Game thread: Smith back in Hawks lineup (updated)
Vivlamore reporting from Houston.
Josh Smith returned to the Hawks lineup Monday against the Rockets. The forward missed the team’s last game, a win over the Pacers Saturday, with a strained right hip flexor.
According to Smith the extra day of rest was beneficial.
“I’m going to play,” Smith said. “It always helps when you have an injury and you can get some extra treatment and extra therapy.”
But is Smith still in pain?
“I’m going to play,” he said. “I’m all right.”
The Hawks didn’t hold a shootaround Monday but Smith warmed up prior to the game and declared himself ready.
“Prior to our last game we wanted him to rest and treat it,” coach Larry Drew said. “It’s feeling better. We wanted to wait and see how he did when he got over to the gym today. He went out and warmed up and he felt pretty good.”
* With Smith back, the Hawks returned to a starting lineup of Jeff Teague and Lou Williams at guard, Kyle Korver and Smith at forward and Al Horford at center.
* Guard Devin Harris (sore left foot) and Anthony Morrow (right hip strain) did not travel with the team to Houston. According to Drew, they will also miss Tuesday’s game at New Orleans. They remain in Atlanta and a further evaluation will be made when the team returns.
* The Hawks will be looking to avenge their season-opening loss to the Rockets with James Harden went for 45 points. Williams will draw the initial defensive assignment on Harden.
Drew said the Hawks’ defensive lapses were the main issues in the 109-102 loss at Philips Arena.
“We are going to have to do a good job stopping dribble penetration,” Drew said. “That was the one thing that just killed us the last time we played this team. They just continually got to the basket. A lot of was just off of our pick-and-roll coverage. We didn’t do a good job on our pick-and-roll coverage. They are a team that plays a real up-tempo style, make or miss. Our last game they really pushed the ball down our throat. We didn’t get back and get matched (up defensively). It’s going to be important that we try to control the rhythm of this game and not try to get into a jump-shooting contest or run-and-shoot contest with this team. This team is built for that.”
* I asked Drew if he would take a different tactic with Harden considering his 45-point effort in November.
“I remember. Don’t remind me,” Drew said of Harden’s game. “We just have to be better with our defensive coverages. That’s where we had the breakdown. I think defensively we are in a better place that the first game of the season.”
* The Hawks will be looking to avenge another home loss with a win on the road. The Hawks defeated the Cavaliers Friday after Cleveland won at Philips Arena in November.
- Chris Vivlamore
LATEST NEWS
* Harris, Morrow not on trip to Houston
* Williams wants to remain starter
* Drew acknowledges Smith’s ‘poor shot selection’ late vs. Pistons
* Johnson doubtful vs. Cavs with stomach illness
* Drew speaks to Teague about energy level
* Hawks 126, Pistons 119 (2OT)
* Williams remains in starting lineup
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211 comments Add your comment
Honesty
December 31st, 2012
8:10 pm
The Bad thing about it is, we were leading when Harden went to the bench. Then Lin, Patterson, and Delfino caught fire.
Sameba
December 31st, 2012
8:10 pm
Nobody is boxing out.
Admiral SnAckbar
December 31st, 2012
8:11 pm
switching to WWE
High-sider
December 31st, 2012
8:12 pm
Teague is 0-7 from the field with 0 points; he’s definitely got his mind on Dreams in Houston (TX).
northcyde
December 31st, 2012
8:12 pm
Kid n Play performing at Halftime in Houston?
The Hawks should bring back Kris Kross then.
High-sider
December 31st, 2012
8:13 pm
What’s wrong with Teague; 0-7 from the field with 0 points.
northcyde
December 31st, 2012
8:13 pm
Haha @ High-sider . . . it’s either Dreams or Onyx. And the Onyx in Houston is much nicer than the one in Atlanta.
keith
December 31st, 2012
8:14 pm
I BEG OF YOU DANNY FERRY…PLEASE TRADE JOSH SMITH…HE IS A HORRIBLE PLAYER…..
Trade Deadline about 7 weeks away…We need to start working the phones….If this is painful for us as fans to watch? IMAGINE HOW HIS TEAMMATES TRULY FEEL ABOUT HIM? HE SUCKS THE LIFE OUT OF ME, HE SUCKS THE LIFE OUT OF THE TEAM, AND HE SUCKS THE LIFE OUT OF THE ENTIRE CITY OF ATLANTA!!!
LouWill83
December 31st, 2012
8:16 pm
@Emir S I’m never for blaming or singling out Teague like drew will do after the game, however this is definitely Teague’s worst half of the season & by far!! You can’t slip up defensively on the road and they just did not defend in that 2nd quarter + we went away from Al so there you go
northcyde
December 31st, 2012
8:17 pm
As for the game, the Rockets did this exact same thing to Memphis about 2 weeks ago. They were shooting lights out from 3, and there was nothing that Memphis could do about it. And when they did start to close out on the shooters, Harden started to go off.
Sameba
December 31st, 2012
8:19 pm
Teague is -20 in the first half!
LouWill83
December 31st, 2012
8:19 pm
hey at least brooklyn s gonna lose right? that seems to console me every time
Melvin
December 31st, 2012
8:21 pm
Yeah Josh…
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2012
8:21 pm
Don’t know why Teague gave that to Josh instead of Korver on the other wing, but it worked out, so whatever.
Nice start to the half, hope it continues after the timeout.
JaeEvolution
December 31st, 2012
8:21 pm
They did it to Memphis…they did it to Chicago…they did it to the Knicks, twice. This was almost expected, you either match Houston’s pace or completely take away their shooters which is impossible because Harden can’t be stopped.
Melvin
December 31st, 2012
8:22 pm
That was a 5 point play by Josh. His block save 2pts and his 3 that he made.
Melvin
December 31st, 2012
8:24 pm
Hawks are shooting too many 3’s
Melvin
December 31st, 2012
8:25 pm
Of course they hit a 3 as soon as I say that…
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2012
8:26 pm
If Josh was 100%, I’d say they should try him on Harden for a while and go big with Zaza. I’m not sure Josh can move laterally quick enough to do that tonight though.
Melvin
December 31st, 2012
8:28 pm
How many shots does Josh have to block of Parsons before he stay out the lane
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2012
8:30 pm
Looks like the Philips Arena shot clock operators got a hold of the NBA stat feeds tonight. +/- stats in the box scores are all messed up. I know Teague has not played well in this game but I’m pretty sure he’s not -50.
LouWill83
December 31st, 2012
8:30 pm
LOU WILLIAMSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
LouWill83
December 31st, 2012
8:31 pm
after the time out. willing to bet anythg: Shooting Foul on Kyle Korver ( James Harden Draws Foul)
Blast
December 31st, 2012
8:31 pm
Well, let’s see if Hawks can pull out a miracle here.
northcyde
December 31st, 2012
8:31 pm
Impressive run by the Hawks. The bench need to at least hold their own when they get in. They have to match the tempo of this team, or slow the game completely down.
Melvin
December 31st, 2012
8:33 pm
Harden has shot more FTs than the Hawks
Blast
December 31st, 2012
8:33 pm
How come Zaza cannot buy a minute?
W.R. Terrell
December 31st, 2012
8:33 pm
Well, STOOPID has not left the building!!!!!!!!
northcyde
December 31st, 2012
8:33 pm
And I think I may have found where the Hawks will be going tonight, if they don’t immediately board the plane to go to New Orleans.
http://www.kicktickets.com/houston/5095/2012/12/31/the-drake-houston-new-years-eve-2013-the-drake-houston
LOL . . James Harden’s beard is photoshopped on that flyer. His beard is never that trimmed up.
Melvin
December 31st, 2012
8:35 pm
Teague having a nightmare game.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2012
8:35 pm
I was just going to say the same thing as Blast. No idea why Zaza has only played 7 minutes.
Lou and Al keeping the Hawks in this game.
Melvin
December 31st, 2012
8:36 pm
How many bail out calls will Harden get
Admiral SnAckbar
December 31st, 2012
8:36 pm
Harden is getting lequeen type calls.
W.R. Terrell
December 31st, 2012
8:37 pm
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSssssssssssssssssssssssss STOOPID is not in the gameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
northcyde
December 31st, 2012
8:37 pm
Oh . . . and Pilar Sanders will be there too, with her fine a–.
https://twitter.com/PilarSanders
Deion cheated on THAT?
Honesty
December 31st, 2012
8:37 pm
Jeff Teague! Some nights man…..smh
Tony Parker NEVER had trouble scoring in the paint. NEVER. At least he’s keeping Lin in check.
Melvin
December 31st, 2012
8:37 pm
ZaZa didnt play well in the 1st half
LouWill83
December 31st, 2012
8:37 pm
You can thank Metta World Peace for all the calls harden is getting
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2012
8:38 pm
Houston is now under 50% shooting for the game. Considering they were over 60% at halftime, that is a pretty impressive accomplishment.
northcyde
December 31st, 2012
8:39 pm
Did anybody see the 7 minutes that Zaza played? He was completely ineffective and the Rockets went supersmall.
Wow . . what a move by Lou.
northcyde
December 31st, 2012
8:39 pm
Delfino = Batista ( former WWE wrestler )
LouWill83
December 31st, 2012
8:41 pm
Trade the whole team and keep Lou Williams
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2012
8:41 pm
Josh goes out of the game and Houston goes on a 9-2 run. At least 3 uncontested layups during that run too.
Melvin
December 31st, 2012
8:41 pm
Rockets 2nd unit has killed the Hawks tonight
JaeEvolution
December 31st, 2012
8:42 pm
Al missed that.
Rod from College Park
December 31st, 2012
8:42 pm
This horrible lineup LD has on the floor has caused this run.
LouWill83
December 31st, 2012
8:43 pm
Trade All these bums and keep Lou Williams
Najeh Davenpoop
December 31st, 2012
8:44 pm
Could be worse… San Antonio just outscored Brooklyn 30-5 in the 3rd quarter.
Rod from College Park
December 31st, 2012
8:45 pm
Bad match-up. Just chalk it up.
Sameba
December 31st, 2012
8:45 pm
Zaza must play when Asik plays. Zaza should be much less on the floor when Rockets play small lineup. Big mistake by LD.