Atlanta Hawks practice report: More defense, tweets
Vivlamore reporting from Hawks practice.
The Hawks spent the majority of Saturday’s practice working on defense as coach Larry Drew and staff seek to correct the mistakes made in the exhibition loss to San Antonio Wednesday.
“We’ve got a lot of things that we need to put in but there were a lot of things that we didn’t do a good job of in San Antonio,” Drew said. “These last couple days we spent a lot of time watching film and coming out on the court and working on it. I want it to have a carry-over effect in our next game.”
Drew said he wants to be satisfied that the defensive concepts and philosophies already installed have taken grasp before moving on to new ones.
*The Hawks leave for Memphis Saturday afternoon for Sunday’s 6 p.m. game against the Grizzlies. (I will not be attending).
* Drew said he has yet to decide the starting lineup for the game, but expects it to be different than the ones used against the Heat and Spurs.
* Drew, unsolicited, praised the practice of forward Ivan Johnson Saturday.
“I thought Ivan Johnson was really good today in practice,” Drew said. “He brought a lot of energy, a lot of intensity. He brought a real physicality to our practice and I really embrace that about him because that is what toughens your practices up. Obviously we want that to have a carry-over effect to our games.
*DeShawn Stevenson (knee) was a limited participant in Saturday’s workout.
* Stevenson took to Twitter Friday night to apologize to former Nets teammate Deron Williams. Stevenson sent out some tweets earlier in the week blasting the unnamed Williams, who in an interview with ESPN The Magazine questioned teammates who laughed in the locker room after losses last season.
On Friday, Stevenson sent out three tweets:
-“I Talk 2 My X Teammate 2Day And He Told Me That He Wasn’t Talking About Me And They Mis-Print What He Said”
- “So I’m A Real Dude And Want 2 Say Sorry 2 Dwill For Spazzing And A Real Dude Would Say Sorry! So Sorry Dwill”
- “Takes Alot 4 A Man 2 Call A Man And Tell Me The Truth!! I Respect That!!”
Earlier in the day, when asked about the tweets obviously aimed at Williams, Stevenson told the AJC, “I’m done with it. I’m worried about the Atlanta Hawks right now. This group of guys. What I said is done with. If you know who I’m talking about, you do; if you don’t, you don’t.”
Stevenson did not want to discuss the issue following Saturday’s practice. I assume the situation has been resolved.
- Chris Vivlamore
THE LATEST NEWS
* Williams kept eye and ear on Hawks
* Three players vying for two roster spots
* Hawks serve it up at The Varisty
* Practice report: Defense, cuts and tweets
* Hawks changing offense without Joe Johnson
* Spurs win exhibition game on buzzer beater
Follow me on Twitter at ajchawks
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
254 comments Add your comment
Melvin
October 14th, 2012
8:09 pm
illegal screen on ZaZa. He’s in regular season form
Jae Evolution
October 14th, 2012
8:15 pm
Damion James has to make the roster.
Jae Evolution
October 14th, 2012
8:21 pm
Teague can’t continue to miss those easy layups.
– Wide open layup contested by only Randolph
– Make-able and-1 over Jordan
Slimjr
October 14th, 2012
8:33 pm
Lou will be your starting pt guard..Too good..
Slimjr
October 14th, 2012
8:36 pm
Finishing at the rim cant be taught: either you have the [gift] or you don’t..
Sorry JT….
Slimjr
October 14th, 2012
8:49 pm
Horford was a -13 even though he scored 13 pts..
Hawks lost soundly..
Just proves my point, less scoring more defense should be his focus..
If he is the featured scorer on this team its going to be a loooong season…
Josh was not much better at -11 for you Josh [haters], sarcasm and its dripping..
Slimjr
October 14th, 2012
8:56 pm
Memphis is another team that has [owned] the Hawks. Another Western Conference team that seems to give the Hawks a [reality] check from time to time to remind a few that this team is not contending for much…
eope
October 14th, 2012
9:01 pm
@slimjr
what u on?
doc
October 14th, 2012
9:18 pm
pre-season …. yawn. anyone taking this serious is as irrelevant as the games itself.
High-sider
October 14th, 2012
9:28 pm
Seimone Augustus [of the Minnesota Lynx] has the best crossover and handles in the WNBA. She [Seimone Augustus] doesn’t remind me of Jamal Crawford; Jamal Crawford reminds me of her [S. Augustus].
High-sider
October 14th, 2012
9:39 pm
Slimjr,
Even though I’ve heard “imitation is the sincerest [form] of flattery,” [please] stop “bitin’” [my (writing) style]. Thank you, sir.
Buddy Grizzard
October 14th, 2012
9:56 pm
My reaction:
http://repatl.blogspot.com/2012/10/pre-season-game-3-fun-with-larry-drews.html
High-sider
October 14th, 2012
10:10 pm
Buddy Grizzard,
We may disagree from time to time but “much respect” on your article.
Slimjr
October 14th, 2012
10:20 pm
and here in lies the problem, they [Hawks] have been [irrelevant] for most of these past 45 years…Heh heh heh
Hey Larry,110 points in an [irrelevant] game? Hmmmmm
and 1 or is this street balling?
Long day… Yawn, Yawn, Yawn……
Slimjr
October 14th, 2012
10:32 pm
News Flash Hsider: Grandad has probably been using these [ ] before you were born…. LMAO!
I borrowed from the original Grandad!!!!!!
Sorry to bust your bubble: Class dismissed..
Blue Steel
October 14th, 2012
10:39 pm
Horford was a -13 even though he scored 13 pts..- slimjr
Well that was the highest or should I say lowest over/under, Al had the highest and worse over and under.
Slimjr
October 14th, 2012
10:56 pm
World Record Dunk: The Hawks should hire this guy for irrelevant games throughout the year…. lol
http://offthebench.nbcsports.com/2012/10/13/trampoline-artist-sets-record-for-longest-trampoline-slam-dunk-during-dallas-mavericks-preseason-game/
doc
October 14th, 2012
11:01 pm
anyone that concerned about al @ -13 needs to be equally concerned then about josh’s -11. not any statistical difference between the two isolated numbers in a pre-season game s equally concerning …. or not. those with singular agenda’s turn blind eye to reality along with their continued irrelevance with their incendiary myopic comments.
yawn
doc
October 14th, 2012
11:03 pm
meanwhile green bay is suddenly healed. nfl, week to week hysteria without any correlation to who will ultimately win it all.
brigadierjerry
October 14th, 2012
11:10 pm
Slightly off topic but;
Josh Smith has told the Hawks that he isn’t going to sign an extension during the season. He’d rather wait to become a free agent, when he can get a five-year deal. An extension would limit him to a three-year deal, according to the new CBA rules. New GM Danny Ferry has upwards of 10 players who could be free agents at season’s end. …
Royce White, the Houston rookie who suffers from anxiety problems and can’t fly, is going to try to travel by bus for the Rockets’ road games. It sounds practically impossible to pull off, considering the distances and time involved. But White can’t do it any other way. Several teams, including Atlanta, crossed his name off their draft lists because of his condition.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/lawrence-lin-rockets-bargained-article-1.1182684#ixzz29KkFi3pe
I did not know that Atlanta got scared off by White because of his anxiety disorder
doc
October 14th, 2012
11:13 pm
buddy you got it right. it doesnt prove anything to harp on the negatives for guys who already have jobs who are just getting their timing and wanting to avoid injury. it is to define the positives of those competing for either jobs or significant minutes as they are playing under pressure. nicely done. seems like ld got some time for his bench against the starters to see how they would react. seems some passed with flying colors.
ivan’s feet are too quick, as is teague elevation, as refs are not either quick enough or willing to think that these guys could have such natural ability. the refs anticipate calls rather than make em as the happen. ivan gets under guys so quick to take space that refs call him for fouls he never makes, as they do teague when he gets above guys 6 to 8 inches taller for clean blocks only to get called for a foul
doc
October 14th, 2012
11:15 pm
seems then royce white had better find a good hypnotist fast before his career is in the dumps.
Slimjr
October 14th, 2012
11:29 pm
Wonder how much longer Dallas will put up with Romo? This guy is a buster…..
Guess that’s why they play the game: case in point, we watched a 9-7 ball club with the 27th ranked “D” steam clean the Falcons…
Its a crazy game the NFL!
Ken Strickland
October 14th, 2012
11:48 pm
DOC-As a doctor, I know you’ve had some psychiactric training, and it certainly requires a high degree of patience to be a physican. I admire the way you’ve tried to use patience, understanding, and encouragement in dealing with one of our resident trolls and HORFORD HATERS. It’s too bad it hasn’t worked. He just goes to show that you simply can’t make something out of nothing.
I hope you don’t give up trying, although it doesn’t look like anyone or anything is going to get through to him. He continues to show an extremely narrowminded approach to everything, and seems to be unable to engage in any intelligent discussions, especially on anything related to Al Horford. Maybe being a long time Knicks fan has something to do with it.
Slimjr
October 14th, 2012
11:49 pm
Huge game on the 28th between with the Eagles hosting the Falcons!
Philly is desperate for a win after two devastating losses in a row..Falcons standing undefeated at 6-0…
Both teams have two weeks to prepare since next week is their [bye] week..
Gonna be a good one for sure!
Also the Falcons will meet up with the Giants down the road to try and enact revenge so to speak.
Slimjr
October 14th, 2012
11:53 pm
Poor guy been a delusional fan for so long..Still trying his best to feel better….
Slimjr
October 14th, 2012
11:54 pm
45 year Hawk fan…
Enough said…
Slimjr
October 15th, 2012
12:01 am
The only blogger using words that should be banned from this blog and that makes him feel better?
The Hotline is available 24-7….
C-viv, you need to clean up this blog and target two bloggers in particular.. They know who they are and so do you…
Slimjr
October 15th, 2012
12:24 am
purposely mentioned Josh [nimber] and right on que the two old timers go off the deep end..Nothing new there…Yawn
Like I have already stated cant reason with fanatics sometimes. Yawn
Big Ray
October 15th, 2012
12:46 am
We would have won if we only had Keith Benson.
Big Ray
October 15th, 2012
12:50 am
pre-season …. yawn. anyone taking this serious is as irrelevant as the games itself.
Well what’s funny is the clowns that come here EVERY DAY to say how useless it is to watch the Hawks (and the Falcons). Hypocrisy has no bounds with some folks…and THEY know who THEY are…
Ken Strickland
October 15th, 2012
1:07 am
following up on my earlier conversations on the many many Al haters and in particular that master troll T.S, (that mother fcker has his name retired! you cant even say it on this blog wtf.)
Doc, I admire the way you’ve tried to use patience, understanding, and encouragement in dealing with one of our resident trolls and HORFORD HATERS.
I tried to suggest that all the horford haters”long with master troll, attend the clinic where I was diagnosed idiotic and cured to just plain stupid.
I’d like to ask if you can cosign with me, that I am cured and am know just plain stupid. Will you also endorse my clinic?
If you dont Fck you. I will get Drmaryb to do it. So what will it be Doc?
Slimjr
October 15th, 2012
1:11 am
those numbers were posted as an observation Ladies…Pull your panties out of you know where…
As usual the big guy was late to the party…heh heh heh
Yea…
LoL @ The Troll
October 15th, 2012
1:38 am
Hey Troll!
So when you’re not having wet dreams about Horford, you’re gettin-off assuming other bloggers names like:
Ken
doc
Big Ray
We’re all LoL @ you!! The more you hate on Horford and assume other names with o bscenity, the more you look really GAY. Is Al your companion? Because you spend more time thinking, and talking about him all thru the nite than a loving partner. I know you say you hate him, but we know otherwise and you do too.
You’re WHACK and you need Help
LoL @ The Troll
October 15th, 2012
1:58 am
Im rooting for Al horford Fck the hawks. If Al horford is keeping the hawks from getting to the next level then screw that hawks
Al Horford > Hawks.
Any one who doesnt appreciate what Al does, ( WTF does he do?) is a hater of the Atlanta Hawks.. and All the Hispanics world wide. Al horford > than the hawks.
eope
October 15th, 2012
5:20 am
@high-sider
I thought the same thing when i first saw that chick
vava74
October 15th, 2012
6:04 am
The starters may be going through the motions but Teague got beaten up pretty badly on virtually all offensive plays featured on the highlights… and making Conley look like C.Paul.
Let’s hope that he is just taking it easy until the season starts…
ag
October 15th, 2012
6:39 am
I had to stop watching in the third quarter. I think the hardest thing is for us to project what the team is going to do. Are these games just preseason and if will be different when regular season starts, or are we starting to see the deficiencies of this team? I guess only time will tell.
I do believe that preseason is very important for some player, especially the rookies. I don’t think the regulars are going very hard.
I think James is earning a spot as a starter. He is clearly more athletic than Korver. The question is can we have a guy on the floor that is more offensively challenged than Marvin – he was always the weak link?
If he struggles that bad on offense, then he should focus on slashing and put backs.
vava74
October 15th, 2012
7:01 am
ag,
I think James will compensate the fact that his offense is weak with his hustle.
Marvin was a steady/disciplined defender but he was not a very energetic player.
Marvin = bland
vava74
October 15th, 2012
7:04 am
By the way:
We can’t ignore the fact that Horford had yesterday his best move as a Hawk.
We need that from him: decisiveness and fire going to the hoop using his superior speed to get around the opponent’s Cs.
He did it against Gasol, one of the slowest Cs in the league. He would not have been able to do it against the typical PFs.
ag
October 15th, 2012
7:14 am
vava74,
I am truly not one of the Horford haters. I posted he would start on every team except the Lakers (although he may be a PF for some of those teams).
Going over the roster and box score, Sqeaky and Anderson will not make the team. Only two players are without contracts, James and Tolliver- so the Hawks may carry 15 guys with a contract. The question is who is going to be wearing suits every day.
First Petro is clearly on that list. The next two are a little harder to project, but I am sure Scott will not dress and may play in the D-Leauge. So far Lou has played a lot of PG, and realistically do we need to go three deep at PG? The other suit is going to be Tolliver (if he makes the team), Jenkins or Stephenson. A long shot is Harris.
Against Memphis, all 12 played. During regular season with the rotations much shorter, I just can’t imagine a rotation over 9.
Projected starters:
Teague
Morrow
James
Smith
Horford
bench
Lou
Jenkins
Korver
Ivan
Zaza
vava74
October 15th, 2012
7:18 am
ag,
I see JJ2 going to the D-League as well to get him some seasoning and keep him “battle ready”.
A shooter may lose his touch if he does not get minutes and shots off and looking at our roster it is unlikely that LD will use him that much.
We already have 2 proven bombers in Korver and Morrow and if DeShawn also gets back to his normal numbers from outside, I think our outside shooting is pretty much capped.
doc
October 15th, 2012
7:21 am
for a little perspective here are the results from the 2010 preseason since last year i think there were only 2 games if memory serves:
http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/basketball/nba/statistics/2010-11/pre
cavs were 6-1, the jazz, griz and magic were undefeated and the hawks got beat 99-66 by charlotte as they finished 2-5. didnt the jazz end up getting their coach to quit that year, the hawks take out the magic in the playoffs and the griz start slow to finish with a rush and do something in the plaoffs? cavs were one of the worst in the league and this as the year they started over after lbj.
maybe it is rationalization but this is time for guys to get in synch or maybe try out new moves not yet perfected from the off season. vava agree on teague and his complacency at times. i am a bit worried about it because he is not a grizzled vet but a one time starter now facing more competition than bibby, hinrich or jc1 could ever give him for play time. to boot he is also is playing to stay in the league as a front liner somewhere in the future and get a new contract this year.
some of the others? i look at them the way i do a baseball player in spring training that they are realizing it is a long grind. nothing is won in the end by going all out in these games but it is a gauge for where they need to be when the season opens. though i dont expect it this year; the last few pre-seasons for the hawks were not great only i do remember they came out of the chute very fast. after poor pre-seasons it ended up made their seasons by good starts.
so as a friend of mine says above, dont get your panties all in a wad over pre-season results and stats. of course unless you got your little ocd agenda.
ag, i dont think one will really know what this team can do until about the 20th game as this is going to be a team in development. i hope by then they will not have cratered and already gotten into a mode of is it work to get to the playoffs or do we develop guys and jettison others seeking a place in the lottery line and begin to focus on the summer of 2013? i do think this team has potential to do well though if they can just get some confidence in each other and gel in their team game on offense and defense. for a fan it is a bit tense as for the first time we dont now maybe up to 60% of the starters for opening day for the first time in 4 to 5 years. could be fun or a disaster.
vava74
October 15th, 2012
7:21 am
So, I see our rotation like this:
Teague/Harris
DeShawn/Lou
James/Korver/Morrow
Smith/Ivan
Horford/Zaza
Tolliver will be the 12th guy with Petro in a suit and Scott and JJ2 getting minutes in the D-League.
I think Korver and Morrow will split minutes as back up SF depending on who’s hot.
When DeShawn is down – like he is now – I think Morrow will get the nod to start at the SF slot.
doc
October 15th, 2012
7:26 am
“we dont know” …. not now for above.
doc
October 15th, 2012
7:37 am
pretty reasonable assessment there vava. i dont think jj2 goes to d league nor scott for that matter as i think they think coaching is as important as play time for these guys to get ready. historically the hawks havent used that league and i think in these guys cases df will want to keep them closer under wing.
soullrenaissance
October 15th, 2012
7:55 am
SLIMJR! Thanks for clarifying that but yes indeed LD has to kick rocks. Its the purple elephant in the room that has to be addressed. IMO if LD doesn’t get past the 2nd round this year, it should be curtains for dude. He is truly a relic of the past inadequacies of the ASG.
vava74
October 15th, 2012
7:59 am
doc,
I think that with regard to player development and past Hawk’s practices on that subject, all bets are off.
I think Ferry will consider the D-League a valuable tool to develop players and get them playing time during the season.
ag
October 15th, 2012
8:01 am
If they do not go to the D League, they will be in a suit (at least Scott will). Before the preseason, yes, that projected lineup looked pretty reasonable. Watching some of the rotations – I don’t think so.
Although I have never followed NBA preseason, I am assuming that guys are working together to learn how to jell. That is why Lou is playing a lot with Al and Josh, – because LD is going to give him a lot of time with those guys. I think that is why he is playing a lot of PG. If he were going to run the wing, I think Squeaky would be filling in for Harris.
vava74
October 15th, 2012
8:02 am
soullrainessance,
If LD gets this team to the playoffs and actually gets to the second round, he will be EXTENDED, not fire.
This group’s potential is, IMO, limited to #7 to #9 seed and only if we do not get any major injuries.