Atlanta Hawks at Bucks: Game thread
Vivlamore reporting from Milwaukee.
Here is a quick look at tonight’s game against the Bucks with the Hawks coming off Sunday’s four overtime victory over the Jazz – their third game in three nights. Add tonight’s game at the Bucks and tomorrow’s home game against the Bulls and that’s five games in six nights. The Bucks are playing their fifth game in six nights.
The Hawks will be without forward Vladimir Radmanovic due to his back. Radmanovic missed four straight games with the back injury before playing 17 minutes against the Wizards on Saturday. He did not play (coach’s decision) in Sunday’s epic against the Jazz.
While Radmanovic is the only player out (besides Jannero Pargo recovery from an appendectomy) coach Larry Drew said several other players are hurting and weary.
“We will see how it goes,” Drew said of going deep into his bench. “I think the one thing I’ve been pretty adamant about, I’ve got to be very mindful of the minutes my starters are playing. I don’t want to pile a lot of minutes on those guys. We do have some guys who are a little banged up, nicked up. Having to play tomorrow night, I don’t want to pile the minutes. Hopefully, we can come out and play well and I can have a normal rotation. If that’s not the case, it’s not the case. But we will keep an eye on the minutes.”
Drew admitted he is not sure just how his team will respond to another game so soon.
“Don’t know,” Drew said. “We’ve come off three tough games. … I know we needed that day off yesterday in the worst way. We came in for shoot-around today and guys seem to have a little energy, which I was happy to see. As far as a performance, to be perfectly honest, I don’t know. I’m anxious to see how we respond after these last three ball games.”
Joe Johnson played 55:23 against the Jazz. Zaza Pachulia (54:10) and Jeff Teague (52:32) also broke the 50-minute mark.
Drew expects an even more up-tempo Bucks team with the trade-deadline addition of Monta Ellis from the Warriors. The Hawks got similar games from the Bucks in two previous meetings this season (both five-point Hawks wins). Ellis adds another scoring dimension.
“I’ve always been a big Monta Ellis fan,” Drew said. “He is, in a lot of ways, similar to Joe Johnson. He can really score once he gets it going. … As far as playing up-tempo that doesn’t change. They just have another guy to break the defense down and put points on the board.”
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
490 comments Add your comment
Luke Cage
March 27th, 2012
10:10 pm
Skiles would have the Hawks in top 3 seed easily, thats the difference really in this game
DawgNole
March 27th, 2012
10:10 pm
Figured it would be tough to come back after that comeback. No easy ones from here on. This is what separates championship teams from . . . the Hawks and others.
Rod from College Park
March 27th, 2012
10:10 pm
Nique bumping for Joe. Monta Ellis just did what he does.
bigdave
March 27th, 2012
10:10 pm
gee wiz
Najeh Davenpoop
March 27th, 2012
10:11 pm
DEBO
Luke Cage
March 27th, 2012
10:11 pm
Monta is a great scorer, thats it
Hawkfan
March 27th, 2012
10:11 pm
Agree on Skiles. Tremendous Coach. Congrats to Ivan on a great night. And there’s a 3
TMACfan
March 27th, 2012
10:11 pm
Keep in mind people, it is hard to sweep a team for the season
Runner-
March 27th, 2012
10:11 pm
nice try, Joe wasn’t on tonight
Najeh Davenpoop
March 27th, 2012
10:11 pm
It’s funny that Skiles is getting props here (I agree he is a good coach) because Bucks fans want him gone.
TMACfan
March 27th, 2012
10:12 pm
Ivan for three? Sure why not
Luke Cage
March 27th, 2012
10:12 pm
LD, play DEBO more minutes. FREE DEBO!!
DSGB
March 27th, 2012
10:12 pm
Joe no points in the 4th, combined with stupid azz LD coaching is why we lost this game
tank
March 27th, 2012
10:13 pm
I feel like the tired legs played a part, but no excuses, we see Bulls tommorow minus D-Rose
yodaddybrother
March 27th, 2012
10:13 pm
We are ready to play the Bulls now. Chicago don’t want it with Atlanta.
bigdave
March 27th, 2012
10:13 pm
gotta coach to your strengths. Skiles went Ellis or bust. wasnt going to bail you out by going away from whats working.
gvj
March 27th, 2012
10:13 pm
Best closer in the bench=Loss…whatever is up between LD and Mac is costing this team wins. Joe and josh can feed off Macs IQ..LD is a stubborn man that will be his downfall.
Mike
March 27th, 2012
10:13 pm
A tough schedule + Hawks up 7.5 games with 16 to go = HISTORIC COLLAPSE
I can foresee it.
TMACfan
March 27th, 2012
10:13 pm
The Bucks are throwing out the confetti after beating our Hawks…. WOW
Luke Cage
March 27th, 2012
10:13 pm
Props is deserved, he’s never had a great squad but they always play hard, they lose because they have the lesser talent, with the Hawks we would be top 3 easily.
Section 212
March 27th, 2012
10:14 pm
JT cost us the game with his TOs. Hinrich and Marvin missing wide open threes killed us
Sautee
March 27th, 2012
10:14 pm
Good effort. Not enough, but good effort.
Ivan beastin’.
As I said before the game, the Bucks are a desperate team, on the verge of missing the playoffs. They flat needed this game more than we did.
yodaddybrother
March 27th, 2012
10:14 pm
@ Down South Georgia Boi
relax man
Rod from College Park
March 27th, 2012
10:14 pm
“Joe no points in the 4th, combined with stupid azz LD coaching is why we lost this game”
We were not playing Cleveland or the Nets. That’s the difference.
Slimjr
March 27th, 2012
10:14 pm
Thanks ZaZa for knocking the snot out of Joe Twice and giving him stitches!
Joe never recovered though he tried….
Najeh Davenpoop
March 27th, 2012
10:14 pm
Hawks making me look bad predicting they would beat all the losing teams.
TMACfan
March 27th, 2012
10:15 pm
I think we are going to win against the Bulls. We will win by 4 points.
High-sider
March 27th, 2012
10:15 pm
Hawks miss seven free throws and lose by seven points, 108-101. Ivan shoots 7-7 from the field. I guess seven’s are lucky [for Ivan Johnson] and not-so lucky for [team] Atlanta Hawks] tonight.
Melvin
March 27th, 2012
10:15 pm
Hawks went dead in the water while Joe/Josh was out of the game to start the 4th qtr. It was a great opportunity for Marvin to step up but as usual, you can’t depend on him to be a scorer.
Big Lou
March 27th, 2012
10:16 pm
I think Joe would have had a better game if clumsy @ss Zaza didn’t smack him in the mouth in the first quarter.
Also, shame on LD for not forcing them in the paint. Horrible.
Luke Cage
March 27th, 2012
10:16 pm
Put Debo on any of their bigs tomorrow night. Not buying the tired legs thing, we all played games everyday all day during the summer in the heat for free when we were younger.
DawgNole
March 27th, 2012
10:16 pm
tank
March 27th, 2012
10:13 pm
I feel like the tired legs played a part, but no excuses, we see Bulls tommorow minus D-Rose
________________
That’s right–NO excuses. Bucks played at the Knicks last night. Hawks rested.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 27th, 2012
10:16 pm
7/23 from 3, 21 turnovers. Kirk and Joe 2/12 combined from 3.
Hawks took more 3s than free throws. Like Charles Barkley says, you don’t live by the jumper, you die by the jumper.
tank
March 27th, 2012
10:17 pm
we will be alright, cant win them all, Ellis ususally has off nights against us but not tonight
NoGiver
March 27th, 2012
10:17 pm
Ivan 7/7 and 1/1 from downtown? Nice stats for him.
Big Lou
March 27th, 2012
10:17 pm
“We were not playing Cleveland or the Nets. That’s the difference.”
What about Utah?
Slimjr
March 27th, 2012
10:18 pm
Great job Coach Drew.. No shot blockers but your squad lived on the perimeter? Huh?
Section 212
March 27th, 2012
10:18 pm
Well time to go work out!
High-sider
March 27th, 2012
10:18 pm
Correction: “Hawks miss seven free throws and lose by seven points, 108-101. Ivan shoots 7-7 from the field. I guess seven’s are lucky [for Ivan Johnson] and not-so lucky [for [team] Atlanta Hawks] tonight.
bigdave
March 27th, 2012
10:19 pm
costly turns killed us.
Rod from College Park
March 27th, 2012
10:20 pm
Melvin,
“Hawks went dead in the water while Joe/Josh was out of the game to start the 4th qtr. It was a great opportunity for Marvin to step up but as usual, you can’t depend on him to be a scorer.”
Remember we got Willie Green. Copy your post, and save it for the playoffs so you don’t have to retype it.
DawgNole
March 27th, 2012
10:20 pm
Sautee
March 27th, 2012
10:14 pm
Good effort. Not enough, but good effort.
____________________
What you should be saying is a good effort is NOT enough. NO excuses.
tb hawk fan
March 27th, 2012
10:20 pm
the excuses are they are the hawks
atlchris77
March 27th, 2012
10:21 pm
This game turned when teatue had that horrible pass stolen for a dunk.hawks had a chance to go up five in that possession.
Rod from College Park
March 27th, 2012
10:21 pm
“What about Utah?”
Same difference.
atlchris77
March 27th, 2012
10:21 pm
Enter your comments here
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
March 27th, 2012
10:21 pm
Is it necessary for us to GET DOWN 17 POINTS EVERY SINGLE GAME??!!?!?!
HOW ABOUT WE TAKE AN EARLY LEAD FOR ONCE
Slimjr
March 27th, 2012
10:22 pm
With 17 in the 4th, Monte buried the Hawks!
Rod from College Park
March 27th, 2012
10:22 pm
Knowing LD, Ivan won’t get off the bench tomorrow.
James
March 27th, 2012
10:23 pm
Well, it looks like my predictions for this week are already wrong. I thought the Hawks would win this game. Anyway, I’ve got to tip my hat to the Bucks and to Monta Ellis. I have more respect for the Bucks than I have for most teams in the league because they always make the most out of what they have. They were down 2 of their better scorers tonight with both Ilyasova and Delfino out, and they still got it done.
Monta Ellis is also more impressive than I had thought in the past. When it came down to winning time, he just took over the game and carried the Bucks through the fourth quarter. He’s not just a volume shooter or scorer, the way he may have appeared to be in the past. He’s capable of scoring efficiently in a variety of ways, but he also impacts the defensive end and does a good job of play-making for others. Nice pick-up for the Bucks. Having that go-to scoring option in Monta gives Milwaukee a dimension that they’ve desperately lacked for several years now. They’ve always been a good defensive team, but they struggled to score the ball in the past. Now, they actually look good on both ends of the floor. If they are healthy come playoff time, I could see them giving one of the top seeds a serious run.