The AP reports: Marvin Williams scored 28 points, Horford added 16, and Joe Johnson had 16 points and 13 rebounds as the Hawks completed a 4-0 season sweep of the Wizards. Atlanta was in need of a slump-busting win, having lost five of seven after Sunday night’s 88-87 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, a game decided on a free throw by LeBron James with 1.6 seconds left… Antawn Jamison scored 23 points for the Wizards, whose talent level took another plunge when Caron Butler was scratched with tightness in his left hamstring. Washington fell to 0-13 against the Southeast Division, just three games away from becoming the first NBA team to go winless within its division.
Category: Atlanta Hawks Blog
Atlanta Hawks blog
Key LeBron free throws, Cavs beat Hawks 88-87
The AP reports: LeBron James scored 26 points, including the winning free throw with 1.6 seconds left, and the Cleveland Cavaliers won for the seventh time in eight games, 88-87 over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night… Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 21 points… Mo Williams had 20 points for the Cleveland, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The Hawks had five players in double figures, including Murray and Marvin Williams with 14 apiece.
Horford double-double, Hawks beat Heat 91-83
The AP reports: Al Horford had 21 points and a career-high 22 rebounds and Joe Johnson scored 24 points Friday night in helping the Atlanta Hawks to a 91-83 win over the Miami Heat… The Hawks, who had lost three straight and four of five on a recent West Coast trip, also got 14 points from Josh Smith, 13 from Marvin Williams and 12 from Flip Murray. Michael Beasley led Miami with 23 points, 16 in the fourth period, and 21 from Dwyane Wade, who also had 10 assists.
Nuggets end skid, beat Hawks 110-109
The AP reports: For the fourth straight game, the Denver Nuggets trudged off the court, scowls on their faces, dejection in their gait—only this time they won. “I was angry,” explained Chauncey Billups, who scored a season-best 33 points for Denver, which escaped with a 110-109 win over the depleted Atlanta Hawks when Flip Murray’s 14-footer bounced off the rim at the buzzer Wednesday night… The Hawks were without starters Mike Bibby (flu) and Josh Smith (family matter). Bibby was replaced by Murray, who scored 15 points, at point guard, and forward Zaza Pachulia (nine points) took Smith’s place in the lineup. Marvin Williams led Atlanta with a season-best 31 points, Johnson had 26 and Horford 21 points and 11 boards.
Boozer back as Jazz rout Hawks
The AP reports: The Utah Jazz got back two-time All-Star Carlos Boozer and hardly needed him. Boozer was in the lineup for the first time since injuring his left knee in November and had a quiet night with two points and five rebounds in Utah’s 108-89 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. Boozer, who missed 44 straight games because of a strained tendon and knee surgery, had plenty of help on Monday… Joe Johnson had 15 points to lead the Hawks, who lost their 15th straight game at Utah. Al Horford had 14 points and six rebounds for the Hawks, and Josh Smith scored 11 before he was ejected for the hard foul on Harpring with 8:40 left to play. Harpring was still upset from taking an elbow to the face earlier in the period from Johnson and charged Smith as soon as he got back on his feet.
Bibby and Horford shine, Hawks beat Kings 105-100
The AP reports: Former Sacramento guard Mike Bibby scored 29 points to help the Atlanta Hawks beat the short-handed Kings 105-100 on Wednesday night. Kevin Martin had 32 points and 11 rebounds for Sacramento. Earlier in the day, the Kings acquired four players in a deal that sent starters Brad Miller and John Salmons to Chicago. The Kings received Andres Nocioni, Drew Gooden, Cedric Simmons and Michael Ruffin from Chicago. The Kings then sent Ruffin to Portland for Ike Diogu. To make room for the incoming players, the Kings waived Quincy Douby and Sam Cassell, the guard acquired from Boston on Tuesday… Kevin Martin had 32 points and 11 rebounds for the Kings, who have lost six straight, 14 of 15 and have the worst record in the NBA. Beno Udrih scored 18 points, Francisco Garcia had 15, and Spencer Hawes fouled out in the fourth quarter with 10 points and 14 rebounds.
Gasol’s triple-double leads Lakers past Hawks
The AP reports: Having owned the Western Conference’s top spot through the first half, the Lakers got started on maintaining their status with a 96-83 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night… Pau Gasol had 12 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for his third career triple- double, and Lamar Odom had 15 points and 20 rebounds, Derek Fisher scored 14 points, and Trevor Ariza and Jordan Farmar added 10 points each for the Lakers. With his teammates carrying the load, Kobe Bryant scored a season-low 10 points… All-Star Joe Johnson scored 14 points and Josh Smith added 13 for the Hawks, who had their three-game road winning streak end on the first night of their five-game West Coast trip.
NBA to borrow $175 million
The Sports Business Journal (Daniel Kaplan and John Lombardo) reports: The NBA is set to borrow $175 million Feb. 26, marking one of the first league financings since the implosion of the credit markets last fall. The money, which will be available to 15 teams, supplements an existing $1.7 billion leaguewide credit facility that uses the NBA’s media contracts as collateral to secure loans for the clubs. The NBA surveyed its teams, and 15 responded they would like to tap into the new borrowing. While the league said it is pleased to borrow in an extremely illiquid credit market, the deal came at a cost, with interest rates up to 8.27 percent, hammering home the notion that the era of cheap money in sports is over. The 15 teams can use the money for any purpose, but covering operating losses may be high on the list.
InsideHoops.com editor says: Loan me three fiddy. I want some ribs.
Hawks assign Othello Hunter to D-League
The Atlanta Hawks today assigned forward Othello Hunter to the Anaheim Arsenal of the NBA Development League, according to Hawks Executive Vice President and General Manager Rick Sund.
A rookie from Ohio State, Hunter has averaged 0.6 ppg and 0.7 rpg (.429 FG%) in 10 games with the Hawks.
The Arsenal is the D-League affiliate of the Hawks, as well as the Los Angeles Clippers.
Joe Johnson 27 points, Hawks beat Pistons 99-95
The AP reports: Joe Johnson scored 27 points and Flip Murray had 23 Wednesday night, leading Atlanta to a 99-95 win over Detroit… Allen Iverson scored 26 for the Pistons, who fell a game under .500 since he joined the lineup… Detroit’s Richard Hamilton scored 14, Rodney Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince each scored 12 and Antonio McDyess added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Rasheed Wallace didn’t play for the last 16-plus minutes and finished with nine points and seven rebounds.