rebounds
Rockets 45 Rebounds
Hawks 6 off
Rockets 11 off
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Big Ray
December 31st, 2011
9:27 pm
Any idiot who says Josh took to many shots did not understand the game. Josh and Al took about the same number of shots. 12,11 respectively, so shut up.
Who said Josh took too many shots? Go find the post and repost it.
By the way, you’re right. They did take nearly the same number of shots. Josh hit 4 of his 12. That’s about 33%. Al hit 6 of his 11. That’s about 55%.
Was there a point you wanted to make there, or shall we gloss over it and pretend you’re a little smarter than that? No? Allllllllrighty then…..