Peachtree Hoops: Preview and Game Thread #10: Utah Jazz vs Atlanta Hawks

[Hawksquawk]

 

Atlanta Hawks 10-11 Season Game  #10
	@
5-3		6-3
Phillips Arena
November 12, 2010, 7:00 PM
ESPN, 99X FM, Pre and Post Game Show 680 The Fan, NBA Audio League Pass
Probable starters:
Deron Williams	PG	Mike Bibby
Raja Bell	SG	Joe Johnson
Andrei Kirilenko	SF	Josh Smith
Paul Milsap	PF	Al Horford
Al Jefferson	C	Jason Collins

 

Hawks Injury Report: Pape Sy (back) is out, Marvin Williams (knee) and Mo Evans (knee) are questionable

Jazz Injury Report: Mehmet Okur (Achilles) is out

SB Nation Utah Jazz Blog: SLC Dunk 

Game Preview: The Hawks come in losers of their last three games and most recently 108-91 loss to the Bucks at Phillips Arena. They may be one step closer to getting healthy tonight against the Jazz with the probable return of Maurice Evans to the rotation and potentially the return of Marvin Williams. The Jazz roll into the game at Philips the winners of three straight. They defeated the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic this week after trailing by double figures so the Hawks will have to be prepared to play the full 48 minutes tonight. 

Keys to the Game:

Match-ups, match-ups, match-ups. The Hawks will need the return of either Evans and or Williams tonight to help ease the match up problems that have plagued the team throughout the last week. Deron Williams will be a tough cover for any of the Hawks and I look to see Joe Johnson matched against him a lot tonight. While the Hawks could seemingly get away with their bigger lineup of Smith, Horford, and Collins across the front, it will be important to have some wings available once Jerry Sloan goes to his bench. 

Speaking of the bench. The Hawks reserves have been badly outplayed in the last two games. Jamal Crawford is coming off of a 5 point 2-7 night in which he played 34 minutes. The Hawks need him to come out and be aggressive and to help set the tone. Defensively the second unit as a whole has to step up. Perhaps the return of Evans and or Williams will aid in that as well. 

If the Hawks want to win tonight they better get ready to play the full 48 minutes because this Jazz team has shown just this week the ability to come back against some pretty powerful opponents. Limiting turnovers and crashing the boards is always key. One big thing though is staying with the offense even through the tough times. It is at those crucial moments where they are going to have to trust each other and the system rather than breaking it down into one on one play. 

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