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
LakeDawg
February 12th, 2012
8:43 pm
Whatever round we make it through or out of, this will be the last time this “core” gets that chance.
———————————————————————————————————————————–
LOL. That’s what I thought LAST year.
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
8:44 pm
transmuting into complete discombobulation! Ya thinks?
northcyde
February 12th, 2012
8:44 pm
Wow @ that stat. Hubie just gave. Incredible.
Runner-
February 12th, 2012
8:44 pm
Willie is a decent player, he plays consistently every game, unlike anyone else on this team.
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
8:45 pm
should have started the game in zone….Larry Clueless
doc
February 12th, 2012
8:45 pm
3 of 28 for jjj, josh, marvin and jeff per hubie as what is wrong with our team. yeah flat awful. so glad i didnt give any money to these guys.
OH
February 12th, 2012
8:46 pm
Real Hawks fans changed the channel before it even started to the Grammys to see Rhianna in that dress.
GOOD LAWD HAMMERCY!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
8:46 pm
Was that a pick and roll?
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
8:47 pm
Scottie we need more Warp power,now! Not Yesterday? Aye Captain..
I’d rather watch 2000 year old ROMAN GLADIATORS engage in disciplined physical contact!
OH
February 12th, 2012
8:47 pm
Blow it up, little Mikey!
Loserville USA
February 12th, 2012
8:47 pm
ESPN said ONE of the owners went into the locker room at the break.
doc
February 12th, 2012
8:48 pm
everyone chill. we just need to peak at the right time and we be cool.
northcyde
February 12th, 2012
8:48 pm
And if I were coach, the starters would play the entire 4th quarter. Don’t bail them out by watching this debacle. Make them play through it.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
8:48 pm
Hopefully the owner went to the locker room to inform the team that they had just made a Dwight Howard trade.
Slimjr
February 12th, 2012
8:49 pm
I prefer to see Rhianna’s loooong legs wrap in those silky black fishnets! Hmmmmmmmmmmm!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
8:49 pm
Fun fact: Josh has a pretty decent chance at a triple double in this game.
High-sider
February 12th, 2012
8:49 pm
vava74 [Read this Rod from College Park],
You’re the idiot, vava74. All I kept hearing on this blog was “now that Jamal is gone, Marvin is going to average around 14-15ppg; Jamal was taking shots [shot opportunities] from Marvin.” Marvin is still averaging around 10ppg. Jamal was not taking shots from Marvin. Willie Green, T-Mac, Vlad-Rad, Hinrich, and Ivan are not taking shots from Marvin. Marvin is taking shots from Marvin. Marvin doesn’t get extra shot opportunities because he [Marvin] plays so poorly so often so early that LD has to immediately substitute him [Marvin] for other players before a game gets out of hand. In conclusion, Marvin takes shots away from Marvin because Marvin takes himself out of the game because of his poor and inconsistent play.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
8:50 pm
Look what happens when Joe decides to drive.
Alan
February 12th, 2012
8:50 pm
Atlanta still has a basketball team? Who cares about the NBA?
Grandad
February 12th, 2012
8:50 pm
Prediction:
LD:
quote;
‘`I thought we we past this`’
*[in reference to quitting]
Rod from College Park
February 12th, 2012
8:51 pm
For northcyde,
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ycn-8350959
Disgusted
February 12th, 2012
8:51 pm
This game is a washout, but if you told me they would be 18-10, ahead of Orlando after losing Al Horford I would havge taken that.
Miami is a better team, the Hawks are not in the Miami and Chicago Bulls class, so that is the way it is.
To expect anything more than a high 30’s wins and any further than a second round appearance is setting yourself up for disappointment.
38-28 is what I see this team doing and maybe getting past round one.
OH
February 12th, 2012
8:51 pm
Prepare yourselves for the tonight’s excuse: ENERGY!!!!!
Ole Hawks's Fan
February 12th, 2012
8:52 pm
Season Tickets Holders…………………..what did Gearon say to you all this evening? Someone please post what he said and also did he take any QUESTIONS?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
8:52 pm
Vlad has been on LeBron the last three possessions. Seriously.
northcyde
February 12th, 2012
8:53 pm
Lol grandad. Yep.
Heat Fan
February 12th, 2012
8:53 pm
Smith just quit on his team, kid is not an all star
OH
February 12th, 2012
8:53 pm
Miami might finish with 60+ rebounds. WTF
Nique's Revenge
February 12th, 2012
8:53 pm
lebron’s beard 88
hawks 58
Loserville USA
February 12th, 2012
8:53 pm
5 fouls through 3 quarters for the All-Star “snub.”
Nique's suit bill
February 12th, 2012
8:54 pm
Espn is talking about Lin for past 20 minutes- nice
LakeDawg
February 12th, 2012
8:54 pm
Actually, Larry Drew has done what he can with this team. He has gotten more out of them than I thought he could. However, its all for nothing. If I was him, I would sit my starters for about five games. They will either respond or quit, which is what they’re doing now anyway.
Grandad
February 12th, 2012
8:54 pm
Evidently Josh is over being pissed off ’bout not gettin’ picked
for the all-stern game.
Disgusted
February 12th, 2012
8:55 pm
Hey, one thing you can say about the owners is that they are motivated and do give a rats tail to put a team on the basketball side.
I would not be surprised if they make a pitch for a big name at some time, they need to improve their image in this town.
Seriously, we are better off with Levenson/Gaeron than with John Moores or Alex Merullo. Meurello cannot afford the team and Moores, well, look at his record as Padres owner and he makes Liberty Media or Time Warner look good as baseball owners.
DawgNole
February 12th, 2012
8:55 pm
Disgusted
February 12th, 2012
8:51 pm
This game is a washout, but if you told me they would be 18-10, ahead of Orlando after losing Al Horford I would havge taken that.
_______________________________
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.
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
8:55 pm
Hawks are about to be 1-4 in their last 5 home games.
The best pro sports team in Atlanta sure doesn’t play too damn well in Atlanta.
Matt
February 12th, 2012
8:55 pm
Way to roll over and die “Dodos”. Another Atlanta prime-time choke. ASG, you’re paying HOW much to Joe Johnson???
crazy_88
February 12th, 2012
8:55 pm
LD has thrown the towel in….he has Vlad..Pargo…Green..Ivan..Hinrich…but no T-Mac ?
Rod from College Park
February 12th, 2012
8:55 pm
High-sider ,
Glad to know that there are other knowledgeable basketball fans. Northcyde is a clown. He loves to post stats about what Marvin would do if he played 36 minutes. We all know why he won’t play those kind of minutes.
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
8:56 pm
….lately….
doc
February 12th, 2012
8:56 pm
well at least someone got a hit on queen without backing off. do it again ivan! go ahead and make my day.
Loserville USA
February 12th, 2012
8:56 pm
The only team making a STATEMENT tonight is the one losing.
Time to break up this group….wait…we’ve been saying that for 2 years now. And we have Max Johnson until the 22nd century.
Great.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
8:56 pm
On that 82games link northcyde posted about clutch stats, Jamal had a higher clutch plus/minus than Joe. Just saying…
DawgNole
February 12th, 2012
8:57 pm
Nique’s suit bill
February 12th, 2012
8:54 pm
Espn is talking about Lin for past 20 minutes- nice
_______________________________
The game sure as hell isn’t worth talking about.
Disgusted
February 12th, 2012
8:57 pm
“Actually, Larry Drew has done what he can with this team. He has gotten more out of them than I thought he could. However, its all for nothing. If I was him, I would sit my starters for about five games. They will either respond or quit, which is what they’re doing now anyway”
@lAKE dAWG; I agree with the first statement, as for the rest of it, Miami is just a far superior team fair and square. Yes, they have quit for one night.
LD is a good coach. .
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2012
8:57 pm
I wonder if the Knicks would do Melo and Landry Fields for Joe and Marvin.
Big Ray
February 12th, 2012
8:57 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.
You’re right. It’s the fault of the fans. The fans draft players. The fans coach players. The fans do it all. Stop stealing my oxygen…
Rob
February 12th, 2012
8:57 pm
Atlanta had their chance to DRAFT superstars….. we all know how that went.
yodaddybrother
February 12th, 2012
8:59 pm
Refs calling a lot of fouls on the Hawks though @LoservilleUSA
but still this game was lost at the free throw line mostly and all those fouls caused a lack of aggressiveness defensively. Nobody wanted that 2 foul treatment. layups and dunks ensued and the shot jacking and turnovers by the Hawks caused the embarassing rout.
However, I’m no longer embarassed….I’m just indifferent
Disgusted
February 12th, 2012
8:59 pm
“I wonder if the Knicks would do Melo and Landry Fields for Joe and Marvin.”
I would give Josh and Marvin for Melo alone. No one is taking Joe because of the $$$$$$$.