Heat at Atlanta Hawks Game Thread
Vivlamore filling in for tonight’s game against the Heat.
Here is your report from the morning shoot-around.
Josh Smith insists he is not playing with a chip on his shoulder.
However, in the past two games the forward has put up impressive numbers – despite again being snubbed from the NBA All-Star team
In wins over the Pacers and Magic, Smith is averaging 25.5 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and 2.5 steals. They are all above his season averages, especially his 15.9 points per game.
“I’ve just been playing,” Smith said Sunday morning before taking on the Heat in a nationally televised game. “I’ve been playing like this since the season started. It’s really not a chip on my shoulder. I’ve been blessed to be able to step in in Al [Horford’s] absence and just been playing some good basketball.”
Smith is averaging 15.9 points and 9.8 rebounds in the 16 games since Horford was lost to a torn left pectoral muscle. The Hawks are 11-5 without Horford.
“I’ve always stated that he is a guy who can impact the game on both ends of the court, which he clearly did in our last game against Orlando,” coach Larry Drew said. Smith had 23 points and 19 rebounds in the overtime win over the Magic Friday.
* With the Heat in town, the million dollar question is how do you go about guarding LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Here is Drew’s take: “They lead the league in fast-break points so the first thing you have to do is get back on defense. How do you do that? That is going to be controlled by your shot selection and that you are not turning the basketball over. Secondly, obviously in a half-court game, you are taking about LeBron [James], you are talking about Wade, you are talking about Bosh. All three guys are very capable of having huge nights. You just set your defense where you don’t put yourself at a disadvantage. Going into a game like this, playing against a team like Miami, you have to play solid on both ends of the floor. You have to do a good job of taking away easy transition points but on the other hand you have to do a good job of moving the basketball.”
* Horford attended the team’s morning shoot-around Sunday as a spectator. The center had his left arm in a sling.
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1,002 comments Add your comment
Tin Man and Scarecrow
February 12th, 2012
9:00 pm
31 to 19 free throws heat
Nique's suit maker
February 12th, 2012
9:00 pm
Espn should cut to Lin’s highlght reel
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
9:00 pm
Now the organist is playing “Livin’ On A Prayer”, which is what the DASG is doing by trying to win a championship with this core.
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
9:00 pm
Quitters never quit! Huh?
doc
February 12th, 2012
9:01 pm
disgusted, that is real. i was shooting for 33 – 36 wins and still might be off by much. staying 10 games above .500 would be a huge year, still the march through february is going to be telling. in march there are going to be back to backs and even one back to back to back i think. plus a lot of away games until the last six where we get to play at home in 5 of those i think. for this group a death march.
Rob
February 12th, 2012
9:01 pm
Are we on ESPN again anytime soon fellas?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
9:01 pm
Why do the Heat still have Bosh on the floor?
vava74
February 12th, 2012
9:02 pm
High-sider
February 12th, 2012
8:49 pm
Read again fellow.
I never said that Jamal was taking shots from Marvin AND I reminded Rod that his usual analysis is correct: we can’t be with Marvin, Zaza on the floor. It’s 3 on 5 on offense and JJ gets smothered.
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
9:02 pm
1st round, yea right…
They have transmuted into midgets! All of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Disgusted
February 12th, 2012
9:02 pm
“And it’s that attitude right there that permeates this city and epitomizes why its pro teams have ONE championship to show for 154 seasons of competition. Losersville.”
No dawg nolie, its being realistic that Miami is a far superior team.
You telling me this is a bad Hawks team? Okay, maybe not a championship team but they are performing beyond expectations given losing one big key piece and that is just the breaks, life goes on.
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
9:02 pm
terrible home team
Aye
February 12th, 2012
9:02 pm
Atlanta has one championship because the fans are still divided among racial lines and holding on to near-insignificant playoff series wins like it’s a championships. The rest of the world is laughing.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
9:03 pm
Ivan Johnson always has that expression on his face that Paul Mooney had in the Ask A Black Dude sketch.
Rob
February 12th, 2012
9:04 pm
It sucks to lose like THIS
Rusty
February 12th, 2012
9:04 pm
You know that any situation LD is around to long is sure to be fk up
Aye
February 12th, 2012
9:04 pm
Now I see folks arguing over MARVIN WILLIAMS or JAMAL CRAWFORD. Like either of those clowns would make a difference in winning a championship LMAO
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
9:04 pm
2-4 this Month? So far
= .250 winning %! Elite? In a parallel Universe… Yep….
Smh
February 12th, 2012
9:05 pm
Wow we suck
Disgusted
February 12th, 2012
9:05 pm
Outisde of the 90’sand early ’00’s Braves, Atlanta has had teams that just were not good enough to win championships.
Fair and Square.
northcyde
February 12th, 2012
9:06 pm
Im the clown, but Rod wants to depend on a guy shooting 39% ft and 32% from three. Blazer fans are already getting tired of his hot and cold ( mostly cold ) azz. Jamal looked like an all-star vs the Hornets one night and turned right around and missed 17 shots vs the Mavs.
Blazers could use a scorer too. Too bad the one they have is inconsistent as hell and will shoot you right out of a game.
But the great Rod loves a player like that. Shoot you right out of the game plus not play a lick of defense.
Smh
February 12th, 2012
9:06 pm
Wait so it’s the 4th quarter and the hawks have 67 points??
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
9:06 pm
I’ve heard (and made) every argument for Marvin Williams I want to hear.
He doesn’t score more because of this. He doesn’t score more because of that.
Look, his top excuses are all gone:
1) Jamal ain’t here no more.
2) One of our starters and an offensive option that was ahead of him hasn’t been here for several games (Horford).
3) His back is fully healed.
Dude still can’t do any better. And when I watched those weak-a$$ shots at the basket and those horrible angles he takes to the basket on drives, I understand why.
Marvin belongs on our bench or in somebody else’s uniform. Period. Problem is, we’re paying him too much to be on the bench.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
9:06 pm
“It sucks to lose like THIS”
Exactly.
8 of the Hawks’ 10 losses are by 9+ points.
When they lose, they get their asses kicked.
Atl teams = CHOKE
February 12th, 2012
9:06 pm
Hey look an ATL team is making a fool of themselves on National TV. What else is new?
Little Billy
February 12th, 2012
9:07 pm
@The Hawks performances against good teams
I’m 12 years old and what is this?
Sautee
February 12th, 2012
9:07 pm
“However, I’m no longer embarassed….I’m just indifferent”
Join the club there yodaddybro. Why I remember, oh, 7 or 8 games ago, when you were giving me crap for being pessimistic. How times have changed.
Rob
February 12th, 2012
9:07 pm
All the hawks bricks tonight could build another Phillips
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
9:08 pm
Aye
February 12th, 2012
9:04 pm
“Now I see folks arguing over MARVIN WILLIAMS or JAMAL CRAWFORD. Like either of those clowns would make a difference in winning a championship LMAO”
These two bumps couldn’t win a shoe contract. They might as well make it rain at the fabulous shoe model establishment known as “The Magic City”!
Heat Fan
February 12th, 2012
9:08 pm
Bosh is in the game because he is close to a 20-20 game
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
9:08 pm
Marvin vs. Jamal is a non-argument. Two different positions, two different players, two different everything.
High-sider
February 12th, 2012
9:09 pm
Rod from College Park,
Northcyde lives in a “fantasy [basketball] world.” People of sound mind live in the “real world.” For northcyde, it’s “fantasy” vs. “reality” and he [northcyde] chooses “fantasy.” I wonder how many “imaginary friends” he [northcyde] had when he was a child.
northcyde
February 12th, 2012
9:09 pm
39% fg
And Aye, I agree. Neither guy would be instrumental in the hawks getting to the next level. Especially the guy on the west coast that every playoff team in the East passed on, despite them needing a scoring guard.
Good shot Stackhouse.
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
9:10 pm
Dampier looks more mobile than Collins. Wait….that’s not saying a lot, is it?
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
9:10 pm
The Hawks have very small balls.. Why I’d like to kick em! That might transmute into a winning streak of sorts….
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 12th, 2012
9:10 pm
…just gettin’ home to Macon from Columbus, turning on the TV and seeing this score causes a similar reaction to stepping in Dog crap in the yard
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
9:11 pm
” Especially the guy on the west coast that every playoff team in the East passed on, despite them needing a scoring guard.”
More because of the new CBA’s more restrictive salary rules and Jamal’s unrealistic expectations for a new contract than his ability.
doc
February 12th, 2012
9:11 pm
i though this season was going to be a travesty for fans and it has. i can only hope the post season will see the nba going back to having more competitive games. even espn is saying it is time to just get it over and come back the next game, especially this year. too many of these types of games. thank you jeremy lin.
DawgNole
February 12th, 2012
9:12 pm
Disgusted: “You telling me this is a bad Hawks team? Okay, maybe not a championship team but they are performing beyond expectations given losing one big key piece and that is just the breaks, life goes on.”
I didn’t say it was a bad team, I said there’s that attitude again. Same ol’ excuses for 40-plus years. They’re not close to winning a championship, so who the hell cares if they’re “performing beyond expectations.” After a half-century of it, that’s for losers; i.e., Losersville.
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
9:12 pm
Might not agree with everything Northcyde says or thinks, but he sure as hell makes a LOT more sense on issues on this blog than some of the a$$ clowns who are bashing him.
Atl teams = CHOKE
February 12th, 2012
9:12 pm
When was the last time an ATL team thrived on national TV?
I can’t remember? Here are the epic fails that I remember.
Falcons vs Packers last year playoffs
Falcons vs Saints on MNF
Falcons vs Giants playoffs
Hawks vs Magic 2010 playoffs
Hawks vs Bulls 2011 playoffs last year
Hawks vs Heat this year.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
9:13 pm
Can Earl Lloyd play center?
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
9:13 pm
Refunds? Demand Refunds on nights like this Grasshopper….
Disgusted
February 12th, 2012
9:13 pm
Big Ray—–Your synopsis on Marvin Williams is spot on, he is an average NBA player.
He was supposed to have some big upside but Billy Knight was plain wrong.
Marvin is what he is.
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 12th, 2012
9:13 pm
Joe Johnson 12 pts 0 rb 5 ast
Josh Smith 8 pts 7 rb 7 ast
figures…
Smh
February 12th, 2012
9:13 pm
Stack house retire !!!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
9:13 pm
As usual, the bench is looking somewhat lively in garbage time.
tyger
February 12th, 2012
9:14 pm
Mike Tirico apologizes to the TV audience…
“Hopefully, Memphis will be a better game…”
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
9:14 pm
@Sautee
I care…but my blood pressure will not spike because of these guys. Either they have it or they don’t and you can tell in the first 5 minutes what the case is.
Harpie
February 12th, 2012
9:15 pm
What do you folks think of the Hawks execution tonight? I’m all for it…
Smh
February 12th, 2012
9:15 pm
I blame joe Johnson’s contract for this were stuck for years looking like this but joe doesnt care he’s laughing to the bank