Atlanta Hawks: Hawks 101, Suns 99
Phoenix–I’ll let Willie Green sum it up: “First half we allowed them to dictate the tempo of the game. They pretty much got anything they wanted. They just controlled the game. The second half we threw that zone at them, threw them off rhythm a little bit, got our hands up on their shots, got some fastbreak points. We got right back in the game.”
- The Suns shredded the Hawks through three quarters. The Hawks hung around because Willie Green, Jeff Teague and Josh Smith made 3s, Smith controlled the boards and they collected 11 steals.
- The Hawks started to pull away to win in the fourth quarter because the zone slowed Phoenix’s screen-roll game and the Suns couldn’t make enough shots or pry away misses from Smith. “I thought the turning point was we couldn’t seem to get anything going against their zone,” Alvin Gentry said.
- In the fourth quarter Smith scored 10 points and rebounded six of Phoenix’s eight misses. Green and Vladimir Radmanovic each made a timely 3. It also helped that Steve Nash (!) and Ronnie Price picked up some ill-timed technical fouls.
- It wasn’t always pretty for the Hawks. They had some bumbling plays, like Vlad Rad and Kirk Hinrich fumbling away a simple handoff exchange and Josh stepping out of the bounds while setting up for a 3. Josh couldn’t quite kick his jumper habit.
- But the Hawks won and now get two days without a game for the first time all season. “I thought it was a typo on my schedule,” Larry Drew said. “We need it in the worst way. I told the guys I don’t even want to see them tomorrow, just get away.”
- “I don’t want to see him either,” Josh said. “I want to see the bed, the pillow, the cover.”
- Smith deserves some sleep. He played the entire fourth quarter and alternated between scoring on Js and by attacking the basket. He was a beast on the boards, had two steals and was a menace patrolling the middle of the zone in the small lineup.
- “I just wanted to be aggressive,” Josh said. “I knew they were keying in on Joe [Johnson] and we needed some offense somewhere else. Me and Willie definitely picked up the slack. We played like we were supposed to be playing throughout the game.”
- Josh almost didn’t get his chance to carry the Hawks late. “I was going to pull Josh out early in fourth, but Joe said, ‘Leave him out there. He’s young.’ I’m glad he did because he just played a phenomenal game inside and out and defensively he was all over the place.”
- Joe: “When you’ve got a guy rolling like that. . . . He can handle it. He’s only 24, 25 (actually 26). He’s got some mileage left. Ride him until the wheels fall off. We’ve got two days off. He can rest tomorrow. I definitely wasn’t going to let coach take him out of the game, whether I had to sit down or not.”
- Josh’s final line in 45 minutes: 30 points on 23 shots, 17 rebounds, seven assists, four steals, three blocked shots, four turnovers.
- After Josh got off on a steady diet of post-ups during a stretch of the fourth quarter, Drew put the ball in Joe’s hands. It didn’t go well. His deliberate style slowed what had been a crisp offensive rhythm. That’s not a big problem when he’s creating and making good shots but he wasn’t doing that at winning time. “Credit guys like Willie and Vlad for coming off the bench and being ready,” Joe said.
- Most of Drew’s other moves worked out. The zone could have backfired if the Suns made shots and the Hawks couldn’t rebound but, really, it was the only hope of preventing Nash from carving them up.
- “We was having trouble guarding those guys man-to-man,” Green said. “Steve Nash is so good with the ball, if you don’t pick him up and get your hands in his vision he is hitting guys diving down at the basket for pinpoint shots. Second half we were keeping them under control, kept them on the perimeter and making them shoot over us.”
- I also can’t really fault Drew for closing with Green, Hinrich and Vlad Rad over Jeff Teague, Marvin Williams and Zaza Pachulia. And that’s not just with the benefit of hindsight.
- Teague was having a good offensive game but, when the Hawks did play man on a couple possessions, Hinrich was much better than Teague with crowding Nash and fighting over screens. Marvin was rebounding but Green was making shots (and six free throws). Zaza was having a strong game but the small lineup worked with Vlad Rad as a threat to make 3s.
- “In this kind of game you try to find the right combination of guys out there that can get you in some kind of rhythm,” Drew said. “Josh at five, Vlad at the four, it seemed to work out. We had the defense spread pretty good and we had shooters all over the place.”
- After a rough night checking Andrew Bynum, which happens, Zaza (two blocks, two steals) again more than held his own against an opponent with more accolades and a bigger paycheck. He’s never going to be nimble enough to defend a screen-roll attack this good. But he fills a valuable role on a team where driving to the basket and earning free throws and defense at the rim are scarce commodities.
- Tracy McGrady said it was his decision to sit: “Just resting”
- The Hawks still had to sweat it out at the end. After Channing Frye’s putback, Josh took the ball out from under the Suns’ basket. He sailed a long pass into the backcourt, which was a good idea because Green was breaking free. However, the pass was way too long and bounced away a few feet in front of Green.
- If Green didn’t at least touch it, it’s Phoenix ball under its basket with 2.1 seconds left. “Whatever it took, I was going to dive at it,” Green said. “I knew I just had to touch it.”
- Josh: “He’s athletic enough to run it down. He said he was definitely going to get a hand on it. I’m glad that he did. I’m really happy that he did.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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422 comments Add your comment
Rusty
February 16th, 2012
9:23 pm
It would be hard to get a lot of assists on the hawks as everybody is playing iso
pointguardslim
February 16th, 2012
9:35 pm
This guy’s trolling big time. Dont feed him!
Shoot does anyone still think we have a chance at Dwight+Ryan for Horford+Hinrich? We finally get to move Smith to SF where he’s get more all star respect.
However, the Big Trade chip is not tradeable until March 1st.
pointguardslim
February 16th, 2012
9:42 pm
pointguardslim Your comment is awaiting moderation.
February 16th, 2012
9:41 pm
everybody is playing iso because their PGs dont what works.
Cleared Baseline 2 on 2 PnR.
Hawks play 2 on 2 on one side of the Key, 2 players weakside to make plays.
People are slow on here. Ive been saying it for almost a year now. To my surprise we finally canned the LD offense and ran it.
The funny thing is we used to do this play on the regular. LD’s offense is crummy. Go to regular 2 on 2 PnR. NBA’s bread and butter play. Clearout for Josh + guard. Theres 2 many options.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ7Rvo2VuEM
pointguardslim
February 16th, 2012
9:44 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjkPlFknaqE
Everytime I try to put 2 videos up to show you guys it says “pointguardslim Your comment is awaiting moderation.” I had to copy and paste into separate posts. So on my screen this post will make 3 posts. smh
Well thats the basic play that our offense should be making. Clear out for Josh + a talented guard. Pnr Collapses the defense, forming a situation similar to a fast break. Mismatches and scrambling, defense, switches etc.
oh yeah and GO HAWKS
pointguardslim
February 16th, 2012
9:49 pm
And last video, The slides are kind of screwy so you have to pause to read them or read them fast but I’m asking you guys and MC a question in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpPprAjDeG0
To me its clear. If you had played big ball all year long, Josh Smith matched up at the 3 he would be a physical post up force a roaming wing defender & not have lost his All Star spot to frikkin Luol Deng.
Got to be more regressive in replacing Marvin. We went from Al Harrington to Marvin. Need a Ry anderson/Jon Leuer.
I would settle for Troy Murphy and hope he can be the missing key this season to playing big lineups and mismatches. Especially on the offensive glass we need Smith at the SF come playoffs.
Knicks might become those WCF Nuggets. 6′4 PG, JR + Melo, Tyson + Amare. yikes
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
February 16th, 2012
9:55 pm
Joe Johnson: 0 rebounds in 3 of the last 4 games
Only 2 givens with this team:
1) Marvin will be the invisible man
2) Joe won’t get rebounds (he is 6″7 and the biggest SG in the league)
Rusty
February 16th, 2012
9:58 pm
Co-sign@ 9:04 and 9:11
Sautee
February 16th, 2012
9:58 pm
“Sautee, I see how you twist my statements. I said that MC published that there was drama in the hawk locker room I did not say there was a fight as in someone through and punch and some one countered with a punch.”
Here’s some of your own words. Tell me how I twisted saying that you spoke of a locker room fight?
System Update
February 1st, 2012
7:26 pm
“With Al going down, cohesion and focus increased”,
“I couldn’t agree more. All the constant bickering about wanting to play another position, the refusal to assert in the post, the locker room fights, Tito getting involved, the leaks in the press, boy, it wasn’t about winning or playing as a team. ”
So you didn’t mention “locker room fights”, eh?
Liar.
Sautee
February 16th, 2012
10:00 pm
T-s,
Here’s another:
Bluntly
February 1st, 2012
8:59 pm
“Since Al is so disharmonious, and dont want to play center, its time to trade him for some one who wants play the position and wont fight his team mates about their position. Since Al wont embrace the position trade him for some one who will.”
Still denying that you talked about locker room fights?
northcyde
February 16th, 2012
10:18 pm
PG slim, there’s one slight thing wrong with your Josh at SF theory. He loves to shoot jumpers.
Even when he played the 3 last year, he did none of what you’re talking about. He stayed on the perimeter more than ever and rarely looked to post up. Instead, he’d get the ball about 20 ft away from the basket and launched jumpers.
The question isn’t where you play Josh. The question is can you change his mindset to full attack mode by playing in the paint?
You play Josh at the 3, and you’re gonna need 2 rebounding bits to gather in the misses from he, JJ, and Hinrich ( when Drew replaces Teague as the starter )
brigadierjerry
February 16th, 2012
10:18 pm
pointguardslim,
long time no speak. who do you like better as a player Ryan Anderson or Leur?You seem to like those type of players for the Hawks I think you would take Rashard Lewis in his prime as well for the Hawks.
Also give me your thoughts on Jeremy Lin as a player
ntrigue
February 16th, 2012
10:20 pm
Ton Thiboudeu just gave his team a mouthful something Drew doesn’t do when were having a bad run!
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
February 16th, 2012
10:21 pm
northcyde,
Joe has 3 rebounds in the last 4 games. You’re the guy always saying rebounding wins championships.
Thoughts on Joe’s rebounding lately?
northcyde
February 16th, 2012
10:40 pm
JJ has sucked rebounding. 3 rebounds in 4 games is unacceptable. He’s letting these teams take him right out of the game and he’s living on the perimeter way too much. I haven’t liked the way he’s played this month at all.
northcyde
February 16th, 2012
11:01 pm
I see 82games.com finally decided to update their stats after 2 1/2 weeks. Here are the updated Hawk stats
hawkfan
February 16th, 2012
11:12 pm
i see kenyon martin smiling having a good time playing on the clippers
Slimjr
February 16th, 2012
11:17 pm
Joe is tired, so is Kobe, from the eye ball test.. Exhaustion makes cowards of us all!
This condensed schedule is starting to catch up to some players like Joe, like Kobe…….
Man, Portland is going to be a problem! ..They are giving the Clippers the business on TNT right now!
Slimjr
February 16th, 2012
11:21 pm
Dont like Josh at the 3 spot..Weak handles and broke J…
Your small forward has to be skilled like a 2 guard but larger and stronger.. He’s a special basketball player cause he can utilized his perimeter skills or post play to be productive and score the ball to take the pressure off his guards..Thats why those guys get paid handsomely! And Should”
JC1 is nailing his 3’s tonight on TNT!
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
February 16th, 2012
11:43 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bra2trCZ578
High-sider
February 16th, 2012
11:55 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_LAAjEKCVY
High-sider
February 16th, 2012
11:57 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0SzktZaAy8
Streak O`Lean
February 16th, 2012
11:57 pm
fite in locker room was between jordan crawford and eton thomas.
mo evans also was envolved but it started in practice when eton was knocking jc2 aroundand
cotinued into the locker room. mo evans dont like jc2 and took etons side.
al and josh broke it up while joe watched quiet from the corner.
check my fax. thats the real fite story. look it up. etan always a fighter evan in washn ton.
wood fite with brandon hayward in practice everyday.
High-sider
February 17th, 2012
12:00 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqnN5uwoeR4&feature=related
High-sider
February 17th, 2012
12:02 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aexEdRP3htc&feature=related
High-sider
February 17th, 2012
12:07 am
Jahii Carson!
This is the type of point guard the Hawks need! Jahii Carson! You book it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KbunYon1rw
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
February 17th, 2012
12:14 am
Hawks going to the Eastern Conference Finals
High-sider
February 17th, 2012
12:14 am
Jahii Carson!
A real point up and coming point guard!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwHYtn8iTWs&feature=related
High-sider
February 17th, 2012
12:16 am
^A real up and coming point guard!
EmirS.
February 17th, 2012
12:17 am
Alright…..
Rajon Rondo for Jeremy Lin? In Fantasy Hoops. Would anyone make that trade? I refused to make it. But could I have made a mistake?
Despite Lin doing well, I feel as though he’s still raw and could be a repeat of Flip Murray. I decided to keep Rondo because he’s……Rondo…..
Oh and yea…
- Drew has no balls.
- ASG suck.
- Josh shoots to many jumpers and whines.
- Hinrich is destroying the Hawks.
- We need a true center.
- Johnson’s contract was stupid/smart.
- JJ needs to play more physically.
- We need a better coach.
- Etc,etc,etc
Now back to Rondo for Lin….was I right in keeping Rondo?
Buddy Grizzard
February 17th, 2012
12:27 am
“If LDrew benches Teague, and hinders his development and/or damages his confidence, in favor of starting a noticeably declining Hinrich, who’s in the final yr of his contract, he should be fired.” – Ken S.
I know this sounds like conspiracy theory but I honestly think Drew let drose isolate and go one-on-one vs. Teague to try to humiliate Teague and devalue him in front of a national audience. I believe LD hates Teague THAT MUCH. Kirk will be gone at the trade deadline or won’t be re-signed so Teague is the future. Seems like LD would want to be able to take credit for Teague’s development when ownership decides if they want to pick up his option for next year.
“IVAN NEED MORE MINUTES POINT BLANK PERIOD” – darrell starks
What the hell happened to Ivan?? Dude was balling out of his mind and into LD’s dog house he goes never to return. Another asset LD is completely failing to develop. LD thought Josh Powell was better than Zaza last year.
“LD was so incompetent that it took him almost the whole game to switch to ZONE or trap Nash.” – Big Lou
The Hawks win in spite of LD, not because of LD.
“If he signs with the Bulls, that gives them a legit scorer to help D-Rose when defenses get tight in the playoffs. That would be huge for the Bulls.” – O’Brien
J.R. Smith does not fit with CHI’s team-first culture. Probably 0% chance he ends up there.
“If Melo wants to win, then he will adjust to the team not the other way around!” – Slimjr
Bill Simmons on Grantland was saying the Lin situation gives Melo a second chance to start over with New York fans. If he fits in they will embrace him. Accordign to Simmons, “if he messes it up even for one game, they’re going to turn on him faster than women turned on Angelina after she broke up Brad and Jen.”
northcyde
February 17th, 2012
12:28 am
You definitely keep Rondo. I was offered Lin for David Lee and I kept David. I think Lin is the real deal, but as he plays more, teams will gameplan for him more ( similar to what teams have done with Jeff Teague ).
And lets see what happens when he starts to play some real good scoring PGs.
The Lin story is cool as hell. But always stick with what you know. Rondo is the truth.
Grandad
February 17th, 2012
12:31 am
EmirS.
You are one of my favorite bloggers;
so I will attempt to relieve your anxiety about Rondo v Jeremy Lin.
disclaimer – I don’t know nuthin’ about fantasy B-ball
Do turnovers count or hurt in fntsy b-ball ?
* J.Lin makes a slew o’ turnovers *
Besides, as you said Rondo is Rondo.
Do steals count ? If so – go Rondo !
I think Lin is for real; but ‘`how`’ real.
Stay with Rondo.
My opinion [fntsy b-ball] is worth about a half a nickel.
Good Luck !
Big Ray
February 17th, 2012
12:34 am
Road Rage is a clown & a idiot. Better off not talking to an idiot.
Yep. Because idiots take you down to their level…and then beat you with experience….
Big Ray
February 17th, 2012
12:36 am
You gotta love the Jeremy Lin story. I only hope he can stick with the team and keep doing decent/good things for them. Hate for him to be a flash in the pan.
But Najeh is right (which happens often)….the book will be out on Lin before he knows it.
Rod from College Park
February 17th, 2012
12:44 am
“Najeh, that helps the Hawks. JR is just a more athletic Crawford who will shoot a team out of a game when given the chance. And he’s not a great defender either.
Boy some of you clowns really don’t understand the game of basketball. How would JR Smith going to the Knicks help us? We have problems scoring. There are a number of great players who don’t play great defense. Paul, Nash, Melo, Jamal, Monte Ellis, Steph Curry, Derrick Rose, Mo Williams, Vince Carter, Kevin Martin….. They are great offensive players. That’s what they get paid for. Some of you guys think you can win with a team full of Bruce Bowens. LOL
Knicks bench is awful, so signing JR Smith is very smart. Looks like all they will pay him is 2.5 million. Great move. Don’t understand why the Hawks are not interested.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/02/16/report-knicks-guard-j-r-smith-closing-in-on-deal/?src=fb
Grandad
February 17th, 2012
12:44 am
Earlier today I saw some Josh for Melo talk;
and folks were saying Melo was older than Josh ?
Just by one year;
someone may have already cleared this up,
but Melo [age] 27, Josh [age] 26.
If we were to do that – age would not be a factor.
I’m * Not * saying I would be *for or against* a Josh for Melo trade.
-but-
Melo would be Batman to Joe’s Robin;
forming a better dynamic.
Melo is a Great Post Scorer (something we need).
` Tis an idea with merit.
doc
February 17th, 2012
12:51 am
lin is already dead for sure as he is now linked to a kardashian. say it aint so joe?
again, the last guy to put up numbers like this was flip murray in seattle in hie first starts.
meanwhile josh’s numbers last night in total were qeenesque and he and queen are the only two guys to have out up such a complete number of categories since 1973.
northcyde you of the ilk that pick and stay with jc2 held off on lin when offered? man with his surroundings of ballers coming together, he is going to be huge for a fantasy team though not able to keep his present pace. the only thing to get in the way is baron.
Grandad
February 17th, 2012
12:51 am
J.R. Smith may be more athletic [jump higher]
than Jamal Crawford;
but, he is ‘`not`’ more skilled.
Both can shoot, Jamal more scorer than shooter.
Jamal quite a bit more skilled all ’round.
-only an assessment-
Not saying one better, or one worth more, than the other.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
February 17th, 2012
12:53 am
Zaza – 14 Blocks this Year
John Wall – 31 Blocks this Year
Rod from College Park
February 17th, 2012
12:54 am
High-sider,
“Jahii Carson!
A real point up and coming point guard!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwHYtn8iTWs&feature=related”
Kid is nice. Jamal is balling tonight. Cat is shooting 95% from the FT line this year. Think about how many more games we would have won with him shooting free throws. We have blown 2 or three games this year because no one can hit a free throw.
Rod from College Park
February 17th, 2012
1:22 am
We should be able to beat Portland with no Aldridge. Nobody else can score except Jamal.
B'Red
February 17th, 2012
1:33 am
Joe Johnson need some Viagra because he is suffering from performanc anxiety due to that Fat A– contract he got. He is under too much pressure to perform.
aytunstoppable
February 17th, 2012
1:35 am
Damn it chill already. joe Johnson was tired damn. He gets tired too. hell kobe only had 10 points tuesday. just calm the hell down already.
High-sider
February 17th, 2012
1:36 am
Clippers sail past Blazers 74-71.
Raymond Felton officially sucks; 0-7 from the field, 0-1 from the 3pt. arc, 0-0 from the FT line, 2rebs., 2asts., 1stl., 5tos. [turnovers] and 0pts.
Former Atlanta Hawk, Jamal Crawford had a [Blazers] team[-tying] high 19pts. to go along with 3asts.
Ra'mon
February 17th, 2012
1:38 am
Rod you just named ten players and they have a collective amount of zero rings combined although they have well over sixty seasons combined. JR is a bad apple in the locker room. You put that with Amateur and a new star Lin, and you have MORE reasons for Carmelo to be unhappy! And ask Denver, when Carmelo isn’t happy NO ONE is happy. Speaking of Denver, when you’re a player, JR, and can’t get along with Karl, something is definitely wrong! Karl is the most green light coach in the league, and still thought JR was a bad team guy!
Ra'mon
February 17th, 2012
1:40 am
Meant Amare. Not amateur
High-sider
February 17th, 2012
1:41 am
Rod from College Park,
Check out my post @ 12:07am regarding Jahii Carson, if you haven’t already.
Rod from College Park
February 17th, 2012
1:48 am
“JR is a bad apple in the locker room.”
“Speaking of Denver, when you’re a player, JR, and can’t get along with Karl, something is definitely wrong! Karl is the most green light coach in the league, and still thought JR was a bad team guy!”
So I assume you have been in the locker room to see this. I guess you Kenyon Martin, Chauncy Billups and Carmelo were all talking on the phone about how bad a locker room guy JR is. LOL
I guess all of the hall of famers with no rings are terrible also. (Nique, Barkley, Malone, Stockton….)
High-sider
February 17th, 2012
1:55 am
Rod from College Park,
“Jamal is balling tonight. Cat is shooting 95% from the FT line this year.” – Rod from College Park
I tried to tell [or explain to] some of these Jamal-hating AJC bloggers that Jamal Crawford was a pure shooter as well as a pure scorer but I was laughed at and immediately dismissed and marginalized as someone who doesn’t know basketball or true ballers.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 17th, 2012
2:08 am
“We should be able to beat Portland with no Aldridge. Nobody else can score except Jamal.”
You know your favorite Hawk is going to be matched up on Gerald Wallace in that game, right? That’s not going to be pretty…