Atlanta Hawks Schedule
Monday
2/6/2012
7:30PM
Atlanta Hawks vs Phoenix Suns
Wednesday
2/8/2012
7:30PM
Atlanta Hawks vs Indiana Pacers
Friday
2/10/2012
7:00PM
Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks
NEWS
By Bud L. Ellis
Wrapping up their most successful regular season in years, the Atlanta Hawks didn’t need to trot out their A-list lineup Wednesday night.
No, the guys on the bench drew the vast majority of the playing time in the regular-season finale at Philips Arena. But that’s OK. The stars of the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 seed already were preparing to tip off the second season.
Atlanta downed Cleveland 99-83 to conclude a regular season where the Hawks won 53 games, earned the No. 3 seed in the East and feel like they have what it takes to break through to the conference finals for the first time since the team was based in St. Louis.
This one was all about who wasn’t on the hardwood. The Hawks rested Joe Johnson, Al Horford, Josh Smith, Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford. Cleveland didn’t bother playing LeBron James or Shaquille O’Neal.
One thing to note from this one: Atlanta’s top draft pick last summer, point guard Jeff Teague, showed a season getting minutes here and there might be the foundation for a really good NBA career. Playing all 48 minutes, Teague finished with 24 points on 11-for-19 shooting and 15 assists.
He had help on this night. Seven Hawks scored in double figures: Joe Smith, Marvin Williams, Zaza Pachulia, Mario West, Jason Collins, Mo Evans and Teague.
Atlanta plays host to Milwaukee in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Philips Arena.
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Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 11:00 pm by bud
Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Jamal Crawford, Jason Collins, Jeff Teague, Joe Johnson, Joe Smith, Josh Smith, LeBron James, Mario West, Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby, Milwaukee Bucks, Mo Evans, National Basketball Association, Philips Arena, Shaquille O’Neal, Zaza Pachulia
By Bud L. Ellis
The euphoria of sweeping the Boston Celtics lasted just one day for the Atlanta Hawks, who ran into their own familiar brick wall Saturday night.
Dwight Howard continued tormenting his hometown team, scoring 31 points and pulling down 19 rebounds as the Hawks fell to the Orlando Magic, 104-86.
With the loss, the Hawks saw Orlando move ½ game ahead of Atlanta in the Southeast Division standings, and f\ell percentage points behind Boston for third in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks haven’t beaten the Magic since last season’s opening game, losing six in a row to the defending Eastern champions.
Atlanta ran out to a 10-point lead early, but the Magic reeled in the Hawks from there. Atlanta shot just 39.5 percent while the Magic hit on 54.2 percent of their attempts. Howard hit 10-of-16 from the field and shot 18 free throws – the Hawks as a team shot 20 from the line – as three Hawks’ defenders (Jason Collins, Zaza Pachulia and Al Horford) combined to commit 13 fouls.
Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford each scored 19 points to lead Atlanta. Josh Smith added 16 and Mike Bibby scored 10.
Atlanta returns to action Tuesday at Oklahoma City.
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Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 11:32 am by bud
Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Dwight Howard, Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Mike Bibby, National Basketball Association, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic
By Bud L. Ellis
Monday, the nation celebrated Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. The Atlanta Hawks were scheduled to work, but it didn’t look like they showed up.
Shooting just 4-for-16 from 3-point range and looking lackluster throughout their Monday afternoon matinee at Philips Arena, Jamal Crawford couldn’t bail out his mates this time. Three days after beating Phoenix with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, Crawford missed a game-tying 3 at the horn as the Hawks fell 94-91 to Oklahoma City.
For a team with championship aspirations, it was a disappointing loss. The Thunder aren’t chopped liver, coming in four games over .500. But still, these are games the truly elite teams need to win at home.
The Hawks on this day looked anything but ready for elite status.
They shot just 40 percent from the floor. They fell behind early, trailing by seven after the first quarter and by 12 in the second quarter. They continuously sent Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant to the foul line, where the Thunder star sank 14-of-15 attempts.
Still, Atlanta grinded its way back into the game, but couldn’t come up with a miracle finish for the second consecutive game.
Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 23 points. Josh Smith added 18 points and 12 rebounds, missing a triple-double by three assists. Al Horford scored 13 to go with 10 rebounds. Mike Bibby and Crawford each scored 12.
The loss dropped the Hawks back into a tie for first in the Southeast Division with Orlando. Atlanta continues its homestand Wednesday against Sacramento at Philips Arena.
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Monday, January 18, 2010 at 9:30 pm by bud
Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Kevin Durant, Mike Bibby, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Philips Arena, Sacramento Kings
By Bud L. Ellis
It looks like the Atlanta Hawks have rediscovered their offensive mo-jo.
Mired in a slump on the offensive end during a 1-3 stretch, the Hawks busted out in a big way Wednesday night at Philips Arena. Nine Atlanta players scored in double figures as the Hawks ripped the Toronto Raptors 146-115, matching the highest offensive output in the NBA so far this season.
Al Horford led the assault with 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting, but he had company … lots of company. Josh Smith and Jamal Crawford scored 16 points each. Marvin Williams added 14. Rookie Jeff Teague scored 13. Joe Smith, Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson added 12 points each, and Zaza Pachulia scored 11.
The Hawks hit 59 percent of their shots from the floor, totally blowing away the overmatched Raptors. Atlanta led by 21 at halftime and by 30 after three quarters. Going into the fourth, the Hawks had 114 points, after scoring 88 points or fewer in the three losses preceding the rout.
Now 13-5 on the season, the Hawks take on New York on Friday.
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Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 9:38 pm by bud
Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague, Joe Johnson, Joe Smith, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby, National Basketball Association, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Zaza Pachulia
By Bud L. Ellis
Mike Bibby’s sprained ankle could turn out to be a good thing.
No, I’m not advocating the Atlanta Hawks are better off without their veteran point guard. Far from it.
But when the Hawks drafted Jeff Teague out of Wake Forest in the first round of this summer’s NBA draft, the thought was Teague would be molded to wear that label which sank Acie Law IV:
“Point guard of the future.”
Teague showed in preseason he could play – and play well – at the NBA level. But playing in October games before 5,000 people and playing on Thanksgiving in a showdown of two teams at the top of the Eastern Conference standings are two different things.
And yet, Teague very well could be in the starting lineup Thursday at Philips Arena when the Hawks play host to Orlando, in a meeting of two teams with 11 wins already this season.
The double-edge sword with any young player designed to become a key cog in a team’s rotation is the kid needs experience, but the only way to get said experience is to play. To play a young kid means dealing with the inevitable mistakes inexperience causes, mistakes that can cost you a game or two along the way.
No matter. No worry. The Hawks’ future is bright. So too is Teague’s. If Bibby can’t go, leave Jamal Crawford in his role as super-scorer off the bench. Put the kid into the starting lineup and start the experience-gaining process.
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 8:11 pm by bud
Tags: Acie Law IV, Atlanta Hawks, Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague, Mike Bibby, Orlando Magic, Philips Arena, Wake Forest
By Bud L. Ellis
On an Atlanta radio show last week, an observer noted the impressive run of the Atlanta Hawks to the top of the NBA through the first three weeks of this young season.
But the caller brought up a great point, mentioning how everything had clicked just right for the high-flying Hawks. How would this team handle adversity?
The Hawks have hit their first roadblock of what’s been a nearly perfect start to their season, losing point guard Mike Bibby to a sprained left ankle injury early in Saturday’s loss at New Orleans.
Now it’s unfair to say the Hawks don’t lose if Bibby doesn’t get hurt. Atlanta was playing the second night of a back-to-back, the first one a gritty, hold-on-for-dear-life victory over Houston on Friday. The Hawks also were facing a New Orleans team that hadn’t lost since former coach Byron Scott was shown the door.
But now the Hawks face perhaps the task of taking the court without Bibby, the savvy veteran whose acquisition from Sacramento at the 2008 trade deadline fueled Atlanta’s return to the playoffs after a decade-long absence. In those playoffs, against behemoth Boston, Bibby took on the wrath of Celtics fans, a calculated move done to take the heat off his teammates, most of whom had never played in the postseason.
It worked. Atlanta pushed the eventual world champs to a Game 7, stunning the basketball world and giving the Hawks the confident push that resulted in a 47-win season in 2008-09 and a first-round victory over Miami last spring.
Without Bibby, the point duties fall to veteran Jamal Crawford and rookie Jeff Teague. For the former, it takes away from his role as scorer off the bench. For the later, its’ a chance to add to the impressive play we saw from him in preseason.
Either way, it would behoove the Hawks to get Bibby back and soon. After all, the next time the Hawks hit the floor is Thanksgiving night at Philips Arena, and the team Atlanta is tied with for first in the Eastern Conference, Orlando, is the opposition.
If Bibby can’t go Thursday, we’ll see just how well his teammates handle their first dose of adversity.
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Monday, November 23, 2009 at 10:54 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Byron Scott, Houston Rockets, Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague, Miami Heat, Mike Bibby, New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic, Philips Arena
By Bud L. Ellis
You knew it couldn’t last forever, this streak of improbable and galvanizing victories by the Atlanta Hawks.
The story of the year in the NBA to this point, the Hawks saw their seven-game winning streak halted Saturday night in a 96-88 loss at New Orleans.
For the Hawks (11-3), the difference came from beyond the 3-point arc. Atlanta hit just 4-of-22 from 3-point range (18.2 percent), while the Hornets knocked down 12 of their 17 3-point tries.
And still, Atlanta had a chance in the final minute to pull within five after trailing by 14 with nine minutes to play. But the Hawks, down seven after a Marvin Williams layup and a New Orleans turnover, couldn’t get any closer.
Jamal Crawford led Atlanta with 20 points off the bench. Williams scored 17, and Josh Smith and Joe Johnson added 14 points each. Both Smith (10 rebounds) and Al Horford (10 points, 11 rebounds) posted double-doubles.
Crawford played 39 minutes, coming in early after Atlanta loss starting point guard Mike Bibby to an ankle injury. Bibby played just five minutes.
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Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 11:25 am by bud
Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby, National Basketball Association, New Orleans Hornets
By Bud L. Ellis
Josh Smith is no stranger to living above the rim, having won an NBA Slam Dunk title en route to becoming one of the highest fliers in the league.
But in the waning seconds Friday night, in a game where the Atlanta Hawks looked ready to turn a seventh-straight victory into a difficult defeat, Smith came through with the biggest dunk of his career.
Slamming home Mike Bibby’s miss with 0.7 seconds left, Smith’s jam snapped a 103-103 tie, the Hawks earning a 105-103 win to push their winning streak to seven and their NBA-best record to 11-2.
It shouldn’t have come down to the final seconds. Atlanta led 102-92 on a Jamal Crawford 3-pointer with 2:07 left, but Houston rallied to tie the game on two Carl Landry free throws with five seconds left.
But great teams find a way to win, and everything we’ve seen from the Hawks so far this season leads one to believe this Atlanta squad indeed could be great.
Marvin Williams broke out of his early-season scoring slump in a big way, hitting 13-of-19 shots from the floor en route to a 29-point, nine-rebound performance.
Crawford hit three 3’s off the bench, finishing with 21. Joe Johnson added 19 and Al Horford scored 17.
Atlanta plays Saturday at New Orleans, looking to run its record 10 games above .500.
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Friday, November 20, 2009 at 10:42 pm by bud
Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby, National Basketball Association, New Orleans Hornets
By Bud L. Ellis
This wasn’t the way the Atlanta Hawks wanted to open their four-game road trip.
Playing at the defending NBA champions, the Hawks came unglued in the third quarter Sunday night, a four-point third-quarter deficit deficit turning into a 22-point hole thanks to an 18-0 L.A. run as Atlanta eventually fell 118-110.
It marked the first loss of the season for the Hawks after two home victories last week. And while Joe Johnson led the way with 27 points, he didn’t get much support as Atlanta shot 43 percent from the floor.
Jamal Crawford came off the bench with 17 points. Mike Bibby scored 15, and first-round draft choice Jeff Teague added 12, most coming in the fourth quarter to spark a rally that made the final score somewhat respectable.
The Hawks finished with 20 turnovers, and the Lakers made Atlanta pay for its sloppiness.
Atlanta takes on Portland Tuesday night in the second game on this four-game trip.
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Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 9:23 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague, Joe Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers, Mike Bibby, National Basketball Association, Portland Trail Blazers
By Bud L. Ellis
Defensively, it wasn’t what the new-look Atlanta Hawks wanted to see on opening night.
Indiana hung 65 points on the Hawks in the first two quarters of Wednesday’s season opener at Philips Arena. But the bolstered Atlanta offense still had the lead at intermission, and buoyed by five starters in double figures and a strong defensive showing in the fourth quarter, the Hawks opened this season of promise with a 120-109 victory.
As tough as it was for the Hawks to slow the Pacers in the opening two quarters, Atlanta found their defensive footing in the final 12 minutes. Indiana shot just 33 percent and scored only 15 points in the final quarter.
That would be enough to give Atlanta the separation it needed, especially considering the strong offensive output from a team that returns all five starters and added four key pieces to the bench. Joe Johnson overcame a sluggish start to lead Atlanta with 25 points. Al Horford played strong in the middle, scoring 24 and pulling down 16 rebounds. Josh Smith added 18 points with eight assists.
Marvin Williams scored 14 points and Mike Bibby added 10, rounding out a stellar effort by the Atlanta starting five. Off the bench, Mo Evans chipped in 12 points. First-round draft pick Jeff Teague scored five and added four assists for Atlanta, which shot 52 percent from the field.
Atlanta tries for a 2-0 start Friday against Washington at Philips Arena, then opens a four-game road trip.
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Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 9:13 pm by bud
Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Jeff Teague, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby, Mo Evans, National Basketball Association, Washington Wizards
