Hawks improve to 3-3 on road trip

By Bud L. Ellis

A roster in evolution and a long road trip are coming together just fine for the Atlanta Hawks.

Atlanta even its record at 3-3 on a seven-game road trip on Sunday, downing Portland 90-83 as Jamal Crawford scored a team-high 23 points. ( Read More…)

Monday, February 28, 2011 at 9:33 pm by bud

Tags: Atlanta Hawks news, Atlanta Hawks schedule, Atlanta Hawks tickets, Denver Nuggets, Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson, Kirk Heinrich, National Basketball Association, Portland Trail Blazers, Zaza Pachulia

High-flying Hawks look more and more like title contenders

By Bud L. Ellis

When the final chapter of the Atlanta Hawks’ 2009-10 season is over, nobody knows where Jamal Crawford’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer will rank.

But it’s safe to say the 25-footer that swished through the hoop as the Philips Arena buzzer cried Friday night will occupy a high spot on the list.

For Hawks’ fans, this season’s been one full of highlights and monumental moments. Atlanta has climbed from the abyss of a 13-win season five years ago to now occupy a spot among the

NBA’s elite. Crawford’s heroics capped a furious final six seconds, during which the Hawks rallied from a 100-96 deficit to beat Phoenix 102-101.

But the good news continued to flow for the Hawks long after the delirious crowd filed out of Philips. On the West Coast, Orlando was throttled by Portland, the loss coupled with the Hawks’ victory moving Atlanta by the Magic and into first place in the Southeast Division by one-half game.

Thirty-nine games into the 82-game season, and Atlanta sits at a lofty 26-13 on the season, in third place in the Eastern Conference, just 1 ½ games behind second-place Boston and three games in arrears of conference front-runner Cleveland.

If the playoffs started today, Atlanta would face Toronto in the first round, and likely would meet the second-seeded Celtics in round two. The Hawks are 3-0 against Boston this season, having beaten the Celts twice in Boston already.

For those of you who don’t know the history of this franchise’s 42 years in Atlanta, round two has proven to be the big stumbling block for great Hawks’ teams of the past. But you get the feeling, especially after watching on a night like Friday, that this team is different. It’s balanced. It’s focused. True, it still has moments where they look like the Hawks of a more recent – and more putrid – vintage, but those moments are less likely to show themselves.

Instead, we’re becoming accustomed to moments like Friday, when the Hawks play like champions. Crawford’s shot didn’t win any titles for Atlanta, but it’s those moments that make us believe more and more Atlanta’s got a real shot to do something really special later this spring.

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Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 3:01 pm by bud

Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Jamal Crawford, Orlando Magic, Philips Arena, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers

Hawks return home, chew up Nuggets

By Bud L. Ellis

The easiest path to the playoffs is simple math:

Play .500 on the road, and dominate at home.

So far, the Atlanta Hawks are earning straight A’s in math class. Keep this up, and Atlanta will have a shot when it comes to exam time.

One night after a four-game in six-day road trip caught up to them in a road loss at Charlotte, Atlanta returned home and ripped through Denver, 125-100 Saturday night at Philips Arena.

Through seven games, consider the Hawks are 2-2 on the road, having downed Portland and Sacramento in between losses at the defending champion Lakers and at Charlotte. At home, the Hawks are perfect, moving to 3-0 at Philips with the win over Denver.

Good teams play even ball on the road, then do what they’re supposed to do at home. The Hawks had that missing zip, that missing step, when they stepped onto their home court against a Denver team that played deep into the playoffs last season.

Jamal Crawford again did his thing off the bench, Mr. Offense leading the way with 25 points. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith each popped in 22 points, as seven Hawks scored in double figures.

The Hawks put their even-steven road record on the line Wednesday with a trip to New York.

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Monday, November 9, 2009 at 8:19 am by bud

Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Bobcats, Denver Nuggets, Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Philips Arena, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings

Hawks buried in third-quarter blitz, suffer first loss of season

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

Smith reaches milestone, Hawks get defensive in win over Washington

By Bud L. Ellis

A monumental moment on the defensive end for Josh Smith sparked the Atlanta Hawks in a return to defensive night at Philips Arena.

Smith became the youngest player in NBA history to block 900 shots, and Atlanta rebounded from a shaky defensive effort in the season opener to beat Washington 100-89 on Friday, improving to 2-0 on the season.

Sure, the Hawks are unbeaten, but there was some worry after the Pacers ran through the Atlanta D for 65 first-half points in Wednesday’s season opener. Consider the message delivered, though: Atlanta held Indy to 15 points in the fourth quarter, then bounced back from an early 10-point deficit to take care of the Wizards.

J’Smooth led the Hawks with 20 points in 29 minutes, along with eight rebounds. Joe Johnson scored 17, Jamal Crawford infused the Atlanta offense with 16 points off the bench, and Al Horford and Marvin Williams chipped in 10 points each. Crawford’s effort led the Hawks’ bolstered bench, which gave Atlanta 27 points.

The Hawks needed these two wins at home, and they got them. Now, it’s time to hit the road. Atlanta plays at the defending champion Lakers on Sunday, opening a four-game road swing that includes meetings at Portland on Tuesday, at Sacramento on Wednesday, and at Charlotte on Friday.

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Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 6:54 pm by bud

Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Bobcats, Indiana Pacers, Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Los Angeles Lakers, Marvin Williams, National Basketball Association, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards