The AP reports: Zaza Pachulia scored 18 points, including the deciding layup in the final minute, to help the Atlanta Hawks beat the Detroit Pistons 88-87 in the exhibition finale for both teams Thursday night. Both coaches rested key players. Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace didn’t play for Detroit, while Joe Johnson sat out for Atlanta. Former Pistons guard Flip Murray led the Hawks (5-3) with 19 points, and Maurice Evans and Marvin Williams had 14 each. Arron Afflalo had 15 points for the Pistons (6-2), rookie Walter Sharpe added 13 and Jason Maxiell had 11.
Category: Atlanta Hawks Blog
Atlanta Hawks blog
Oct 20: Magic 109, Hawks 103
The AP reports: Dwight Howard had 29 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Orlando Magic to a 109-103 preseason victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night. Joe Johnson, who led the Hawks with 26 points, hit a 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining to pull the Hawks to 102-100. Howard responded with a 5-foot turnaround jumper to make it 104-100 with 54 seconds remaining… For Atlanta, Josh Smith added 13 points and five assists, Al Horford had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Bibby scored 13 points and had five assists. Johnson also had seven rebounds and five assists. Rashard Lewis scored 25 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Teammate Courtney Lee chipped in with 13 points and four rebounds.
Oct 18: Hawks 102, Bobcats 96
The AP reports: Joe Johnson scored 22 points and Mike Bibby added nine of his 14 points in the final 3 minutes—long after May was disqualified—as the Hawks beat Charlotte for the second time this week… Flip Murray came off the bench to score 18 for Atlanta (4-2), which overcame spotty shooting, plenty of foul trouble and growing pains with its new, bigger lineup… Emeka Okafor had 18 points and 11 rebounds, but got little help up for the frontcourt-deficient Bobcats (0-5), whose disjointed offense produced 20 turnovers.
Oct 15: Suns 102, Hawks 100
The AP reports: Grant Hill made an 18-foot jump shot with 5.6 seconds left and the Phoenix Suns beat the Atlanta Hawks 102-100 in a preseason game Wednesday night… Raja Bell scored 18 points and Boris Diaw added 15 points for Phoenix. Steve Nash scored 11 points before leaving with a sprained right ankle with a little more than two minutes left in the first half… Flip Murray led the Hawks with 23 points, including 15 in the first half. Al Horford, starting at forward, had 15 points and six rebounds. Zaza Pachulia, starting at center, had seven points and 10 rebounds.
Hawks waive two players
The Atlanta Hawks today requested waivers on Marcus Hubbard and Frank Robinson, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Rick Sund. Atlanta’s roster stands at 15 players.
Atlanta hosts Phoenix in preseason play tomorrow at Philips Arena (7 p.m.).
InsideHoops.com editor says: They were ‘training camp’ players with nonguaranteed contracts. It’s standard that most such players wind up getting cut.
Oct 13: Hawks 88, Bobcats 87
The AP reports: Acie Law’s basket with 4.5 seconds left lifted the Atlanta Hawks to an 88-87 preseason win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday night. Law started at point guard in place of Mike Bibby, who was out with a strained right oblique muscle. The second-year player scored 12 points. Joe Johnson paced the Hawks (3-1) with 17 points, Josh Smith added 16 and Al Horford grabbed nine rebounds. Atlanta also got contributions from its two major offseason acquisitions; Maurice Evans had 12 points and Flip Murray 11… Jason Richardson, the only Charlotte player in double figures until the closing minutes, scored 19 points to lead the Bobcats. D.J. Augustin, the Bobcats’ first-round pick at No. 9 overall, had 11 points, six assists and three rebounds in 25 minutes. Raymond Felton doled out 11 assists.
Oct 10: Blazers 102, Hawks 80
The AP reports: Shavlik Randolph was 9-for-9 from the field and scored 19 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 102-80 preseason victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night. Portland rookie Greg Oden, the first pick in the 2007 draft who didn’t play last season after having knee surgery, finished with 11 points and .. Rookie Jerryd Bayless, a first-round pick out of Arizona, scored seven of his 15 points in the final quarter to give the Trail Blazers five players in double figures. LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy each added 14 points. The Hawks (2-1) had four players in double figures with Acie Law and Josh Smith each scoring 12 points, while Joe Johnson had 11 and Flip Murray 10.
Oct 8: Hawks 100, Suns 96
The AP reports: Marvin Williams scored 19 points, Josh Smith had 18 and the Atlanta Hawks spoiled Terry Porter’s debut as Phoenix coach, rallying to beat the Suns 100-96 Wednesday night. It was the second victory in two exhibition games for the Hawks, who also defeated Orlando on Monday. Williams and Smith got lots of offensive support. Ex-Sun Joe Johnson scored 14 points, Flip Murray had 13 and Al Horford and Acie Law 10 each. Shaquille O’Neal topped the Suns with 21 points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes. Alando Tucker scored 14, Matt Barnes and Louis Amundson 12 apiece, and Grant Hill 10.
Oct 6: Hawks 118, Magic 101
The AP reports: The Magic are looking for a starting shooting guard. On Monday night they watched the player they let go after last season help beat them. Maurice Evans, who left as a free agent last summer, scored 17 points and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Orlando Magic 118-101 in the preseason opener for both teams… Rashard Lewis led Orlando with 22 points. Olympian Dwight Howard had 17 points, five rebounds and eight blocks. The block total matches Howard’s regular-season best… J.J. Redick, the former Duke star who has yet to crack the rotation, scored six of his 12 points in the first quarter.
Hawks exercise options on Horford and Law
The Atlanta Hawks have exercised the contract options for the 2009-10 season on forward/center Al Horford and guard Acie Law, it was announced today by Executive VP/General Manager Rick Sund. Per team policy, financial terms were not disclosed.
A unanimous selection to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and runner-up for Rookie of the Year honors, Horford had an outstanding season in helping the Hawks reach the postseason for the first time in nine years. The first Atlanta pick to earn first team All-Rookie since Stacey Augmon in 1991-92, he nearly averaged a double-double a year ago, recording 10.1 points and 9.7 rebounds in 81 contests.
During the playoffs, the 6-10 forward/center from Florida increased his totals, scoring 12.6 points and grabbing 10.4 rebounds in the seven games against Boston.
Despite battling injuries much of the 2007-08 campaign, Law was fifth among rookies in assists and third on the Hawks, to go along with 4.2 points per game. He saw action in 56 contests and is coming off a fine summer effort at the Rocky Mountain Revue, where he was named to the All-Tournament Team after averaging 16.2 points, 3.6 assists and 2.2 rebounds.
InsideHoops.com editor says: Standard and expected, especially for Horford. Law needs step up a bit this season so the Hawks can keep the faith.