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.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
757 comments Add your comment
TMACfan
February 6th, 2012
9:05 pm
That is why Radman is available for the Veterans minimum.
Mr Fix-It
February 6th, 2012
9:06 pm
“think LD would have learned after going with the Josh at center lineup the other day.”
That Josh is a small forward/ power forward ?
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
9:06 pm
I predicted a 12-20 pt loss!
Rusty
February 6th, 2012
9:06 pm
What happens to the hawks is this idiot of a coach.first he always taking out jt & then keeping the second team in until we are down 10. When he puts the regs in we down & the whole team is out of syc . Is he planning for his retirement by betting against us. Nothing else explains it,no one could possibly be that dumb,or could he.
drmaryb.[*_*].
February 6th, 2012
9:06 pm
For a lot less money Vlad Rad impersonating Dan Uggla with that FUGLY shot. Hopefully Vlad will go on a tear after the AS break and start a new streak of consecutive games with a hit … I mean a shot.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
9:06 pm
Teague didn’t make that floater, but that’s what he needs to be doing. Running this “give it up and pass it around the perimeter while Teague stands around” offense is pointless, literally.
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
9:07 pm
No shot in the 2012 playoffs.One and done….
bigdave
February 6th, 2012
9:07 pm
make LD look like a fool Ivan.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
9:07 pm
Ivan should have been on the floor five minutes ago.
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
9:07 pm
Drew, Radmanovic is -15 and is 0-4…Get him off the floor.
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
9:08 pm
And, on cue, he does.
Blast
February 6th, 2012
9:08 pm
Hawks have gone cold?
Hawks are in freezerville!
Are they throwing this game and the last two on purpose just to force management to spend more money on players?
bigdave
February 6th, 2012
9:08 pm
Josh pouts for not getting the ball on offense, while Ivan crashes the glass.
drmaryb.[*_*].
February 6th, 2012
9:08 pm
Ivan just hit that jump shot, but the floor spacing was horrendous.
Big Lou
February 6th, 2012
9:08 pm
This team isn’t even worth watching anymore. Seeya in the playoffs.
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
9:09 pm
LD is CLUELESS….
Mr Fix-It
February 6th, 2012
9:09 pm
Teague is not doing his part?
A point frck guard with no Assist! what the fck is that ?
pt rb ast pr
6 1 0 3
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
9:09 pm
The obvious weakness of any zone defense is that it’s easy to give up offensive rebounds. So when the Suns switch to zone, why the f-ck wouldn’t you put your best offensive rebounder on the floor?
This is one of LD’s worst games of the season without a doubt.
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
9:09 pm
@Slim: Portland and Minny are Western conference teams…
tb hawk fan i think
February 6th, 2012
9:09 pm
were shooting like little girls
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
9:10 pm
2-12 slump..
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
9:10 pm
Can’t get a whole lot of assists when you are giving the ball up and standing around on every possession.
They need to be setting picks for Teague and letting him drive into the lane.
brigadierjerry
February 6th, 2012
9:10 pm
This game is starting to get ugly, real ugly. LD has never been good on making adjustments
Melvin
February 6th, 2012
9:10 pm
The Hawks offense looks terrible. This Princeton style offense do not work on the pro level….
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
9:10 pm
Okay 2- whatever……
Winner
February 6th, 2012
9:11 pm
Marvin Williams has more assist than dumb as teague. Teague is fcking this offense up. He should be packaged with Al.
Rusty
February 6th, 2012
9:11 pm
Mr fix it you couldn’t fix your own azz.
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
9:11 pm
Dream Weaver? How bout nightmare on Peachtree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
9:11 pm
And New Orleans…
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
9:12 pm
Wow, what a heady, veteran turnover there by Kirk.
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
9:12 pm
Coach they quit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
9:12 pm
Jesus, Hinrich.
Rusty
February 6th, 2012
9:12 pm
Winner your a loser
drmaryb.[*_*].
February 6th, 2012
9:12 pm
Marvin drives like an old blue haired lady from Sarasota, FL. He can drive just fine from point A to point B, but he can’t park a yugo in a handicapped parking space.
What was all the mustard on that shot for? Dunk the damned ball, or just pass it to someone who can finish a play!
Winner
February 6th, 2012
9:13 pm
“They need to be setting picks for Teague and letting him drive into the lane”.
Isnt teague suppose to be “da blur’? the fastest man on the court? Why would he need a pick to lose his man.
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
9:13 pm
Down 20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bigman needed
February 6th, 2012
9:13 pm
APB on willie green!
bigdave
February 6th, 2012
9:13 pm
smh.
Rusty
February 6th, 2012
9:13 pm
Like LD
High-Tech Lynching
February 6th, 2012
9:13 pm
The Hawks are playing with bad body language; they’ve given up.
Al Horford
February 6th, 2012
9:13 pm
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!
Jase
February 6th, 2012
9:13 pm
This team suck ass!!!!!
John Drew
February 6th, 2012
9:14 pm
The Hawks basketball IQ is so low that they probably lose to the Kentucky Wildcats.
Luke Cage
February 6th, 2012
9:14 pm
Wow bet you clowns wish we had All NBA in there playing instead Zsa Zsa huh?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
9:14 pm
The Suns outscored the Hawks 24-6 to end that quarter, playing zone almost the entire time.
The Hawks have two major assets they can use to combat a zone. They have a quick point guard who can get in the lane and force the zone to collapse, and they have two big men who are good at offensive rebounding.
Instead, they spend the majority of that time with the quick point guard giving it up and standing around, and the two big men on the bench.
What a pathetic coaching job by LD.
HawkFan
February 6th, 2012
9:14 pm
no way I’d go to a game, I can’t even watch on tv.
back to cajun pawn stars for me.
time to bust this team up with a trade.
drmaryb.[*_*].
February 6th, 2012
9:15 pm
Rachel Maddow on MSNBC has more game than Marvin. Down 20 points so, I’m flipping channels for entertainment value.
Al Horford
February 6th, 2012
9:15 pm
Offense and defense unchanged without me eh? But suddenly you can’t beat good teams?????!?!?!?!?
LOLOLOLOLOLOL
Lon Stotts
February 6th, 2012
9:15 pm
One thing the Hawks have been consistent at is ensuring their opponent has its largest lead of the game at the end of the quarter
Jase
February 6th, 2012
9:15 pm
We are not going to win with Zaza at center