Hawks bounce back, end Western swing with win at Jazz

By Bud L. Ellis

It would be unfair to say the Atlanta Hawks were reeling out of control as they arrived in Salt Lake City Monday night. But after blowing a 17-point fourth-quarter lead to lowly Golden State the night before, a win definitely was needed.

That’s what the Hawks got, leaving Utah with a victory for the first time since 1993. Down six points with under nine minutes to play, Atlanta finished strong in a 105-100 victory.

With the win, the Hawks wrap up their four-game Western Conference road swing at 2-2. The win pulls the Hawks within two games of Orlando in the Southeast Division standings. Sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference, Atlanta moves to within ½ game of Boston for the third seed.

Joe Johnson scored 28 points on 12-for-19 shooting. Josh Smith added 18 points and led the Hawks with nine rebounds. Jamal Crawford scored 17 points off the bench, hitting four 3-pointers. Al Horford added 13 points and Marvin Williams scored 11.

Atlanta returns home to play Minnesota on Wednesday at Philips Arena.

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Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 9:21 pm by bud

Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Minnesota Timberwolves, National Basketball Association, Utah Jazz

Hawks totally fall apart in loss to Golden State

By Bud L. Ellis

The Atlanta Hawks have looked like a legitimate NBA championship contender at times this season.

But Sunday night in Oakland, the Hawks looked like a team that will be long gone before late May gets here.

Blowing a 17-point lead entering the fourth quarter, the Hawks fell totally apart in the final 12 minutes, losing to Golden State 108-104 in the third game of a four-game road swing.

The Hawks, who finish the road trip Monday night at Utah, carried a 90-73 advantage into the fourth quarter. But Golden State ripped the Hawks apart in the final 12 minutes, outscoring Atlanta 35-14 over the course of the final quarter.

Up 52-51 at halftime, the Hawks owned the third quarter, outscoring the Warriors 38-22. Joe Johnson led Atlanta with 31 points. Al Horford scored 26 points with 11 rebounds, and Josh Smith added 14 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists. Jamal Crawford scored 17 off the bench.

The Hawks, who now trail Orlando by 2 ½ games in the Southeast Division, return home to Philips Arena to play Minnesota on Wednesday.

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Monday, February 22, 2010 at 9:04 pm by bud

Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Minnesota Timberwolves, National Basketball Association, Orlando Magic, Philips Arena, Utah Jazz

Hawks can’t capitalize, fall to Suns

By Bud L. Ellis

A rotten night shooting from the field kept the Atlanta Hawks from gaining ground in the Southeast Division standings.

Shooting just 39.5 percent Friday night, the Hawks couldn’t hold a one-point halftime lead at Phoenix, slipping behind in the second half and falling to the Suns 88-80, on the second game of a four-game Western Conference road swing.

With division leader Orlando and Eastern Conference frontrunner Cleveland both losing, the Hawks were unable to capitalize and inch closer in both races. Atlanta remains 1 ½ games behind the Magic in the division and 7 ½ behind Cleveland in the conference.

Josh Smith led the Hawks with 21 points. Joe Johnson added 19 and nine rebounds. Jamal Crawford scored 11, and Al Horford added 10 points and nine rebounds.

Outside shooting doomed the Hawks on this night. Atlanta hit on just 30 of 76 attempts, including a paltry 3-for-14 from 3-point range.

The Hawks continue their road swing Sunday at Golden State and wrap up the road trip Monday at Utah. Atlanta returns home Wednesday to face Minnesota.

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Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 9:13 pm by bud

Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Minnesota Timberwolves, National Basketball Association, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz

Hawks look to soar in second half of season

By Bud L. Ellis

Joe Johnson and Al Horford are back from the All-Star game. Zaza Pachulia and Jamal Crawford are back from minor injuries.

For the Atlanta Hawks, it’s the second half of the season, and it’s time to make a move.

The Hawks sit in a great place in the standings, third in the Eastern Conference and just 1 ½ games behind second-seed Orlando in the Southeast Division. While catching the front-running Cleveland Cavaliers for the Eastern Conference lead may be a reach for both teams – the Hawks are 8 ½ games back; the Magic seven games in arrears of Cleveland – the division title is there for the taking.

And with Boston just ½ game behind Atlanta for fourth and the red-hot Toronto Raptors in fifth and only four games behind the Celtics, the race for the second through fifth seeds in the East figures to go down to the season’s final days.

Atlanta opens a critical four-game west coast road swing Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Hawks also visit Phoenix, Golden State and Utah on the trip, before returning home to Philips Arena next Wednesday to face Minnesota. The last three teams the Hawks face on the road trip all are above .500 and all would be in the playoffs if the season ended today.

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Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 8:51 pm by bud

Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, National Basketball Association, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Zaza Pachulia