Atlanta Hawks at Nets: Game thread
Newark, N.J.–Marvin Williams (ankle) is not on the trip. Vladimir Radmanovic will replace him at small forward. Brook Lopez (foot), Damion James (foot) and Mehmet Okur (back) are out for the Nets. DeShawn Stevenson (knee) was a late scratch.
- Drew said he didn’t consider replacing Williams in the lineup with Tracy McGrady. Instead, the choice was between starting Vlad Rad or using the “big” lineup with Jason Collins at center.
- Drew on how Vlad Rad fits with the starters: “I think he plays really well with them. I’ve been looking to play him more with the starters’ group. It’s certainly a comfortable fit for him. He seems to just play better when he’s in the lineup with the starters because he does what he does. He’s a 3-point shooter, he stretches the defense. They really do a good job getting him the ball. He’s made the adjustment.”
- According to basketballvalue.com, Vlad Rad has played 14 minutes alongside Jeff Teague, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Al Horford. His offensive numbers with that group are through the roof after the big shooting night on Saturday.
- Drew on Vlad Rad’s defense at the 3: “He’s got size, he’s got speed and he’s got quickness. Tonight’s matchup [now vs. MarShon Brooks], it’s just a matter of him not losing shooters on the perimeter. He’s a guy who likes to help defensively. He really focuses on playing help defense, sometimes to a fault.”
- Drew on the rotation behind Smith at power forward: “We will play Ivan [Johnson] at some four, move and play Al at more four and go big with Zaza [Pachulia] or Twin. We will see how the game goes.”
- The Hawks are missing some production and efficiency without Marvin. Some of his team ranks, according to Basketball Reference: tied for first in points per 36 minutes, third in rebounds per 36, fourth in steals per 36 among the regulars, lowest turnover rate among the regulars, and fourth in true-shooting percentage among the regulars.
- Johnson has ditched the brace for his right thumb. “I don’t like wearing it,” he said. “It’s a little uncomfortable. It’s been feeling pretty good lately.” He said it feels better after days off or if he can make it through a game without getting it whacked.
- The Hawks still haven’t had a full practice since the season started. They didn’t practice or walk through yesterday. They had a shootaround today. “We got after it a little bit and broke a little sweat,” Horford said.
- “We welcomed that day off,” Drew said. “It seemed like we were playing about every day. That was a very challenging part of our schedule. We certainly welcomed that day off. I am just curious to see how our guys respond after that stretch and after that big win.”
- “For us, the key is to be able to come out with good energy and just make sure we play our game,” Horford said. “It’s going to be tough but every team in the league is going through it.”
- Zaza said Vlad Rad did not eat Georgian food today like he did before his big game Saturday. “I can’t afford to feed him every day. Maybe it will carry over.”
- Thanks to the blog people who wished me well with my illness. I’m at about 75 percent now. Sorry about the troll problem lately. I do what I can to control it.
- During a NyQuil coma last night, I dreamed that Josh came up to me on the sideline during a game and yelled at me to Google Jannero Pargo. When I couldn’t get my computer to work, Josh cussed me out: “How [bleeping] hard is it to Google Pargo?!” Then the fans started yelling at me because the game was being held up while I tried to Google Pargo.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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369 comments Add your comment
Mac-Town #maconchevyrider
January 9th, 2012
7:55 pm
LMFAO…Petro
terrell
January 9th, 2012
7:55 pm
Gotta hit those jumper Al.
ANDRE IGLUODALA
January 9th, 2012
7:55 pm
THAD YOUNG THE JUMPER 76ERS UP 41=34
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 9th, 2012
7:56 pm
Anyone else would’ve dunked on Josh. Not liking how we just went small. NJ seems like they will shoot themselves out but I’m Not liking effort.
ANDRE IGLUODALA
January 9th, 2012
7:56 pm
ROY HINNERT IS A BEAST
ANDRE IGLUODALA
January 9th, 2012
7:57 pm
TIME OUT 76ERS THEY NEED IT COME ON GUYS START REBOUNDING
Luke Cage
January 9th, 2012
7:57 pm
3 Williams’ on the floor for the nets
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 9th, 2012
7:57 pm
OK Zaza in for Smith. We’re big again now. Clog the lanes and Brooks has nowhere to go.
Mac-Town #maconchevyrider
January 9th, 2012
7:58 pm
Bricks in Brick City
Trent
January 9th, 2012
7:58 pm
Who is Roy Hinnert? It’s almost like ‘Nique is on the blog with us lol.
Luke Cage
January 9th, 2012
7:58 pm
Nice Zsa Zsa
Najeh Davenpoop
January 9th, 2012
7:59 pm
Damn, New Jersey is terrible. Hawks are playing great and doing what they are supposed to do.
ANDRE IGLUODALA
January 9th, 2012
8:00 pm
I JUST HIT A JUMPER GOT A DOZEN 76ERS UP 43 -40
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 9th, 2012
8:00 pm
Boyo Horf.
Someone yelling he’s all over him…
Looks like Drew has had enough with small lineups. Horford’s outside J is gone but next play Pachulia throws an easy pass to Horford for easy dunk.
Pachulia + Horford. Vlad + Smith + Horford. See how easy it is guys… Sometimes we make the game to hard.
#SmallHawksLineupsmustdie #TakeyourtimeMarvin
Blast
January 9th, 2012
8:01 pm
Let’s set up a foundation to help Horford find his jump shot!
northcyde
January 9th, 2012
8:01 pm
It’s not the offense that impresses me about the Hawks. It’s the defense.
They went into this game with a team defensive rating of ( 97.8 ). As of right now, that’s 2nd best in FRANCHISE HISTORY. Only the 1998 – 99 Hawks were a better defensive team.
The way this team is defending is incredible. Everything is contested. We’ll see how good of a defensive team they are, as we start playing some of the high powered offenses around the league.
drmaryb.[*_*].
January 9th, 2012
8:01 pm
Push It!
Why is Al pushing his shot with his right leg way out in fron of his left foot? He needs to square up to the basket or just drive ot to the hole like, Al doesn’t look comfortable out there. Maybe, he’s been reading the blog? I hope not, this blog will destroy what skills you thought you had.
Might draw a foul you never know?
ANDRE IGLUODALA
January 9th, 2012
8:01 pm
ROY HIBBERT YOU ASS CLOWN WENT TO GEORGE TOWN STUDENT!!!!!!!!!!
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 9th, 2012
8:01 pm
#SmallHawksLineupsmustdie #TakeyourtimeMarvin #MarvinofftheBench #Marvinfor6thMan
yoursporthouse.com
January 9th, 2012
8:01 pm
Andre,
Nobody cares about the effing sixers.
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 9th, 2012
8:02 pm
See 6′11 Pachulia helps out and 6′10 Horford switches onto Shelden for contest…missed shot.
Brian Van Gorder
January 9th, 2012
8:03 pm
I won’t need the rest of my Hawks tickets. Who wants ‘em?
ANDRE IGLUODALA
January 9th, 2012
8:03 pm
HALFTIME 76ERS 45 INDIANA 40 WE HAVE 2 START REBOUNDING BETTER
Blast
January 9th, 2012
8:03 pm
Nets don’t look too interested, like they couldn’t care less. And if Shelden is your go to guy, you are in trouble.
ANDRE IGLUODALA
January 9th, 2012
8:04 pm
I WILL COME BACK AT START OF 3RD PERIOD FOR UPDATES HOW BOUT THOSE NY GIANTS
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 9th, 2012
8:04 pm
McGrady has absolutely zero lift! But he is still quicker to get a drop step than Marvin. Problem is he’ll lay it up against this team but he’ll likely get blocked or cut off against better teams.
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 9th, 2012
8:04 pm
JJ… Joe cool
Luke Cage
January 9th, 2012
8:05 pm
ANDRE IGLUODALA
I guess there isn’t a sixers blog???
Big Lou
January 9th, 2012
8:05 pm
Andre must be a troll.
J.J.M.
January 9th, 2012
8:05 pm
lmao is pargo missing teeth?
northcyde
January 9th, 2012
8:07 pm
Brian Van Gorder
January 9th, 2012
8:03 pm
I won’t need the rest of my Hawks tickets. Who wants ‘em?
********************
Give them to an organization that supports disadvantaged kids.
The Spook who sat by the door
January 9th, 2012
8:07 pm
Dumb foul by Pargo on Farmar.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 9th, 2012
8:07 pm
I spent some time on Philadelphia Eagles blogs this year and I never saw anyone as excited about the Sixers as our all-caps troll here.
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 9th, 2012
8:07 pm
It’s not the offense that impresses me about the Hawks. It’s the defense.
They went into this game with a team defensive rating of ( 97.8 ). As of right now, that’s 2nd best in FRANCHISE HISTORY. Only the 1998 – 99 Hawks were a better defensive team.
The way this team is defending is incredible. Everything is contested. We’ll see how good of a defensive team they are, as we start playing some of the high powered offenses around the league.
—-
Not to jinx it but we’re on pace to hold NJ for 72. Lets see how much rest our starters get.
But Marvin + McGrady off the bench would be nice. But where does that leave Willie Green?
LD will have to split the minutes big time.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 9th, 2012
8:08 pm
“Give them to an organization that supports disadvantaged kids.”
Not Second Mile though.
RethinkPossible
January 9th, 2012
8:08 pm
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Photo-Shelden-Williams-dunks-the-ball-into-his-?urn=nba-wp12751
Big Lou
January 9th, 2012
8:09 pm
Why is Zaza still playing? Put in Ivan!!!
drmaryb.[*_*].
January 9th, 2012
8:10 pm
“3 Williams’ on the floor for the nets”
____________
DWill playing so bad, I couldn’t pick him out of that line up.
I guess that means he is free to go.
northcyde
January 9th, 2012
8:10 pm
LOL . . . Shelden needs to watch how Candace works in the post. That was a terrible looking move.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 9th, 2012
8:10 pm
This lead needs to be bigger considering how bad NJ has been.
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 9th, 2012
8:11 pm
Shelden finally helping the Hawks…. Pargo is not shy.
northcyde
January 9th, 2012
8:11 pm
LOL @ Second Mile
(( tossing penalty flag @ Najeh ))
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 9th, 2012
8:13 pm
Rad wide open, miss. Then Vlad fouls Brooks.
Why is Vlad the only starter in. Would be nice with Marvin and T-Mac in together. Then we would have at least one of the 2G to post up.
drmaryb.[*_*].
January 9th, 2012
8:13 pm
2FR!
Two Foul Rule: Glad Wrap got 2 fouls … Uh Oh! Ivan?
Najeh Davenpoop
January 9th, 2012
8:14 pm
Haha I deserved that flag.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 9th, 2012
8:15 pm
In somewhat Hawks-relevant Sixers news, they have held the Pacers (our Wednesday opponent) to 38% shooting through one half. The Sixers are currently the #1 team in defensive rating (Hawks are 3rd).
Najeh Davenpoop
January 9th, 2012
8:16 pm
First dumb play T-Mac has made as a Hawk, at least from my recollection.
J.J.M.
January 9th, 2012
8:16 pm
who keeps leaving morrow open…
The Spook who sat by the door
January 9th, 2012
8:16 pm
To: Andre Igluodala
The last name is spelled ‘Iguodala’ and not ‘Igluodala’ unless you mean the ‘glu’ signifies Andre is the ‘glue’ of the Sixers. Please sir, stop with the Sixers updates because it is very annoying.
Blast
January 9th, 2012
8:16 pm
Come on, Tracy!