Atlanta Hawks at Bulls: Game thread
Chicago–Regular lineup for the Hawks. All Hawks except Kirk Hinrich (shoulder) and Donald Sloan (inactive) are available. Ronnie Brewer is starting in place of Rip Hamilton (groin) for the Bulls.
- Hinrich had his eight-week checkup today. “Good news,” Hinrich said. “They are going to let me start doing all of the non-contact stuff with the team. A couple weeks from now, we will see how it goes from there. It’s one of those deals where I’m excited to do some things. Hopefully I can get my conditioning right and keep strengthening. I have some weakness. I need to get stronger before I get out there.”
- Larry Drew said he hasn’t decided on Hinrich’s role when he returns: “We will see how that goes with Kirk. We are certainly going to bring him along slowly. But as far as who is going to be the starter, I haven’t made a decision.”
- Drew doesn’t think a zone defense can be as effective against the Bulls as it was against Miami: “You are talking about two totally different beasts. With having to defend Wade and LeBron I think it’s totally different from having to defend Rose. With Rose I think he may be more explosive. Both LeBron and D-Wade are very explosive but Rose’s explosion is a little bit different. His ability to get into the paint is more of a havoc than LeBron and Wade. LeBron and Wade are more open court. Rose can get into the basket open court and half court.”
- Jeff Teague is back in the building where he started the best run of his young career. He said he’s not still drawing confidence from those moments against Rose, though: “I’m a confident player, anyway. I don’t really get into the matchup last year. He’s going to come back with something totally different.”
- Vladimir Radmanovic is 0 for 10 from the field in the last two games, including 0 for 4 on 3-pointers. He passed up a couple open attempts at Miami. Drew wants him to keep shooting. “We brought him here to shoot when he’s open,” Drew said. “He hasn’t had his typical type games but I am not going to instruct him to stop shooting. He’s got to keep putting them up.”
- Al Horford had a productive game around the basket against Chris Bosh. Joakim Noah is tougher by multiple degrees. “I think you have to try to match his energy as much as you can,” Horford said. “He is going to bring that every night and I think that’s what makes him such a great player.”
- Josh Smith was 1 for 7 on long 2s against the Heat before settling down. “He got into a jump-shot mode,” Drew said. “When he came out that first time, we spoke to him at that time. Then he just kind got it together and started putting it in the floor and getting to the basket, which is a strength of his because he’s long and he can elevate. He did settle down.”
- The Hawks are playing their sixth game in eight days. “We are doing OK,” Horford said. “At this point everybody has got something that is wrong with them. That’s just a part of it. Tonight is a big game for us so we are going to come out here and focus on tonight and tomorrow hopefully we will get to rest and recover.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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1,299 comments Add your comment
BoneKollector
January 3rd, 2012
8:56 pm
good pass marvin
Melvin
January 3rd, 2012
8:56 pm
Nice lob from Marvin to AL….
hawks_4_life
January 3rd, 2012
8:56 pm
Lob city
Runner-
January 3rd, 2012
8:56 pm
OOOOOOOOO HORFORDDDD
Najeh Davenpoop
January 3rd, 2012
8:56 pm
Probably the first time I have seen Marvin throw a lob. Great fast break. Hawks are not letting the Bulls get any momentum.
KevinM
January 3rd, 2012
8:56 pm
Marvin earning more minutes and da Bulls look da bad!
northcyde
January 3rd, 2012
8:56 pm
Look at Marvin tossing the lob
Lob City South
Tremaine
January 3rd, 2012
8:56 pm
Marvin Williams has been a beast this season.
Slimjr
January 3rd, 2012
8:56 pm
Freaking MARVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Uncle Tom
January 3rd, 2012
8:56 pm
Josh is selfish, immature and downright mean.
Luke Cage
January 3rd, 2012
8:56 pm
Way to go Hawks, love when these guys get up the floor
RethinkPossible
January 3rd, 2012
8:56 pm
That was a perfect pass
Rod from College Park
January 3rd, 2012
8:56 pm
Good play Marv.
Runner-
January 3rd, 2012
8:57 pm
awful play so far by the Bulls but you have to give some credit to the Hawk’s defense I guess, even though the Bulls have been missing wide open jump shots, but so have we I guess
Melvin
January 3rd, 2012
8:57 pm
Najeh,
The Hawks are drawing contact by not getting the call
Big Ray
January 3rd, 2012
8:57 pm
That said, this team is off to a better start than I’ve seen in a while. Maybe Uncle Larry isn’t as bad as we think. Who knows.
What I do know is that these guys are so far not falling apart against good teams while beating mostly only the bad ones. Their defense is the best I’ve seen…we’re running the Bulls off the court, we handled the Heat…but didn’t know what to do against the Rockets.
Yeah, yeah…reserve judgement until later, when a lot of games have been played and teams have gotten their ish together. Only then will we really know.
Until then, enjoying what I see tonight for the most part.
Hawks4Eva
January 3rd, 2012
8:57 pm
we should be up by 15 or more
Najeh Davenpoop
January 3rd, 2012
8:57 pm
Josh actually boxed out that time and still didn’t get the board. Good D though.
Astro Joe
January 3rd, 2012
8:58 pm
Ray, hen did his predecessor have someone like Hinrich to challenge the other guys? When Harrington challenged Marvin? And what happened then? Marvin had to earn his playing time. Everyone calls for player development as if that is narrowly defined by “here’s the ball, go play”. Sometimes player development means more than that. How can Teague be hurt by having to stay focused on maintaining his status?
Steve, does Al having any shot attempts this half?
Big Ray
January 3rd, 2012
8:58 pm
Really liking Josh’s battling on defense…especially the glass.
At this rate, he gets 20 boards tonight.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 3rd, 2012
8:58 pm
Refs swallow their whistle again, this time for Teague.
Hawks4Eva
January 3rd, 2012
8:58 pm
alley opp was there for Josh smith…didnt see him. then josh hung his head
BoneKollector
January 3rd, 2012
8:58 pm
We’re playing a lil sloppy cuz we’re tired
Melvin
January 3rd, 2012
8:58 pm
Ok Joe, maybe its time to stop shooting those 3’s in transition.
Runner-
January 3rd, 2012
8:58 pm
anyone wonder if Joe’s thumb is affecting his shot? been way off tonight
Rod from College Park
January 3rd, 2012
8:58 pm
Hit a shot Joe. Damn!!!!
J.J.M.
January 3rd, 2012
8:58 pm
lmao josh mad at teague…teague needs to learn how to throw the alley
hawks_4_life
January 3rd, 2012
8:58 pm
No one can score but Ill take it….grind it out guys
Luke Cage
January 3rd, 2012
8:59 pm
Man this is some good D on both teams, gotta give the bulls credit on that dept
KevinM
January 3rd, 2012
8:59 pm
Marvin should probably rebound with 2 hands…..he is not good with the tip stuff.
But we are holding our own.
Tremaine
January 3rd, 2012
8:59 pm
Tough rim tonight.
northcyde
January 3rd, 2012
8:59 pm
Damn JJ . . . 3 wide open 3s he’s missed. Could’ve blown this game wide open.
Teague maybe should’ve tossed the lob to Josh. I’m sure Josh is talking to him about that right now.
yodaddybrother
January 3rd, 2012
8:59 pm
Bulls have NOTHING. They literally only have Derrick Rose and if he isn’t turning in an MVP performance then the team is buns
Hawks4Eva
January 3rd, 2012
8:59 pm
Keep up the hustle Josh…Clean the glass like u r doing and all will b well
Melvin
January 3rd, 2012
9:00 pm
Josh has 10rebs in the 1st half… Come Josh bashers, let’s not ignore that fact this game.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 3rd, 2012
9:00 pm
T-Mac goes to the locker room with a leg injury. Uh oh
A Hawk in Minnesota
January 3rd, 2012
9:00 pm
Either they are shooting with an inflated ball tonight, or Atlanta’s defense is a thing of BEAUTY tonight!!!
yodaddybrother
January 3rd, 2012
9:00 pm
that 3 wasn’t wide open….yall aint see Derrick Rose jump out there?
KevinM
January 3rd, 2012
9:00 pm
“Hawks4Eva
January 3rd, 2012
8:57 pm
we should be up by 15 or more”
Well, 14 ain’t so bad…..
basti
January 3rd, 2012
9:00 pm
this game is the definition of futility.. hahaha.. that’s fine, as long as both teams are not making any shots… we’re still up b 10 though, hahahahah..
northcyde
January 3rd, 2012
9:00 pm
Hawks shooting 34% . . . Bulls shooting 24%
Hawks4Eva
January 3rd, 2012
9:01 pm
Hawks are going to surprise some folks this year I truly believe it. Bulls are not that impressive thus far. we match up well against them this year.
Boondox
January 3rd, 2012
9:01 pm
The question is not who will start when kirk comes back but how long will it take for kirk to get hurt again coming of the bench is the best thing for him he s injury prone
Melvin
January 3rd, 2012
9:01 pm
Nice lob from AL to Josh
Najeh Davenpoop
January 3rd, 2012
9:01 pm
Once again, Hawks come out of a timeout and get a dunk. Give LD his props.
yodaddybrother
January 3rd, 2012
9:01 pm
Atlanta Hawks are starting to believe
Luke Cage
January 3rd, 2012
9:01 pm
Weak Call ref
northcyde
January 3rd, 2012
9:01 pm
LOL . . why Drew take TEague out? Because he didn’t throw the lob to Josh?
Najeh Davenpoop
January 3rd, 2012
9:01 pm
There’s D-Rose’s first half highlight, which will be replayed 5 times during the highlight package on ESPN even if the Hawks win this game by double figures…
NUNNA!!
January 3rd, 2012
9:02 pm
Northcyde,Josh was talking about it going into that last t.o. lol
He talked about it during the last time out as well..U could see josh talking to teague and teague flailing his arms about where josh was on the floor and why he went with the pass he did..
To be truthful,its gonna take some time to be able to see da whole floor