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
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
7:27 pm
You know what? Josh is shooting from the same perimeter spot. I can’t get mad at that. I think he’s been practicing from that range and that area.
J.J.M.
February 12th, 2012
7:27 pm
drive and dish simple basketball
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
7:27 pm
don’t let it get away
Big Lou
February 12th, 2012
7:27 pm
Lol Tmac
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
7:28 pm
Askin’ a bit much there – Zaza’s a TE, not a WR…
J.J.M.
February 12th, 2012
7:28 pm
has joe had a GREAT game against a elite team this season?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
7:28 pm
Closer to Reggie Kelly than Tony Gonzalez, on top of that.
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
7:29 pm
you guys are so negative about the Hawks
Runner-
February 12th, 2012
7:29 pm
Can anyone tell me the Hawks / “Heat” fan ratio at Phillips?
vava74
February 12th, 2012
7:29 pm
Bad Josh emerging.
Rebounds seemingly under control lost…
Lack of energy statement coming.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
7:29 pm
Nobody at Philips can tell you anything because the Internet connection in there sucks.
Big Lou
February 12th, 2012
7:30 pm
What y’all talking about? Zaza is a fullback. Lol
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
7:30 pm
Here comes Ivan.
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
7:30 pm
everyone knows the Heat will hit a scoring drought once the defense tightens up and closes down the lane….Ivan Johnson time bcus “they don’t wanna touch that man!” via Barkley
IceColdATLien
February 12th, 2012
7:30 pm
Be patient. Our real advantage vs these guys is on the bench
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
7:31 pm
T-Mac needs to be posting up, not Ivan.
IceColdATLien
February 12th, 2012
7:31 pm
Dunno bout Ivan’s post game…
J.J.M.
February 12th, 2012
7:31 pm
uh oh blowout
Rod from College Park
February 12th, 2012
7:32 pm
TMac needs to shoot
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
7:32 pm
More jumpers. No attempt to go inside at all.
IceColdATLien
February 12th, 2012
7:32 pm
Ivan’s post D? Yes!!
Ivan’s post O? No!!
Blast
February 12th, 2012
7:32 pm
Hawks look sluggish.
IceColdATLien
February 12th, 2012
7:33 pm
Way to stick ur nose in there Goggles!
Rod from College Park
February 12th, 2012
7:33 pm
Is anybody going to drive the ball?
Big Lou
February 12th, 2012
7:33 pm
Blowout? I’m getting that feeling…
IceColdATLien
February 12th, 2012
7:33 pm
Dumb fouls. I can understand vs. Bron, but that chump?
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
7:34 pm
gotta drive the lane….I think we’re settling just a tad
Heat Fan
February 12th, 2012
7:34 pm
Miami living in the paint
J.J.M.
February 12th, 2012
7:34 pm
lol joe is garbage when its time for “all star” “superstar” to step up..
J.J.M.
February 12th, 2012
7:34 pm
fade away jumpe…nothing new from joe
Big Lou
February 12th, 2012
7:35 pm
No penetration. I feel sorry for fans who paid to see this game.
Melvin
February 12th, 2012
7:35 pm
Hawks didn’t do anything the last 5mins of the qtr….
Hawkfan
February 12th, 2012
7:35 pm
Bad quarter. We looked national TV scared again.
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
7:36 pm
Blowout coming I sense……..
vava74
February 12th, 2012
7:36 pm
Yep. We’re fried.
Rod from College Park
February 12th, 2012
7:36 pm
“Atlanta did not scoe in the last 4 and a half minutes” Hubie Brown
Sound familiar? Get used to hearing that a lot this year. We don’t have enough scorers.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
7:36 pm
Zero free throw attempts for the Hawks that quarter. That’s what happens when you shoot jumpers on every possession.
And if you are going to shoot jumpers against a good team, you better get some offensive boards when you miss, but the Hawks only have 1 as a team.
Heat Fan
February 12th, 2012
7:36 pm
Hawks have no inside game, gonna be their undoing in the playoffs
IceColdATLien
February 12th, 2012
7:36 pm
Well, now we get to see what kind of internal fortitude our guys have.
Can anyone understand why we don’t run double (even triple) screens for Joe like Indy used to do for Reggie Miller? Joe is a real nice shooter, and right now he’s being smothered. Smart coaches know how to get their best player in position to score regardless.
Big Lou
February 12th, 2012
7:37 pm
They are playing with zero confidence right now. They need to step up their play before they are down by 20 points.
Melvin
February 12th, 2012
7:37 pm
Too many jumpshots by the Hawks in that 1st qtr… It doesn’t make any sense b/c the Heat doesn’t have any shot blockers on their team…
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
7:37 pm
Closer to Reggie Kelly than Tony Gonzalez, on top of that.
J.J.M.
February 12th, 2012
7:37 pm
<<<waiting for grammys/once upon a time/ the walking dead
OH
February 12th, 2012
7:38 pm
What a shock, Josh disappears on defense against an elite team and the Hawks follow.
Hawks Fan Down Under
February 12th, 2012
7:38 pm
Way too many jumpshots and poor transition D….this has blow out written all over it!!!!
ntrigue
February 12th, 2012
7:38 pm
I dont understand why coach continues to bring hinrich in to check quick guards soon as he comes in our defense breaks down! How long does it take for him to undrstand that? When were playing against quick guards bring Pargo in for teague nd use Hinrich to sub for Joe! Its not rocket science Drew just is lost!
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
7:38 pm
Nationally Televised games are not the Hawks specialty!
Runner-
February 12th, 2012
7:38 pm
“Sound familiar? Get used to hearing that a lot this year. We don’t have enough scorers.”
We sure do. Willie Green, Pargo, and T-Mac are easily capable of scoring when they need to, but Drew simply refuses to play them for more than 20 minutes a night COMBINED
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
7:38 pm
Of course it makes sense for the Hawks to shoot jumpers. It’s what they do – shoot themselves right out of a game against a team that features little-to-no rim defense.
Melvin
February 12th, 2012
7:39 pm
The Heat committed one foul in the 1st qtr. Hawks are not being aggressive