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
Rob
February 12th, 2012
9:16 pm
Dampier>>>>> TWIN
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 12th, 2012
9:16 pm
so, how did this one get out of hand?
Loserville USA
February 12th, 2012
9:16 pm
This TV analysis is getting so old talking about the Hawks.
Time to clean house. Hawks need a lottery pick in the worst way.
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
9:17 pm
coaching is easy when you got LBJ, Wade & Bosh
Big Daddy
February 12th, 2012
9:17 pm
At one point, our starting 4 was 3 for 28. Nobody is willing to charge into the lane and see if they can get a shot off and/or get fouled. Everyone wants to stand outside and shoot jumpshots. If you are 3 of 28 and you are watching the other team get triple your free throws because they are attacking the rim, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what you need to do.
I don’t expect them to win every game or even every home game. What I do expect is for them to be competitive each and every game. With the talent they have there is no way they should be getting blown out like this especially at home. They are definitely making a case to blow up the team.
tyger
February 12th, 2012
9:17 pm
Is Josh right…
Tonight is why he didnt make the Allstar team…
But, how/why does Joe Johnson make it every year?…
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
9:18 pm
Oh wait, I get it.
If the fans weren’t such losers, and if they supported the teams in ATL more, then there would be more championships.
Ummm, no. The Smiths would still have sucked as owners of the Falcons, Ted Turner still would have sold the Hawks and Thrashers to the loser ASG, and Billy Knight still would have picked Marvin Williams over CP3/Deron Williams and Sheldon Williams over Brandon Roy and Rudy Gay.
Sorry, but you can tell ATL fans they are losers all you want. History wouldn’t have changed a bit.
Aye
February 12th, 2012
9:18 pm
Rhianna > the NBA
Jcard120
February 12th, 2012
9:18 pm
These referees might as well get on their knees, put on a heat headband, and blow them off. Anytime James, Wade, or Bosh were in the paint they drew a foul. The hawks did not play well tonight but at least call the game fair.
Atl teams = CHOKE
February 12th, 2012
9:18 pm
Joe Johnson is getting paid about $270,000 for this game! He doesn’t care about winning.
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
9:18 pm
“Josh Smith 8 pts 7 rb 7 ast”
These are All NBA averages minus the assists and he’s a 2X AllStar!
Just not right in this World!
Loserville USA
February 12th, 2012
9:19 pm
That was exciting watching the 2nd team running the weave down 24.
DawgNole
February 12th, 2012
9:19 pm
tyger
February 12th, 2012
9:14 pm
Mike Tirico apologizes to the TV audience…
“Hopefully, Memphis will be a better game…”
_________________
He SHOULD apologize. His network knows damn well the Hawks (Falcons, Braves, etc.) never show up on the national stage. All espn cares about is the ratings driven by Miami’s big three. Of course, when the game is out of hand by the end of the first quarter, viewership drops like a rock–no matter who the opponents bring to the house.
doc
February 12th, 2012
9:20 pm
big ray, it says a lot to me. i still dont undersatnd why we have had o be exposed to the guy who has had the worst per in the league before he got here as cheeseburger twin. man the front office is flat out awful. unfortunately for dampier it means his career is about over based on the run the hawks have with guys of his ilk. collins would not be playing in the usa if it were not for the hawks. that says more.
cedrick
February 12th, 2012
9:20 pm
This just in!! Don’t wait until your getting blown OUT to put “NO SHOW” Joe and Marvin WIlliams on the bench!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don’t know who looks worse. The Hawks getting blown by Miami or the Falcons getting trucked??????
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 12th, 2012
9:21 pm
I blame this loss on Soulja Boy
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
9:21 pm
Lottery pick? No. Gotta change the culture first.
Gearon and his crew give us nothing to believe in. Sund doesn’t either. Drew might be the best of the bunch, and we have no real love for him.
No lottery pick deserves to be a part of this mess.
Loserville USA
February 12th, 2012
9:21 pm
What a comeback!
BIG DOG
February 12th, 2012
9:21 pm
Big Ray im still SMH after 7years why is Marvin starting, no coach in there right mind would starte Marvin after watching him for seven years, but Woody and now LD who will be gone after this season are watching or playing mind games with them self letting this BS continue.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
9:21 pm
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
9:17 pm
“coaching is easy when you got LBJ, Wade & Bosh”
Coaching almost impossible when you got I-Duck<OSH<ISO
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
9:22 pm
Hawks cut the deficit to 20 to make this game look a little less embarrassing.
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
9:22 pm
@Big Daddy
for the past 2 years this team has been absolutely dreadful at home and pretty good on the road….not sure why.
But I think it is the main players. Somebody has to go and it has to be a main player i.e. a starter. We also need a better coach. We scraped the bargain bin for a coach and thiis the type of effort non respected coaches get from their players.
doc
February 12th, 2012
9:22 pm
dampier is so much better than twin it is sad and why he wasnt here from the get go this year an why twin was signed is beyond belief ….. but with the basg it isnt.
High-sider
February 12th, 2012
9:22 pm
“2-4 this Month? So far
= .250 winning %! Elite? In a parallel Universe… Yep….” – Slimjr
Slimjr,
Two wins out of six games played (2-4) is a winning percentage (%) of 0.333 or 33.3%. Two wins out of eight games played (2-6) is a winning percentage (%) of 0.250 or 25%.
ajc budget woes
February 12th, 2012
9:23 pm
Not even an in game tweet from cviv or mc? What? Ajc not covering home games now?
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
9:23 pm
Doc ,
Right you are. Speaks to the ownership and management of this team.
Which has nothing to do with the G-d@mn fans….
Enough for one night.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
9:23 pm
Wow, that chick must be tall as hell to come up to LeBron’s chin.
doc
February 12th, 2012
9:23 pm
20 point losses NEVER look good in anyway especially at home.
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 12th, 2012
9:23 pm
We need some guys that THRIVE on the big stage, instead of folding up.
Rod from College Park
February 12th, 2012
9:24 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.”
The fact still remains that this team needs another scorer that plays 20 to 25 minutes. When we face teams that play above average defense we can’t score. Bottom line. Whether you like Jamal or not he can score. The 20 million dollar man has proved that he can’t do it by himself. JOsh, Marvin, Zaza or Jeff Teague are not scorers.
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
9:24 pm
BIG DOG,
Wish I had an answer.
Hawkfan
February 12th, 2012
9:25 pm
Beach Boys doing Good Vibrations. Awesome
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
9:25 pm
The ESPN studio people are roasting the Hawks right now.
doc
February 12th, 2012
9:25 pm
it is flat embarrasing. QUITTERS!!!!!
heartofdarkness
February 12th, 2012
9:25 pm
So refreshing to hear Hubie Brown talk about the Hawks effort tonight, instead of two hours of “Outstanding!”, questioning referee calls, and “Heat check!”.
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
9:26 pm
Haven’t ya heard of fuzzy math? C’mon man. But thanks.Your Calculations conclude that the Hawks right about suck now? Thanks Spock! I’m captain Kirk tonight…..
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
9:26 pm
Quitters never Quit!!!!!!!!!!! Huh!!!
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
9:27 pm
thank you Magic Johnson for pointing out the inefficiencies of Larry Drew
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
9:27 pm
I knew beer and math, the two dont mix? Shoot…..
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
9:28 pm
The sad thing is the next game — @ LAL on Tuesday — isn’t going to be this close. That team is probably the worst matchup nightmare for this team in the entire league.
doc
February 12th, 2012
9:28 pm
first TNT trashes the hawks deservedly especially charles, now espn, all to a man including magic. josh, is that all ya got, that the best you can do i know jj doesnt have it so ya got to bring it.
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
9:28 pm
“they are who we thought they were” Chris Broussard
High-sider
February 12th, 2012
9:28 pm
LD should’ve purposely gotten two techs and made the refs eject him [LD] from the this travesty.
DawgNole
February 12th, 2012
9:28 pm
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.
_____________________
Believe me, those “epic fails” you cite go back a whole lot further than this–over 45 years to be more precise.
And the espn guys back at the studio really roasted the Hawks during their postgame analysis. They’re incredulous that this type of performance could happen over and over again. They shouldn’t be; hell just look at the record: ONE championship in 154 seasons of pro competition.
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
9:29 pm
“that was embarassing for the city of Atlanta….a packed house….gotta have a better effort” Magic Johnson
Sautee
February 12th, 2012
9:29 pm
Hawks shot 7 FTs. Heat shot 31. Even accounting for referee bias and superstar calls, it’s very obvious which team was the aggressor. Hawks were VERY passive.
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
9:29 pm
“every time we try to give Atlanta some props…this is what happens…an absolute clunker” Michael Wilbon
hawkfan
February 12th, 2012
9:30 pm
Wilbon said it best “everytime we try to hype up and give the hawks the credit they come out and do a flop on us”
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
9:30 pm
Da Beach Boys played better than the wingless birds tonight!
Why not lay down?
February 12th, 2012
9:30 pm
Yeah we laid down tonight. The fix was in tim donaghy style. 20 free throws to 3 in first quarter. Garbage time fts brought it close. So why not lay down when fix in for not 1, not 2, not 3 and crew to win on national tv?
I say lay down flat and ontoa game whenwe have a chance