Stotts Era

Game: Hawks (26-19 – Lost Last 3) vs Nets (20-26 – Lost Last 2)
Date: January 30, 2009, 7:30 PM
Where: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
TV: SportsSouth (Channel 53 on Comcast)
Odds: Hawks -1, O/U 196.5

Last Game: Knicks 112 Hawks 104 on 1/28 in New York
Raptors 107 Nets 106 on 1/28 in East Rutherford

Key Nets:

Nets Update: One of those “Key Nets” you don’t see up there is Vince Carter (UNC) who seems to always kill the Hawks. He made a looooong three pointer at the buzzard in overtime to beat us last time in New Jersey. In that game, the Nets came out real hungover from New Years Eve (even though the game was on the 2nd) and spotted the Hawks a 20 point halftime lead. It seems the Hawks thought that was a reason to celebrate and came out extremely flat in the second half and allowed the Nets to send it into overtime. Still, the Hawks could have won it until Vince did this.  Vince actually has 21.5 ppg, .1 less than Harris, but is dropping over 25 a game against the Hawks in his career.  So maybe we should try to get a hand in his face better than we did against Nate Robinson.

Tonight, the Nets will be without Yi (China), which at least is something that may give the Hawks a slight edge over their recent struggles with the Nets. The Nets last started Carter, Harris, Lopez, Bobby Simmons (DePaul), and Ryan Anderson (Cal), although Dooling takes most of Anderson’s minutes. Should be a good game and with the Hawks struggles the past week or so, coupled with their struggles all year against the Nets, you gotta like the Nets getting 7 points here.

Hawks Update: We got spanked by the Knicks the other night, although it didn’t really seem that way. J Sandpaper went 2 of 10 from the line, which I can assuredly say that I can do better than. The Hawks were 17 of 32 from the line as a team (10 of 20 against the Nets on the 2nd.) That is going to have to improve, especially in the playoffs, where close games usually happen (unless they are played in Boston.) Just so you know, Hawks are 2nd to last (Magic) in free throw percentage. Who would have thought that Hawks would one day actually be significant, and free throws would be holding us down?

Injuries: As mentioned earlier, Yi is out. Eight year man Stromile Swift (LSU) has been out since mid December with ankle/family problems. If Al Horford was playing, it would be a preview of the Rookie/Sophomore Challenge game, as he would be going against Brook Lopez. But it’s expected that Horford is still out til next week. Also, don’t think Speedy Claxton is gonna be wearing shorts tonight.

On to Joe Johnson making the All-Star team for the third straight year…great job by Joe, going three straight years. His stats don’t seem as good as year’s past but they are about the same as last season. He has been having a bad January though, under 17 ppg this month, while averaging at least 22 each previous month. I think this quote can sum up how the Hawks have been playing lately:

“We’re going to keep getting our [expletives] kicked if we play like this,” Joe Johnson said. “We’re playing like [expletive] right now. Plain and simple.”

Let’s guess the expletives. Notice in the first sentence he uses expletives (plural). So multiple expletives back to back. Either way he is pissed off. Looking at the Hawks, we are extremely inconstant, including Joe at some points. But if they can get their heads on straight and just play .500 ball the rest of the year, they should be in good shape. Hopefully Joe’s comments spark the team. The Nets are extremely beatable and the Hawks have to be pissed off enough to win tonight and it will be interesting to see how they play.

Back to Joe, he should definitely be an All Star, as the 4th best team in the conference should have a representative on the team. He has this season and next season left on his contract and the Hawks would be wise to lock him up. I didn’t do any research on why we should lock him up, but just looking at our recent history, just having an all star on our team for three straight years is very unusual and we should try to continue that by re signing Joe when the time comes. Obviously there is money issues involved, but Joe is a guy that has been our best player who has lead us from 13 wins to the playoffs. There is a Newsday article talking about how Johnson would be a good fit to re-unite with Coach D’Antoni. That actually makes a lot of sense and we can all hope it does not happen. Anyways, go Joe.

“It’s a huge accomplishment and honor,” Johnson said. “And not only for me, but for the entire organization. It’s a tribute to my teammates and the coaching staff, because without them it’s not even possible.”

Etc, Etc: Marvin Williams maybe on the trading block, reported by Chad Forde in his “Trade Watch.” It reads that is a “15 percent” chance of trade. I think Marvin has a lot of talent. We see bits and pieces of the incredible talent from night to night. But the Hawks do need something to shake things up and I would not be opposed to a trade if the right deal came along. Thanks to Hoopinion for pointing out the article.

Also, I just trade Sandpaper away in fantasy, along with Tyson Chandler, for Jamal Crawford, Stotts Era HOFer Stephen Jackson, and Mike Miller, so we’ll see how that works out.