Atlanta Hawks game thread: Morrow out against Warriors (updated)
Vivlamore reporting.
The Hawks will continue with their normal lineup tonight against the Warriors with Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver, DeShawn Stevenson, Josh Smith and Al Horford.
The Hawks will be a little short-handed as guard Anthony Morrow is out with back soreness. Morrow began experiencing back pain last week against the Grizzlies and the team has been managing the issue since. Morrow missed significant time with a stress fracture in his back during his junior year at Georgia Tech in 2006.
For the Hawks (14-6), they will be looking to avenge one of their losses this season after falling to the Warriors 92-88 in Oakland on Nov. 14. The Hawks were without center Al Horford and guard Devin Harris as they suffered from a stomach illness that hit the team hard during that West coast trip.
Coach Larry Drew welcomes another chance at the Warriors (15-8) with Horford.
“He is a big part of what we do,” Drew said. “I went back and looked at that game. It was kind of a weird game for us, everything that we were going through at that point. We’ll go into with a little bit more of a defined game plan, similar to what we’ve done in the past with him. He’s a big part of what we do. We run things through him. He is an anchor defensively.”
One of the issues for the Hawks is slowing Warriors rookie forward Harrison Barnes, who had 19 points and 13 rebounds in that game. David Lee also had a double-double in that game.
“He played well,” Drew said of Barnes. “A few of their guys played well. I did not think we played well defensively against him the last time we played them. I think he’s going to be a terrific rookie. He has size. He has speed. He’s athletic. He can make shots. We have to do a better job on him defensively, without a doubt. We have to take the challenge and from a team standpoint we have to be solid defensively.”
Smith said the key will be slowing the Warriors’ perimeter players.
“We have to do a better job of containing the ball on the perimeter,” Smith said. “(Warriors coach) Mark Jackson is one that likes to milk plays if they are successful. We have to be able to do the job of sitting down and taking the challenge defensively.”
- Chris Vivlamore
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176 comments Add your comment
cp
December 15th, 2012
8:27 pm
Well that looks like game.
Rod from College Park
December 15th, 2012
8:27 pm
“He’s an average defender. We’ve seen a lot worse here in Atlanta (Jamal Crawford and Mike Bibby). Some nights are better than others…it’s obvious that the Harrison Barnes matchup is not good.”
He not average. Al is an average defender. He is a bad defender. He has no chance guarding guys one on one. Morrow is not a good defender either.
Jae Evolution
December 15th, 2012
8:27 pm
This team was just embarassed by the Magic who we embarassed a few nights ago, and now they (Warriors) are embarassing us. The NBA is funny…
O'Brien
December 15th, 2012
8:28 pm
If I’m LD, I am giving Jenkins some burn. And once again, our defense has been terrible. Down 18 to the Warriiors at home, when the Warriors lost to the Magic last night?
This has to be one of the Hawks worst games of the year
Rev in Tampa
December 15th, 2012
8:28 pm
There are no signs that GS is going to take their foot off the pedal. This could get ugly – real ugly.
But this would be the first time this year.
kwooden1
December 15th, 2012
8:28 pm
We’re finally paying the price for not making free throws and Josh not staying in the post.
Rev in Tampa
December 15th, 2012
8:29 pm
Al’s free throws are emblematic of the Hawks’ play tonight (Ivan excepted)
Rod from College Park
December 15th, 2012
8:30 pm
Actually no one is playing well except Ivan
Rev in Tampa
December 15th, 2012
8:30 pm
^^exempted
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:30 pm
Big Dummy Josh at it again!!!
MattP
December 15th, 2012
8:30 pm
If LD is smart, Ivan should have more minutes than Smith this game.
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:31 pm
Is that Larry Bird with a David Lee Jersey???
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:32 pm
Ivan has better shot than Al and Josh!!!
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:33 pm
Weak teague.smdh…
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:33 pm
Finally Jenkins getting the run he deserves!!!
High-sider
December 15th, 2012
8:34 pm
Let’s go, Hawks; 8 – 0 run right now. Let’s get it.
MattP
December 15th, 2012
8:34 pm
Jenkins gets minutes but at SF…
SuckerFree
December 15th, 2012
8:34 pm
this one’s over…just one of those nights
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:35 pm
Horford needs to get some muscle on his weak frame. He has very little power!!!
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:36 pm
Come on man, You can not get blown out at home???
Rod from College Park
December 15th, 2012
8:38 pm
This might be one of the blowouts that everyone said we have not had this year. Bad game all around. Only guys came to play tonight were Horford and Ivan.
O'Brien
December 15th, 2012
8:38 pm
Cannot blame coaching for this. Except for Ivan (and Horford to a lesser extent), everbody looks terrible. Teague looks out of it, Josh cant buy a bucket.
And GS is wide open on offense. No excuse for not playing better defense Hawks.
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:38 pm
We need an Alpha male in the worst way!!! “WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE!!!( Under Armour Guy)???
SuckerFree
December 15th, 2012
8:39 pm
@Rod He’s not that bad of a defender. He’s just ok. He’s obviously not having a good night….it happens.
Lol @ Horford being an average defender though. That’s just delusional.
But we can chalk this one up…GSW owned the Hawks this year.
kjbeatz
December 15th, 2012
8:40 pm
sad game
cp
December 15th, 2012
8:40 pm
No effort what so ever. They have mailed it in . Game over
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:41 pm
Al Horford has no “go to move” that is reliable..Come on man!!!
O'Brien
December 15th, 2012
8:41 pm
Hawks have missed 9 FT, 13 three pointers.
They gave Hawks credit for being top 10 defense all year, but GS announcers saying they have not seen a defense this bad all year (speaking of the Hawks). .
Rev in Tampa
December 15th, 2012
8:41 pm
Toliver not helping himself get back into the rotation
Rod from College Park
December 15th, 2012
8:42 pm
Mr. Ferry,
Games like this at home against quality teams are why no one shows up for the games. Beating the Washington’s and Charlotte’s of the world don’t impress us.
High-sider
December 15th, 2012
8:42 pm
I’m on to the Clippers-Bucks game. Hawks are “toast.”
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:43 pm
Tolliver is such a Scrub!!!!
Rev in Tampa
December 15th, 2012
8:45 pm
Miami taking care of business in DC. First place tie was nice while it lasted.
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:46 pm
NO MAX CONTRACT FOR JOSH
There is NO WAY i give Josh Smith a MAX contract. You are getting beat by a Bum like David Lee. Garbage time king, David Lee. SMDH…
Rev in Tampa
December 15th, 2012
8:46 pm
Miami is at home instead of DC, but taking care of business, nonetheless.
Brent
December 15th, 2012
8:46 pm
Josh plays terrible and his apologists are quite like church mice. Al and Ivan are the only ones who look like they even care. Yet you idiots want to pay Smith 20M? Why the **** would Dwight want to play with this trash? And STFU with that garbage about “why no one shows up” oh please. You don’t care about winning you only care about style. You support losers like Vick and Josh who never carry teams anywhere but they make it LOOK good while losing. Enjoy paying 20M for that Chump #5 GO WARRIORS!
Blast
December 15th, 2012
8:47 pm
Hawks have played horrible on offence and defence, and you gotta give GS a ton of credit. They have played great. Hawks deserve to lose this game.
Rod from College Park
December 15th, 2012
8:48 pm
“@Rod He’s not that bad of a defender. He’s just ok. He’s obviously not having a good night….it happens.”
He has always been a bad defender. Has nothing to do with one night. That’s why teams always try to attack him.
“Lol @ Horford being an average defender though. That’s just delusional.”
It’s actually not. Nothing special about Horford on the defensive side of the ball. Guards attack him constantly, does not like to defend bigger players, and his lateral quickness is not that good. He is very active, but nothing special.
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:49 pm
Al Horford weak at the rim again!!!
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:50 pm
We could have hired Mark Jackson….Unbelievable…..
Rod from College Park
December 15th, 2012
8:50 pm
“There is NO WAY i give Josh Smith a MAX contract. You are getting beat by a Bum like David Lee. Garbage time king, David Lee. SMDH…”
No one ever said he should get a max contract. David Lee is an All Star, Josh is not.
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:51 pm
Man…the warriors look like OKC Thunder tonight…Drew has mailed it in Boys.
Sautee
December 15th, 2012
8:53 pm
Rod,
In Horford’s last full season (10-11) he got 7 votes (3 first team votes) on the NBA All-Defensive team.
http://www.examiner.com/article/2011-all-defensive-team-announced
Coaches think he plays good enough D to vote for him.
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:53 pm
Rod from College Park
December 15th, 2012
8:50 pm
DAVID LEE is an OVER-HYPED SCRUB!!! OK. LET’S MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR. DAVID LEE IS NOT AN ALL-STAR…PERIOD.
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:55 pm
If David Lee was such a great player, why did the New York Knicks let him walk???
Rev in Tampa
December 15th, 2012
8:55 pm
Golden State is in the final game of a seven game road trip and are killing the Hawks by over 20 points. The Hawks have only bench players on the floor, yet the GS announcers are complaining about the Warriors sloppy shot selection in garbage time.
I love it
Rod from College Park
December 15th, 2012
8:56 pm
“And STFU with that garbage about “why no one shows up” oh please. You don’t care about winning you only care about style. You support losers like Vick and Josh who never carry teams anywhere but they make it LOOK good while losing.”
If you are referring to me, I actually was not a Vick guy, but Matt Ryan is not that great either. I never support losers, which is why I get so much flack on this board. Really funny that a guy comments on supporting loser and then ends his post with GO WARRIORS.
keith
December 15th, 2012
8:58 pm
At least i have Curry on my Fantasy team. I knew better than drafting Teagues Soft Butt. Or Josh’s up and down, stock market type play!!!
MattP
December 15th, 2012
8:59 pm
I find it funny how Drew gives up to easily.
Rod from College Park
December 15th, 2012
8:59 pm
“If David Lee was such a great player, why did the New York Knicks let him walk???”
Because the Golden State Warriors offered more money. Believe it or not, the NBA is a business. He was an All Star, not matter what you think. Josh never was.