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
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2011
7:45 pm
T-Mac still got it!
BoneKollector
December 31st, 2011
7:45 pm
Tmac!!!!!
northcyde
December 31st, 2011
7:46 pm
T-mac . / oooooooooo
Melvin
December 31st, 2011
7:46 pm
I told yall last night TMac was saving it for tonight’s game…
Slimjr
December 31st, 2011
7:46 pm
Glad to see Chuck Hayes aint clogging up the midldle so is All NBA….
bigdave
December 31st, 2011
7:46 pm
nice.. !! love the activity defensively from the 2nd unit..
Big Ray
December 31st, 2011
7:46 pm
Nice flush by T-Mac.
Meanwhile, the Hawks losing for all the reasons I’d thought they would be. Get it together, guys.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2011
7:47 pm
If taking charges got you fantasy points, Twin would be a first round pick.
Hmmmm
December 31st, 2011
7:47 pm
Bet you didn’t thinking you’d be praying to get Marvin back in a Hawks game, eh?
northcyde
December 31st, 2011
7:47 pm
Good job Marvin . . . big time charge on Scola
BoneKollector
December 31st, 2011
7:47 pm
Like I said JOSH IS A DUMBA**
Big Ray
December 31st, 2011
7:47 pm
Thanks, Josh. We needed that.
BoneKollector
December 31st, 2011
7:47 pm
Go ahead and try to defend Josh I dare u
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2011
7:47 pm
Good D and rebound by Smoove on one end, idiotic shot by Smoove on the other end.
MattP
December 31st, 2011
7:47 pm
Bring it Marvin, not Josh!….
northcyde
December 31st, 2011
7:47 pm
(( sigh ))
Melvin
December 31st, 2011
7:49 pm
Free throw shooting is killing us….
welikebaseball2
December 31st, 2011
7:49 pm
Not to be captain obvious, but there’s nothing different about this year’s team…& that’s what dampers any potential of excitement about them. What’s worse is that we’re stuck with Drew’s perimeter-shot-offense for another season. And as I’m typing this, Josh throws up another long jumper. We’ll suffer the same pattern as last season. When the long shots are falling, we look great. When they aren’t, the offense dries up like a raisin in the sun.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2011
7:50 pm
Jumpers on the offensive end, offensive boards on the other end. Might as well bring Bibby back if this is how it’s going to be.
northcyde
December 31st, 2011
7:50 pm
Teague with 0 shot attempts.
Lowry is just as quick as he is
BoneKollector
December 31st, 2011
7:50 pm
Josh couldn’t help himself he had to shoot another J after the whistle lol
Ra'mon
December 31st, 2011
7:51 pm
Tonight Josh done missed more than Chaney playing duck hunter on Nintendo!
BoneKollector
December 31st, 2011
7:52 pm
I seriously think Josh wants to get traded so he doesn’t care
I say get rid of him b4 he brings the whole team down
Hmmmm
December 31st, 2011
7:53 pm
In the famous words of Metta World Peace:
“If you ain’t got no heart, what’s all the athleticism for?”
BoneKollector
December 31st, 2011
7:53 pm
Another missed FT from DUMMY
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2011
7:53 pm
Time for Smoove to try Granny Style at the free throw line.
northcyde
December 31st, 2011
7:54 pm
So he drives and draws a foul.
Good job Josh
Just need to concentrate a little harder at the line.
Grandmaster JeJe
December 31st, 2011
7:54 pm
Is Smoove tanking?
bigdave
December 31st, 2011
7:54 pm
big 3..
BoneKollector
December 31st, 2011
7:54 pm
Airball from DUMMY instead of giving it to Teagie
northcyde
December 31st, 2011
7:54 pm
Great break by Teague and JJ
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2011
7:54 pm
Dammit Smoove, Bibby doesn’t play for the Hawks anymore.
Hmmmm
December 31st, 2011
7:55 pm
LOLJosh
BoneKollector
December 31st, 2011
7:55 pm
Josh with the DUMB PASS
GET HIM THE F..K OUTTA THERE
northcyde
December 31st, 2011
7:55 pm
5 point swing right there . . . come on Josh
Big Ray
December 31st, 2011
7:55 pm
Ok – time to blame Al Horford for passing Josh the ball right after Al collected the rebound. Because of this, Josh ran the break all by himself and finished with an airball.
Al, this is your fault. Don’t do it again.
sportschick
December 31st, 2011
7:55 pm
Josh as much as I love u get on my nerves at times
Melvin
December 31st, 2011
7:55 pm
Sit Josh on the bench
Sautee
December 31st, 2011
7:56 pm
LOL @ Big Ray
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2011
7:56 pm
Dumbass shots from Smoove and Joe the last couple of possessions.
Teague, as the point guard, needs to speak up in those situations and demand the ball.
bigdave
December 31st, 2011
7:56 pm
wish our bigs would give the ball up on the break.
Big Ray
December 31st, 2011
7:56 pm
I did enjoy the setup for JJ by Teague. Perfect.
sportschick
December 31st, 2011
7:56 pm
Sometimes I wonder if Josh is not trying to get traded. Just to prove a point
BoneKollector
December 31st, 2011
7:56 pm
Josh is so lucky he doesn’t play with a Charles Oakley type player who won’t put up with his crap
terrell
December 31st, 2011
7:57 pm
TAKE JOSH OUT!
sportschick
December 31st, 2011
7:57 pm
I meant trying to get traded
Hmmmm
December 31st, 2011
7:57 pm
It’s times like this wonder how Bob Knight would have dealt with Josh if he went to Indiana.
Cbenj
December 31st, 2011
7:57 pm
Does Josh think he’s a point guard? Why doesnt Drew sit him on the bench…he looks terrible!
Astro Joe
December 31st, 2011
7:57 pm
Josh is making it hard on his diehard fans tonight.
bigdave
December 31st, 2011
7:57 pm
i dont mind Joe Johnson looking for early offense in transition in that situation.. but the bigs need to give the ball up and run the floor.