Category: Atlanta Hawks Blog

Atlanta Hawks blog

Hawks use 3rd-quarter rally to beat Grizzlies

Josh Smith

At halftime, the Atlanta Hawks figured they had played cautiously long enough.

With a burst of energy, tough defense and 3-point shooting from Lou Williams in the third quarter, the Hawks were able to pull away for a 93-83 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night…

Josh Smith had 24 points, while Williams scored 18 of his 21 in the second half. Al Horford had 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Atlanta, which won for the ninth time in its last 10 games. Teague finished with 13 points and six assists.

Horford said Teague’s leadership was a key to the third quarter, when Atlanta outscored Memphis 32-13. The game was close until the middle of the period, when Atlanta erased a five-point deficit with 20 straight points to build a lead that Memphis could not overcome…

Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol scored 18 points apiece, Randolph grabbing 13 rebounds as Memphis lost at home for only the second time this season. Rudy Gay scored 17 points, but was 7 of 25 from the field. Mike Conley finished with 12 points.

Atlanta shot 44 percent for the game, and held Memphis to 43 percent. Atlanta has not allowed an opponent to shoot 50 percent this season…

Hawks G DeShawn Stevenson was available, but did not play for Atlanta because it was the second night of a back-to-back. Meanwhile, G Kyle Korver missed fourth straight game with back spasms.

— Reported by Clay Bailey of the Associated Press

Hawks recall John Jenkins from D-League

The Atlanta Hawks have recalled guard John Jenkins from the Bakersfield Jam, their NBA Development League affiliate, Hawks President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry announced today.

Jenkins was assigned on Dec. 1st and played in two games with the Jam, averaging 25.5 points on .529 shooting, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals in 33.0 minutes per game. In last night’s 109-95 victory over the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the 6-foot-4 guard from Vanderbilt scored a game-high 29 points on 10-21 shooting (.476) and added four rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes.

He will be available for tonight’s nationally-televised game on ESPN against the Denver Nuggets at 8 p.m.

Atlanta Hawks assign John Jenkins and Mike Scott to D-League

The Atlanta Hawks have assigned guard John Jenkins and forward Mike Scott to the Bakersfield Jam, their NBA Development League affiliate, Hawks President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry announced today.

Jenkins, the 6-foot-4 guard from Vanderbilt, has appeared in four games this season, scoring six points in 13 minutes. Scott, a 6-foot-8 forward from Virginia, has played 16 minutes in five games and totaled two points and four rebounds. Jenkins was selected with the 23rd overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft while Scott was selected with the 43rd overall pick by the Hawks.

Both players will be available for the Jam’s next game on Monday night against Santa Cruz.

Streaking Hawks beat Bobcats 94-91

al horford

After an atrocious 1-for-10 night at the free throw line last week, Al Horford decided to spend extra time working on his foul shots.

”That’s one of the things I always work on, and I got away from it a little bit,” he said. ”I think it showed when I went in that little slump.”

His recent effort seems to have paid off.

Horford scored 17 points and hit two clinching free throws to help the Atlanta Hawks win their sixth straight game with a 94-91 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night.

Josh Smith and Lou Williams also had 17 points apiece for the Hawks.

Ben Gordon scored 20 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and Ramon Sessions had 18 to lead Charlotte, which has lost two straight and three of four…

In the fourth quarter, Gordon was 5 for 7 on 3s and hit all five free throws he attempted, but he wasn’t able to give Charlotte the lead.

— Reported by George Henry of the Associated Press

Al Horford and Tim Duncan named Players of Week

The Atlanta Hawks’ Al Horford and the San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan today were named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Nov. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 25.

Horford led the Hawks to a 4-0 week, averaging 16.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists. He recorded a career-high 10 assists on Nov. 21 as Atlanta topped the Washington Wizards 101-100. Horford’s 26-point, 13-rebound double-double in a 101-91 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Nov. 23 helped the Hawks to improve their road record to 4-2, tops in the conference.

Duncan helped the Spurs to a 3-1 week with averages of 22.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 blocks. He posted three consecutive point-rebound double-doubles in games against the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers. Duncan’s lone game last week without a double-double still showed a balanced stat line of 26 points, six assists, five rebounds and three blocks as the Spurs bested the Raptors 111-106 on Nov. 25 – a game in which Duncan recorded his 2,500th career block.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Atlanta’s Jeff Teague, Boston’s Rajon Rondo, Charlotte’s Ramon Sessions, Denver’s Andre Iguodala, Houston’s Chandler Parsons, Memphis’ Rudy Gay, Miami’s Chris Bosh and LeBron James, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and Sacramento’s Tyreke Evans.

Hawks beat Clippers for 5th straight win

jeff teague

Jeff Teague only gets two chances to face Chris Paul each season, so he wants to make the most of his opportunities.

It took Teague much of the first quarter to find his momentum against Paul, a fellow Wake Forest point guard. Once he did, the Atlanta Hawks were making stops on defense and scoring in transition.

Teague had 19 points and 11 assists, Zaza Pachulia added 19 points and 12 rebounds, and the Hawks won their fifth straight game with a 104-93 victory over Los Angeles on Saturday night…

Blake Griffin scored 22 points and Paul had 19 for the Clippers.

Los Angeles has lost a season-high three consecutive games after winning six in a row.

Lou Williams finished with 18 points and Josh Smith added 17 for Atlanta…

Hawks G Devin Harris missed the game with a sore big left toe.

— Reported by George Henry of the Associated Press

Atlanta Hawks waive James Anderson and Damion James

The Atlanta Hawks have waived guard James Anderson and forward Damion James, President of Basketball Operations/GM Danny Ferry announced today.

Anderson appeared in six preseason contests (one start), averaging 2.0 points (.238 FG%) in 10.7 minutes. James put up 6.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 19.2 minutes (.400 FG%, .846 FT%), starting in two of his six appearances.

Atlanta’s roster now stands at 14.

Hall of Fame guard Slater Martin dies

Slater Martin, the Hall of Fame guard who won four NBA titles with the Minneapolis Lakers and one with the St. Louis Hawks, died Thursday. He was 86.

Martin died Thursday at a skilled nursing facility in Houston after a sudden illness, daughter-in-law Becky Martin said. She said he was admitted to the nursing home Monday.

Martin was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982. He went into the University of Texas’ Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1962, entered the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1964, and the school retired his No. 15 in 2009.

— Reported by the Associated Press