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.
1,002 comments Add your comment
Heat Fan
February 12th, 2012
8:03 pm
Josh is gonna be dead by the end of the game, already played 20 min
Rod from College Park
February 12th, 2012
8:03 pm
Drew should’ve subbed JJ for T-Mac, not Marvin. Now the lead is 15 again. This is a 40+ minute type game for JJ, yet Drew is saving him again for some reason.
Dude, you really need to stop with this Marvin stuff. Dude is horrible.
Hawkfan
February 12th, 2012
8:03 pm
Springsteen Rocks!!
Melvin
February 12th, 2012
8:03 pm
Larry Drew need to earn his money and get on these Refs…. The Heat are getting too many calls.
phil
February 12th, 2012
8:03 pm
Fire LD!!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
8:03 pm
“Whoever was saying that the Hawks have been better than the Falcons is a complete moron.”
Did the Falcons win a playoff game last night when I was sleeping?
No?
Then the Hawks are still better.
Let’s not go through this again. Feel free to look at previous blogs to see my stock responses. I don’t want to put the rest of this blog through this discussion again.
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
8:04 pm
Bruce Springsteen voice is SHOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
8:04 pm
Finally Joe makes a shot.
Tootsi
February 12th, 2012
8:04 pm
Disgraceful is the only word for this.
IceColdATLien
February 12th, 2012
8:05 pm
Teague missing a bunny.
How sad.
phil
February 12th, 2012
8:05 pm
Nice layup, teague! Moron
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
8:05 pm
Damn, even when the Hawks get layup attempts they can’t convert.
Ain’t our night tonight.
DawgNole
February 12th, 2012
8:05 pm
Rarely, kevkat. Very, very rarely.
OH
February 12th, 2012
8:05 pm
The funniest part? Drew complains about energy and the MAIN TWO PLAYERS walking up and down the floor are Josh and Joe! LMAO
Best team in Atlanta!
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
8:05 pm
Grate musician though!
LLCool J looks like hes on some strong juice!!!!!!
DawgNole
February 12th, 2012
8:06 pm
Ain’t our half-century either.
Melvin
February 12th, 2012
8:06 pm
Take Marvin out and put in TMac or Willie. He is embarrassing to watch.
phil
February 12th, 2012
8:06 pm
Marvin Williams. Zero ability in the post.
And we picked him 2nd overall?
Hilarious.
Rev in Tampa
February 12th, 2012
8:06 pm
Iso Marvin. BLOCK!
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
8:06 pm
Great^^^^^
bigdave
February 12th, 2012
8:06 pm
Lol… I’m sorry but effort and energy starts with your best playe. Joe just does not bring that to the table.
The Monger
February 12th, 2012
8:06 pm
Hawks getting absolutely murdered on the glass 26-13…Sund are you awake??? How about getting a LEGIT Center in here?? Another heartless, gutless effort by these clowns….Please stop supporting these bums at all you guys. Fan support, or lack thereof, usually forces the owners hand into stopping the insanity, I said usually because most sane and rational owners objectively look at ways to get better all the time. Sadly this is not the case with ASG, as they are so delusional and insane that they think this is A GREAT TEAM!!! They gave Joe Johnson 120 million dollars to average 19 ppg and disappear against good teams? They gave Marvin big money?? Please stop supporting this NONSENSE AT ALL… Eventually even retarded, irrational, head in the sand owners will notice when they are DEAD LAST in attendance….trust me they will get the message.
I, for one am ready for the Braves, because I will sadly not watch the Hawks again this year until new ownership and a whole roster overhaul is complete.
Tootsi
February 12th, 2012
8:06 pm
Wow Marvin, wow.
High-sider
February 12th, 2012
8:06 pm
This is turning out to be one of the most anticlimactic [NBA] games of the year for Hawks’ fans. The Hawks should be tired of getting clowned in their arena.
phil
February 12th, 2012
8:06 pm
Release someone!
bigdave
February 12th, 2012
8:07 pm
*player
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
8:07 pm
Now Marvin starts making shots. Thanks for waiting until getting down by 20.
IceColdATLien
February 12th, 2012
8:07 pm
Looks like that might be the recipe:
Just run!!!
Hawkfan
February 12th, 2012
8:07 pm
Slimjr
Boss never had great pipes. Great performer who sings from the heart
OH
February 12th, 2012
8:08 pm
Hawks always choke on national TV.
Blamne the refs? Best. Team. In. Atlanta.
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
8:08 pm
Marvin could not get his shot off against my defense?
Fire Marvin….
Runner-
February 12th, 2012
8:08 pm
39 point half, simply embarassing
Rod from College Park
February 12th, 2012
8:08 pm
Wade has 21, Lebron has 13, Joe Johnson has…..crickets.
northcyde
February 12th, 2012
8:08 pm
Najeh he can’t get past Wade. And we all know that JJ doesn’t look for contact going to the hole, events if he should. So he has to shoot when open,, just like Marvin just did twice.
Hawks are losing this game on the boards and with their transition defense.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
8:09 pm
Now Joe decides to drive to the hoop. Thanks for waiting until getting down by 22 points.
IceColdATLien
February 12th, 2012
8:09 pm
Us Hawks fans never tire of getting clowned… otherwise we’d all stop being Hawks fans!
Melvin
February 12th, 2012
8:09 pm
The refs gave Joe that call. Trying to make stats not look so lopsided
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
8:09 pm
Bob needs to chill using the word “reacharound”.
Runner-
February 12th, 2012
8:10 pm
why foul??
LT
February 12th, 2012
8:10 pm
Where’s LD? Why is he not coaching?
Fired LD!!!!!
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
8:10 pm
This game is done. Heat are running the break a will. We’re doing almost nothing right.
High-sider
February 12th, 2012
8:10 pm
In reference to this game,
the Heat = the Harlem Globetrotters in their prime and at their best.
the Hawks = the Washington Generals in their futility and at their worst.
LT
February 12th, 2012
8:11 pm
And im tired of hearing the word “energy”
Melvin
February 12th, 2012
8:11 pm
Good thing Ivan doesn’t watch tape… or he wouldn’t have foul Lebron with less than a second on the clock.
Rod from College Park
February 12th, 2012
8:11 pm
We sure play much better defense without Jamal.
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
8:12 pm
Good music tonight on CBSHD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Screw the Hawks who have transitioned into THE CHOKERS ONCE AGAIN ON THE NATIONAL STAGE!!!!!!!!!!!1
Loserville USA
February 12th, 2012
8:12 pm
Worst part about this is that the Heat are going to pour it on in the 2nd half.
People pay money to see JOSH SMITH?
There’s a reason the guy’s a “snub” — HE IS NOT AN ALL-STAR!
Neither is Joe Koncak.
Championship teams play hard. Hawks are a joke.
IceColdATLien
February 12th, 2012
8:12 pm
Down 22 sucks, but it is Bball. It’s critical that our guys don’t come out to lay down in the third. Losing is one thing. Laying down is something entirely different.
vava74
February 12th, 2012
8:13 pm
MIA came better prepared and better coached.
Their D has been excellent and ours crap.
That’s both on LD and the players
Rod from College Park
February 12th, 2012
8:13 pm
“This game is done. Heat are running the break a will. We’re doing almost nothing right.”
I told you that 12 minutes ago.