Archive for the ‘Links’ Category

The NBA said Marquis Daniels should have been called sooner for fouling Al Horford on an inbound play with 3.1 seconds left in Game 6. If game officials had made the correct call the Hawks, who trailed 81-79 at the time, would have been awarded a free throw and possession of the ball.

The league posted a link with an explanation on one of its official Twitter accounts:

During the last two minutes of the fourth period or overtime, if a personal foul is assessed against the defensive team prior to the ball being released on a throw-in, it is considered an Away-From-The-Play Foul and the offensive team is awarded one free throw and possession of the ball. With 3.1 seconds remaining in the the Boston-Atlanta game last night, a foul was called on the Celtics’ Marquis Daniels after the Hawks’ Marvin Williams had released the ball and therefore the foul was correctly treated as a common foul and not an Away-From-the-Play foul. With that said, however, the replay shows that the foul …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: NBA admits blown call in Game 6 (plus notes) »

Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. was the featured speaker today at the Third Annual Art of It Luncheon at the Piedmont Park Conservancy. The event is sponsored by the W.E.B. Du Bois Society, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that is “focused on bridging the academic gap that exists between African-American students and their white and Asian peers.”

The AJC’s D. Orlando Ledbetter was at the event and reported the following Hawks-related highlights from Gearon’s speech.

On media coverage of Hawks’ playoff series against the Celtics

“Did you see what Al Horford did last night? The timeline for recovery for his injury is another three months. He’s not even supposed to be playing and Josh [Smith] should not be playing. Zaza [Pachulia] can’t stand up, but if we can get past this round there is a chance that we can get him back. So this is a team that is overcoming adversity. I wish . . . some of the national media or even some of the local media, more the paper than the TV guys, …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Gearon: Garnett ‘dirtiest guy in the league,’ Hawks ‘don’t get any calls’ »

I joined Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe to review the Hawks’ 87-86 Game 5 victory over the Celtics.

Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Video: Hawks stay alive, head back to Boston »

I joined The Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan to review the Hawks’ 101-79 defeat to the Celtics in Game 4.

Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Video: Hawks collapse at Boston »

I reviewed the Hawks’ 90-84 loss to the Celtics in Game 3 with Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe.

Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Video: Hobbled Hawks fall to Celtics in Game 3 »

• Josh Smith was walking without a noticeable limp today. He plans to test his sprained left knee at shootaround tomorrow morning in Boston. “I haven’t done anything as far as running on it,” he said. “I will have to see how it feels tomorrow. At shootaround I will probably try to go a little bit harder than I normally do and see how it feels.”
• Told that Larry Drew said the decision on whether to play is up to him, Josh said: “Oh, they are going to put the pressure on me like that? [He was smiling]. It’s OK. If it feels good, I’m going to go. I’m not one to harness injuries. I have a high threshold for pain. If I feel like I can go a little bit I’m going to step out on floor.”
• Asked if he feels a sense of urgency to play in Game 3 because the Hawks are already thin with big men, Josh said: “I don’t want to put that much pressure on me. I understand how important this series is but it’s more than one game. I don’t want to go out there too early and risk getting injured more …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Notes and quotes »

I joined The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn to review Atlanta’s 87-80 defeat to Boston in Game 2 of the first-round Eastern Conference playoffs series.

Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Video: Celtics stifle Hawks in Game 2 »

• Zaza Pachulia (foot) is expected to miss Game 2. He’s now able to do some light walking on a treadmill but still is wearing a boot to keep pressure off the injury.
• Doc Rivers said he doesn’t expect Ray Allen to play in Game 2: “If he is not ready, he’s not ready. One thing I will never do, and maybe I’m wrong in it, I don’t ever put a guy out who is not ready. I just won’t put him on the floor. If Ray told me in thought he could play tomorrow and [team trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] told me he could not, Ray would not play. That’s just the way it is.”
• Larry Drew before the Rajon Rondo suspension came down from the league: “Certainly it changes things a little bit but, with or without him, they’ve shown they can win. They are a veteran ballclub. They’ve been in those situations where they’ve had players out. Certainly whether he is there or not we can’t let our guards down. Until we get the official word of whether he’s available or not, we are going to factor him …

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Hawks-Celtics notes and quotes »

The NBA suspended Celtics all-star point guard Rajon Rondo on Monday for one game without pay for making contact with an official. Rondo will miss Game 2 of the Eastern Conference playoff series with the Hawks Tuesday. It is the second suspension for Rondo this season for his conduct concerning an official.

Rondo bumped referee Marc Davis in the final minute of the Celtics’ Game 1 loss to the Hawks Sunday after being assessed a technical foul for arguing a call. He was subsequently given a second technical and ejected. Rondo was upset because officials called teammate Brandon Bass for a foul, instead of awarding a jump ball, during a scrum for a loose ball with Hawks forward Josh Smith.

“It’s part of the package with our team,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Monday prior to be informed of the ruling. “We are a volatile team in a lot of ways. Rondo is an emotional player. You know the old saying, I would rather kindle a fire than start one. I like his fire and …

Continue reading Rondo suspended, will miss Game 2 »

My video report following the Hawks’ 109-102 victory over the Clippers last night.

Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat

Continue reading Atlanta Hawks: Video: Hawks get boost with victory over Clippers »