Atlanta Hawks at Heat: Game thread
Miami–All Hawks except Kirk Hinrich (shoulder) are good to go. Donald Sloan is inactive.
- Hinrich is to see his doctor tomorrow but Larry Drew still isn’t sure when he will return. “Hopefully we will get him back soon,” Drew said.
- Mike Miller (hernia), Eddy Curry (hip) and Mickell Gladness (foot) are out for the Heat.
- Josh Smith has some swelling in his right knee. He had an ice pack on it at shootaround. Reminded of the spectacular dunk he had during Atlanta’s 93-89 victory here last season, Smith said: “I have to try to re-live it.”
- Marvin Williams said he suffered nose bleeds while sleeping in two of the past three nights. “I thought my nose was running, so I wipe and there is blood everywhere,” he said. “It used to happen me to when I was a kid but it’s been a long time.”
- Drew on Williams: “He’s playing much better basketball than last year. He’s looking for his shot more. I’ve given him more freedom to be a little bit more creative with his shot. When he’s on the floor making shots he’s a big weapon for us. Chances are teams are going to double team us a lot with Joe [Johnson] so it’s important we spread [with] the shooting.”
- Drew on splitting minutes between Williams and Tracy McGrady, who finished the game at Houston: “I’ve been just kind of going with feel. It seems like T-Mac is starting to get his legs under him a little bit. I thought he played really well in the Houston game. At the same time I have to be mindful of the minutes he gets. I don’t want to wear him down.”
- Drew said the Hawks should draw confidence from winning at Miami last season but cautioned: “We are looking at a different [Heat] team. From the games I’ve seen they look like they are a team on a mission. You can’t get into a run-and-shoot game with this team. They run with force. They run in waves.”
- Al Horford on winning here last season: “It’s a new season. If we can take anything from it, we have done it here before. But obviously we have to validate it this season.”
- This is the fifth game in seven days for the Hawks. “Physically, I think we are OK,” Drew said. A little mental fatigue may start to settle in a little bit. Something we talked about before we started is it’s something you have got to push through. All teams are going through it. We cannot and will not use that as an excuse. We will play the hand that has been dealt to us. It can take a toll on you if you allow it to. It’s imperative that they take care of themselves.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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969 comments Add your comment
Blast
January 2nd, 2012
8:14 pm
Al, how can you?
Everytime Hawks creep close, they make a dumb play.
Black Power
January 2nd, 2012
8:14 pm
Horford’s first rebound comes in the second qtr.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 2nd, 2012
8:14 pm
Al waited until 10:19 left in the 2nd quarter to get his first board, missed 2 early shots at the rim, and just fouled a 3 point shooter. Safe to say this isn’t his best night.
bigdave
January 2nd, 2012
8:16 pm
big Pargo..
Najeh Davenpoop
January 2nd, 2012
8:16 pm
Next time people like Bret LaGree from Hoopinion try to project Al’s efficiency numbers to say he should be the #1 option on offense, they should look at the tape of stretches like this, when he is statistically by far the best offensive player on the floor but can’t score because he still can’t create his own shot.
Ignition
January 2nd, 2012
8:16 pm
I really didn’t wanna see Pargo in the game..
I really don’t wanna see Willie Green shot..
Astro Joe
January 2nd, 2012
8:16 pm
Funny how the bench doesn’t look the same after those first two games. Horford is slowly getting back into form, at least from the post.
TMACfan
January 2nd, 2012
8:16 pm
Radman sucks soooo much, why can’t he get a hold of the ball?
BoneKollector
January 2nd, 2012
8:17 pm
Please keep that fool Josh on the bench
Big Ray
January 2nd, 2012
8:17 pm
Najeh ,
The worst part is this has become more of a habit for Al. He started doing this last season, and the trend is continuing.
Now where is that clown who told me in the preseason that Al was just holding back because it was the preseason? Haven’t heard one word from that guy. What was his name, anyway….
MattP
January 2nd, 2012
8:18 pm
I want to see Ivan come in this game early on, not at the end of the game.
Black Power
January 2nd, 2012
8:18 pm
The bad news is the Hawks are playing weak, the good news is they’re only down by six [points] after the TV timeout in the 2nd qtr.
Big Ray
January 2nd, 2012
8:19 pm
Oh, how we miss Kirk Hinrich….whether you like him or not. Unless of course Willie Green and Jannero pargo really stir your koolaid…
Najeh Davenpoop
January 2nd, 2012
8:19 pm
Marvin still hasn’t impacted the box score at all. Hawks could use him on the glass…
yodaddybrother
January 2nd, 2012
8:19 pm
someone needs to get into a fight with Josh Smith at practive…. his head don’t be in the game and he cries almost as much as the Miami Heat
Najeh Davenpoop
January 2nd, 2012
8:19 pm
Nice pass Vlad.
d.carter
January 2nd, 2012
8:20 pm
Man please trade Al Horford asap! he is the most overated player in the league
Najeh Davenpoop
January 2nd, 2012
8:20 pm
Vlad showing why he was available for the veterans minimum.
Astro Joe
January 2nd, 2012
8:20 pm
Vlad Rad must hit his open jumpers.
Big Ray
January 2nd, 2012
8:20 pm
I want to see Ivan come in this game early on, not at the end of the game.
Hear, Hear!
MattP
January 2nd, 2012
8:21 pm
Oh No! Smith is back in…
yodaddybrother
January 2nd, 2012
8:21 pm
Hawks aren’t as athletic as advertised
bigdave
January 2nd, 2012
8:22 pm
big..
Najeh Davenpoop
January 2nd, 2012
8:22 pm
Big shot by Joe.
Ignition
January 2nd, 2012
8:22 pm
Who gives Willie Green the green light to shot????
He should NEVER shot ….!!!!!!!
Melvin
January 2nd, 2012
8:22 pm
Nice to see AL attacking the paint….
Black Power
January 2nd, 2012
8:22 pm
Vlad-Rad is like a giant-sized Steve Kerr; if he’s not making his jumpers, he is a straight liability.
Runner-
January 2nd, 2012
8:22 pm
get joe more involved in our offense, he’s been quietly doing his business this season…
Wabe
January 2nd, 2012
8:23 pm
Willie Green needs to be gone…
I still would’ve rather held on to Pape instead of this dude.
drmaryb.[*_*].
January 2nd, 2012
8:23 pm
Slam Ball!
“Just out of curiosity, I wonder what would happen if the Hawks ran the Allen Iverson offense. Let Teague take whatever shots he wants and send everyone else to the offensive glass.” -Najeh-
___________
Slam Ball! I’m in. Just give Teague the keys and let that man roll! Make other teams adjust to us for a change.
Astro Joe
January 2nd, 2012
8:23 pm
So I missed most of the first quarter and I see that Josh only played 6 minutes. Was LD holding him accountable for some issue?
Najeh Davenpoop
January 2nd, 2012
8:24 pm
Hawks need to force more turnovers like Teague did on that last play. Get in the passing lanes and make the Heat as wary of passing the ball as the Hawks were to start the game. Teague especially is quick enough to make that happen every so often without getting burned.
d.carter
January 2nd, 2012
8:24 pm
I would trade josh and Al for Dwight Howard and a throw in player
Nickster79
January 2nd, 2012
8:24 pm
Well, as long as Josh keeps shooting long jumpers, we’ll never get the inside offense that we need. Maybe he should stop giving Teague advice and work on his own shot selection.
Ah well…at least we can all still hate LeBron James together, right?
http://www.ramblingbeachcat.com/2012/01/justified-sports-hatred-lebron-james.html
cp
January 2nd, 2012
8:24 pm
good shot Joe. He has been money from behind the arc this year
#Occupy the Paint
January 2nd, 2012
8:24 pm
Not enough banging yet, Al. But keep your ass in the paint.
Josh, do NOT shoot jumpers.
Disgusted
January 2nd, 2012
8:24 pm
The Hawks are hanging in with this team in spite of the Heat making it look so easy and they do this to other teams all over the league.
Come on, do we realy expect more than a middle of the pack team that might win a playoff round. The Hawks are doing about as expected.
The Heat are fun to watch even if you hate em. I do, but hey, so what. Do we really expect a real championship here????? Its just not for us Atlantans so enjoy the game.
terrell
January 2nd, 2012
8:24 pm
Im on the trade Josh bandwagon. He drives me insane. He’d be a great player if he’d play his own game and stop trying to play someone else’s. Dude think he’s a pg, a sg, etc.. Just rebound the damm basketball and play some defense. Get your points by slashing, tip backs, dunks etc… Too late to learn in year 8. Gotta get a defensive minded center if we move him though.
Big Ray
January 2nd, 2012
8:24 pm
Vlad actually handles the ball and passes well, and can even get a steal here or there and use his size to defend.
However, none of that shows up against an uber-athletic and talented trio like Bosh/Wade/Lebron.
So yeah, if he’s not hitting his shots against a team like this, or rebounding and getting into passing lanes, he’s not much help. He has to do those things and fill in the gaps.
Meanwhile, Marvin CAN defend against a team like this, at least adequately. So he needs to do that AND hit the boards. And he’s not doing it.
MattP
January 2nd, 2012
8:25 pm
Astro Joe,
He was being the same old Josh, sitting at the arc.
bigdave
January 2nd, 2012
8:25 pm
im interested in seeing how the lost lbs helps Josh on the defensive end against Lebron..
Runner-
January 2nd, 2012
8:25 pm
lol @ Josh
jlewis
January 2nd, 2012
8:25 pm
Some of you guys kill me, you complained when the offense ran through JJ, said he was shooting to much. Now Josh is throwing up wild jumpers, Al wants touches, Marvin shoots, now he’s a stiff. This offense should run through JJ, he is the only one that draws a double-team. Basketball is simple, make two guard one. Anyway, until Drew and everyone else realizes it, the problem with this team is JOSH SMITH, he is the same player he was his rookie year. He makes momentum killing dumb plays and at times just looks lost.
Keep blaming JJ, thats the least of this teams problems. Oh, have you noticed our point guards cant play a lick of defense.
Wabe
January 2nd, 2012
8:25 pm
Signature J.Smoove.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 2nd, 2012
8:25 pm
225 pound Josh isn’t strong enough to drive on LeBron.
Big Ray
January 2nd, 2012
8:25 pm
Josh looked like a straight up retard on that drive. WTF….
yodaddybrother
January 2nd, 2012
8:25 pm
Josh Smith WTF
Runner-
January 2nd, 2012
8:25 pm
TEAGUE!!
Black Power
January 2nd, 2012
8:25 pm
Josh Smith with the turnover and Teague with the dunk.
Melvin
January 2nd, 2012
8:25 pm
Nice steal and dunk by Teague…