Atlanta Hawks game thread: First place on the line vs. Heat
Vivlamore reporting from Miami.
The Hawks will need a physical and strong rebounding effort against the Heat with first place in the division on the line tonight, according to coach Larry Drew.
The Hawks (12-5) trail the Heat (13-5) by just a half game for the Southeast Division lead and second place in the Eastern Conference.
“We have to play with a physicality coming into this building,” Drew said following morning shoot-around at American Airlines Arena. “It’s always a tough place to play, a tough place to win. We have to do not a good job but a great job a great job with our tempo. That is going to be determined with our shot selection. That is going to be how well we take care of the basketball. But more importantly, we have to rebound the ball. We have to come up with all the loose balls tonight. We have to limit them to one shot and then we have to a good job of running basketball.”
Based on my research on five of the Heat’s losses coming in the top seven highest opponents’ 3-point shooting percentage games (see earlier blog), Drew said he didn’t want his team firing from long range solely on such a reason.
“If we are shooting the 3-ball well, that’s one thing but I don’t think we can rely on it,” Drew said. “I don’t think we can come in here and totally be at the 3-point line. We have to make sure we play inside out. Hopefully we can establish ourselves in the low post. If the 3-pointer is there, I want it to present itself. I don’t want us to come into this building and think the way to win it is to launch a bunch of 3s.”
Al Horford said that while it’s early in the year, the Hawks realize that this is a big game.
In other items:
* Drew said the starting lineup is a game-time decision as he and his staff are still discussing options.
* Kyle Korver (back spasms) had a workout in Atlanta on Monday and a decision has not been when he will join the team. It could be Tuesday in Orlando for a practice before Wednesday’s game against the Magic.
* A decision has not been made on bringing rookie Mike Scott back from the NBA Development League. The Bakersfield (Calif.) Jam play Monday and not again until Friday. In his three games, Scott has averaged 10.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in 28.3 minutes.
- Chris Vivlamore
LATEST NEWS
* Josh Smith named Player of the Week
* 3-pointers may be key to defeating Heat
* Harris not settling for jumpers
* Korver out vs. Wizards, Grizzlies
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325 comments Add your comment
bigdave
December 10th, 2012
9:40 pm
Wish Josh would’ve given a hard foul there…
J.J.M.
December 10th, 2012
9:41 pm
Live by the 3 you die by it…we look like the orlando magic from previous years
Najeh Davenpoop
December 10th, 2012
9:41 pm
If the Heat hit contested shots like this every game they wouldn’t be losing by 20 to the Knicks. This was just their night. I don’t even think the Hawks’ defense was that bad.
Jae Evolution
December 10th, 2012
9:41 pm
You can’t really be mad at this loss, Heat made tough contested perimeter shots all night. The Hawks did however miss on a large number of opportunities that should’ve been converted.
cp
December 10th, 2012
9:42 pm
Korver hurry back.. Time to move Devin Harris for a sf. Dude has had maybe two good games the whole season. Ivan should have gotten some pt
Deadpool
December 10th, 2012
9:42 pm
Lol I guess LD threw in the towel
HawkFan
December 10th, 2012
9:43 pm
Good effort but shows we still have a ways to go to match these guys when they play well. On the plus side I finally get to see Petro
soullrenaissance
December 10th, 2012
9:43 pm
Ahh man scrub patrol we lost
Najeh Davenpoop
December 10th, 2012
9:43 pm
Seems a little early to concede, but whatever. Let’s see what Jenkins can do.
Honesty
December 10th, 2012
9:43 pm
Deadpool
December 10th, 2012
9:40 pm
All these guys jacking up 3s and our two best 3 point shooters on sitting on the bench in Morrow and Jenkins
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LD waited too late to put them in SMH
Old Man Peabody
December 10th, 2012
9:43 pm
I see why ATL is running out of gas, only went 8 deep tonight and Al is gonna be over 40 mins. MIA went 10 deep and keeping Wade and Bosh under 30 min like usual saving them for the playoffs.
HawkFan
December 10th, 2012
9:44 pm
Nice shot rook
High-sider
December 10th, 2012
9:45 pm
@Dishonesty…excuse me; I mean Honesty
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Honesty
December 10th, 2012
8:41 pm
Heat will still finish under 50% shooting for the game.
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Are you sure about that?
Najeh Davenpoop
December 10th, 2012
9:45 pm
So I guess in LD’s mind, Ivan is too good for the scrubs and not good enough to be a regular part of the rotation.
Slimjr
December 10th, 2012
9:46 pm
This isn’t the Hawks night because of Miami’s swarming perimeter defense..
They took the guards of of the picture and of course you can forget about this front line taking over the game and carrying this team to victory against an elite opponent like the Heat.
Sweet Lou was the main reason why they turned a loss into a win in Memphis Saturday night..
If the Hawks guards don’t show up, its a wrap Danny Ferry!
Deadpool
December 10th, 2012
9:47 pm
Nice pass Tolliver. Why are you even on the team?
sam'l
December 10th, 2012
9:47 pm
14 points down with 2 minutes……..
Dont’ think I would give up……….why would the hawks?
Slimjr
December 10th, 2012
9:47 pm
This game was over 9 minuted ago…
Slimjr
December 10th, 2012
9:47 pm
minutes
Slimjr
December 10th, 2012
9:48 pm
This game was over in the 3rd quarter
Old Man Peabody
December 10th, 2012
9:49 pm
@Najeh
If you watched the Heat-Knicks 2 games, Knicks hit 18 3s the 1st game and 19 3s the 2nd game. But, the Hawks should be proud, they keep the Heat from hitting their average of 106 pts a game at home.
Jae Evolution
December 10th, 2012
9:50 pm
Made two three’s after a number of great looks, Miami made tough long two’s all night. We missed some layups and easy second chance points, not mad we only lost by 9 after that. This was also without Korver.
HawkFan
December 10th, 2012
9:50 pm
Not sure about Ivan DNP-CD. Looked like we needed a few of his minutes to me. Ld doghouse?
Slimjr
December 10th, 2012
9:50 pm
Danny you want to be in the ECF in two years? Not with this front line. ..
cp
December 10th, 2012
9:51 pm
Nothing from the bench, guards were terrible, Stevenson went cold. That was a tough L. I hope DF is on the phone looking for a possible move to get us a legit sf. Stevenson is a lot better than I thought he would be but he would be better suited coming off the bench and im tired of watching Harris.