Playoffs Game 2 vs Heat Preview

April 22nd, 2009 by peng

Game: Hawks (1-0, Home 1-0) vs Heat (0-1, Road 0-1), Round 1, Game 2
Date: April 22, 2009 – 8:00 PM
Where: Phillips Arena, Atlanta, GA
TV: Fox SportsSouth Channel 48 on Atlanta Comcast, and TNT Channel 41 on Atlanta Comcast
Odds: Hawks -5, O/U 184
Last Games: Hawks 90 Heat 64 on 4/19 in Atlanta

Probable Starters, Hawks (Game 1 stats): Marvin Williams (17 min, 10 pts, 2 rbs), Josh Smith (38 min, 23 pts, 10 rbs), Al Horford (34 min, 14 pts, 9 rbs), Joe Johnson(37 min, 15 pts, 5 rbs), Mike Bibby (32 min, 10 pts, 9 asts)

Probable Starters, Heat: James Jones (34 min, 9 pts, 4 rbs), Udonis Haslem (25 min, 6 pts, 5 rbs), Jermaine O’Neal (22 min, 5 pts, 2 rbs), Dwayne Wade (40 min, 19 pts, 5 rbs, 5 asts), Mario Chalmers (34 min, 8 pts, 3 rbs)

Injuries: Hawks: Acie Law IV (back, day to day) Heat: Luther Head (hand, out)

Analysis: The Hawks should probably stick to whatever game plan they had on Sunday.  Really this team can beat any (especially at home) in the NBA when they come out with the fight and tenacity they did Sunday.  The Heat are really no match for them.  Now, if they come out lazy and complacent, that will really be no good.  And a win tonight would be real nice, especially since the Heat fans are planning to Black Out American Airlines Arena for Game 3.

Hawks Destory Heat 90-64

April 20th, 2009 by hicks

I was in attendance at last night’s demolishing of the Miami Heat.  J Smoove played the best game of his career and he led the Hawks to a 90-64 victory.  Smoove finished with a team high 23 points and 10 rebounds.  His rim shaking dunks brought the crowd of Philips Arena to their feet.  The first quarter of the game each team exchanged leads, but in the second quarter the Hawks outscored the heat 35-18.  The second half of the game it looked as if the Heat were not even trying.  Speedy Claxton even got to play the 3:20 of the game and recorded a 3:20 trillion.  Some how Speedy was unable to record a single stat not even a field goal attempt.  Othella Hunter was able to record a Super Mario.  Mario West dodged a trillion by pulling down a rebound.

The Hawks looked probably the best I have seen all year.  They seemed very fired up about the playoffs and I am excited with what is in store the rest of the series and playoffs.  If we continue to play athletic and fast like we did last night we are a tough team to beat.  We need to bring this same effort on the road for the rest of series and yes on the road.  The entire starting five looked great and in sink despite Marvin missing most of the end of the regular season.  Marvin came out firing and even had a monster dunk.  His back looked fine to me and it was good that we blew out the heat so Marvin could have limited minutes to rest his back.  Although, I think Woody is trying to limit Marvin’s minutes anyways.  I was very impressed with our team defense and we basically took Dwayne Wade out the game.  He was forced into very though shots.  Our roles players are so much better than the Heat’s and that is going to be the difference in the series.

Atlanta get excited and feel free to jump on the band-wagon.  Not everyone can be fans like myself and the great Chris Campana, who was also in attendance at last nights game.  A Black Cop told him that he needed to buy a new Jersey.  You see 99 percent of the time the great Chris Campana wears his #31 Jason Terry jersey.  I think if he absolutely had to replace the jersey he would go with an Acie Law IV jersey.  I on the other hand would go with a Flip Murray jersey, but if I get one I would have order off nba.com.  I may wait to see if the Hawks resign Flip Murray.  If that does not happen I may buy a retro Antoine Carr jersey.

The next game is coming up on Wednesday of this week.  Game will start at 8 o’clock and be televised on TNT.  I am not sure if T.I. will be helping out the intros, but I hope not.  He needs to be concentrating on his 16 month long sentence and his new TV show documenting his jail time.  I am sure MTV had the cameras out last night.  In case you were wondering Warrick Dunn, AKON, and Ted Turner were in attendance.  Ted Turner also was on Kiss Cam, which seemed planned in my opinion.  Chris Quinn from the Miami Heat was not to happy to be on Kiss Cam.  I do not blame him, I wouldn’t  be to happy if I looked like I was 10 year old troll and I was on a NBA team.  Also, the Sprite Jam cam winner was a Buckhead type private school kid.  He won the contest by dancing and screaming the lyrics to Hey Ya by Atlanta’s own Outkast.  Who will be at the next game?  Will Usher be in attendance or when they show celebrities on the cam will it actually just be an Usher.  All I know is I cannot wait to see Atlanta Fan’s rise up!! Rise up Atlanta!! NOW YOU KNOW!!!!

Series Preview: Hawks and Heat

April 17th, 2009 by peng

Who: Hawks (47-35, 31-10 home, 16-25 road) & Heat (43-39, 28-13 home, 15-26 road)
When/Where:
Game 1:
Sunday, April 19, 8:00 ET, Philips Arena
Game 2: Wednesday, April 22, 8:00 ET, Philips Arena
Game 3: Saturday, April 25, 6:30 ET, American Airlines Arena
Game 4: Monday, April 27, 8:00 ET, American Airlines Arena

Season Series: Hawks 87 Heat 73 on 12/12/08 in Miami,
Heat 95 Hawks 79 on 1/26/09 in Miami,
Hawks 91 Heat 83 on 2/27/09 in Miami,
Hawks 81 Heat 89 on 2/14/09 in Atlanta

Key Hawks:

Stat Player AVG
Scoring Joe Johnson 21.4
Rebounds Zaza Pachulia 5.7
Assists Joe Johnson 5.8
FG% Al Horford 52.5
FT% Joe Johnson 82.6
3PT% Maurice Evans 39.5
Blocks Josh Smith 1.6
Steals Mike Bibby 1.2

Key Heat:

Stat Player AVG
Scoring Dwyane Wade 30.2
Rebounds Udonis Haslem 8.2
Assists Dwyane Wade 7.5
FG% Udonis Haslem 51.8
FT% Michael Beasley 77.2
3PT% Daequan Cook 38.7
Blocks Dwyane Wade 1.3
Steals Dwyane Wade 2.2

Prediction: Hawks in 7

11th Man of the Year!

April 15th, 2009 by peng

ELEVENTH MAN AWARD: Mario West, Atlanta Hawks

There is a certain status that goes along with being a team’s 12th man. After all, M.L. Carr won rings and got famous doing that in Boston, and Jack Haley dominated the balloting for years during his run as Dennis Rodman’s chaperone. Besides, those guys rarely break a sweat. The 11th man, however, actually plays — just not very much. No one in the league this season has appeared in as many games (51) for as few minutes (199) as West, an undrafted free agent from George Tech in 2007 who saw more action last season.

From: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/steve_aschburner/04/14/awards/1.html

Speedy will be in uniform tomorrow

April 13th, 2009 by peng

so say his twitter…http://twitter.com/speeddeamon

Game 81: Heat at Hawks

April 13th, 2009 by peng

Before we start the first game preview in about a month, check out Terry Stotts page over on Basketball Reference.  Yeah c’mon!

Game: Hawks (46-34 – Won 3 (Home: 30-10)) vs Kings(42-38 – Won 1 (Road: 15-25))
Date: April 14, 2009
Where: Phillips Arena, Atlanta, GA
TV: Fox SportsSouth Channel 48 on Atlanta Comcast
Odds: Updated Tuesday
Last Games: Hawks 122 Pacers 118 on 4/10 in Atlanta
Heat 122 Knicks 105 on 4/12 in Miami

Last Match up: Hawks 91 Heat 83 on 2/27/09 in Atlanta.  This is the 4th meeting between the teams this season, with the Hawks holding the edge, 2-1.

Key Heat:

Stat Player AVG
Scoring Dwyane Wade (Marquette)
30.2
Rebounds Udonis Haslem (Florida)
8.2
Assists Dwyane Wade 7.5
FG% Udonis Haslem 51.8
FT% Michael Beasley (Kansas State)
76.8
3PT% Daequan Cook (Ohio State)
39.1
Blocks Dwyane Wade 1.3
Steals Dwyane Wade 2.2

Heat Update: We know the Heat will be our first round opponent in the playoffs, which will start this Saturday or Sunday at Philips Arena.   D-Wade, probably the third best player in the Association, went off for a career best 55 Sunday against New York.   You can check out the recap from the game, or what I’d like to call it, the AP Dwayne Wade Love Fest, here.   So he scored 55 against the New York Knicks, who at this point are playing for ping pong balls.  I guess he’s ready for the playoffs.  In terms of other Heat, we know Haslem is out for the rest of the regular season with a thumb problem.   Also, Jermaine O’Neal left Sunday’s game early and Jamrio Moon did not play.  We gotta remember that the playoff spots are locked up for both the Heat and the Hawks so who knows if those players actually could not play.

Not sure what to think of this game.  We need to keep some guys on the bench and get them some rest.  As nice as it would be to get a W going into the series against the Heat, I think rest is a little more important.  I think both teams will be thinking that, giving the advantage to whoever has the better, deeper bench, which is never the Hawks.

Miami or Philly?

April 10th, 2009 by peng

Check out Stotts Era’s thought on who the Hawks would rather play, over on the official Hawks BasketBlog.

Your Atlanta Hawks Clinch 4th Seed in East

April 10th, 2009 by peng

I gotta say I am pleasantly surprised.  There is no way I thought we would have this many wins this season and finish this high in the east.

Then again, I feel like we are over achieving and under achieving at the same time

i mean, if we had a decent coach and with the talent we have we could have 5 or so more wins

but i’m shocked we have won this much with woodson

the thing is we’ll probably get to the 2nd round of the playoffs, win our home games, and everything will seem fantastic but we are just gonna be stuck in this rut of not being in the big 3 of eastern conference teams. we need woodson gone. and an owner would help.

Oh well, I’m gonna enhoy it while we have it.  Maybe we can sneak a road win or 2 in the playoffs.

Find the Former Hawk

April 9th, 2009 by peng

Picture of the Day

April 8th, 2009 by peng