Archive for March, 2012

• This was a typical game of late for the Hawks against good competition. You can’t fault their effort, especially because they were missing three rotation players (not counting Al Horford) and playing the second night of a back-to-back. They didn’t fold when the Celtics took a15-point lead in the fourth quarter and their arena sounded as if they were playing on the road.
• But you can find plenty not to like about Atlanta’s execution. Or, in the case of Jeff Teague’s 3-point try that missed everything by a good five feet, you can find fault with their failure to finish good opportunities. Josh Smith’s exasperation with that final play spoke volumes.
• Teague: “I overshot it. I thought I was farther than I was. It happens. I knew they were going to double team Joe [Johnson] and either me or Josh would get a shot. Seeing that there was a big guy flying at me, I just tried to get it up. That caused me to shoot it higher and longer.”
• Doc Rivers: “Teague got a wide-open shot and we …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Celtics 79, Hawks 76 »

Marvin Williams (hip) and Vladimir Radmanovic (back) are out. Jermaine O’Neal (wrist) and Chris Wilcox (heart) are out for the Celtics.

• Willie Green (hamstring) says he will return after missing eight games. Green says he may have sat longer if not for Jannero Pargo being added to Atlanta’s long injury list: “I told that coaches and trainers it’s a matter of getting on the floor. I’m at that 80 percent range but, the fact of the matter is no one on the team is feeling 100 percent. I feel good enough to get out there.”
• Drew said the crowded injury list means he may use Tracy McGrady on the second game of a back-to-back: “Because we are so limited there is a chance we will definitely use him again tonight. We just take it a day at a time.”
• Drew said Pargo is scheduled to return to Atlanta from Cleveland tomorrow after having an appendectomy Sunday. Drew said Pargo will be out two to four weeks.
• Jeff Teague and Kirk Hinrich are Atlanta’s only healthy point guards. Drew said …

Continue reading Celtics at Atlanta Hawks: Game thread »

Vivlamore reporting from Cleveland. Here is my game story from the Hawks win over the Cavs Sunday so you may comment.

CLEVELAND – All the Hawks needed was one good quarter out of Joe Johnson.

They got that – and more.

Despite being thinned by injury, coach Larry Drew was cognizant of putting too much stress on Johnson’s troublesome left knee. However, the All-Star scored 13 of his game-high 28 points in the first quarter en route to a 103-87 victory over the Cavaliers Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena.

By the end of the first 12 minutes, in which Johnson played every one, the Hawks had built a 12-point lead. Johnson was 4 of 5 from the field, including hitting all three 3-pointers, and had four assists. He scored the Hawks’ first seven points after the Cavaliers scored the first four points of the game. It would be their only lead.

The lead grew to as much as 17 points in the second quarter with Johnson on the bench for a good portion resting the knee that recently cost …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Hawks 103, Cavaliers 87 »

CLEVELAND – The Hawks will be without Jannero Pargo for several games after the guard was scheduled to undergo an appendectomy Sunday night in Cleveland.

Pargo was a late scratch from the game against the Cavaliers with what the team originally called a stomach virus. He was later sent to the Cleveland Clinic where surgery was deemed necessary.

The team did not have an estimate on when Pargo would return to Atlanta or how long we would be out.

Continue reading Pargo to have appendectomy »

Vivlamore reporting from Cleveland. Just arrived at Quicken Loans Arena.

We start with the Hawks ever-growing injury report. Add Jannero Pargo to the list of injured who will not play Sunday against the Cavs. Pargo has a stomach virus, according to coach Larry Drew. UPDATE: Pargo was sent to the Cleveland Clinic for further tests and will have surgery for appendicitis Sunday night. Will miss at least several games. The Hawks will also be without Willie Green (hamstring), Marvin Williams (hip flexor) and Vladimir Radmanovic (back) versus the Cavs. That’s the bad news.

The loss of Pargo leaves the Hawks thin at guard and Drew must continue to monitor the minutes he gives Joe Johnson, who missed six games with left knee tendinitis.

“I will keep an eye on it,” Drew said. “We have to continue to monitor Joe as far as his knee is concerned. He hasn’t said anything about it as far as experiencing any more discomfort. I will have to pay particular attention to that. We have a …

Continue reading Updated: Atlanta Hawks at Cavaliers: Game thread »

Vivlamore reporting from Philips Arena. Here is my updated game story from Friday’s victory over the Wizards.

One figure was written clearly on the Hawks’ locker room white board. It read simply 53 percent.

That was the only point coach Larry Drew needed to get across to his team during a halftime speech Friday. The Wizards were shooting such a high field-goal percentage – and the Hawks’ defensive effort was clearly the issue.

The Hawks came out with a much-better effort in the second half, erased a six-point deficit, en route to a 102-88 victory over the Wizards at Philips Arena.

“Defensively, we made a stand,” Drew said. “I came in at halftime and that team was shooting over 50 percent against us in the first half. I just told the guys that was ridiculous. … I knew we could be a better defensive team than what we were showing. We just had to make up our mind to go out and guard people and not rely on help. That third quarter we made a strong stand …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Hawks 102, Wizards 88 »

Vivlamore reporting from Philips Arena. Here is your game thread to get things started as the Hawks return from a 2-4 road trip and host the Wizards.

Injury report: The Hawks will be without forward Marvin Williams and guard Willie Green for Friday night’s game against the Wizards. Forward Vladimir Radmanovic warmed up prior to the game and will be a game-time decision, according to coach Larry Drew.

Williams will miss his second straight game with a hip flexor injury. Williams said he suffered the injury in the first half against Denver but continued to play. We walked gingerly on Friday and said he is still experiencing pain and tightness. He hoped to only be out a “couple more days.”

Green will miss his ninth game with back and hamstring injuries. He worked out prior to Friday’s game and said he is finally feeling better. “My main concern is no setbacks,” said Green, who hoped to be back for Sunday’s game at the Cavs. “It’s been frustrating but I don’t …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks vs. Wizards: Game thread »

I talked with CineSport’s Noah Coslov about the Hawks standing pat at the trade deadline.

Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Quiet at the trade deadline »

The Hawks, as expected, didn’t make any major trades by today’s 3 p.m. deadline. Instead, they sent a second-round pick to Golden State for cash to help offset their first-ever luxury-tax bill that will be due at season’s end.

Under CBA rules, picks can be sold for up to $3 million but the Hawks will receive much less for their pick since first-round picks routinely sold for $3 million under the old CBA. In addition, under the new CBA there is an annual cap of $3 million on cash involved in trades, further driving down the price of picks.

The Hawks owned two second-round picks after acquiring one from the Suns in the Josh Childress sign-and-trade last summer. The Warriors will receive the lesser of the two picks and, since the Suns likely will finish with a worse record than the Hawks, Atlanta probably will keep that pick.

It was a quiet trade season overall for the Eastern Conference, with only three developments figure to affect the Hawks.

The Magic still will be a factor …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Hawks trade second-round draft pick for cash »

Los Angeles--At the end of a long road trip and with a roster depleted by injuries, the Hawks gave a pretty-good-if-sloppy effort against the Clippers but couldn’t make plays at winning times and finished the trip 2-4.

• “We clearly just ran out of steam,” Larry Drew said.
• Whether you see that as an excuse or a legitimate explanation probably depends on your mood. My guess is it’s not charitable because of the sting of close Ls at Miami, Detroit and, especially, Denver.
• “We can’t hang our heads, but you have got to be a little disappointed,” Josh Smith said. “We had an opportunity to win in Miami. We definitely had an opportunity to win in Detroit. And the game last night was definitely our game and we gave it away. This is our last long away trip. We’ve got to take care of the home games and worry about these Eastern Conference teams and try to climb up.”
• “We have just got to fine tune these last 20-something odd games,” Joe Johnson said. “The trip is definitely not as …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Clippers 96, Hawks 82 »