Game thread: Hawks wary of Pistons’ bench
Vivlamore reporting from Auburn Hills, Michigan.
The Hawks take on the Pistons tonight and will use the same starting lineup from the past six games of Jeff Teague, Lou Williams, Kyle Korver, Josh Smith and Al Horford.
In speaking with coach Larry Drew before the game, he is wary of the Pistons’ bench players. It was the Detroit reserves, you’ll remember, who combined to score 85 points, erase a 22-point deficit and force two overtimes on Dec. 26 in a Hawks’ 126-119 win.
Will Bynum scored a game-high 31 points off the bench for the Pistons.
“We have to be better against their bench,” Drew said. “That particular game, their bench just played well. I don’t think that has happened to us thus far this season but that game. Their bench played well, really shot the ball well. We have to be better defensively. We know what each guy is capable of doing. Defensively we have the game plan, the game strategy and we just have to be good when those guys come into the game.
“We have to make those guys a priority. Given the way this team has played the last seven or eight ball games, their bench is a huge part of why they’ve had the success they’ve had. We have to really buckle down and we have to really zone in on their bench.”
The Pistons have won five of their past six games with the only loss coming to the Hawks.
Drew said the issues in blowing the 22-point lead rested mostly with his team.
“I was actually just in there watching a little bit of it,” Drew said. “Defensively, we had breakdowns. Offensively, just bad shot selection, bad floor spacing, bad execution. That was the result. It was funny as I was watching the fourth quarter. I believe at the six-minute mark we were up by 14 or 16 (points) and you had not seen that game or stopped the game at that point you would have never guessed it went to double overtime.
“We didn’t do a really good job offensively. We settled – a lot. When you settle, that’s the end result especially if you are not making the shots. And the Pistons just ran the ball down our throat. Bynum got to the basket pretty much at will. They had some guys who made some shots. You have to be more efficient in those situations. When you get a lead you have to understand how you got the lead and you have to learn how to really work the offense. That game we didn’t do it.”
In other news:
* The Hawks played without guards Devin Harris (sore left foot) and Anthony Morrow (right hip strain) and center Johan Petro (stomach illness). The three did not travel to Detroit and their status for Saturday’s game against the Celtics in unclear.
* Josh Smith ranks eighth on the Hawks’ franchise list with 5,001 rebounds. He entered Friday’s game trailing Cliff Hagan by 18 rebounds for seventh on the list.
“It’s a great honor,” Smith said after getting his milestone rebound against the Hornets Tuesday. “It lets me know I’m getting older. I still have a lot more in my tank to go but it’s a blessing to be doing this as long as I have.”
* Entering Friday’s game, Al Horford had 207 field goals this season with 45 (21.7 percent) assisted by Smith.
- Chris Vivlamore
LATEST NEWS
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* Behind the scenes photo gallery
* Drew named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month
* Drew looking for more minutes for Jenkins
* Drew concerned Hawks settling for 3-pointers in transition
* Harris, Morrow not on trip to Houston
* Williams wants to remain starter
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313 comments Add your comment
keith
January 4th, 2013
9:26 pm
Very Poor Coacing By Larry Drew tonight!!! TAKE THAT AWARD AWAY FROM HIM,,,PLEASE……
Big Ray
January 4th, 2013
9:27 pm
No leadership on the floor. None. Straight up helter skelter out there.
That’s what this team lacks so badly. Talent = useless without leadership.
And we certainly don’t have it at PG….
Najeh Davenpoop
January 4th, 2013
9:27 pm
Two stark differences between the Pistons and the Hawks are that a) their big men set real screens, and b) their guards get around screens. The Hawks do neither, and the result is that the Pistons kill the Hawks on pick and rolls while the Hawks get relatively little going with their own pick and rolls.
Slimjr
January 4th, 2013
9:27 pm
Al should be done for the night..
He cant guard his shadow
Najeh Davenpoop
January 4th, 2013
9:28 pm
LD clowning keeping Tolliver on the floor instead of bringing Josh back in. SMH
J.J.M.
January 4th, 2013
9:29 pm
Teague defense is veryyyy bad. We need to sign another point guard with good defene and ok offense
Mookie Blaylock
January 4th, 2013
9:29 pm
Teague, Korver, Ivan, Tolliver, etc. showin their true colors folks. The ride is over. And with the already overrated Horford and Al this could be the start of a very very painful reality of how bad this team is. Zaza is looking like the best player out there. ’nuff said.
Slimjr
January 4th, 2013
9:29 pm
Bynum getting it going now. Oh Boy!
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2013
9:29 pm
Hawks rolling out the red carpet for Bynum again.
J.J.M.
January 4th, 2013
9:30 pm
Ld didn’t bring back josh because he knows the game is over already
Big Ray
January 4th, 2013
9:31 pm
Folks keep making me laugh with this one….
Why do we keep expecting Al Horford to suddenly become this “rim defender”, when he never WAS one to begin with?
He mostly blocks shots of smaller players, but he is NOT a rim defender by trade. Wasn’t in college, ain’t in the Pros.
Josh Smith, on the other hand, is a NATURAL shot-blocking, rim defender. It’s one of the things he does.
Funny how some folks who claim to be right about every damn thing can’t see this.
It’s why some folks want him gone and want a “real” center in there (not that all “real” centers block shots and defend the rim relentlessly…ask Brook “softie” Lopez).
Get over it. He CAN’T do it.
High-sider
January 4th, 2013
9:31 pm
Teague is too quick and too athletic to be gettin’ took like Chinese take-out and then get rolled up like Bounty (the quicker-picker-upper). [sic]
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2013
9:32 pm
Best thing the Hawks have on the floor right now is Charlie V.
keith
January 4th, 2013
9:32 pm
NICE RUN BY THE HAWKS….JOSH NOT ON THE FLOOR? TEAM PLAYS TOGETHER!!!!!
Gorila
January 4th, 2013
9:33 pm
Jeff Teague is SO inconsistent!! Defense starts with him and he does not play any. This is a game where Devin Harris could have been a difference
Sautee
January 4th, 2013
9:33 pm
Big Ray,
They have only had 5 years to watch, Ray, don’t expect so much.
Slimjr
January 4th, 2013
9:33 pm
Only down 11?
Overtime?
keith
January 4th, 2013
9:33 pm
JOSH SMITH NOT IN THE GAME…..
Hawks make a run…Look to set each other up….NO HERO BASKETBALL!!!
NUNNA!!
January 4th, 2013
9:34 pm
Pistons will go back inside
Slimjr
January 4th, 2013
9:34 pm
Naw..Just a dream..
Slimjr
January 4th, 2013
9:35 pm
Zaza with a nice drop step
Mookie Blaylock
January 4th, 2013
9:35 pm
Zaza post moves > Josh & Al post moves. ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC.
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2013
9:35 pm
nice move zaza
keith
January 4th, 2013
9:35 pm
BETTER BASKETBALL TEAM WITHOUT JOSH SMITH…..
Slimjr
January 4th, 2013
9:36 pm
Al cuts it to 7?
Slimjr
January 4th, 2013
9:36 pm
cant buy a free-throw AL!
Slimjr
January 4th, 2013
9:36 pm
Enter your comments here
Najeh Davenpoop
January 4th, 2013
9:37 pm
Wow that was a long 3 by Korver.
keith
January 4th, 2013
9:37 pm
MVP KYLE KORVER STRIKES AGAIN!!!!
Slimjr
January 4th, 2013
9:37 pm
Kk shot that from Atlanta!
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2013
9:37 pm
what was korver thinking???
MattP
January 4th, 2013
9:37 pm
Wow!
Big Ray
January 4th, 2013
9:37 pm
Yeah, let’s take Al Horford out of the game. That’s a winning move.
He ain’t stoping the Pistons at the rim, but if he goes, then this team suddenly won’t be able to rebound, much less score efficiently.
No shot-blocking….
But we’re getting beat to death on the boards. The team has 31 rebounds. Al has 13 of those.
We only have three effective scorers tonight. Two of them are shooting less than 50% from the field.
Al is shooting 8 of 10.
Sorry about those annoying facts.
Melvin
January 4th, 2013
9:37 pm
Big 3 by Korver and Lou…. Let’s go Hawks
Najeh Davenpoop
January 4th, 2013
9:37 pm
LMAO Pistons fans booing already and they still leading by 1.
Slimjr
January 4th, 2013
9:37 pm
Sweet Lou!
Mookie Blaylock
January 4th, 2013
9:37 pm
Lou bailing out the Hawks again.
Rev in Tampa
January 4th, 2013
9:38 pm
Un-freaking-believable!!!
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
January 4th, 2013
9:38 pm
We live and die by the 3
Najeh Davenpoop
January 4th, 2013
9:38 pm
I’d like to see the rebounding splits with and without Zaza on the floor in this game. My eyes tell me the Hawks have rebounded much better in the second half where Zaza has played the majority of the minutes.
keith
January 4th, 2013
9:38 pm
MUCH BETTER BASKETBALL TEAM WITHOUT THE BIG DUMMY LAUNCHING BAD JUMP SHOTS…..MAMA…THERE GOES THAT MAN!!!!!
Mookie Blaylock
January 4th, 2013
9:38 pm
Josh Smith’s importance shining through brightly…
NUNNA!!
January 4th, 2013
9:39 pm
My Cuz is over here screaming ITS DA RIM!! ITS DA RIM!!
Detroit can’t buy a shot down on their end unless they go to da hoop..We’re making ours lol
Najeh Davenpoop
January 4th, 2013
9:39 pm
Teague has quietly racked up another 8 assists despite playing terrible in the first half. Still struggling a little on D but he’s been much better on the offensive end in the 2nd half.
J.J.M.
January 4th, 2013
9:39 pm
Speechless
Big Ray
January 4th, 2013
9:39 pm
Hmmm…somebody besides keith , going to acknowledge the rally without Smoove…?
Not saying we’re better without him, saying something is still happening with him down with foul trouble.
Lou Williams a big part of that as he outscores and outdishes Teague…
Slimjr
January 4th, 2013
9:39 pm
“We live and die by the 3″
That and the escort service on the perimeter and interior..
W.R. Terrell
January 4th, 2013
9:40 pm
See what happens when the “Smoove” is on the bench. Just a fact folks, just fact. The HAWKS may still lose but ZaZa with hustle, banging for rebounds makes a diff and there is much better ball movement also. You are watching the same game as I am and reality is speaking
keith
January 4th, 2013
9:40 pm
HUGE COMEBACK TONIGHT…..BAD DECISION BY LOU WILLL….
Slimjr
January 4th, 2013
9:41 pm
a two guard with an up and under move in the paint?