Atlanta Hawks Blog – Page 68 – NBA Blog

Dwight Howard scores 46 but Hawks beat Magic in Game 1, 103-93

The AP reports:

Joe Johnson scored 25 points, Jamal Crawford finished with 23 and Atlanta beat Orlando 103-93 in Game 1 of their playoff series on Saturday, overcoming a monster night by Dwight Howard.

Atlanta was eliminated by Orlando in last year’s playoffs in the most lopsided four-game sweep in NBA history, but this one was much different. The Hawks led by as many as 18 points while running multiple bodies at Howard all night, and the rest of the Magic failed to step up…

Howard tied a career high with 46 points, to go along with 19 rebounds. Jameer Nelson had 27 points but no other Orlando player reached double figures.

The Hawks had five players with at least 13 points, earning their fourth straight victory against the Magic and erasing the sting of a six-game losing streak to close the regular season. Al Horford scored 16, Josh Smith had 15 points and eight rebounds and Kirk Hinrich added 13 points.

2011 NBA Playoffs first round schedule

The 2010-11 NBA regular season is in the books, with all 30 teams in action Wednesday night. The NBA playoffs begin Saturday.

The first round matchups in the East are: Bulls vs Pacers, Heat vs 76ers, Celtics vs Knicks, and Magic vs Hawks.

The West’s first round matchups are: Spurs vs Grizzlies, Lakers vs Hornets, Mavericks vs Blazers, and Thunder vs Nuggets.

The complete first round series-by-series NBA playoffs schedule is here.

Atlanta Hawks sign Magnum Rolle

The Atlanta Hawks today signed forward Magnum Rolle to a contract, according to Executive Vice President/General Manager Rick Sund. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Rolle spent training camp with the Indiana Pacers, and appeared in five preseason games before being waived on October 25, 2010. Rolle was the 51st overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was then acquired by the Pacers in exchange for the draft rights to Ryan Reid.

The Gatorade callup played in 15 games (seven starts) with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League this season, averaging 14.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.3 apg and 1.2 bpg (.508 FG%, .585 FT%) in 25.9 mpg. He was the third overall pick of the D-League Draft by the Claws.

Rolle played his sophomore season at LSU, before transferring to Louisiana Tech. As a senior with the Bulldogs in 2009-10, he led the WAC in blocked shots (2.1 bpg), adding 13.9 ppg and 8.4 rpg in 34 games (33 starts). He finished his career with Louisiana Tech fourth all-time in blocks in just two seasons of action.

Magnum Rolle was born on February 23, 1986 in Freeport, Bahamas, and attended St. George’s High School in Freeport before spending a year at Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina. He will wear uniform number 25.

Dominique Wilkins attacked after Hawks game

Alexis Stevens of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports:

The man who allegedly attacked NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins after Wednesday night’s game said Wilkins owed him money, Atlanta police said.

Rashan S. Michel, 36, was arrested and charged with one count of simple battery following the incident, Officer K.Y. Jones with Atlanta police told the AJC.

Michel, who told police he was owed money for suits purchased several years ago, hit Wilkins in the chest and also hit a security guard, Jones said. Michel, of Atlanta, has worked as an NBA and college basketball referee and previously owned his own clothing store.

ESPN.com and the AP report: Wilkins is a vice president with the team and serves as a television analyst. He had just finished working Atlanta’s 85-82 victory Wednesday night from his customary spot on press row when the alleged incident occurred at Philips Arena. Team spokesman Arthur Triche says the attacker was “promptly arrested and taken into custody by the Atlanta police department.” Wilkins was not injured.

Hawks forward Josh Powell arrested before game on traffic charges

The AP reports:

Atlanta Hawks reserve forward Josh Powell was arrested before Saturday’s game for refusing to move his car for an oncoming ambulance, according to a team official.

The 28-year-old Powell was not at Philips Arena while the Hawks played the Portland Trail Blazers.

“We are aware of the traffic incident concerning Josh and that he is not at the game tonight,” Hawks spokesman Arthur Triche said. “Until we gather more information, we will have no additional comment.

Atlanta club drops lawsuit against LeBron James over planned appearance

The AP reports:

An Atlanta nightclub has dismissed a lawsuit against Miami Heat star LeBron James.

The Opera nightclub had filed a complaint Monday in Fulton County Superior Court accusing James of canceling a March 17 appearance for which he was supposed to be paid $25,000. It also accused the owners of the rival Gold Room nightclub in Atlanta of instead arranging a visit there.

Atlanta club sues LeBron James

Rhonda Cook of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports:

Basketball star LeBron James is taking his talents to one local club, which has left a competing bar feeling stiffed. As a result, the offended club has called out the lawyers.

Atlanta’s Opera nightclub is suing the Miami Heat player and the Gold Room over an appearance James is scheduled to make later this month. A hearing on the request for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction is set for Thursday in Fulton Superior Court.

In a complaint filed Monday, Opera accuses James of reneging on a promise to appear for one hour on March 17, for which he was to be paid $25,000, or $417 a minute.

James, who last summer infamously jilted his longtime team the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Heat, will be in town the night before Miami is scheduled to play the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena.

The Opera Nightclub said in its suit if the Midtown Atlanta bar can’t have him — at least on that night — no one should, especially the Gold Room on Piedmont Avenue.

“We want to make sure LeBron doesn’t show up any place else,” Yasha Heidari, the attorney for the Opera, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Tuesday.

Joining Heat was easy decision for Mike Bibby

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports:

As Mike Bibby mulled where he wanted to play, the decision quickly became obvious.

“It was a clean choice,” the Heat’s new point guard said Thursday morning after participating in his first shootaround with Miami. “They’re on TV a lot and you’re just in awe of the way they play. It looks like everybody has the right attitude. You can tell the guys here have a winning mentality. Great chance to win a championship. I feel I could help this team.”

Bibby, who was traded from Atlanta to Washington last week, was asked if friends or family questioned his decision to give up all of his $6.2 million salary for next season as part of buyout terms with the Wizards.

“It’s not their decision to make,” said Bibby, who signed for the rest of the season at a prorated share of the $1.2 million veteran’s minimum. “I make the money. I decide what to do with it. It’s always tough to give up money. [But] this part of my career I want to be happy. This was the best place as far as winning.”

Heat sign Mike Bibby

The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed free agent guard Mike Bibby. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We want to welcome Mike Bibby as we continue to move into the direction of our championship dreams,” said Heat President Pat Riley. “We feel Mike, with his vast postseason experience, long range game and point guard abilities, will give us a boost in the backcourt.”

Bibby, a 13-year NBA veteran, has appeared in 940 regular season games (934 starts) and averaged 15.4 points, 5.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.21 steals and 34.9 minutes while shooting 43.7 percent from the field, 37.9 percent from three-point range and 80.3 percent from the foul line. He has appeared in 58 games this season, 56 games (all starts) for the Atlanta Hawks and two games for the Washington Wizards, averaging 9.1 points, 3.6 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 29.3 minutes while shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from three-point range.

Among active NBA players, Bibby ranks fifth in assists (5,382) and ninth in three-point field goals made (1,450). Additionally, among league leaders this season, he ranks tied for eighth in three-point field goal percentage, eighth in three-point field goals made (113), 11th in assists-to-turnover ratio (3.04) and tied for 37th in assists per game.

He has appeared in 80 postseason games (all starts) and averaged 15.3 points, 4.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.23 steals and 36.9 minutes while shooting 42.0 percent from the field, 39.3 percent from three-point range and 82.1 percent from the foul line.

Bibby will wear number 0.

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Hawks recall Pape Sy from D-League

The Atlanta Hawks today recalled Pape Sy from the team’s NBA Development League affiliate Utah Flash according to Hawks Executive Vice President/General Manager Rick Sund.

Originally drafted by Atlanta in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft, Sy was assigned to the Flash on December 27. He saw action in 23 games (11 starting assignments) with Utah averaging 8.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 1.3 apg in 22.1 mpg (.424 FG%, .737 FT%).