Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks: Game thread
C-Viv reporting from Philips Arena.
Hawks coach Larry Drew did not use the word “quit” again to describe the Hawks’ performance Friday night at the 76ers. However, the coach did not back off his post-game comments.
Drew would not single any particular player out. He also said he has not address the team following his post-game comments.
Here are some quotes from Drew during his pre-game interview:
“I’m not going to call out any names. It got a little tough and we didn’t respond. We did not respond.”
“Yes [he stands by his post-game comments], I went back and watched it. We had a good first half. They made a run in the third quarter and, as stated, we didn’t respond to it, which is very disappointing. I’ve made statements in the past, I really thought we had turned that corner a little bit in that situation. Teams are going to make runs. Good teams are going to make runs. Philadelphia is a really good team. They played very well. We talked about it at halftime, that that team was going to make a run. We couldn’t fold the tent when they did. We had to mentally be strong and push our way through it when they did. That was not the response we got when they made the run.”
“What I said last night after the game is done. It’s time to move on.”
“Shot selection [was the reason for the poor second half]. Bad shot selection against a team as good as Philadelphia. Bad shot selection is just as good as turnovers. That’s what gets the team going… For a half we played and followed our game plan. Then we came out in the third quarter and completely lost focus of what got us the lead in the first half.”
“Certainly having a key guy like Al [Horford] that can bring some stability in a situation like that. He’s been the type of guy that would get guys to settle down and was vocal in the huddles. Those are the type of situations where you can use a guy like that because his presence along, being on the floor and being in the huddle, is definitely felt.”
“I think it’s everybody’s responsibility, mine included, when you get in those situations you have to be very aware of the flow of the game. Players on the floor have to be aware of the situation. Certainly our guys felt the momentum shift in that third quarter yesterday. And yet, we continue to be seduced into taking ill-advised shots. I just thought we had turned the corner from that. That was the disappointing part. We will bounce back from it. It’s not the end of the world. It’s not a situation where we are going to cave in. We are going to learn from last night’s game and we are going to continue to try to get better and better.”
Here are a couple comments from Jerry Stackhouse, the 16-year NBA veteran:
“Hopefully we respond positively. It’s one game. In a long NBA season you are going to have nights like that. But it was a little disappointing to see with almost four minutes left in the game, a 12-point game, we called off the dogs so to speak. But I guess from being around this group [coach Larry Drew] sensed something he’s seen before. Hopefully we can get past that. We’ve talked about growth a lot with this group. Maybe the message after the game and the fact we have a game right back today, we can come back and make amends for not finishing the game the way we should have.”
“It’s on the individual. When you are dealing with a team you’ve got to know which players to push and which players to coddle. The guys that need coddling might be affected differently. We hope not. Hopefully everybody looks at it for what it was. I think his comments were spot on. Now it’s just a matter of responding. More so than what he said last night, he’s looking for a response. Hopefully we can give the proper response tonight.”
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488 comments Add your comment
Slimjr
January 22nd, 2012
10:36 pm
NEW YORK NEWWWWW YYYORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Start spreading the news, I’m coming to stay!!!! Going back to the DANCE!!! Congrats BIG BLUE!
Slimjr
January 22nd, 2012
10:42 pm
Sautee, this team will be tested by fire on the road…They could use David on this trip!
At least they have Ivan! HaHaHa….
Grandmaster JeJe
January 22nd, 2012
10:44 pm
FALCONS LOST TO 3 TEAMS WHO WENT TO SB. BLAH BLAH
FIRE LS
Grandmaster JeJe
January 22nd, 2012
10:44 pm
LD
returnof4eva
January 22nd, 2012
10:59 pm
dun dun dun dunnn…its tha return of forever h**. pimptight worldwide
Bigman needed
January 22nd, 2012
11:04 pm
Tyrone
January 22nd, 2012
8:49 pm
Melvin,
Marvin’s contract is 8 mil year for 2 years and Hinrich’s is 8 mil expiring. The Hawks should make the big splash and make the trade for Okafor. This solves the center issue and the Marvin issue. In addition, it would place Al in his rightful position. Moreover, this trade makes the team viable for years. We have a 1st round pick and 4 2nd round picks in this year’s draft. The salary cap and bench issues are solved with rookie contracts.
Hawks make a Big Splash!
LinkReport this comment
ditto this!
Make the big splash!
Slimjr
January 22nd, 2012
11:06 pm
Okafor would be huge!
Bigman needed
January 22nd, 2012
11:11 pm
Tyrone,
In that trade scenario, you are basically trading Marvin 2yr/16mil for Oakfor 2yr/28 mil. Don’t see the ASG going for that. Especially with Joe and Josh contract increasing during that same time span as well.
LinkReport this comment
Move other parts to make it work, zaza’ s contract becomes expendable
Bigman needed
January 22nd, 2012
11:14 pm
Okafor: 16 pts 17 rebs last night v dallas
Make the big splash!!!
Grandmaster JeJe
January 22nd, 2012
11:23 pm
Pretty sure Marvin has 2 years left PLUS a player option for a 3rd year.
Good job on that one, Sund
FIRE SUND
I probably won’t post here for a few days, but chalk tomorrow night as a Loss for the Hawks. We will come out sluggish and lose to a team playing on the 2nd of a b2b.
88-76 Bucks.
Most predictable team in the NBA
Grandad
January 22nd, 2012
11:43 pm
RIP Joe Pa:
Any person employed by the state has a chain of command.
One is bound legally by said chain of command.
Coach Paterno, did his due diligence according to the law;
to which he was bound.
People say he was a powerful man;
I say he was a man of influence, of which
he could not use his influence in any way
to override the Penn State PD.
The right people knew the facts, all the way to the top.
Not only that, the people in charge of protecting children,
knew the whole story for at least ten years.
Coach Paterno: became aware one day,
then proceeded properly the next;
he followed protocol.
Coach Paterno was a football Coach for over 40 years.
We all should be so strong of character as to live our lives,
both professionally and privately for 40; nay I say 85 years,
as Joe Paterno did as a coach and as a man.
He was a bastion for integrity, honesty, and respect.
This great man was first class and everyone knows it.
To me the great shame is; for the want of news and ratings
over the shortest of periods; news & entertainment organizations
over their daily cycle leapt upon the largest name.
Yes I said news & entertainment !
Those entertainment shows rode the story
until Penn State, feeling unnerved and intimidated,
needing a scapegoat, caved and fired Joe Pa.
Thus, bringing a great man down.
It broke his heart.
His legacy should read:
“Joe Paterno a Wonderful Human Being”
SoullRenaissance
January 22nd, 2012
11:47 pm
– Jerry Stackhouse, a 16-year NBA veteran, agreed with Drew’s comments and said the team needed to respond. “Hopefully everybody looks at it for what it was,” Stackhouse said. “I think his comments were spot on. Now it’s just a matter of responding. More so than what he said last night, he’s looking for a response. Hopefully we can give the proper response tonight.”
My man is jockeying for a spot on the coaching staff – I ain’t mad at cha Stackhouse.
doc
January 23rd, 2012
1:16 am
grandad tell that to bradley
drmaryb.[*_*].
January 23rd, 2012
2:08 am
What’s New?
NEW England!
New York!
That’s wassup.
Joe Mama
January 23rd, 2012
2:28 am
His legacy should read:
“Joe Paterno a man who said one thing and did another. When the hearts and souls of the children in his life was placed in his hand for safe guarding, Joe Paterno looked the other way and did nothing while homosexuality raped and sodomized the innocent children breaking their hearts and ruining their lives.
“The man who’d made “Success With Honor” his credo was handed a loaded choice: Do I speak up, knowing full well that speaking up will stain a program I’ve spent more than a half-century nurturing, or do I keep quiet and hope the storm passes?” – Mark Bradley ajc.
Joe Paterno chose to protect his legacy rather than be a man and do whats right for Gods children placed before him to lead, care for and defend.
At the end of his earthly life, Joe Paterno is no man but a coward who preached one thing and did another. A coach who demanded courage and integrity in athletes lacked those very qualities in him self.
Here Lies Joe Paterno, A coward, A hypocrite, a heartless man who failed the children of God placed in his care. With the game of souls on the line and the hearts of the children to be won or loss, Joe Paterno took a kneel and surrendered the souls of the children to the hand of the evil for torture and torment and destruction.
Here Lies Joe Paterno, No Man.
Here Lies Joe Paterno A Coward.
Joe Mama
January 23rd, 2012
2:33 am
“The Hawks should make the big splash and make the trade for Okafor. This solves the center issue and the Marvin issue. In addition, it would place Al in his rightful position”. – THE BENCH!
drmaryb.[*_*].
January 23rd, 2012
2:45 am
IED!
“Cosign Slimjr.
We draft Julio yet he is not utilized nearly enough.
Instead, Matty Melt throws 4 yard completions to Tony Gonzalez.” -Grandmaster JeJe-
___________
Matt Ryan, (agent 002) throwing a 4 yard pass to Gonzalez and at 6′4″ tall, consistently coming up short on 4th and inches?
Now, that is about explosive as a dysenteric baby wearing “pull ups”!
drmaryeb.[*_*].
January 23rd, 2012
3:34 am
Top Ten Hawks!
Offense (Rank)
Points:
98.0 (6)
Rebounds:
42.4 (14)
Assists:
22.6 (3)
FG%:
45.2% (10)
FT%:
73.2% (22)
3P%:
39.1% (5)
Defense (Rank)
Points:
90.9 (7)
Rebounds:
41.3 (10)
Assists:
20.8 (20)
FG%:
42.8% (9)
FT%:
77.5% (26)
3P%:
33.1% (12)
drmaryeb.[*_*].
January 23rd, 2012
4:03 am
“The heart is treacherous and wicked, who can know it?” -Apostle Paul-
“Let the little children come to me ..” Mark 10:13-16
Grandad
January 23rd, 2012
7:11 am
When they kept on questioning him,
he straightened up and said to them,
“If any one of you is without sin,
let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”
- John 8:7 – NIV
____________________________________________
*note:
Directed entirely toward the entertainment companies
massquerading as news organizations.
Grandad
January 23rd, 2012
7:12 am
*masquerading
O'Brien
January 23rd, 2012
7:59 am
Pacers beat the Lakers last night. I think the Sixers and Pacers are the surprise teams of the East so far. And with Boston and NYK struggling, it will be interesting to see how the season plays out.
Big game today for the Hawks. I think it is important to start the road trip off on the right foot.
Trojan
January 23rd, 2012
8:06 am
If Dallas would want Hinrich, would/could Lamar Odom help us out at Center enough to be a good trade? The contracts are similar.
doc
January 23rd, 2012
8:16 am
excerted from the last interview with joe pa:
One reason I suspect Paterno decided to talk with me, as opposed to another writer, was because it brought his career full circle. In 1968 a Sports Illustrated writer named Dan Jenkins went to State College to do a story on a rising coach who had turned a cow college into a national football power, yet who emphasized academics like an Ivy Leaguer. No fewer than five times, Paterno asked, “How’s your father?” I replied that my father is 82 and still typing, and didn’t like the idea of retirement either.
Back in 1968, Paterno told my father, “We’re trying to win football games; don’t misunderstand that. But I don’t want it to ruin our lives if we lose. I don’t want us ever to become the kind of place where an 8-2 season is a tragedy. Look at that day outside. It’s clear, it’s beautiful, the leaves are turning, the land is pretty, and it’s quiet. If losing a game made me miserable, I couldn’t enjoy such a day.”
Had that perspective gotten lost? Did Paterno feel that somewhere along the line, football had become too important — and somehow allowed a real tragedy to go overlooked?
“Well, I don’t think it got lost,” he said. “I just think there was a series of situations that maybe people, a little bit, maybe they neglected something, and maybe they got a little bit frustrated. Whether they had good intentions or not, you’d have to ask them.”
His record will show that he was a great, indomitable champion who amassed a record 409 victories, as well as an intelligent advocate who worked tirelessly for poor and minority athletes his whole career. It will show that he was utterly devoted to his players, regularly graduated more than 75 percent of them, and had 47 academic all-Americans. It will show that he made mistakes and omissions, one of them possibly truly costly. It will show that he mostly maintained his perspective and remained true to himself.
“He didn’t preach one thing and live a different way,” Sue said.
It will show that he was not a statue made of bronze, and that he was defined as much by what he failed to do and say, as by what he did. Which merely made him, in the end, human.
we vreate demagogue and destroy them the same way for our own selfish intent.
there is said somewhere something about judge ye not or maybe something about trying to walk in someone else’s shoes.
one simple one is when one finger points out three point back.
humanity, we are all frail. dont kid yourself to think otherwise but do the best to treat others well. we are all one.
Astro Joe
January 23rd, 2012
9:42 am
Dallas won’t trade Odom for Hinrich… they have more than enough guards and Odom’s contract is unguaranteed next year. However, Dallas would probably be THRILLED to send Haywood to the Hawks for Hinrich. They want to clear more cap space to sign two elite FAs next summer (D-Will & D12) and that trade would make that possible. Of course, the Hawks would be left with a serviceable center with a horrible contract AND will again be forced to fill out their roster with minimum salary players. So that would be a great deal for Dallas and an awful one for the Hawks.
Again, keep an eye on Brad Miller. Sund wanted him last year at the trade deadline and his skill set is comparable to Horford. Miller is a better shot-blocker (at least he was in his prime) than the average fan would realize and has a strong pick & pop game like Al. Hinrich+filler for Miller & Ridnour would work and give us quality depth at the two most important positions. And Miller’s contract next season is unguaranteed.
In a perfect world, one of the older centers would be fit enough that we could just plug them in and wouldn’t have to be concerned with contract lengths of players going out and comng in. But my guess is that Rasheed, Pryzbilla, Dampier, Gadzuric, Fesenko, etc. are no where near fit to play 20 minutes/game AND a compressed schedule.
doc
January 23rd, 2012
9:57 am
i hear ya aj. in a not so perfect world that may be as much as we could hope for. except for the trade of few assets for jamal we have never used assets very well under this management team. maybe he can pull it off. i. e. i wonder how much anjinca gdads fav would have cost instrad of say stack and twin salaries?
Astro Joe
January 23rd, 2012
10:09 am
doc, yeah, but I like the roster that started this season and honestly, its hard to have quality depth at each and every position. Ajinca is (IMO) as viable as Garrett Siler and other summer-camp legends.
Astro Joe
January 23rd, 2012
10:19 am
It seems like when we lose, it is because the Hawks did something wrong, but when a team beats someone like the Heat, it is because they did something right. It kind of suggests that teams like the Heat are incapable of a bad night while teams like the Hawks are incapable of losing while playing well.
Anyway, from Mr. James:
“We can’t make no excuses for ourselves. But no one had energy from the start of the game to the end.” — Heat forward LeBron James, after his team lost to the Bucks. ESPN.com
O'Brien
January 23rd, 2012
10:19 am
AJ,
I agree that none of those guys are in game shape, which is why Rick should have signed somebody a few days after Al went down. Al got hurt on Jan. 12.
Given our brutal Feb schedule (Memphis, Philly, Phoenix, Indiana, @ Orlando, Miami, @ Lakers, @ Phoenix, @ Blazers, @ Bulls, @ Knicks, Orlando, Golden State) whoever was signed off the scrap heap would have had 2 ½ weeks to get in some kind of shape to contribute.
How comfortable are you with ZaZa and Twin getting the majority of the Center minutes for those Feb games?
doc
January 23rd, 2012
10:23 am
yeah,, but that roster has a very big hole unless they coach up ivan to fill that void. yeah it is risky but to do nothing is worse. right now there are only 6 teams to beat in the east. it is simple math as i dont expect anyone to come out of the wood work except maybe the knicks or celts to make a run at the top six. if we fall that far then we are not who we think we are or maybe who we thought we were before the present run. the two teams we dont seem to match with right now is philly and the pacers going back to last year.
i dont know if we can depend on al to come back and at some point the basg had better believe windows to the ecf are not open for long. my contention is we missed a big one woody’s last year here and not due to woody altogether when we needed a bit more fire power they better come to jesus and spend or hope we pull a phoenix of two years back to get there without going into lux tax with what we got because everything around deteriorates. they got soundly trounced for their efforts however and never were legit. that is not what i wish if we were to get there, not full of holes.
doc
January 23rd, 2012
10:28 am
aj better watch out if gdad sees who you compared his prize ajinca to.
o’b been saying that sched looks ominous starting in 5 games. the only good thing is few back to backs and an all star break. quite a few homies but come after 5 on the road so effort might be a problem.
anyone care to guess where hawks might be? 16 – 6 or 15 – 7 at the end of this trip worse?
Astro Joe
January 23rd, 2012
10:29 am
OB, I suspect that a pro training staff is able to watch someone during tryouts and determine if they are 3 weeks away or 3 months away. How long did it take Eddy Curry to get in basketball shape? Like 15 months? Remember Twin in 2009, did he ever get in shape to find time on the court? I don’t think we can assume that those guys could have been ready in 3 weeks… even Jennifer Hudson didn’t get fine that soon.
doc, I still have faith in Zaza. Sure, he has awful hands but he is still better than an NBDL project or Greg Ostertag the Sequel.
doc
January 23rd, 2012
10:39 am
who after zaza, who cant go more than 25 minutes and give what you need? twin? on a regular basis? kidding? no depth and god forbid an injury. funny, injuries seem to stalk the weakest link.
Astro Joe
January 23rd, 2012
10:43 am
doc, I’d like the Hawks to be 3-deep at every position too. Isn’t Collins supposed to be a world-class defender and 3rd string center?
doc
January 23rd, 2012
10:50 am
not to the point one of our captains didnt say that the team needs more big bodies, eh?
Grandad
January 23rd, 2012
10:50 am
doc
“aj better watch out if gdad sees who you compared his prize ajinca to”
“stringbeans to butterbeans”
Astro Joe
January 23rd, 2012
10:54 am
“stringbeans to butterbeans”
Exactly and what use is a vegetable on the basketball court?
Grandad
January 23rd, 2012
11:03 am
You got me there !
However, stringbeans are much healthier than a cheeseburger.
Grandmaster JeJe
January 23rd, 2012
11:18 am
LOL @ Melo saying “maybe” about everything.
Maybe he needs to shoot less.
Maybe he should get Stoudemire more touches.
What a horrendous trade the Knicks made.
If they still had Felton, Amare would be beasting.
Instead, he doesn’t even get the ball
The Paterno Question
January 23rd, 2012
11:29 am
Praying
“God, Do I save my life and legacy by looking the other way, while these children are raped and sodomized by homosexuality or do I ignore my life’s work and do all I can to save these your children? It is a very difficult question for me and my soul is on fire, yes lord my soul is at stack, its torn between the soul of the children or my love for my career and university, please let me hear your council and I will decide what I shall do…”
I understand your challenge and surely these are the times that try men souls. It is that day that I have called you to answer so be careful what you choose.
Mark 35- 38 KJV
“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Luke 9:23-25
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
KJV
Matt 10:37-39
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
KJV
Now, Joe Paterno, you decide what you shall do with your soul.
The Paterno Question
January 23rd, 2012
11:31 am
* soul is at stake,
Really ?
January 23rd, 2012
11:37 am
The hearts of the Little Boys > Than winning football games.
SteveW
January 23rd, 2012
11:45 am
AJ – I was reported – “Miller (knee) has been practicing with Minnesota and will travel with the team for an upcoming two-game road trip, but won’t play in either game, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.”
If we could obtain Brad Miller in exchange for Kirk Hinrich and a couple of 2nd round picks, I would do it. I would possibly give them a first in 2013 and Hinrich.
When you have an opportunity to possibly make the ECF or beyond, and you have a limited window of opportunity; such as JJ getting older (30), Josh is a Free Agent after next season, as well as ZaZa, you have to seize the moment. A Brad Miller/ZaZa/Ivan Johnson/Collins Center position at least gives you a better opportunity at getting where you want to go – a Championship.
I would make the bold move if we are sure Miller is healthy, and Minny would do the trade. I haven’t looked at there roster – I know there stacked at PG – maybe they need another 2 in Hinrich.
Brilliant idea AJ in obtaining Miller – I had wondered about his injury and how far along he was.
Joe Mama
January 23rd, 2012
11:49 am
Odom is a skinny power forward and Miller is antiquated. Neither will help the hawks past the second round and there is no assurance that Al will ever return to the levels that brought us 12 pts 8 rebounds.
We needed a long term fix before, as Al was the short term cure and trade bait, now that he is showing himself injury prone, we need to make a move for our long term fix now. Trade Heinrich and Al for Bynum or Jordan or amnesty Al, trade Heinrich for a 1st round pick and then go after Howard. Another possibility is get Okafor, keep Al and let him come off the bench, to see if he can regain that much sought after 12pts 8 rebounds and use Heinrich or Teague to get Okafor.
Trojan
January 23rd, 2012
11:53 am
I dont know who is saying Im sautee, or who is saying Im grandad, but I cant be both.
SteveW
January 23rd, 2012
11:53 am
Miller for Hinrich would even bring the Hawks under Luxury Tax.
But if we did Miller for Hinrich, we would in actuality be giving 2 first picks, Mo, Bibby, Jordan Crawford (another 1st pick) for Brad Miller – and that’s bad trade(s) in anybody’s book.
But you can’t look back, just forward, and do what’s needed to try and win a Championship for this city.
O'Brien
January 23rd, 2012
11:54 am
AJ,
Collins and Curry had gained at least 50 pounds. Surely Sund can find someone off the scrap heap who did not gain that much weight.
Twin will get his 10 – 15 minutes of PT, but he is a liability on offense, and he doesn’t rebound the ball. His best assets don’t show up on the stat sheets, and more often than not, it is not enough. I don’t know who the ASG is trying to fool, but imo, Twin’s sole purpose on this team is for when we play Dwight.
I don’t want to have to play ZaZa 30 mpg. Plus what if ZaZa gets in foul trouble? Do we play Twin major minutes? Or do we go with Ivan at Center?
And worst case scenario, what if ZaZa gets hurt as has to miss a couple games? What then? Sund needs to be proactive (and reactive). Right now, he is being neither.
Who knows if Al will even make it back for the playoffs, and even then, what kind of shape will he be in?
SteveW
January 23rd, 2012
11:55 am
Miller for Hinrich and a 1st pick the above should read.
Now that’s too much for Miller, agreed. But to win a championship, you do what’s needed. Or even have a better opportunity to win a championship.
Rufus1
January 23rd, 2012
11:55 am
I don’t want Okafor, he is a 14mil rebounder and shot blocker with 2 year remaining…not worth it.
I would rather GIVE Kirk to LA(8mil exception) and sign Priz to a 1yr 8mil contract….Only if Al won’t return in mid April.
SteveW
January 23rd, 2012
11:58 am
I seriously doubt the Hornets trade Okafor for Hinrich and even a couple of 1st picks.
But I’m positive ASG would not take on Okafor’s salary for the long term. And their not amnestying anybody, because they still have to pay them even if the player is off the books.