Atlanta Hawks: Knicks 99, Hawks 82
Here is my updated game story from the Hawks lost to the Knicks Wednesday.
NEW YORK — How would the Hawks respond without Joe Johnson?
They stayed with the Knicks for 7 minutes, 16 seconds — and then they melted. The Knicks used a 16-0 run to end the first quarter and went on to a 99-82 victory over the Hawks on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Forget Lin-sanity. The Hawks are caught up in adversity.
With Johnson back in Atlanta nursing tendinitis in his left knee, he became the second All-Star the Hawks have been without this season. Al Horford is out with a torn pectoral muscle. While Johnson should not be out for an extended period of time, his loss compounded what has been a troublesome stint.
The Hawks (19-14) lost their third consecutive game on a just-completed 1-4 road trip. It was their eighth loss in the past 11 games. In those 11 games the Hawks have trailed by 30 points three times — including Wednesday — and by 20 points four other times.
“I want to see us respond to the fact that we have two All-Stars who won’t be here,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said before the game. “… I just personally feel that this is a true test to see what our team is made of, where we are at this point.”
After the Hawks took a 16-14 lead with 4:44 left in the first quarter, the Knicks went on the decisive run. They led 30-16 following the opening quarter. The Hawks turned the ball over eight times while making only seven field goals (7-for-20, 35 percent). With less than a minute to go in the first half, the Hawks trailed by 27 points. The Knicks’ lead was 30 points by early in the third quarter.
“We didn’t respond,” Drew said. “Particularly when they made a little push and pressured us a little bit we didn’t respond the way we should have. A game like tonight is one of those games you are going to have to bounce back from because we will have another game without Joe [Thursday] night. We have to play a little bit better each quarter, each guy has to give a little bit more.”
The Hawks went on a 19-2 run in the third quarter to close the gap to 13 points, 69-56. Jerry Stackhouse and Jeff Teague each made two 3-pointers in the run. But that has been the problem as of late. Such big runs don’t put the opposition away, they only make a blowout a little less ugly.
It was as close as the Hawks would get. The Knicks answered with a 17-2 run to take back control.
“We just got outplayed from the start,” Tracy McGrady said. “We just didn’t match their intensity. I think the first half we dug ourselves a deep hole. The second half we came out with a lot more intensity, a lot more energy but by that time it was too late.
Jeremy Lin, who has led the Knicks to wins in nine of their past 11 games and has become a city-wide sensation, scored a team-high 17 points with nine assists. He watched most of the fourth quarter from the bench. In the past 11 games (10 starts), Lin has averaged 23.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 2.8 steals and 5.5 turnovers.
“It’s tough to guard him,” Teague said. “They play a thousand pick and rolls. It’s always going to be tough coming off a pick and roll.”
The Knicks, who got points from nine players, also got double-figures scoring from Steve Novak (17), Landry Fields (16), Carmelo Anthony (15), and J.R. Smith (12).
Teague led the Hawks with a game-high 18 points. Willie Green scored 15 points and Josh Smith added 13 points.
“We were a little careless in the first half with the ball,” Smith said. “We had opportunities in the fast break and the half court to score the basketball but we turned the ball over too many times. It seemed like every time we did that, they capitalized on it.”
The Hawks host the Magic on Thursday night before beginning the All-Star break. It will be another game without Johnson.
“It’s definitely tough,” Smith said of missing the six-time All-Star and the team’s leading scorer. “You are taking away 18 points a game. The defense concentrates so hard on trying to stop him that it opens a lot of stuff with everybody else. We definitely missed him tonight.”
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290 comments Add your comment
B'Red
February 23rd, 2012
1:12 am
The Hawks and a sad bunch, a lot of it has to do with coaching. Do they even know how to run a pick and roll play..Joe Johnson wouldn’t have made a difference for them tonight. He woud have given them 12 pts on 4 for 17 shooting tonight. He never should have been voted to the allstar team and he not a superstar, Nique.
Grandad
February 23rd, 2012
1:31 am
Goal = lottery pick
lottery pick should be / Thomas Robinson Kansas
we would have to get as high as # 4 through 8 to get him
* # 8 may not be high enough
We do not want Fab Melo
*[I don't think]*
I haven’t seen enough film yet … but;
I do not think his talent level would be worthy of a lottery choice.
With our current # 1 we should pick John Jenkins / Vandy
* more to come on him / best shooter in draft /
* may be best shooter to come along in a while !
* 2nd rounders we should be able to acquire:
** Festus Ezeli / Vandy / 6-11; Big shot blkr; strong
** Bernard James / Fla St / 6-10; old for class; served in military;
has been to war; from Savannah Ga.; shot blkr; great story !
_____________________________________________
That’s it for now
JaeEvolution
February 23rd, 2012
2:21 am
Fab Melo is surely not worth a lottery pick Grandad, I agree with that. But anywhere outside would look like a steal in years to come, has the potential to be a Tyson Chandler type.
John Jenkins I like his game a lot, certified scorer, long range shooter supreme but he is not what we need, however were Melo off the board I would look to him as the next option.
vava74
February 23rd, 2012
2:43 am
Just a quick commentary:
we were down by 2 when LD made his trademark move “let’s take Teague out” with plenty of time left in the 1st quarter.
the guy is 23 years old, he is not tired by then.
the Knicks went on a 12-0 run from that point onwards.
actually, even if we do not want to link this to Teague, WHY ON EARTH did LD go with 5 bench players at the same time to close the quarter when we are already shorthanded with 2 starters out?
it’s going to war with players #7 to #12. are we supposed to be surprised with the outcome?
sure, the NYK also went with their bench guys, but their bench has been playing starter minutes when they had Amar’e and ‘Melo out and their mojo is flowing with their 10 out 11 wins.
the NYK are an amped up ball club right now, confidence is high, whilst we are a battered down ball club with confidence down.
you need to ride the remaining starters more minutes in a situation like this.
Teague can and should play a lot more minutes.
soullrenaissance
February 23rd, 2012
3:03 am
Cosign vava. This regime’s substitution patterns is so predictable its sickening. Pulling out Teague so soon when we are in the game early every game is so asinine its laughable – I laugh to keep from crying though. I am sick n tired of being sick n tired.
LD is behind the (8)
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
February 23rd, 2012
3:09 am
FIRE SUND
FIRE LD
That’s all I gots to say.
JOKES
February 23rd, 2012
3:18 am
Come On Hawks Organization! Really! ” I mean Really” What are you doing? Braves & Falcons will make some moves to at least get the pieces in order to @ least win the division or conference. Are you guys looking @ the same games I am looking @? Come on!!!!! I could see if this was a city league or the D-league. This is the NBA. We as a city are tired of this unprofessionalism. It is unprofessional to not bring a city like ATLANTA something to be proud of . It is absolutely and totally unacceptable. Jokes is Over. Give us a break.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
February 23rd, 2012
3:30 am
What’s the excuse now LD?
hawks D
February 23rd, 2012
3:42 am
just plain pathetic!!!!
Does Sund and co actually watch these games???
hawks D
February 23rd, 2012
3:58 am
what is management actually doing during these games?????? Im sure they are changing the channel trying to ignore the dire situation like always..
If my company would be putting up bad numbers its time for a change. +
Why is there no change?
Ando
February 23rd, 2012
4:27 am
doc, Najeh, Clyde: somebody tell me the story that mitigates my sense of disgust that the AJC still says the Fan Blog is on Off-Season hiatus, as we are dead on the middle of the NBA season. And where is the righteous indignation that should clearly supercede your ongoing need to post?! Just sick…….
High-sider
February 23rd, 2012
5:25 am
“They have the money, hookers and weed. That is what they want. Now get us players in here that care about winning and not just living the hip hop bling lifestyle.” – Chicken Hawk
In my Beans’ voice from the movie, “State Property,” as played by rapper, Beanie Sigel [Dwight Grant], “Look at these old dudes [Hawks' players], a bunch of weirdos. They ain’t hungry; they done sat around and got fat. My guys…grimy, thirsty. I mean, don’t get it twisted, they [Hawks' players] gettin’ money but they not serious. Look at ‘em – too much drinkin’, partyin’, trickin’.”
prison mike
February 23rd, 2012
5:26 am
Teague with 0 assists. I like JT and all but keeping it authentic, he probably will never be a pg. He’s Aaron Brooks but much more athletic.
Just stop the charade and let him be a volume shooter. This team still needs to find its future pg. Hinpoor came in and smucked up things once again
This (slow) motion offense has to go. Drew has had 8 plus years to perfect it but it blows. Without the fast break points created by fast and athletic players, the Hawks would be down by 40.
PEDRO EL GITANO
February 23rd, 2012
5:27 am
Si no hacemos cambios será una temporada sin pena ni gloria.Yo traspasaria a Marvin y a uno de los bases(Teague o Hinrich,me dá igual)
hawkfan
February 23rd, 2012
5:35 am
well here is a take from 2 eastern conference coaches why josh is not an all-star, http://www.wsbtv.com/weblogs/zach-klein-sports-blog/2012/feb/22/nba-coach-good-josh-can-kill-you-bad-josh-becomes-/
hawkfan
February 23rd, 2012
5:39 am
i meant one eastern and one western conference coach
vava74
February 23rd, 2012
5:50 am
JOSH SMITH NEVER HAD THE LUXURY OF HAVING A HEAD COACH
Only sorry excuses for head coaches.
Woody and LD?
Give me a break. Josh is playing BLIND FOLDED without any GUIDANCE.
Just Joe
February 23rd, 2012
5:54 am
Nice article that really sums up the Josh Smith story. Can’t be coached? Or has never had a coach?
Keep Josh, Al, ZaZa, and Teaguer. Sell the rest.
yodaddybrother
February 23rd, 2012
6:00 am
these are the times when you pray the team tanks it so we can increase chance of a lottery pick
vava74
February 23rd, 2012
6:04 am
LD dropped the ball again last night.
Green (a stocky 6′3”) at the SG slot against Landry Fields, a dynamic/fairly long 6′7′.
Result:
Fields had 7 points (3/4FG + 1/1FT ) 2 rebounds 1 assist in his first 7 minutes (1 point per minute)
Green had 4 points (2/4FG), 2 rebounds 1 assist in his first 8 1/2 minutes
On that first quarter match up we were already down by 3.
The picture gets worse in the second quarter:
http://popcornmachine.net/cgi-bin/gameflow.cgi?date=20120222&game=ATLNYK
I like Green but he has to be correctly deployed and LD had no f****g idea on how to create favorable match ups.
No f****g idea.
vava74
February 23rd, 2012
6:09 am
Next match up:
Hinrich – JR Rider…
a combo guard whose speed and D is clearly sub-sub-sub standard right now against a high octane guy who is at top form coming out of the chinese league…
High-sider
February 23rd, 2012
6:15 am
Rajon Rondo has been named as the replacement for Joe Johnson in the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. That [replacement] spot should have gone to Josh Smith. I know a guard was replaced with a guard but I think it was political based on Josh’s comments when he wasn’t selected to the all-star team. Rajon Rondo has just finished serving a two-game suspension for throwing the ball [hard] at a referee. That shows a bad attitude to me. In addition, the Boston Celtics have a losing record and are now sending two players to the all-star game while the Hawks have a winning record and will have no players in the all-star game representing its franchise. I think an injured Hawks’ player [Joe Johnson] selected to all-star team should have been replaced by a healthy Hawks’ player [Josh Smith] who was equally deserving of making the all-star team this year.
http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2012-02-22/rajon-rondo-to-replace-joe-johnson-in-nba-all-star-game
High-sider
February 23rd, 2012
6:23 am
^Should have said…”I think an injured Hawks’ player [Joe Johnson] selected to [the]* all-star team should have been replaced by a healthy Hawks’ player [Josh Smith] who was equally deserving of making the all-star team this year.”
BIG DOG
February 23rd, 2012
6:54 am
LD should be fire right after all star break, this guy content on starting Marvin for some reason, i just don’t no what LD have to prove but at the end of the day he will be fired by end of the season.
Marvin is the worst SF in the NBA and have not prove to be a starter in this league, so what is LD thinking ? why is he so content on starting Marvin every game who is worthless on the court, there has to be some type of conspiracy among this organization and Marvin something is hidden that can’t be told.
MARVIN 0 POINTS LAST NIGHT HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY THAT AS A COACH.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
BIG DOG
February 23rd, 2012
6:58 am
ARTHUR NEED TO BY THE HAWKS AND JUST REMODEL THE DOME AND JUST BUY THIS AREA TO BE REDONE.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
tyger
February 23rd, 2012
7:31 am
Just sit’em down…
- The Hawks are dead in the water, their legs are gone…
- I’d give a ceremonial start, but ride the bench deep…
- Pargo, Stack, Radi, Ivan, Dampier have the legs…
- Marvin – Wow! – Really? Wow! – maybe a stint in DLeague?…
- He fills the lane, catches the ball and falls down, wow….
- On display, humiliated himself, if no trade, must amnesty…
- w/o JJ – disoriented, Smoove, Marvin, ZaZa, Teague, Hinrich – nothing…
- Hinrich aint helpin, last thing we need is veteran turnovers…
- Is it just me, or is Pargo better than Teague?…
-The enigma of McGrady – he can still play, but doesn’t…
-Is the negative energy he brings worth it?…
-In Detroit, his last stop, there was a player “coup d’etat”…
-But who can be positive in this mess?
Hawks have to make moves, this dog don’t hunt?
Do you tweak now and implode this summer?
Do you implode now and tweak this summer?
Do you discard the core?
Answer: All of the above, everybody on the table -
If you can get out of JJ contract, Do it.
If you can get a true Center, Do it.
If you can get anything for Marvin, Do it.
If you can get a PG that can dribble and shoot, Do it.
Build around Horford and keep Tmac on bench.
Everything Must Go at the Dump!
Dawg
February 23rd, 2012
7:42 am
We should rebuild and draft versatile forwards as the corner stones of our team. We don’t need big men. Centers are not important. Point guards only need to hand off to forwards and wait.
Sund is horrible. the Hawks organization is horrible.
Dawg
February 23rd, 2012
7:43 am
This team needs to be blown up and we are only in the early part of that horrible JJ contract. All of the rebuilding years for this.
Dawg
February 23rd, 2012
7:46 am
Larry don’t have a clue.
terrell
February 23rd, 2012
7:47 am
Marvin’s still startin. LMAO. What does LD see in this guy? Unbelievable. No wonder Chills left and TMac wants to slap Uncle Larry. I would too if this bum kept startin in front of me.
terrell
February 23rd, 2012
7:49 am
Josh threw up bad shot after bad shot and Uncle Larry just sits there as if he’s reading the morning paper. smmfgdh
terrell
February 23rd, 2012
7:51 am
We all wanted Woody to go(with goodd reason), but I guess the old saying is right.(especially when it comes to the ASG. “Be careful what you ask for”.
Double Zero Eight
February 23rd, 2012
7:52 am
Clueless In Atlanta:
Starring Larry Drew
Produced by The Atlanta Spirit Group
Directed by Rick Sund
terrell
February 23rd, 2012
7:54 am
And CV, it wouldnt of matterd if Joe was there. They never respond when he’s in the lineup either.
terrell
February 23rd, 2012
7:56 am
Arther Blank, not Blanks. Thats about as bad as saying Al Hortford. lol
CP4Life
February 23rd, 2012
8:02 am
As I said several weeks ago…”This is Just The Beginning.” It amazes me how there are still some people who feel that the Hawks are in good shape. Yes they’re missing Horford…and he’s a big piece of the puzzle. So my question is this…Is Horford what holds this team together? To me it seems so, because they got “whooped” WITHOUT Joe just like they do WITH him. That means JOE=IRRELEVANT!!!!! No disrespect to Horford, but if this team can’t compete without him…THEY’RE DONE!!!!
terrell
February 23rd, 2012
8:04 am
ASG, W e know you dont care about Championships, but could you please blow this team up and get a REAL COACH, so that we can at least be competitive against GOOD teams. Thank you
Terrell
High-sider
February 23rd, 2012
8:15 am
“It’s “Marvin Williams Night” in The Garden.
Look for about 2 or 3 threes and about 6 fts tonight from him. 18 points easily for Marvin tonight.” – northcyde
“How ya like me [Marvin] now?” – Kool Moe Dee
John
February 23rd, 2012
8:20 am
I know he hasn’t and never will live up to the potential or pick, but what has happened to Marvin. For about three years the guy was guaranteed 10-15 points a game. And when he needed to step up when someone was hurt, he could go for 20 or so. Now he just looks like a shell of himself. I don’t understand it. Has he gained too much weight. You can even go look at highlights of his first several years in the league. It seems like his game went down after Jamal came in. He showed some signs at the very beginning of this season but has not continued it. Is it LD? Is he jus that unmotivated and lost confidence. He needs to get the green light in situations like last night. It seems everyone else on the team has it.
John
February 23rd, 2012
8:21 am
Marvin did actually play someone decent D on Carmelo.
Dawg
February 23rd, 2012
8:24 am
Larry only tries to coach Teague, because he does not have command of any other player. Teague is his whipping boy.
When Larry is fired, who can ASG hire that will cost less? That will be the only deciding factor in the new hire… “who is the cheapest hire possible”?
Gerrin: Do you still like our “core”?
ISO
February 23rd, 2012
8:28 am
Fire LD, trade KH and MW. Please.
terrell
February 23rd, 2012
8:29 am
Marvin Williams gives any body over 6 ft 6 hope that they can one day make it to the NBA. Evidentally all you need is height. Skills and coordination dont really matter.Marvin proves it everytime he puts on a Hawks uniform.Keep your head up tall people.
BIG DOG
February 23rd, 2012
8:31 am
Teague, Tmac, Vlad, Josh, Zaza
Pargo, Green, Marvin, Ivan, Dampier
Hinrich, Stack
Hawks must stay big and physical at all time, when Zaza come out Dampier must replace him, defense is the key for the Hawks, no way should Marvin starte before Tmac or should Kirk starte before Pargo, every since Kirk came back to replace Pargo the bench have been the worst in the NBA, When before Pargo, Green, Tmac, vlad, Collins was the best bench in the league.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
terrell
February 23rd, 2012
8:32 am
Marvin tried to post up Lin, but couldnt get r done. lol
BIG DOG
February 23rd, 2012
8:37 am
This team has talent and is deep but Coach have no idea on his rotation or how manage team, no dam way should Marvin be starting in front of Tmac who can create his own shot and make plays for others.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
terrell
February 23rd, 2012
8:37 am
Dont want no part of Vlad Rad in the starting lineup. UNLESS there’s no body left on the bench. As a matter of fact, id put in Van Exel 1st.
KevinM
February 23rd, 2012
8:39 am
Memo to the ASG: you have wasted opportunity after opportunity to have this team coached as a NBA team. Our coach has no solution for the problems we are seeing on the court. This team couldn’t even pass the ball in the 2nd quarter last night. We make the Knicks look good, that’s how bad we are.
Can everyone now see what we look like without Joe and without a backup? How many guys have we gone through in this run? Would anyone like to see JC1 or JC2 filling Joe’s shoes now?
We knew Joe was going to be out and we did nothing to prepare for it.
If Willie Green is the best answer LD has to play big minutes, then LD should be done here as the head coach.
Is there anyone on this blog that thinks LD deserves to continue in his role? I don’t see the support, yet the people making the decisions aren’t holding anyone accountable?
We give up 54 points in the paint, and LD can only give Damp 4 min?
I am so eager to see how these guys respond to it while we start Marvin (AGAIN!) and throw Willie in there against JRich tonight. No one should be tired after what they put into last night.
tyger
February 23rd, 2012
8:53 am
Good read on JSmoove not making Allstar team…
-Compared to Kevin Love, but how many blocked shots?
-Smoove is inconsistent, highlighted by Joe’s absence…
-However, JJ, Al, Smoove, Marvin generally play well together…
-Rarely do they all suck at the same time…until 2nd rd playoffs…
- Unfortunately, the window has closed…all have extended contracts…
- All have been given ample opportunity…
- We know what we have w/ them individually/collectively…
- Al’s absence isnt big factor, 20 pt. losses would be 10 pt. loss…
- We know Horford is a linchpin….that needs to play PF…
- Smoove must go, so Horford can move to PF…
- Smoove can’t play SF b/c he’ll take long jumpers…
- JJ’s $20M is an albatross around the neck of the franchise…
- He must be attached to Hinrich expiring/future pick etc…
- Even for Rashad Lewis, at least you take a few years off…
- Marvin for a trade exception???
- Keep ZaZa, T-Mac, WGreen, Dampier, Pargo…
- Bench actually not bad…
- Hawks big problem? Too many limited players, no complete skill sets…
- Which means they cant get much better…
- They either cant shoot, cant go left/right, cant pass/rebound, cant, cant cant….
- Need players w the requisite skills, upside? 8 years later this is what we get?…
Landry Fields – no high pick but long, can shoot, dribble, left, right, inside, out…
Marvin – high pick, long, supposedly can shoot? cant go left,right w/o falling down…
JR Smith – 16th pick, long, athletic, mercurical, can shoot, dribble, drive…
Josh Smith – 17th pick, long, athletic, mercurical, cant shoot, dribble, drive…
Andre Iguadola – $14M All-star, big guard w handles, avg. shooter, athletic leader…
Joe Johnson – $20M All-star, big guard w suspect handles, avg. shooter, no leadership…
Gene
February 23rd, 2012
8:53 am
One thing I have noticed about this organization. Ever since Lenny Wilkens left as head coach, they have hired guys whom have NEVER been a head coach before! I understand about giving guys an opportunity to get started but come on..we need to hire an established coach that can light a fire under their rears!!! After more than a decade of failed hires, you would think they would have realized that by now!!! It’s things like this that makes being a Hawks fan SO frustrating!!!!