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
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
776 comments Add your comment
Lame Larry
February 15th, 2012
10:37 pm
Marvin,Joe,JSmith,Zaza get most minutes and do nothing. Teague & Green came to play.
TMACfan
February 15th, 2012
10:38 pm
Guys, we somehow scored more than 13 points in the 3rd quarter!! Is tomorrow Christmas?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 15th, 2012
10:38 pm
Good strong move by Zaza.
Spyro
February 15th, 2012
10:38 pm
Look at that! Ball movement that results in a shot in the paint occasionally works!
Astro Joe
February 15th, 2012
10:38 pm
Sorry. I like Zaza… his bad hands and all.
Big Lou
February 15th, 2012
10:38 pm
Oh wow… Zaza actually finished a three point play. Lol
Slimjr
February 15th, 2012
10:38 pm
Grant Hill is smothering Joe! Kinda like what Matt Barnes does to him every time they match up!
Derrick
February 15th, 2012
10:39 pm
Good to see Vlad Rad coming in…
Spyro
February 15th, 2012
10:39 pm
10 point Phoenix run incoming!
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
February 15th, 2012
10:39 pm
“Grandmaster JeJe (GM) ,
Teague doesn’t look that bad.”
“Teague has 12 and 5. He looks fine on offense. He has looked bad on defense like the rest of the Hawks, because he doesn’t know how to get around screens properly.”
IMHO Teague has not played close to the level of the Playoffs this season. Maybe a few games. Dude got owned in our own arena by Mario Chalmers that one night
TMACfan
February 15th, 2012
10:39 pm
ZaZa with 15 did I miss something?!?!?!
Big Lou
February 15th, 2012
10:39 pm
Is Ivan banned from playing?
Lame Larry
February 15th, 2012
10:39 pm
Vlad 3 is bad.
MattP
February 15th, 2012
10:40 pm
Najeh Davenpoop,
I do agree with you but like you said, all of the Hawks are looking bad on defense.
Slimjr
February 15th, 2012
10:40 pm
Josh handles are so weak
Derrick
February 15th, 2012
10:40 pm
Grant Hill not only plays like he’s 10 years younger, but the guy LOOKS 10 years younger, and has excellent defense. Call him Mr. Lockdown tonight.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
February 15th, 2012
10:40 pm
If we somehow get this close, I promise you all MIchael Redd will ether us at the end
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 15th, 2012
10:40 pm
Coast 2 Coast turnover by PG Josh Smith
Spyro
February 15th, 2012
10:41 pm
…
LT
February 15th, 2012
10:41 pm
Never fails… why does Josh feel like he can take the ball from on end to the other end of the court?! SMH
Big Lou
February 15th, 2012
10:41 pm
Again, Josh Smith kills a comeback with an idiotic play. The guy scores points, but he always screws up at the wrong times.
Lame Larry
February 15th, 2012
10:41 pm
Marvin & referee both watching the game instead of playing.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 15th, 2012
10:41 pm
Josh for 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Slimjr
February 15th, 2012
10:41 pm
Josh just hit his 1st jumper and its a three! New streak starting up..
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 15th, 2012
10:41 pm
lol Josh not even lookin for the guards now
Spyro
February 15th, 2012
10:41 pm
How the hell did Morris get away with that?
LT
February 15th, 2012
10:42 pm
“Coast 2 Coast turnover by PG Josh Smith”
EXACTLY!!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 15th, 2012
10:42 pm
Phoenix has gone cold and is letting the Hawks hang around, and the Hawks can’t take advantage.
Ms. Jones
February 15th, 2012
10:42 pm
JOSH FOOOR oh my bad a turnover
Spyro
February 15th, 2012
10:43 pm
Josh!
Lame Larry
February 15th, 2012
10:43 pm
Get Vlad outta there !
Derrick
February 15th, 2012
10:43 pm
Josh for 3!
76-71 now…
Ms. Jones
February 15th, 2012
10:43 pm
JOSH FOR THREEEEEEEEE!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 15th, 2012
10:43 pm
Josh’s 3s have been the most consistent offensive option since Kirk replaced Teague.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
February 15th, 2012
10:43 pm
SMGDH @ this team
There are no plays run.
LOL @ LD’s “motion offense.” He said it’d be like any other we’ve ever seen. Someone posted a link to that blog a week or so ago
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 15th, 2012
10:43 pm
lol@jeje
Ra'mon
February 15th, 2012
10:43 pm
To FACT:, ‘Ra’mon has a crush on Josh’.
Its actually quite the contrary. I would trade Josh for a few players in the league, but none who are not in the All Star game, and none who are past their prime.
I just think Josh and Joe are under appreciated on this blog. People get mad at Joe because of his contract. But I’ve yet to see the NBA player who signed themselves. I’ve never played in the NBA, but if Gearon came and offered me a $124 million contract, I’d be out their on the plane tomorrow. The fact remains Joe is still the 3rd best SG in the game now. Sund is a terrible GM. LD can’t coach. Yet the Hawks keep making it to the 2nd round. It has to be because Joe and Josh are better than people say they are. People get mad because Joe goes and scores 15 points against a team that is doubling him the entire game. But if I recall Boston did the same thing to the great Lebron and Kobe, until they got more help.
Do you guys notice we still haven’t seen the Hawks play with a legit starting lineup. Marvin has always been there. And Bibby was at the PG spot. Now when Teague is starting, Al goes down to make way for Zaza in the starting line up. So for the past 3-4 seasons we’ve basically seen the Hawks play 3 on 5 majority of the time. Get on management to get the team a LEGIT starting lineup. And then see what Josh and Joe can do.
Big Lou
February 15th, 2012
10:43 pm
So… to help our offensive woes. LD puts in two outside shooters, instead of people who can penetrate. What an idiot. Without the lucky Josh Smith threes, they’d still be down more than ten.
TMACfan
February 15th, 2012
10:43 pm
WTF NEXT THING JOSH DOES IS 13 POINTS IN 33 SECONDS LOL AM I DREAMING!?!?!
Slimjr
February 15th, 2012
10:43 pm
He’ll be hoisting up air balls in a few minutes…Stay tuned….
Najeh Davenpoop
February 15th, 2012
10:44 pm
As abysmal as the Hawks have been on D they actually have a chance to steal this game.
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 15th, 2012
10:44 pm
……….and amazingly somehow we’re still in this game
bigdave
February 15th, 2012
10:44 pm
Josh carrying us.
Slimjr
February 15th, 2012
10:44 pm
point guard Josh!
Spyro
February 15th, 2012
10:44 pm
Good recovery at the end of the Q by Josh.
TMACfan
February 15th, 2012
10:45 pm
When Josh plays with heart he is truly amazing.
Lame Larry
February 15th, 2012
10:45 pm
Hawks need layup practice EVERYDAY. I saw them miss 12 layups thru 3 qtrs.
Melvin
February 15th, 2012
10:45 pm
All F*k it. Just let Josh do what he wants to do…. He’s 50-50 right now. Its either going to be a great or terrible play for the Hawks….LOL
Derrick
February 15th, 2012
10:45 pm
Hawks showing life. “A late flurry.” Game within 4 points now.
Suns will now go on a 8-0 run and run this game back up to a 12-point lead.
Seems like the Hawks’ momentums are always namby-pamby.
TMACfan
February 15th, 2012
10:45 pm
If only Atlanta played with this much heart all the time….