Atlanta Hawks at Blazers: Game thread
Portland–Hawks center Jason Collins (elbow) got bad news from his recent checkup: “Another two to four more weeks. They showed me the MRI on the screen and the severity of the tear and highly recommended I stay in this brace so I can get back to the court as quickly as possible.”
- Collins will wear the brace around the clock and won’t be able to do any rehab until it comes off. “We started testing how the scar tissue is, the joint is still loose and cracking so there’s no scar tissue yet,” he said. “Got to give it more time to heal.”
- Erick Dampier’s 10-day contract is up after tonight’s game. Larry Drew said the team hasn’t decided if it will sign Dampier to another 10-day, add him for the rest of the season or seek a different free agent. “Rick Sund is here and we’ll visit after the game,” Drew said.
- Joe Johnson is wearing a soft brace on his problematic left knee. Johnson, as is his nature, shrugged it off: “It’s no big deal. Tendenitis flared up on it, but we’ve got to go up with what we’ve got. I’ve got tendinitis real bad right here [around patellar tendon]. Its’ tough at times but I had a couple days of rest so I should be all right.”
- In the eight games since scoring 30 points to lift Atlanta to the W at Toronto, Johnson averaged 13.8 points and shot 38 percent from the field. He scored a season-low six points and missed eight of 10 shots at Phoenix.
- Drew: “The last game I thought he was a little tired. His shots were a little short. When that happens, usually it’s the legs. When the physical fatigue sets in, usually the mental fatigue is not far behind. Hopefully those days off will help. We didn’t do much yesterday. He was moving very well yesterday so hopefully he had a chance to get some rest.”
- Johnson is playing 36 minutes per game after averaging 35.5 last season. Both are lows for his time in Atlanta but of obviously the minutes this year are exacerbated by the busy schedule.
- Drew on Josh Smith: “It’s kind of weird because he’s one of those guys when he gets it going, I do run plays for him, but he’s come to me and said, ‘Don’t run plays for me, just get everybody else going and I will try to find my own offense.’”
- LaMarcus Aldridge (ankle) is starting for the Blazers.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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379 comments Add your comment
J.J.M.
February 18th, 2012
10:39 pm
refs calling everything for the blazers
Melvin
February 18th, 2012
10:39 pm
Hawks are getting some BS calls
Section 212
February 18th, 2012
10:40 pm
We need Teague back in game
IceColdATLien
February 18th, 2012
10:40 pm
YOu’re right Najeh, the transition D sucked… which is why Teague got yanked sooner than normal. I just think the team is better served with Teague being the change of pace PG coming off the bench… but I still would want Jeff to play starter’s minutes. We just always seem to start games vs. good opponents so poorly, and it seems like a vet PG would alter that for the better.
J.J.M.
February 18th, 2012
10:42 pm
wow really no foul call???
ntrigue
February 18th, 2012
10:42 pm
Hawks getting no calls!!!
Section 212
February 18th, 2012
10:42 pm
Ref are reluctant to call anything for the Hawks…..Ivan was clearly pushed in the back
Melvin
February 18th, 2012
10:42 pm
LD doesn’t even argue for his players. Ivan got foul….
ntrigue
February 18th, 2012
10:43 pm
Bring Teague back Drew!
Section 212
February 18th, 2012
10:43 pm
IceCold……1906?
J.J.M.
February 18th, 2012
10:43 pm
yea LD should have took a tech
Astro Joe
February 18th, 2012
10:44 pm
I get that Green has been better than TMac and has earned the ceremonial status of “6th man”. But Vlad came into this game before TMac, which is very strange.
Big Lou
February 18th, 2012
10:44 pm
Refs full of crap tonight.
MattP
February 18th, 2012
10:45 pm
Can we please get a center on a 10 day contract that Drew isn’t afraid to play.
J.J.M.
February 18th, 2012
10:45 pm
another miss 3 from joe
Najeh Davenpoop
February 18th, 2012
10:45 pm
0 offensive rebounds for the Hawks in this game. Zaza had a chance for one but volleyballed it away.
Big Lou
February 18th, 2012
10:46 pm
I guess they are tired of the team losing at home. Refs, help us!
Astro Joe
February 18th, 2012
10:46 pm
Dang it, Joe, leave those 3s alone.
Melvin
February 18th, 2012
10:46 pm
Hinrich didn’t do nothing while he was in there.
J.J.M.
February 18th, 2012
10:46 pm
welp its been good later people
IceColdATLien
February 18th, 2012
10:46 pm
1906?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 18th, 2012
10:46 pm
2 turnovers by T-Mac. He doesn’t look like he has it.
O'Brien
February 18th, 2012
10:47 pm
I see Joe’s 3-pt struggles are continuing.
Section 212
February 18th, 2012
10:47 pm
The #10 ref has made every call against the Hawks
Astro Joe
February 18th, 2012
10:48 pm
Teague has to be more aggressive so his man won’t look to double Josh.
Old Man Peabody
February 18th, 2012
10:48 pm
Hawks have a major problem, they only attack the rim when Teague is in the game. Too many jumpers
IceColdATLien
February 18th, 2012
10:49 pm
Melvin, no he didn’t do much himself, but the +/- of Teague was -4 and +2 for Kirk. Plus/minus isn’t always the best indicator, but it does help differentiate the impact of a PG without comparing individual stats.
Section 212
February 18th, 2012
10:49 pm
Have the Heat had a road trip of this type this season?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 18th, 2012
10:49 pm
4 offensive rebounds and the Blazers still couldn’t score. Hawks got lucky.
O'Brien
February 18th, 2012
10:50 pm
Kurt Thomas. 4 rebs in 5 minutes
ZaZa: 3 rebs in 15 mins.
I dont know why the ASG didnt go after Kurt Thomas when he was available. Him, Ivan and ZaZa off the bench would have been nice.
MattP
February 18th, 2012
10:50 pm
The Hawks rebounding is terrible
ntrigue
February 18th, 2012
10:50 pm
Refs are calling everything against the Hawks!
Jay Dubu
February 18th, 2012
10:50 pm
Why does Josh like to hang out around the 3 point line?
Section 212
February 18th, 2012
10:50 pm
1906….if you have to ask, then you don’t know.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 18th, 2012
10:51 pm
The Blazers have 12 more field goal attempts than the Hawks.
Old Man Peabody
February 18th, 2012
10:51 pm
The Heat just finished a six game road trip last night.
Big Lou
February 18th, 2012
10:51 pm
Where’s the calls? The refs are making this game hard to watch. I’ve counted three horrible calls that gave the Blazers points.
TMACfan
February 18th, 2012
10:51 pm
This game is very frustrating to watch.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 18th, 2012
10:52 pm
” the +/- of Teague was -4 and +2 for Kirk”
Yeah, because Willie Green made shots and the Blazers’ bench didn’t.
Melvin
February 18th, 2012
10:52 pm
IceCold,
Hinrich had the luxury of playing most of his mins against the Blazers subs and rookie PG.
ntrigue
February 18th, 2012
10:52 pm
They need to stop running that sorry pick n roll w Zaza and Teague! Let Teague take his man run Teague Iso!
IceColdATLien
February 18th, 2012
10:52 pm
Offensive Rebounds: Portland – 7; Hawks – 0.
IceColdATLien
February 18th, 2012
10:54 pm
Najeh, Green was getting good looks because the offense wasn’t quite as dis-organized, but I hear ya.
Big Lou
February 18th, 2012
10:54 pm
Refs are going to win this game.
TMACfan
February 18th, 2012
10:54 pm
The refs are calling everything for the Blazers and nothing for the Hawks.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 18th, 2012
10:54 pm
Good idea switching Zaza onto Aldridge, but Zaza commits the foul.
MattP
February 18th, 2012
10:55 pm
I think the #10 ref has money on the Blazers
Section 212
February 18th, 2012
10:55 pm
Old Man…The Heat played all 6 games East of the Mississippi.
Section 212
February 18th, 2012
10:57 pm
The Hawks have gone from Orlando to LA, to Phoenix to Portland – Chicago – NY
Najeh Davenpoop
February 18th, 2012
10:57 pm
Keep attacking Teague.