Atlanta Hawks at Suns: Game thread
Phoenix–Tracy McGrady did not dress. “We are just going to rest him up,” Larry Drew said. “This is one of the things we knew we were probably going to be doing given the [truncated] season. He will be resting on back-to-back, whether the first night or second.”
- All 13 Suns are dressed and available.
- Jason Collins (elbow) saw his doctor today. “From what I was told, it’s feeling better but it’s not completely healed,” Drew said. “It’s going to be a little bit longer.”
- Drew didn’t commit to another 10-day contract for Erick Dampier. “It’s a possibility given that Jason won’t be back soon,” Drew said. “We are certainly going to need the body.”
- Drew expects to use Dampier tonight against Marcin Gortat and Robin Lopez after he played 16 minutes against Andrew Bynum. “Watching ‘Damp,’ it seems like every day he’s getting into some playing shape,” Drew said.
- The Suns sliced the Hawks on pick-and-rolls in the last meeting. According to Synergy Sports Technology, Suns pick-and-roll ball-handlers scored 1.5 points per possession and roll men scored 1.14 points per possession. On their 21 pick-and-roll possessions used, the Suns combined for 12 of 19 shooting, including 3-for-4 on 3s.
- “We are going to see tons and tons of it,” Drew said. “They run multiple pick-and-rolls. They run a lot of random pick-and-rolls. We are just going to have to do a good job against it. It’s not something we haven’t had seen before. The guards are going to have to do a good job of fighting over it and everybody is going to have to be in position.”
- The league selected Joe Johnson to participate in the 3-point shootout during All-Star weekend. “I guess they needed a fill-in,” Joe joked.
- Joe finished fifth of six players in 2005 when he repped the Suns. “I’ve always wanted a chance to redeem myself,” Joe said. That field included Hawks teammate Vladimir Radmaonovic, champion Quentin Richardson, Kyle Korver, Voshon Leonard and Ray Allen.
- Johnson and Minnesota’s Kevin Love are the two All-Stars who also will participate in the 3-point shootout this year. The other contestants are defending champion James Jones of the Heat, Miami teammate Mario Chalmers, Orlando’s Ryan Anderson and New Jersey’s Anthony Morrow.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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776 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
February 15th, 2012
10:13 pm
If the Hawks want to make a trade with Phoenix involving Marvin, they would almost certainly insist that the Hawks take Childress in return. That may actually work in the Hawks’ favor.
But you can safely give up on getting Gortat without giving up Josh or Al. I don’t think Gortat is as good as his stats, but his trade value is going to be high enough for Phoenix to demand Josh or Al in return.
Big Lou
February 15th, 2012
10:13 pm
Do you blame the child for their incompetence and bad habits, or the parents? The coach is in charge of enforcing discipline, creating offensive/defensive schemes, and taking advantage of mismatches. These players don’t respect their coach, just as a child doesn’t respect their parents. What happens next? Rebellion and lack of discipline.
LT
February 15th, 2012
10:13 pm
“Somewhere Billy Knight is laughing about picking Marvin over CP3″
OMG, yall have to really get over this…
Marvin Masonman Williams
February 15th, 2012
10:14 pm
Drew’s actual halftime speech:
“Zaza you keep acting like you playing defense. Marvin,keep turning the ball over and watching the game like a fan on the fast breaks. Josh, don’t pass the ball to Zaza or Marvin, ever. Joe, show up then disaapear as usual. Teague, I apologize to you man. You all we got.”
Slimjr
February 15th, 2012
10:14 pm
next 4 games including tonight may probably be losses..All road games..
Suns,Portland,Bulls,Knicks,
Lon Stotts
February 15th, 2012
10:14 pm
Watching this team makes me feel claustrophobic, “as in getting crammed in a crawlspace with a high floor and a low ceiling” claustrophobic. There’s no room for optimism whatsoever– at least when we were 13-69 we had the lottery to look forward to. Now we’re left with a bunch of indifferent underachievers who are in all likelihood as sick of each other as we are of them.
I could stand to get rid of everyone except: Jeff (cancerous environment for anyone to develop a career; he has serious potential), Hinrich (has proved his worth in this league- time is running out though), Zaza and Ivan (while neither are remotely skilled players, they always put forth the requisite effort). And I like a lot of the bench guys, but that’s what they are. Bench guys. And old ones at that.
“The only anger issue I’ve ever really had is with anyone who doesn’t want to win as much as I do.” -Ivan (how has he not murdered Joe?)
B-Dub
February 15th, 2012
10:15 pm
Do not know if the financials work or not but would a deal be workable:
Nash and Gortat to Hawks
Teague and Josh to Suns
Suns are not making playoffs and would be getting younger. We would get a point guard who can run an offense and our assists would go up. Gortat and Nash can still run their pick and pop game with Joe and Green being your perimeter shooters (what Phoenix lacks). Horford moves to Power Forward when he gets back.
Yeah, we get older but we get a true C who I think would love to go up against Howard four times a year or more though I like Josh alot (yeah, I do), Phoenix seems to covet him and feel that in the end, for the team to progress, it would be without him.
Thoughts?
TMACfan
February 15th, 2012
10:15 pm
I mean anything works, we keep getting owned because we have no offensive threat at the center position.
Sautee
February 15th, 2012
10:15 pm
“The schedule has finally caught up to these pretenders!”
“23rd easiest sched. through the 1st 28 games! Yep!”
Slim, you DO realize that the 23rd EASIEST schedule would be the 8th hardest, don’t you?
And didn’t we talk about this last year?
Slimjr
February 15th, 2012
10:15 pm
Iso is having an awful game so far. just brutal too watch him tonight!
Marvin Masonman Williams
February 15th, 2012
10:17 pm
If Phoenix trades Nash to a CONTENDER, Hawks ain’t a possibility…
northcyde
February 15th, 2012
10:17 pm
Smh @ JJ
You can’t play like this boss. You better start acting like this is YOUR TEAM and put them on your back. He obviously read MCs blog about jacking up more 3s.
Play your damn game Joe.
Marvin Masonman Williams
February 15th, 2012
10:18 pm
Trade Zaza,Marvin,JJ,J.Smith,Hinrich for Dwight Howard.
Melvin
February 15th, 2012
10:18 pm
Astro,
I’m just poking fun at you b/c it’s funny how you came to Joe defense but it’s okay when you throw Teague and Josh under the bus. But you can’t dog those guys again tonight b/c they are delivering unlike our All Star. But hey, I’m sure you are going to reference the last 10 uh, u may need to go back 12 games including tonight that Teague and Josh haven’t played up to par…LOL
Big Lou
February 15th, 2012
10:18 pm
TMAC fan
You’re kidding me right?
Why do people keep blaming the lack of center for the offensive woes? They don’t even look like they run ANY offensive plays.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
February 15th, 2012
10:18 pm
LOL @ ASG ever amnestying a player.
These guys can’t even afford a stat board in Philips Arena. You think they’ll pay Joe 80 mill to not be on our team?
Speaking of ASG,
PLEASE SELL THE TEAM AND DO NOT BE MINORITY OWNERS.
JUST LEAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 15th, 2012
10:19 pm
I wonder if it wouldn’t be a good idea to put a big man on Nash, like maybe Marvin or Josh. Nobody on this team has proven they can get around screens, but at least if you start a big man on him, you can switch the screen.
kwooden
February 15th, 2012
10:19 pm
The HAWKS definitely need to try something different with the pick-and-roll defensive. Probably trap and make Nash give up the ball. I know that will give up 3’s but we’re still giving up 3’s. If they don’t trap then they should go under the screens.
B-Dub
February 15th, 2012
10:20 pm
Why not, can anyone match a Teague/Josh package like that? An up and coming you point guard and an established/athletic power forward.
TMACfan
February 15th, 2012
10:20 pm
@Big Lou I personally feel that if we had a center that demanded respect from defenders, everyone else would be playing a lot better.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 15th, 2012
10:20 pm
Zaza with the obligatory illegal screen.
Melvin
February 15th, 2012
10:21 pm
38yr old Grant Hill scored 12pts in the 1st half while defending Joe…
Slimjr
February 15th, 2012
10:21 pm
They may pullout that Portland game if LaMarcus does not play due to that ankle sprain…
Thanks Sautee! You set me straight once again! lol
B-Dub
February 15th, 2012
10:21 pm
Is Ivan Johnson injured?
Marvin Masonman Williams
February 15th, 2012
10:21 pm
Frye out rebounds 3 Hawks under goal. Wow !
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
February 15th, 2012
10:21 pm
What exactly goes through Joe Johnson’s mind during games? Does he want to win a ring or is he just going to put up these same lame numbers and stuff them at the end of games?
Big Lou
February 15th, 2012
10:21 pm
Is it just me… or does Zaza make an illegal screen every game?
MattP
February 15th, 2012
10:21 pm
3rd quarter meltdown again?
Slimjr
February 15th, 2012
10:22 pm
Wheres the energy Larry?
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
February 15th, 2012
10:22 pm
LOL Hawks have quit on LD, yet we are still 18-11 and these players begged for us to hire him.
Meanwhile, Rick Sund is somewhere NOT trying to improve this team
Astro Joe
February 15th, 2012
10:22 pm
Melvin, I believe the other team has a bigger influence on Joe having a bad game than they do on Josh and Jeff.
67% shooting is the problem tonight (Suns’ FG%). Debating the Hawks offense is only slightly off subject when the home team playing their third game in 3 nights is making 2 of 3 shots.
kwooden
February 15th, 2012
10:22 pm
LD with the early timeout. Good move, even if it doesn’t payoff.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 15th, 2012
10:23 pm
The Suns would do Teague and Josh for Nash and Gortat. Problem is, when Nash retires in a year or two, the Hawks will be left with no point guard, a much less effective Gortat without Nash around, and Joe and Al. If that’s worth possibly improving a little for the remainder of this season and maybe next season, that’s a trade that can be made. I doubt that the offensive improvement provided by that trade to the Hawks would offset the defensive dropoff though. The Hawks would probably be last in the league in forcing turnovers after making that trade.
Rev in Tampa
February 15th, 2012
10:23 pm
We ought to start a lottery each game to predict when LD will call the early 3rd quarter timeout because of the low energy.
Marvin Masonman Williams
February 15th, 2012
10:23 pm
A big man on Nash ? Nash will race by them for layup after layup…
Slimjr
February 15th, 2012
10:23 pm
iso is thinking about that 200k he makes every game night! Whew!
Ms. Jones
February 15th, 2012
10:23 pm
@Big Lou Yep Zaza does
Najeh Davenpoop
February 15th, 2012
10:23 pm
Hawks come out of a timeout with a Josh jumper. Hmm.
TMACfan
February 15th, 2012
10:24 pm
Joe is the most strange person in the NBA. He hit that shot in Detroit to tie the game and he still had no expression on his face. He goes 1 for 3459 shooting and he still has a rock face. WTF!
Spyro
February 15th, 2012
10:24 pm
@Big Lou: I think you might be right on that play-calling thing.
STOP SHOOTING, JOSH! And call better plays, Larry!
Big Lou
February 15th, 2012
10:24 pm
Come out of the timeout with a Josh Jumper? Do I need anymore evidence that LD doesn’t call any offensive plays?
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
February 15th, 2012
10:24 pm
This team sucks.
Lame Larry
February 15th, 2012
10:25 pm
Pachulia & Marvin wouldn’t make my neighborhood pick up team. How the hail are they in the NBA ?
Ra'mon
February 15th, 2012
10:25 pm
LD is thinking “I wore my good suit for this”, lol.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 15th, 2012
10:25 pm
“A big man on Nash ? Nash will race by them for layup after layup…”
Not necessarily. The point is that if the Suns run pick and rolls, a smaller guy will get switched onto Nash. And if Nash tries to isolate against someone like Josh, he can just trail him to the hoop and alter his shot.
Slimjr
February 15th, 2012
10:25 pm
bench #24
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
February 15th, 2012
10:25 pm
Phoenix announcers think Josh should’ve been All Star over Iguodala.
I say: who cares? This team is going nowhere
Section 303
February 15th, 2012
10:26 pm
Najeh, that big man idea would not be a bad one, if Horford were healthy. Hawks, under Woodson, used to put him on PG’s (including Nash) all the time. I just can’t see Josh or Marvin doing as good of job.
Spyro
February 15th, 2012
10:27 pm
DID WE JUST RUN A PICK AND ROLL?!?!?!?
Rev in Tampa
February 15th, 2012
10:27 pm
Suns announcers saying some really nice things about Josh Smith and ‘Nique. They are really classy. The polar opposite of the Orlando Jackass Announcers.