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
tb hawk fan i think
February 6th, 2012
8:17 pm
we have forgot how tol play
JaeEvolution
February 6th, 2012
8:17 pm
Telfair has some sort of personal grudge against Teague, what a clown.
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 6th, 2012
8:17 pm
Guess we’re just gonna “play with the hand we’ve been dealt”
Luke Cage
February 6th, 2012
8:17 pm
TIME OUT!!!
KevinM
February 6th, 2012
8:18 pm
OB, their bench is outplaying our starters!
Slim, you predicted it and I thought no way!
This is bad, really bad.
Melvin
February 6th, 2012
8:18 pm
What the heck is going on with this team?
Sautee
February 6th, 2012
8:18 pm
What’s up with the blog? 3 posts listed as 8:42 and now hung up?
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:19 pm
Game is over before the half.
can the Hawks beat any Western Conference team??????????????????????????????????????
jcwfalcon
February 6th, 2012
8:19 pm
How did the Hawks get so bad so quickly?
Joe Mama
February 6th, 2012
8:20 pm
Well Drew, since the loss of All NBA Al Horford. How his your team suffered.
“Offensively nothing much changes there.”
Are you saying that Al brought nothing to the table offensively? Arent you missing his 12pts 9 rebounds?
Like I said before, “Offensively nothing much changes there.”
ntrigue
February 6th, 2012
8:20 pm
We would’ve still been if it was not for the stupid substitutions I don’t blame the players for bad coaching he messed up the whole rhythm of the game I hate coach Drew!
tb hawk fan i think
February 6th, 2012
8:20 pm
now let’s bragg on the suns
Sautee
February 6th, 2012
8:21 pm
very strange. computer malfunction?
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:21 pm
getting beatdown by a 9 win squad..So sad!
Mr.E
February 6th, 2012
8:21 pm
How is Larry Drew coaching in the NBA?
MattP
February 6th, 2012
8:21 pm
Well, game is already over. Thank you LD for ruining the flow that the starters had. Now our starters can’t even close the gap against their bench.
keepinitreal
February 6th, 2012
8:21 pm
Same stuff the Hawks pulled last year. They have an alarming number of games where they simply choose not to show up.
KevinM
February 6th, 2012
8:21 pm
The old pro coming out in Redd….Teague is in trouble.
Luke Cage
February 6th, 2012
8:21 pm
The Suns will let the Hawks back in the game, trust me!!
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:22 pm
Teague has 3 fouls…
The flood gates are opening up now…..
im a black man
February 6th, 2012
8:22 pm
“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 benefiting off goods shots,”
That makes sense to me too, thats why we dont want Jeff teague running the offense
ntrigue
February 6th, 2012
8:22 pm
WWe shouldn’t have to play zone against this team either! Just dumb!
Mr Fix-It
February 6th, 2012
8:23 pm
Well Drew, since the loss of All NBA Al Horford. How his your team suffered.
“Offensively nothing much changes there.”
Are you saying that Al brought nothing to the table offensively? Arent you missing his 12pts 9 rebounds?
Like I said before, “Offensively nothing much changes there.”
Co-sign !!
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 6th, 2012
8:23 pm
no plans, just going with what we’ve got lol
Luke Cage
February 6th, 2012
8:24 pm
Whats our record since Kirk was forced down our throats and Pargo has been nailed to the bench??
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:24 pm
KevinM
February 6th, 2012
8:18 pm
“OB, their bench is outplaying our starters!
Slim, you predicted it and I thought no way!
This is bad, really bad.”
So sad KEVINM,
This is in Gearon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bigman needed
February 6th, 2012
8:24 pm
We are being dominated by brook lopez, phx backup center
High-Tech Lynching
February 6th, 2012
8:24 pm
Zaza tips ball into his own basket.
Sautee
February 6th, 2012
8:24 pm
lol @ t-s. No Al to beat down so now he’s on Teague. Too bad no one is responding.
T-s, you need some better bait.
tb hawk fan i think
February 6th, 2012
8:24 pm
no rebounds no defence no scoring no nothing
jcwfalcon
February 6th, 2012
8:25 pm
Josh needs to be traded. He gets so lazy the first time things dont go his way…and it gets exponentially worse.
TMACfan
February 6th, 2012
8:25 pm
Just a Question, What shoes does Joe Johnson wear? I know they’re Air Jordan but what model?
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 6th, 2012
8:26 pm
just get it to 10 or below
keepinitreal
February 6th, 2012
8:26 pm
The Difference between Woodson and Drew’s management is Drew has a high quality bench and Woodson Had no bench.
But actually Drew could coach worse if he plays teague to much. We need to start Hinrich.
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:27 pm
Gearon,Sund, and Larry have got to go!asap!
Luke Cage
February 6th, 2012
8:28 pm
HELP????
Wabe
February 6th, 2012
8:29 pm
A lot of folks were quick to say how the Hawks were ‘better off’ minus Al Horford…
I know bashing the dude’s toughness became the popular attack on this blog…
But, at this point, I think it’s safe to say that there’s no way this team is going anywhere without Al Horford.
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
8:29 pm
Come on Josh, make your free throws!!
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:29 pm
No, the Hawks apparently cant beat a Western Conference Team….
Al Horford
February 6th, 2012
8:29 pm
Either play me or trade me baby.
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:33 pm
will somebody reset the blog server?
bigdave
February 6th, 2012
8:34 pm
nice finish in traffic Marvin
jcwfalcon
February 6th, 2012
8:34 pm
Where Amazing Happened 10 Years Ago
Grant Hill and Steve Nash vs Tracy McGrady and Jerry Stackhouse
ntrigue
February 6th, 2012
8:35 pm
All drew is good for is whistling!
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
8:37 pm
Nash is destroying Kirk…17pt half
High-Tech Lynching
February 6th, 2012
8:37 pm
Steve Nash is killin’ the Hawks.
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
8:37 pm
Of course Nash gets the three back at the buzzer.
jcwfalcon
February 6th, 2012
8:37 pm
Where Amazing Happened 10 Years Ago
Grant Hill and Steve Nash vs
Tracy McGrady and Jerry Stackhouse
Who wants to buy a ticket like its 1999?
Luke Cage
February 6th, 2012
8:37 pm
This Blog is straight Garbage at times
Sautee
February 6th, 2012
8:38 pm
Blog will blow up at 8:42