Atlanta Hawks at Knicks: Game Thread
NEW YORK — Much of the news of the day was reported earlier with the news that Joe Johnson is out of the All-Star Game because of his ailing left knee and Marvin Williams response to a report he wants out.
As the game thread, here is coach Larry Drew’s take on the adversity affecting the Hawks as the limp home from another 10-day, five-game road trip and the loss, at least temporarily, of their second all-star.
* “I want to see us respond to the fact that we have two all-stars who won’t be here. … I want to see our guys respond in a positive way and that means playing consistently from start to finish, four solid quarters.”
* “I just personally feel that this is a true test to see what our team is made of, where we are at this point. We said all along in bringing in help off the bench, veteran guys, can come in and help us in these types of situations. You lose key guys and it opens up opportunities for other guys to play. It’s a matter of us responding to the challenge.”
* “We can’t allow any adversity to step in to the fact where we fragment when the situations are what they are, given our schedule, that we have key players out. We have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep marching on.”
Also:
Drew said his team will not get caught up in the Jeremy Lin hype that is sweeping New York. In the Knicks’ last 10 games – nine with Lin as a starter – the guard has averaged 24.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 2.9 steals and 5.6 turnovers.
“The one thing that I won’t allow to happen as we prepare for New York, or any team, we don’t focus on just one guy,” Drew said. “Too much focus, too much attention on one guy and then you leave these other guys open. Our approach to the game tonight will not be to stop Jeremy Lin. It will not be that. We know what we have to do against him. We know what we have to do against the rest of their team but we will not just focus on one guy.”
As a final note, former Hawk Mike Bibby paid a pre-game visit to his old team’s locker room before the game.
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774 comments Add your comment
Runner-
February 22nd, 2012
8:28 pm
Over under 60 point half for the Knicks
KBB
February 22nd, 2012
8:28 pm
I hate this team
Jase
February 22nd, 2012
8:29 pm
We’re not going to do anything with this group sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Monger
February 22nd, 2012
8:29 pm
Josh threw his hands up….ITS OFFICIAL, THEY HAVE GIVEN UP ON THE GAME, AND LIKELY LARRY DREW IN GENERAL…HOW MANY 50 POINT BLOWOUTS CAN THIS TEAM TOLERATE… OH WAIT I FORGOT OUR OWNERS ARE ASG, TO THEM THIS IS A POSTIVE…THEY WILL SAY WE ARE ONE OF ONLY 3 TEAMS TO MAKE IT TO THE 2ND ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS 3 YEARS IN A ROW!!!
KSchmidt
February 22nd, 2012
8:29 pm
Looking at the Hawks’ upcoming schedule, I do not see a win until March 16 when the wizards come to town.
terrell
February 22nd, 2012
8:29 pm
I hate you Billy Knight.
High-sider
February 22nd, 2012
8:29 pm
Marvin is playing scared plus he has no game. What a weak combination!
smh
February 22nd, 2012
8:30 pm
Kirk is a bum look at him stinking it up out there you cant be serious
Runner-
February 22nd, 2012
8:30 pm
LD has to stick a whole new mentality in these players. When the shots aren’t falling, GO INSIDE, not the other way around!! Whenever the shots don’t fall for the Hawks, they just settle for more.
crazy_88
February 22nd, 2012
8:30 pm
Marvin step up and take the freaking charge !!!! Stop taking pictures and at least attempt to block the shot…
Teague…stop leaving Lin open and stop freaking trying to cheat on defense..
The Monger
February 22nd, 2012
8:30 pm
KNICKS 145 HAWKS 71
LETS CALL IT A NIGHT GUYS….PS3 TIME
Luke Cage
February 22nd, 2012
8:30 pm
Get the game to 10-12 points by the half and Hawks will win, Bricks will let you back in the game.
smh
February 22nd, 2012
8:30 pm
LOL@ Terrell
DREABABY
February 22nd, 2012
8:30 pm
This team sucks.They will be lucky to make the playoffs.It looks like not only do we need a true center,we need a true point guard as well.Why not give old man Stack,a little clock.
BIILY KNIGHT
February 22nd, 2012
8:30 pm
terrell I hate you to HU.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 22nd, 2012
8:31 pm
” I’m confused as to why Kirk gets lit up so bad but Teague is looked at as the savior.”
I’m “lighting up” LD’s overuse of him more than anything. At most, Kirk should have gotten the minutes Pargo was previously playing, nothing more, until he proved that he was back in shape. Instead, he cut into Teague’s minutes (and you can say what you want, but Teague was playing fine before Kirk’s return), cut into T-Mac’s minutes to the point where he complained to MC about it, and screwed up the entire bench rotation.
The dude has the second worst plus minus and the second worst PER on the team. I really don’t see what you are defending.
Runner-
February 22nd, 2012
8:31 pm
Zaza and Dampier total +/- is -2
ATLien 4 Life
February 22nd, 2012
8:31 pm
Marvin wants out of ATL, the way he is playing tonight makes a good case for him to leave… Marvin stay in NY will ship you your stuff….
Mac-Town (#maconchevyrider)
February 22nd, 2012
8:31 pm
this team cant even compete now with any decent teams?
smh
February 22nd, 2012
8:32 pm
Like I said get ready to see us on ESPN lob city in NYC
Runner-
February 22nd, 2012
8:32 pm
Guards just standing around after Zaza hits the ball out
The Monger
February 22nd, 2012
8:32 pm
I REALLY WANT THE KNICKS TO BEAT US BY 50…JUST SO ASG CAN GET THEIR COLLECTIVE HEADS OUT OF THEIR ^*&% AND REALIZE JUST HOW BAD THIS TEAM IS….JUST HOW BAD THIS COACH IS, AND JUST HOW BAD THEIR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION IS!!!
terrell
February 22nd, 2012
8:32 pm
How embarrasing.
bigdave
February 22nd, 2012
8:33 pm
is Marvin playing?
Rusty
February 22nd, 2012
8:33 pm
Ice Cold your as dumb as that azzhole LD.
Luke Cage
February 22nd, 2012
8:33 pm
@The Monger
They don’t & won’t care
smh
February 22nd, 2012
8:33 pm
Marvin if you dont wanna stick your hand up stick that big duck booty in the way
Najeh Davenpoop
February 22nd, 2012
8:33 pm
http://www.82games.com/1112/1112ATL1.HTM
Teague +5 per 48 minutes. Kirk -1.4 per 48 minutes. Pargo +2.3 per 48 minutes.
MattP
February 22nd, 2012
8:33 pm
This bad of a blowout and LD has only used one timeout? WTF
Runner-
February 22nd, 2012
8:34 pm
Is it possible to forfeit a game?
smh
February 22nd, 2012
8:34 pm
Zaza aka Drago from Rocky
terrell
February 22nd, 2012
8:34 pm
Marvin Gaye Williams you just flat out suck. GTFOOH!
Jase
February 22nd, 2012
8:34 pm
We do not have a half court game. Thanks LD!!!!!!
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
February 22nd, 2012
8:35 pm
This team sucks
smh
February 22nd, 2012
8:35 pm
Weredown 20 + andMelo hasnt even got double figures
Runner-
February 22nd, 2012
8:35 pm
“Pargo +2.3 per 48 minutes.”
And that’s with Pargo playing with the reserves, Kirk and Teague pretty much play with the starters the same amount of time.
TMACfan
February 22nd, 2012
8:35 pm
Is it AllStar break yet?
The Monger
February 22nd, 2012
8:35 pm
I understand Nique and Bob (or whatever his name is), work for the Hawks, but how can any human being, especially Hawks fans/announcers, sit down and talk softly when this embarrasment to the city of Atlanta is parading around the court. I would be SCREAMING and CURSING NON STOP if i was sitting right next to the Bench. In fact, I think I will buy a front row seat next home game (the only money i will ever give this ownership group) just to scream at this whole team, and every passionless, heartless player and coach…money well spent…
BIG DOG
February 22nd, 2012
8:36 pm
Wow i can’t believe the score.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Luke Cage
February 22nd, 2012
8:36 pm
Man this is TUUUUURIBLE!!
smh
February 22nd, 2012
8:36 pm
I bet we hear the same story tonight how we came out flat didnt compete showed no effort doesnt all this reflect on the coach?
crazy_88
February 22nd, 2012
8:36 pm
I don’t know If its a lack of ” practice ” time or what…but its embarrasing that some of the Hawks players don’t know where to go on offense or what sets are being called…I’m tired of seeing guys like Tracy having to point to guys who are STARTERS (Marvin, Teague) on where they should be on the floor or point out that their spacing is bad.
Guys are bumping into each other…arguing on defense…NO COMMUNICATION
Guards can’t bring the ball down the court without turning the ball over…Guys are taking bad jump shots…
LD is not providing any direction, discipline, nothing whatsoever..
I would love to be a fly on the wall during one of their practice sessions…Players probably be tweeting and texting on their Iphones…
High-sider
February 22nd, 2012
8:36 pm
One of the Knicks’ announcers said that the Hawks [as a team] are averaging just 86ppg in [the month of] February…miss Jamal Crawford now?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 22nd, 2012
8:37 pm
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/ATL/2012.html
Teague PER 16.1
Kirk PER 7.2
Pargo PER 12.2
PER is far from perfect, and only takes into account counting stats. So it could be possible that Kirk isn’t putting up counting stats, but is making an intangible impact (maybe he plays good on ball defense, maybe the offense flows better with him, or something). That’s what plus/minus usually tells you, and yet Kirk is near the bottom in that too.
The problem isn’t that he’s not as good as Teague. For you to argue that he is better than Teague at anything is quite frankly laughable and the stats bear that out. The real problem is that he isn’t even as good as Pargo was when he had the backup PG job all to himself, and yet LD gives him minutes like he is.
IceColdATLien
February 22nd, 2012
8:37 pm
Monger, I made the same +/- comparison during the last game where Teague had a -12 and Kirk had a +6, but it was pointed out that Kirk played against subs. Tonight it’s the flipside, and now people want to reference it as rock-solid proof of Teague’s dominance.
At the end, it just seems like Kirk is better suited to play with our starters because he’s also a vet who won’t kowtow to knuckleheads like Smoove and Marvin, but would rather run the show the way a PG should. Jeff still looks lost half the time and defers to Smoove and JJ (eventhough he ain’t playing tonight) and we ALL know what happens to our offense when JJ or Smoove takes over. Maybe starting Kirk, bringing Jeff off the bench, but still giving Jeff a majority of the minutes because he is physicall more gifted then Kirk, would be a better way of getting the chemistry right and hopefully not start these games against good opponents so damn poorly.
BIG DOG
February 22nd, 2012
8:37 pm
Marvin still starting SMH.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
DREABABY
February 22nd, 2012
8:37 pm
Well i guess we really do need Al after all.This is what a team without J,J looks like.
TMACfan
February 22nd, 2012
8:37 pm
When has NY been a good defensive team?!?!
crazy_88
February 22nd, 2012
8:37 pm
Get Willie Green out…He’s a defensive liability…and he’s only good when he’s making shots…tonight he’s a wash.
smh
February 22nd, 2012
8:37 pm
Lin traveled