Category: Atlanta Hawks Blog

Atlanta Hawks blog

Player of week are Kobe Bryant and Joe Johnson

The Atlanta Hawks’ Joe Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, March 31, through Sunday, April 6.

Johnson led the Hawks to a 3-1 week, which included wins over two playoff-bound Eastern Conference foes, Philadelphia and Toronto. Johnson averaged 25.3 points on .556 shooting from the field, 8.3 assists and 5.5 rebounds. Johnson also shot .455 from distance. For the season, Johnson is Atlanta’s leader in scoring, assists, free-throw percentage, three-point percentage and three-point field goals made.

Bryant helped the Lakers to a 3-0 week, which included wins over the Trail Blazers, Mavericks and Kings. For the week, Bryant averaged 30.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists while shooting a scorching .688 from three-point range (11-of-17). The Lakers are tied with San Antonio for the second best record in the Western Conference (53-24).

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey, New Orleans’ Chris Paul, Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala, Sacramento’s Kevin Martin, Toronto’s Rasho Nesterovic and Utah’s Deron Williams.

Apr. 5: Hawks 92, Sixers 85

The AP reports: Joe Johnson scored 22 points, Josh Smith added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and the Hawks built a big lead and held off the Philadelphia 76ers 92-85 on Saturday night. Marvin Williams contributed 18 points, Al Horford had 10 points and 12 rebounds, and Mike Bibby had 10 points for the Hawks (36-41), who responded after losing to the Sixers 109-104 on Friday in Atlanta… Andre Iguodala scored 25 points for Philadelphia, which had clinched a playoff berth for the first time in three years with Friday’s win. Andre Miller added 18, Lou Williams and Rodney Carney had 13 apiece and Samuel Dalembert had 10 rebounds for the 76ers (39-38), who had their two-game winning streak snapped. Still, they have won 21 of their last 29 games.

Apr. 4: Sixers 109, Hawks 104

The AP reports: Andre Iguodala scored 30 points and Andre Miller had 23 to help the 76ers wrap up their first playoff spot in three years with a 109-104 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night… Combining with Iguodala for 25 points, three assists, five rebounds and one steal in the fourth quarter, Miller was satisfied with holding off the Hawks’ comeback from a 14-point deficit… Joe Johnson led Atlanta, with 32 points, but fell down and lost the ball on what appeared to be a damp floor while dribbling with 1:36 remaining… Mike Bibby had 11 assists, but he was just 1-for-11 from the field for Atlanta. Josh Childress finished with 20 points in a reserve role.

Apr. 2: Hawks 127, Raptors 120

The AP reports: Mike Bibby hit a tying 3-pointer in regulation, Smith made two in overtime, and the Hawks beat the Toronto Raptors 127-120 on Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory… Chris Bosh had 24 points for Toronto, and T.J. Ford finished with 23 points and 13 assists. Rasho Nesterovic scored 21 points and reserve guard Jose Calderon handed out 10 assists for the Raptors. Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 28 points. Bibby had 26 and Josh Smith finished with 24. Bibby and Johnson combined for 23 assists. Al Horford pulled down 11 rebounds.

Mar. 31: Hawks 116, Grizzlies 99

The AP reports: Josh Smith had 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists as the Atlanta Hawks built an early lead before and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 116-99 on Monday night. Atlanta led by 38 in the third quarter and seemed to be coasting to the victory. However, Memphis opened the fourth with 13 consecutive points, part of a 23-4 run that made the game more interesting, and forced Atlanta to put its starters back in the game… Al Horford and Joe Johnson scored 19 points apiece for Atlanta, and Mike Bibby had 17, Josh Childress 14 and Marvin Williams 12. Johnson also had eight assists and Bibby seven. Smith shot 11-of-13 from the field, part of Atlanta’s 56 percent effort on the night. Rudy Gay led Memphis with 29 points, while Juan Carlos Navarro and Kyle Lowry finished with 17 each.

Mar. 30: Hawks 114, Knicks 109

The AP reports: Marvin Williams scored 27 points and Joe Johnson had 23 to help the Atlanta Hawks win their third straight, 114-109 over the New York Knicks on Sunday… Jamal Crawford led the Knicks with 39 points—19 coming in the third quarter—but he was just 2-for-5 from the field in the fourth before his meaningless layup ended the scoring… Johnson, who had a season-high 13 assists, caught Al Horford’s pass from the right wing and laid in a short turnaround for a 105-94 lead with 3:42 remaining… David Lee finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Mar. 28: Hawks 106, Bulls 103

The AP reports: Mike Bibby scored 30 points and the Atlanta Hawks held on after nearly blowing two huge leads, beating the Chicago Bulls 106-103 to strengthen their hold on the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot. Ben Gordon, who scored 16 of his 18 points in the final period, had a chance to force overtime but his final shot rimmed out as the horn sounded… Joe Johnson scored 19 points for the Hawks, including a towering shot from the baseline over two defenders to make it 101-98 with 1:32 remaining… All five Atlanta starters scored in double figures, with Marvin Williams and Joe Smith both contributing double-doubles. Williams had 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Smith went for 12 and 10. Luol Deng scored 19 points to lead the Bulls, who got points from all 11 players who saw minutes but were beaten on the boards.

Andrew Bogut has procedure to fix broken nose

Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut underwent a successful procedure this afternoon to reduce a displaced nasal fracture (broken nose), Director of Player Personnel Dave Babcock announced today.  The procedure was performed by Dr. Paul Lowenstein, M.D., at Elmbrook Hospital in Brookfield, WI.

Bogut sustained the injury in the fourth period of Wednesday night’s game in Atlanta.  He left the game to receive treatment and did not return to action.

Bogut will be required to wear a protective mask for the remainder of the season, but will not play tonight against the Orlando Magic.  After tonight, he will be listed as day-to-day.

In 68 games this season (all starts), Bogut has averaged 13.9 points, a team-high 9.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and a team-high 1.76 blocked shots.  Among Eastern Conference centers, Bogut ranks second in scoring, second in double-doubles (32), third in blocked shots and fifth in rebounds.

Mar. 26: Hawks 115, Bucks 96

The AP reports: Joe Johnson scored 28 points, Josh Childress added 20 and the Hawks beat the Milwaukee Bucks 115-96 on Wednesday night to maintain the eighth and final playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta also escaped a major scare when X-rays of Bibby’s left thumb came back negative… Andrew Bogut led the Bucks with 27 points and nine rebounds, but the 7-foot center left the game after Marvin Williams accidentally hit him in the face midway through the fourth… Michael Redd finished with 20 points for Milwaukee, which has lost seven straight on the road.

Mar. 25: Bulls 103, Hawks 94

The AP reports: Drew Gooden scored a season-high 31 points and matched a season best with 16 rebounds Tuesday night as the Chicago Bulls held on in the fourth quarter for a 103-94 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. The Bulls, one of several teams chasing the Hawks for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, led by 12 after three quarters before Atlanta rallied within two with just more than six minutes left. Ben Gordon’s 3-pointer with 1:27 to go gave the Bulls a 97-90 lead, and he added two free throws with 28 seconds left. Gordon finished with 16 points. Josh Childress scored 22, including eight in the final quarter, to lead Atlanta. Mike Bibby added 18.