Atlanta Hawks game thread: A share of first place on the line
Vivlamore (a little weary) reporting.
The Hawks have another chance to claim first place in the Southeast Division tonight. With a victory over the Bobcats, the Hawks would match the 14-6 record of the Heat. A loss to the Heat Monday prevented the Hawks from overtaking Miami for the division lead and second place in the Eastern Conference.
Coach Larry Drew said he wants his team concentrating on the task at hand.
“I really haven’t been paying attention to standings,” Drew said. “I’ve just been trying to really focus game by game. I know when we went down there and had an opportunity we came up short. After that Miami game, I told our guys let’s not concern ourselves with standings and what people are saying. Let’s go out and take it a game at a time and try to play our best basketball.”
In other news:
* Forward Josh Smith is eighth in fan voting for frontcourt players in the Eastern Conference. The NBA released its first balloting update Thursday and Smith had 69,344 votes. He is behind LeBron James (641,348), Carmelo Anthony (573,112), Kevin Garnett (218,246), Chris Bosh (210,724), Tyson Chandler (151,744), Paul Pierce (114,735) and Joakim Noah (73,366).
Center Al Horford was not among the top 15 frontcourt vote getters. Guard Jeff Teague was not among the top 10 backcourt vote getters.
The All-Star ballot lists 120 players – 60 each from the Eastern and Western conferences – with 36 frontcourt and 24 guards.
Balloting concludes on Jan. 14, and starters will be announced on Jan. 17. This season’s game will be played on Feb. 17 at the Toyota Center in Houston.
* Kyle Korver returns to the starting lineup tonight. He played 23 minutes against the Magic last night after missing five games with back spasms. Drew said he will again limit Korver but expected him to play around 20 minutes. The rest of the starting lineup against the Bobcats is Jeff Teague, DeShawn Stevenson, Smith and Horford.
* In the Hawks’ last meeting with the Bobcats, a 94-91 win on Nov. 28, Ben Gordon almost single-handedly won the game with a 20-point fourth quarter. I asked Drew what specifically he planned to limit Gordon tonight.
“I don’t want to get into specifics but going back and looking at the last time we played this team we did some things well, we did some things not so well,” Drew said. “We’ve already talked about the adjustments we’ll make from the last time we played this team. We still have to be concerned with how good this team is off the dribble. They’re really good off the dribble. They have guys who can break the defense down. Now that they have (Gerald) Henderson back it gives them another guy. We are going to have to be good defending off the ball. We’re going to have to be good getting back on defense because they will run.”
* Finally, the Bobcats have lost nine straight. Drew doesn’t want to be the team to snap the streak. He said energy will be the key to the game as both teams played and travelled last night.
- Chris Vivlamore
LATEST NEWS
* Morrow to start vs. Magic, Pachulia warned for flop
* Smith on Smith: Steve says ‘travesty’ Josh never All-Star
* Video: Hawks look to sustain winning ways
* First place on the line vs. Heat
* Josh Smith named Player of the Week
* 3-pointers may be key to defeating Heat
* Harris not settling for jumpers
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @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
85 comments Add your comment
High-sider
December 13th, 2012
8:58 pm
Grandad, doc and vava74
I know it’s still early but are you [three] checkin’ out [some of] the Lakers-Knicks game on TNT? It’s a “monsoon” of 3s coming down at MSG tonight. I know how you [three] despise Woody.
Slimjr
December 13th, 2012
9:00 pm
Can you say OH the Humanity?
IKEA
December 13th, 2012
9:04 pm
Oh come on…..u lead by 20 points, let Jenkins and co play now. Let them try for once.
Grandad
December 13th, 2012
9:15 pm
H-S
I`m a Hawks fan – watchin` the Hawks game.
I do not `’despise’` wdsn.
I think he was a sorry ass coach with the Hawks.
He no longer coaches my team;
therefore, I wish him well.
HawkFan
December 13th, 2012
9:16 pm
I agree Sautée. Dennis Rodman type defender/rebounder
keith
December 13th, 2012
9:16 pm
Devin Harris should be our starting PG, PERIOD! No question about it! Jeff Teague off the Bench.
keith
December 13th, 2012
9:20 pm
HawkFan
December 13th, 2012
9:16 pm
I agree Sautée. Dennis Rodman type defender/rebounder
No. We need a Tim Duncan type. We need a “Big Fundamental” some one who knows how to play the game…
Slimjr
December 13th, 2012
9:21 pm
Melo cooled off!
Only 26 @ the Half! lol
keith
December 13th, 2012
9:23 pm
if we want to win a championship, we need more players! Josh Smith is not consistent enough offensively to win a title!
HawkFan
December 13th, 2012
9:23 pm
Is anybody guarding the Hawks?
keith
December 13th, 2012
9:24 pm
I would give up Josh and Teague for the right package in return.
Michael
December 13th, 2012
9:29 pm
was that a “we want jenkins” chant going on in the stands?
Byung
December 13th, 2012
9:29 pm
I really don’t understand this. LD really sucks. they are up by 20 and why are they not playing jenkins and scott? this is so stupid. give those guys some chance, they were two great college ball players, LD has all starters, and hawks are up by 20. LD doesn’t know how to coach.
MattP
December 13th, 2012
9:32 pm
keith,
You are just basing this off a game against a bad team? Harris has only had like 2 other good games this year.
High-sider
December 13th, 2012
9:38 pm
Grandad,
“I think he was a sorry ass coach with the Hawks.
He no longer coaches my team;
therefore, I wish him well.” – Grandad @9:15pm, 12/13/2012
So, 47 wins and 53 wins for the NBA regular seasons of 2008 – 2009 and 2009 – 2010, respectively, are “sorry” [to you]? Two consecutive trips to the EC Semis are “sorry” to you? Taking the 2008 NBA Champion Boston Celtics to seven games in the first round of the playoffs is sorry to you?
I guess your “wishing him well” is workin’ since he is currently on the verge of being 35 – 11 [0.761] as Knicks head coach and 20 – 1 [0.952] at MSG.
Sautee
December 13th, 2012
9:38 pm
So, Byung, NOW does LD know how to coach?
HawkFan
December 13th, 2012
9:38 pm
I really like Jenkins and Scott. I still understand why they aren’t playing much but they certainly have potential. Scott reminds me of Alan Henderson
Slimjr
December 13th, 2012
9:39 pm
Uh
Oh, Kobe back is hurting…
when it rains it pours
MattP
December 13th, 2012
9:41 pm
Drew did not want to bring Jenkins and Scott in to early and risk the lead.
Slimjr
December 13th, 2012
9:42 pm
D’Antoni going to be 4-9, what disaster..
HawkFan
December 13th, 2012
9:42 pm
Jenkins may help us before season is out. He gives us a trade option for frontline player.
Slimjr
December 13th, 2012
9:42 pm
a ^^^^
Byung
December 13th, 2012
9:47 pm
Jenkins should be a starter, LD is missing out..
HawkFan
December 13th, 2012
9:47 pm
Grandad
Woody was a good coach in Atlanta and helped to turn this team around. It was just time for a new coach. Players tired of him and he was probably tired of them too.
I bet he learned a lot that will help him with the Knicks. Hawks and Heat in finals though
Slimjr
December 13th, 2012
9:47 pm
Well looks like D12 just knocked Melo out of the game! SHOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Sautee
December 13th, 2012
9:47 pm
Loved watching Ivan play tonight. I guess the team got LDs message about “stepping on their throats”. Nice win with the starters getting good rest. Great job by the bench.
Slimjr
December 13th, 2012
9:51 pm
Woody did a fantastic job turning around this Hawks franchise.
They had not been to the playoffs in almost a DECADE!
Slimjr
December 13th, 2012
9:56 pm
Larry Drew, lucked out in beating that Orlando team a couple seasons ago in the playoffs..
He can thank their former [GM], emphasis on [former] trading away four Hawk [killers] that allowed the Hawks to kick in the door at that time!
Note: Woody would have one that series too..
Its good to be lucky! lol…
Slimjr
December 13th, 2012
9:58 pm
Love watching these Knicks just utterly dismantle the Chosen Ones from Hollyweird…
Slimjr
December 13th, 2012
9:58 pm
[won]^^^^
Slimjr
December 13th, 2012
10:01 pm
Knicks with 92 on the bd. 14:43 left in the game!
Sautee
December 13th, 2012
10:02 pm
slim,
I was glad when the Hawks hired Woody, but by his last two seasons here, he had become so stubborn, that every other coach in the league KNEW we’d go “iso Joe” in crunch time. His intractability and his lack of timely adjustments led to losing several winning games those two seasons. In my view, the longer he was with the team, the more he underacheived, like Mike Smith.
My two cents, though I do wish him well. He seemed genuine, unlike some…
High-sider
December 13th, 2012
10:03 pm
New blog [is] up.
Grandad
December 13th, 2012
10:04 pm
H-S
The Magic’s victory was the most lopsided four game sweep in playoff history.
He played his starters too many min;
were worn out by play-offs.
He stuck with Mike Bibby
He refused to give “rook” Jeff Teague a chance
Iso-Joe
Switching Defense – no adjustments
His team quit on him
No Offensive X`s & O`s accumen whatsoever
stubborn, obtuse, no eyebrows
never reached the Conference Finals
never ran a play coming out of a T.O.
ALL THIS JUST OFF THE TOP 0` MY HEAD !
keith
December 13th, 2012
10:22 pm
MattP
December 13th, 2012
9:32 pm
Devin Harris is an all-star. He just needs more run!!!