Official Game Thread: Hawks - Lakers

[lethalweapon3]

Guess who’s back in the playoffs? The Los Angeles Lakers and the Atlanta Hawks appear headed in opposite directions as they meet again this season, this time at the Highlight Factory. Left for dead at 17-25 with no chance of Pau Gasol coming back anytime soon, The Lakers have ridden the slowly-aging back of Kobe Bryant to win 17 of their next 23 games, including four straight and nine of their last 11. Dwight Howard has also come up with big defensive plays in crunch time to secure a couple of them. The Lakers now sit in the eighth spot in the West, and hope to use tonight's game to put that precarious position in the rear view mirror, with Houston just a half-game in front and sixth-seeded Golden State just two games ahead. Even with the Hawks' latest freefall, one win in their last seven games, there is no legitimate threat to miss out on the postseason. Yet with Milwaukee just a game-and-a-half behind them, Atlanta will be fighting to avoid an award of facing the steamrolling Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs (with apologies to Mr. Mora). Last night, Howard’s prior employer, the Orlando Magic, went with the Hack-a-Howard approach often deployed by opponents back when he was their employee. Sinking 25 out of a whopping 39 free throw attempts (matching his own record), he is now on the verge of passing a good friend of his – Atlanta’s Own Josh Smith – leaving the latter with the designation of the NBA’s worst free throw shooting percentage. Howard sits at 49.0 FT% with Smith an airball or two behind, at 49.6%. In contrast, while the Lakers can go to Steve Nash (90.6 FT%) or Jodie Meeks (92.1 FT%) in a pinch, the Hawks have Jeff Teague, second among Eastern Conference players in free throw percentage at 89.0%. Unfortunately, they may not have Teague tonight, as he sprained an ankle in last night’s 98-81 South Beach Smackdown. If Teague cannot go, Devin Harris will have a pivotal role directing what remains the East Coast’s top passing offense. Harris had six assists and zero turnovers to go along with 16 points (5-for-9 shooting, 3-for-6 on threes) in the 99-98 shortfall at Staples Center on March 3. It was Harris who passed the ball under the rim to Smith at the closing seconds, but Smith bobbled it and could not find a teammate for the final shot. As usual, there was not much success stopping Kobe Bryant, who had 34 points on 35 total shots (field goals plus free throws). Howard and Steve Nash each registered double-doubles in that contest as well. Yet the Hawks stayed in that game by forcing more turnovers and taking advantage of their speed in transition. Josh Smith and Al Horford combined for 14 turnovers, but L.A. could only convert Atlanta’s 14 total turnovers into 16 points. Meanwhile, the Hawks created 29 points from of the Lakers’ 21 gaffes, including 15 by Bryant, Nash, and D12 combined. Howard has now snared at least ten defensive rebounds in each of his last ten games. Dwight's aggressiveness in the paint and Steve Nash getting comfortable again with his shot has helped Bryant relax and become more of a facilitator in his last two games (just 30 total points, but 17 total assists). Kobe's averaged 10.3 assists per game in his last four appearances, while Nash has only nine total dimes in that stretch. Dahntay Jones only participated in a single minute (seconds, really) of the last Lakers-Hawks tilt, so look for him to relieve DeShawn Stevenson and Josh Smith of the ill-defined Kobe Stopper role. Al Horford’s positioning for his improved mid-range shot can draw Dwight Howard outside just enough for Josh Smith to do damage in the paint, if he chooses to, against either Earl Clark or Antawn Jamison. Metta World Peace will be roving around the perimeter looking for steals or charges to draw, and will be helped by Bryant, newly re-committed on the defensive end, and Devin Ebanks to get a hand up against Kyle Korver, DeShawn Stevenson, and Harris at the three-point line. John Jenkins has to cash in on the minutes provided him in the absence of Lou Williams and now Jeff Teague. In his last eight appearances he’s shot just 14-for-49 on the floor, 4-for-22 from beyond the arc, and isn’t making up for it with passing (just three total assists) or defense (just two steals, both late in garbage time against the Heat reserves). Getting Dwight to play physical helps the Hawks by keeping him in foul trouble and exposing the Lakers’ lack of depth in the interior. Howard fouled out in the Lakers’ last loss, a 17-point defeat at Oklahoma City on March 5. The Lakers are 3-16 when they’re whistled for hacks more than 20 times in a game, but the loss to the Thunder was just the third time in the last two months that they’ve done so. Go Hawks! ~lw3 View the full article

[Guest]

I love it let's gettem...tough without Teague but we are at home and need to come out swinging to finish the regular season strong. LET'S GO HAWKS!!!!

[MaceCase]

Will General Petroeus be getting the start?

[High5]

Dwight "Hometown" Howard and Kobe "MVP" Bryant playing in front of the loyal Atlanta crowd tonight. Can't wait.

[Guest]

No Teague, No Zaza and now Josh is doubtful with knee sprain....we are coming apart at the seams.

[hawkrule152]

Atlanta Hawks ‏@ATLHawks

Recap: Teague and Pachulia are OUT. Smith doubtful. Harris, Jones, Tolliver, Horford and Petro will start for the #ATLHawks

Man, were rollin, and rollin downhill that is, FAST

[benhillboy]

They barely beat us last time, with both teams able to play better than they showed. Hopefully we play well and catch them napping. We need this one. Jamison, Blake, Artsest, Clark, Nash, or any NBA player for that matter can easily hit threes when they're wide azz open. If not, all except Nash would struggle, except he wouldn't attempt a contested three. Actually defending the line this time around would be nice. Lets Go.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Horford has a chance to be a Hawks legend tonight. Put up big numbers in a win tonight, and even Al's strongest critics may have to agree that this is HIS TEAM now.

[yungsta]

Atlanta Hawks ‏@ATLHawks

Recap: Teague and Pachulia are OUT. Smith doubtful. Harris, Jones, Tolliver, Horford and Petro will start for the #ATLHawks

Man, were rollin, and rollin downhill that is, FAST

what the hell? we are f***ed....

[cam1218]

Getting kinda tired of Zaza always being out.

[DJlaysitup]

Thanks lw3....GO HAWKS!!!!!

[TheNorthCydeRises]

It's a damn shame that Ivan can't get consistent minutes on this team. All that dude does is BALL!!

NBA GM's are idiots. He's easily a 5 million a year player, with the way he can score the basketball and defend one on one.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLL

HHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOFFOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORDDDDDD !!!

Become a legend tonight dude. Dunk on Dwight's azz next time. What a play!!

[cam1218]

We could very well lose this game, but this first quarter reminds me why Horford is my favorite player. He is a leader, always plays hard and he really cares about the team. You can just see it in the way he plays..he is smart and doesn't make dumb plays to hurt us.

[benhillboy]

Holy John Jenkins! Those two isolation plays on the defensive end against Kobe were nothing short of spectacular.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Bench currently have 23 of the Hawks 29 points.

No Josh Smith = the right people taking jumpers . . and an extra man in the lane to get a rebound.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Holy John Jenkins! Those two isolation plays on the defensive end against Kobe were nothing short of spectacular.

I agree. I don't know what he ate before the game, but he needs to keep eating it. He looks great tonight.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

That time, Al gave the ball up instead of racing it back up the court, and Devin gave it back to him for the pretty alley-oop.

That's why big guys don't need to be bringing the ball up the court. Fill the dang lane and you'll get it back.

Game definitely at the Hawks pace. Keep running those fools, and stay on the boards.

[ftown]

woohoo!

if nothing else, a great opening half

Go Hawks!

[benhillboy]

All things considered, that might've been the best first half of the season.