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
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
9:15 pm
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
9:11 pm
“And New Orleans”…
Im too tired to look it up..
9th seed out West if they played out there permanently! SAD..My prediction is coming true….
O'Brien
February 6th, 2012
9:15 pm
Its one thing to lose to a team above .500. Its one thing to lose on the road. But its another thing to lose to a team below .500, in your own building.
High-Tech Lynching
February 6th, 2012
9:15 pm
Hawks are taking another beatdown at home.
ntrigue
February 6th, 2012
9:15 pm
Teague needs ISO ran everytime they zone us
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
9:16 pm
Honestly, if they had kept Zaza and Ivan both in the game and just let Teague drive and throw up floaters every play, even if Teague didn’t hit a single floater, they would have come up with offensive rebounds just about every possession and would have scored more than 6 f-cking points against the zone.
Winner
February 6th, 2012
9:16 pm
stupid as teague has O assist, that ball hogging mother fcker.
Greg
February 6th, 2012
9:16 pm
Now THIS is what I thought would happen when Horford got hurt. Can you say 0-4 homestand? FRAUDS.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
9:16 pm
And now they have Kirk’s non-penetrating ass going against the zone accomplishing nothing.
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
9:16 pm
LD, Teague barely played in the first half because of foul trouble… WHY THE F*CK IS HINRICH ON THE FLOOR OVER HIM AT ALL THIS HALF?!?!
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
9:16 pm
I love men.
Jase
February 6th, 2012
9:17 pm
Something has to change!!!!!!
ntrigue
February 6th, 2012
9:17 pm
Hinrich terrible
Winner
February 6th, 2012
9:17 pm
Fck teague he should be able to create his own shots. Bitch.
Crybaby Hawk Fans
February 6th, 2012
9:17 pm
The Marvin comments are getting rather repetitious and boring, we know he won’t be much so why waste time talking about it. Face it he’s untradable, and he’s going to start until they get a young SF via draft, sadly just deal with it. Insults obviously ain’t making this guy play any better
tb hawk fan i think
February 6th, 2012
9:17 pm
what has gone wrong with our offence
O'Brien
February 6th, 2012
9:17 pm
Come on hawks. Win or lose, lets make a run and finish strong.
Meanwhile, our offense looks terrible. Pass the ball around, until somebody shoots it.
And Josh talked about the offense, which is true. but our last 3 home games (including tonight) have seen the opponent shoot over 51% from the field.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
9:17 pm
“Its one thing to lose to a team above .500. Its one thing to lose on the road. But its another thing to lose to a team below .500, in your own building.”
By 20+ points at that.
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
9:17 pm
Good God, Hinrich, what the hell are you doing?
Melvin
February 6th, 2012
9:17 pm
Hinrich looks untradeable…
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
9:18 pm
FIRE TEAGUE NOW!!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
9:18 pm
Kirk lets his man get an offensive board.
Jase
February 6th, 2012
9:18 pm
Zaza suck
Blast
February 6th, 2012
9:18 pm
Here we go again…
Another blowout loss….
At home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
O'Brien
February 6th, 2012
9:18 pm
Wow. Did they just take the rebound away from Zaza? And the Hawks fdront office think we are ok with just Zaza?
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
9:18 pm
Jase
February 6th, 2012
9:17 pm
Something has to change
Where do u start?
Peter
February 6th, 2012
9:19 pm
Please remember when playing a plus 500 team they are bad, and now also at home against sub 500 team……..this is sad !
Al Horford
February 6th, 2012
9:19 pm
HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
9:19 pm
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
9:18 pm
FIRE TEAGUE NOW!!
——–
This was not me.
Jase
February 6th, 2012
9:19 pm
CO-SIGN SPYRO
FIRE TEAGUE NOW!!!
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
9:19 pm
SLB loves himself!
Crazy_88
February 6th, 2012
9:19 pm
Larry Drew is a lame duck coach ! I absolutely hate the way he rotates players in and out of the lineup…What’s the point of having Tracy on the team If he’s going to play him 8 minutes and give him 2 shots…what’s the point in pointing in your bench when you’re down 20 freaking points!
I’m convinced that Joe Johnson and Josh Smith purposely break plays or that the only play LD calls are Isolation plays for Joe & Josh.
The Suns are 9-14…and the Hawks are getting embarrassed…
TEAM MEETING !
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
9:19 pm
The Pacers are going to murder this team if they play like this.
atlchris77
February 6th, 2012
9:20 pm
I have been watching this team for18 yrs since i moved from NY. We have a solid group of guys. We mirror image of the sixers. I.e. no top ten star. But we are solid. I am convinced our players are not being coached up. They are getting by on talent alone. We need a better coach. That is one of the reasons no one takes th Hawksserious as contenders. I would also suggest to Mr. Gearon that is why they have a hard time seloing tickets.
Fire LD and spend moneyon coach.
J.J.M.
February 6th, 2012
9:20 pm
This team is done..no heart whatsoever and its now a mental thing
High-Tech Lynching
February 6th, 2012
9:20 pm
Why is Mr. Monica [Shannon Brown] buried on the bench? Is something wrong with him?
tb hawk fan i think
February 6th, 2012
9:20 pm
come on braves please
Crybaby Hawk Fans
February 6th, 2012
9:20 pm
Bet if this team was up 20 you guys would still find something to whine about or a player to bash…(And they wonder why NBA Stars overlook the SUCK ATL), glad I live in Florida LOL!!
Peter
February 6th, 2012
9:20 pm
Spyro,Jase
FIRE TEAGUE NOW!!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
9:21 pm
I would gladly trade Kirk for Kenneth Faried straight up, let alone for Faried and Jordan Crawford.
Al Horford
February 6th, 2012
9:21 pm
I’m easily replacable right?! HOW BOUT THEM HAWKS?!
I thought Josh was going to breakout and be a leader?!?! Didn’t he lose a bunch of weight and show up early?????????????
LMAO
Bigman needed
February 6th, 2012
9:21 pm
Suns centers gortat: 14 pts & 13 rebs with 9 minutes left
Also nash did hateer he wanted to
ntrigue
February 6th, 2012
9:22 pm
Starters should play rest of qtr what is LD waiting for? Just dumb!
Slimjr
February 6th, 2012
9:22 pm
Where’s Pargo?????????????????????????
doc said he was going down to Philips to watch this train wreck!
He should have left at halftime…
Lon Stotts
February 6th, 2012
9:22 pm
Peter
February 6th, 2012
9:20 pm
Spyro,Jase
FIRE TEAGUE NOW!!FIRE TEAGUE NOW!!FIRE TEAGUE NOW!!
Crybaby Hawk Fans
February 6th, 2012
9:22 pm
THE BRAVES LOL!!! Another CHOKE TEAM LOL!!
Spyro
February 6th, 2012
9:22 pm
@High-Tech Lynching
Shannon Brown is probably on the bench because he is terrible?
bigdave
February 6th, 2012
9:22 pm
“And Josh talked about the offense, which is true. but our last 3 home games (including tonight) have seen the opponent shoot over 51% from the field.”
a direct result of our “offense”.. these guys arent the bulls who regardless what the O is doing, the bread is buttered by D. totally different mindset. especially when a defensive player is talking bout offense.. smh.
coaching.
TGT
February 6th, 2012
9:22 pm
Return from one of their best road trips ever, to this???!!! WHAT AN EMBARRASSING DISPLAY!!! NO EXCUSE FOR SUCH A LAME A$$ EFFORT!!!—-3 GAMES IN A ROW!!!—-IT FEELS LIKE THE ORLANDO PLAYOFF SERIES FROM A COUPLE YEARS AGO!!!
Al Horford
February 6th, 2012
9:23 pm
Best team in Atlanta!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT
Najeh Davenpoop
February 6th, 2012
9:23 pm
What do you know, someone drives inside against the zone and gets a layup.