Atlanta Hawks: Nuggets 118, Hawks 117 (OT)
Denver–There were series of gaffes, miscalculations and questionable strategy by the Hawks and an incredible 3-pointer from Danilo Gallinari, and yet the Hawks still had a chance to win with a play that was executed perfectly . . . right up until the point where Zaza Pachulia’s layup attempt bounced harmlessly off the rim.
- “Just missed it,” Zaza said. “It was a great opportunity for me.”
- He can get in line with Joe Johnson’s turnovers and forced iso Js, Jannero Pargo’s fumble, Kirk Hinrich’s missed free throws and shot-clock violation, Vladimir Radmanovic’s 0-for-4 on 3s. . . . and don’t forget those 11 dunks and layups the Hawks allowed in the first half.
- Larry Drew said the final play was designed to free Zaza near the basket: “The execution was perfect. We executed. That was probably the best play we executed all night. ‘Z’ just missed a point-blank layup. But I told the guys it didn’t come down to that. That game was lost in the first half when we didn’t make a stand defensively and they basically had their way with us.”
- Joe took the heat off Zaza and Kirk and put it on himself: “We don’t put this game on Zaza missing a layup or Kirk not making a free throw. I look at the stat sheet and I had five turnovers and probably three of those were at crucial times.”
- Kirk: “It’s tough. I had a chance to win it. I made the hard one, the first one, and I missed the second. I’m very disappointed.”
- Zaza: “We had so many opportunities, you know. I don’t think we were lucky today. Of course it’s not an excuse. I have to finish that. But if you think about it, the turnover we had over there off Pargo’s leg, Gallinari’s three, Kirk’s free throw and my layup. That’s four big things. We just weren’t lucky today. Again, that’s not an excuse and personally, me, I have to finish when I have that kind of opportunity. I take that blame on my shoulders.”
- On the 3, Gallinari wasn’t even squared up when he received the pass. Joe and Josh Smith were all over him when he let it go. “I don’t know how he made it,” Joe said. “It was definitely a tough shot. He caught it kind of fading. But before that we couldn’t get big stops. They were either scoring or we were fouling.”
- Drew: “He hit a tough shot. You couldn’t have defended it any better than that.”
- Kirk: From my vantage point, I was boxing out under the basket. When he let it go, I thought, ‘There’s no way he will make that.’ And then the ball fell through the net into my hands.”
- Another beastly line for Josh: 33 points on 23 shots, 13 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and just one turnover. His tendency to try to set ballhandlers up for blocks when they drove contributed to some of those 11 dunks and layups but the perimeter D was atrocious.
- Josh put the Hawks ahead with a sweet spin move after Drew went away from Iso-Joe. The Hawks missed him once he fouled out 2:46 into OT because he was setting up Joe and Kirk for open Js.
- Joe put the Hawks ahead 117-1112 with a crafty move, keeping his dribble alive to thwart a double team and making a fadeaway J. But he missed on a forced iso J that led to two free throws for Nene and got bailed out on a forced drive when, after a long review, the refs decided the replay was inconclusive and the Hawks kept the ball.
- Drew: “When we lost Josh, and then I couldn’t bring Marvin [Williams] back because he took the bang on the hip, I was going to ride Joe. I just tried to put him in a position where he could operate and we just surrounded him with shooters.”
- The last play wasn’t Iso-Joe, though. “Going down the stretch we had opportunities that we just kind of let slip away,” Drew said.
- Both Joe (34 points on 26 shots, 6/10 3FG) and Kirk (22 points on eight shots, 3/4 3FG, 5/6 FT) had great games that were marred by bad moments.
- Marvin once again was aggressive early coming off the bench. It’s a role that seems to suit him.
- Marvin came back in the game briefly late in the fourth quarter after he suffered the hip injury. It was his pass that Pargo bobbled off his knee. “He couldn’t move,” Drew said of Marvin. “I only used him at the end there just to be a passer on the out of bounds. I wanted to put him back in down the stretch and overtime but he couldn’t go. I had to use what I had.”
- The Hawks said both Marvin and Willie Green (back, hamstring) will miss the game tomorrow at the Clippers. Tracy McGrady is expected to play after being held out on the first night of a back-to-back, to the Hawks will have 10 healthy bodies available.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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362 comments Add your comment
Astro Joe
March 14th, 2012
4:25 pm
And Woody MUST know he is keeping the seat warm while the Knicks go hard after Phil Jackson or try for an iconic college coach. I wouldn’t be shocked to read some Calipari rumors in the coming weeks.
High-sider
March 14th, 2012
4:25 pm
Sautee,
In order for great players to be considered truly great, those players need to play at a high level for an extended period of time [8 to 10 years]. A great player can’t be considered great based off [of] great potential. Grant Hill had great potential but never lived up to being a great player in the NBA. Grant Hill is/was a bust in my opinion because he didn’t play up to his potential [or hype] whether that shortcoming was due to a lack of talent, a lack of heart/drive, an injury, inappropriate behavior [civil or criminal], etc.
TMACfan
March 14th, 2012
4:28 pm
WOODY WILL BRING THE DEATH OF JEREMY LIN!
NO MORE BALL FOR YOU LIN BOY!!!
ISO MELO TIME!!!
Finally I can watch ESPN without hearing Jeremy Lin.
vava74
March 14th, 2012
4:30 pm
Najeh Davenpoop
March 14th, 2012
3:25 pm
Co-sign. Let us not forget, however, that this “good” stretch has happened with Josh as the #1 guy in this ball club.
4-3 in March so far with a compounded 5 points differential on the 3 losses is, to the very least, encouraging.
Ray
March 14th, 2012
4:31 pm
I’d rather watch the Denver Nuggets and Spurs right now.
This new era of let’s create a super team NBA is going to kill them in the long run when you look at the past National champs in history there has never really been a All-Superstar team that has won it all. For good reason it’s already been proven when you put too many let me take the shot people on the same team it never works out.
Houston Rockets during the lockout season last time, Clippers now, Miami Heat, NY Knicks, and the list could go on.
Every time you look back every team had the IT guy or that 1 superstar player and 1 other exceptional good player and another player that had heart and pride to fight and get it done.
Chicago bulls during that last run had MJ(Superstar), Scottie(Exceptional good), and Dennis Rodman(Heart and pride to get it done).
Same thing with the Pistons and etc etc.
Astro Joe
March 14th, 2012
4:34 pm
I wonder if a team can steal way another team’s head coach without giving up any compensation. Like could the knicks simply steal Mark Jackson away from Golden State?
D’Antoni’s next gig will likely be in LA, either with Clips or Lakers.
Ray
March 14th, 2012
4:35 pm
@ High-sider
That’s not really true especailly since the guy was injuried if he’d never had that we know what happens just like with T-mac. Those two would have been the next big thing.
High-sider
March 14th, 2012
4:36 pm
Sautee,
In summary, Grant Hill didn’t play long enough at a high level to be considered a great player in the NBA. After reviewing his statistics, I will, however, concede the point that Grant Hill has had a very, very good NBA career. Damn, I didn’t realize his career has been that good. My bad.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hillgr01.html
vava74
March 14th, 2012
4:37 pm
make a push:
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7fu8s9h
Horford MAY BE redundant (as I said before, I would need to hear from him a firm commitment to play C and be Boss Horford again before removing him from my trade list).
Hinrich seems to be improving as a starting SG – although he should be getting less minutes IMO at the SG slot – AND he is healthy.
Kaman could be a rental, however, I am very confident that he would re-sign for substantially less than the 14 million (probably on the 10 million mark) so we would have a bit more cap space to re-sign Josh for more money.
I am not entirely sold on Kaman, but Kaman, Josh, Zaza and Ivan seems a pretty decent rotation on the front court.
I also don’t particularly like Ariza, but my dislike for Marvin trumps it easily.
UGA
March 14th, 2012
4:37 pm
So Howard is staying in Orlando, being reported on Hoopsworld.
Also, speculation of an ATL, MIN and ORL 3 way deal involving Smoove.
Sautee
March 14th, 2012
4:39 pm
“Grant Hill is/was a bust in my opinion because he didn’t play up to his potential [or hype] whether that shortcoming was due to a lack of talent, a lack of heart/drive, an injury, inappropriate behavior [civil or criminal], etc.”
I think that is flat loony, but you are welcome to your opinion. He MORE than played up to his potential up until he got injured.
I guess you’d think Gale Sayers was a bust as well. Didn’t get in those requisite 8-10 years. Luckily, the NFL Hall of Fame disagreed. How about Bill Walton? I guess he is a bust as well.
Loony.
High-sider
March 14th, 2012
4:42 pm
Ray,
See my post @4:36pm and I’m sure you already have. I will concede the point to a degree. My bad.
vava74
March 14th, 2012
4:42 pm
Add a first round pick coming our way from NO and I would do that trade in an heartbeat.
Sautee
March 14th, 2012
4:43 pm
High-sider,
Obviously my last post was before I read your 4:36.
Thanks for taking a look at Grant’s career. We can disagree about whether injury is fair game when judging a “bust” career. I think it’s not the player’s fault. You seem to blame them for getting injured.
Ray
March 14th, 2012
4:45 pm
@ UGA
That speculation better be about Al Horford and Not J-smoove.
Ray
March 14th, 2012
4:46 pm
@ High Sider
Sorry I just saw it ok.
We don’t want J-smoove gone from ATL give them Joe Johnson and Al Horford plus Marvin Willaims
Basically give them the 3 stooges plus a bag of chips.
Big Lou
March 14th, 2012
4:46 pm
If J-smoove goes to Orlando, I will officially become a Magic fan. lol
Slimjr
March 14th, 2012
4:47 pm
Points taken Sautee and Big Lou! High TENS to both of you great bloggers!
Peace out…
See you guys on the Game Thread tonight?
UGA
March 14th, 2012
4:47 pm
The trade does not involve Howard. Rumor is he is staying there next year too. Will become FA in 2013.
TMACfan
March 14th, 2012
4:48 pm
UGA,
Can you link us please?
Ray
March 14th, 2012
4:48 pm
Yeah which means D-will is gone out of the Nets, but to whom…………..Lakers more than likely.
High-sider
March 14th, 2012
4:49 pm
Sautee,
Ok, I will concede the point to a degree, however, I never said Grant Hill was mediocre. I said Grant Hill did not live up to his potential/hype and I gave you my variation of the definition of the word “bust.” Okay, Grant Hill wasn’t a bust per se but most Duke [men's] basketball players are/were “busts.”
Big Lou
March 14th, 2012
4:49 pm
Slimjr
No. I rather go to the gym and get tired there, instead of emotionally drained by watching a Hawks blowout versus the Clippers. Be easy, man.
High-sider
March 14th, 2012
4:52 pm
Sautee,
Grant Hill was not a bust per se but most Duke men’s basketball players that are/were hyped have become NBA busts.
Ray
March 14th, 2012
4:55 pm
@ High-sider
no choice but to agree, but the problem is most Duke players end up in the wrong systems I bet if more of the duke players played with a team out west depending on who it is they wouldn’t be this bad.
UGA
March 14th, 2012
5:00 pm
http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-pm-dwight-howard-opting-in-for-one-more-year
Wabe
March 14th, 2012
5:04 pm
Nothing about “Michael Beasley or Ryan Anderson” would make me wanna trade J.Smith…
Sautee
March 14th, 2012
5:07 pm
“Grant Hill was not a bust per se but most Duke men’s basketball players that are/were hyped have become NBA busts.”
Thanks for the admission. LOL, my kids went to UNC, so you won’t see me defending Duke very much, though I have a great deal of respect for Coach K.
But to my remembrence, the only over-hyped Dookies were Maggette, Brand, Laetner, Jay Williams, and Trajon Langdon. To me, all but Langdon proved themselves to be decent pros that I personally wouldn’t call busts, though Williams, of course got an incomplete.
MANY lesser Dookies failed spectacularly though, including Cherokee Parks, our own Shelden Williams and Roshown McLeod. But to me they were never hyped as much (other than The Landlord, LOL)
SteveW
March 14th, 2012
5:11 pm
Beasley and Anderson for Smoove? HaHaHaHa – that is hilarious.
Derrick Williams, Anderson and a lottery pick or 2 may interest me – Put Smith has absolutely been beasting it lately. He finally gets it after all these years.
You don’t wait 7 years for a guy to develop – and once the light pops on, ditch him, do you?
But he does want to go maybe – but maybe not – but Beasley and Anderson is a non-starter for me. Not even close to what Smoove is worth.
SteveW
March 14th, 2012
5:12 pm
“But” not “Put” in my previous post…
SteveW
March 14th, 2012
5:18 pm
Deng, Boozer, Hill, Magette, Brand (who’s average a 20 and 9 eight different seasons) have all been pretty good from Duke.
Wasn’t Boozer a 2nd round pick? I don’t think he’s under performed. Kyrie Irving’s not to shabby either.
Wabe
March 14th, 2012
5:19 pm
Jay Williams had skills. Dude could ball…
Just unfortunate he never really got his shot in the NBA…
O'Brien
March 14th, 2012
5:26 pm
Vava,
What motivation does N.O. have to make that deal (especially if they (not Hawks) are giving up a pick)? They would be stuck with Al’s contract, and Okafor’s contract, and lose a high first round pick. No way they make that deal.
Also, I would hate for the Hawks to give up Al, and end up losing Kaman to free agency (this is the ASG we are talking about). Another guy I like is Dalembert, who has a team option with Houston for next year at $7 mil. I think him and Zaza could handle the center position.
As for the Howard staying rumor, until he lets the Magic know in writing, I don’t believe it.
prison mike
March 14th, 2012
5:27 pm
Josh is due a subpar game soon and this one may be it. Blake is going to force him to shoot jumpers and Jordan is a good weakside defender.
Teague has to have the mindset he brought into the playoffs. Their interior D is going to give Joe alot of incentive to avoid the paint especially after the fools gold shooting game in Denver.
Larry T
March 14th, 2012
5:29 pm
Wow, All this talk about Al horford and Jeff teague being sent to LA for Gasol, who is then sent to Orlando has my antennas up.
I knew the owner was serious when he came out publicly on ESPN Yesterday saying How much he values josh and what a great player he is. He also responded to the statement about not supporting Josh on his AllStar guest, by saying,” there are a whole lot of Allstars he would not trade Josh for.”
So Unless you are getting a super star higher than Josh it aint happening. The owner when on to say that there is “Zero” chance that Josh is going to be traded.
They also made it clear that the press and MC the infamous Al Horford lover, was behind the lies about Josh wishing to be traded. Both parties were clear that it was a lie.
Its nice to know that this team is being built around Josh and he is Untouchable.
When asked if he was in negotiations to trade Al Horford he responded. ” we are all pros, we are going to do whats best for the team, if there is a trade we can make to improve our team then we will, we are all about getting better.”
I thought that was cool. Getting better for the Hawks means moving Al, and I dont mean to the 4 position to repeat the same no defense, 12pt 8rb playoff Houdini hes notorious for.
The owner is on the right track if he pulls this trade off and gets D12 to pair with Josh who the owner call the ” home town kid”. Then wed have 2 home town kids.
This is encouraging, No more obsession with mediocrity! Yes!
vava74
March 14th, 2012
5:31 pm
interesting read:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1195981/1/index.htm
Walker could/should be in europe where he could play 4 or 5 years earning decent money and far away from his creditors.
Samuel
March 14th, 2012
5:35 pm
Finally, my Woody is back.
tatty
March 14th, 2012
5:36 pm
Hopefully Woody doesn’t shave his eyebrows from all the stress that nyk is gonna put him in
Grandad
March 14th, 2012
5:37 pm
High-sider
‘`No. It says that men’s college basketball games as well as all other big revenue-generating college games [athletics] are all about college favoritism, hyping up certain college programs and coaches, the referees giving certain teams calls, hypocrisy [star college players can't get paid [legally] for playing, but the college coaches at big name, big time programs can get paid millions of dollars], focusing too much on the players’ athletic skills while rarely promoting the idea or ideal of [the] student-athlete[s], and secretly loving the set-up [organizational structure] of not having to pay college athletes especially black male athletes, in particular, while reaping in millions of dollars for its supposedly not-for-profit institutions – a modern-day version of slavery or the U.S. slave system. These college male athletes, and, in particular, the black male athletes, are, for the most part, nothing but glorified pieces of meat`’
Alright – here goes – ‘`Grandad the Cracker`’
1st;
‘`referees giving certain teams calls, hypocrisy`’
You were referring to collegiate basketball but I figured
you were talkin about stern and his association at first.
2nd;
c`mon, ‘`slaves`’ – ‘`slave mentality`’;
that tired ol` bromide has about run it`s course.
For any who have studied history;
slavery has been around since the beginning of time.
The Jews can tell Africans a few things about slavery.
The young black men who enjoy Div I atletics;
many times at the expense of real student athletes;
alot of times abuse the privilege by:
* running afoul of the law
* ignoring NCAA bylaws
* failing to obtain a degree
* failing to attend class nor work toward a degree
* using the system you condemn
* note – they get an opportunity for a $1 to $2 hundred K education
* note – they do not have to pay back student loans [like many of us]
* note – they receive many many benefits normal students [don`t get]
* noteriety; internship for pros; travel & life skills; dietician; training; etc.
* Something tells me that real slave would love these types of platations !
TMACfan
March 14th, 2012
5:38 pm
Josh Smith is going to posterize Blake Griffin today.
prison mike
March 14th, 2012
5:40 pm
Hope so Tmac, it would make my season.
Larry T
March 14th, 2012
5:43 pm
Finally, my Woody is back.?
Actually that did not take long at all. He is well respected out side this ” Mediocracy Movement ” Blog-O-Sphere. Where bloggers are enchanted with the mediocre. So Woody went from the great job he did here to assistant coach back to full time NBA coach in less than 3 years. Thats actually not bad at All. He had the longest reigning tenure when he was let go by Atlanta to make room for the Bubba Crew favorite Larry Drew.
Congrats Woodson. You are a top notch coach. Way to go.
Buddy Grizzard
March 14th, 2012
5:45 pm
Beckley Mason @BeckleyMason Close
Woodson’s system isn’t good, but at least the team will be on the same page (the playbook’s only got one). I expect improvement.
2:10 PM – 14 Mar 12 via TweetDeck · Details
Buddy Grizzard
March 14th, 2012
5:46 pm
“Congrats Woodson. You are a top notch coach. Way to go.” – Larry T
Will be looking for you on this blog when the Knicks miss the playoffs.
derrick
March 14th, 2012
5:49 pm
that racist SOB talking about Jews can teach African Americans about slavery.. I DONT THINK SO you racist Jerk.
We are talking 250 years about as opposed to 6000 years ago. So Shut the F up you racist idiot and mind your own business. Youre family is probably former slave owners., redneck.
Some of us know
March 14th, 2012
5:50 pm
Woodson’s Top Notch statistics:
W-L: 206-286 .419%
Playoffs: 11-18 .379%
Let all Hawk fans wish the Knicks this kind of success.
Larry T
March 14th, 2012
5:51 pm
Buddy Grizzard thats fine, Id look for you when they do, but like the Josh haters you’ll be doing your Crickets…crickets…crickets… thingy at the moment……
jase
March 14th, 2012
5:52 pm
Are we trade for pau gasol.
The rest of us know
March 14th, 2012
5:53 pm
Sure took a 13 win team to a 53 win team and to the ployoffs with out a legit center… GREAAAAT8
Some of us know
March 14th, 2012
5:55 pm
His record is undeniable. It is what it is.