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
O'Brien
February 19th, 2012
12:03 am
Wow. It was a foul on Teague, but they picked it as the play of the game. Haha
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2012
12:03 am
This is going to be the Hawks’ 6th loss of the month, officially making my 8-5 prediction for the month impossible.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2012
12:05 am
Only explanation I can see for Josh remaining on the floor is that he has a shot at a triple double.
Slimjr
February 19th, 2012
12:05 am
emphasis on the operative word “contagious”
Its mental. When one of the leaders is misfiring it spreads like wild fire…Human Nature I suppose?
TMACfan
February 19th, 2012
12:06 am
PLAY IVAN!
tb hawk fan i think
February 19th, 2012
12:06 am
as the heat and majic move on out of sight
Slimjr
February 19th, 2012
12:06 am
4-9 is looking better and better for the month…Terrible if it happens?
Playoffs?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2012
12:07 am
Josh wants that triple double. LMAO
Melvin
February 19th, 2012
12:07 am
LOL, Josh is trying to get a triple double….
Melvin
February 19th, 2012
12:07 am
Najeh,
We’re seeing the same thing…
O'Brien
February 19th, 2012
12:08 am
JJ’s last 6 games (including tonight).
7-33 from 3. 21%
Slimjr
February 19th, 2012
12:08 am
Bulls by 22 on National TV Monday! Ho Hum!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2012
12:08 am
“JJ’s last 6 games (including tonight).
7-33 from 3. 21%”
Clearly he’s saving it for the 3 point contest.
High-sider
February 19th, 2012
12:09 am
Hawks can’t score and Jamal refuses to [score]
Slimjr
February 19th, 2012
12:09 am
National TV and the Hawks= Major Fail…………
northcyde
February 19th, 2012
12:10 am
Vlad and Kirk
33 minutes
0 – 6 fg
1 point
3.rebs
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2012
12:10 am
Josh gets his triple double.
Ivan should have been playing a lot earlier than this.
Melvin
February 19th, 2012
12:10 am
Ivan took a dribble before he hit that shot. Will they give Josh the assist?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2012
12:11 am
Everyone on the Hawks’ bench looking up to see if Josh is going to get credit for that dime.
Slimjr
February 19th, 2012
12:11 am
Larry has go ta go….
TMACfan
February 19th, 2012
12:11 am
I can’t believe they even care about the triple double… unbeleivable
Slimjr
February 19th, 2012
12:11 am
got
got ^^^^^
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
February 19th, 2012
12:11 am
What’s the excuse tonight LD?
northcyde
February 19th, 2012
12:13 am
Ivan comes into the game and immediately outscores Vlad and kirk
Slimjr
February 19th, 2012
12:13 am
We lacked energy….I cant figure it out(Larry’s voice)
TMACfan
February 19th, 2012
12:13 am
Can we get Jeff Van Gundy atleast?
Melvin
February 19th, 2012
12:13 am
NBA.com didnt give Josh the 10th assist.
IceColdATLien
February 19th, 2012
12:13 am
Najeh, Teague has been “fine” in those few games you chose (didn’t realize playing well against Rubio, Chalmers, Holiday meant so much… and Radmonovic dropped 17 on the Bulls in that game, so pretty much everyone played well against Chi… and for every good game you show me I can show you 2 or 3 where he basically sucked… check out his line tonight), but you’re doggin’ on Kirk like he’s not even in the same category with the “great” Teague.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2012
12:14 am
Pargo can’t even get on the floor in garbage time.
O'Brien
February 19th, 2012
12:15 am
With Kirk and Teague both struggling, what does Pargo have to do to get some real minutes?
TMACfan
February 19th, 2012
12:15 am
FIRE LD LIRE LD FIRE LD LIRE LD
FIRE LD LIRE LD FIRE LD LIRE LD
FIRE LD LIRE LD FIRE LD LIRE LD
FIRE LD LIRE LD FIRE LD LIRE LD
FIRE LD LIRE LD FIRE LD LIRE LD
FIRE LD LIRE LD FIRE LD LIRE LD
FIRE LD LIRE LD FIRE LD LIRE LD
Rocky
February 19th, 2012
12:16 am
Marvin, Joe and Jeff combined for 5 rebounds. FIVE.
Spyro
February 19th, 2012
12:17 am
We lacked energy….I cant figure it out(Larry’s voice)
Well, there is your post-game summary.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2012
12:18 am
“didn’t realize playing well against Rubio, Chalmers, Holiday meant so much”
You’re changing the argument around. First it was “he doesn’t play well against good teams”, and now that I show you several games where he plays well against good teams (those weren’t the only ones by the way), you point out the players he went against. Holiday is one of the best point guard defenders in the league, just for the record, and Teague played well in both games against Philly.
“Radmonovic dropped 17 on the Bulls in that game, so pretty much everyone played well against Chi”
What does this have to do with anything? If anything, doesn’t that show that the offense was running well with Teague at point guard?
“and for every good game you show me I can show you 2 or 3 where he basically sucked”
I can do this for Joe and Josh too, doesn’t mean they are not the best options on this team at their positions.
“you’re doggin’ on Kirk like he’s not even in the same category with the “great” Teague.”
I’m not dogging him at all, just saying he’s not the best point guard on this team. He’s a good backup.
northcyde
February 19th, 2012
12:19 am
Poor Marvin.
Even when he plays halfway decent he can’t get extended minutes, due to Drew having a man crush on Vlad.
Rocky
February 19th, 2012
12:19 am
It’s clear that Josh wants to be Lebron James so just move him to SF and start Ivan or something. Then move this team to Alaska or some shhhh
Slimjr
February 19th, 2012
12:20 am
Batum owned Marvin tonight..Made him look 5′9″
Greg
February 19th, 2012
12:21 am
WHY ARE WE SO BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Section 212
February 19th, 2012
12:21 am
LD lost this game when he took Teague out of the game after 6 minutes, then did not play Ivan
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2012
12:21 am
Anyway, I have no problem admitting that Teague played like sh-t tonight and went Marvin on several shots that he should have made. I just refuse to agree that this has any meaning beyond being one bad game. He’s still the 3rd best active player on this team and the best option at the point guard position.
Bottom line is he is the only player on this team who can consistently break down a defense, and that makes his presence on the court valuable even when he’s not playing at his best. Kind of like how Josh is the only interior help defender on this team, making his presence on the court valuable even when he’s not playing at his best. You can blame Sund for not acquiring more depth on this roster, but it is what it is.
Old Man Peabody
February 19th, 2012
12:22 am
4 of the 6 loses have been by double digits this month, not a good trend.
Slimjr
February 19th, 2012
12:23 am
Portland defense was stout tonight.They contested every shot..They moved their feet well and seem to always be in position to defend the drive or J!
Portland seemed to be a step or two faster also…Very athletic bunch for sure….
O'Brien
February 19th, 2012
12:24 am
northcyde,
LD is even going with Vlad over Ivan or Dampier.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2012
12:25 am
Maybe if the Hawks had traded Jamal at the deadline last year for T-Mac, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Wallace and a pick (like I wanted them to do), they could have used the pick on another help defender or dribble penetrator, making the presence of Teague or Josh on the floor less vital. Maybe if the Hawks had simply cut Bibby instead of packaging a first rounder AND Jordan Crawford for Kirk, they could have used that pick or made a less costly trade to get a help defender or dribble penetrator to make Teague or Josh’s presence on the floor less vital.
But they have mismanaged their assets for several years, which is why they only have one interior help defender, one dribble penetrator, one go-to scorer, etc. when other teams have multiple players who can do those things. And until they find a way to manage their assets better and improve their depth, they are going to have to roll with Teague, Josh, and Joe even when those players are not playing well.
O'Brien
February 19th, 2012
12:26 am
Look for Jerome to say “LD was in the locker room longer than usual”.
Slimjr
February 19th, 2012
12:26 am
“LD lost this game when he took Teague out of the game after 6 minutes”
He does this every freaking game since Capt Kirk came back and it disrupts the timing…
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2012
12:27 am
LD thinks the Hawks got off to a good start. The Blazers shot something like 60% in the first quarter.
An offensive coach through and through.
Old Man Peabody
February 19th, 2012
12:27 am
Of all the playoff teams in both the East and West, Hawks have the worst winning percentage against teams .500 or better
Najeh Davenpoop
February 19th, 2012
12:29 am
The irony, of course, is that while Woody was a defensive coach, the Hawks consistently ranked better offensively than defensively under Woody. And now with LD, an offensive coach, the Hawks rank better on D than on O.
MattP
February 19th, 2012
12:29 am
I hate to watch this team because this coach does not have a clue what he is doing. Why couldn’t he have gave Pargo a try when both Teague and Hinrich were struggling? Why not play a front court of Josh, Ivan, Zaza? What happened to Dampier, isn’t that a guy they sign to a 10 day contract to help them out in the middle.
Hawks got dominated on rebounds, bench only had a total of 2 rebounds!