Atlanta Hawks Blog – Page 52 – NBA Blog

Josh Smith, Al Horford lead Hawks past Magic 108-76

Josh Smith had 30 points and 10 rebounds and Al Horford added 26 points and 12 rebounds as the Atlanta Hawks blew past the Orlando Magic 108-76 on Wednesday night.

The Hawks led by as many as 38 points and decimated the Magic defense on the way to earning their ninth consecutive regular-season win over their division rivals.

Jameer Nelson and Andrew Nicholson led the Magic with 10 points apiece. No other Orlando players reached double-figures.

The Magic have now lost 24 of their last 27 games.

It was the last game for both teams before the All-Star break. Orlando heads to Charlotte on Feb. 19 and Atlanta next plays at Miami on Feb. 20.

Horford and Smith scored at will both inside and from the outside, and had a combined point total that equaled the Magic’s team total after three quarters…

The Hawks’ started the game just 1 for 10 from the field and had just a six-point cushion after one. They erupted in the second, though, outscoring the Magic 32-17 as they built a 21-point halftime lead…

Horford and Smith combined for 30 points and 17 rebounds in the half, just a shade under the 36 points and 18 rebounds the Magic had as a team.

— Reported by Kyle Hightower of the Associated Press

After injury, Anthony Morrow not part of Hawks rotation

I asked coach Larry Drew about the status of Anthony Morrow. The guard, who missed 17 straight games with a right hip strain followed by a sore lower back, has been available for the past five games. However, he has seen action in just one – for a total of four minutes.

“Right now, I just can’t play everybody,” Drew said following Sunday’s practice. “I would like to get him in there but I just can’t play 11, 12, 13 people. You just can’t do it. He was out awhile and we got a rotation while he was out and right now I’m teetering on whether to disrupt that. Right now I have some guys that I definitely want to play and those guys aren’t getting the type of minutes I was hoping they would get. It’s just a situation that he has to stay ready.”

— Reported by Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution (Blog)

Nets reportedly want to trade for Hawks forward Josh Smith

The Brooklyn Nets are aggressively pursuing a trade for Atlanta Hawks star forward Josh Smith, league sources told ESPN.

The two teams are engaged in discussions, but one source said while “there has been lots of talk, nothing is close yet.”

As the NBA’s Feb. 21 trade deadline nears, Brooklyn is proving to be one of the most active teams in the league. As reported by ESPN.com on Friday, sources said the Nets also are talking with the Charlotte Bobcats about a Kris Humphries-for-Ben Gordon trade.

While the Nets certainly want Gordon, sources said acquiring Smith is their higher priority. A trade for Smith would seemingly kill a deal for Gordon, because Humphries is one of the players being discussed with Atlanta.

The Nets are willing to give up Humphries and second-year shooting guard MarShon Brooks for Smith.

— Reported by Chris Broussard of ESPN the Magazine

Hawks optimistic Lou Williams will be ready for camp

The Atlanta Hawks say they are optimistic guard Lou Williams will be ready for training camp following reconstructive surgery on his right knee.

Williams’ surgery was performed on Thursday in Gulf Breeze, Fla., by Dr. James Andrews, leaving about eight months before the start of next season’s training camp. The Hawks say they are basing their optimism on the success of other athletes who have had surgery to repair torn anterior cruciate ligaments, including Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Hawks listening to trade offers for Josh Smith

The Atlanta Hawks are entertaining trade offers around the league for forward Josh Smith, but have yet to decide whether they will deal the ninth-year forward, according to league sources.

The Hawks met with Smith’s representatives this week, at which point the team indicated it was not willing to give Smith a max contract after this season, according to a source.

Smith, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution late last month that he believes he’s a max player, which would mean he’d be in line for a five-year deal worth around $94 million from Atlanta.

But the Hawks, which expect to be major players next summer in free agency or through trades, do not want to tie up that kind of money going forward.

Smith, according to a source, is prepared to move on.

— Reported by David Aldridge of NBA.com/TNT

Bulls beat Hawks 93-76 with 3 starters held out

Luol Deng and Taj Gibson were exhausted and determined to stay on the floor. They kept playing in the final minutes, long after the Chicago Bulls had secured another win.

Deng said the starters in a patchwork lineup were determined to finish what they started.

Deng had 25 points and 14 rebounds, and the short-handed Bulls used their stifling defense to shut down the Atlanta Hawks in a 93-76 victory on Saturday night.

Playing without injured starters Kirk Hinrich, Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer, Chicago dominated near the basket and got a lift from the frenetic play of Nate Robinson. The Bulls used only eight players for the second straight night, but it was more than enough for an impressive road win.

Deng, Gibson and Jimmy Butler each logged more than 45 minutes. Robinson topped 40 minutes as the Bulls had a strong answer for their 89-83 loss at the Nets on Friday night…

Gibson had 19 points and a career-high 19 rebounds…

Butler added another double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Robinson went 4 for 6 from 3-point range and finished with 20 points.

The Hawks had no answer for Deng, who had five assists, four steals and two blocks. He had seven offensive rebounds…

Josh Smith led Atlanta with 19 points and 13 rebounds but his only basket in the second half was a 3-pointer. Jeff Teague scored 16, and Al Horford had 14 points and 12 rebounds.

— Reported by Charles Odum of the Associated Press

Atlanta Hawks sign Jannero Pargo to second 10-day contract

The Atlanta Hawks have signed veteran guard Jannero Pargo to a second 10-day contract, Hawks President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry announced today.

Since signing his first 10-day deal on January 21, 2013, Pargo has averaged 5.2 points, 2.6 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 16.0 minutes (.400 FG%, .462 3FG%), appearing in five contests.

In his ninth NBA season, Pargo played in seven games earlier this year with the Washington Wizards, putting in 3.0 points and 2.0 assists in 14.6 minutes per contest (.250 FG%, 1.000 FT%). In 50 games last season with the Hawks, he averaged 5.6 points, 1.9 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 13.4 minutes (.415 FG%, .384 3FG%, .950 FT%).

In 441 career games (18 starts) with the LA Lakers, Chicago, Toronto, New Orleans, Atlanta and Washington, the 6-foot-1 University of Arkansas product is averaging 6.4 points, 2.0 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 15.4 minutes (.389 FG%, .351 3FG%, .867 FT%). He has also seen action in Russia (Dynamo Moscow) and Greece (Olympiacos Piraeus).

Korver scores 27, Hawks beat Celtics in 2OT

Kyle Korver scored 27 points and the Atlanta Hawks overcame a 27-point deficit in the first half to beat Boston 123-111 in double-overtime on Friday night, handing the Celtics their sixth straight loss.

Jeff Teague had 23 points for Atlanta before fouling out in the first overtime. Al Horford had 24 points and 13 rebounds. Josh Smith, who opened the second overtime with a three-point play, had 17 points and 14 rebounds.

Kevin Garnett had 24 points and 10 rebounds but fouled out in the second overtime as the Celtics were left with their longest losing streak in six years. Rajon Rondo had 16 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his fifth triple-double of the season.

Korver had all of his career-high eight 3-pointers in the second half, setting a franchise record, and five in the fourth quarter…

Paul Pierce, who had 12 points, missed a jumper at the end of the first overtime.

The Hawks outscored the Celtics 16-4 in the second overtime.

Jeff Green had 17 points for Boston. Courtney Lee had 16 points and Avery Bradley had 14.

Boston appeared headed for a rout when it led 48-21 in the second quarter. Atlanta trailed 57-38 at halftime following a modest recovery.

Hawks C Zaza Pachulia returned after missing one game with a sore right Achilles.

— Reported by Charles Odum of the Associated Press

Hawks sign Jannero Pargo to 10-day contract

The Atlanta Hawks have signed veteran guard Jannero Pargo to a 10-day contract, Hawks President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry announced today.

In 436 career games (18 starts) with the LA Lakers, Chicago, Toronto, New Orleans, Atlanta and Washington, the 6-foot-1 University of Arkansas product is averaging 6.4 points, 2.0 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 15.4 minutes (.389 FG%, .350 3FG%, .867 FT%). He has also seen action in Russia (Dynamo Moscow) and Greece (Olympiacos Piraeus).

Pargo will wear uniform number 7, and will be available for today’s 2 p.m. contest at Philips Arena vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Tony Parker, Spurs hold off Hawks, 98-93

With Tim Duncan given a night off and Manu Ginobili still out with a hamstring injury, Tony Parker took the lead for the San Antonio Spurs.

Parker had 23 points and 12 assists, and the Spurs held off the short-handed Atlanta Hawks 98-93 on Saturday night for their fourth straight victory.

”Tony is just incredible,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. ”What competitiveness. What a will to win. What a will to carry the team. He’s really fun to watch at both ends of the court. And he’s been doing that all year.”

The Spurs snapped a streak of three straight road losses with their first win away from San Antonio since Jan. 2.

Matt Bonner added 17 points, and Kawhi Leonard and Tiago Splitter each had 14 for the Spurs.

Parker had 10 points in the final period as the Spurs held off the Hawks’ comeback. He was effective with his drives and when setting up Splitter on pick-and-roll plays…

The Hawks announced about 90 minutes before the game that guard Lou Williams faces season-ending surgery for a torn ACL in his right knee. Williams was hurt Friday at Brooklyn and the tear was found when Williams was examined on Saturday by Dr. Michael Bernot in Atlanta…

Josh Smith led the Hawks with 21 points. Kyle Korver, who started at shooting guard, had 19 points and a season-high eight rebounds.

— Reported by Charles Odum of the Associated Press