Game thread: Morrow out vs. T’Wolves with back stiffness
Vivlamore reporting from Minneapolis.
The Hawks will definitely be without Anthony Morrow and likely without Devin Harris tonight against the Timberwolves although the injured guards accompanied the team on the two-game road trip.
Morrow, who has missed the past five games with a right hip strain, is now experiencing lower back stiffness. He did not practice Tuesday’s morning and coach Larry Drew ruled him out against the T’Wolves.
Harris, who has missed the past 10 games with a sore left foot, took part in Tuesday’s shootaround. However, Drew said he is inclined to hold Harris out in favor of Wednesday’s game at the Cavaliers.
“We don’t want it to flare up a little bit so we are being cautious,” said Drew, who added that the game in Cleveland was the original target date for Harris’ return.
* Drew will stay with the same starting lineup of Jeff Teague, Lou Williams, Kyle Korver, Josh Smith and Al Horford. Much of the reason for staying with the unit is the absence of Kevin Love for the T’Wolves. Love is out after breaking his right hand for the second time this season.
“I kind of like it against this team,” Drew said of the lineup. “It’s a situation of whether matchups are good. The matchups are OK. From their perimeter, which is I think a big strength for them, their guards can really score the basketball. With our matchups with Lou in the lineup, I think we are able to match up pretty good with them. On the other end, we are playing two point guards and it may force them to make some decisions with us.”
* Drew said the key to the game will be how the Hawks respond to the Love-less T’Wolves.
“Will we have a mental letdown coming into this game knowing that their other guys are really going to step their games up?” Drew said. “How will we respond with Love not playing? Will we be up for the challenge or will we come out and think this is one of those games where we can turn it on at any time? That’s going to be the biggest challenge.”
* From a technical standpoint, Drew is concerned with the T’Wolves guards, including Ricky Rubio who could return tonight.
“Their guards are a big part of what they do,” Drew said. “They run a lot of pick-and-rolls for (Luke) Ridnour; Rubio is back tonight; the kid (Alexey) Shved, I really like. And once that ball goes up on the glass can we keep (Nikola) Pekovic off that glass. He’s a big-time offensive rebounder. A lot of that is because you are put into certain actions based on what they do. We are going to have to do a good job on their guards.”
Drew also pointed to forwards Andrei Kirilenko and Dante Cunningham as players the Hawks will have to watch.
* In other news, it appears that former Hawks player Marvin Williams will miss Friday’s game, his first trip to Atlanta with the Jazz after being traded in the offseason.
Williams is expected to miss the next three Jazz games with right knee inflammation. According to a report, Williams will travel but not play.
- Chris Vivlamore
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476 comments Add your comment
keith
January 8th, 2013
9:03 pm
Big Ray
January 8th, 2013
9:01 pm
A little Sarcasm for the BIG AL fan Club…
Najeh Davenpoop
January 8th, 2013
9:03 pm
The problem of guards getting lost on screens has been recurring throughout the season but it seems like teams have been really exploiting that the last couple of weeks.
Big Ray
January 8th, 2013
9:03 pm
Pekovic with a double double in the first half.
Peter
January 8th, 2013
9:04 pm
Come on folks we have a 6′9″ center…… what are we expecting here ?
High-sider
January 8th, 2013
9:04 pm
Jeff Teague has 0 points in 13 and a half minutes. (smh)
http://www.nba.com/games/20130108/ATLMIN/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nbahpgt0021200515
Najeh Davenpoop
January 8th, 2013
9:04 pm
Nobody is feeling more conflicted than Grandad right now — on the one hand the Hawks are getting drilled, on the other hand a team full of white guys is looking like world champions.
Slimjr
January 8th, 2013
9:05 pm
Hawks did not come ready…
Yep the NBA has found you Atlanta Hawks!
Where was Al on that last score in the paint? Oh out near the 3point line..
Coaching? Perhaps?
Big Ray
January 8th, 2013
9:05 pm
Pekovic putting up 15.9 ppg and 8.3 rpg for the season.
Just…damn….
Screw it…start Pachulia/Horford/Smith against the bigger teams…how hard can that be?
Oh wait…if we start Pachulia, that means we HAVE to bring Ivan in off the bench. And we can’t have THAT, can we?
Peter
January 8th, 2013
9:05 pm
Teague 14 minutes 1 rebound 1 turnover 2 fouls…… AWFUL !
keith
January 8th, 2013
9:06 pm
I have PEKOVIC on several of my fantasy teams…I new he would abuse our frontline tonight, so i put him in the starting line-up..
I also picked up Derrick Williams because I knew he would have a career game against us…
Mookie Blaylock
January 8th, 2013
9:06 pm
So I miss the entire first half, and I walk in and the Hawks are down by 16 to the T-Wolves after a team meeting?
ESPN box score: Nikola Pekovic, C 12 pts 10 rebs 4 offensive rebs
Looks like those Hawks post players are doing a great job, those all stars Horford and Josh.
Slimjr
January 8th, 2013
9:06 pm
HAHAHAHA @ Najeh…
Peter
January 8th, 2013
9:06 pm
a team full of white guys is looking like world champions.
Funny stuff !
Big Ray
January 8th, 2013
9:07 pm
Nobody is feeling more conflicted than Grandad right now — on the one hand the Hawks are getting drilled, on the other hand a team full of white guys is looking like world champions.
Don’t like old white guys, huh?
Big Ray
January 8th, 2013
9:08 pm
Really can’t watch anymore of this. And it ain’t gonna get better as the season goes along…
Peter
January 8th, 2013
9:08 pm
How do you say embarrassed……… “Your Atlanta Hawks ” !
keith
January 8th, 2013
9:08 pm
No way i give Jeff Teague a “Max contract”….Analyst Dissing the Hawks….”Making Derrick Williams look like Derron Williams”…
Najeh Davenpoop
January 8th, 2013
9:08 pm
Teague 13 minutes 0 points, 0 assists, 1 turnover
Rubio 10 minutes, 0 points, 7 assists, 1 turnover
Josh 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Cunningham 4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist
Hawks 17 rebounds (4 offensive)
Pekovic and Kirilenko alone 13 rebounds (4 offensive)
Derrick Williams 13 points in 13 minutes off the bench
Hawks’ entire bench combined 12 points in 31 minutes combined off the bench
Slimjr
January 8th, 2013
9:09 pm
Hey at least the two Amigos could dominate the D league!
or WNBA? Ah on 2nd thought……
Time for another Team Meeting?
Has Larry lost this team?
Mookie Blaylock
January 8th, 2013
9:10 pm
SG – Horford
SG – Smith
SG – Korver
SG – Lou Williams
SG – Teague
All shooting guard lineup strikes again. Lord Knows I dont see a PG or Post player in that bunch.
Buddy Grizzard
January 8th, 2013
9:10 pm
..a team full of white guys is looking like world champions.
LOL
Slimjr
January 8th, 2013
9:11 pm
SG – Horford
SG – Smith
SG – Korver
SG – Lou Williams
SG – Teagu
Shop them ALL!
keith
January 8th, 2013
9:11 pm
“We are Notre Dame and these guys are Alabama tonight” Pekovic looks like Bill Walton against TOO SOFT AL….Oh no?? Cleveland is going to BLOW us out!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
January 8th, 2013
9:11 pm
Hawks have given up 109 points in their last 4 quarters on 50.5% shooting.
High-sider
January 8th, 2013
9:12 pm
@Mookie Blaylock
Mookie Blaylock
January 8th, 2013
6:54 pm
So one of our “leaders” calls himself “mid-range shawty” yet hasnt shown ANY signs of a mid-range game all year? More like Brick Squad member, J-Airball
——————————————————————-
Why don’t you call Josh Smith, “Mr. Mason” as in brick mason?
Buddy Grizzard
January 8th, 2013
9:12 pm
Slimjr with the incisive roster breakdown
Mookie Blaylock
January 8th, 2013
9:12 pm
Jeff Teague, PG
0-2 FG
0 AST
True definition of playing the point.
O'Brien
January 8th, 2013
9:12 pm
9 mins, no rebs, 2pts (FTs) for Zaza.
Hawks blew a big lead to Boston. Maybe this is their night to come back from a big lead. And we have seen them come back from huge deficits before.
Buddy Grizzard
January 8th, 2013
9:13 pm
Oh my bad that was Mookie
O'Brien
January 8th, 2013
9:14 pm
I really think having Lou playing so many minutes with JT is throwing Teague off his game.
Rod from College Park
January 8th, 2013
9:15 pm
“Nobody is feeling more conflicted than Grandad right now — on the one hand the Hawks are getting drilled, on the other hand a team full of white guys is looking like world champions.”
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
Slimjr
January 8th, 2013
9:15 pm
Looks like a pickup game at LA Fitness..
Hawks= pickup game….
Hey Danny that’s why your building is not full most night ..You can get this action down at the local GYM!
Better yet us bloggers get to partake if we like in those local pickup games…
keith
January 8th, 2013
9:15 pm
“Bay Bay, Tyrone, Ray-Ray, Jerome, Slim, fews guys down at the “Y’” can give you more than our “3 STOOGES” TEAGUE…AL…and JOSH….
Rod from College Park
January 8th, 2013
9:16 pm
SG – Horford
SG – Smith
SG – Korver
SG – Lou Williams
SG – Teague
Very Funny.
Mookie Blaylock
January 8th, 2013
9:16 pm
Greg Stiemsma out performing Al and Josh.
Blast
January 8th, 2013
9:16 pm
Big Ray,
Been loving your posts the last few blogs, man. Cynical, But very insightful.
Michael
January 8th, 2013
9:17 pm
Heat down by 8 in 4th with 1 min left. they are being out rebounded 55-35
W.R.Terrell
January 8th, 2013
9:17 pm
What can you say. ZaZa and Ivan are desperately needed for defense. JJ needs to start the 3rd quarter because JT looks worse then a 4th round draft choice whose been given the responsibility of coming up with 15 assists. The “Smoove” is who he is no more and no less. Al looks and is playing unsure. LD just needs to change the lineup, a lil shake and something may start to bake. The lineup that started the game need not go back out there. I would suggest ZaZa, Ivan, Mike Scott, JJ and Lou, at least it would be confusing to Minn and we may even see some hustle, banging and a sense of urgency. LD is seriously without a clue. Then again a loss is ammo for DF to say bye, bye to LD. This team has no confidence in him as a coach and understandably so. As far as the team meeting is concerned have any of you folks seen any major changes? I’m still seeing same ol, same ol.
Mookie Blaylock
January 8th, 2013
9:18 pm
dont make me start missing Joe Johnson…
TBhawkfan
January 8th, 2013
9:18 pm
maybe they just load up on the bus at half time and go home.
keith
January 8th, 2013
9:18 pm
ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS SMOOVE…..He has played himself right out of the ALL-STAR game and a MAX CONTRACT…………
jo
January 8th, 2013
9:18 pm
Its official, the hawks stink. I could stomach it if they ran and played fundamental basketball but they don’t. They cant score they cant defend they cant rebound….cellar here we come!! Season over.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 8th, 2013
9:18 pm
Stiemsma played nearly as many minutes as Zaza and Ivan combined.
I seriously want to know what this coaching staff’s beef with Ivan is. I know it has been said a million times over and over again, but why the hell would you not play a guy who routinely makes a positive impact and provides something that nobody else on the team provides? What’s the logic behind the underuse of him? There has to be some sort of behind the scenes story.
High-sider
January 8th, 2013
9:18 pm
Hawks fans, the video clip below sums up your Hawks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWmQbk5h86w
keith
January 8th, 2013
9:19 pm
Maybe we could get “Nick at Night” to suit up???
O'Brien
January 8th, 2013
9:19 pm
Of course, even LD’s assistants talking about energy…at half time
keith
January 8th, 2013
9:20 pm
At least Al fouled him this time…
Buddy Grizzard
January 8th, 2013
9:20 pm
“What’s the logic behind the underuse of him?”
Because he disrespected LD’s boy Marvin last year.
Mookie Blaylock
January 8th, 2013
9:20 pm
SG – Horford with the perimeter jumper, almost as pure as his clutch, foot on the line, almost doesnt count, bucket against the lowly Pistons.
Rod from College Park
January 8th, 2013
9:20 pm
1rst Foul on Al…….