Hawks @ Suns Game Thread

[slinslin]

Joe Johnson is such a *****....

""I expected it," Johnson said, "but it was more than I thought it would be. I'm glad this one's over."

"It was funny," Johnson said of the fickle fans. "Now I was on the opposite side. It was fool's gold. It was fun coming back home, but I'm glad it's over."

"I didn't want to get out there again -- to get more boos," he said."

 

[jbeecham]

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?

The Hawks really do suck that bad. JJ did everything one-on-one and is he did pass the ball then he ran right back over to get the ball back again (very selfish). He didn't really do anything to get his teammates open looks or try to make his team better (he probably doesn't trust them to make open shots). The other guy doing pretty much everything one-on-one was Salim Stoudemire and he was fairly effective getting into the lane for floating jumpers or layups. Pauchulia had a couple of nice offensive rebounds and putbacks until get got 2 technicals for arguing with refs and got ejected.

 

[scotsman13]

guys did any of you see what it was that Pachulia did that got him kicked out of the game?

 

[jbeecham]

I couldn't really see what he was complaining about, but I think he wanted a foul call and said the wrong thing to the ref. Of course I was at the game and didn't have the benefit of replays or commentary. The Hawks were pissed most of the game (who wouldn't be when losing by 37pts) and I think they had 4 technicals tonight.

 

[boondockdrunk]

Joe Johnson is such a *****....

""I expected it," Johnson said, "but it was more than I thought it would be. I'm glad this one's over."

"It was funny," Johnson said of the fickle fans. "Now I was on the opposite side. It was fool's gold. It was fun coming back home, but I'm glad it's over."

"I didn't want to get out there again -- to get more boos," he said."

HAHA what a joke this guy is. He thinks he can turn his back on the fans and then call them fickle for not appreciating him? Clearly Joe didn't just get bad advice from his agent, he also got left without a brain. Fool's gold? The booing was a representation of how much we liked him when he was here, and how we feel after being betrayed.

 

[reader]

Suns 112, Hawks 94
Post-Game Quotes


Posted: Dec. 4, 2005 SUNS HEAD COACH MIKE D’ANTONI: “We definitely did the job tonight. I thought we played real well the first three quarters, especially defensively. We’re getting good games from different guys and the guys showed a good effort, and kept their concentration throughout the game. All in all, it was a pretty good game.”

(On the return of Joe Johnson)
“I didn’t think it was awkward at all. Joe played well, though. We allowed him to get off a little bit, but I also thought our guys did a decent job on him defensively. I don’t think you can (compare) his game (with Atlanta), because he went from playing one way with us, to a totally different game for the Hawks.” “Boris had a good night for us and everyone else really contributed. I thought Kurt (Thomas) did a great job on Pachulia. Adding to our lead is something we didn’t do the other night, and I think we’re getting more solid defensively that it allows us to do that now. When shots aren’t going down, we are able to maintain our lead. Overall, it was just a good effort by our entire team.”

SUNS FORWARD SHAWN MARION (20 PTS, 8 REBS: “They’re an NBA team, so you have to respect them. At the same time, we came out there and played our game, took them out of everything they wanted to do, and won the game. We had to win the game. We were making stops, scoring on the other end, and doing what we had to do.”

SUNS CENTER KURT THOMAS (8 PTS, 11 REBS): “We came out in the first quarter and jumped on them. We really established it from the beginning and kept it going, and that was the key to the game. I think it was an all-around team effort. We were defending, covering for each other and rebounding the ball. That led to a lot of easy baskets. I think that’s going to get us through this year, if we continue to focus on our defense. We’re going to score on other teams, so as long as we go out there and continue to play defense each and every night — I think this is the seventh or eighth game we’ve kept the other team under 100 points — it will be key for us.”

SUNS FORWARD JAMES JONES (20 PTS, 6 REBS): “I just had confidence in my shot. The flow of the game was great, my shots fell early and they felt good. I kind of just got over a hill. That was my first hill, first little slump since I’ve been here in Phoenix, and it feels good to get over it. More importantly, it feels good to help the team win. This game was huge. This was the game that, if you lose, you kick yourself in the butt come playoff time. This is a game you have to win if you’re trying to be a contender, and we won. This was a great team effort. This team is getting better and better. I see it every day in practice, and the fans and the people in America are starting to see that whenever we come to play, we play well together and we play the whole game.”


HAWKS HEAD COACH MIKE WOODSON: “I thought Joe came out ready to play. I thought he was excited about being back home, where he’d spent the last few years. But we didn’t have any help around him starting the game. I thought our young guys came in the latter part of the game and played well."

(On crowd booing Johnson)
"I don’t know what for. He gave them some good years here. The bottom line was he was a top free-agent and the Atlanta Hawks were in a position to pursue him and get him, and we’re happy to have him. I don’t think he deserved that, I really don’t. But they’re the fans and you have to roll with it. Like I told him, you can walk out of this locker room with your head held high.”

HAWKS GUARD JOE JOHNSON (23 PTS, 2 REBS): “It was kind of fun. The fans, you know, I always expect the worst. So (the booing) was expected and it kind of gave me an adrenaline rush, so I really appreciate what they did. It was helpful, I appreciate it. Every time I come here, if I can get that, I’d appreciate it.

(On his first season with the Hawks)
"The losing is tough. I’ve been on both sides, losing and winning. We’ve just got to get better as a team. (But) if I could do it all over again, I’d make the same decision.”

HAWKS GUARD SALIM STOUDAMIRE (14 PTS): “It was a combination of us not getting back on defense and on the offensive end, just not sharing the ball. We had 8 assists for the game, and they had 27. That was the game. They just moved the ball more than us.

(On fan reaction to Johnson)
"That’s what their supposed to do. If a guy had the option of signing back with his team but then chose another team, of course there’s going to be some bad blood, no matter what he did.”

 

[George O'Brien]

I only watched the first half and listened to a bit of the second on the radio, but it looked like the Suns were "OK" and the Hawks absolutely awful. I don't think the scouting reports even began to tell just how bad the Hawks are. I cannot imagine how in the world they could have defeated the Pacers in Indianapolis. I now have my pick for the first coach to get fired this season.

On a night when Nash seemed to be totally off his game, Boris was just brilliant. He had 8 assists in the first half and just chewed the up the Hawks defense with his drives. None of the Hawks big men had even a chance at keeping him out of the lane where he either dished to an open shooter or finished on his own. Add in a really pretty back door play to House and it was pretty impressive stuff.

Frankly, I'd like to see the Suns run more of the offense through Boris at the high post. This is not like the Kings with Divac, Boris is a serious threat to take it to the basket and his 4 of 5 free throw shooting suggests opponents won't be able to just back off him. It turns Nash into a catch and shoot player on those plays, but that is not a big problem.

Other thoughts:

I was very encouraged by Pat Burke's play after his very poor performance in the garbage time against the Pacers. He played very tough defense (he does not get Voskuhl ticky tacks - when he fouls they stay fouled ). Seriously, he's a work in progress but he looks a lot more helpful than Voskuhl was and he had a very pretty layup.

I was glad to see that JJax picked his game up later on the game. His shooting in the first half looked to me like he was rushing his shot and getting his feet set (I thought Bell had the same problem). By contrast, Jones had great form.

I thought this was Eddie's best game. He not only shot well, but had 3 assists and even a couple of rebounds. His backdoor cut that Boris hit him for a layup suggests he is learning to move without the ball. His defense seemed to be pretty good, although I'm not sure it was him or the Hawks.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I agree with most of what you said, but Eddie has always moved without the ball.

Almost all of his offense comes from him constantly running of screens for quick jumpers.

 

[George O'Brien]

I agree with most of what you said, but Eddie has always moved without the ball.

Almost all of his offense comes from him constantly running of screens for quick jumpers.

It's funny how usual that has been for the Suns. Perhaps House's time in Sacramento was well spent.

 

[reader]

Suns win sixth straight; Johnson nets 23 in return



PHOENIX (AP) -- The Phoenix Suns -- and their fans -- spoiled Joe Johnson's homecoming.

Booing Johnson incessantly, the crowd of 16,992 at America West Arena helped boost the Suns to an easy 112-94 victory over Johnson's Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night.

"I expected it," Johnson said, "but it was more than I thought it would be. I'm glad this one's over."

Last season, the raucous Phoenix fans showered Johnson with cheers during the team's 62-victory season. This time, they showed no mercy for the veteran guard, who bolted the Suns during the summer for the worst team in the NBA.

"It was funny," Johnson said of the fickle fans. "Now I was on the opposite side. It was fool's gold. It was fun coming back home, but I'm glad it's over."

James Jones scored a season-high 20 points and Shawn Marion also had 20 to lead the Suns to their sixth consecutive victory.

The Suns' winning streak is the longest in the NBA and lifted them within a half- game of Pacific Division co-leaders Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State. It also was Phoenix's sixth straight home victory and the eighth game in a row the Suns have held an opponent under 100 points.

Johnson, who went from Phoenix to Atlanta 3½ months ago, scored 23 points in his first game with the Hawks against his former team, but sat out the final 15 minutes when the outcome no longer was in doubt.

"I didn't want to get out there again -- to get more boos," he said.

The Suns' early balance was too much for the overmatched Hawks, who lost their fifth straight and fell to 2-14, the worst record in the league.

Eddie House and Boris Diaw each scored 14 for Phoenix, and Kurt Thomas grabbed 11 rebounds.

Rookie Marvin Williams had season-highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta, most of them in the fourth quarter, and Salim Stoudemire had 14 points.

Johnson went to the Hawks on Aug. 19 in a sign-and-trade deal for Diaw, two conditional first-round draft picks and a $6 million trade exemption, which the Suns used a portion of to acquire Jones from Indiana in another sign-and-trade transaction.

"If I had to do it again, I would make the same decision," Johnson said.

Johnson was warmly greeted by his former teammates and Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni during pregame warmups, but the Phoenix fans were not so kind during the introductions, offering much more boos than cheers.

The crowd showed its dislike even more for Johnson during the game, booing him each time he touched the ball. As the game progressed, the booing got louder. Only when he committed a foul or a turnover did the fans cheer.Johnson had a sensational first half, scoring 21 points. After missing his first three field goal attempts, he hit eight in a row.

Still, his effort wasn't good enough, as the Suns had a 57-36 lead at halftime, with the help of Marion's 16 points, Jones' 13 and Diaw's 10.

Atlanta coach Mike Woodson and the Suns felt sorry for Johnson.

"I don't know what for," Woodson said of the booing. "This guy gave them some good years. He didn't deserve that. He can walk out of this locker room with his head held high."

"It was a little unfair," said Steve Nash, Johnson's backcourt partner last season. "I was surprised, but he was tough enough to handle it. I felt for him. It's difficult for him in that situation."

The Suns virtually put the game away in the opening quarter, outscoring the Hawks 25-10, Atlanta's fewest points in any period this season and the fewest allowed by the Suns. During that 12-minute stretch, Atlanta was 4-of-20 from the field, including 0-for-7 by Tyronn Lue. Atlanta also had seven turnovers, leading to 12 Phoenix points, and by halftime, the Hawks had 12 turnovers, four by Johnson, helping the Suns score 18 points.

Phoenix held Johnson to two points in the third quarter and increased its advantage to 37 points, 88-51, by the end of the period. The turnover parade continued, with Atlanta committing nine more, leading to 11 Phoenix points.

The Suns, who had an 11-0 run spanning the first and second periods, had a 13-0 spree in the third quarter.Game notes
The Hawks' Josh Smith was ejected 1:31 into the third quarter for elbowing Raja Bell in the head, a flagrant two foul, and teammate Zaza Pachulia was ejected 2 minutes later after being tagged with two technical fouls. ... Johnson has played in 292 consecutive regular-season games, second to Morris Peterson of Toronto, who has 296. ... The Hawks are on pace to win fewer than last season's league low of 13 games. ... The last time the Suns held eight straight opponents under 100 points was the final four games of the 2003-04 season and the first four games of the 2004-05 season. The last time they held eight consecutive opponents under 100 in a single season was 2003-04 (Jan. 15-27).

 

[Errntknght]

George, good review of the game overall. In fact, lots of good comments all around by you guys. Heck, almost everything I read that I was going to give an alternate opinion on, was already taken care of.

I did scratch around and find one thing... George, "I thought this was Eddie's best game. He not only shot well, but had 3 assists and even a couple of rebounds. His backdoor cut that Boris hit him for a layup suggests he is learning to move without the ball. His defense seemed to be pretty good, although I'm not sure it was him or the Hawks."

I wouldn't call it House's best game but it was probably his soundest one. He's had two games with 4 assists before and one with 5, though probably in more minutes. And a good number of his assists are true assists, not mere a pass to a guy who shoots a jumper without dribbling. He's not in Nash's and Diaw's class as a playmaker but when he's been called upon to run the team he's done it well. I'd say, for a combo guard he's well above average as a playmaker.

As far as him moving without the ball, he's been one of the best on the team since his first game. I'm of the opinion that he's setting an example that the other guys are picking up on, if anything. In fact, he's moving all the time and he regularly snaps up rebounds and loose balls.

Last night Marjele was doing the color and he said a time or two that Eddie was a good defender. I'm pretty sure Dan played a season or two with him in Miami so he should have a good idea about that. I'd have said he's a passable defender who is energetic and likes to gamble for steals - and is pretty good at it. And, for him it's not bad - his most important role is to pick up the team when it's having trouble scoring and a steal then that leads to an easy score is probably as valuable as hitting a long jumper under pressure.