Updated: Atlanta Hawks at Sixers: Game thread
Vivlamore reporting from Philadelphia.
In what has become a recurring theme, the Hawks will be short-handed against the Sixers.
Tracy McGrady (illness) and Jerry Stackhouse (personal) did not make the trip to Philly. Vladimir Radmanovic (back) will also not play. Jannero Pargo (appendectomy) remains out.
To the game: The Sixers lead the NBA in both scoring defense (allowing 87.7 points per game) and field goal defense (allowing opponents just 42 percent shooting).
“We have to be solid on both ends of the floor,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. “They lead the league in field goal defense because they do such a good job of rotating. When you play against a team that does that well, you have to be committed to moving the basketball and making the extra pass. You can’t get stagnant and play a lot of one-on-one because you play right into what they want to do. We are going to have to be totally, totally committed to moving the ball tonight, more so than we have the whole season. If you allow them to load up on one side of the floor you are playing right into their hands.”
I asked Drew how satisfying last night’s win over the Knicks (and former Hawks coach Mike Woodson) was. He took the high road.
“I got the most satisfaction because we had lost two games in a row,” Drew said. “I told the guys before the game, our focus has to be, as we wind the regular season down, we want to finish strong. We want to be playing well toward the end and carry momentum.
“A lot was made about Woodson coming back to Atlanta and that whole thing. But our focus has to be the Atlanta Hawks and what we need to do. We haven’t played consistent in long stretches enough to get caught up in that. Our focus has to be us.”
The Sixers feature three local products in Louis Williams (South Gwinnett High), Thaddeus Young (Georgia Tech) and Jodie Meeks (Norcross High). Drew is particularly concerned with Williams and Young coming off the bench. Williams leads the Sixers in total points despite not having started a game this season.
“They are both guys when they come into the game, they change the game,” Drew said. “Louis is one of the best scorers in our league and Thaddeus has another motor. You have to combat that. You can’t allow both guys to come in and get going.”
Finally after tonight’s game – the Hawks’ seventh in nine days – they have three days off before playing their next game. Drew said he will give the team at least one day off, maybe two.
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372 comments Add your comment
BIG DOG
March 31st, 2012
10:37 pm
BILLY KNIGHT – there is only 1 BIG DOG BRO, go kick rocks.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Hawkfan
March 31st, 2012
10:38 pm
Soak my No Clue Drew shirt in Jim Beam for authenticity
BILLY KNIGHT
March 31st, 2012
10:40 pm
BIG DOG your mutt and wet behind the ears bro, THIS MY CITY B$TCH.
Chris Vivlamore
March 31st, 2012
10:43 pm
New game story blog posted for comments.
Melvin
March 31st, 2012
10:54 pm
Hawks has played more road game than any team in the league…..
DawgNole
March 31st, 2012
11:16 pm
Big Lou
March 31st, 2012
8:04 pm
Man.
These announcers are hard to listen to sometimes.
They should be called Homer and Homer Jr.
_________________
These announcers are hard to listen to ALL the time!
DawgNole
March 31st, 2012
11:32 pm
phil
March 31st, 2012
9:14 pm
What is sad is hoping this bunch can ever get past round two…
Years of torture continue…
________________
Couldn’t have said it more accurately myself.
Slimjr
March 31st, 2012
11:37 pm
1-3, 25% last 4 games, Reality check? Yep…Sad…It will be very short playoff run…
DawgNole
March 31st, 2012
11:42 pm
Najeh Davenpoop
March 31st, 2012
9:32 pm
It would be a damn shame if the Hawks ended up with a 7 seed because they couldn’t win this game. A damn shame.
__________________
Hard for me to believe you thought they had a chance to win it.
Slimjr
March 31st, 2012
11:43 pm
“Hawks team very inconsistent, but hey! It is what is. You can roll out a dozen reasons why – however, that doesn’t change a thing.er your comments here”
Actually their consistent at losing to playoffs bound teams, 1-3 last 4 games..(25%) yup..
Slimjr
March 31st, 2012
11:48 pm
Andre is an ISO STOPPER, game, set, and match…..
DawgNole
April 1st, 2012
1:09 am
doc
March 31st, 2012
9:35 pm
too fnny ref caught saying ahh come on josh after his forearm to hawes head.
____________________
You’re observant, doc. I saw that too. Har de har har.
DawgNole
April 1st, 2012
1:11 am
kevkat
March 31st, 2012
9:37 pm
The hawks always seem to falter at the end of games against the sixers..just can’t sustain any effort against them
_____________________
It’s not only against the sixers–unfortunately.
DawgNole
April 1st, 2012
1:12 am
High-sider
March 31st, 2012
9:42 pm
Hawks let one get away.
_____________________
One?! You’re kidding, right?
DawgNole
April 1st, 2012
1:14 am
Big Lou
March 31st, 2012
9:43 pm
It’s still possible to win with a quick three.
___________________
Yeah, right.
DawgNole
April 1st, 2012
1:15 am
Blast
March 31st, 2012
9:45 pm
Brave effort, but yet another loss.
____________________
45 years and counting.
DawgNole
April 1st, 2012
1:17 am
Najeh: “I still think the Hawks will win a playoff series against this team. They are not that good. Hawks shoot themselves in the foot against them.”
__________________
You’re delusional, Najeh. You say the same thing after every loss.
DawgNole
April 1st, 2012
1:25 am
Najeh Davenpoop
March 31st, 2012
9:55 pm
Still think the remaining schedule favors the Hawks over the Sixers too much for the Hawks to get bumped to the 7 seed, but they don’t have much breathing room. This team always makes it harder on themselves.
_________________
Astounding to me that a guy w/your intelligence can still find something positive to say about yet another loss by the Hawks.
Johnson, Green lead Hawks past New York 100-90 – Houston Chronicle (NBA) - NBA BASKETBALL News Updates - NBA Basketball Fanatic News Blog
April 1st, 2012
9:12 am
[...] Updated: Atlanta Hawks at Sixers: Game threadAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)To the game: The Sixers lead the NBA in both scoring defense (allowing 87.7 points per game) and field goal defense (allowing opponents just 42 percent shooting). “We have to be solid on both ends of the floor,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. [...]
Jay Dubu
April 1st, 2012
9:23 am
Whatever show falls the Hawks experience in the Playoffs, will be blamed on ijnuries. Still, I think Collins and Hinrich will be gone next season.
NBA Standings 2012: Heat Standings Update – SB Nation (NBA Basketball) - NBA BASKETBALL News Updates - NBA Basketball Fanatic News Blog
April 2nd, 2012
5:28 am
[...] Updated: Atlanta Hawks at Sixers: Game threadAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)To the game: The Sixers lead the NBA in both scoring defense (allowing 87.7 points per game) and field goal defense (allowing opponents just 42 percent shooting). “We have to be solid on both ends of the floor,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. [...]
W.R. Terrell
April 2nd, 2012
11:43 am
About 4 years ago the sixers were interested in Josh Smith but there was also a guy named Elton Brand in the running . Josh was a young athelete who could leap out of the building, block shots and the upside was serious “PO”. Elton was a lil slower, coming off injury and he appeared to be prone to injuries yet Philly decided to go with Brand. I was not happy about that. Brand may only score 10 or 12 points but he does so many other things that are necessary to win as evidenced the other night.
A lot of you are going to disagree and fuss and cuss and kick up dust but the proof is in the pudding
Josh is a good player and can do some spectacular things. Elton is simply a ball player with diminishing skills who can be terribly effective in crunch time. He knows and understands the game of basketball and makes the players around him better. He doesn’t and probably cannot do the dramatic but he just does the job. That HAWKS made the wrong gamble.