Atlanta Hawks vs. Bulls: Game thread
Vivlamore reporting from Philips Arena.
The Bulls will be without Derrick Rose tonight against the Hawks, the eighth straight game he has missed with a groin injury.
For the Hawks, Vladimir Radmanovic is a game-time decision with a back injury. The forward has missed five of the past six games with “tightness” in his back. UPDATE: Radmanovic will not play.
Without Rose, Hawks coach Larry Drew said his team will not change the way they approach playing the Eastern Conference leader. Rebounding and controlling the paint will be the key.
“Still a very, very capable ball club of winning without Rose,” Drew said. “We will attack them the way we have in the past. We have to control the boards. We have to control the paint. They really play an aggressive style in the paint area. We are going to have to bring a playoff intensity against this team because they are not going to hand it to us. They are not going to roll over because Rose is not in the lineup.”
Turnovers will be another issue facing the Hawks. They committed 22 turnovers in Tuesday loss at the Bucks, tying their third most this season. Ten of those turnovers came in the first quarter when the Hawks fell into a deficit they spent much of the game trying to erase.
“That is totally against the way we want to play, particularly on the road,” Drew said. “We talk about controlling the tempo, limiting our turnovers and how important it is to win the board game. At the end of the first quarter we had 10 turnovers. We were at a pace that wasn’t very good for us. Here we are 15 games until the end of the regular season and we are still talking about the same things we were talking about the first week of the season. It is something we will continue to harp on. As a coach, you hope at this point of the season, we are past that point where we are turning the ball over that many times. It’s the way we are turning the ball over. A lot of those errors are unforced, where we are trying to force the issue. Hopefully, we’ll just get better at.”
Jeff Teague had seven of the turnovers, but Drew’s message to his young point guard was simple.
“The only thing he needs to learn is how to bounce back,” Drew said. “… At this stage the last thing I want Jeff to do is play cautious.”
Finally, Drew expects to go deeper into his bench tonight against the Bulls, the fifth game in six nights. He had wanted to play more reserves against the Bucks but didn’t want to stop the momentum the starters had in erasing a 17-point deficit. Tracy McGrady played just 6:50, Willie Green played just 6:23 and Jerry Stackhouse did not play.
“I thought we had exerted a lot of energy to tie it and take the lead and I really wanted to ride the warm guys,” Drew said. “I was hoping I could rest both Josh [Smith] and Joe [Johnson] momentarily, which they did the start of the fourth, but I thought it was important to hang on to the momentum that we did have.
“Tonight, may be a little different story. I might have to go deeper into my bench.”
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413 comments Add your comment
Turnover Teague
March 28th, 2012
8:20 pm
You could take the best attributes from Collins,Ivan,Dampier and roll em into one player and still have a bench player D-Leaguer…
Turnover Teague
March 28th, 2012
8:21 pm
Somebody should pull Noah’s ponytail…
Luke Cage
March 28th, 2012
8:21 pm
Keith Benson is doing much better than Collins with just minimal minutes for the Warriors.
Big Lou
March 28th, 2012
8:21 pm
Time for the starters to bail out LD again.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 28th, 2012
8:22 pm
Of course f-cking Weezy gets the loudest cheers from the crowd. Maybe if Birdman is sitting next to him they can put them on the Kiss Cam.
DawgNole
March 28th, 2012
8:22 pm
Looking mighty shaky against a Bulls team on the road w/o their best player. Traditionally, wiith ATL teams, what goes up (4OT thriller) must come down–hard and fast.
Why not break with tradition tonight?
Luke Cage
March 28th, 2012
8:23 pm
Bulls will not keep up with this shooting, Hawks just need to stay close
O'Brien
March 28th, 2012
8:23 pm
Najeh, Sautee
Collins played 7 minutes. 0 points, 0 rebs, 0 assists, 2 fouls. -9.
Against Utah, he played 9 minutes, 0 points, 0 rebs, 1 assist, 5 fouls.
I dont know why LD continues to play him over Dampier. Last game, Collins also had more fouls than points. SMH
Najeh Davenpoop
March 28th, 2012
8:24 pm
Bulls are making some suolucidir shots. That Lucas 3 and the earlier Korver rainbow 3 had no business going in.
(Seriously MC you need to do something about the blog monster eating that word every time.)
Blast
March 28th, 2012
8:24 pm
When players like Lucas are raining down crazy three’s like that? What else can a team do?
Slimjr
March 28th, 2012
8:24 pm
Is it safe to say the Hawks are in trouble?
Turnover Teague
March 28th, 2012
8:24 pm
Bulls get open looks and drain shots. Hawks no open looks miss shots. Bulls play defense and Hawks don’t.
ntrigue
March 28th, 2012
8:24 pm
Lets just hope they cool off cause they are hitting everything right now…were playing good defense!
Big Lou
March 28th, 2012
8:25 pm
If LD puts in Collins again at ANY point in the second half. The Hawks deserve to lose.
Slimjr
March 28th, 2012
8:26 pm
collins= losses
Kaman= wins!
O'Brien
March 28th, 2012
8:26 pm
Dawgnole,
Looking mighty shaky against a Bulls team on the road w/o their best player..
The Bulls also beat Miami in a game where Rose didn’t play (although it was in Chicago).
Najeh Davenpoop
March 28th, 2012
8:27 pm
Haha. The Bulls are not getting looks that great. They are just knocking everything down and the Hawks are strugg-a-ling offensively.
High-sider
March 28th, 2012
8:27 pm
When basketball critics, pundits, analysts, commentators, etc. say that a particular basketball gives you or his/the team [absolutely] “nothing,” the word “nothing” is usually meant in a figurative sense but in Collins’ case the word “nothing” or the phrase “gives you nothing” should be taken literally. Check [out] this fool’s [Collins] stat line in 8:13 of playing time. Collins really “gave the Hawks [absolutely] nothing.” [smh]
http://www.nba.com/games/20120328/CHIATL/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100749#nbaGIboxscore
Luke Cage
March 28th, 2012
8:27 pm
Right now bulls just hitting all shots even with good D
Slimjr
March 28th, 2012
8:27 pm
Chicago too deep and too Good! ITS a wrap!
Turnover Teague
March 28th, 2012
8:27 pm
Musta been a lot of alcoholics in Boozer’s ancestry ?
Big Lou
March 28th, 2012
8:28 pm
Hawks lost their momentum because of LD. I’m done watching this crap.
City Of Atlanta Still Recovering From William Tecumseh Sherman
March 28th, 2012
8:28 pm
anybody really expect them to win when they struggle to beat under 500 teams
O'Brien
March 28th, 2012
8:29 pm
Rod,
In the playoffs, LD might have to play his starters 40 minutes every game.
High-sider
March 28th, 2012
8:29 pm
Correction: “When basketball critics, pundits, analysts, commentators, etc. say that a particular basketball [player*] gives you or his/the team [absolutely] “nothing,” the word “nothing” is usually meant in a figurative sense but in Collins’ case the word “nothing” or the phrase “gives you nothing” should be taken literally.”
Luke Cage
March 28th, 2012
8:29 pm
7-7 on 3’s, just gotta tip ya hat to them
Turnover Teague
March 28th, 2012
8:29 pm
You meant NO defense
Slimjr
March 28th, 2012
8:29 pm
Woody= Wins
Drew= Losses
O'Brien
March 28th, 2012
8:29 pm
And in case some of you forgot, BK drafted Childress instead of Deng
Slimjr
March 28th, 2012
8:30 pm
Da Hawks are going to get destroyed in the playoffs….
Najeh Davenpoop
March 28th, 2012
8:31 pm
This feels like one of those games where the Hawks will claw back into the game in the 3rd quarter, tie it up in the 4th, run out of gas and lose. Kind of like yesterday. The Bulls are not going to knock down contested 3s all day but their defense will carry them through.
The Bulls’ D is very good but the Hawks are bailing them out on that end by not posting up. Post up Josh and use his passing ability to make the Bulls pay for their defensive style.
Sautee
March 28th, 2012
8:31 pm
“the word “nothing” is usually meant in a figurative sense but in Collins’ case the word “nothing” or the phrase “gives you nothing” should be taken literally.”
Well, perhaps not “nothing”. Of course Collins can always serve as a poor example.
Hawkfan
March 28th, 2012
8:32 pm
Is there any kind of fan petition that can be put together on this Collins issue? I have wasted an entire evening to watch this crap. Great start, up 23-17. Enter the Twin and game pretty much over. Same every time he plays. Damp, Debo, go small, whatever just don’t put that sorry player in the game. What is he point?
Najeh Davenpoop
March 28th, 2012
8:32 pm
“Woody= Wins
Drew= Losses”
Haha. Not in the playoffs.
Turnover Teague
March 28th, 2012
8:32 pm
Worst hair team : Josh Childress,Joakim Noah,Ben Wallace.
High-sider
March 28th, 2012
8:32 pm
I apologize for the mistake. Collins gave the Hawks two [personal] fouls. [s+smh]
s+smh = scratching and shaking my head
Free_Tracy_#1
March 28th, 2012
8:32 pm
Wow..LD plays Tracy for four minutes…WTF ? Is that even enough time to break a sweat ??
Does LD even have an offensive playbook ? Must everything thing be Isolation for Joe & Josh…Its not really hard to scout the Hawks If you are the opposing team.
LD and Sund both don’t have a contract for next yr and it shows..because LD is trying so hard to keep his job when its obvious that he will be coaching the D League next yr ..I seriously doubt anybody is going to give him a head coaching job in the NBA.
slim
March 28th, 2012
8:33 pm
I think Drew should get over his fascination with 3 guards and fast.
Luke Cage
March 28th, 2012
8:33 pm
GO TO THE BASKET
Turnover Teague
March 28th, 2012
8:34 pm
Noah would be WNBA’s best player…
Slimjr
March 28th, 2012
8:34 pm
2-12
Walt Frazier
March 28th, 2012
8:34 pm
Ok. Let’s see the comments this time. All of the allocades for LD-the last game with the Bucks notwithstanding. Some bloggers even wanted to give LD “coach of the year”? Come on-back to reality. I give credit where credit is due. Yes, the Hawks were doing ok with the five game win streak before the Bucks, but then lost to the Bucks. Now, tonight, they play the Bulls, and can make up some ground on the Magic because they are currently losing to the Knicks. The Hawks will show you what they are made of-mediocrity, period. Yes they show fight. But how long can the fight continue when you have a coach like LD. I’m glad I have other things to do, because I stopped focusing on the Hawks long ago. I’ll watch games, but games like these-against a very good Bulls team? When the Hawks have a huge lead, I’ll watch until I see how long the Hawks can maintain it. A game like tonight is hard to watch, because: A. The Hawks are being outcoached. B. The Bulls players play with heart and will and have sucked up the Hawks spirit and energy. C. Other than the Jazz, the Hawks can not win against post 500 teams. Please do not re-new, any option for LD, and do not give Sund another year in the Hawks organization. Most sports writers who know the Hawks situation will agree with me, and I’ve read the owners (ASG) are waiting until the end of the season to make that decision maybe as carrot stick for LD and Sund. You can’t give what you don’t have-and that’s experience in winning.
Rod from College Park
March 28th, 2012
8:35 pm
“Rod,
In the playoffs, LD might have to play his starters 40 minutes every game.”
LOL. Remember our collective bench is so great this year.
Rico
March 28th, 2012
8:35 pm
JOSH SMITH JUST DO NOT GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!
STOP SHOOTING THREE’S DAMM IT! I do not care of the clock is running out, we better off with the clock hitting zero than him launghing those damm 3’s!
Turnover Teague
March 28th, 2012
8:35 pm
T-Mac has a 5 minute max per game clause in his contract….
Rod from College Park
March 28th, 2012
8:35 pm
It was all good a few days ago.
NUNNA!!
March 28th, 2012
8:36 pm
Tmac/Collins/Stackhouse are taking up space that younger,developing legs could have had..
This showing should suprise none of us on here..We know what we have..
All Stars during a stretch then All Crap da next few games..
But,i will say this..This game is early and this is the kinda game to where the hawks come back and win..
They will get it together but,i still think we will be in trouble during playoffs..
Should have kept Benson,and Magnum Rolle..
Najeh Davenpoop
March 28th, 2012
8:36 pm
Good job by Joe passing out of the double quickly and Josh by moving without the ball toward Joe to catch that pass. I’d rather see them post up Josh, but as long as whoever is posting up gets rid of it quickly when they are doubled, that’s how the Hawks are going to regain their offensive rhythm.
High-sider
March 28th, 2012
8:36 pm
Turnover Teague
March 28th, 2012
8:32 pm
Worst hair team : Josh Childress,Joakim Noah,Ben Wallace.
___________________________
Turnover Teague, you forgot to add Martell Webster.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=efis&gs_nf=1&cp=17&gs_id=2n&xhr=t&q=martell+webster+hair&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1366&bih=632&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=Y65zT4GcIbSK2QWvgvH-Dg
Big Lou
March 28th, 2012
8:36 pm
Deng plays the whole half almost.
LD takes out all the scorers when the Hawks get a decent lead.
Why?
Because LD is a moron.