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
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
March 28th, 2012
9:12 pm
CAN’T EVEN BEAT A TEAM WITHOUT ITS BEST PLAYER
WHAT A JOKE
Najeh Davenpoop
March 28th, 2012
9:12 pm
Funny how those Deng 3s don’t go in when there’s a hand in his face.
Dude is not that good. Any half decent shooter can look good if he gets open looks all game.
The difference between the Bulls and the Hawks is that the Bulls execute the offense and go to what works on offense whereas the Hawks don’t. That lets someone like Deng get open looks every game — even with no Rose — while the Hawks have to work their asses off for every look.
Walt Frazier
March 28th, 2012
9:13 pm
I’m out. I’m done. Finished. Adios. In the wind. Later.
drmaryb.[*_*].
March 28th, 2012
9:13 pm
Poor shot selection
Poor Defense
Poor Energy
Will anyone put a body on Deng? He is pure. He is ASM (all star material) ya heard? Hit is left wrist – twist it off if he comes inside. Fight Dirty!!!!!!!!
Waive Jason. Waive TMac.
Where is Vlad?
The NBA cares … Will my Hawks care too? These are da bulls! Can yawl get up for that @ home?
Low Flyin' Buzzards
March 28th, 2012
9:13 pm
If Hawks had Kaman they would be a better in the paint on both ends.
Big Lou
March 28th, 2012
9:14 pm
“The gravy train he’d be riding with the biscuit wheels are about to come off real soon.
LD won’t be fired. His contract will get extended. Why? Al Horford’s injury.
DawgNole
March 28th, 2012
9:14 pm
You know it’s getting bad when Rathbun start talking about cunundrums (I think that’s how you spell it).
TMACfan
March 28th, 2012
9:15 pm
We need to second unit back with PARGO. He was a big influence on the team.
Slimjr
March 28th, 2012
9:15 pm
“Out coached and out worked= Playoff DISASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Free_Tracy_#1
March 28th, 2012
9:15 pm
I think LD is really Joe Johnson’s father because they both show absolutely NO PASSION for the game and are absolutely stubborn when it comes to changing up their game. LD got the head coaching job because nobody wanted to coach Josh Smith and Joe Johnson vouched for him..because..that’s his dad…
Luke Cage
March 28th, 2012
9:15 pm
Thibs is a damn good coach, LD is a ?????
Najeh Davenpoop
March 28th, 2012
9:15 pm
Iso-Teague at the end of the quarter instead of Iso-Joe?
Baby steps.
Wasn’t even that good of a play by Teague, and yet because of his quickness, he is able to get in the paint and draw a foul.
TMACfan
March 28th, 2012
9:15 pm
I’m sold that TMAC needs to retire. It saddens me.
City Of Atlanta Still Recovering From William Tecumseh Sherman
March 28th, 2012
9:16 pm
team is pure garbage. teague needs to be traded he cant shoot and never drives the ball
Rod from College Park
March 28th, 2012
9:17 pm
“Dude is not that good. Any half decent shooter can look good if he gets open looks all game.”
Marvin gets open looks like that all the time.
Luke Cage
March 28th, 2012
9:18 pm
I still rather give Teague time to grow, he’s been stunted by Crappy Coaching & NO opportunities the 1st 2 years
nick g.chgo.
March 28th, 2012
9:18 pm
Deng scoring? ? Strange
Luke Cage
March 28th, 2012
9:18 pm
This is almost like its Teague’s rookie year
Big Lou
March 28th, 2012
9:19 pm
Thank God the Braves open soon. I won’t have to watch this pathetic coach grab free money the rest of the season.
bigdave
March 28th, 2012
9:19 pm
pff…
ill take him over our borderline All Star Horford. not too many are knocking down 3’s against a contested hand. he’s shown the ability to create his own shot, can defend his position with the best of them, and being able to knock down an open shot is pretty valuable.
DREABABY
March 28th, 2012
9:19 pm
Deng is good but he is overrated,most of his points are coming from open attempts.Joes legs are gone yet L.D. has him defending Deng.What a clueless coach we have.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 28th, 2012
9:19 pm
“Marvin gets open looks like that all the time”
Haha… I didn’t say Deng is Marvin-caliber, just that he doesn’t deserve to be an All Star.
DawgNole
March 28th, 2012
9:19 pm
Big Lou: “LD won’t be fired. His contract will get extended. Why? Al Horford’s injury.”
_____________________
That may be the stated reason why, but the real reason is that the team’s ownership/management is cheap and satisfied with mediocrity.
tb hawk fan
March 28th, 2012
9:19 pm
good shot marvin
Low Flyin' Buzzards
March 28th, 2012
9:19 pm
Drew just sits there with the same expression on his face down 16 or up 20.
Luke Cage
March 28th, 2012
9:19 pm
Hawks blowing a chance at the 3 seed.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 28th, 2012
9:19 pm
Speaking of Marvin, he has bricked three wide open jumpers in this game.
kingd92
March 28th, 2012
9:21 pm
Jason Collins season stats:
10 minutes per game, .7 points per game, .2 assists per game, 1.4 rebounds per game
I only played varsity high school basketball, no college basketball, and I would put down money that I could put a better stat line that this $hit.
Low Flyin' Buzzards
March 28th, 2012
9:21 pm
You can’t wait to watch the 4th place Braves ? I can.
Luke Cage
March 28th, 2012
9:21 pm
“Thank God the Braves open soon. I won’t have to watch this pathetic coach grab free money the rest of the season.”
REALLY!! Enjoy reliving the biggest collapse in sports history.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
March 28th, 2012
9:21 pm
I admittedly haven’t been able to watch every game this year, but does Marvin ever hit open jumpshots anymore? Like 3 years ago (when he was still a pathetic joke), he was hitting 3s, jumpshots, etc.
SMH
DawgNole
March 28th, 2012
9:22 pm
Big Lou
March 28th, 2012
9:19 pm
Thank God the Braves open soon. I won’t have to watch this pathetic coach grab free money the rest of the season.
_____________________
You sure as hell aren’t going to see much (if anything) better with the Braves. Have you already forgotten Sept?
tb hawk fan
March 28th, 2012
9:22 pm
long faced hawks can’t play with the big ol boy’s
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
March 28th, 2012
9:23 pm
DawgNole,
What is your take on this game? Love all your recent posts here. You have methodically destroyed everyone from what I’ve seen.
O'Brien
March 28th, 2012
9:23 pm
In games like this against good teams, it would be nice for marvin to hit key jumpers. But most of Marvin’s points are usually NOT during moments when the Hawks desperately need him to knock a shot down (like I said, against good teams).
Rod from College Park
March 28th, 2012
9:23 pm
“Haha… I didn’t say Deng is Marvin-caliber, just that he doesn’t deserve to be an All Star.”
You know I could not let that one slide. LOL
bigdave
March 28th, 2012
9:23 pm
big Sik pinned that..
Najeh Davenpoop
March 28th, 2012
9:23 pm
Haha @ Iso-Kirk
O'Brien
March 28th, 2012
9:24 pm
Where is JJ? he had the first 4 points of the game, and only 8 since.
Luke Cage
March 28th, 2012
9:24 pm
Damn, Hawks are always going to be behind because of LD aka Larry Dummy
Najeh Davenpoop
March 28th, 2012
9:24 pm
I was legitimately surprised that Marvin made that dunk.
Rod from College Park
March 28th, 2012
9:24 pm
Marvin and Joe score more points when they mean nothing than any two players I have seen.
Luke Cage
March 28th, 2012
9:25 pm
LD, always looks like Droopy The Dog, “You know what, I’m Happy”
DawgNole
March 28th, 2012
9:25 pm
Nice jam by Marvin. I know some on here don’t believe me, but I’m telling you, he can run the floor. And he can do it even with that poker stuck up his azz. He just doesn’t do it enough.
Low Flyin' Buzzards
March 28th, 2012
9:26 pm
Marvin’s not even worth mentioning. Wasted time.
Big Lou
March 28th, 2012
9:26 pm
“You sure as hell aren’t going to see much (if anything) better with the Braves. Have you already forgotten Sept?” DawgNole
Still better than watching the Hawks. New season–not to mention they are starting to heat up at the end of the Spring Season.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 28th, 2012
9:26 pm
The most frustrating part about watching this is that the Bulls really are not any more talented than the Hawks. Some teams (Heat, Thunder, Clippers, Nuggets, etc.) are more talented, so to see them beat the Hawks isn’t too surprising. But this Bulls team, even with Rose, is only about the same talent level. They just happen to have one of the 3-5 elite coaches in the league.
Rod from College Park
March 28th, 2012
9:26 pm
“Where is JJ? he had the first 4 points of the game, and only 8 since.”
You act surprised. Another sub 20 point game against above average competition.
Slimjr
March 28th, 2012
9:27 pm
Gibson is a Hawk KILLER!
drmaryb.[*_*].
March 28th, 2012
9:27 pm
American Idol is on.
Rachael Maddow is on.
Hawks are not on.
Cohorts, my Hawks are just gassed coming around the bend and, this schedule has been brutal coupled with all the injuries … not an excuse, but, I can’t be mad at my boys. They just were not supported in the paint after Al went down. Sund did nothing to rectify such a huge loss.
Al Horford matters. Zaza has been phenomenal and, great … but he has no backup. Ivan has been amazing in every way. Jeff has been too laid back more often than not. His spark is a flicker but, this is his rookie year. Kirk has been OK, but we need so much more.
We just gassed … Don’t berate them – look at management instead, thatks where the winning culture begins. We just don’t have owners that care about anything but lining their pockets.
AMNESTY ASKG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!