Atlanta Hawks at Pistons: Game thread
Auburn Hills, Mich.–Joe Johnson returns to the starting lineup after missing six of the last seven games with left knee tendinitis. Joe had been working out daily. He got the go-ahead to play after a workout during today’s shootaround. “It feels great,” he said. “I don’t have any pain it so that’s the main thing. As the game goes on, that’s the only concern. We’ve got to test it.”
- As for the strength in the knee, Joe said: “Not to where I want it to be but from the last time I tried to play, 10 times better than that.”
- Willie Green will miss his fifth consecutive game. In addition to a sore back, Green said he tweaked a hamstring while working out today.
- Ivan Johnson is to leave the team after the game because of a death in the family. He’s expected to return for the game at Sacramento Sunday.
- After an intense game against the Heat, the Hawks face a Pistons team that’s still last in the Central Division behind Cleveland in spite of showing signs of life since the start of February. It will be interesting to see if the Hawks are as spirited against a struggling opponent as they were at Miami.
- Larry Drew: “You say struggling but this team has won 9 of its last 15. They’ve got some healthy bodies back, they have been playing well. They are coming off a big win against the Lakers, which they have to be feeling good about. It’s always a physical game when we play this team. That’s one thing we have emphasized with our players. This may be the most physical games of this road trip and that’s the mindset you have to have going into this game.”
- Pistons forward Charlie Villaneuva (ankle) is expected to play for the first time since Jan. 4.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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600 comments Add your comment
phil
March 9th, 2012
10:00 pm
Fire Nick Van Exel!!
rollo lawson
March 9th, 2012
10:00 pm
Pargo should have been in the game at point. Larry Drew is the reason why Jeff Tegue plays scared.
City Of Atlanta Still Recovering From William Tecumseh Sherman
March 9th, 2012
10:00 pm
yea blame that on teague he needs to grow up and play like a point guard and stop being joes bitch
DawgNole
March 9th, 2012
10:00 pm
After the Hawks’ recent victory over league-leading OKC, I posted the following:
“Oh, the victory was surprising alright! . . . Every time for 40-plus years you’re about to give up yet again on these slugs they pull out another shocker. But I’m warning you, fans, don’t get your hopes up! They’ll bring you down again–soon and hard!
__________________________
And that’s exactly what they’ve done.
NBA fan
March 9th, 2012
10:01 pm
“Joe 18 points on 12 shots
Josh 21 points on 19 shots…”
Josh never deserves any blame for playing terribly though, remember.
Mark
March 9th, 2012
10:01 pm
Free Throws have PLAGUED us all year! No heart, no team, no management, no coach, no star, a Marvin Williams
ntrigue
March 9th, 2012
10:01 pm
We ran ISO Joe and he wasnt even hot! We sat Teague too long and played Hinrich too long when he was playing terrible 2nd halff! Coach Drew is a genuis!
Najeh Davenpoop
March 9th, 2012
10:02 pm
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7lxe3v6
ntrigue
March 9th, 2012
10:02 pm
And Marvin sucks!
phil
March 9th, 2012
10:02 pm
Of course they bring us down…
It’s what they’ve ALWAYS done.
Rod from College Park
March 9th, 2012
10:02 pm
Hawks got the switch with Prince and Stuckey. Joe 6′8, Stuckey 6′5 yet Joe Johnson our all star stays perimeter instead of taking his smaller man to the rack.
Mark
March 9th, 2012
10:03 pm
Will somebody tell me how does Marvin get these minutes?!!!! Where was Pargo?
High-sider
March 9th, 2012
10:03 pm
Needed more production from Teague tonight. Why didn’t LD run those type of plays where Josh has the ball at the FT line and a post player sets a pick for Joe on the curl up top and then the post player rolls to the basket for a wide open dunk or layup on a pass from Josh? SMH
Najeh Davenpoop
March 9th, 2012
10:03 pm
Teague +9, Kirk -10, Hawks lose by 1. Do the math.
Slimjr
March 9th, 2012
10:03 pm
Peyton to Denver? What about TebowTebowTebow!
Elway want a traditional QB?
Romeo
March 9th, 2012
10:04 pm
So Josh puts out the trade request then comes out and plays like this?
Apologists won’t say anything, I’m sure.
Slimjr
March 9th, 2012
10:04 pm
Larry blows another one….
ntrigue
March 9th, 2012
10:05 pm
Did Teague even play in the 3rd qtr Drew is Terrible! MC can you ask Drew why he continues to play Hinrich over Teague in crucial situations!
phil
March 9th, 2012
10:05 pm
Josh smith is a putrid joke.
Fire LD!!
Sautee
March 9th, 2012
10:05 pm
Najeh,
Interesting trade but where would LA play Joe, at the 3?
Melvin
March 9th, 2012
10:05 pm
Dumb coaching…
Mark
March 9th, 2012
10:06 pm
Marvin has no business STARTING on an NBA TEAM. He is so sorry and I don’t care that he hit some three pointers. Can we get Jason Maxiell?
bird
March 9th, 2012
10:06 pm
On the replay, Josh was yelling at Teague to throw the ball back to Joe at the end.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 9th, 2012
10:06 pm
“Interesting trade but where would LA play Joe, at the 3?”
Nah, at the 2. They have needed a 2 ever since Billups tore his Achilles.
NBA fan
March 9th, 2012
10:06 pm
If Joe missed all those shots like Josh did, fans would raise hell. Can’t bash the hometown idiot though!
ntrigue
March 9th, 2012
10:06 pm
Josh did not play terribe yall are some dummies!
trint
March 9th, 2012
10:07 pm
I was a Teague supporter but that last play proved 1 of 2 things. 1. He has ABSOLUTELY no confidence in his jumper or 2. He is afraid to shoot when Joe is in the game.
The look on Josh face at the end of the game basically said, “this is why i asked to be traded”
Drew doesnt have a clue either
Mark
March 9th, 2012
10:08 pm
Why would LD keep Josh in the game after that 4th foul. He knows Josh doesn’t have the brain to play with 4 fouls.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 9th, 2012
10:08 pm
Joe didn’t play bad for his first game back, but running the final play for him was stupid after the way the last 7 games have gone.
Sautee
March 9th, 2012
10:08 pm
“Teague +9, Kirk -10, Hawks lose by 1. Do the math.”
T-Mac was -17. What kind of math covers that?
NBA fan
March 9th, 2012
10:08 pm
“Josh did not play terribe yall are some dummies!”
Looks like someone doesn’t understand efficiency. Read below slowly.
“Joe 18 points on 12 shots
Josh 21 points on 19 shots…”
Dept. Of Unintended Irony
March 9th, 2012
10:09 pm
“T-Mac was -17. What kind of math covers that?”
That would be subtraction.
JaeEvolution
March 9th, 2012
10:10 pm
What about an Evan Turner and Thad Young for Josh Smith? We get younger and a potential star in Turner who has been playing like a #2 pick lately.
Slimjr
March 9th, 2012
10:10 pm
Sautee, Dept. found you….. lol
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
March 9th, 2012
10:10 pm
*Yawn*
High-sider
March 9th, 2012
10:11 pm
Hawks miss 7 free throws and lose by 1 point; 86-85
bama52
March 9th, 2012
10:11 pm
Bad call coach Joe Johnson did not have to take that shot. There were at least 3 other players on the floor that could have taken the shot . If you want Joe to shoot why have him bring the ball up court. The ball should have came up the court quickly Josh,Marvin, Joe, or Jeff could have taken the shot. That play was to predictable. Way to fight back Hawks.
O'Brien
March 9th, 2012
10:13 pm
I dont know why LD calls that last play for JJ. All it does is allow 3 of the other Pistons players to stand around, knowing its ISO JJ. LD will never learn
Najeh Davenpoop
March 9th, 2012
10:13 pm
Josh went out of the game in the 3rd quarter and the entire team fell apart on both ends of the floor. Stats only tell the story to a point. Josh didn’t even play that great and yet with him on the floor the Hawks were competitive, and with him out they were clueless.
Too much focus on offensive issues anyway. This game was lost on D. Can’t let the other team get in the paint at will and shoot 56%.
O'Brien
March 9th, 2012
10:15 pm
Defense was bad, but we still held them to 86 points. And lost.
Hawks need another scorer, right Rod? If we cant score 87 points, something is wrong…
dub366
March 9th, 2012
10:16 pm
this game on LD why put the ball in Joe Johnson hand when Josh been carrying you. why was Kirk in the game scare to take shots if i can see it LD should see it
Hollywould
March 9th, 2012
10:16 pm
Larry Drew just said “joe’s legs were giving out late” Then why go to him at the end?
O'Brien
March 9th, 2012
10:20 pm
And why play JJ 36 minutes in his first game back?
tb hawk fan
March 9th, 2012
10:21 pm
what can we look forward to hawks are looking bad braves are 1and 7
NBA fan
March 9th, 2012
10:22 pm
Blaming missed FTs now? Josh 4-8.
Hollywould
March 9th, 2012
10:23 pm
Let Pargo play/ when johnson is in they look like they are in quicksand
Najeh Davenpoop
March 9th, 2012
10:23 pm
The Clippers’ play by play guy’s Twitter name is Ohmeohmy. If Nique ever gets on Twitter I hope his Twitter name is Nimbers or Heatcheck.
Melvin
March 9th, 2012
10:23 pm
O’Brien,
Are you ok with a 12pt qtr? How many times have we seen the Hawks struggle to score points? Not being able to score 20pts in a qtr is an indictment of itself that the Hawks need another score or at least a better offensive system.
Mr. Thompson
March 9th, 2012
10:24 pm
How can we lose to the Pistons? Bad loss. It’s time to make some changes. The Hawks have already reached their peak and are now in descent. And, they shouldn’t wait forever to trade Josh. If we wait until next year we won’t be able to get much for him since his contract will be expiring.
Maybe Next Year
March 9th, 2012
10:25 pm
Those who know bsketball realize the Hawks lost this game, once again, in the paint, because they were getting outhhustled for rebounds. Josh played a part in that, one way or another.