Hawks @ Suns Game Thread

[Amare32]

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Atlanta Hawks (2-13 ) @ Phoenix Suns (9-5)​

When Sunday 4th December
Time: 6.00 PT
Location: AWA, Phoenix
TV: UPN 45

Probable Starting Lineups:

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PG-Tyronn Lue
SG-Joe Johnson
SF-Josh Smith
PF-Al Harrington
C-Zaza Pachulia

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PG-Steve Nash
SG-Raja Bell
SF-Shawn Marion
PF-Boris Diaw
C-Kurt Thomas


Key Bench Players

Hawks

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Josh Childress- 6.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 50% FG

Suns

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James Jones- 9.3 points, 3.0 rebounds on 40% 3P%

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Eddie House- 8.4 points, 1.6 assists on 47% FG, 37 3P%


Starting 5 Match-ups

Point guards
Tyronn Lue Vs Steve Nash

Here will be a one sided match-up. Tyronn Lue will be going up against the league's best point guard in Steve Nash. Lue is a starter pretty much by default as they don't really have anyone else who can play the point. Or at least be in the starting line-up. Lue is averaging 7 points per game and to his credit is a good enough shooter and isn't a guy who should be disrespected by being left open. Steve Nash is again in fine form and is coming off a 21 and 10 assist performance against Denver. Look for him to take It to the Hawks defense.

Shooting guards
Joe Johnson Vs Raja Bell

the main focus for tonight's game is the return to the valley for former Suns favourite Joe Johnson who left the Suns in the summer to sign a 70 million contract with the Atlanta Hawks. JJ is having a bad season % wise as he is only shooting 41% from floor and just under 30% from three. Which is a big difference from last year when he shot nearly 47% from three. Not playing with Steve Nash is obviously a big reason for that. Johnson currently averaging 18 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists a game on a Hawks team who has won just 2 of their first 15 games. There's no doubt that Joe will not get a good welcome back from the Suns fans. JJ will be going up against Raja Bell who is having a soild season himself and will have the job most likely to guard JJ. This should be a good match-up.

Small Forwards
Josh Smith Vs Shawn Marion

Josh Smith the high flying SF will have a challenge when he has to go face to face with Shawn Marion the double double machine. Smith last years dunk champion has had a indifferent start to the season after a good rookie year. He is only averaging 8.9 points per game on 38% shooting. Good things were expected of him this year after last years impressive last few months of the season. Marion coming off a 22 points 11 rebounds and 3 blocks performance against the Nuggets will look to dominate again against this young and inexperienced Hawks team.

Power Forwards
Al Harrington Vs Boris Diaw

There has been alot of trade talk involving Al Harrington but he has performed quite well in his contract year so far. Harrington is averaging 17 points and 8 rebounds a game on 44% from the floor. He will be going up against his former team-mate Boris Diaw who is having a break-out season averaging 11 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists on on 52% from the floor. The key guy for the Hawks will be getting Harrington going early and attacking the Suns defense. Only way Hawks have much of a chance here is If Harrington has a huge game.

centers
Zaza Pachulia Vs Kurt Thomas

Zaza Pachulia has had a stunning season so far for the Hawks. Averaging 12 points and 10 rebounds per game. Which is very impressive after not really getting much time on the Bucks bench last year. He signed a 4 year, 16 million contract in the summer. Which means the Hawks signed at least one guy who was worth the money. Zaza will have to do alot of work tonight when he goes up against the improving Kurt Thomas. Who is back in the starting line-up after being moved to the bench. Thomas who had a tough start to the season where he found It tough to adjust to the Suns system has finally started to play well. He followed up his 19 rebound game against the nets with 11 and 9 Vs the Pacers then on friday night had a very impressive double double against Denver with 16 points and 16 rebounds. Lets hope he continues that good form tonight.

Key Match-up

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VS

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Joe Johnson-18.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists
Raja Bell- 11.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists

key's To The Game

Hawks

• Former Sun Joe Johnson needs to get going early and shoot a good shooting %. He will need to go off and start well for the Hawks to give them a good enough chance to win against a red hot Suns team. No pun intended.

• Try and contend Nash If that is even possible. You may see JJ guard Nash quite bit as Lue has no real chance of staying in front of Steve but hey who actually can do that?

• Hawks must have a strong game from Al Harrington for the Hawks to keep this one close. He is the Hawks best big man who can score inside and out. He will be very important to their cause tonight.

Suns

• Push the ball and get Marion and Thomas going inside. The Hawks don't have anyone who can check Marion and keep him off the boards. I can see Shawn having a big game yet again.

• Boris Diaw will be motivated to have a big game against the team he maybe thought had given up on him. Diaw is showing how talented he really is and It won't be long until he racks up his first triple double How fitting would It be to get It against the Hawks?

• Suns will face their old friend Joe Johnson and no matter what people may think about him after what happened this summer he is a very talented player who will want to have a great game against the same team and system that made him the player he is today. Nothing better to shut the fans up with boo's with having a big game. Suns will need to make sure that doesn't happen.

Final Thoughts And Predictions

The Phoenix Suns continue their 5 game home stand and so far are 3-0 with wins over the Nets, Pacers and Nuggets. Suns have won 5 straight heading into this game and have a 9-5 record on the season. Even with Amare and Barbosa still missing from the line-up.

The Suns are coming off a 102-97 win over the Nuggets. The Suns were led by Shawn marion's 22 and 11 effort while Steve Nash had another double double with 21 points and 10 assists. The Suns had a 17 point 3rd quarter lead only to go into the 4th down by 2 points. They managed to go on another big run in the 4th and managed to hold onto the win. Boris Diaw continued his good form with 17 points and 9 assists.

The Atlanta Hawks meanwhile are struggling and thats an understatement. The Hawks are 2-13 on the season and have lost 4 in a row. Although they have beaten the Pacers, so the Suns will need to be on their game and not look down on the Hawks.

The Hawks are coming off a 102-101 loss to the Toronto Raptors who entering the game had only won 1 game. Joe Johnson did however have his best game as a Hawk. Pouring in 34 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists.

To end It all off, I fully expect a Suns win and an easy one at that. The Suns are in top form and should teach former Sun Joe Johnson a lession and why he should never of left the Suns meanwhile Boris Diaw will look to prove to the Hawks why they shouldn't of let him go.

ENJOY THE GAME!!

Oh and

Don't forget to boo Joe all game long!!

 

[Amare32]

Here is nba.com's preview

What a difference a year has made for Joe Johnson.

Johnson makes his return to the desert as a member of the Atlanta Hawks when they open a three-game road trip against the Phoenix Suns.

Last season, Johnson helped lead the Suns to the NBA's best record en route to the Western Conference finals. But with numerous young players needing to be re-signed, Phoenix was forced to deal Johnson to Atlanta in a sign-and-trade for Boris Diaw and two first-round picks.

Johnson, who is in the first year of a five-year, $70 million contract, is averaging 18.4 points, 5.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds.

However, the 24-year-old has been a rare bright spot for the Hawks, whose miserable first month of the season was epitomized in a 102-101 home loss to Toronto, which entered with a 1-15 record.

Johnson scored a career-high 34 points and dished out 10 assists but stepped out of bounds on the Hawks' final possession, a play symbolic of their season to this point.

Al Harrington added 24 points and Zaza Pachulia 11 and 14 rebounds for Atlanta, which lost its fourth straight game.

Phoenix posted its fifth straight victory Friday, a 102-97 triumph over Denver.

Shawn Marion had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Kurt Thomas 16 and 16 and Steve Nash 21 and 10 assists for the Suns, who have held seven straight opponents under 100 points.

Phoenix did receive some bad news Friday when Brian Grant underwent knee surgery. The veteran big man is expected to miss three months.

The Suns have won 15 of their last 20 games against the Hawks, including 11 of the last 13 meetings here.

 

[elindholm]

The Suns have won 15 of their last 20 games against the Hawks, including 11 of the last 13 meetings here.

"Including"? I don't think 13 of the last 20 meetings have been in Phoenix. Nice job, nba.com.

 

[Phill11]

Got my seats at today's game. My first Suns game.

I'll definatley be booing JJ.

 

[Amare32]

Make sure you boo him everytime he touches the ball

I will be shocked If Joe isn't given hell tonight, he will be under pressure to perform thats for sure.

 

[Amare32]

Some quotes

As for the evening itself, Joe Johnson insists that it won't be a messy occasion. He's not making any predictions about the outcome, knowing better than anyone in Atlanta how hard it'll be to run with the Phoenix Suns, but he's serious when he says he's expecting to get in and out of town without a lot of trouble.

"It's not going to be hard for me at all," Johnson said of Sunday night's return to the desert. "I don't look at it as a pressure situation."

The jilted locals are starting to believe that replacing Johnson and Quentin Richardson with depth and variety -- Boris Diaw, Raja Bell, James Jones, Leandro Barbosa and Jim Jackson -- will actually make Phoenix a stronger force once Amare Stoudemire returns from knee surgery.

Yet they also naturally long for Johnson to come back and immediately recant his desire to leave.

"In three to six months," Sarver recently suggested, "I really think Joe will say, 'I wish I was in Phoenix.' "

Don't count on it. Your humble Dime correspondent visited Johnson earlier in the week when the Hawks were in Houston and didn't hear anything remotely remorseful (or combustible) coming from the $70 million man, who's playing OK (18.4 ppg, 5.3 apg, 4.3 rpg) given what little help he has.

"I'm going to stay patient," Johnson vowed, perhaps rehearsing an answer he'll have to repeat frequently over the weekend. "Even though things haven't been looking good for us, I think we have a bright future.

"I had to do what's best for Joe Johnson and that's what I did. I made my decision to come to Atlanta and now hopefully more guys will make the same decision."

 

[Arizona's Finest]

"I had to do what's best for Joe Johnson and that's what I did. I made my decision to come to Atlanta and now hopefully more guys will make the same decision."

Yeah Joe....You are a regular Rosa Parks.....

 

[devilalum]

The Suns have won 15 of their last 20 games against the Hawks, including 11 of the last 13 meetings here.

"Including"? I don't think 13 of the last 20 meetings have been in Phoenix. Nice job, nba.com.

These statements are not mututally exclusive.

 

[elindholm]

These statements are not mututally exclusive.

"Including" implies that the 13 home games are a subset of the last 20 games. They aren't.

You wouldn't say, "The Suns have been to the playoffs 9 of the past 10 seasons, including a trip to the Finals in 1993." (At least, I hope you wouldn't.)

The word "including" should be replaced by "and," with the comma before it removed.

 

[George O'Brien]

Bad statistics AND bad grammar - a double threat.

 

[Amare32]

You sure do have a way with words.

 

[Amare32]

This was not the kind of return Joe Johnson had in mind.

The Atlanta Hawks swingman makes his first visit to Phoenix with his new team after leaving the Suns in a sign-and-trade deal over the summer.

Johnson's club is tied with Toronto for the fewest wins in the NBA after a 102-101 loss to the Raptors on Friday night. Johnson scored a career-high 34 points, but he's so far been unable to make much of an impact in the win column for the Hawks.

"We're a lot better than that team, especially at home," Johnson said after Atlanta's fourth straight loss. "We got down too early. Defensively, we didn't have enough down the stretch." The Hawks haven't had enough of anything in the early going, opening the season nine straight losses before managing to win two in a row.

Johnson was signed to handle the point guard spot and he has been steady in leading the Hawks in points and assists, but that hasn't been enough to help his team improve.

Johnson played a key role in the Suns' march to the Western Conference finals last season, but wasn't able to come to an agreement on a new deal with Phoenix. He eventually was sent to the Hawks in the sign-and-trade, but one of Atlanta's owners, Steve Belkin, disapproved with how much Atlanta was giving up to get Johnson, a solid role player but not a star with the Suns.

A messy dispute between Belkin and the Hawks' other owners ensued, with Belkin eventually resigning his post. Atlanta shipped forward Boris Diaw and two first-round draft picks to the Suns for Johnson, who then signed a $70 million, five-year contract.

"It was all worth it," Johnson said at the time. "I'm glad everything worked out and the process is over. I wanted to be a Hawk and I'm ready to get started."

He may find himself rethinking his decision Sunday, when his former team comes to town looking for its sixth straight victory.

Phoenix got off to a 4-5 start a season after winning 31 of its first 35 games, but the Suns defeated Denver 102-97 at home Friday night as they continued show signs of returning to their 2004-05 form.

Phoenix did blow a 17-point halftime lead before rallying for the win.

"We allowed them to make a run at us, and we didn't stay focused on how we were playing in the first half," said forward Shawn Marion, who had 22 points and 11 rebounds. "To fight and come back after losing the lead says a lot about this team."

Diaw, who didn't make much of an impact with Atlanta, has started the last four games for the Suns and averaged 14.7 ppg and 7.0 rpg in those contests.

Phoenix has also played well defensively, holding its last seven opponents under 100 points in going 6-1 during that span. The Suns have dominated the series with the Hawks, winning 15 of the past 20 meetings and 11 of the last 13 at America West Arena.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview;_ylt=ArWhFr8RTEPSCuddB6gfEke8vLYF?gid=2005120421

 

[Yuma]

Supposedly 751 on DirecTV, but I don't see it on the guide yet....

 

[TradeNash]

I cant find it on Dish Network, what the hell man

EDit: Nevermind, found it whooo!

 

[Amare32]

Good early start, Joe doing basically wha the has all year for the Hawks.

Bad decison making.

 

[Zobaczcie suki]

where's the chat link??

 

[Amare32]

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/chat.php

 

[elindholm]

I won't be able to watch the second half, but for the record I'd like to state that House has had a good game so far. The turnover was awful, but the Hawks didn't make him pay, and other than that he has been solid.

 

[slinslin]

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[Amare32]

You know you're bad when a 18 point scoreline really flattered you.

 

[ProdigalSun]

We had 27 assists. They had 8...thats just some horrible basketball. Highlight of the game was Burke's fist pump after fouling out...that was great.

 

[cepstrum]

We had 27 assists. They had 8...thats just some horrible basketball. Highlight of the game was Burke's fist pump after fouling out...that was great.

Boris Diaw himself had more assists then the whole Hawks team. That makes me happy!

 

[Neo]

Color me impressed. The Hawks are bad, but holding them to 51 points through three quarters is still very impressive. What a difference a year (and a near wholesale swap of the team) makes in the team's defense.

 

[jbeecham]

That was a butt-whooping! I just got home from the game and boo'ed Joe Johnson every time he touched the ball the entire game. The Suns really dominated from the opening tip and the Hawks were just pathetic. If it wasn't for Joe Johnson going one-on-one over and over again then the score would've been even worse. The Hawks don't play as a team at all and have no ball movement or real offense to speak of. If the Suns didn't put in their 3rd string for pretty much the entire 4th qtr then they would've won by 40+ (they led by as many as 37). Some player impressions:

Diaw: He just continues to impress me every game with his passing, defense and even his offensive game. This guy is just a consistent all-around player. He also had a really nice follow-up dunk on a missed jumper by KT.

James Jones: He had a great game tonight. Everytime he shoots I think it's going in. He elevates well on his jumpshot and can get his shot off over anyone. His defense was also really good tonight and I think he had 3 weakside blocks (including a monster swat on Joe Johnson, but Burke had already fouled JJ).

House: House was a sparkplug again tonight. He really brings a lot of energy and gets the crowd into the game. I wasn't crazy about the House signing at first, but he's starting to make me a believer. He still struggles distributing the ball, but he had a few nice passes for layups or wide open jumpers tonight.

Bell: Raja didn't have a great night, he struggled trying to guard JJ and I think the height difference is what really hurt him. He did force JJ into a couple of travels and offensive fouls though and JJ was taking tough shots. Bell's shot wasn't great, I thought he made a few shots, but it looks like he went 1-8.

KT: KT looked really good tonight. His defense and rebounding on Zaza were really good and he rolled to the basket on the pick & roll for some easy hoops. He also pump-faked Zaza and drove past him for a nice dunk. If he had played at all in the 4th qtr then he would've had a double double.

Marion: Marion was very active tonight and he really sparked the team early on (I think he had 8 of their 1st 12 pts). He was even hitting some outside shots. His defense was good and he had a couple nice blocks and steals.

Nash: Steve didn't have to play much tonight (which is good). I can't say I noticed any spectacular passes or shots by him, but he did have 10 pts and 7 assists in under 27 minutes.

Pat Burke: Pat came in with great energy and the crowd really got behind him. He hustled all over the place and made some nice moves around the basket for a couple of dunks and he grabbed a few rebounds. Like someone else mentioned, it was really funny when he pumped his fist after he fouled out of the game. The crowd really cheered for him and he seemed pretty happy about that.

Jim Jackson: Jimmy was still struggling on offense and defense tonight. He hit a few shots in garbage time to make his shooting look decent, but he really didn't bring anything positive to the team when it mattered.

Sharrod Ford: This was the 1st time he's gotten any decent minutes and he actually looked fairly decent out there, but very raw. He looks a lot skinnier that I expected him to be (like he was about 215-220 lbs). He played some decent defense around the basket and had a couple of blocks in a row on one possession before getting called for a foul. It seemed like he committed a foul whenever the ball got in the paint (similar to Burke). Offensively he really didn't show much. He hung out around the 3pt line and swung the ball around the perimeter. I think he slashed to the hoop once or twice for layup attempts.

 

[jibikao]

Nash only played 26mins! That's good.


I didn't watch the game but does Hawks really suck that bad? 8 assist for the whole team? Did they just go for one-on-one or what? How come the coach didn't teach them team plays?