Atlanta Hawks: Bulls 98, Hawks 77
Vivlamore reporting from Philips Arena. Here is my updated game story, with quotes, from the Hawks’ loss to the Bulls Wednesday.
It’s a dangerous game the Hawks are playing of late.
After falling behind by large first-half margins the past two games, the Hawks rallied only to fall short. The latest came Wednesday night in a 98-77 loss to the Bulls at Philips Arena.
The Hawks trailed the Bulls by 18 points in the first half. They used a 16-2 run to cut the lead to four points, 56-52, but could get no closer. The Bulls answered with an 18-4 run of their own in the third quarter to push the lead back to 18 points. Luol Deng provided the final nail in the coffin with a 3-pointer to cap the run. It came on a pass from Taj Gibson, who gathered the rebound of his own miss when Ivan Johnson failed to box him out.
From there the Bulls’ lead only increased.
“It’s very frustrating because we show signs of being a pretty good team but then when we play against some of the elites, like Chicago, we can’t have a lot of letdowns against them as we do against some of the teams that we normally get by,” Joe Johnson said. “Against a great team, you don’t have room for mistakes. As you see tonight, they took advantage of every mistake that we made.”
On Tuesday, the Hawks trailed by 17 points to the Bucks. They battled back to take a three-point lead before succumbing in the fourth quarter. They wouldn’t get that close against the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls.
Deng led the Bulls (41-11, 21-6 road) with a game-high 22 points, including five 3-pointers. Carlos Boozer added 20 points and Gibson had 19. The Bulls have won eight of their past 10 and have played without reigning league MVP Derrick Rose (groin) the past eight games. The Bulls took the regular-season series from the Hawks, 3-1.
As he has in the past, Johnson questioned the Hawks for not playing a role-oriented game.
“Chicago is a very disciplined team and everybody knows their role and plays their role to the fullest,” Johnson said. “As for us, sometimes we are not so disciplined. There may be a few guys who don’t know their role on this team. We do a lot that doesn’t help us, for whatever reason. That is why [the Bulls] are an elite team. They’ve got the MVP who hasn’t played in eight game and they go [6-2]. That goes to show they have guys who really value their roles and play their roles like no other.”
The Hawks (30-22, 16-8 home) lost for the second straight night, losing the final two in a streak of five games in six nights. After an off-day Thursday, the Hawks play a home-road back-to-back against the Knicks and 76ers and will have played seven games in nine days.
“I’m sure the guys are tired,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. “But I told them we can’t use that as an excuse. We have to play the hand that’s dealt to us.”
Josh Smith led the Hawks with 19 points, but struggled from the field as he made 8 of 21 shots. Jeff Teague added 13 points and Johnson had 12 points.
The Bulls built its 18-point first half lead with a remarkable second quarter. They made 12 of 18 shots (66.7 percent), including five 3-pointers. For the first half, the Bulls were 7 of 8 (87.5 percent) from behind the arc. The only miss was a desperation heave at the buzzer. Deng had 14 first-half points as he made all three of his 3-point attempts. John Lucas had 10 points in the first half.
“Everybody was hitting shots from the point guards to the forwards,” Teague said. “Everybody was making shots. There isn’t much you can do about that.”
After pulling within four points in the third quarter, Drew said his team “got stuck in the mud.”
The Hawks led by eight points, 13-5, in the first quarter. But they would go cold in the second quarter, shooting just 8 of 21 (38.1 percent). Smith led the Hawks with 13 first-half points, but that came on 5 of 14 shooting.
The Bulls erased the Hawks early lead by going on a 14-2 run that ended the first quarter and started the second. They followed with an 18-7 run near the end of the half culminating with Lucas’ 3-pointer, the Bulls’ seventh straight, for a 54-36 lead.
“They made shots and when a team is making shots you have to tighten up a little tighter,” Drew said. “They had a good game tonight. You have to give credit where credit is due. We seemed to be a step behind in a lot of things.”
There were a few tense moments in a game that wasn’t close for long stretches. Johnson was close to being called for a flagrant foul with 6:41 remaining when he grabbed Gibson around the neck, pulling him to the floor, while trying to stop a layup. Zaza Pachulia, who on Tuesday ran into Johnson and opened a cut that required five stitches in his lip, inadvertently hit Kyle Kover in the head and drew blood.
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
74 comments Add your comment
Section 303
March 29th, 2012
7:46 am
I thought the game last night was junk. The Hawks looked gassed. They were just jacking up jumpers all night and were never really a factor defensively. All a product of this crappy schedule. Get these next two games over with and that three day rest should help. I expect two losses coming to NY and Philly. I’m going to hold off crucifying them until they get a break.
Also, Larry Drew has done an awful job managing minutes. I think that is a big part of the problem. Joe, Josh, and even Zaza have just been logging too much time. No reason for guys playing 50 + minutes, like they did on Sunday night. Main reason for the consecutive weak efforts.
vava74
March 29th, 2012
7:59 am
Rod, High-sider,
I never contested the need for scorers in the playoffs, merely that Jamal is so one dimensional and so unreliably streaky that I don’t consider him the GOD you like to think of him.
It seems that you BOTH forget that Jamal played on that CHI series and that the result was 1 good game, 1 acceptable game and 4 MAJOR STINKERS, whilst playing ZERO defense.
The 4 losses on that series were not substantially different than last night’s, so I don’t understand you rejoicing about the lack of scoring and summoning the “ghost of Jamal” YET AGAIN.
Jamal is headed to yet another summer watching the playoffs on TV in a situation where he has been tested and flunked as 6th man scorer, backup PG, starting PG, …
Contrary to other players – like JR Smith (who rebounds and plays some D) Jamal brings little else than streaky shooting.
Last night we were – as usual – thoroughly out coached.
Collins against the Bulls is a proven NO-NO and LD goes and puts him first than Ivan?
Ivan the victim of the 2 foul rule? A backup PF hooked after the second foul? Why?
The two foul rule is MANY TIMES stupid when used on a starter (see Horford last year against ORL) but is BEYOND IDIOTIC when used on a player which is an energy guy off the bench and that was sorely needed to match up with CHI’s energy guys (Asik and Gibson – who again made a difference).
LD = PATHETIC COACHING IMO
Dawg
March 29th, 2012
8:21 am
The Hawks WILL resign Larry Drew because he is the cheapest option available. The hawks WILL resign Sund because he is the cheapest option available. Besides, does it take a great GM to trade away all picks and sign minimum salary players?
Slimjr
March 29th, 2012
8:28 am
No Doubt, Larry is in over his Head. He may get crush by Woody Friday night?
Larry Drew= Wade Phillips. square peg / round hole
Would not be surprise by a double digit loss of over 20 points..The Knicks have a multitude of weapons to attack Atlanta’s soft defense with.. Woodsanity may put on a clinic of epic proportions…
Oh the Humanity… Well at least the game is not nationally televised… Whew…..
drmaryb.[*_*].
March 29th, 2012
8:29 am
MC
The bloginator has eaten 5 posts titled: IF. Can you retrieve the last one and put it up on the blog? Thanks. I just have no inclination to re-write it at this point.
Dawg
March 29th, 2012
8:33 am
MC, anyone: Is McGrady hurt? Why the reduced role all of a sudden?
Slimjr
March 29th, 2012
8:42 am
These next two losses will let even die hard Hawks fans know that this team will probably be dismantled in either the 1st round or 2nd depending on match ups…It was never Mr Gearon Jr’s intent to pursue a Championship in this town when he became an owner. Never was, so don’t expect his teams to play like an elite squad..They are not configured as such..Then add underachieving GM such as RIck Sund who wouldn’t know how to configure a championship caliber team if it was dropped in the lap. See his 32 year career in the NBA. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Then you hire a coach who is not gifted to perform this task and there ya go.. A playoff meltdown will follow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It wont be a surprise.. Last nights game was a shot across the bow and the one to come Friday night maybe a direct hit?
45×2=90, Blah,Blah, you guys already know the rest
ricardo anyaz
March 29th, 2012
8:44 am
Dwag tmacs role is being reduced because he rightly called the idiotexcuse for a coach in Drew out.
Slimjr
March 29th, 2012
8:45 am
Coach appears to hold grudges? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
He only hurting himself and the team if thats the case….
doc
March 29th, 2012
8:51 am
pardon, how do you manage minutes in close games you might lose if you dont play the best gus you have? if he managed them any differently we are managed roght out of the playoffs and lose those close games we won. i really dont understand it are you coaching to win or managing minutes to lose.
look folks our bench is not close to that of the heat, okc’s or bulls not even the knicks of the world with real live young big bodies to put on the floor. that is what i saw. when noah and boozer left the game there was asik and gibson right there behind them. when deng leaves then there is korver. the bulls have a roster full and please dont try to say pargo, green, vlad, twin, dampier, even ivan could come off their bench or make their roster because pargo was there and let go and he is our backup point guard.
mark it up babeeee … 0-46!
Slimjr
March 29th, 2012
8:59 am
Those darn Northerners sure dont like losing? And we(Gearon Jr) though we could keep this underachieving franchise under the radar for the next 45 years?
0-46? Yep
Slimjr
March 29th, 2012
9:06 am
thought^^
terrell
March 29th, 2012
9:23 am
Who cares? 4 OT’s? A meaningless comback try by LD in Milwaukee. Hawks were gassed, outmanned, and OUTCOACHED last night.. They’ll play better come Playoff time. IF they make it.
terrell
March 29th, 2012
9:26 am
lol @ LD trying to show TMac who’s the boss.
drmaryb.[*_*].
March 29th, 2012
9:59 am
National Bad Association! (NBA)
“MC, anyone: Is McGrady hurt? Why the reduced role all of a sudden?” -dawg-
________
McGrady is not a YES man. I just hope he is not influencing Josh in a bad way. Hopefully, Josh will migrate to Stackhouse and Josh’s father has the right agenda for his son and, their family.
After all, as we all see: The NBA is a business (see ASKG).
drmaryb.[*_*].
March 29th, 2012
10:04 am
The Good Book!
The good book says, “Bad association spoils useful habits.”
Najeh Davenpoop
March 29th, 2012
10:23 am
New blog up FYI
Things Hawks lack
March 29th, 2012
11:32 am
1. Teague never challenges an inbound pass. He actually stands sideways to allow less of a barrier. Watch — ne never even puts his hands up.
2. Zaza needs to DUNK. All he has to do is drop it in. He can’t make a shot under the basket at all. Just dunk it!!!.
3. Airball after airball after airball should tell you that your outside shot is off a bit. Go inside!!! How many times last night was Josh open under the basket waving for the ball but Teague held it, thought about it for a bit and then passed it 2 feet to Zaza standing next to him.
4. Pick and roll. — is RARELY used by the Hawks. It happens, there’s a pick and there’s the roll but the pass never happens. I’m not liking Teague in the last 4 or 5 games.
5. A coach with the desire to win. He does give up and the players see that so quit also. He should always want to win up to the last second.
PGS
March 29th, 2012
2:30 pm
Zaza needs to DUNK. All he has to do is drop it in. He can’t make a shot under the basket at all. Just dunk it!!!.
—-
Zaza can’t jump very high son.
Walt Frazier
March 29th, 2012
2:32 pm
It seems Larry Drew has no problem with cliches, excuses, or observations, when it come to the post game of the Hawks. Maybe they are thought out in advance. Larry Drew is High School coach material. The Hawks, IMO-will NOT renew his contract. If they were-they would’ve done it by now. They are just waiting until the end of the season and the playoffs (the Hawks won’t make it past the first round).
PGS
March 29th, 2012
2:35 pm
Also the Hawks (lack of) defensive pace was what was wrong.
Kirk
Joe
Teague
—-
“big men” Josh + Zaza
vs
Deng
Boozer
Noah
–
Teague, Hinrich, Joe, Josh, Zaza is too soft and not athletic enough to cover ground and challenge shots.
Teague, Joe, Josh, Ivan, Pachulia
Everyone knows that we go big (defense, rebounding0 in playoffs. LD probably trying to lower expectations so he can spring the lineup in playoffs and look like a genius.
Jay Dubu
March 29th, 2012
3:13 pm
Although Josh is the Hawks’ most talentant player, he shoot absolutely too (ttooo minymuch. If LD could get him to play within the confines of the team, the Hawks would be great.
kuhndog
March 29th, 2012
5:28 pm
I agree with the earlier poster, I am cynical about the NBA,they want 1 of four teams in the finals OKC, LAL,CHIC MIA.I promise you this will be the finals.It doesn’t matter how good any team plays, it is all polatics.Stern is a figure head and it is all about the $$$$$$.The referees are told how to call the game,ATL could play their best basketball in the playoffs and get Horford back and it wont matter.I love the Hawks and would love to see them in the finals but it is not gonna happen .I HOPE I AM WRONG
Actually
March 29th, 2012
6:40 pm
“No Doubt, Larry is in over his Head. He may get crush by Woody Friday night?”
The only crush I see is the big man crush you have on Woodson and the Knicks. You’re no different than the 76ers troll, except that you are here all the time.