Suns at Atlanta Hawks Game Thread
Vivlamore filling in for Cunningham. Here is your report from this morning’s shootaround in preparation for tonight’s game against the Suns.
The key to snapping a two-game losing streak is the Hawks’ defensive energy, according to coach Larry Drew.
As the Hawks host the Suns tonight, Drew emphasized defense to his team during the morning shootaround and with the media following the session.
“We can’t be a team with low energy,” Drew said. “If you are going to be small [with injuries to centers Al Horford and Jason Collins] you have to be a team that plays with a lot of energy. You have to be quick. Because you are a little smaller you have to do some things differently, particularly with us. Not having Al or Twin it limits us in a certain area as far as what our defensive schemes have been. Offensively nothing much changes there. It’s more on the defensive end. We’ll have to make some adjustments.”
Drew did say the Hawks needed to share the ball offensively, but his efforts were concentrated on the defensive side of the ball Monday.
While Josh Smith agrees that defense is a priority he is clearly more concerned with the offensive issues during the past two games.
“Everybody has their opinions,” said Smith when told of Drew’s comments about the defensive energy. “I think that defense is definitely the key to winning basketball games but if we don’t have any continuity on the offensive end it really definitely hurts us. When the ball sticks on one floor we get baited into playing one-on-one basketball. That’s what hurts this basketball team because when we are sharing the basketball, moving it from side to side, everybody is benefitting off goods shots, I think we help each other that much more on the defensive end.”
To clarify his remarks, I asked Smith if he was referring to ‘the notion of one person trying to do it all?’
“Iso … it’s pretty much self explanatory,” Smith answered.
Iso-Joe? Perhaps. The Hawks have had issues the past two games with several players trying to do too much in losses to the Grizzlies and 76ers.
“Definitely,” Joe Johnson said when asked if he agreed with Smith’s assessment. “I think we do get a little selfish at times out there. It’s part of it. You have a lot of guys that come out and try to do it on their own that hurts you even more. We have to get some ball movement, get everybody involved, get back to playing loose and having some fun.”
* Monday was the first day NBA teams were able to sign players to 10-day contracts. However, the Hawks had no immediate plans to do so in light of being without Collins for the next two weeks.
“Not a whole lot of news,” Drew said of the team’s pursuit of a big man. “Right now we are going as we are. We are a little small but we’ll just have to play the hand that’s dealt to us.”
* With the Suns in town, it marks the return of former Hawks draft pick Josh Childress. The former No. 6 overall pick is averaging 3.5 points per game for the Suns in 11 games, all off the bench.
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757 comments Add your comment
O'Brien
February 6th, 2012
8:01 pm
And Kirk gave Nash too much space
Sautee
February 6th, 2012
8:02 pm
This Kirk is not yet close to the Kirk from the Magic series.
Not even close. Use Pargo a little more.
ntrigue
February 6th, 2012
8:02 pm
Soon as Teague goes out Steve starts killing
High-Tech Lynching
February 6th, 2012
8:02 pm
Zaza’s wack; his offense is more luck than skill.
Big Lou
February 6th, 2012
8:02 pm
LD kills the Hawks flow of the game. I’m thinking this will be a loss.
Blast
February 6th, 2012
8:02 pm
Shot clock violation is = to a turnover.
O'Brien
February 6th, 2012
8:02 pm
Ok Hawks GM bloggers. What’s the trade we can make for Robin Lopez?
He doesnt get much PT for Phoenix, and I think he is better than Twin
Runner-
February 6th, 2012
8:03 pm
What the hell are they doing out there?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
8:03 pm
Teague +1, Kirk -5.
Joe Mama
February 6th, 2012
8:03 pm
This is the new Bill Lambeer. He may not have all the talent but he is dirty and shows the type of fighting under the boards that makes Al Horford chit in his diapers.
Runner-
February 6th, 2012
8:03 pm
“and I think he is better than Twin”
That’s an understatement
Big Lou
February 6th, 2012
8:04 pm
Why would you sit Teague? The guy was ballin’ his butt off.
Joe Mama
February 6th, 2012
8:04 pm
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/video-kevin-love-no-mincing-words-stomped-luis-164915189.html
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
8:04 pm
T-Mac is consistently short on these jumpers.
terrell
February 6th, 2012
8:04 pm
Old azz Nash can play the whole qtr, but Uncle Larry pulls a hot Jeff Teague? Fire his sorry butt!
Isaiah Rider
February 6th, 2012
8:05 pm
You have to be smoking something if you think the Hawks have a prayer of winning a title.
Admiral Ackbar
February 6th, 2012
8:06 pm
Is there anyway we could somehow pry Marcin Gortat?
ITS A TRAP!!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
8:06 pm
The ball just never goes inside when Kirk is running the point. This is the same offense the Hawks ran when Bibby was here. Pass it around the perimeter, no penetration, jumpshot.
Runner-
February 6th, 2012
8:06 pm
“Old azz Nash can play the whole qtr, but Uncle Larry pulls a hot Jeff Teague? Fire his sorry butt!”
and that’s why the Hawks have a superior record to the Suns? Maybe Alvin should coach more like Drew, not the other way around..
ntrigue
February 6th, 2012
8:06 pm
You see how there coach does he let’s Steve play whole qtr cause he’s playing well he just doesn’t take him out just because. Drew makes a lot of our games harder than they should. I can’t wait till I’m sitting behind the bench I’m going to let Drew know everytime he does a dumb substitution since none of his coaches say anything!
Big Lou
February 6th, 2012
8:07 pm
“Old azz Nash can play the whole qtr, but Uncle Larry pulls a hot Jeff Teague? Fire his sorry butt!”
Agreed. USE YOUR POINT GUARD!
Adolf Hitler
February 6th, 2012
8:07 pm
And if anyone knows about smoking something, it would be Isaiah.
im a black man
February 6th, 2012
8:07 pm
teague needs to sit the _____ down. Hes a ball hog and doesnt no how to run the team and get the most out of the players. He should not be leading. When ever hes in he should just out run every body, use his athleticism, score as much as he can, then go sit down because teague is the most unintelligent guy on the team.
KevinM
February 6th, 2012
8:08 pm
Jump shot after jump shot….that’s all we’ve got!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
8:08 pm
Bob loves that play by Kirk, conveniently ignoring that he has been horrible on D every other possession of this game.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
8:09 pm
J-Chill getting offensive boards like he so often did here.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
8:09 pm
“Jump shot after jump shot….that’s all we’ve got!”
As long as they play someone at PG who can’t penetrate defenses, yese.
J.J.M.
February 6th, 2012
8:10 pm
lol another blowout in making
KevinM
February 6th, 2012
8:10 pm
Stinger says the Suns are stretching us out…oh boy.
Our interior defense is on the inactive list.
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:10 pm
YEP THE SUNS ARE STARTING TO PULL AWAY!!! ALREADY…..
Runner-
February 6th, 2012
8:11 pm
man if we cant beat these Suns tonight this month is gonna be a looooooooong month
KevinM
February 6th, 2012
8:11 pm
Spot on Najeh..our only savior is JT.
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:12 pm
Larry aint got a clue what a sorry coach!
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:12 pm
Down 10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr Fix-It
February 6th, 2012
8:13 pm
Blow it up. Best team in Atlanta, right? LMAO
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:13 pm
Uh oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Joe Mama
February 6th, 2012
8:13 pm
“Not having Al or Twin it limits us in a certain area as far as what our defensive schemes have been. Offensively nothing much changes there. It’s more on the defensive end. We’ll have to make some adjustments.”
LOLOLOLO
Offensively nothings changed….LOL
We not much has change defensively because we cant put enough big bodies out there. We know Al is frightened of the rough and tumble of the low post which is why he is always on the perimeter guarding and getting beat by itty bitty guards. But he doesnt mind. Better that than having to man up at the rim. .
Drew may be the worst coach since the coach who coached the last Hawks game….who was that …oh. thats right that was Drew.
Drew may be the worst coach sense Drew.
Please dont let Teague run this offensive.. the team will be discombobulated.
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:13 pm
Larry=Cox…Clueless……………
Luke Cage
February 6th, 2012
8:14 pm
this is sad to watch
Runner-
February 6th, 2012
8:14 pm
maybe Ivan should start watching basketball some more, you can’t just drive it in on Lopez like that!!
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:14 pm
Down 12!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tb hawk fan i think
February 6th, 2012
8:14 pm
come on get way behind
Joe Mama
February 6th, 2012
8:14 pm
Woodson keep his starters out there because he did not have a bench. He had no choice.
ntrigue
February 6th, 2012
8:15 pm
We have a terrible coach that’s why were losing sad!
Runner-
February 6th, 2012
8:15 pm
Ivan should watch b ball more often, you can’t drive it in on Lopez like that!!
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 6th, 2012
8:15 pm
Waitin’ on that “energy” and “sense of urgency, like its April and you need to win just to make the playoffs”
High-Tech Lynching
February 6th, 2012
8:16 pm
Anybody miss Jamal Crawford?
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:16 pm
The Blowout has begun midway through the 2nd Quarter! Wow!
Down 14!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:17 pm
Down 16, a train wreck!
Luke Cage
February 6th, 2012
8:17 pm
I’ve been noticing a trend of other team’s SCRUBS just getting any and hitting any shot they want?!?!!?