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
After a break that lasted longer than scheduled thanks to a blizzard, the Atlanta Hawks are ready to return to the court.
Scheduled to play Saturday night against Washington at the Verizon Center, the Hawks couldn’t get into D.C. due to the major snowstorm that blasted the Mid-Atlantic States. The NBA postponed the game. It has been rescheduled for March 11.
Atlanta, which hasn’t played since beating Chicago on Friday at Philips Arena, plays Tuesday night at Memphis. And the Hawks needed the extra day to try and get Joe Johnson over the flu. Johnson, who leads the Hawks in scoring at 21.9 points per game (10th in the NBA), is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday.
Reserve forward Zaza Pachulia will not play. Pachulia is out with a hip injury and may not return until next week.
Atlanta opens the week in tied for third with Boston in the Eastern Conference standings at 32-17. The Hawks sit 1 ½ games behind Orlando in the Southeast Division.
—30—
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 5:35 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Joe Johnson, Memphis Grizzlies, National Basketball Association, Orlando Magic, Philips Arena, Verizon Center, Washington Wizards, Zaza Pachulia
By Bud L. Ellis
Knotted in a tight race for second place in the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks seek a little payback when they travel to Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
The Hawks, locked in a battle with Orlando and Boston for second in the East, lost to the resurgent Thunder on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Atlanta, Kevin Durant going for 29 points in that game.
Durant leads the NBA in scoring the past month, and the Thunder are five games over .500 on the season and tied with New Orleans for the final playoff spot in the West. The Hawks, meanwhile, sit third in the East, one game behind Orlando and ½ game up on fourth-place Boston.
After Tuesday, the Hawks return home for three of their next five, with home games Wednesday against the L.A. Clippers, Friday against Chicago, and next Wednesday against Miami. Atlanta travels to Washington Saturday and Memphis next Tuesday.
After playing host to Miami, the Hawks hit the road for a four-game, six-day Western road swing.
—30—
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 6:52 am by bud
Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Kevin Durant, L.A. Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, National Basketball Association, New Orleans Hornets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards
By Bud L. Ellis
It wasn’t pretty by any means, but the Atlanta Hawks found a way to grind past the Washington Wizards Wednesday night at Philips Arena.
And a key part of the victory came from a guy who knows the Hawks – and the Atlanta area – very well, but found himself playing in Maine as recently as last weekend.
Former Georgia Tech standout and Douglasville native Mario West, signed to a 10-day contract earlier in the week, gave the Hawks a boost during a decisive 23-5 second-quarter run, scoring five points with five rebounds to help the Hawks push past Washington 94-82.
West (who played with the Hawks the past two years but was cut in training camp, playing with Maine of the Developmental League), Jeff Teague and Jamal Crawford provided the oomph off the bench, as Atlanta’s reserves outscored the Wizards’ bench 35-9. Crawford scored 22 points, and Teague teamed with West to throttle the offense into high gear in the second quarter as the Hawks turned a 17-13 lead after one quarter into a 40-18 advantage.
Joe Johnson led the way with 24 points. Josh Smith pulled down 11 rebounds and added 10 points. Marvin Williams tied a career high with four blocks and scored 16, and Al Horford added 10 points.
The Hawks continue a five-game homestand Friday against Phoenix.
—30—\
Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 6:47 am by bud
Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Mario West, Marvin Williams, National Basketball Association, Philips Arena, Washington Wizards
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.
–30–
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
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.
–30–
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
By Bud L. Ellis
4-and-1 … it’s the operative record in Atlanta these days.
The Falcons are 4-1 and among the NFL’s elite. The Thrashers are 4-1 and off to their best start in the franchise’s 10-year history.
The Hawks? They’re getting in on the act, too. Atlanta improved its preseason record to 4-1 with a 113-95 victory Monday night over Washington, as six players scored in double figures.
Yet again, first-round draft pick Jeff Teague continues to impress. Teague scored a team-high 16 points with five assists, and Marvin Williams also scored 16. Williams hit 6-of-7 from the floor and pulled down six rebounds.
Al Horford scored 14 for the Hawks. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith each scored 13, and Mo Evans added 10 for Atlanta, which ran out to a 23-point halftime lead.
Jamal Crawford made his preseason debut, scoring four points with nine assists in 28 minutes.
–30–
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 8:27 pm by bud
Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Mo Evans, National Basketball Association, Washington Wizards
By Bud L. Ellis
Riding the strength of a 71-point first half, the Atlanta Hawks improved to 3-1 in preseason NBA action Wednesday night, downing Memphis 111-96 in Memphis.
Maurice Evans returned to the lineup and shined bright for Atlanta, scoring a team-high 27 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Evans, a key cog off the bench for the Hawks last season, hit three 3-pointers and drained 8-of-9 from the free-throw line in 26 minutes.
Al Horford added 14 points and five rebounds for the Hawks. First-round draft pick Jeff Teague continued his impressive preseason with 13 points and four assists.
The Hawks shot 52 percent from the floor and used strong defense to build a 20-point halftime lead. Memphis pulled within 89-77 after three quarters, but the Hawks had too much down the stretch.
Atlanta plays host to Washington on Monday at Philips Arena, then closes out the preseason with a two-game Florida road swing. The Hawks play the Heat next Thursday in Jacksonville, then take on Orlando next Friday in advance of the Oct. 28 season opener at home against Indiana.
–30–
Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 5:32 am by bud
Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Jeff Teague, Maurice Evans, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, National Basketball Association, Orlando Magic, Philips Arena, Washington Wizards
By Bud L. Ellis
If you’re ready for some NBA action in Atlanta Wednesday evening, bring some school supplies with you.
The Atlanta Hawks open the NBA preseason at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Philips Arena, playing host to New Orleans.
Fans are being asked to bring school supplies(at least $10 worth) to the game, to benefit Clarkdale Elementary School. The Cobb County school drew nationwide attention during the flooding that hit parts of Metro Atlanta two weeks ago, the floodwaters covering all but the very top of the school.
Students have been displaced, separated into two other elementary schools. It’s possible Clarkdale will have to be torn down and totally rebuilt.
Fans who bring at least $10 in school supplies will receive two vouchers, good for tickets for either the Oct. 28 or Oct. 30 games (Atlanta plays host to Indiana on Oct. 28, and Washington on Oct. 30).
–30–
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 8:56 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Hornets, Philips Arena, Washington Wizards
