The AP reports: The Atlanta Hawks’ recent string of losses to playoff contenders was understandable, if not particularly convenient. But with the Hawks scrambling to secure the No. 4 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference, a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks would have been much harder to explain. Joe Johnson stepped in took care of the potential problem. Johnson scored 30 points and hit a pair of big shots in the final minute of the game, stopping a late Milwaukee rally and nailing down a 113-105 victory Wednesday night… Bibby finished with 22 points and Josh Smith added 21 points and 7 rebounds for Atlanta. Bogans had 22 points and Jefferson added 19 for Milwaukee.
Category: Atlanta Hawks Blog
Atlanta Hawks blog
Hawks use 3-pointers to beat Raptors 118-110
The AP reports: Josh Smith had 25 points and seven rebounds, and the Hawks used 11-for-22 shooting from 3-point range to beat the Toronto Raptors 118-110 on Tuesday night. The Hawks (44-34), trying to secure the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, also got 25 points from Joe Johnson and 17 from Maurice Evans. Mike Bibby added 13 points and 10 assists, while Al Horford chipped in 15 points and 12 rebounds… Chris Bosh had 21 points and 10 rebounds for his eighth consecutive double-double and 40th this season, but the Raptors lost their second in a row after winning six straight. Shawn Marion had 18 points and six rebounds, Jose Calderon added 16 points and 13 assists, and Andrea Bargnani scored 15 points for the Raptors.
Howard 20/20 game, Magic beat Hawks 88-82
The AP reports: Dwight Howard scored 21 points and tied a season high with 23 rebounds, helping the Magic beat the Atlanta Hawks 88-82 on Saturday night to pull within a half-game of tying for second place in the Eastern Conference. The 6-foot-11 center’s performance marked the ninth time this season, and 23rd of his five-year career, that he’s had at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game… Joe Johnson scored 21 points for the Hawks, who have dropped three straight and six of eight. Atlanta dropped to 29-10 at home, where it has lost three of four… Rashard Lewis finished with 16 points, and Rafer Alston had 14 for the Magic, who improved to 13-2 overall and 7-1 on the road against the Southeast Division.
Celtics add to Hawks’ road woes, win 104-92
The AP reports: Pierce scored 21 points and Rondo had 20 for Boston, which has four days off before its next game and has just one, two-game road trip before the end of the season. The Celtics also have just one set of back-to-back games, on the last two days of the regular season. Kendrick Perkins had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Glen “Big Baby” Davis had 19 points in place of Garnett, who missed his fourth straight game and his 17th of 21. Tony Allen played his first game since Feb. 8, but Brian Scalabrine and Leon Powe also remained on the bench with injuries… Flip Murray scored 21 points, Mike Bibby had 20 and Josh Smith had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Atlanta, which has lost seven straight regular-season games to the Celtics and nine in a row overall in Boston, including last year’s seven-game, first-round playoff series.
Respect Joe Johnson
Atlanta Hawks star Joe Johnson doesn’t get the attention he deserves NBA.com (John Schuhmann) reports: Teammate Mike Bibby is the conspiracy theorist. “It’s political,” he says about Johnson’s lack of exposure. “You know how it goes. That’s the way it’s been. That’s the way it’s always going to be. It’s political.” “[Johnson] is a quiet guy,” offers Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, the Hawks’ vice president of basketball and color commentator. “He’s got a quiet demeanor. He never complains. He just plays the game like it’s supposed to be played. I’ve got a lot of respect for him, the way he handles himself on the floor.” Wilkins compares the lack of attention Johnson gets to the way he was treated when he was played in Atlanta. But that’s probably where the comparison ends. ‘Nique was a freak athletically, one of the two or three best dunkers in NBA history.
76ers overcome Smith, Hawks 98-85
The AP reports: The Philadelphia 76ers proved they could win without Thaddeus Young. They might have to keep proving it over their final nine regular-season games. Andre Iguodala scored 19 points, Andre Miller added 18 points and 10 assists, and the 76ers overcame a season-high 33 points from Josh Smith and the loss of Young in their 98-85 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night. Marreese Speights contributed 16 and Willie Green had 15 for the Sixers (38-35), who climbed within a half-game of the Miami Heat for fifth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race… Flip Murray added 19 and Joe Johnson had 11 for the Hawks (43-32), who haven’t won a road game over a team currently in playoff position since a victory on Feb. 11 at Detroit. Still, Atlanta holds the No. 4 spot in the postseason.
Hawks hold off Kobe and the Lakers, 86-76
The AP reports: Mike Bibby scored 21 points and buried Los Angeles with his improbable 3, leading the Atlanta Hawks to an 86-76 victory in which they took advantage of an ailing Bryant and dropped the Lakers farther behind Cleveland in the race for the NBA’s best overall record… The Lakers secured the top seed in the Western Conference with a five-game winning streak, but Bryant had just 17 points on 7-of-19 shooting. He missed the morning meal and film session because of an upset stomach, then had his second straight subpar game… Pau Gasol was the only other Los Angeles player in double figures, leading with 21 points, as the Lakers made just 35 percent (28 of 80) from the field… Zaza Pachulia had 11 points and 13 rebounds, leading a strong effort by the thin Hawks bench.
Davis has 19 points as Celtics beat Hawks 99-93
The AP reports: With Kevin Garnett watching, Glen Davis helped keep the Boston Celtics hustling and winning. Davis, who moved into the starting lineup as Garnett was held out with a sore knee, had 19 points and matched his career high with 12 rebounds to lead the Celtics past the Atlanta Hawks 99-93 on Friday night. Ray Allen led Boston with 22 points and Paul Pierce had 21, but Davis was the key while filling in for Garnett. Boston coach Doc Rivers said his team won with “mental toughness.”
NBA rule change on too many players on court
The NBA Board of Governors voted to approve a playing rules change in regards to “too many players on the court”, which will take effect beginning Friday, March 27.
Under the playing rules change, when a “too many players on the court” violation is called, a technical foul will be assessed against the offending team and the non-offending team will have the option of either accepting or nullifying the game action that occurred during the violation.
Option 1 — Accept Game Action
The non-offending team can opt to ACCEPT all play that occurred during the violation, including any points scored, with no adjustment of the game clock.
Option 2 — Nullify Game Action
The non-offending team can opt to NULLIFY all play that occurred during the violation, other than any acts of unsportsmanlike conduct or flagrant fouls or any points scored from free throws as a result of such actions.
Under this option, following the technical foul, the game clock would be reset to the time when the ball was put into play with too many players on the court and, depending on how the ball was originally put into play, play would resume in accordance with the following:
1) If the original play commenced with a throw-in, then the ball would be returned to the original throw-in spot and play commenced with a throw-in.
2) If the original play commenced with a missed free-throw attempt where the ball remained in play, then play would be commenced with a jump ball held at center court between any two players who were on the floor at the time play was suspended due to the violation.
3) If the original play commenced with a jump ball, then play would be commenced with a jump ball held at the original jump-ball spot between the same two players who participated in the original jump ball.
Parker has 42, Spurs beat Hawks 102-92
The AP reports: Tony Parker spent the past month scoring big to compensate for the absence of Manu Ginobili. With Ginobili back, Parker picked up his scoring even more to help the San Antonio Spurs win without Tim Duncan. Parker scored 42 points and the Spurs ended Atlanta’s eight-game home winning streak with a 102-92 victory on Wednesday night… Joe Johnson had 30 points, including Atlanta’s first 11 points of the fourth quarter, but he had too little help as the Hawks suffered their first loss at Philips Arena since March 1… Ginobili had two points in 13 minutes as he returned in a limited role after missing 19 games with a right ankle injury. Roger Mason had 18 points and Michael Finley added 13 for the Spurs.